Chapter 22 – Family Visit
Rosemary tries to sneak back into her house. She has too much on her mind and doesn't want Patrick to ask all kinds of questions. While Rosemary is coming up with ideas for Nathan and Elizabeth, she finishes sewing the wool blanket. She is lost in her own thoughts and doesn't even hear Patrick come downstairs. Rosemary sews the last seam, cutting the thread, and admiring her work. Rosemary clasps her hands together, saying, "Perfeito."
Rosemary jumps when she hears Patrick ask, "What is perfeito, Mama?"
"When did you come down here, Patrick? You scared me."
"I am sorry, Mama. I thought you heard me." Rosemary walks over to see what Patrick is doing when she realizes he is coloring in her sketchbook.
Rosemary gasps, "What are you doing, Patrick?"
"I am coloring the clothes you drew. Do you like them? Are they for you and Papa?"
"Oh, Patrick. Those were designs I was doing for Dottie in Union City." She turns the pages, and Patrick had colored all over the last three pages."
Patrick can see distress coming from Rosemary's face. He inquires, "Did I do something wrong?"
Rosemary pauses for a few moments before dramatically speaking louder, "Yes…no… I need to mail those finished designs tomorrow." She looks at them again, exhaling, "I'll need to redraw everything tonight." Rosemary can feel herself getting worked up, so she walks upstairs to her room and sits on the bed.
Patrick follows her up there, coming into her room. He quietly says, "I am sorry."
Rosemary motions for Patrick to come over and sit on her lap. She apologizes, "No, Patrick. I am the one who is sorry. I should have never raised my voice. You did absolutely nothing wrong. How could you possibly know how important those designs are to me."
Patrick hugs her tightly, revealing, "It's okay, Mama. I love you to the moon and back."
"I love you more than all the stars in the sky." Rosemary kisses Patrick on the top of the head. "Shall we call Papa and tell him to bring dinner and dessert from Abigail's?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"How about I get you a sketchbook just like mine? You can draw, color, or write to your heart's content?" Patrick giggles. "In the meantime, why don't you work on your Christmas presents for Uncle Jake, Aunt Susannah, cousins Patrick, and Catherine. I'll call Papa, and then we can sit at the kitchen table together."
Lee comes home to a preoccupied Rosemary and Patrick sitting at the kitchen table. He puts the basket of food on the counter and kneels down so Patrick can jump into his arms. Lee laughs when he almost falls over. "Nice to see you too, Patrick." Patrick laughs, walking back to the table. Lee kisses Rosemary, sitting down next to his wife and son, who are both working away. He watches them for a few moments to see if they even look up at him when he inquires, "What are you two doing?"
Patrick happily answers, "I am working on Christmas gifts for Aunt Susannah and Catherine. I already finished Uncle Jake's and Patrick's."
"Good job, Patrick," responds Lee. Lee clears his throat and lightly takes the hand Rosemary isn't using.
Rosemary finally looks up at Lee. She says, "Oh, I am sorry, Lee. I need to get these sketches done for tomorrow, and then I need to bake some cookies." Rosemary turns the page, showing Lee what Patrick had done earlier. Lee stifles a laugh while Rosemary rolls her eyes.
"I brought some delicious food home for dinner, so it is time for you two to take a break," mentions Lee.
Rosemary smiles, getting up and rubbing his chin with her fingers. "Thanks, sweetie. I am actually pretty hungry."
"Good. I brought you some chicken soup. I wasn't sure if you would be up to eating Chicken Fried Steak with Patrick and me."
"Chicken soup sounds divine. Did you get dessert too?" Lee shows her the apple pie, which she grabs from him and takes a bite. Rosemary sets the table as quickly as she can, and they all sit down for supper. Lee enjoys his food while watching Rosemary as she devours her soup and a piece of the pie.
"Do you want some more?" questions Lee.
Rosemary replies, "No, I am full. Thank you." She gets up to start doing the dishes when he stops her.
"I'll take care of the dishes. You sit down and work."
"That's okay, I will help. Plus, I still need to bake the cookies."
