Chapter 7
Elizabeth saw my distant look, "Is everything alright? You should go and rest you have been busier than I think Carson had intended. I will work on dinner while you rest." I didn't want to tell her I still had concerns about Nathan's intentions. "No, I am fine I am just so moved that you wrote a book about me. I am not a hero, I was just doing my job. I can't believe a publisher thought stories about me were worth publishing." She smiled, "Well there were actually 4 publishers that wanted to publish my manuscript. Jack you are a hero and these stories are your legacy. And for those of us you saved you are a hero." She stood and headed up stairs. I stood. "Where are you going?" I inquired. "Is everything alright, I didn't mean to upset you." She looked back at me with a smile, "I am not upset, and I will be right back." A moment later she came down stairs holding the bundle of papers that were tied with the ribbon. She doesn't know I have seen them, and I am not sure if I should tell her. She sat them in front of me, "According to these people you are a hero. These are letters from almost all your friends and family, they are giving their personal stories of how you affected their lives. I wanted your son to hear what others had to say about you. Jack, you mean so much to the people of Hope Valley. That's why when Carson releases you, I want you to return to your post as Mountie. Remember when you received the metal for your bravery you said that being a Mountie was your destiny. You were always meant to be a Mountie and I could never ask you to deny yourself of fulfilling that calling. Just read one of these letters and you will see what you mean to people. I sheepishly smiled, "I already have. When I came to get Arnolds's saddle bag, I accidently saw them. I pick them up. Opals letter fell out and I read it. Sweet Opal knows how to tug on someone's heartstrings. But all of these stories are about a man that hadn't put his wife through more than she should've had to bear." She sat down taking my hand, "I knew who I was marrying, I knew the danger you faced, I knew there was a risk of losing you. I will not tell you it has been easy, but I will tell you that I knew you had died as a man of honor doing what you were called to do. I would never want you to ask me to give up teaching and I will never ask you to give up being a Mountie. Please just think and pray about it. You don't have to decide now. I just want you to know I support you if you decide to take your post again." I leaned in and kissed her, "I will think about it, but we don't have to worry about it now, Carson hasn't released me yet, so we have time to decide. Little Jack started to wine, I went upstairs and got him.
It was just after supper and I was laying in the floor playing blocks with Little Jack. I would build a tower of blocks and he would knock them down laughing hysterically the whole time. Elizabeth sat trying to read but with all the commotion she had a hard time concentrating, so she just sat and rocked watch us play. We played for a long while and I could tell my little one was getting sleepy. I stood picking him up. "I am going to get him ready for bed and I will be back down." As I was still talking little Jack spoke up, "Mama you" as he reached for Elizabeth. She stayed seated seeing the disappointment on my face, "Jack let daddy, it is his turn. I will get you ready tomorrow." He looked at me and shook his head no. I smiled at him, "Okay mama can get you ready and I will be up to say good night in just a moment." He leaped forward into Elizabeth's arms as she stood. She kissed me on the cheek. "He is just use to our routine it will get better I promise." I winked at her as she went upstairs. I go sit reflecting on the day, so long and busy. So much has happened. I noticed sitting on the table by the window the music box the old peddler, Sam gave me a few Christmas's back. That's the night I created the Mountie Christmas Ball in the saloon. I can still see her coming through the doors in that beautiful dress. She has always been so beautiful. That gave me an idea. Elizabeth announced from the top of the stairs, "I am going to rock him a few minutes before I lay him down." "That's fine I will be up in a few minutes to tell him good night."
As we left little Jack's room, I took her hand as I led her down stairs. When we rounded the curve of the stairs, she could see it. "Oh Jack, what is all this?" I smile as I walked across the room full of candles and picked up the music box. I opened the box, turned to her, "Mrs. Thornton may I have this dance?" She smiled her radiant smile taking my hand, "Yes you may Mr. Thornton." I wrapped my arm around her waist, we gripped each other's hand and danced the night away.
As I cooked breakfast Jack was in his chair, "More daddy more." Elizabeth was just coming down the stairs, "What's all this?" As she kissed little Jack on the forehead he said, "pancakes daddy pancakes. I passed by her with skillet in hand leaning to kiss her cheek, "I decided since I needed to meet Nathan early, I would cook breakfast and let you rest." She sat and poured herself some tea as I laid a fresh pancake on Jack's plate. Elizabeth leaned over and started cutting it up for him. "How many has he had?" she asked. "Oh, that is just his second one. He must have been hungry." "Two? He has eaten two pancakes?" she said in what seemed to be frustration. "Yes, is that wrong? Should I not give him the second pancake?" I said worried I had done something wrong. "No if he is hungry two pancakes are fine, but I have to make funny faces or sounds to get him to eat and he eats two pancakes for you." I could tell she was frustrated but I didn't know what to do. She finished cutting up his pancakes as I sat down. She turned to me with a big smile on her face, "Jack, last night was wonderful. Thank you for doing that for me." I lifted her hand kissing it, "It was just as much for me as it was for you. I have missed holding you in my arms as we glide across the dance floor... or living room floor." I said with a smile. She giggled. Jack started getting restless in his chair, "Done mommy" he said as he reached for her. She picked him up. I stood, "I need to meet Nathan, but I won't be gone long." She came up to me, "Jack give daddy a kiss bye bye. Take as long as you need." Jack kissed me, "Okay I will see you in a little bit."
