Chapter 33 – A Special Occasion

Lee runs into the house after the City Council meeting that evening and is disappointed when no one is downstairs. He yells up, "Rosie, where are you?"

Rosemary yells down, "We're in our room, reading a book." Before she can finish her sentence, Lee is there, removing his shoes, climbing in bed next to Rosemary and Patrick, kissing her hello with a big grin on his face.

Patrick crawls into his lap, hugging him, saying, "Hi, Papa."

"Hi, buddy. Guess what, Rosie?" inquires Lee.

"You brought me home a gift?"

"No."

"The town decided to build a theater."

"No."

"You met the new pastor?"

"No. Well, yes, but that's not the right answer."

"Clara and Jesse are going to buy part of Abigail's Café?"

Lee replies, "No…no…no. Here, let me just tell you."

"Wait, give me one more try." Rosemary pauses for effect, guessing, "Perhaps, you are going to run for mayor?"

Lee smirks at Rosemary, inquiring, "How could you possibly know?"

"Surely you're joking? I know you, honey. But, more importantly, I know everything that goes on in this town." Lee and Rosemary chuckle. "Don't I, bud?"

Patrick laughs, answering, "Mama knows everything."

"That she does," replies Lee as he leans over, and their lips meet. "So, what did you two do today?"

"Nothing exciting, I'm afraid. I spent the day at Dottie's," mentions Rosemary.

Patrick giggles, stating, "Vincent and his brother Dominic found a field mouse and brought it into school after lunch. Miss Elizabeth didn't notice until it began to squeal, causing her to scream and leap onto her chair." Patrick giggles some more and adds, "Then, the whole class started laughing. It was so funny." Lee joins Patrick, but Rosemary does not seem impressed.

"Patrick, you didn't have anything to do with them bringing the mouse inside, did you?"

"No, ma'am."

"Good boy. Now, I want to hear more about my husband running for mayor."

"Do you think it is a good idea, especially right now?" questions Lee.

"I think it is perfect for you, and if it's something you want to try, then you should. You deserve the honor, and it has been far too long since we've had a mayor. Is anyone else daring to run against my honey bunny?"

Lee rolls his eyes, speaking, "Rosie," in a scolding tone. "As a matter-of-fact, quite a few people are running actually: Bill, Michael, and Fiona."

"Well, I hope they prepare to lose to the better person. What can Patrick and I do to help you?"

Lee snaps his fingers, thinking out loud, "I know you are busy, but would you want to write up biographies for each of us. It will give us a chance to introduce ourselves to all the people who don't know us already. Maybe you can do campaign flyers and advertise when the election will be?"

"You want me to do those things for the people running against you?"

"Sure, I want this election to be fair. So what do you say, Rosie?"

"I think it is a great idea, but you do know I have to be impartial if I am going to participate? I can't play favorites even though I love you and want you to win."

Lee insists, "I'm sure you can play some favorites for me, your devoted husband."

Rosemary chuckles, asking, "What do you think, Patrick?"

"What's impartial mean?"

"Oh, it just means I cannot take sides. I have to be equally fair to all."

Patrick looks at Lee and then Rosemary, stating, "I think Mama needs to stay impartial." Lee tickles Patrick until he agrees with him. When Lee finally stops, Patrick jumps off the bed, shouting, "Sorry, Papa. I agree with Mama" and races out of the room giggling.

Rosemary gave Lee subtle hints about reading, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer to Patrick over the last week. Lee always came back and said now is not the time to share with Patrick what happened to his brother. Rosemary didn't want to bug him, but she is running out of time before her surprise. So, one day she decides to leave a copy of the book on Lee's side of the bed. He finally takes the hint and offers to read it to Patrick starting that night. Lee insists they read in their room since the bed is more comfortable. He has Patrick climb on his lap while Rosemary sits next to them. Lee takes a deep breath, explaining, "When I was a boy, Aunt Susannah and I had a little brother named Patrick. Each night, I would read his favorite book to him." Lee shows The Adventures of Tom Sawyer to Patrick, continuing, "Patrick loved when I read this to him. Unfortunately, one day he got very sick, and the doctors didn't know what was wrong with him. Patrick had asked me to read the last chapter, but I told him I was too tired and could I read it in the morning? Well, he didn't make it until the morning."