"If you want to mix up the batter, I'll take care of putting them in the oven for you," mentions Lee.
Rosemary suggests to Patrick, "Why don't you get ready for bed and pick out something for the three of us to do before bedtime?" Patrick smiles, running upstairs. Lee helps Rosemary clean the kitchen and do the dishes. She starts mixing up the peanut butter cookie dough when Patrick runs down the stairs with cards in his hands. Rosemary inquires, "So, what are we going to do?"
Patrick hands her the cards, inquiring, "Can you teach me how to play gin rummy?"
"Sure, bud, but first I need to finish these cookies and put them in the oven," responds Rosemary.
"Okay, Mama."
Lee offers, "Why don't you and I start, and Mama can join when she is done?" Patrick sits down at the table, ready to learn. Lee joins him, grabbing the cards and shuffling them. He deals out the cards and explains to Patrick how to play the game. They play a few practice hands until Rosemary puts the first batch of cookies in the oven.
She sits down, rubbing her hands together with a smile on her face. Rosemary voices, "Here, Patrick. You and I can play against Papa." She helps him pick the right cards at first, but then Patrick eventually gets the hang of it and wins a couple of hands without Rosemary's help. He starts to yawn, but he tries his hardest to stay awake because he's having so much fun. Lee deals another hand, calling out Patrick's name to wake him up.
"I think it is time for you to go to bed, Patrick."
"No, Papa. I am awake."
"You can barely keep your eyes open, buddy. Mama and I can tuck you in and read you a story. Sounds good?" Lee questions. Patrick reluctantly nods before sluggishly walking up the stairs and to his bed. Lee and Rosemary follow, sitting down beside him. They watch as Patrick tries to keep his eyes open, but they immediately succumb to his tiredness. Lee and Rosemary both kiss him goodnight, turning out the light. Lee wraps his arms around her shoulders, leading her downstairs. He suggests, "Here, I'll take care of the last tray, and you can work on your designs."
"Thanks, honey," she softly mentions, kissing him before he pulls out the chair for her.
"Are you almost ready for Susannah? What else do you need to do? Can I help with anything?"
"I need to get these designs sent off to Dottie tomorrow. I need to get Patrick's things out of his room and give it a thorough cleaning." Rosemary pauses for a moment, thinking if there is anything else. She questions, "What time do we need to pick them up from the train station?"
"They arrive at 3:00 pm," replies Lee.
"Great! I have more time than I thought."
"Are you still planning on making steak and potato pie for dinner?" wonders Lee.
Rosemary answers, "Yes, unless you want me to cook something else."
"No, steak and potato pie is one of my favorites. If you want, Patrick and I can help clean out his room. Jesse is covering at the mill, so I don't have to go in tomorrow."
"I love that idea."
Lee wakes up to an empty bed. He puts on his robe and checks on Patrick, who is surprisingly still asleep. Lee tip-toes out of Patrick's room and then down the stairs. He finds Rosemary curled up on the settee, sleeping underneath a blanket. Lee kisses her on the forehead and walks into the kitchen. The coffee is warming on the back burner. Lee pours a cup, sits at the table, and reads the newspaper he picked up the day before.
Patrick comes running down the stairs, yelling, "Mama, Papa, where are you?"
Lee whispers, "Ssshhh. Mama is sleeping."
Rosemary opens her eyes, trying to remember why she is downstairs. "It's okay. I am already awake. Who wants breakfast?"
Patrick jumps up and down, yelling, "Me, me, me." Rosemary giggles while getting up off the settee.
Rosemary inquires, "Is oatmeal okay with you?" Patrick nods. Rosemary boils some water and prepares the oats to toss in when ready. Patrick puts the bowls and silverware on the table while Lee pours the milk and orange juice.
"Do you want some coffee, Rosie?"
Rosemary frowns, answering, "No, thanks. I think I will just have some milk." She puts the oatmeal on the table and then grabs the butter and fruit. Rosemary scoops herself and Patrick some oatmeal with fruit and a smidge of butter before handing it to Lee. She asks, "Can you and Patrick start cleaning his room while I run into town to mail my designs to Dottie?"
