Long time, no see Hearties!
Thank you to all of you who have reviewed and urged me to return. I read every single one of them and truly, I've missed writing these. Life has truly been a whirlwind over the past few months, and writing, among my other hobbies and personal goals, has fallen to the side. But we're only a month away from a new season now, and I think that means it's time I jump back into at least some writing!
So here's a little snippet set sometime after [some] events of what I assume will happen in Season Nine. Mostly, I'm just excited to see Lucas and Little Jack this season, and this is definitely inspired by that. While I'm not going to make any promises, my goal is to share at least one short each Sunday as we get closer and closer to the premiere. Not that it'll be hard for any of us to get into the When Calls spirit. I mean, have you SEEN Lucas' hair in that one scene? Ok, all of them. I sense another short coming on, but that's for me to know and for you to find out.
In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this one!
Elizabeth was looking forward to a quiet evening with her two favorite people.
The final chill of winter had finally relinquished its grasp on Hope Valley as a noticeable warm breeze filtered through the air on her walk back home. Around her, the grass was just beginning to turn a vibrant shade of green, flowers were popping up amongst the blades, and the trees were already blooming with the bud of new life, but it did little to improve her mood.
Even the thought of their wedding, now only a few weeks away, did little to ease the tension from her shoulders. There hadn't been so many new children in the schoolhouse since the disaster at the settlement, but the opening of the new factory had brought a slew of new neighbors to Hope Valley, and she was determined to prove to Mr. Landis that she was more than capable of handling it all.
Still, the extra strain had taken its toll on the schoolteacher, and she found herself speeding up as she closed the distance to her home, anticipation bubbling inside her. Rushing up the steps to her rowhouse, she hurried through the door, only to find the space quiet and empty.
Typically, she'd come home to find Lucas and Jack at the kitchen table, going over his studies since he would be starting school in the fall. She often thought back to the days before her son's birth, when she felt so uncertain that she'd be able to raise a child on her own, even with the help of the town. In every fantasy she had about being a mother, Jack had been there at her side, and in the days that followed his death, she found herself unable to picture what a father figure might look like for her son.
That was, until Lucas had walked into their lives.
To be fair, she hadn't been sure at first about the saloon owner who, supposedly, according to Lucas, taught young girls simple card tricks, being capable of raising a family at all. But just as he surprised her in every other way possible, Lucas Bouchard had proven himself to be patient, thoughtful, and ever so loving not just to her, but to her son as well.
And because of it, it was obvious that Lucas was a natural at being a father, and just as apparent that Jack adored Lucas. Since he'd stepped fully fully into their lives, they'd been two peas in a pod, and her son regularly looked forward to his time spent with the man he'd soon call his stepfather. They were together as often as time would allow, from afternoons spent cooking in the saloon kitchen with Gustave to evenings where Lucas would open whatever book they were currently immersed in, reading dramatically until the boy's eyes were falling shut.
"Lucas? Jack?" she called out, her voice echoing through the empty home. Jack's books were sitting on the table as usual, a few toys scattered about the living room that she scolded them both for leaving out on a regular occasion, and two empty cups next to the sink that had obviously once contained milk, but her two boys were nowhere to be found.
Elizabeth sighed to herself as she closed the door and set down her basket on her desk. Picking up the toys, she returned them to the small bin that sat next to the bookshelf, and proceeded to the kitchen to clean up the cups. There was a flare of disappointment as she scrubbed the glasses clean, the cold water rushing over her hands. It wasn't necessarily unlike Lucas and Jack to arrive home after her, especially if they got caught up at the saloon, but she had really been hoping that they'd be there to greet her.
She had just set down the second glass to dry when something caught her eye outside the window. It had only been a flash of white, but the quiet echo of her son's laughter soon followed, and a smile began to form on her lips.
Setting down the dish towel, Elizabeth moved to the back door, pausing for a moment to listen for what could be happening on the other side. When she heard nothing, she opened it quickly, hoping to surprise them.
But when she stepped outside, neither was to be found.
