Elizabeth and Jack Jr. have not been back to Hope Valley since Bill Avery's funeral. A train arriving in Hope Valley is new. Rosemary had told Elizabeth that when the depression hit, putting in the railroad was the only option to give people employment. It was an unpopular decision among the original residents and it had to be done. The railroad became popular after a couple of years mostly because it brought in new business.
The train pulled up to Hope Valley around dinner time. Jack Jr. woke up his daughter and he switched seats with his mother so she could see out the window. The train slowed down and finally came to a halt. Elizabeth, Jack Jr. and Sophie made their way to the exit. Jack Jr. told Sophie to stay with grandma as he went and got their luggage. Elizabeth was holding Sophie's hand when she heard her name being called out.
"Elizabeth! Elizabeth!" shouted the voice
Elizabeth looked through the crowd and finally saw who was calling her name. It was Rosemary.
"Rosemary!" Elizabeth called out.
The two women found each other and embraced. Rosemary's embrace was warm and Elizabeth knew she was finally home. After the embrace, Rosemary saw Sophie.
"And who is this little cutie?" Rosemary asked
Sophie was shy and hiding behind her grandma. Elizabeth smiled.
"This is Sophie"
Rosemary squatted down to Sophie's level.
"Well hello Sophie. You'll be staying with my family. My daughter is away at college, so you'll be staying her room. We have brought out her old toys for you to play with"
Sophie smiled.
Rosemary stood up and had a look that she had just seen a ghost.
"Oh my goodness" Rosemary said
Elizabeth turned around and saw Jack Jr. walking toward them with the luggage.
"He looks exactly like Jack. If I didn't know better, I would think I saw a ghost"
"I know. Sometimes I have to catch my breath when he walks through the door." Elizabeth said
Jack Jr. walked up and put the luggage down.
"Hello" Jack Jr. said to Rosemary
Rosemary hugged him. Jack Jr. smiled and hugged her back. Jack Jr. remembered that summer when he was 10. Rosemary treated him like her own child. After the hug was over, Rosemary announced what would happen next.
"I know there is a lot to see in the "new" Hope Valley, but I'll take you on the tour tomorrow. Let's get you settled in. Follow me!"
Elizabeth, Jack Jr. and Sophie followed Rosemary to the car. Rosemary opened up the driver's door.
"You drive now?" Elizabeth said
"Of course. I kept asking Lee for rides. One day, he surprised me with my own car but I had to learn to drive. It took a while but I was able to earn a driver's license."
Rosemary got in the car and Elizabeth gave Jack Jr. a look that said, "Protect Sophie"
Jack Jr. laughed and put Sophie on his lap.
As they started driving, his mother and Rosemary were chatting. Jack Jr. looked out the window with Sophie. There were a lot more houses since the last time he was here. But that was almost 15 years ago. Even though there was a lot of houses, they were balanced out with nature. Jack Jr. imagined his father riding his horse in his Mountie uniform. That made Jack Jr. smile.
They pulled up to a house that Jack Jr. didn't recognize.
"Here is home" Rosemary exclaimed
"Rosemary, this house is beautiful" Elizabeth exclaimed
Rosemary smiled. Everyone got out of the car. Jack Jr. headed to get the luggage.
"Forget about your stuff for now, I really want to show you the house."
Jack Jr. and Elizabeth looked at each other and shrugged. All four of them walked to the house. The lights in the house were off.
"Let me just turn these lights on" Rosemary turned the lights on
"Surprise!" said a big group of people. It was everyone that Elizabeth knew from Hope Valley. There was a sign that said Welcome Home.
Elizabeth had the biggest smile on her face.
"Oh my goodness! Hello everyone"
At that, Elizabeth was hugging everyone who was at the party. Joseph and Minnie Canfield were there. Ned and Florence were there. Molly was there. Little Opal who wasn't so little was there.
Someone started to cling a glass.
"Excuse me everyone. I'd like to say a few words" It was Mike Hickam. He was older but still looked like Mike. Everyone quieted down.