Patrick tears up, saying, "I'm sorry, Papa. I guess God needed his help up in heaven like He needed my parents and brother."

Lee and Rosemary are blown away by the wisdom of what their son just said. Lee thinks to himself, "If only we could all think like that."

Lee squeezes Patrick, and Patrick turns around, hugging Lee, telling him, "I love you, Papa."

"I love you too." Lee smiles and suggests, "Now, let's read. No more sad talk." Patrick gets comfortable, and Lee reads the first chapter.

Over the next week, Rosemary spends time talking to the candidates and jotting down notes. Rosemary hasn't been this excited about writing since she started her advice column, "Ask, Mary Rose," prior to her and Lee getting married. Rosemary feels invigorated when she realizes she's finally doing something important. After Rosemary finishes up with Michael, she rushes home to make a phone call. Rosemary wants to surprise Lee with a special evening for his birthday next Saturday. Instead of making a big deal and celebrating with the town, Rosemary now values spending time as a family over anything else. Rosemary picks up the receiver, presses down on the switch hook a couple of times, and speaks into the phone, "Florence, can you please connect me with Burbank 3975?"

Florence responds, "Connecting."

"Hello Lena, this is Rosemary. Were you able to find a copy?"

Lena replies, "Oh, yes. It should be arriving by train tomorrow afternoon."

"Splendid. I can't thank you enough. My husband and son will be thrilled. We need to catch up soon, Lena. I want to know how you and Jasper ended up in Los Angeles. I thought you would never leave New York."

"We do have a lot to catch up on, but right now, I need to go. I have to be at rehearsals in thirty minutes."

Rosemary remarks, "Thanks again. Bye, Lena. Break a leg." She hangs up the phone and clasps her hands together, giggling to herself. Rosemary feels a kick, so she gently rubs circles around her belly, mentioning, "Your Papa is going to be so excited." Rosemary pats her stomach and hurries out of the house. On her way back into town, she bumps into one of her new neighbors. The Canfields recently moved into the row houses, and her husband is the new pastor. Pastor Zeke decided he wanted to pursue missionary work, but he managed to find Joseph before leaving. Rosemary looks up, apologizing, "I'm sorry. I must have been daydreaming again. Where are my manners? I'm Rosemary Coulter. My husband, Lee, and son, Patrick, and I live down in the second house to the end. You are the new pastor's wife, right?"

Missus Canfield rigidly holds out her hand to shake, "Yes, my name is Minnie Canfield. My husband, Joseph, is the new pastor, and we have two children. Angela and Cooper. We live right over there." She points to the house with a few crates on the porch."

"I'm so sorry. I've been meaning to introduce myself to you and have you over for tea. But unfortunately, my brain has been scattered lately."

Minnie smiles, inquiring, "How far along are you?"

"I am five months. The baby should be here in July."

"July will be here sooner than you think, and the baby will be in your arms," remarks Minnie. Rosemary grins, and Minnie states, "We'll get some tea soon. But, if you'll excuse me for now, I need to get back to my daughter." Rosemary watches as Minnie walks towards her house, then she suddenly remembers she wants to ask Lee if she can do the printing in his office. So she hurries into town for no other reason than being excited. Rosemary greets Lee and sits down, waiting for him to finish whatever he is doing.

"What do I owe the pleasure?" inquires Lee.

"I just ran into Minnie Canfield. Have you met her yet?"

"No, but I have met Joseph and his son Cooper. They seem like a wonderful family."

"They do. Speaking of which, can you do me a favor?" Lee nods. "Since Jesse and Clara are on vacation for a couple of weeks, could I bring the mimeograph machine from the school and do the printing from here in your office?"

Lee likes the idea and offers to help her bring it over. However, he insists they drive the car, so Rosemary doesn't try carrying the old, heavy machine by herself. Rosemary finds it in the back room of the church. They load it into the back seat of their car and drive it to his office. Lee helps Rosemary bring it in, and they set it on the table next to the empty desk. Rosemary happens to look at the time, mentioning, "Oh, I better get going. I told Patrick I would pick him up at Vincent's house. He wants to start back up with piano lessons. It's been about a month since his last one." Rosemary says, "I love you, Lee Coulter," and she saunters out the door.

