(Jack's POV)
After settling back into a routine with Beth, I thought it'd be a good idea to check in with her teacher to see how she was doing in school. Abigail said that Beth had kept up with her schoolwork just fine while I was away, but I figured I'd ask Francine as well, just to have all of my bases covered.
After school, while everyone was either heading home or playing outside, I popped inside and found Francine cleaning the whiteboard and gathering up her things.
"Jack, it's so good to see you. What can I do for you?"
"I just wanted to check in and see how Beth was doing."
"Of course, have a seat." She gestured me to the front row of pews and she set her chair close by and had a seat too. "Is there something in particular you're concerned about?"
"As you know, I went to the Western Territories for a bit on mountie business. Abigail Stanton, the owner of the cafe in town, she watched Beth while I was gone. She told me Beth did just fine with her schoolwork at home, but I just wanted to make sure she did just fine for you as well."
"You have nothing to be worried about, Jack. I could tell something was bothering her at first, but I'm sure she settled in with Abigail quickly, because she was back to her normal self a few days later."
I smiled, thinking about Beth. She was my pride and joy, I loved being a father so much. "That's good to know, I'm glad she was okay for you while I was gone."
"Constable-... Jack. Beth is an exceptional kid. I'm sure she misses Elizabeth quite a bit."
"Oh um, actually, I adopted her after Elizabeth passed. Beth really got me out of a dark place and I'm thankful for her everyday."
Francine's face looked confused. "My apologies, I must've heard wrong in town-,"
"It's okay Francine. Beth knows that without her mother going to heaven, I wouldn't have met her and adopted her. Of course, she's only five, but she's a smart kid. Smarter than I'd like to admit sometimes."
"That's how kids are. Especially the oldest or an only child. Have you ever thought of adopting more kids?"
"Not at the moment. Beth is all I need. Besides, with work, I wouldn't want to burden Abigail with more than one to watch at a time if I were to have to leave again." I wanted to change the subject. Thinking about turning Beth's world upside down with Margaret and Matthew was something I wasn't quite ready for yet. "How are you settling into Hope Valley?"
"So far so good. It's harder to make friends than I thought, everyone has their go-to people, why do they need somebody else?"
"If there's one thing I learned from my late-wife, it's that Hope Valley is full of such kind and caring people."
"Florence Blakeley has definitely caught my attention and Faith Carter, the new nurse in town."
"Florence can be kind of a gossip chatterbox, but her heart's in the right place. As for Faith, she took care of my brother Tom, over in Hamilton, when he got into a motor drive accident. She's very kind, but I'm sure either one of them would be lucky to have a friend like you." I rose from my chair, getting ready to leave soon. "And when in doubt, you always have me. If you ever need anything, Francine, you know where to find me."
I turned to head outside and walk Beth home and I heard her speak under her breath as I left, "Thank you, Jack. You deserve the world."
(No One's POV)
Jack and Beth walked in the door, and Wheatley came running over to the little girl. "Hi Wheatley, I missed you at school today!" Beth hugged the dog as he licked her face.
"Alrighty Wheatley, someone's gotta get washed up now." Jack chuckled and sent Beth upstairs to wash the slobber off her face before starting her homework. Meanwhile, Jack headed into his bedroom and grabbed some paper from his desk and got to work on a letter…
"Margaret,
I keep thinking about you. Between work and raising Beth, you're the only one on my mind. I'm trying to figure out if I should tell Beth about you, but I don't even know what this is yet. I just wish we had had more time to get to know each other before I had to leave. I'd love to see you again, if that isn't too forward? How is Matthew doing? I can tell he's very protective of you, I'm sure your late-husband would be proud of the man he's shaping out to be. I don't want to keep you, for I know how hard working you are and you don't like to dilly-dally. I hope to hear from you soon.
Yours Truly,
Constable Jack Thornton"
Jack decided that if things kept moving forward, he'd tell Beth about Margaret before they met up once more. Until then, he was just going to focus on his job, his daughter, and the woman he adored.
""Hello hello!" The door downstairs opened and between her voice and Beth's squealing, Jack knew exactly who it was.
"Ma, what are you doing here?" Jack gave his mother a hug, as she set her bag down on the floor beside her.
"What? I have to have a reason to come see my son and my favorite granddaughter?"
"Nana, I'm your only granddaughter." Beth smiled up at Charlotte and Charlotte pinched the girl's cheeks.
"I know Bethie." Charlotte always called her that, similar to when she always called Elizabeth, Lizzie.
"Ma, we've been over this, it's Beth."