"Of course, sweetheart," answers Lee. Rosemary takes another bite of oatmeal and a sip of milk, giving her bowl to Lee. She kisses him on the temple and goes upstairs to change. Lee is starting to get more concerned, but he knows he can't force her to see Carson. Lee and Patrick finish up their oatmeal, and Lee washes the dishes. Rosemary finally comes down the stairs, dressed and ready to go. Lee suggests, "Why don't you take the car? You can get back here quicker."
Rosemary smiles, grabbing a basket and the keys on the desk by the door. As she is walking out, Rosemary announces, "I should be back in an hour. I might stop and see Clara and pick up some last-minute things from the mercantile."
Rosemary comes home with a basket full of food and a couple of extra Christmas gifts. She hastily eats the candy she bought for herself and then goes upstairs to find her boys. Rosemary is pleasantly surprised all of his toys were put away in his toy box, the floor was mopped and swept, everything was dusted, and the bed was made with fresh sheets. She remarks, "Wow, you two have been busy. This looks great!"
Lee says, "I think we took care of everything, but I wasn't sure which clothes and toys we will want to put for him in our room. I put one set of the smaller sheets on our settee and left the others on the settee in here. Is there anything else we need to do?"
"I can handle the rest. Just try to stay out of trouble, you two. No making messes."
Lee and Patrick simultaneously answer, "Yes, ma'am."
"Papa, can we go play catch?" asks Patrick. Lee looks at Rosemary before nodding yes.
Rosemary mentions, "Have fun, you two." She shoos them out of the room, and then she picks out clothes for Patrick to wear the next week, a handful of books, and his favorite toys. Rosemary stores everything in her and Lee's room and then goes downstairs to prepare the steak and potato pie. After finishing the pie, she places it in the icebox to keep cool until she is ready to cook tonight. Next, she finds all the ingredients for bread and mixes everything together. She leaves the dough on the kitchen counter to rise and decides to lay down on the settee for a few minutes. Sometime later, the boys come in, finding Rosemary asleep on the couch again. Lee quietly covers her up and offers to make Patrick a little lunch/snack.
Patrick whispers in Lee's ear, "What is wrong with Mama? She's always falling asleep."
"She is just trying to do too much. She is okay. Don't worry." Patrick nods.
Lee softly rubs her arm, waking Rosemary up around 2:15 pm. He whispers, "Hey, sweetheart. We need to pick up Susannah and her family in about forty-five minutes." Rosemary opens her eyes and sits up in a panic, immediately regretting sitting up so fast. Lee hands her some water, so she takes a couple of sips.
"I need to put the bread in the oven, clean up the kitchen, and change clothes. Lee sits next to her, patting her leg.
"I already took care of the bread and the kitchen. I fixed you some tea and a cheese sandwich, which you are going to eat. Then, you can go change." She squeezes his hand, slowly getting up, folding the blanket, and going to the kitchen to pour herself some tea. Rosemary eats her sandwich and drinks her tea before going upstairs to change clothes. She checks on Patrick, who is playing in the master bedroom.
Patrick hugs her around the waist, asking, "Are you sick, Mama?"
Rosemary kneels down to his level, moving his hair behind his ear. She reassures him, "No, Patrick. I am fine. I sometimes make myself do too much at once."
"Okay, Mama."
Rosemary thinks to herself, "I do tend to get too busy, but I'm never this exhausted. Maybe there is something wrong with me?" She changes her clothes, freshens up her hair and make-up, and laces up her boots. Rosemary looks at herself one more time in the mirror. She turns to Patrick, questioning, "Are you ready to go pick up your aunt, uncle, and cousins?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Lee, Rosemary, and Patrick get to the train station just as the porter has finished loading Susannah and her family's luggage on a cart. Catherine is the first to see Rosemary and give her a hug, speaking, "Hi, Aunt Rosemary! I have missed you."
