Alright, who here has a primary love language of Acts of Service? If you do, this one's for you!
In the last short we took a deep dive into Words of Affirmation, which our favorite saloon owner is particularly good at already, but I've loved seeing already how Lucas portrays this love language in the show, specifically through things like helping her with the library or offering to go to the church with Joseph so Elizabeth doesn't need to walk out into the rain. Even being so very willing to help her with her writing, reading it along the way and supporting her in every way he can is a pretty good example of Acts of Service. I'm pretty confident he's going to continue with moments like this in season nine too, which, if you haven't heard, starts filming July 21! We're so close!
I'll be on vacation starting later this week, but I'll try to get another one up before I leave, and in the meantime I hope you all enjoy this one!
It had been quite the day.
Besides waking up later than usual, she'd knocked the eggs onto the floor, creating a mess of their breakfast, and Jack had seemed significantly more interested in playing with his toys than eating the eggs she did manage to set in front of him. By the time Laura arrived for the day, Elizabeth was already on edge, and hurried to pack her basket in time to leave for school.
The remainder of her day was no better. Her students were distracted, already preparing for the winter break that was just out of their reach, and she struggled to maintain their focus. To make matters worse, in her hurry to leave for school, she'd forgotten to put her lunch in her basket, leaving her hungry other than the apple Timmy had brought for her. From there, she'd been forced to walk home in the cold rain, which drenched her dress and hair, only to realize once she was home that she hadn't picked up the groceries she needed for Jack's dinner.
Regardless, she'd thrown something together for him, but his fussy episode from the morning continued, ending in a temper tantrum that left her more than a bit exhausted.
In short, everything that could go wrong had gone wrong.
Which is why the knock at her door caused her to panic.
Running her fingers through her hair in an attempt to look less weary, Elizabeth raced to the door to reveal Lucas. He was dressed in his favorite brown three-piece suit, covered by his light brown jacket to keep out the cold. It certainly was winter, despite the lack of snow, and she shivered a bit at the chill that immediately rushed through the open door. His car was parked just outside, but his hair was damp from the continuing rain.
"Lucas," she breathed out.
His brow furrowed and he studied her for a moment, recognizing the frazzled look on her face immediately. "If now is a bad time," he started, hesitating for a moment, "I don't want to intrude."
Elizabeth shook her head. "No, no. Please, come in. You know you're never intruding." She moved out of the way to let him pass, ushering him over the threshold, when she noticed for the first time that he was holding a basket.
He held it up for her to inspect, "I brought us all some dinner, and your groceries are in the car. I'll get them in a moment for you."
"You brought my groceries?"
"I did. I was at the mercantile this afternoon to pick up a couple of things for Gustave and Ned mentioned that you were going to pick up your order after school but never came. So I brought them," he explained with a shrug. He set down the basket on the kitchen table and moved back to the door. "If you'll excuse me, I'll just go get them."
Elizabeth could only watch as he made his way outside. When the door shut behind him, she let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. When he returned a moment later, easily making his way through the door even with the small crate of groceries that Ned had carefully packed for her, she had tears in her eyes.
"Elizabeth?" he questioned when he recognized the look on her face, his own smile dropping into a frown as he quickly carried the crate into the kitchen. He was in the process of setting it lightly on the side of the sink when she spoke behind him.
"You really didn't have to do that for me."
Lucas turned, hurrying back to her and taking her hands, "do what?"
"Get my groceries for me. Bring them all the way out here, and in the pouring rain no less," Elizabeth continued, a small sob escaping from her. She suddenly found herself smiling, however, laughing at her own ridiculousness. "I'm sorry, I'm just not used to having someone do things like this for me."
"Does that mean I'm doing a good job then?" he asked. He continued when she looked at him in confusion, "with this courting thing?"
She giggled again, "the best." He was close enough for her to kiss him lightly to emphasize her point.
"Good. That's my goal. Now, like I mentioned, I brought food for all of us, but I'm assuming Jack is already up in bed."
Elizabeth confirmed with a nod. "He went down just a bit ago, but I'm sure that whatever you brought will catch his eye tomorrow more than the eggs I made him this morning did. Or at least, the eggs that ended up on his plate and not on the floor."
"On the floor?" Lucas asked, tilting his head to the side as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
"All over the floor, and this time it was my fault, not Jack's. But none of what happened today matters because you're here now."
Lucas studied her face again, searching for answers. "What happened? Do you want to talk about it?"
She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. "Do you ever have those days where small things go wrong and eventually they start to add up to feel like big things?"
"More than a few times, yes."
"Well that's how today went," Elizabeth huffed, explaining how nothing seemed to go right for her all day until the moment he stepped through the door.