"Thank you! First, welcome home Elizabeth, Jack Jr. and Sophie. Ever since we heard of your arrival, it started to feel like home again" Mike started to choke up. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get emotional"
Fiona stood up and took the glass from him.
"It's ok darling. Even though he is the Mayor of Hope Valley and my husband, he still gets choked up from time to time. To Elizabeth, Jack Jr, and Sophie. May you have a fresh start and wonderful memories!"
"Here, here" everyone chanted. Everyone sat down to dinner. Clara had made the whole dinner for the party. Clara still ran Abigail's with a silent partner. Jesse had taken over running the day to day operations of the mill after Lee suffered a minor heart attack. Suddenly, Elizabeth felt someone tap her shoulder. Elizabeth turned around
"Hello Elizabeth, or should I still call you Mrs. Thornton"
Elizabeth recognized the woman right away.
"Allie Grant" Elizabeth smiled and the two embraced
"Actually, it's Allie Wolf"
Suddenly a tall man walked over wearing a red surge.
"Remember me?" said the man
"Robert Wolf? Oh my goodness" Elizabeth hugged him
"Constable Robert Wolf, ma'am" Robert smiled
Elizabeth looked at Allie's stomach.
"When are you due?" Elizabeth asked
"In a month. I'll be starting maternity leave in two weeks."
"That's wonderful. And how do you like being a teacher?" Elizabeth asked
"I love it. I'm so thankful you encouraged me. But I teach high school literature. The town built two school. One for Kindergarten through 8th grade and one for 9th grade to 12th grade. They hired a lot of teachers. And they were going to tear down the Jack Thornton School but at the last minute an anonymous donation came in, so they use that building as a special education classroom." Allie told Elizabeth
Elizabeth was smiling from ear to ear when she heard that the school she had taught in was still around.
"My granddaughter will be going into kindergarten this year" Elizabeth told Allie
"She's a very lucky young lady. She will have Katherine Guff as a teacher. She reminds me a lot of you. Which is what I'm hoping you say yes to what I next ask. I'll be gone for a semester, so I was wondering if you would teach that semester for me?"
"Your literature class?" Elizabeth asked
"Yes. They read two books a semester. There is a list you can choose from. You would be perfect. Please say yes" Allie begged
Elizabeth thought about it. She had been homeschooling Sophie, so she wasn't completely out of practice. It would be nice to get back into the classroom.
"I'll do it" Elizabeth told Allie
"Thank you so much" Allie hugged Elizabeth
"I'll get you that list tomorrow" Allie told Elizabeth
Elizabeth looked around "I haven't seen your father around, is he here?" Elizabeth asked
"Judge Nathan Grant could not make it tonight. They changed a rule where Judges had to have a law degree to become a Judge. For the last two years, he has done one week as a Judge in Hope Valley and one week where he takes law classes at The Schulich School of Law. Tonight is his last class and he will finally be a lawyer. He was disappointed to miss your homecoming party but will reconnect with you soon" Allie told Elizabeth
Elizabeth smiled "I'm glad that your father found his calling"
Allie smiled "So am I" Robert was waving Allie over and pointing at his watch
"Looks like it is time to go" Allie hugged Elizabeth. "I'm so glad you are back"
"Me too" Elizabeth smiled.
Jack Jr. was on the other side of the room. Unlike his mother, he did not know or remember the people who were at the party. Everyone who knew his father came up and told him that he looked so much like his father. He spoke with Lee for quite a while and talked to the other men about baseball. After a while, Sophie looked sleepy. The party calmed down and almost everyone was gone. He said goodnight to his mother and the coulter's. He put Sophie to bed. Jack Jr. started to put away his stuff away in the drawers of the dressers. He came to his box. He left everything in the box except for the letter. He didn't want anyone to accidently find the letter. He found an old coat he never wears and put the letter in one the pockets. He put the coast in the back of the closet. He got ready for bed and turned the light off. Tomorrow he would survey his father's land with Lee. Lee had agreed to sell him lumber for half the cost. As Jack Jr. drifted off to sleep, he thought of his father and felt that he would be proud of Jack Jr. building this house.