What she did find, however, was a lovely picnic laid out on the still growing grass. She recognized the blanket as Lucas', usually stationed in his car for any and all spontaneous picnic opportunities, and situated on top of it was a wide array of fruits, sandwiches, snacks, and tea for them to share.
"Surprise Mama!" Jack yelled then, racing toward her from the side of the house.
Lucas followed a split second later, chuckling to himself. "We might have to work on your patience there, Buddy. We were supposed to say 'surprise' together."
Jack, who now had a firm hold on his mother's legs, looked up at him, "I was too excited."
Elizabeth laughed too, feeling lighter than she had all day. "Well I'm very surprised either way," she said as Lucas stopped close enough for her to press a light kiss to his lips in greeting. "What have you planned for us?" she asked him.
"Actually, this was all Jack's idea," Lucas explained. "We were talking about how beautiful it is out today and he suggested we surprise you with an afternoon picnic."
"You love picnics!" Jack chimed in from below them, still attached to her.
Elizabeth leaned down to scoop him up into her arms. He was getting big already, and soon only Lucas would be able to hold him the way she longed to, but for now she would treasure the moment. "And I love you, very much. This is a wonderful surprise."
"Shall we?" Lucas asked, gesturing to the blanket in front of them. His hand fell to the small of her back once she nodded, leading her and helping Jack out of her arms to take his place in between them.
As they settled in, Elizabeth felt at peace. Her worries of the day melted away as they nibbled on the food that Jack and Lucas had helped Gustave prepare that afternoon. Her son, the chef claimed, was a natural in the kitchen, and welcome in his space any time at all.
"Jack even helped make the macarons," Lucas boasted, taking a bite of one himself.
Elizabeth turned to her son, who was bright with pride. "Gustave taught me how to match them up!" he exclaimed.
"Did he now?" she asked, reaching past to grab one.
Jack nodded. "Did you have a good day today too?" he asked.
Lucas was the one who caught the way her face fell, aware of the weight she'd felt on her shoulders recently. "I think Mama is mostly happy that we're all here now," he said, attempting to draw Jack's attention back to their picnic.
"Mama sad?" Jack whimpered then, whipping around to look at his mother. He may have to work on his patience, but her son was certainly perceptive.
She gave a light smile. "No, no, Jack. I'm not sad. I'm just a bit tired, that's all."
He continued to frown, standing up and walking closer to her. "No, you're sad," Jack insisted.
"And what makes us feel better when we're sad?" Lucas asked Jack, and a glance at her fiance's face told Elizabeth that he was already well aware of what was to come.
"Tickles!" the boy shrieked, taking Elizabeth by surprise as he tackled her and began in earnest attempts to tickle her. He made quick work of it, and in a matter of seconds she was laughing just as hard as her son was.
Rolling away, Jack followed her, and Elizabeth stood up. "If you want to tickle me, you'll have to catch me first!" she kidded, instigating a game of tag. Her son hurried to his own feet, chasing her around the yard.
Lucas, on the other hand, slowly moved some of the dishes closer to the center of their blanket before standing himself, laughing as he watched mother and son make circles around him. Elizabeth was winning, of course, but loyal to Jack's cause of making Elizabeth laugh, he caught her the next time she tried to get by, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and dragging her against him.
Lucas quickly found her neck with his lips, peppering her in soft kisses that only made her laughter continue, and before they both knew it, Jack had rushed toward them in a hurry, causing the entire trio to fall to the ground. Lucas cushioned Elizabeth's fall, and she rolled off of him immediately, laughter quickly replaced with concern. "Are you alright?"
He laid still for a brief moment, but laughter bubbled in him once more, and he pulled her back on top of him, Jack not far behind as they both resumed their mission.
"Are you happy now, Mama?" Jack asked a while later, when they laid next to one another on the ground, worn out from their frenzy. Elizabeth's head rested on Lucas' chest, his arm wrapped around her shoulder, and Jack was wedged between them.
The clouds above them were beginning to glow pink with the setting sun, and as she snuggled closer to the two most important people in her life, there was no hint of sadness in her voice when she responded, Lucas pressing a kiss to her forehead as she did so.
"I'm very happy, Jack. Very happy indeed."