Early on Christmas Eve, Nathan slipped out of bed quietly so he wouldn't disturb his wife who was sleeping soundly. He first stoked the fire in their room, adding wood to keep it going; then did the same in the living room fireplace. Not wanting to wake anyone, Nathan decided to forgo coffee until he got back from the barn and his shop. He felt nervous about Jack's first birthday since they became a family and hoped the gift he had been working on for weeks would be well received. He had put the final coat of stain on the night before, anticipating it would be dry and the shade he wanted by morning.
Twisting the key in the lock he had installed to keep out prying eyes, more than criminals; Nathan walked in his shop and locked the door behind him, knowing Jack would most likely be out to feed the horses shortly…even though it was his birthday. He inspected the gift and decided it was some of his best work to date. It was too big to wrap, so Elizabeth had crafted a big bow out of thick ribbon to dress it up for the big reveal at the now-combined Jack and Sarah birthday bash that afternoon. In addition to his son's birthday present, Nathan had also been working on his and Elizabeth's Christmas gifts. Between all of his woodworking and making final arrangements for their honeymoon, he felt exhausted. His leg let him know a break was much needed. He had met with Andrew Monday afternoon and was given strict instructions to take it as easy as possible for a couple weeks.
Grabbing a sheet to cover Jack's present, Nathan accidentally knocked over another concealed piece he had been secretly creating. For some reason, the leftover scraps had worked their way into a tiny cradle. Knowing the possibility of having a child at their ages was slim, he thought about just using it as a model to sell more of them in the future; but he couldn't help keeping it hidden, in the hopes it would be needed in the little room next to theirs. A loud sound brought him out of his thoughts, and he quickly finished concealing things before slipping out and into the barn.
Unable to sleep and a bundle of nerves, Jack decided to get up and spend time with the horses before their house turned into a flurry of activity, preparing for the birthday party and Christmas. Most years he had resented having a birthday so close to a holiday, but this year he had a friend who understood completely how he felt. He didn't necessarily want to have a combined birthday party with Sarah; however, it gave him a good excuse to give her the present he had made for her and was a way to spend more time together with people around. Not paying attention to what he was doing, he knocked over a feed bucket with a large thunk. A minute later, Nathan emerged from his wood shop.
"Good morning, birthday boy!" Nathan greeted him. "I told you to sleep in, and I would take care of the horses." He went to Newton's stall and stroked his partner's neck the way he liked. "But since you're here, I'm going back to the house so I can start making breakfast. Are you okay feeding these guys?"
Nodding, Jack began cleaning out the stalls before giving the horses food and water. "I couldn't sleep," he admitted. "Every year since I was pretty young, I remember waking up unusually early on my birthday. I thought it was because it was Christmas Eve and all of the excitement from that; but as I've gotten older, I remembered my thoughts were always turned to my father right when waking up each year. I imagined what it would be like to have him there with me to celebrate my birthday and Christmas. Don't get me wrong, Mom made me feel really special the entire Christmas season; but I had these interests that I know came from my father, and he wasn't there to share it all with me. Now, I have you. When I woke up this morning, I briefly thought about my father, Jack; but my thoughts quickly shifted to you and how you've filled a big hole in our family. My mom has been happier the past few months than at any other time in my life, and I finally have someone who understands me in a different way than she does."
Not wanting to get emotional first thing in the morning, Nathan tried to swallow it away; but a stubborn tear escaped anyway, as he hugged the son he shared with Elizabeth and her late husband, Jack Thornton Sr. "You both have been a blessing to me and to Allie and her family. I hope having a father on your birthday is everything you've wanted." After a few moments of silence as they processed the exchange, Nathan added, "I better go start breakfast. See you up there in a little bit."
Smells of coffee, bacon, and eggs tickled Nathan's nose as he entered the house, causing his stomach to let him know he was indeed hungry. "Nathan, is that you?" Elizabeth called right after the door shut.