The following day, Lee and Rosemary drop Patrick off at school, and Rosemary follows Lee into his office. She makes herself at home, moving a lamp and typewriter over to the other desk, and insists on swapping chairs. His chair is by far the better chair for her to sit in, especially while working for him. They both sit down across from each other when Rosemary happily questions, Isn't this great? We've never shared an office before. We can spend more time together." Lee looks down at his desk and all the work he needs to do today and forces a smile.

Rosemary stays busy for the first few hours, focusing on typing her articles while Lee gets a head start on his paperwork. Then, they have a nice lunch together in the café and come back to his office. Lee is surprised having Rosemary there is not too much of a distraction. He thinks to himself, "I could get used to this. She's a lot better to look at than Jesse is, anyway." The phone rings, and Lee answers, "Coulter Enterprises. Oh, hello, Willie. It's been a long time. How are your wife and daughters? Great. What can I do for you?" Lee goes through his latest inventory and what he can provide.

Rosemary loudly whispers, "Lee, can you talk lower?" Lee smiles at her and tries to lower his voice for the rest of the call. When he finally hangs up the phone, she mentions, "Good, I thought you would never get off the phone. Can you be a dear and get me a chocolate scone from Abigail's. Your son or daughter is asking for one."

"My son or daughter is asking, huh?" Lee inquires with a laugh. He replies, "Sure, I'll go get you one." He grabs his coat and walks out the door, bringing her back two just in case she wants another one. Lee sets the plate down and kisses her cheek.

Rosemary giggles when she sees he brought her two, telling her, "Thanks, honey. You're the best." Lee watches her eat both of them, trying not to laugh. He can't get over how much her appetite has changed, eating so much more food than she usually does. Lee pulls out the ledgers and his pencil and gets to work when Rosemary receives a few visitors. First, it's Florence, and then Fiona and Faith walk in right when Lee's on an important phone call. He barely hears his conversation over the three ladies chatting, so Lee taps his desk to get Rosemary's attention. She hints, "Why don't we go outside?" She wraps her coat around her, and the three of them step outside, much to the relief of Lee. Rosemary comes back in a few minutes later, and Lee is hanging up the phone. She apologizes, "I'm sorry, sweetie." Rosemary looks at the time, stating, "I can't believe it is almost time to pick up Patrick, and I only have printed Fiona's biography and statements. Did you need these printed by a certain date?"

"No, whenever you get them done is fine. Are you needed in the dress shop since Clara is gone?"

"Hannah said she could handle it, and if not, she'll find me."

"Okay. I don't want this to be a burden on you."

Rosemary grins, responding, "I find this much more interesting than being at Dottie's. You are doing me a favor, giving me something new to do." And with that admission, Lee feels guilty for wanting his office back when she's happy and doing this as a favor for him. He watches her again as she is fighting with the mimeograph machine. Right when he gets up to help, he hears her scream, "Rats," and sees the ink bottle go flying, landing all over her face, clothes, and on the floor. Rosemary hesitantly touches her face and looks down at her clothes, repeating, "No…no…no…this is not happening." Rosemary turns to Lee with a frown on her face. Lee tries not to laugh at the ink dripping from her face and hands while the rest is pouring out onto the floor. Lee picks up the ink bottle and brings her a towel he keeps in his office to clean her face and hands. Rosemary says, "I can't believe I did this," while she does her best, wiping up the dripping ink.

Lee suggests, "Why don't I clean up the floor, and you can go home and wash these clothes before the ink dries?"

"Thanks, Lee. I guess I should wear an apron when I refill the ink from now on. Or get someone who is not clumsy like me apparently," mentions Rosemary with a frown.

"You are not clumsy. The machine is old and finicky. I am sure it would happen to the best of us." He kisses her on the only part of her face that doesn't have ink on it, her forehead. Then, Lee recommends, "Why don't you call it a day? I'll bring Patrick home to you when he gets out of school."

"Will you have to go back to the office?" inquires Rosemary.

"I hope not. There are a few things I need to finish up, and then I should be free."

Rosemary responds, "Great. I'll see you soon."

Lee and Patrick come home and find Rosemary outback scrubbing and scrubbing her clothes. She looks up at them with black marks all over her overwhelmed face. Patrick runs up and hugs her, questioning, "What happened to your face, Mama?"

