Chapter 36 – Taste of the Future
Wednesday, Abigail thought that she would make some cookies and things. She still didn't have all that she needed to be open, but she thought that she could at least do some baking. Miles knocked on the kitchen door that was ajar.
"I smelled cookies, Mrs Stanton." Miles said. "Are you selling them?"
"Well." Abigail said. "I am not officially open yet, but, um … let me see what I can do."
Abigail grabbed one of the little paper and wax bags that she had and put a couple of cookies in it. She rolled the top and handed to Miles.
"Here you go." Abigail said. "These are on the house."
"Gee, thanks." Miles said.
"Hey Miles." Abigail said. "I guess that this makes you my first official customer."
Miles went back to the door and looked out.
"I sure hope that you have more." Miles said.
"Why?" Abigail asked.
"Because your going to need them." Miles said point outside before he ran off.
Abigail walked over to the door and looked out at the line of people that was forming along the boardwalk and smiled. She knew that everything would be alright. There were not only more children, but a lot of mothers as well. Abigail set up a table and started selling the baked goods that she had made. Elizabeth had been gone since early that morning, she had said that she would clean the row house now that everything was moved out. She also wanted to make sure they hadn't forgotten anything. As she stepped out she saw Gabe and Miles.
"Gabe!" Elizabeth said laughing. "What is going on?"
"They are selling cookies at the old cafe." Gabe said. "You better hurry before they are all gone."
Elizabeth let out a little laugh. She was smiling as the boys ran off. She headed to town and saw the huge line along the boardwalk. She knew that Abigail wasn't ready to open the cafe, she still had repairs to make. She went up to the front to see Abigail.
"Oh, my goodness, Abigail." Elizabeth said. "I thought you said you were just going to do a little baking."
"I lit the stove." Abigail said. "I guess the smell of fresh baked goods drew all these people in. They have been here all day. If this is any indication about how things are going to go, I am so excited."
"I knew that you could do it." Elizabeth said. "Now they won't be able to wait until you open in a couple of weeks."
"Excuse me, ma'am" Jack said to Elizabeth who wasn't paying attention.
Elizabeth just looked at Jack as he walked up closer.
"The line starts back there." Jack said pointing and with a grin.
When Elizabeth saw his grin she smiled as well.
"Very funny." Elizabeth said. "This is amazing, isn't it?"
"It is." Jack said. "I guess it proves that if you want something bad enough you find a way to get it."
"I guess your right." Elizabeth said with a smile.
Miss Thatcher." Jolene said coming up. "Mountie Jack."
"Jolene." Jack said. "How are those baby birds doing?"
"I named one after you." Jolene said. "Because his red feathers are like your coat."
Jack let out a little laugh. "I am honored." He said.
Laurel and Morgan-Rose walked by.
"Come on Jolene." Laurel called. "Leave Mountie Jack alone."
"You won't have to fix anything anymore." Jolene said. "May daddy is coming home in a couple weeks."
Before Jack could say anything else, Jolene ran off to join her mother and sister. Jack and Elizabeth just looked at each other before turning and walking after Laurel and the girls.
"The only miner pulled out alive after the disaster is coming home." Jack said. "A new business is thriving. This town is growing fast."
"Soon." Elizabeth said. "It will be a big city just like Cape Fullerton, an you won't have any reason to leave."
"True." Jack said slowly.
Elizabeth was smiling and so was Jack, but he was trying to be serious.
"But there is another reason for me to stay." Jack said.
"Is there?" Elizabeth said coyly.
"Yes." Jack said. "I think it is only fair that you take the same test that you gave me – starting with a basic task to test your ability to follow instructions."
Elizabeth just laughed as they continued to walk down main street toward the jail.
"Oh really?" Elizabeth said. "Is that what you think?"
"Yeah." Jack said. "It's an important part of the test."
"All right." Elizabeth said.
"Good." Jack said. "Do you agree to forgive me for everything stupid I've ever said or done?"
Elizabeth laughed again. She knew that Jack wasn't going to make things easy, but she thought he was taking a little took much liberty. Jack just had a smirk on his face because he knew that this was his chance to get back at Elizabeth for having him take that silly test.
"I don't know." Elizabeth said still laughing. "There are just so many of them."
"Well." Jack said. "No one said it was gonna be an easy test."
Elizabeth stopped walking and Jack stopped as well. They faced each other and Elizabeth took a deep breath.
"I can follow those instructions." Elizabeth said with a straight face.
"I am glad." Jack said with a dimpled grin.
"Is that the end of the test?" Elizabeth asked.
"Oh, no." Jack said with a chuckle. "Now comes the written part."
Jack walked away with that dimpled grin still on his face while Elizabeth was left standing there not knowing what to think.
"When?" Elizabeth asked chasing after Jack.
"Tonight." Jack said. "At the saloon. Be there at six."
"Fine." Elizabeth said.
Later that evening, Elizabeth headed over to the saloon and sat with Jack. He had written out the test similar to the one that she had given him using her books. He had borrowed them from one of the shelves. She couldn't believe that he was making her do this, but she knew that it was all in fun and she also wanted to keep moving their relationship forward. They still hadn't really talked, but they had been spending time together. Well she had tried to talk to him, but it was like he was uncomfortable talking about the past. Elizabeth thought that maybe this was Jack's way of starting over. Jack gave her the test and he waited until she was done. He then scored it right there. Making her wait was part of his fun. Elizabeth kept looking over and Jack wouldn't let her see what he was doing or writing.
"Mmm." Jack said. "Well. There's another one you got wrong."
"What?" Elizabeth asked.
"Just wait." Jack said without looking up from the paper.
He was having fun playing with her.
"Are you sure you are scoring that correctly?" Elizabeth asked.
"Relax." Jack said. "I graduated with honors."
"Jack." Elizabeth said. "Do you stay up at night just thinking of ways to drive me batty?"
"Nope." Jack said. "Don't have to. Just sort of comes out naturally."
Elizabeth just looked at Jack and sighed. About that time, he finished and flipped the papers over back to the first page. He picked up Elizabeth's test and sat back.
"Okay …." Jack said.
"Well." Elizabeth said. "Are you going to tell me or not?"
"Are you sure you want to know?" Jack asked.
Elizabeth tried to give Jack her scary teacher face, but it wasn't working.
"Of course I want to know." Elizabeth said.
"See." Jack said leaning forward. "It turns out that you are not quite as smart as I thought you were."
"That's not true." Elizabeth said. "Jack, is this payback for the test I gave you?"
"No." Jack said. "No, you really didn't do very well."
"Let me see." Elizabeth said reaching for the papers.
Jack moved them out of her reach and just looked at her. He had a serious look on his face and then broke out in a dimpled grin.
"Jack." Elizabeth said. "Let me see."
She tried to reach the papers, but Jack moved them further away from her reach. He ended up standing up to keep them from her and she followed trying to get them. Jack kept moving the papers so she couldn't reach them. Both were laughing and having fun, but they seemed to forget that there were other people around.
"Give it to me please." Elizabeth said with a giggle as they were standing.
"Just relax." Jack said holding the papers behind his back.
A couple of the miners who were near by let out a little laugh and it was in that moment that they realized that other people were there and watching them. Jack handed her the papers and they both sat back done. Jack still had the dimpled grin on his face and Elizabeth was also smiling. As she looked over the papers she knew that he had been playing with her. She hit him with the papers and he laughed. He couldn't wipe the dimpled grin off his face. They were both having fun and enjoyed spending time with each other. They both settled down and had a bowl of chili and corn bread before Elizabeth headed back to the cafe for the night.