Chapter 53. New Shoes
When Julia woke up from her nap, she felt well rested. She got ready for Allie's end-of-the-year program at school. She fixed her hair and applied her cosmetics and perfume. And realized, she didn't have any shoes. She had only Sunday shoes, and snow boots, and her riding boots.
So, she opted for her Sunday shoes and went over to see Faith. When she got over there, Faith handed her a package. A pretty package wrapped in brown paper with a purple ribbon.
"Faith, what's this?" Julia asked.
"Your Constable dropped this off for you." Faith said with a wide grin. "How are you feeling?"
"Surprisingly well. Between the long hot bath and the nice long nap, I feel good. But, I just realized I don't have any shoes." Julia said with a soft chuckle.
"Enough about shoes, Julia. Open that package." Faith said, trying not to give away the surprise.
Julia sat at the desk with her and untied the pretty ribbon, and then unwrapped the brown paper. Inside was a shoe box. Her mouth fell open and she looked up at Faith.
"Maybe an angel knew about your shoe problem." Faith said softly.
Julia opened the box and found a beautiful pair of leather shoes, much like her old ones. Only these were so much nicer, in soft leather and a just little lighter in color. They were the perfect size and so very beautiful. "How did he know?"
"Julia, if you had only seen the condition of your old shoes. He couldn't bear to let you wear them." Faith said, as she stood and walked over behind the curtain and brought her back the one shoe she and Fiona had removed, the night before. When Julia saw how they were scuffed and ruined, her mouth went dry. Faith told her, "I guess you fought hard to get out of there. And, he didn't want you to be reminded every time you looked down at your shoes."
Julia took the old shoe from Faith and inspected it more closely. "I don't remember fighting so hard." Julia said.
"Well you obviously did, Julia." Faith told her. Then she said with a soft smile, "You have a good reason to fight."
Julia looked down at the shoes in the box, deeply touched by something so simple. Nathan had bought her shoes. She said, "I guess I do." They were even nicer than what she would have chosen, and she guessed he had done that on purpose. He knew her so well, he had known what she would pick, and he had chosen something even more beautiful, to spoil her just a little.
Julia noticed the time and realized she needed to get moving if she was going to be on time at Allie's program. "I'm sorry, Faith, but I need to get going." Faith nodded, and Julia headed back over to her apartment.
Julia quickly donned her socks and new shoes. She wiggled her toes inside. They were so very comfortable. She stood, grabbed the card she had prepared for Allie, and headed out the door.
When Julia walked up to the school, chairs were set up outside. She saw Rebecca and Nathan talking to Cat Montgomery, so she headed to join them.
Nathan had seen her from a long way off. He would know her silhouette anywhere now, and recognized the way she moved. He was happy she was still able to come, he had not been sure she would be up for it.
Rebecca looked up and acknowledged her first. "Julia, hello. I'm so glad you are okay." Rebecca said with a gentle hug.
"Hello and thank you, Rebecca. I am counting my blessings today." Julia told her. "And today, they are many." She added as she looked up at Nathan. He smiled at her, getting the message.
"Hello, Cat." Julia stated, greeting Emily's mother. "How are you today?"
"Very well, thank you, Julia. I heard you had quite a scare last night. We are all glad you are okay." Cat told her.
"Thank you, Cat." Julia stated.
Julia looked up at Nathan. "Hello again, Constable."
"Hi, Julia." He answered softly.
"Shall we find seats?" Rebecca asked. And the four moved to find a place together. Nathan put his hand under Julia's right elbow as they moved. It was a small gesture but she liked it.
When they sat, Nathan gently took her hand. She leaned close and whispered, "Nathan, thank you for my shoes. I love them."
"It was nothing, Julia." He answered back.
She looked at him, "It's not nothing…to me."
He brought her hand up to his lips and gently kissed it. She felt it all the way to her toes. He whispered, "I'm crazy about you, in case you forgot."
"And for that reason, I'm the luckiest girl in the world." She answered back in a whisper, with a sweet smile.