"Hi, Catherine! I feel like it has been so long," responds Rosemary. Lee, Susannah, nephew Patrick, Jake, and Rosemary exchange hugs. Rosemary motions for Patrick to come over to her. He is surprisingly quiet, just watching everyone interact. Rosemary rests her hands on Patrick's shoulders, introducing him, "This is our son, Patrick!"
Patrick shakes hands and hugs, everyone, proudly speaking his name, "Patrick Coulter." This is the first time meeting new people where he could use his new name. Patrick skips back over, standing in between Lee and Rosemary. He looks up at Lee, inquiring, "Are we going home now?" Everyone laughs.
Lee mentions, "I am parked just outside. I think we can manage to fit everything in." Everyone follows Lee out to his car.
"You got a new car, Leland?" questions Susannah.
"Yes, I thought it was time we got a new car. Patrick helped me pick it out. Isn't it a beaut?" Jake and nephew Patrick nod, walking around, admiring the beautiful, shiny, brand-new car. Jake and nephew Patrick help Lee load the car, and the seven of them squeeze in amongst all their luggage. Lee, Patrick, and Jake in the front seat, and Rosemary, Catherine, nephew Patrick, and Susannah in the back. "We should be home in about ten minutes. You are staying with us this time, right?"
Jake agrees, "We will be happy to stay at your home."
"Great!" replies Rosemary.
Patrick is excited to have his older cousins around. He asks cousin Patrick tons of questions about baseball and school and Bellingham, Susannah about what Lee was like as a child, and Catherine if she likes cats. He proudly tells her about his cat, Nanny. For once, Rosemary isn't at the forefront of the conversation. She gladly watches her son's excitement getting to meet his new family. By the time they get home, Patrick is bouncing up and down with excitement. He is the first one out of the car, followed by Rosemary, Lee, and everyone else.
Lee, Jake, and nephew Patrick bring all the luggage into the house, sitting it on the floor momentarily. Lee announces, "As you know, we only have one extra room. So, the plan is to have Jake, Susannah, and Catherine in Patrick's room. There is a small settee for Catherine. Patrick will be in our room, and nephew Patrick, I figure you can stay down here. Unless you'd prefer to sleep on the floor with the rest of your family. It is up to you." Lee laughs, "We are going to need another name for one of you."
Nephew Patrick volunteers, "You can call me, "Pat. Down here will be just fine."
"Thanks, Pat. When do you all want dinner? Rosemary has made steak and potato pie."
"We like to eat pretty early, so is 5:00 pm okay?" questions Susannah.
Rosemary replies, "5:00 pm is fine with us. It only takes about 30 – 35 minutes to cook the pie. In the meantime, let me show you to your room." Jake, Susannah, and Catherine follow Rosemary up to their room while Lee, Pat, and Patrick go outside to throw the baseball around. Rosemary walks them in, grabbing the sheets for Pat. "I hope this is okay with you. Catherine, you can use those sheets and blankets on this settee. I have slept on it before, and it was decent. Make yourself at home. I will take these down for Pat. Just come down when you are ready." Rosemary smiles, walking out of the room, closing the door behind her. She sighs in relief before going back downstairs. Rosemary hears the guys outside, so she decides to see what they are doing. Nathan and Jack have now joined Lee, Pat, and Patrick. Rosemary walks next door to sit with Elizabeth on her porch as they watch their boys.
"Pat seems like a good kid," remarks Elizabeth.
Rosemary responds, "From the short amount of time I have gotten to know him, he is. He kind of reminds me of Lee, actually."
"Where are the rest of them?"
"Jake, Susannah, and Catherine are upstairs getting settled in. I'm sure they will be down shortly."
"I know you are going to have your hands extra full this week, but let me know if I can help in any way."
"Thanks, Elizabeth."
When Jake, Susannah, and Catherine come downstairs, they hear laughter coming from outside. Jake suggests, "Should we join them? It sounds like they are having fun out there." Catherine leads the way, opening the front door.
Pat shouts, "Come on, dad. You should join us." Jake laughs, grabbing an extra glove sitting on the porch. Rosemary motions to Susannah and Catherine, and they walk over to join them.
Rosemary introduces, "Susannah, Catherine, this is my dearest friend and next-door neighbor Elizabeth."