"Yes, my darling," he responded, kicking off his boots and taking off his winter coat just inside the door. "I was going to get that started for you, but I see you beat me to it," he stated while entering the kitchen and wrapping her in a hug while placing his cold, scruffy face against hers.
Elizabeth squealed as his spiky facial hair poked her and the cold made her shiver. She squirmed to try and get away. "You aren't helping," she whined. "I always make this special breakfast for Jack every year. Snowman pancakes with eggs, bacon, and hot cocoa. But you can wash up and set the table for me. I assume Jack is down with the horses?"
Kissing her cheek quickly, Nathan smiled. "He is so good with animals, and he's been acting so grown up and responsible. I think he's really becoming a fine young man, Elizabeth. I'll go get cleaned up and shaved so I can get a proper good morning kiss from you." He winked and hurried into the bathroom, emerging a short time later freshly shaven in clean clothes. He snuck up behind Elizabeth and nuzzled her neck. She pushed the pan off the burner and turned around to face him, catching his mouth with her own to wish him an acceptable good morning. Nathan was just starting to enjoy himself, when a rush of cold air from the door opening let them know, Jack was back from the barn. Reluctantly, he pulled away before getting dishes down from the cabinet to begin setting the table.
Jack mumbled something in passing as he went upstairs to wash and change for breakfast. When he came back down, the table was set, and food spread out in the same way it had been every year. Decorating a snowman out of pancakes made him feel like a kid again, and Nathan was a welcome addition to their family tradition. "I don't know if I've said this lately Mom but thank you for always making me feel special on my birthday. Don't ever stop making me snowman pancakes on Christmas Eve." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and began clearing the dishes.
Nathan squeezed Elizabeth's hand when Jack left the room. "You are a great mother, you know that?" He kissed the top of her head as he stood to help Jack clean up breakfast. "You go take your time getting ready for the day. We'll finish here and start setting up for our guests to arrive later."
Giving her husband an affectionate look, Elizabeth marveled at the amount of love she felt for the two strong men in her home; and that she didn't feel guilty for the love she also felt for Jack Thornton Sr every year on their son's birthday. God truly had blessed them abundantly in the past year, as so many changes had occurred in their lives. She decided to take a relaxing bath first, to calm her nerves before the big events of the day. A smile tugged at her lips in anticipation of Nathan's first year being with them for Jack's birthday and Christmas. She finally had someone to share all of life's great joys with; and the holidays had always been her favorite time of the year, despite her loneliness for so long.
By the time she had finished her hair and slipped into her fancy red party dress, Nathan and Jack had transformed their large living room into a party space similar to their wedding reception. They used simple Christmas decorations to dress up the space, and the Coulters arrived at noon to help with food and gifts. Jack took the twins to the barn with the promise they would not get dirty.
Sarah rode with her parents to Jack's home, butterflies fluttering in her stomach while her fingers stroked the gift she had neatly wrapped for her birthday buddy. At first, she was mortified that their mothers had chosen to give them a combined party; but after their friends showed so much enthusiasm about it, she decided it made sense and could be fun. Because the two of them had been acting more distant since school started, the other Hope Valley teens didn't suspect the two of them were more than friends at the moment. To be honest, she wasn't quite sure how to define their relationship either. Her entrance exams were fast approaching, and with Jack's help, she felt confident that it would go well. But that brought feelings of dread as she thought of leaving Hope Valley the following summer. Before she could dwell on that thought, the car stopped in front of the impressive home designed and built by Nathan Grant.
Sarah's eyes immediately scanned the yard, where she saw movement near the barn. "Mom, I'm going to say hi to the horses." She hurried away before her mother could lecture her about staying clean and helping with the party setup. Nearing the barn, she saw Jack and the Coulter twins just starting to leave.
"You two head back inside, I'll be right there." Jack sent the twins on their way, but Sarah did not miss the glare from Daisy as she passed by. She knew the feisty tween most likely had a crush on Jack, so she found Sarah a threat. Shrugging it off, she quickly closed the distance between herself and Jack.