"I'm glad I can be of service then," he told her once she'd finished. "And if there's anything I can ever do to make a day less miserable, then please, don't hesitate to ask."
She smiled softly, looking up at him, almost at a loss for what to say. "How did I get so lucky to have a thoughtful suitor like you?"
"The same way I was fortunate enough to find you," he told her before kissing her again.
~ E & L ~
Sunlight streamed through the curtains on her window, and Elizabeth woke feeling more refreshed than she had in ages. As she slowly sat up in bed, stretching her arms above her head, memories of the previous evening came flooding back, calming her further.
Lucas had stayed and they dined on a simple meal they prepared together before sitting tightly pressed against one another on the settee as they read their individual books. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't stolen a glance or two at the man next to her, picturing a future together where they spent every evening simply content with the other's presence. And when he did leave, he made sure to reiterate that if she needed anything that he was always there for her, sealing his vow with a lengthy kiss.
With a yawn, she promised herself that she would stop by the saloon later in the day to properly thank him for not only getting her groceries, but for just being so attentive and thoughtful. She really was fortunate.
As she made her way into Jack's room, it seemed that a good night of sleep had done her son some good, and he was already eager to head downstairs for breakfast. But as she got him ready for the day, it was the smell of bacon wafting up the stairs that made her stop in her tracks.
Someone was in her house.
Keeping Jack close to her, she carefully walked out of his room and took a peek down the stairs and into the kitchen, keeping out of the view of whoever was in her home. She breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that she shouldn't have been worried and started her way down.
"Elizabeth!" Rosemary chimed when she spotted her friend at the top of the stairs.
Furrowing her brow, Elizabeth carried her son as they approached the kitchen. "Rosemary? Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what are you doing in my house making breakfast?"
The blonde woman laughed, "No reason other than I thought it might be a nice surprise! I made Jack's favorite, blueberry pancakes."
"So you just woke up today and decided to come over and make Jack and I pancakes and bacon for breakfast?"
"And tea, don't forget the tea."
As she settled Jack in his chair, Elizabeth gave her friend a dubious look.
"What?!" Rosemary admonished, "I can't make my wonderful friend and her beautiful son breakfast?" She turned back to flip a pancake in the pan.
Elizabeth shook her head, sighing. "You're always welcome here, Rosemary. I was just a bit shocked to wake up and find someone else in my house." She sat down in the chair next to Jack as Rosemary piled pancakes on both of their plates, followed by the bacon.
"Good, because it's my pleasure. Now, eat up, because Lee will be here any minute to take you to school."
"What?"
"The road's a mess after yesterday's rain, and if you walk you'll get covered in mud," Rosemary replied as though it were obvious.
"So Lee just offered to drive me?" Elizabeth asked as she stabbed a bit of pancake with her fork.
"Well, I insisted that he do it, but he's happy to. He'll be heading into town to go to work anyway, so it's no imposition."
"Pancake!" Jack interrupted before Elizabeth could question further, and the two women laughed. He had a wide smile on his face, half of his own pancake already gone, the other half held in his hand.
"It looks like someone is more than pleased with your cooking. Really though, thank you Rosemary. This is a much nicer way to start the day than yesterday."
For a brief second, Elizabeth thought she caught an almost knowing look on her friend's face, but ever the famous actress, Rosemary covered it well and with a smile and a nod, she returned to finishing the last few pancakes. A knock sounded at the door a moment later, and Elizabeth suddenly realized that she once again hadn't packed her basket for school.
"That would be Lee," Rosemary said, wiping her hands on her apron. She turned to pick up the very basket Elizabeth was looking for from the counter beside her, handing it over to the schoolteacher.
"Did you pack my lunch too?"
"I did, and it's your favorite, a chicken salad sandwich."
Elizabeth gave her a thoughtful smile, "well, I owe you two dinner after this one, alright? Thank you."
"That's not necessary," Rosemary paused, grinning, "but we'll take you up on the offer anyway because we always love spending time with you." The two laughed again as Elizabeth pulled on her coat and Rosemary sat in the seat across from Jack, shooing her friend toward the door. "Now go on and have a wonderful last day of school before break. I'll stay here with Little Jack. I told Laura she could have the day off."
After returning to give her son a kiss on the head before leaving, Elizabeth finished buttoning her coat and picked up her basket. "I'll see you two later then."
But the surprises didn't stop there. Lee had, indeed, been waiting at her front door to escort her to school in his car, which got them to the schoolhouse in no time. The rain had finally let up, but Elizabeth was thankful not just for the ride itself, but for the warm blanket that covered her lap on the way, keeping out the chill.