"Oh, I had an accident with the ink. Nothing to worry about, Patrick. Remember when you got ink all over your hands?"

Patrick mentions, "Yes, I remember."

"Does my face look bad?"

"No, Mama. You're still pretty." Lee nods his head in agreement.

Rosemary says, "Thank you, my two loves."

Patrick runs back inside, yelling, "I'm going to find Nanny." Rosemary giggles and starts scrubbing again.

Lee walks over to Rosemary, pulling up his sleeves, offering, "Do you want me to try? How long have you been scrubbing, anyway? Is the ink even coming out?"

Rosemary turns to Lee, rubbing her aching back, dramatically whining, "I feel like I have been scrubbing for hours, and I still can't get the stain out. My back and feet are killing me, which has never happened to me." Rosemary frowns, inquiring, "Where did my limitless energy go, and why does everything seem to be getting more challenging each day, and I still have another four months?"

Lee reaches for her hand and escorts her to one of the chairs in the backyard. He suggests, "Sit down and put your feet up. Everything seems like it is getting harder because it is. You are growing a human inside of you, and that uses up a lot of your energy. Plus, you are taking care of Patrick and me, working in the dress shop, and helping with the campaign flyers. I don't know how you do all you do." Lee starts scrubbing and has no luck either. "I don't think these stains are going to come out, unfortunately. You might want to wear them around the house from now on. I'm sorry."

"I had a feeling. Thanks for trying, Lee." She frowns, asking, "How bad is my face? Will people think they are bruises?"

Lee chuckles, proposing, "You could come up with a wild tale with you rescuing Nanny from under the house."

Rosemary chuckles, answering, "If only. Hmm, I could. I am an actress, after all. But I don't know if I can pull off anything right now. Thanks for the suggestion, though. Let's see what Patrick is doing. I know he'll greatly improve my mood. We can clean up this mess later." Lee hangs the blouse and skirt on the clothesline and follows Rosemary inside.

The following week leading up to Lee's birthday goes by so quickly. Rosemary is starting to worry when the package Lena sent didn't arrive on time. Finally, on Friday, it shows up on the last train of the day. Rosemary had to sneak out of the house, coming up with an excuse she needed to get a few things at the mercantile. Luckily, Lee didn't ask why she needed the car. The porter helps Rosemary take the crate to the car and drives it straight to the saloon. She delivers it to Lucas and makes sure everything is ready for tomorrow. Rosemary is giddy thinking about how shocked Lee will be. She can see his face in her mind and how he'll react to such a kind gesture. Rosemary loves her husband fully and completely and would do anything for him. She shouts to Lucas, "We'll be by tomorrow around 2:00 pm."

"We'll be ready. You are going to play the music, right?" questions Lucas.

"Yes, of course. See you tomorrow. And thanks again, Lucas. We appreciate how you are always there for us." Lucas nods, and she walks out the door.

The next day, Lee's birthday, about ten minutes before two, Rosemary floats down the stairs in her new bright pink dress she made the other day with her hair pulled up and to the side, insisting they go into town. Lee notices the big grin on her face and can tell Rosemary has something up her sleeves but decides to let her enjoy the moment. He reveals, "You're glowing, Rosie. And the ink stains finally faded from your face." Lee picks her up and spins her around carefully, and sets her down. Rosemary doesn't waste any time in all her excitement. She grabs their coats and pushes them out the door. The three of them get in the car, and Lee inquires, "Where are we going, sweetheart?"

"Why don't you park in front of your office? We can walk from there." Lee acknowledges, driving them into town and parking the car. He jumps out and opens the door for his beautiful wife and son. Rosemary takes his and Patrick's arms and leads them to the saloon.

Lee inquires, "You didn't throw me one of your big surprise parties, did you?"

"No, I didn't." Rosemary faces Lee, rubbing his chin with her thumbs. Then, she reveals, "I've learned two things this past year. First, spending one-on-one time with my family is one of the most important things I can do. Second, I don't need an extravagant party to celebrate something special like a birthday or an anniversary. Now, don't get me wrong, I'll always try to make things bigger and better, especially for those I love dearly, but I now understand it's not all about the show." Rosemary grabs their arms again, and the three of them walk into the dark saloon. Lee braces himself for a crowd, but instead, he finds an empty room. Most of the tables are off to the side with the movie projector and screen in their usual places. Except, now there is only one settee sitting in front of the screen.