Elizabeth shakes hands with Catherine and Susannah, welcoming them to Hope Valley. "I am sorry we didn't meet the last time you were in town, Susannah."
Susannah responds, "I wasn't on my best behavior then, so it is probably for the best. Rosemary had to talk some sense into me. Otherwise, Leland and I would have never reconciled."
Elizabeth smiles, revealing, "Rosemary knows exactly how to get you to open your eyes to things you might not see on your own."
"She sure does," agrees Susannah.
Rosemary responds matter-of-factly, "That is what I do." Elizabeth and Susannah chuckle. Rosemary innocently asks, "What?"
"Nothing," replies Elizabeth. Rosemary rolls her eyes.
Rosemary questions, "How much longer do you think they'll play? It will be dark before supper is ready."
"If it is up to my boys, they will play until they can't see anymore," answers Susannah.
The following morning, Rosemary hears a knock at her back door. By the time she opens it, there is no one there except a note addressed to her. Rosemary steps outside and sits on the porch. She quickly opens it up, reading, "Missus Coulter, I talked to my uncle. He is on board. Can you come by our house around 1:00 pm today? Love, Allie." Rosemary giggles, folding it up and hiding it in her waistband. She comes back inside to Catherine, Pat, and Patrick playing cards in the sitting area. Rosemary questions Patrick, "Where are Papa, Aunt Susannah, and Uncle Jake?"
"They are in the front. Papa said something about going into town."
"I'll be right back. Do you three need anything?" They all nod no. Rosemary walks out front, asking, "Are you going somewhere?"
Lee answers, "I need to get a few things done at the office, and Jake and Susannah want to go into town. Did you want to come? The kids all want to stay here."
"No, thanks. I'll need to sneak off a little later. Allie needs my help with something." Lee looks at Rosemary, rolling his eyes. "Don't worry, I promise you will like what we are planning."
He smirks before kissing her on the cheek. Lee mentions, "If you need anything, give me a call. We'll be home in a couple of hours." Rosemary waves as Lee drives into town with Jake and Susannah.
Rosemary comes back in, sitting with the kids. "Deal me in," she remarks.
Several hours later, everyone is back at home. Jake, Pat, and Lee are busy talking about baseball. Catherine is showing Susannah Rosemary's designs, and Rosemary is working with Patrick on his reading. Rosemary had promised Elizabeth, they would work on his reading and writing every day during the break. Patrick is getting much better but still has problems with some of the more challenging words. Patrick finishes up the last part of the chapter when Rosemary notices the time. She suggests, "Can you stick by Papa for a little while? I need to go meet someone. I promise I won't be gone long."
"Yes, ma'am," Patrick replies.
Catherine inquires, "Can we go to your shop today, Aunt Rosemary?"
"Of course, but first I need to visit a friend. She needs my help with something. I'll be back soon, and then we can go to the shop."
"Thanks, Aunt Rosemary," responds Catherine.
Rosemary excitedly knocks on Nathan and Allie's door. Nathan looks around, making sure Elizabeth doesn't see her coming in the door. She begins, "You don't know how excited I am to help you plan the proposal. Allie and I both think you two are taking things way too slow." Allie nods in agreement.
Nathan speaks, "I know. I was just trying to abide by her wishes."
"Well, Elizabeth told me the other day, she is ready for the next step," adds Rosemary. Nathan and Allie smile. "So, this is what I'm thinking. You can propose on New Year's Eve. Maybe take her on a horseback ride in the country. I can set up a picnic for you, including a nice warm meal, table, chairs, and of course music. If the day is too cold, then we can change the plans to somewhere indoors. You can propose to her there, or better yet, you can keep her waiting until much later. After the horseback ride and picnic, or whatever it ends up being, you can continue the day by serenading her with music in the schoolhouse. Play her some music and sing a few songs with her. Then you can escort her to the saloon for the New Year's Eve dance. When it's time for fireworks, walk her to the dock and propose under the fireworks." Rosemary giddily laughs, "What do you think?" Allie and Nathan look at her in awe.