When they arrived at the Jack Thornton school, however, Elizabeth immediately noticed the lights on inside. It was still early, and while on occasion some of the students would arrive to play games outside before their lessons, she was usually the one to open the double doors and warm the room.
"Who possibly could be here already? I'm not running late, am I?" Elizabeth asked, frantically grabbing her things as Lee rolled the car to a stop.
"We're actually right on time, but if you'd like, I'll walk in with you in case…" Lee offered, but she cut him off.
"No, I'll be just fine. Perhaps it's Joseph or Minnie. They've been so helpful with the children as we prepare for the Christmas play this year," Elizabeth explained, and Lee nodded. She gave him a pat on the arm before removing the blanket from her lap and climbing out of the car. "Thank you for the ride in today, Lee. I really appreciate it."
"You're welcome, Elizabeth. Now, get out of this cold and into that schoolhouse" he returned, waving her toward the building.
She headed toward the stairs, stopping to wave as Lee put the car into gear and started off back toward town. With a sigh, she climbed the steps and was just reaching for the door handle when she heard a soft melody coming from inside. Gently, she opened the door, revealing not just Angela sitting at the piano as she expected, but Minnie leading nearly all of her students through their Christmas play.
"Mrs. Thornton!" Allie exclaimed excitedly, the first to spot her as she stepped through the door. The other students turned their attention to their school teacher, bright smiles on all of their faces.
"What are you all doing here so early?" Elizabeth asked as she walked into the room, exchanging glances with Minnie, who just smiled peacefully.
"Practicing for the Christmas Pageant!" Opal answered eagerly. "We wanted to surprise you!"
For the second time that day, Elizabeth was genuinely surprised. "Well that's so thoughtful of all of you. Do you mind continuing while I watch then?" she asked as she removed her coat and set it, along with her basket, on one of the benches before sitting down herself.
A chorus of "yes!" echoed throughout the room, and once again their teacher couldn't help but glance at Minnie. Her expression was nearly unreadable, but it was becoming increasingly obvious to Elizabeth that something was up. Regardless, Minnie turned back to help direct the children.
"Alright everyone, let's continue where we left off" she said smoothly, and the children who only the day before had been riled up and inattentive quickly returned to their practice. They worked their way through the remainder of the program, singing carols and reciting their lines from memory with only a few hints from Elizabeth. Anglea expertly played the piano at the side of the room, and before she knew it, they'd finished their program.
"How did we do, Mrs. Thornton?" Allie asked.
Elizabeth grinned, "you were all wonderful. The entire town is going to adore the program you've prepared this year."
As the students cleaned up from their practice, Elizabeth moved her belongings behind her desk. Minnie came to stand next to her. "They've been wonderful all morning, and they really do love you."
"Minnie, I can't thank you enough for helping with the program, and for, apparently, leading this early morning practice."
"It's my pleasure, and if there's anything else you need before Christmas Eve you just let Joseph and I know. We're happy to help."
"Mrs. Thornton?" Timmy asked, stepping up beside Minnie. "We were wondering if instead of our typical lessons, since we already rehearsed for the play, if we could spend the day cleaning the school?"
Elizabeth tilted her head to the side slightly, "that's a wonderful idea, Timmy, and so thoughtful. I didn't have much planned for today other than practicing anyway, so," she paused, raising her voice a bit so everyone could hear, "I'll make you all a deal. If we get the schoolhouse cleaned by lunch we can all go home for an early winter break."
A chorus of cheers erupted from her students, and Minnie laughed next to her, "a worthy cause for them indeed. I'll leave you all to it," she finished, and Elizabeth thanked her once more before she left.
Over the course of the next couple of hours, the students dutifully tidied up the schoolhouse. They returned books to their rightful shelves, even making a few stacks of those that should be returned to the library, with a promise from some of the older children that they'd take them there on their way home. Opal and Emily tagteamed to sweep the floor while the older boys headed outside to restack the wood pile. Allie washed the chalkboard down and Timmy took the erasers outside to clap. Elizabeth, meanwhile, wiped down the windows, a bit astonished at the way her students not only pitched in to clean the room, but also the fact that they were the ones who suggested it.
They finished just before lunch, but everyone stayed through the meal anyway. They sat in a large circle, snacking on their food as they shared favorite Christmas memories and hope for the holiday that quickly approached.
And when they finished, Elizabeth took a deep breath as she watched them help each other button up their coats and pull on mittens in preparation for the journey home. What a difference a day could make.
"Say hi to Mr. Bouchard for us," Opal insisted as she said goodbye, heading out the door after Allie, who had a slightly mischievous look on her face that Elizabeth didn't miss.
"I will do that, Opal," she returned skeptically, "and thank you all for your hard work today. I'll see you on Christmas Eve." As the remainder of the children left, Elizabeth pondered her student's words. It wasn't uncommon for Opal to ask about Lucas, but something certainly felt off, and she had a feeling that it had everything to do with the man in question.