Before she spoke, Sarah held out the wrapped package. "Happy Birthday," she barely whispered, admiring how handsome he looked in his Sunday best. "I wanted to give you this while we were alone."
It became difficult to breathe when Jack saw Sarah in a beautiful red Christmas dress, her curled dark hair flowing down her back. He took the package with a big green bow attached and smiled. "Yours is still in my room," he muttered, unable to pry his eyes from her gaze. "You want me to open it now?" he asked.
"This is actually the perfect place to open it," she explained. "I have a Christmas gift for you also, but you'll get that later. Go on now, our mothers won't be happy if we aren't at the house to greet our guests." Her stomach felt like it was tied in knots. She had worked hard to save up enough money for the special gift she hoped he loved.
Carefully unwrapping the package, he reached inside the box and pulled out a beautiful horse halter with Zeus stamped into the leather. Jack had never seen a more beautiful halter and knew it couldn't have been cheap. "Wow, Sarah, this is way too much. It's such a thoughtful gift." He pulled her into a hug and let himself get lost in her arms for several blissful seconds, breathing in her sweet scent that was way too intoxicating for someone who wanted to be just friends. "Thank you," he quietly said next to her ear. Her head turned, their breath mingling together for a brief second before he suddenly took a step back.
Sarah shook her head, frustrated. "We better get in there," she tersely commented, walking ahead. Tears stung her eyes as a cold wind blew and she had to hold her dress down all the way to the house. She went straight to the bathroom when she got there, making sure she was put together before joining the families in the party space.
More confused than ever, Jack wondered what he did wrong. He quickly showed the halter to Zeus before hanging it with the other gear, and slowly made his way to the party he was now starting to dread. He was greeted by Rosemary, who was barking orders on where to put the food. Robert and Allie arrived with Colleen shortly before the other guests. By 1:00 pm, the official starting time, a houseful of mostly teens ate appetizers while mingling and visiting with one another.
From across the room, Elizabeth spotted Nathan taking their granddaughter away from the noise. She followed them to the little room next to their big one and watched as her husband melted her heart by showing his sweet tenderness with a baby. Twinges of pain mixed with the joy of seeing him so happy with what they had been blessed with. Before she knew it, a giggle gave her away, and he looked suspiciously over to where she had tried to hide.
"Colleen, it looks like your Nana is spying on us," he teased. "Come play with us." He motioned for her to join them on the floor.
Elizabeth opted to sit in the one chair in the room instead, not wanting to wrinkle her dress or risk not being able to stand up from being on the floor. She admired how handsome Nathan looked in his blue suit and red Christmas tie. Robert and Sarah's mother Mary had sewn a beautiful red Christmas dress for Colleen, although the bottom was now wet from finding its way into the baby's mouth. "It's so peaceful here," she observed. "I really love this space."
Reaching for his beautiful wife's hand, Nathan kissed it and closed his eyes. "It is. One of these days we'll figure out what to do with it." He changed the subject. "Allie was having fun visiting with all of her former students, but this little miss was not cooperating with her. Do you think the party is a hit? Jack seems off, but he is a teenager."
"Sarah was acting a bit strange too, but Daisy let us know the two of them were alone in the barn before the party." It took all she had in her to not roll her eyes at the teenage drama that had been happening between her now-sixteen-year-old son and his now-seventeen-year-old friend. "Those two are enamored with one another, but they are either in denial or trying to convince themselves they can ignore their feelings. That never ends well, does it?"
Nathan stood and helped Elizabeth out of the chair, kissing her affectionately. "Well, I tried to deny my feelings for you; however, even after a decade of pushing them aside, they were still just as strong as before. I'm not sure what will happen with those two kids. I do worry if they force themselves to keep their distance, it might just cause more problems in the long run and get them into trouble. I would rather have them be honest with themselves and each other." Colleen squealed from her blanket on the floor, breaking the tension and making them laugh. "I'll let her squeal for a few minutes longer, then come out for gifts and cake."
