Chapter Fifty-Eight

"Allie Bean, I'm glad you shared our story with Mrs. Thornton. It made her feel very special. Thank you for doing that."

"Dad, I wish she were already my Mother."

He drew her close to him. She was standing on the first step to go upstairs to bed, and he was standing in front of her just below.

"I do too, Sweetheart. But we're working hard to make sure that happens before too terribly long. Can you be a bit more patient for me?"

She nodded her head yes, but not very enthusiastically.

"Allie, I'll tell you a secret. As much as I want us to already be a Family, too, I'm trying really hard to enjoy the time now that we have together. We're learning a lot about each other, Allie. And that's a very good thing! And just think, we get to spend Christmas together this year, which is pretty spectacular!"

"Oh, Dad, I almost forgot about that! You're right. It's the best ever! And I'll try to just be happy about that. But it's hard to not want us to be a real Family."

"You know Allie, I was thinking it might be nice if you sent your Grandmother and your Grandfather a few letters throughout the Christmas Season, so that way they could feel like they were celebrating with us. What do you think?"

"I love that. I'll write to them tomorrow! And Dad, I really want to talk to Mrs. Williams tomorrow to get permission for me to talk with Laila. And if they agree, I won't forget to find a block of time with Mrs. Thornton. I really want to learn to play Dad. I think I can do it!"

"I know you can do it Allie if you're willing to do the work!"

"I love you, Dad!" and she kissed her Dad on his cheek.

"I love you too Allie, so very much. Goodnight, my Princess! I'll check in on you when I come up," and he kissed the top of her head. "Sweet dreams!"

Nathan had already read a chapter of one of Allie's many current books to her as they sat together downstairs, on their settee. Both were completely aware that she could have read it perfectly fine for herself, but he wasn't complaining. He had read to her each night from the time she came to live with him. When she was barely five years of age, she had negotiated with him that he had to read extra chapters to her when he got back from being away. Her directive was one chapter for each night he had to spend away from her. And she still held him to that!

But he loved their time together almost as much as she did, and he would continue to cherish reading to her for as long as she allowed him to do so.

After Allie had finally gone to bed, Nathan sat down in his most comfortable chair, with a cup of coffee on the table and Elizabeth's book manuscript in his hand. He ran his fingers over the cover page of the manuscript and brought them to rest on Elizabeth's name: Elizabeth Thatcher Thornton.

Nathan couldn't help but think about how they had finally come together as a couple, in spite of their circumstances, a few poor choices, and quite a bit of interference from a certain man. The same certain man he was now going to serve as Best Man for at his and Sophie's Wedding. A man who had already read Elizabeth's book.

Thankfully, all that no longer mattered.

It was now time for him to read this manuscript written by the woman who had become his world.

He had wanted to read it Sunday night, the day she had given it to him, but they both needed each other, so instead, they had sat talking into the wee hours of the night at his house, with Little Jack sleeping soundly in bed with Allie. They had finished off their picnic food and when Elizabeth finally had to leave, he had carried Little Jack, who didn't even waken, and walked his Mother safely home.

Tonight was the first chance he had had to sit and read Elizabeth's treasure from cover to cover. And that's exactly what he intended to do.

But, in a strange way, Nathan was almost apprehensive.

He realized how much strength it had taken for Elizabeth to lay her soul bare, filling him in as best she could on the time he had missed with her.

She had even taken him to her most intimate, private space to do so, the land she and her husband had planned to build their home on someday.

She had let him in completely, sharing their space with him, making him a part of her world with Jack, as she asked him to carve their own initials on the tree, along with the set of initials Jack had carved.

A permanent reminder for 'their Son' she had said, so he would remember all his parents' love. And he had clearly understood her.

She was letting him know Little Jack would have three parents, and he was going to be one of his Father's, sadly the only Father Little Jack would ever physically interact with on this earth. Except, of course, they would always honor Little Jack's birth Father, by making sure Jack's memories, stories, and pictures would always be shared with his Son so that his Father would be real to him in every way he possibly could be. But Nathan would be the Father responsible for raising her Son in Jack's absence, in the way Jack would have wanted. He would be the one to sing Lullabies, read him stories, play horsies with him, fix scraped knees, give hugs when there were tears, teach Little Jack to ride his Father's horse, teach him to fish, to play softball, teach him right from wrong, and teach him how to be a most 'excellent man,' as his Mother had described his Father to Nathan on that day they first met. Being a Father to Little Jack was a role Nathan took very seriously, one he would devote his love, patience, and time to. He would not fail Elizabeth or Jack, and he would most certainly not fail their Son.