"C'mon Jack, don't be like that. Be a gentleman and grab my bag, would ya?" Beth led Charlotte to the couch and showed her her homework and recent drawings she'd made, while Jack got her things settled in the guest bedroom.
That night, they had shepherd's pie for dinner, and reminisced about when Elizabeth offered to make that for dinner when she and Charlotte first met.
"Ya know Jack, I do cook more often now, I'll have you know."
Jack smiled, thinking about how tongue tied he had gotten that afternoon in the saloon. "Do you now? Like what exactly?"
"Nana said she cooks hot dogs and cans of beans over the fire! Isn't that cool, Daddy? I want to go camping too."
"Bethie, don't talk with food in your mouth honey… but yes, I cooked canned beans. But I do more than that when I'm not traveling."
"Where did you go last?"
"I traveled to Brookfield. They needed a teacher to fill in for a while until their new one arrived. The last one moved to New York City, can you believe it? There are some lovely ladies there starting an orphanage as well, bless their hearts."
"You're a teacher too, Nana?"
"I used to be honey. Now, I travel and go on adventures." Charlotte's eye got wide, enhancing the excitement to the five year-old. "But don't get any ideas now. Your father's going to want you to save more adventurous days for when you're older. When your mother was still alive, your father once got caught in a mudslide-,"
"Ma!" Jack raised his voice, changing the subject. "As for camping, I'll think about it. But yes, crazy adventures are going to have to wait until you're older. I mean, think about how scary the windstorm was a few years back?"
"Oh right! Nana, there was a scary windstorm, and Daddy had to save Jesse and Uncle Lee from a tree that blew over!"
"Well that sounds like quite the escapade, now doesn't it?" Beth yawned at the dinner table, and Charlotte and Jack shared a look between them. "Little missy, it looks like it's time for bed for you. Why don't I braid your hair before bed and then when you wake up, it'll be wavy?"
"That sounds cool!" Beth turned to Jack before leaving the table. "May I be excused Daddy?"
"Yes, you may, Beth." Charlotte and Beth headed upstairs, while Jack cleaned up from dinner. He was feeling generous, so he gave Wheatley his leftovers and then they sat on the couch together, waiting for Charlotte to return downstairs.
"She's getting so big, Jack. I can't believe it's been five years, almost six. Her birthday's in a few months, right?"
"Yes, it sure is. I'm thinking about inviting the Thatcher's, but last time I saw William, he really wasn't thrilled about everything. Elizabeth's death, adopting Beth, telling Beth that Elizabeth was her mom… Though Grace came to see us right before my trip, completely unannounced."
"And how did that go?"
"It actually went well. I hadn't seen Grace since Elizabeth's funeral, so she got to meet Beth. She was having some trouble with her marriage and needed some time to think. I hope things have gotten better, William can definitely be an interesting person to crack."
"Your dad and I certainly had our share of arguments too, but at the end of the day, we always came back together… He would be so in awe of the way you've handled yourself these last few years. You're walking in his footsteps, which makes me both proud and scared for you."
"Ma, nothing's going to happen to me."
"That's what your dad said too. But at the end of the day, he always chose the mounties. How could I blame him though? That red uniform was his whole world…" Charlotte began tearing up. "But so were you boys… I just hope you can have everything you want in life without having to pay the same price that he did."
"I know, Ma, I know." Jack got quiet, knowing his mother just cared so deeply for him and Tom, they were all she had left. "I met someone in the Western Territories actually. I've been writing to her. I haven't told Beth, I'm waiting to see if it actually becomes something first."
"Oh Jack, I'm so glad you're trying to find love again. I was so worried for you after Lizzie died. Tom would always ask me how you were doing." Jack's brother was always moving around, similar to Charlotte, but in a more mischievous way. He hadn't had the chance to meet Beth yet either. Charlotte was actually the one who told Tom he had a niece. He sent her a card on her birthday every year and something from where he was currently staying, but that was about it. Given their relationship, he wanted to respect that Jack would reach out when he was ready. Though they'd always love and protect one another, Jack always worried Tom would get Beth into trouble by accident or rub off on her, and he didn't want that for his daughter.
"He did? I haven't heard from him recently. Where's he at now?" Charlotte didn't answer and Jack had a feeling he knew why. "Ma… what are you not telling me?"
"He's courting Julie again. But he says it's different this time, and I actually believe him. I think you should give him a chance. Maybe invite him to Beth's birthday?"
"I'll think about it. I've got quite a lot to think about right now."
"I know Jack, but you'll figure it out. You always do."