"What is going on, Rosie?"

"Well, I know how much the book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer meant to you and your little brother Patrick. I thought you might want to share the moving picture with your son. One of my friends in Los Angeles tracked down the movie Tom Sawyer with Jack Pickford and shipped it here by train. I arranged for the saloon to be empty for you two to watch together."

Lee reaches for her hand, asking, "Is that why you left the book on our bed? You wanted us to read it before seeing the movie?" Rosemary nods. He questions, "You're not going to join us?"

Rosemary squeezes his hand and smiles, telling him, "I thought you two could use some bonding time. Don't worry, I'll still be around playing the music along with the movie, but this is about father and son bonding time."

"Thanks, sweetheart. This is one of the most thoughtful things you have done for me," responds Lee as he embraces her, bringing her in close with only her expanding belly between them. Rosemary kisses him softly and then goes to find Lucas. Lee suggests to Patrick, "Let's go sit down, little man. Mama is going to play the piano while we watch the movie."

Rosemary walks into the back and sees Patrick and Allie's friend, Robert, talking to Lucas. Lucas mentions, "If you don't mind, I talked Robert into hand-cranking the projector for you when you are ready."

"Thanks, Robert, Lucas, I need a few minutes to get set up at the piano, and we should be ready," responds Rosemary.

Robert confidently speaks, "I'll be ready, Missus Coulter."

"I'll clean up after the movie if you would like to head out," offers Lucas. Rosemary nods and walks out to the front, with Robert following shortly behind.

Lee and Patrick sit down on the settee, and Lee inquires, "Are you ready to watch Tom Sawyer? I am so glad we finished the book last night."

"Yes, sir. Is it going to be like the book? Is Huck going to be in it? And Becky?"

"I'm sure they will be.

The projector lights up, the music begins, and the opening scene shows up on the screen. Mark Twain sits at his desk talking to tiny Tom Sawyer, who's sitting up on his desk. Lee and Patrick keep their eyes fixed on the screen and laughing at Tom and Huck's antics the whole hour. Lee occasionally will look at Patrick to see if he is enjoying the movie and then over at Rosemary, who always seems to glance his way simultaneously, smiling. Finally, the moving picture ends too soon, and Patrick remarks, "It was funny, Papa. Tom sure gets into a lot of trouble, doesn't he?"

Lee replies, "He sure does. So, which do you like better? The book or the moving picture?"

"Hmm, I don't know. Both the book and movie are funny. What do you think?"

"I think the book is better because it gives you more details."

Rosemary thanks Robert and sends him on his way, joining Lee and Patrick on the settee. She questions, "What did you think, Patrick? Was it fun to see the book come to life?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Thanks for setting this up for my birthday, sweetheart. I will always remember this day," mentions Lee.

Rosemary says, "Anything for my hard-working, lovable, and handsome husband."

Lee chuckles, joking, "Go on."

Rosemary smirks at him, questioning, "So, who's ready to get out of here? We can spend the rest of the day as a family and do whatever Papa wants."

Lee thinks about it for all of five seconds and suggests, "Why don't we go for a drive out to our spot and enjoy the scenery. Then we can go home and find something fun to do."

Rosemary giggles, revealing, "I had a feeling you would want to go out to our spot since it's not too cold today. Just in case, I packed us a blanket, deck of cards, a book, a baseball, two gloves, and some snacks."

"You know me so well. Let's go." Lee offers an arm to Rosemary and Patrick, and the three of them walk out to the car.

