Okay...so first I want to say that I love each and everyone of my readers so so much. You all have kept me going on this story and have provided some wonderful insight. As of right now having just started this chapter a couple of hours after uploading the last one, I have not gotten a lot if reactions about Charity, although I am hoping that y'all like her. She is not meant to be a replacement for Elizabeth, I have some ideas for what I want to do with her, but the options are slim at this point so, any ideas would be great.000000000000000000000000000000000
Life for Jack was far from the norm he had known. He was still coming to terms with his memory loss and PTSD. He had suffered traumatic stress after the war in the northern territories, which he had never conquered, and now was suffering from almost dying and losing his memory.
He could see the toll it took on his mother, as they had traveled back to her home, and then as he said goodbye, he remembered how tightly she had held on and cried. She was the strongest woman he knew and, much like Elizabeth, his heart broke at the sight.
Elizabeth, dear Elizabeth, how he ached at seeing her trying to be brave for him. How he yearned to talk to her, to tell her everything. But he couldn't, he couldn't open himself up to her.
"Here you go", Bill said, handing Jack a slice of bread.
"Wow", Jack said, chewing on a bite, "who made this".
"Abigail, she's trying a new recipe".
Jack smiled and continued eating, watching the surroundings and jumping at every noise.
"Took me a while to stop seeing everything as a threat", Bill said, "it took Thomas even longer. There was this one time I was over and he just flipped like a switch and started getting violent. That was the first and last time I ever pulled a gun on him. After that he started talking and getting better. It never goes away completely Jack, but it will get better as long as you don't let it control you".
"Is it hard for you, to control it"?
"Every day".
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"Class, I would like to introduce you to Ms. Charity Phillips, she is a teacher and very soon Jack and I will be taking a trip and she will be your substitute until I return".
Charity smiled at the children. Each was precious, although she suspected a couple of the boys were inclined to being adventurous.
"Hello children", she said, receiving a "hello Ms. Phillips" in return.
"I have some exciting news, Mrs. Thornton and I have talked about it and when she returns, I will be opening a tutoring center alongside the library".
From the back, Cody and Robert both looked up, Robert raising his hand asked
"So you mean we get school after school"?
The class chuckled at the despair in Robert's voice.
"No, the tutoring center is just for those who need a little extra help".
"So yes, Robert, you will be going", Cody teased his friend.
Charity beamed, she was happy, and finally felt like she was home.
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Time passed in Hope Valley, new friendships were forged and the new arrivals were quickly made to feel at home. As summer turned to autumn Charity and Charles married, finding new meaning in each other.
As things returned to normal, Charity found herself wanting to do something special for Thanksgiving. Charles, on the other hand, had a different holiday on his mind.
"No Charles, I will simply not allow that in the library where any child can access it".
Charity Phillips Kensington threw the first edition book onto the table. It wasn't that she didn't like the book, she had actually enjoyed it, but the idea that some child could be exposed to such horrors at such a young age was simply unbearable to her. Youthful minds were so impressionable and imaginative and she wished to protect them however she could.
"Honey I simply thought that with Halloween approaching you could offer it for a limited time, and it could act as an incentive to get people in the library".
"Charles, I love you, but I can't, in good conscience, do that. Even if Mr. Stoker is a brilliant writer".
"Alright sweetheart. I've got to go to the office, but I'll be back".
Kissing her goodbye Charles gathered his coat and briefcase and set out into the beautiful world of a Canadian morning, leaving Charity who, despite herself, contemplated his words.
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It was a beautiful morning in Hope Valley, Mr. Yost had just opened his shop, Elizabeth was ringing her school bell, and Jack Thornton and Charles Kensington walked down the street together. Their friendship had been one of the most surprising turn of events in Elizabeth's life, but she couldn't be more happy, except when Jack had decided to take Charles hunting and brought him back after just one night after Charles had accidentally made his bed in a patch of poison ivy. It had taken most of Carson and Faith's supply of calamine to sooth him. But as time wore on the two men became inseperable and a common site on the street every morning.
"Jack",
"Yeah"?
"What do you think about Charity offering Dracula as a limited option in the library"?
"Really? I love that book".
"I know, but she's worried about some of the kids getting their hands in it".
"Well, with Cody and Robert around I don't blame her".
As the two men continued a buck board wagon with a canvas cover rolled onto main street. Driving the wagin was a thin, blackhaired man with a full mustache, shoulder length hair that flowed out from a black, wide brimmed hat that he removed to reveal a sharp widow's peak at the center of his forehead . He wore a long, black cloak, with a crimson inner lining, to combat the cold. The horse was as black as midnight and neighed sharply as he was pulled to a stop. The man lithely leapt down and began a trek to the constables post. Jack and Charles watched in awe as, who appeared to be Dracula himself, smiled at them, a set of clean teeth and sharp canines being exposed. They looked at each other and then back to the man who was making his way to the RCMP post.. Silently both men parted ways as Charles went to work and Jack went to meet the newest arrival to Hope Valley.