A knock sounded at the door a moment later, and Robert snuck in, trying to keep the door closed as much as possible to conserve heat.
"Robert?" she asked in surprise, standing to meet him on the other side of her desk. "What are you doing here?"
"Hi Mrs. Thornton. I'm here with a delivery" he answered, and it was then that she noticed that her former student was holding one of his hands behind his back.
"A delivery from who?"
The young man smiled, pulling his arm around to reveal a bouquet of beautiful red flowers, arranged with a selection of small pine boughs around them. "I'm not at liberty to disclose that information," he responded. "But," he continued, lowering his voice to a whisper, "there is a card." He straightened his back after he handed her the flowers and smiled, "I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day, Mrs. Thornton. I'll see you on Christmas Eve."
"Thank you, Robert, and you too." She watched as he headed back to the doors, slipping out just as quickly as he'd come. Looking down to the flowers, she smiled, already well aware of who had sent them. Still, she set the bouquet down on her desk to open the small envelope.
Here's to making every day better with you by my side. - Lucas
Elizabeth traced the words on the card with her fingers, overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness of the man she loved.
"I trust today went better than yesterday?"
Shocked, she turned in the direction of the voice. She must've missed his entrance, but Lucas stood near the back door, jacket still buttoned and an umbrella in his hand.
"I came prepared," he continued, holding up his umbrella, "although I'm thankful that Mother Nature seems to be blessing us with sunshine today instead of another cold afternoon rainstorm."
She smiled brightly, quickly setting down the paper on her desk and crossing the space between them to kiss him firmly.
"You did this," she said when she pulled back.
Lucas chuckled, "well yes, I did send you the flowers. I would've brought them myself, but Robert seemed bored at the mercantile and I know how much he wants that horse so…"
He was cut off as she kissed him again, her hands pulling him down to her. When they parted, she remained close, arms still wrapped around his neck, her body pressed against his.
"I mean everything. You orchestrated everything today, didn't you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," he returned a little too quickly, and she could see the telltale sign of a lie in the bit of pink that flushed the tips of his ears.
She cast him an incredulous look, "I didn't tell anyone other than you about my day yesterday, and yet somehow everything that went wrong yesterday went perfectly today. Rosemary showing up to make breakfast and take care of Jack, the perfectly prepared lunch that was ready for me, which tasted a bit like Gustave's cooking now that I think about it, Lee driving me to school to make sure I wouldn't have to deal with the lingering impact of the rain, a school filled with students that were not only attentive but helpful, and now flowers? How did you do it?"
He opened his mouth, obviously trying to come up with some excuse as to how he absolutely had nothing to do with how her day had gone, but decided against it with a shake of his head. "I actually knew about your bad day yesterday before I got to your house. Allie and Nathan came into the saloon for a meal in the afternoon, and she mentioned that everyone had been a bit rowdy yesterday, and Laura told me about your morning when I ran into her at the mercantile. By that point, Ned told me about the groceries and since it had been pouring I assumed the rest from there."
Elizabeth watched him carefully as he told his story, her fingers gently stroking the hair at the back of his head.
"I stopped by Nathan and Allie's first, and Opal was there too. Something about spending the night to practice making cupcakes? Nathan did not look thrilled," he laughed, and she joined in, a memory coming to mind of the last time Allie had tried to make the dessert. "I asked what they thought of coming in early, and they agreed to pass the word around to their fellow students."
"Which is how they all knew to show up before I got here" she continued for him, the pieces clicking into place. "Did you talk to Minnie too then?"
Lucas nodded, "I did. I just went from row house to row house it seems. Minnie was, of course, happy to help, as were Rosemary and Lee."
"And what about the food? For my lunch?"
"You know Gustave would do anything for you" he chuckled. "He was more than happy to prepare your meal and I brought it out to your house this morning to hand it to Rosemary."
Once more, tears sprang to her eyes. "I can't believe you did this for me. That you somehow convinced so many people to help."
"We all love you, Elizabeth, and like I said yesterday, if there's anything I can ever do to make your life easier, I want to help make it happen." He pulled her tightly against him so her head rested against his shoulder, one of his hands running up and down her back. "And you've certainly taught me that it never hurts to have a little help."
"Just having you in my life makes everything easier, Lucas," she whispered, snuggling closer to him. "I do have to ask though. How did you convince my students to clean the schoolhouse?"
"Oh, that was all their idea," he insisted, but she saw right through it. He kept her close though, holding her to him so she couldn't see the look on his face. "Or at least, mostly. I may owe a couple of them some ice cream."