Lee has been trying to think of something special to do for Rosemary. She does so much for him and their family, including helping with the mayoral campaign, planning special birthdays for him and Patrick, working hard at the dress shop, being the greatest mother to Patrick, and growing their miracle baby. Lee knows she's been struggling a little with wanting to do something important and meaningful with her life. Then, one day after work, Lee flips through a magazine when an idea suddenly pops into his head. Instead of building the theater he promised her many years ago, he wants to construct an amphitheater. Lee remembers seeing one many years ago on his travels and thinks it won't be hard to build. All he needs is a stage and a hill for people to sit on. Lee wracks his brain, thinking of the best spot, and nothing comes to mind. He wants a more private setting with gorgeous views, but not too far out of town; it's hard to get out there each day. On his way back from Snyder's Ridge one afternoon, Lee happens to glance over and see a beautiful hill off to the side of the road. He parks his car and explores what he hopes is the perfect location for the outdoor theater. Lee walks out to a field he believes will be an incredible shade of green with accents of colorful flowers in the summer. The hill is a good size and descends to a flat area that is ideal for a stage. Lee imagines Rosemary and the children putting on a play in this spot and the crowd looking on and cheering. He also imagines people gathering here for a concert, graduation, or a talent show. Lee's mind is racing with so many possibilities an amphitheater will bring to Hope Valley. He wants to accommodate the whole town if needed, so he wants to seat one-hundred to one-hundred-fifty people. Lee wonders if two-and-a-half weeks is enough time to design and build a stage before leaving on their first family vacation to Chicago. He wants Rosemary to have ample time when they get back from their trip to hold auditions, select the best cast possible, hold rehearsals, and then perform before she gets too far along and miserable.

Over the next few days, Rosemary finishes all the flyers and shows them to Lee. She had made a campaign flyer with a front and a back for each of them. The front page is their biography and on the back is what they want to accomplish if they were elected mayor on the top and why people should vote for them on the bottom. He reads over them and is impressed with her work. Lee mentions, "Honey, these are great. They look very professional."

"Well, of course, they do, and I thoroughly enjoyed working on these. I think the flyers turned out better than I expected." She pauses for a moment, continuing, "Lee, I think…I think I want to restart the town newspaper. We are a growing community, and we need the newspaper to inform the public on what goes on in town, plus some much-needed entertainment. Clearly, Mister Bolt seriously lacked in the entertainment department besides my column."

Lee remarks, "I think it is a brilliant idea, sweetheart. I believe you found what you were looking for, something meaningful, important, and you can be proud to leave as your legacy. And after seeing these flyers, I know this is one of your limitless talents."

"Thanks, sweetie. I know it will be hard work, and I am going to be busier than ever, but I think I owe it to myself to give it a try."

"I know whatever you set your mind to; you'll be successful. Is there anything I can do to help, Rosie?"

"I need to talk to Clara and Hazel about the dress shop. I don't think I will be working there anymore." She breathes out deeply. "Wow, I am glad to get it off my chest. I have been wanting to leave the dress shop for a while now but could never actually say it out loud."

"I'll support you in any way I can; just let me know what you need. For example, have you thought about how often you want to publish your paper or a possible name?"

"Well, my top priorities are you, Patrick, and pumpkin, so I would like to start maybe every two weeks or once a month and see how it goes. And I'd still like to have some time to teach music. What am I thinking? When our baby gets here, I probably won't have any time or even want to work on anything. I know with one-hundred percent certainty, we will be walking around with no sleep for at least a few months, if not more."

"But it will be worth every waking minute," states Lee.

"I have no doubt."

"What about a name? What will the first edition be about and when?"

Rosemary replies, "Hmm. A name? Let me think about that essential detail. As far as what my first edition will be about and when. The election, of course, silly. I want to get the first one published next week and maybe one more before we go to Chicago."

"I am so proud of you, Rosie." He opens his arms, and she finds her place, nestled in his loving embrace.

Saturday morning, Lee and Rosemary wake up in each other's arms with one hand protecting their bundle of joy. Lee notices it's already 9:00 am, remarking, "I can't believe we both slept in this late, and Patrick didn't wake us up like he usually does.

Rosemary gets concerned, thinking out loud, "Do you think he is okay? He never lets us sleep in on a Saturday." Rosemary scoots over, pulls the covers off, and puts on her new pink fluffy robe Lee bought her a week ago. She giggles, thinking about how proud he was to surprise her with the robe. The robe she hopes will fit for the remainder of her pregnancy. Rosemary walks across the hall and into Patrick's room. She sits next to him, feeling his forehead, questioning, "Are you feeling okay, bud? You're a little hot. We were worried about you. You are always up so early."

Patrick whines, "I don't feel so good, Mama. My tummy hurts. Patrick quickly sits up, throwing up on the floor next to his bed, just missing Rosemary's feet.