Nathan says, "I actually really like most of your ideas."
"Of course, you do…wait, what don't you like?" quizzes Rosemary.
"I actually thought you would be way over the top, but your ideas are actually good. The only thing I would change is proposing under the fireworks. I would prefer to propose with less pomp and circumstance. What do you think, Allie?"
"I love it, Missus Coulter!" exclaims Allie. She looks down, deciding whether she should speak up.
Nathan questions, "What is it, Allie?"
"I was hoping to be a part of the proposal," Allie directs to Rosemary.
Rosemary rests her hand on Allie's arm. She ensures Allie, "You will be a big part of the day, and so will Jack. I was envisioning you both would be there in the schoolhouse when Nathan serenades her. Also, you'll be at the dance, and most importantly, we can have you and Jack come out to the dock just as she is saying yes." Allie smiles. "Good. Did you want to be involved anymore?"
"Can I help with all the details and planning? I really want to help make the day special," Allie mentions.
Rosemary remarks, "I would love your help. Now, on the day of the proposal, Lee and I will take care of Jack, so don't worry about him. The only thing I am still deciding on is whether you just show up to pick her up for the day or you tell her you are taking her on a horseback adventure. She already knows about the dance and the fireworks, but the rest can be a surprise."
"Leave that to me. I can come up with something," responds Nathan.
Rosemary gasps, "What about the ring? Allie said you needed some help." Nathan shows her the few rings he has been eying in the catalog. "Oooh. You were right, Allie. Nathan, do you really think those rings fit Elizabeth?" Nathan looks them over again and realizes Rosemary is right.
"Well, what am I going to do? The proposal is in ten days," panics Nathan.
Rosemary ponders for a moment, thinking out loud, "We are going to Union City tomorrow to see the Nutcracker. Do you think you and Allie could sneak away on the train and meet me there? I can most likely step out to the jewelry shop for a little bit. Nathan looks over at Allie. Allie hugs him with the biggest smile on her face.
"I guess our answer is yes. Thank you, Rosemary."
"It's my pleasure. Now I need to get back to the house. How about we meet at the jewelry store at 4:00 pm? I think there is a train that gets you into Union City around 3:30 pm."
Nathan says, "We will be there." Allie gives Rosemary a hug and walks her out the door.
The next day Lee, Rosemary, and their family check into their hotel rooms in Union City. Lee had reserved two rooms for the night. Everyone is going to get settled and will meet for dinner before the show. Rosemary tells Lee she wants to go walk around and look for another Christmas present for Patrick. He volunteers to join her, suggesting his sister can watch Patrick. Rosemary says, "We don't want to bother them. It will be okay. I promise I won't be too long." She kisses Lee and Patrick and cheerfully walks out the door. Rosemary walks the short distance to the jewelry shop, opening the door to see Nathan and Allie looking at all the rings. She sneaks up behind them, surprising them.
Allie speaks, "You're here. Yeah!" Rosemary gives both Allie and Nathan a hug.
"Now, let's get you a ring," announces Rosemary. She carefully looks over the rings, showing Nathan a couple she thinks is Elizabeth.
Nathan repeatedly says, "Keep looking." He is starting to get worried because they have almost looked at the whole shop. That is until he sees the ring. He has the jeweler take it out while calling Rosemary over. Nathan smiles, revealing, "I think this is the one." Rosemary picks it up, admiring the small chevron designs on the gold band and the medium-sized diamond.
"Oh, Nathan. This is perfect. She will love this!" Rosemary turns to the jeweler, asking, "Do you have the matching wedding bands?" The jeweler nods yes. Rosemary shows the ring to Allie.
Allie's face lights up, stating, "She will absolutely love everything about this ring. Good job, Uncle Nathan." Allie hugs Uncle Nathan and then Rosemary. "Thank you so much, Missus Coulter."
"I am always happy to help." Rosemary feels a bout of dizziness coming on, so she reaches out to the counter, balancing herself, hoping nobody notices. "I better get back before Lee gets worried. I told him I was going on a walk and maybe pick up Patrick a gift. Are you staying here tonight or catching the late-night train back to Hope Valley?"