The program started. Elizabeth came out and thanked everyone for coming. She also thanked all the parents, helpers, and community members who came and contributed throughout the school year. The children sang two songs. Next, they performed a few skits, and then there were a few funny speeches.
Elizabeth presented the certificates, and the diploma to the graduating student. She also gave out awards for the school year. Allie got the award of "Mathematics Master". Everyone applauded for each and every student.
When the awards were done, the students came back out and performed a special song for Elizabeth. She was a good teacher and the children loved her, and it showed.
At the end of the program, all of the parents applauded once again. Allie came out after everything was over. She hugged Nathan, then Grams, and then Julia.
When she pulled back from Julia, Allie looked up at her. "Julia, I'm so glad you are okay. And that you were still able to come."
She noticed that Allie had called her Julia, and that made her smile. "Me too, Allie. Me, too. But, I wouldn't have missed your program for the world." Julia said and then added, so only Allie could hear, "You know, it's thanks to your Dad that I'm okay. He's my hero."
"He's the best." Allie answered.
"He really is." Julia agreed with her. They smiled between them. Julia handed Allie the card, which had the bookmark with the Bible verse inside. "This is for you, Allie. But, you can open it later."
"Thanks." Allie told her. "Julia, after church tomorrow, I'm planning a special meal for my Dad, for Father's Day. Would you please come?"
"Are you sure, Allie? It's not just for family?" Julia asked her.
"Julia, you are family." Allie told her. Julia looked at Nathan then, not sure what to say, as her eyes filled with tears. He nodded at her and that didn't help her keep it together.
Julia looked back at Allie, and cleared her throat. She answered, "I'll be there, Allie."
Allie smiled big back at Julia. Then she handed the card and the certificates to her Dad. She gave him a big hug, too. "Good night, Dad. Have fun." Allie told him.
"You have fun, too, Allie girl. And stay out of trouble." He answered.
"You know me, Dad. I always stay out of trouble." Allie joked with a proud smile.
Nathan chuckled loud and said, "Yea, sure, Allie." But, he hugged her one more time.
Allie hugged Grams next and said, "See you tomorrow, Grams."
"Love you, Allie. Have fun." Rebecca replied, and Allie was off to join her friends.
Nathan, Rebecca, and Julia chatted a while with the Canfield's and a few other parents. When things were winding down, Rebecca took the card and certificates from Nathan and started home.
Nathan took Julia's hand and walked her over near the side of the church. Julia noticed there was an overnight bag there on top of a picnic basket.
Julia looked up at him puzzled. "Jules, Allie has a big sleepover planned tonight, with her friends. And I, well, I planned a little surprise for you, before you got hurt." Julia looked up at him wondering how many more surprises could there possibly be, with this thoughtful, sweet man? He continued, "I'm just wondering if you are still up for it? How do you feel?"
"I feel up for anything with you, my love." She told him, gazing at him with all the emotion that she felt. Especially since Allie had come out with such a sweet comment.
"Ok, then. Will you take a little walk with me?" Nathan asked.
"Yes. Two times." She answered with a cute smile.
Nathan liked that and gave a little chuckle. He moved the overnight bag to the side and left it there in the designated spot for Allie. And, he picked up the picnic basket and together, they walked around the other side of the church. The walked to the far side of the field, and there on the other side, was a little stream. He opened the basket and spread out a nice big blanket. She stood there watching him, smiling.
When he got the blanket nicely laid out, he looked at her and realized she was watching him. He came over and asked, "What is it, Jules?"
"Nathan, I'm standing here trying to figure out how to thank you for my shoes. For this, for who you are, for loving me. I'm at a loss. I don't even know how to begin. The words thank you seem so empty when I feel so much." Julia told him, emotion written clearly on her face.
"You are welcome, Jules. I didn't want you to even see your old shoes." He looked down at his hands. "To be reminded."