Watching all of the other girls take notice of Jack over the past several months made Sarah secretly jealous, but on this day, she was even more annoyed. Trying to keep her eyes away from him had been futile, and she caught him looking back at her several times. Eventually, she did start having fun with friends. Rosemary led a round of Christmas Carol singalongs, followed by Sarah sitting and opening her gifts.
When Jack was about finished opening his gifts after Sarah, Nathan and Lee, who had slipped out earlier, carried something big and heavy in the door from his shop. It was covered with a big cloth, tied together with a large ribbon. Standing in front of everyone, Nathan announced, "Jack, this is a very special time for our family. When I thought about what you might want or need, I kept coming back to something I could make you to help with one of your many talents. Go ahead and uncover it, and I'll explain more."
Jack's eyes widened at what had obviously been a huge effort from Nathan and understood better why the lock on his shop was necessary. He uncovered the handcrafted masterpiece, feeling very loved by his new dad. "A drafting table? This is incredible, Dad!" He reached out to shake Nathan's hand but was pulled into a hug instead.
"Your drawing is top-notch, and a real artist needs one of these. Thank you for sharing your mom and home with me. Happy Birthday, son." Not a dry eye existed after that exchange, but to save her son from embarrassment, Elizabeth announced they would sing to both Jack and Sarah then cut and pass around the cake. It was getting to the end of the time allotment for the party so everyone could make it to the Christmas Eve church service.
After the singing and eating of the cake, guests began saying their goodbyes. A light snow had begun falling, making it a magical Christmas Eve. All of the Wolf family, along with the Coulters, helped Nathan and Elizabeth get their home back to normal. They cleaned up the entire party space and put it back into the cozy Christmas family space it had been before.
Sarah and Jack washed dishes together in silence. He had been waiting for the right moment to get his gift for her, and she wasn't sure how he felt about anything after he so quickly pulled away from her in the barn. As soon as the last dish was put away, without a word Jack grabbed her by the hand and led her upstairs to his bedroom, away from prying eyes and out of earshot from either family.
Looking around at the very personal space she probably wasn't supposed to be in, Sarah was not surprised at how organized and clean the room was. He definitely was the kind of guy who would make a good Mountie and follow all of the rules he was given. "What are we doing here?" she finally managed to ask curiously.
Jack knew he wasn't supposed to have a girl in his room; but the rest of the house was too full of people, and he really wanted to give it to Sarah while they were alone. He picked up a square package she could tell was wrapped by him and handed it to her. "I've been waiting until it was just us to give this to you. I really didn't want it on display for the entire crowd."
"Thank you," she replied, carefully untying the ribbon and unwrapping the paper. She gasped when she saw the sketch of herself holding Colleen in a beautiful wooden frame. "Jack," she breathed, still in awe of how he had captured them like a photograph. "This is just stunning. I will treasure it forever."
Shrugging off the praise, Jack touched the frame. "Nathan helped me make this," he informed her. "I'm glad you like it. I've been working on it for a while."
At that moment, Sarah stopped pretending. Her heart and head were finally in sync, and she decided it was time to be honest with both of them. She put down the frame on Jack's bed and took both of his hands in hers. "Jack, I don't know where the next months and years will take us; but I do know how I feel right now. This morning I was upset when you pulled back in the barn. I know why you did it though. We are so busy trying to hide from our feelings that we end up hurting the one person we care about the most. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I love you, Jack Thornton. It doesn't mean we will magically be together forever, but I've never felt this way about anyone. You deserve to know that."
A bit dumbfounded, Jack stepped closer to Sarah. His thumb traced her jawline as he leaned down to press a kiss to her temple. "I've loved you since the day I found you at the livery in tears. You've become my best friend, and my feelings have only grown the past several months. I know we can't see the future; but Sarah," he tilted her head up to look into his eyes. "You taught me how to love and what it is to truly be made better by someone."