At that same time, Elizabeth had also given him her book manuscript, giving him a work from her heart to read. It was her writing, the thing she loved doing most and was proudest of. Not counting her Son, of course.

Being a writer, himself he knew how you laid yourself open in putting words to paper, making them permanent. Her writing was even more personal than his because she had written a novel, based on her life, her heart. When he wrote, the words were confined by facts, facts that had actually occurred. And those facts were confined to history. It was only his interpretation of those facts that were his own.

He removed the Title Page, laid it upside down on the table beside him, and noticed there was no Dedication Page. So, he turned to the first Chapter, the first Page, and began to read…

Elizabeth was in her gown and dressing robe when she heard a knock on the door.

"Rosemary, what are you doing here this late?"

"I just got Frederic to sleep and Lee had some paperwork to do, so I thought I'd check on you and see how you're doing…"

Elizabeth knew exactly what her friend was referring to. She hugged her and rushed her in out of the cold.

"Let me get us some chamomile tea with extra lemon!"

"Sounds wonderful."

They sat at the kitchen table waiting for the water to boil, and Elizabeth took her friend's hands.

"Rosemary, we've worked through it and we are better and stronger than ever if that's even possible! We are both taking your advice, although I didn't tell Nathan you and I had talked about it. But he had come up with the very same resolution on his own. We're going to love each other every single day more than we ever thought possible, and face our future with unbridled joy! Rosemary, I felt it was important to really share everything I could about my life during those six years. And I could tell it helped him. We even carved our initials on the same log Jack and…"

"Wait a minute, you took him to yours and Jack's land?"

"I did. He needed to feel a part of everything that had happened during that time. And that was the only place I could think of that was so closely tied to those six years. Rosemary, he even fixed us a winter picnic with cheese and crackers, sandwiches, veggies, and wine. How can I not feel cherished? That was even the word he used. He promised to cherish me and love me completely. I asked him to carve our initials next to Jack's and mine. He did, and he added the sweetest thing, two little hearts, one for Allie and one for Little Jack. We've put that loss behind us and I don't think I've ever been so happy!"

Rosemary had tears in her eyes, "That's all so lovely, and so romantic! I'm glad you thought to do that for Nathan. You know, I already love him too, and so does Lee. Elizabeth, it dawned on me this is the week you go to the Mountie Ball!"

"Yes, and we were going to ask you and Lee to chaperone, but with your morning sickness still bothering you, we hated to ask you to travel. So, maybe you can go to Union City with us sometime later when you feel better?"

"I suppose it's better that Lee and I watch the children this year. I've never seen Frederic so excited. He is literally counting the days till their weekend sleepover. And I've got some fun activities planned for them. They just all have to happen after lunch, since that's when I'm less likely to be sick. Lee's promised to get them breakfast and watch them till I get over my morning sickness each morning."

"Elizabeth!" Rosemary shrieked and Elizabeth had to shush her to keep her from waking her Son.

"Elizabeth, you have to have a ballgown! Felicity already has chosen hers, and it's beautiful I might add."

"Rosemary, if you made it, how could it not be beautiful? I thought I'd just wear the teal gown I wore to the Cabin on our first date."

"I'm not sure I like that idea…"

"But Rosemary, Nathan did give me the matching teal earrings to wear for the Mountie Ball, and I can't imagine anything going with them better than the gown I already have."

"Well, I know for certain that's not true. I have a couple of new gowns at the Shoppe, I haven't even shown anyone yet. They're drop-dead gorgeous, and even a bit more formal than the one you've worn, which I think is what you need. I mean, Elizabeth, the Mountie Ball is a very formal occasion and I think you should dress the part! I just thought of something, the men will be wearing their dress uniforms, right?"