"I thought it was better to go back tonight, so we have to catch the train at 9:00 pm."
"Safe travels, and I will see you back in Hope Valley," remarks Rosemary.
The Coulter's and Thom's meet in the hotel lobby. Rosemary is exhausted, but she forces herself to be her usual perky self. She suggests, "We better get going. We don't want to be late for our dinner reservations. Where is the restaurant, Lee?"
Lee answers, "The restaurant is halfway between the hotel and the theater. I can go get the car, or we can just walk."
The kids all shout, "Walk!"
"Susannah, Rosemary, are you two okay with walking? It is not too cold now, but it will be colder when we get out of the theater tonight."
Rosemary takes Lee's arm, saying, "Let's walk. If it gets too cold, you and Jake can run back and get the car for us." Lee and Jake laugh. Susannah and Jake lead the way, with Pat walking right behind them. Patrick grabs Catherine's hand, insisting on walking with her. Rosemary reminds him, "Hold her hand the whole time, bud."
Patrick yells back, "Yes, ma'am." She takes Lee's hand, smiling, as they begin walking behind Catherine and Patrick.
Lee holds Rosemary back a little, whispering, "Are you okay, sweetheart?"
Rosemary smiles, whispering back, "Yes, I am just a little tired."
Lee kisses her hand, asking, "Are you feeling up to eating, sweetheart?"
"I am actually pretty hungry." Rosemary kisses him on the cheek.
"One thing I have learned about you is you will never turn down a live performance no matter how tired you are."
"You're absolutely right."
They sit down to a delicious meal and then continue their walk to the theater. They arrive just in time, taking their seats as the lights go down. Patrick climbs on Lee's lap, and Rosemary takes the chair next to them. Her face lights up as soon as the opening sequence begins, but she is quickly distracted by her many thoughts. She repeatedly switches between watching the show, watching her two boys, thinking about how excited she is for Elizabeth, thinking about how exhausted she has been, and closing her eyes for a few moments. What she doesn't know is Lee has been taking quick glances at her throughout the performance. Instead of the typical grin, Lee notices her mind is elsewhere. She has a look she usually gets when she is pondering something or trying to work out something in her mind. Right before the start of intermission, he looks over, only this time he sees her eyes are closed and her head is against the back of the chair. He takes her hand, giving it a squeeze. Rosemary opens her eyes, blinking a few times before she realizes what is going on. She squeezes his hand back and gives him a meek smile. Rosemary cannot believe she fell asleep during a live show, something she never thought would happen. Lee insists the three of them get up and walk around during intermission, which both Rosemary and Lee are grateful for. Not only did Rosemary fall asleep, but Patrick started getting really antsy sitting still for so long. Fifteen minutes later, the lights blink, indicating the show is about to begin again, so they take their same seats. Act Two begins, which is Rosemary's favorite part. She takes Lee's always comforting hand into hers and can finally enjoy the rest of the show. After the standing ovation, the curtain closes, and the lights come on. Lee looks at his beautiful wife, holding out his arm for her to take. Rosemary wraps her arm around his and the three of them follow the Thom's, exiting the theater with the rest of the crowd.
Lee questions, "What do you think, ladies? Do Jake and I need to get the car and come back for you?"
Rosemary raises her arms in the air, saying, "It's not too cold, ladies. Is it?" She takes Catherine's arm leading her back in the direction of the hotel.
Lee laughs, thinking to himself, "That's my Rosie!" Lee offers Patrick a piggyback ride, which he happily jumps on Lee's back. Susannah, Jake, and Pat are not far behind. Rosemary regales Catherine with all the things she saw and knows about the Nutcracker and the theater. Catherine instantly gets stars in her eyes, romanticizing what a career in performance would be like.
As they near the hotel, Jake sees a little diner. He suggests, "Susannah wants to get some tea before bed. Would you like to join us?"
Lee looks over at Rosemary, jumping in, "I think we will call it a night. We need to get Patrick to bed. See you at breakfast? Meet down in the lobby at 8 am?"