As I arrived at the stables, I could see Sarge from a distance. I never realized how much I have missed that horse. I made it to his stall. I opened the gate and he started naying and trotting his hooves. I think he is excited to see me. I grab his reins and pat his side. "Hey buddy! How have you been? I have missed our rides so much. I know Elizabeth has been taking good care of you. She told me how you would go on rides. I know she has taken good care of you." Out of the corner of my eye I saw Nathan walking up. "Actually, I have been helping Elizabeth take care of Sarge. He is a great horse. I have brought little Jack out to see him several times when the ladies couldn't help her watch him. I thought it would be good for him to get comfortable with Sarge while he was little so when it is time to teach him to ride, he would be comfortable. He and Sarge are good buddies already." "You help with Sarge?" I asked. "Yes, I didn't mind. Elizabeth already has so much to take care of I just wanted to help if I could. Bill was doing it at first, but he started having a lot of out of town work. I came to the stable one day and Elizabeth was trying to clean the stalls. She was having a hard time but didn't want me to help. She said she had cleaned stalls before and could do it. I don't believe she had very much but eventually in time she asked if I could help. It had become too much with everything else. So, I started helping." I was trying to stay calm, "Ok well thanks for helping her let's get them saddled and start rounds." He nodded.
We had been on rounds for a while and little had been said but I couldn't help but think about what he said about not believing Elizabeth has cleaned stalls. How could he doubt her? She wouldn't make things up. "You know Elizabeth has clean stalls before. She wasn't making it up. She was asked to take care of a couple of her students and their homestead while their father was away. She did all kinds of things she never had. She is stronger than you think. She has done a lot of things that might surprise you. She is amazing about conquering any challenge she is given." He stopped his horse, "I know what an amazing woman Elizabeth is. I have seen her overcome more challenges than any person should have to overcome. She is special and if anyone knows it, I do. I am sure you have assumed or been told that I wanted to court Elizabeth. As you also probably can tell that she turned me down because she was still in love with you. She told me she wanted to focus on raising your son and I have respected her wishes. After a short time, she asked me if we could be friends and forget I had asked her about courting. It wasn't what I wanted but I was willing to have a friendship with her over nothing at all. Anyone that meets her loves her, she is infectious with love, compassion and strength. So, I understand how amazing she is, and I have always respected the limits she has put on our friendship. I simply wanted to help her when I can. I have always respected her feelings for you. I have been told plenty of times about the great love story of Jack Thornton and Elizabeth Thatcher. It is legend around here. Honestly it was intimidating to think about having to compete with that. I don't think anyone could ever have been able to live up to the relationship you and she have. So please don't feel threaten by me. I am a man of integrity and I would never disrespect your relationship." The nerve of this guy, "Threaten? You think I am threatened by you? Why would I be threatened by you?" He said, "Aren't you? I see the way you stay close to her when I am around, I saw how upset you became when you learned I was building Elizabeth a house. I saw the way you tensed up when I told you I had been helping her take care of Sarge. Jack, I respect you. You are a Mountie legend. Do you know how intimidating it was when I realized I was assigned to Hope Valley? I even asked Commander Collins to reconsider assigning me here. You had just died a hero leaving your new bride who just happened to be pregnant. How could I come in and take over as the Mountie of Hope Valley? Following the legendary Jack Thornton. When I first got here people weren't as welcoming as I had hoped, and Elizabeth was the first person to come to the jail and introduce herself. I knew the first time I met her how amazing she was. Jack, I want to be your friend. I want to help you any way I can, I want to get you back at your post as Mountie of Hope Valley." What do I say to that? Carson had told me about what a good guy Nathan was. Have I let my guilt about the accident cloud my judgement and make me insecure? "Nathan, waking up after being in a coma for almost 3 years is a hard reality. It is the reality that life goes on and I am not saying it shouldn't have but so much had changed. I came back to Hope Valley and there was a new Mountie in town, Clara and Jesse were married, my brother had married Elizabeth's sister and they were having a baby, I had a son. I was a father, I had missed so much of his life. Elizabeth had been through so much then I see how close you and Elizabeth are. I try to be rational about it and be grateful someone was watching out for her. But the very idea that I wasn't here to take care of her is hard to accept. Thinking about all the pain she has been through, losing me and finding out she was pregnant within months of us getting married. She has had to balance taking care of Jack, teaching and taking care of everything else. She should have never had to do it alone. I should have been there, but I wasn't. I am grateful for all you have done but I know you have feelings for her. I can tell when you look at her or speak to her. Then to find out you have been doing all the things I was supposed to been doing for her just… well I guess you are right I do feel threaten. Just look at it from my perspective." "Jack you should never be threaten by me. Elizabeth has been devoted to you even after you were gone. Abigail told me about the beautiful vows you exchanged. She sat me down shortly after I came to Hope Valley to explain to me about your relationship. She said it was one for the ages. She told me that you wrote Elizabeth telling her you wanted her to find love again. Elizabeth was devoted to you. Abigail said when it was time, she would encourage her to find new love and she did, but Elizabeth wouldn't hear it. She told Abigail that you had her heart and soul and that she would love you forever. She said you were her eternal love. Abigail made sure I understood that I was taking a chance by asking Elizabeth if we could court. She was right, Elizabeth didn't even take time to consider it. I respect her decision and her love for you. Now that you are home, I am glad she turned me down because having her and then losing her would be unbearable. I think somewhere deep inside she knew you were alive. You and Elizabeth are connected deep in your souls. I must be honest yes, I am in love with Elizabeth. I have been for a while, but I never let it affect the way I interact with her. I respect my place as her friend, like I said I accepted her request to be friends because it was better than being nothing. She is amazing, all you must do is ask anyone and they agree. But I don't have to tell you that. Jack I will always respect your relationship, I have since she told me how she felt. I have done everything for Elizabeth because my fellow Mountie had lost his life protecting others and the least, I could do was watch over his family." In those moments I felt like we came to understand each other better. Nathan is a good guy, it took guts to tell me that he is in love with my wife. Not many men would have been that honest. It confirmed what I felt had been true. Now I must figure out how we move on from here but for now we will go finish rounds and go work on the house for a while.