"You can't tell me you're welcome yet, because I didn't manage to say thank you yet. Give me a second." She took a deep breath and she stepped forward to him. She reached up and tenderly took his face in her hands, and slowly pulled his face toward hers. She kissed him. She kissed him long, and slow, and tenderly. When she set back down on her feet, he noticed a single tear on her cheek.
He wiped it gently and said, "Don't cry, Jules. It's just shoes."
"It's a happy tear, Nathan. The kind that comes from a heart that's overflowing. And, they are not just shoes to me, Nathan. It's the thoughtful gesture, and the sweet things you do. You love well, and I feel your love. And I'm touched…deeply." She told him. "Thank you."
With those words, he kissed her back, soft and sweet and loving. He didn't want to let go of her. He felt so much, so deeply for this woman. And, his heart was at peace knowing that she felt his love, and she accepted his love. And more than that, that she loved him back, with the same intensity.
When the kiss ended, they sat down together. She showed him her shoes, how perfectly they fit, how wonderfully comfortable. And then, she took them off and stuck her bare toes in the cool grass. The day was starting to cool off and it felt nice. He laughed at her, but she just came over and undid his shoes, and made him do the same. She was right, the cool grass did feel nice between his toes.
Keeping her toes in the grass, she laid down and put her head in his lap. She looked up at him and the sky. Two of her favorite views in all the world, in one. She was happy.
And he looked down at her and they talked about the program and about the award Allie got. Eventually, he laid down to look at the sky too, so she moved to come beside him. He opened his arm and she cuddled in right there, her side to his side. Looking up, she rested her head on his shoulder. He realized once again how lovely she smelled then, when her hair fell over his shoulder and came to rest next to his face. She too, cuddled into his lovely scent of fresh mountain air and pine, the scent that was inherently him. It felt like home to her now.
They laid and looked at the sky for a long time. Nathan looked down over the top of her head and said. "Jules, I love you, with all my heart."
She turned her body and went up on her right elbow, to look at him better. "I love you too." She said simply.
"I can see a future with you. Can you see a future with me?" Nathan asked. He had told her he wanted to talk of the future. Laying there looking at the big huge sky seemed the perfect time.
"Yes. In fact, I can't see a future without you, my love." She told him honestly.
He leaned up on his elbow too, so they were facing each other. "I feel the same way. I'm no expert on the way relationships are supposed to progress. But I know that courting means moving towards marriage. And, I hope you know that's my intention with you. I will propose one day, Julia, probably sooner rather than later, considering the way I feel about you."
Julia blushed but smiled at that thought. And, she whispered back, "And, I might say yes, considering the way I feel about you. I couldn't possibly break my habit now." Nathan smiled big, happy to hear that.
"But, there are so many things we haven't discussed yet. I have so many questions for you." Nathan told her.
"Like what, Lawman?" She asked him.
"Where would you want to live?" Nathan asked.
"Wherever you do." She answered him, simple as that.
"But, if you are dreaming about us. Really dreaming, like the sky is the limit, where do you see us living?" He asked her.
Julia laid back down on her back and closed her eyes. "I see a big white house, with a porch that stretches all the way around. And big tall windows to let in lots of light. And there are beautiful hand-crafted wooden doors with a lovely curly, fancy G on them. There are flowers, lots of flowers, planted all across the front." So far, it was exactly what he had pictured. To the G.
"Set a little ways from the house there is a huge barn for the horses, and a mule. I don't know why there's a mule, but maybe you do?" She said as she opened one eye to look at him. He nodded with a big smile, so she closed her eye and continued. "There's a pretty red chicken house a ways from the barn, but the chickens are all running around in the yard, pecking and scratching. And, oh…I almost forgot. There's a swing hanging on the porch, and it has a heart carved into the back of it. I think that's where I'll drink my coffee in the mornings." She said, with her eyes closed and a little smile.
"And, anything special about the property?" Nathan asked her, amused as he could be.
"It's lovely, Nathan. It's huge, lots and lots of wide open spaces. There's a stream a ways behind the house, and a huge field for the horses. It's beautiful. Oh, and off to one side, there's one of those trees where two trunks grows out of it. And, the way they've grown, it sort of looks like a heart." Julia finished. She opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him. He was gazing at her, still propped on his elbow.