"We know how it is with young children. We'll see you in the morning," responds Jake. Everyone hugs, saying their goodnights. Lee, Rosemary, and Patrick walk the rest of the way to the hotel hand-in-hand.
They get back to Hope Valley around lunchtime. Lee parks the car in front of their house so they can unload the luggage. He suggests, "Why don't we walk into town and have lunch in the saloon?"
"If you want, we can go to Dottie's after lunch, Catherine. Susannah, would you like to join us?" questions Rosemary.
Catherine smiles, inquiring, "Are you going to come with us, mother?"
"Of course," answers Susannah. Catherine beams at Rosemary and her mother. After everyone freshens up, they all walk into town and into the saloon. They find a seat, and Lucas takes their orders. Susannah asks, "I've heard there is a Christmas Festival."
"Yes, Lucas started the tradition last year. It runs Christmas Eve through the day after Christmas. There are booths for games, merchandise, and food. It is a lot of fun. Tomorrow is also Jack's birthday, so Elizabeth will have a small birthday party for him at her house. Then tomorrow night, the children will perform a Christmas Eve concert. Patrick has a solo! We are so proud of him."
"Awe, Mama. Don't get mushy again," whines Patrick.
Rosemary taps Patrick's nose, speaking, "I'll be as mushy as I want, bud. You know you secretly love me gushing over you."
"Mama!"
"Okay, I'll stop," remarks Rosemary.
Rosemary wakes up before the rest of the house, realizing it is Christmas Eve. She very quietly and carefully gets out of bed, lights a candle, and gets ready to leave. Just as she started writing a note to Lee, she hears him turning over. Rosemary hurriedly blows the candle out, watching to see if he wakes up. When he doesn't, she grabs her boots and coat, accidentally knocking the forgotten note behind the bedside table. Rosemary tip-toes out of the room and down the stairs, hoping not to wake anyone up. She slowly opens the back door to try and not wake up Pat. Rosemary puts on her jacket and slips on her favorite black boots. She walks into town and into Abigail's, looking for Carson and Faith. Rosemary takes a deep breath, trying to get the courage to approach them. Carson sees Rosemary taking in a few breaths, walking up to her, asking, "Are you okay, Rosemary?"
Rosemary tries to force a smile before mentioning, "Do you have some time to examine me?"
Worried, Carson questions, "What is wrong?"
"Lots of things. I don't want to discuss it here. Can I tell you at the infirmary?"
Carson acknowledges. He looks over at Faith, "Why don't you meet us at the infirmary in twenty minutes?"
"Thanks, Carson. I really appreciate you taking the time." Rosemary excuses herself, going into Dottie's to wait. She busies herself with re-arranging some of the dresses on the racks. She is startled when Carson taps on the window as he is walking by. Rosemary takes a couple of deep breaths, gathering her courage. She locks up the shop and walks next door.
Carson begins, "Do you want to tell us what is going on, Rosemary?"
"It has been going on the last few weeks. I've been really exhausted, dizzy, nauseous, and had some bad headaches."
Faith smiles, questioning, "Are they happening all the time?"
Rosemary thinks about it for a moment, "No, the nauseousness and dizziness usually happen in the morning, after I eat, or when I get up too fast from sitting or lying down. I feel like I am exhausted all the time."
Faith asks, "How is your appetite? Have you been craving things?"
"Now that you have mentioned it, I have been craving sweet things. Some days I don't have much of an appetite, though. Lee worries when I don't eat, so he tries to make me eat even when I don't want to." Faith and Carson chuckle. Rosemary innocently asks, "Why are you laughing? Is there something wrong with me?"
"Yes, I would say there is something wrong with you, but in a good way," responds Faith.
Confused, Rosemary inquires, "What do you mean?"
Carson repeats to Rosemary, pausing between each symptom, "You've been tired…dizzy…nauseous…have headaches and are craving sweet things."
Rosemary gasps, "No, I can't be. Lee and I kind of gave up on the idea. We have Patrick, now." Tears start forming in her eyes while her hand goes over her heart. "How can this be? We prayed so long for this, and nothing happened."