Tears glistened in Sarah's eyes at the tender way Jack expressed himself. It was as if their hearts were speaking to each other. She looked into his eyes, then glanced at his lips that were already parted. Pulses soared as their lips met, just another physical manifestation of their feelings.
Thinking he would have an easier time losing control in their kiss after saying I love you, Jack found it was the opposite. His respect for the young woman he loved helped remind him to stay in check. A knock soon startled them, and they quickly broke apart. Jack cleared his throat and went to open the door.
His parental instincts kicking in, Nathan noticed Jack and Sarah were nowhere to be found after the dishes had been done. He went upstairs and knocked on Jack's bedroom door, actually surprised when his son opened the door with Sarah looking a bit flushed behind him. No one said anything for a moment, but Sarah grabbed her gift off the bed and quickly slipped by both men to hurry downstairs.
After Sarah was gone, Jack saw his father's clenched jaw and knew he might be in trouble. "Listen, Dad, I was just giving Sarah her present. I know being alone with her here wasn't the best idea, but I needed to talk to her without everyone around. I promise, we were just about to leave."
Forcing himself to calm down before speaking, Nathan tried to remember what it was like to be young and in love; but he also wanted to be a parent to the teenager who broke a rule. "I'll be lenient right now because it's your birthday and we need to say goodbye to the Wolf and Coulter families before getting ready for church. Can we talk later tonight?"
Releasing the breath he had been holding, Jack nodded. "I really am sorry, Dad. I promise it won't happen again." They saw everyone out to their cars, then freshened up before driving to the church.
Elizabeth felt extra emotional as she watched people gathering for the Christmas Eve service. She remembered how Jack Thornton had built this building for her and the Hope Valley community. Their son, Jack Jr, was now practically a man on his sixteenth birthday. It had been a long time since she felt the Christmas spirit as strongly as she did this year. She squeezed her husband's hand as they slipped into a pew next to Bill Avery, who they readily invited to Christmas brunch the next day. A Christmas Eve church service was the perfect way to celebrate the true reason for the holiday season. Elizabeth couldn't believe it would be her first Christmas married, followed by her honeymoon with Nathan. She felt gratitude for the gift of her son on his birthday, as well as God's son on His birthday the next day.
Many familiar faces made up the congregation. Dr. Andrew Burton sat beside Katie Yost, next to Ned and Florence. Allie and Robert were with his parents and sister, and the Coulter family sat behind them. All of the Hope Valley residents smiled and waved as their friends entered the building. Nathan and Elizabeth both felt like they had come home. He squeezed his wife's shoulder, grateful to have everyone he loved most in the same room celebrating this sacred holiday.
Having a hard time focusing on the pastor's messages, Jack kept his eyes on the side profile of a certain dark-haired birthday girl. She sang O Holy Night with a group of girls from school, and he felt her eyes on him a few times. When the service ended, people mingled and wished one another a Merry Christmas. Jack put on his coat and motioned for Sarah to follow him outside.
Pulling on her heavy coat and gloves, Sarah snuck away from her parents and met Jack outside in the cold. "We only have a few minutes," she cautioned as they walked to the back of the building. "I hope I didn't get you in trouble with your dad earlier."
Jack pulled on his hat Sarah had made for him and grinned. "I think everything's fine," he assured her. "Even if it's not, it was worth it."
She playfully punched him in the arm, then pulled two crocheted gloves and a scarf out of her pocket. "Here, you are going to need your Christmas gift early so you don't freeze out here."
"Not fair," he complained. "Maybe you can count the drawing as your birthday gift and the frame for Christmas?"
Putting the scarf around his neck, Sara used it to pull him closer and snuggled into him with her head on his chest. Even though she could see her breath, she felt warm in his arms. "I already put it on my nightstand so I can look at it right before I go to sleep and first thing when I wake up every morning. We better get back before they all come looking for us." She glanced up at him and Jack kissed her gently.
"Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas, Sarah." He took her hand as they walked to where their respective family cars were parked, just in time for everyone to arrive. "Goodnight," he sighed as they parted. It had been the best birthday he could remember, and now he got to experience his first Christmas as a complete family.