"And, you Lawman? What do you see when you dream of us? At least, when you dream about where we would live?" She asked.
He laid down beside her on his back and closed his eyes. He knew his vision was almost exactly the same. And he knew that heart-shaped tree. It was on Bill's land, the very land he was already in the process of purchasing.
"I see the same big white house. I have already drawn the plans out for it. Though, you don't know that yet. It has a huge open floor plan with a big kitchen for all the cooking lessons I'd like you to give me, and a huge wooden table to receive all of our friends. In the salon, there's a huge stone fireplace, and you always make sure there are fresh flowers on the coffee table. Off to one side, there's a library with shelves from floor to ceiling and one of those ladders with wheels so you can reach the books at the top. And, on the second floor are the bedrooms. Lots of them. For us, Allie, and all the children." He finished, with a big happy smile.
"All the children?" She giggled.
He opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her, their backs still on the blanket. "I never asked you if you want children." He told her, suddenly serious.
"Yes, I want children, Nathan. It just hit me funny the way you said it. All the children." She giggled. "How many children do we have in this dream of yours?"
"Only a dozen." He told her, clearly teasing her now.
She laughed from her gut now, not believing him for a minute. But, finding him completely charming.
"Seriously now, how many children do you want, Jules? In an ideal world?" He asked her.
"An ideal world? Like the one we've both described? I don't know. Maybe 3, or 4?" She told him. He liked that.
"Our ideal world, our dream, sounds the same." He said looking at her. He turned toward her and lifted on his elbow again. She did the same. Her hair had already been falling out of the pins, so she pulled them the rest of the way out. Her hair fell down around her shoulders and onto the blanket. She looked so beautiful that he couldn't help himself and he reached forward and tucked a hair behind her ear. He touched her face with his free hand, and let it wander into her soft hair, at her neck. He pushed the hair back off of her shoulder, and caressed her face once more.
When he pulled back his hand, he gazed at her amazed that someone could be so absolutely perfect for him. Like she was made for him. He was starting to realize what her Dad had been trying to say, with his story about the rib.
He suddenly remembered that he had packed a picnic, not that either of them seemed very hungry to eat anything. But, he thought he should at least offer. He asked very quietly, not wanting to break the mood. "Jules, are you hungry? I did actually pack a picnic. Something my mom tried to help me learn how to make, specially for you." She was curious now.
"I'm not starving. Though I'm curious now, to see what's in your picnic basket." She told him, as she sat up.
He sat up too, and pulled the basket over close. He opened it, and pulled out plates, napkins, silverware, and cups. He pulled out a canteen of water, and some containers. He opened the containers and she gasped when she saw. Fried chicken. Potato salad, and a green bean salad.
"Nathan, you learned how to make fried chicken? For me?" Julia asked him.
"Well, I tried. I'm not sure I could do it again though, without my mom, or you." He told her.
Julia smiled, "Well, I did promise to teach Allie, so maybe we can do it sometime, the three of us." He liked that idea.
He served her a plate and handed her silverware and a napkin. "Nathan, it looks wonderful."
He did the same for his plate and they ate together. He served water from the canteen into the cups.
"It's so good, Nathan. Such a thoughtful treat." She said, enjoying every bite.
When they were done, he collected the plates and loaded them back up in the picnic basket. It was starting to get very dark now so he lit a lantern he had stashed in the basket. He took out a little container of chocolate chip cookies his mom had made.
"Chocolate chip. My ultimate favorite. You are spoiling me, once again. Like with the shoes." Julia told him.
"What do you mean with the shoes? You couldn't have possibly worn the old ones." He told her.
"Yes. But, you didn't choose the same shoes I had before, did you?" She asked him, tilting her head and looking at him. She wanted to know if her supposition was correct.
"No I didn't. You are right. I picked something a little nicer." Nathan told her.