At home, Nathan read the story of Christ's birth from the bible while they drank hot chocolate and ate a few Christmas cookies. Jack went to the barn to check on the horses, giving Nathan the perfect excuse to follow him and have their little talk.
As they fed the horses and made sure they would be warm enough, Nathan asked Jack about his birthday. Slowly the conversation turned to Sarah. "Son, I just want you to make wise choices. Being alone with a young woman in your bedroom isn't proper and could lead to some choices you would regret later. Rules are set to protect you, not hinder your fun."
"It was innocent, Dad," Jack tried to explain. "But after I gave her the picture I drew; she told me she loved me, and we kissed…but I would never let it go further. We both have plans, and I'm not letting her give up her dreams. She's too important to me."
Although somewhat amazed by the maturity of the teenagers, Nathan still kept his parental demeanor. "I'm glad you want that for your relationship. I can tell you both love each other, but you're young. Just follow the rules. You need to be in places that help you make good choices. Now, Santa is going to be here any minute, so I suggest you get home and up to bed. I have a few things to take care of in my shop."
"Santa's workshop, eh?" Jack joked, laughing as he left the barn and quickly walked home with the hat, gloves, and scarf helping keep him warm. He was so spent from the day, he fell right to sleep with Sarah saying the words I love you going through his head.
After moving some special items from the shop to the Christmas tree, Nathan stoked the fire and went to wash and change into the Christmas pajamas Elizabeth had commissioned Rosemary to make for their family. Elizabeth was sitting up in bed wearing her Christmas nightgown, and sipping peppermint tea. "I heard a little elf doing something sneaky out there," she teased, patting next to her on the bed.
"I guess we'll have to see what he left out there tomorrow morning," he reasoned, joining her in bed. She set her teacup down and snuggled into him. They watched the fire and reminisced about the day. "Jack and Sarah professed their love to each other today in his bedroom," he confessed. "I knew it was coming, but they are so young."
Elizabeth took Nathan's face in her hands, looking into his clear blue eyes and smiled. "Uh oh, I see your parenting worries showing. It's so nice to have someone to share it with." She sighed. "But Jack is a man now. Neither one of us could stop him from pursuing Sarah, even if we wanted him to. Just like I can't stop him from becoming a Mountie next year." She shifted her body to close any gaps between them. "Right now, though, I want to kiss my husband on Christmas morning."
His eyes scanned the room for a clock, realizing it was just after midnight. Not needing to be asked twice, he pulled his wife close and kissed her the way only a married man should. She melted into him as they spent the first part of their Christmas morning expressing their love to each other, then fell asleep blissfully in one another's arms.
Sun shining through their bedroom window woke Nathan much later than he was used to after being up quite late the night before. He instinctively felt for his wife, but she was gone. His nose caught a whiff of fresh coffee, and he quickly slipped into his pajamas, robe, and slippers before joining Elizabeth in the kitchen. She was glazing a fresh batch of cinnamon rolls and sipping tea when he wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"There you are, sleepy head," she uttered as his whiskery kisses moved across her neck. "I've been up for hours, as you can see. Jack must have been tired as well, because he's yet to grace us with his presence. I just love Christmas and couldn't wait to get the food ready for brunch. Coffee, my love?"
He grunted, "Yes," then grabbed a mug and poured a large cup for himself. "Sorry I slept so long, you just wore me out last night," he murmured with another kiss. They nearly jumped when they heard Jack coming down the stairs.
"Is that cinnamon rolls I smell?" Jack asked when he finally appeared. "Don't tell me we have to wait for brunch to eat those."
Elizabeth shrugged, trying to stop the blush that had risen up her neck from Nathan's earlier comment. "Now that we have family coming over, we can't just eat them all ourselves first thing Christmas morning." She offered him his favorite Christmas morning hot chocolate instead, and they made their way into the living room to see the gifts under the tree together.