"One step up than what I would have picked?" Julia asked him, finishing her cookie and taking a drink of her water.
"Yes. Exactly. I wanted you to have something nicer than you had before." He told her, simply, finishing the water in his glass.
"See. You spoil me." She said with a smile. She wiped her mouth, and planted a kiss on his cheek. As she moved back to retake her seat across from him, his eyes followed her. He was looking at her lips actually, and she knew what was coming. He leaned forward and gently pulled her toward him. He kissed her slow and sweet, though the passion built, and quickly. Finally, he pulled back, and when he did, he realized how hard it was now to stop kissing her.
He turned her in his arms and pulled her close, so that she was leaning back on him. He wrapped her tight in his arms and realized it was now a little chilly outside. He reached into the picnic basket and pulled out a blanket. He used it to cover her up as she rested against him. Then he reached over and turned off the lantern. She looked confused for just a minute until he whispered softly in her ear, "Look up."
They both leaned back, her head coming right next to his ear, and looked up. The sky looked so big and was filled with a billion stars. They seemed so close and bright, she thought she could almost reach out and touch them.
"Wow." She whispered right by his ear. He could feel her even breath on the side of his neck, which was making a thousand butterflies dance in his belly. Her hair tickled the side of his neck too, and he felt like every nerve ending in his body knew exactly how close she was.
"It's beautiful, my love. I don't think I've ever seen a sky so huge." She told him. She nuzzled in and he held her tighter, enjoying the closeness with each other. They saw a shooting star or two, both times Julia gasped and pointed and he followed her finger. He showed her a few constellations, she followed his pointing, enjoying how close he was as he explained.
After a long, long time of star gazing, Nathan realized it was late. He didn't want to let go of her. But, he was a gentleman and knew he should take her home. "Jules, I should get you back home." He said, reluctantly sitting up and relighting the lantern.
"If you insist, Constable." She teased him. She realized when she sat back up and looked at him in the lantern light, that he looked tired. He had mentioned he didn't sleep well after the accident, and he had been going full steam all day, between the investigation and Allie's program. "Nathan, you look tired. Why didn't you say something before?"
"Because there's nowhere I'd rather be than right here with you." Nathan told her, as they both put their shoes back on and stood. Julia just tilted her head and smiled at him, happy. There was nowhere she'd rather be either.
Julia helped him clean up and pack everything back up into the basket. He shook out the blanket, folded it up and placed it in the basket. Then they walked back toward town, arm in arm. "Nathan, your house is closer and you have that heavy basket. Why don't we go to your house and say good bye there?" She asked him.
"Jules, I will walk you home. But why don't we pass by and drop the basket on my porch on our way to your door?" He asked her. She agreed and they changed course and set out for the row houses.
As they walked, in the cool of the night, Julia remembered all that they had discussed, over the course of the evening together. She couldn't believe all that she had shared with Nathan. He was easy to talk to, and she loved that.
He looked over at her as they walked, thinking her absolutely beautiful in the moon light. She looked up at him and he felt her shudder one time, in the cool night air. He stopped, opened the basket and took out the blanket he had packed for a cover. He placed it across her shoulders, and wrapped her up in it. They resumed their walk and dropped the basket on his porch. Then, continued on towards her back door.
When they got there, he turned to face her. He held the blanket closed around her, and looked down at her. Then, he slowly pulled the blanket towards him, bringing her with it. She was caught up in his intense gaze, in all the emotions between them, as he kissed her. The kiss was tender, and loving, and sweet. And, it was getting harder and harder to say good-bye. As he pulled back, she looked up at him, with her own intensity. "See you tomorrow, Lawman?" She asked him.
"I'll save you a seat at church." He told her.
"Sweet dreams, my love." She told him, as she placed the blanket carefully over his shoulders.
"Sleep well, my darling." And he turned to go, holding the blanket. He looked back a few times at her as he started his walk home. And, she stayed right there and watched him until he was completely out of sight. Then, she turned and went back into her apartment, surer than ever that she was the luckiest girl alive.