Two big gifts, one of which Elizabeth had no clue about, were covered with a sheet and topped with bows. "Looks like Santa delivered big this year," she winked, excitement filling her like she was a little girl again. "Maybe Jack should open his first," she suggested.
Jack untied the bow and uncovered another of Nathan's creations. "A drafting stool to go with my drafting table? When did you have the time to make these with all of your other orders?"
"You make the time for those who are most important," Nathan said, hugging Jack. "You needed both the table and the stool to work on your sketches. I think your mother should open her gift next."
Giving her husband a curious look, Elizabeth quickly uncovered the most beautiful cedar chest she had ever seen. Elizabeth Grant, 1930 was etched on top, surrounded by beautifully detailed embellishments. She put a hand over her mouth as tears welled up in her eyes. "Nathan, this is absolutely gorgeous. I can put my wedding dress and other mementos in here, and it matches our bedroom set perfectly." She rushed to her husband, nearly knocking him over and she kissed and hugged him.
"I thought it would look great at the foot of our bed. I'm glad you like it." He smoothed her hair and kissed the top of her head. "We better finish opening the last few gifts before our company gets here. I'm very excited to see our granddaughter on her first Christmas."
Jack brought out a gift he had wrapped for his parents and gave it to them. Nathan recognized the shape as the one of the frames he had helped him make. When they saw the portrait Jack had drawn of the complete blended family together, all three were emotional.
"Thank you, son." Elizabeth kissed his cheek and hugged him tightly. "This is the most precious gift, and I can't wait to hang it on the wall for everyone to see."
They opened a few smaller gifts, then Elizabeth got a sly look on her face. "Nathan, you didn't think all I got you was wool socks and a small carving tool, did you? I'll be back." She climbed the stairs and went into the spare room that still remained empty. When she came back into the living room, Jack had a big grin on his face when he saw Nathan's surprised look.
"You bought me a guitar?" Nathan questioned, very surprised. "I haven't attempted to play in years. I gave my old guitar away during one of my many moves years ago."
Elizabeth handed it to him, and he immediately opened it up to reveal the shiny new instrument. He went to the piano and started tuning the strings, then picked out a rough Silent Night. "I love your singing voice, Nathan. I would love for us to start singing together. I hope it's alright. I really didn't know what to get that would express how much I love you."
"It's perfect, sweetheart," he winked while continuing to strum some chords. After straightening up a bit, they all got dressed and worked together to set a big holiday brunch table for their family and friends who were coming. Before long, their home and table were full of laughter and joy. Everyone complimented Nathan's handiwork. He gave each of them small tokens he had created in his shop. Colleen giggled as she played with the wooden blocks from her Papa. Allie and Robert were given a small table to put next to their porch swing, able to hold cups of coffee or tea while sitting outside to watch sunsets, or a basket of flowers. A hat and coat hook shelf was given to Bill for his entryway, something Nathan had noticed his friend and mentor could use. For Lee, Nathan made a shingle to hang on the shop at the sawmill for their new business.
By early afternoon, everyone had gone home, and they all took naps. Elizabeth felt a little queasy as she woke up to start packing for their trip. She fixed some peppermint tea, which calmed her stomach and allowed her to stay on task. Nathan helped her with the suitcases, and Jack threw some things into a bag. He knew he would be able to get things from home if he needed them, especially since he would be up feeding and riding the horses every day. Because they were leaving so early on the train, Nathan and Elizabeth drove Jack to Allie and Robert's house to sleep. They stayed for a simple dinner, and gave lots of kisses to Colleen, since they wouldn't see her for over a week.
Before going to bed, Nathan and Elizabeth basked in the glow of the fireplace and Christmas tree lights on their comfortable sofa. Nathan played a few songs on the guitar while they sang together. When Elizabeth could barely keep her eyes open, they brushed their teeth and went to bed, excited anticipation running through them at the prospect of their first trip to the city as husband and wife. Nathan hoped his wife appreciated the many surprises he had in store; but little did he know, she had some surprises of her own.