"Right, they have quite a bit of gold on them. Lots of 'razzle-dazzle' as Nathan calls it! I don't think he's so crazy about wearing all that!" she laughed. "Oh, there's the water. Let me get the tea."

She puttered a bit, gathering the lemon and sugar, then carried the teapot to the table to pour from there.

"Yes, I was remembering the uniforms had a lot of gold. My Father's dress uniform was something else! One of the gowns I have to show you is a solid teal, with encrusted crystals in the same color, but the other is a deep rich gold, no crystals, just rich fabric folded in a way I've never seen before. It's a combination of silk and velvet. It's glorious and it would go beautifully with Nathan's uniform, as well as the earrings Nathan gave you! And I guarantee you'll be the only one wearing either color you choose. Felicity says the women all seem to be wearing red since it's Christmas, and also to coordinate with the uniforms, of course. And that's according to what Aaron's heard from the men in his old Regiment. Poor Felicity doesn't know anyone but you. Although that most certainly won't be a problem for her. I don't think that girl's ever met a stranger! But, back to the gowns, I don't know, I think that gold may just be our answer! It's truly magnificent, Elizabeth! Just come tomorrow after school and see what you think."

"What are you? My Fairy Godmother? Here I was just going to wear what I already have."

"That's exactly what I am. Please, Elizabeth, since I can't go, at least let me do this for you. My treat!"

"Rosemary, you don't need to do that!"

But she could see Rosemary was not going to take no for an answer.

"Okay, if you must. I'll come straight after school tomorrow and try them on!"

Nathan had come to the last Page of the last Chapter, and he hesitated for a moment, as he hated for Elizabeth's beautiful story to end.

Her writing was excellent and unique, just as he knew it would be.

Truthfully, she had written a beautiful uplifting story from her heart that came alive as her words jumped off the page to draw in and charm the reader.

He had thoroughly enjoyed every page, and he felt all the emotions a reader should feel when they are reading an extraordinary work.

Obviously, he had felt awed and inspired, as this was his Elizabeth's work.

But he had also followed along with her throughout the Chapters, feeling every emotion she had wished her readers to experience. He had gone from fear to conflict, to anger, to astonishment, to sadness, to puzzlement, to questioning, to comfortableness, to calmness, to happiness, and finally, even to resolution and joy.

But her words had been written to leave the reader with hope overall, and she had done that masterfully.

He had been exhilarated by her words, not because he was part of the book (she had only thinly disguised that fact and in the past, he might have even been a bit hesitant about being included, but no longer). His exhilaration came because her words made him feel he was home. Just as he was always home when he was around her.

Reading Elizabeth's book manuscript had truly elevated his spirits and it made him even hungrier for their life together as a married couple.

He read the last page quickly, knowing her well enough, that he thought he knew how she would end it. And she did end it as he thought she would, but with one twist, a delightful one that he had not seen coming.

He couldn't help but smile.

He had never been so proud of her.

He moved the page, carefully keeping all the pages in order. And then he saw yet another page.

She had moved her Dedication Page to the end, so that would be the last thing he read.

It read simply: To the Man I Love

Who had the Wisdom to Ask

"What's in Your Heart?"

And Caused these Words to come Tumbling from my Soul.

Yes, Nathan had already seen their future together in his mind, but Elizabeth's book had painted it even more vividly for him in beautiful colors.

And he smiled again as he realized the twist at the end of her book was not the only beautiful twist they'd experience together. Instead, deep in his heart, he knew there would be many more beautiful surprises and twists for them, as a couple and family, their whole life through.

Perhaps, not long after their marriage, that twist, that beautiful little daughter, who looked exactly like them both would be a golden reality. Along with many others, he hoped.

And he felt sure of those hopes.

Just as he was also confident there would be many more books about them to follow in what would most definitely prove to be Elizabeth's illustrious literary career.

He placed the manuscript on his desk, extinguished the candles on the low table in front of him, and turned off the lights.

He climbed the stairs with a heart that was lighter than he had felt in some time, and a smile he simply couldn't remove from his face, ready to go to bed and dream of the time they would all officially be together as a family, just like in her book…

He checked in on Allie as he had promised his Daughter he would. She was soundly sleeping, far away in Dreamland. And her Father had no doubt he knew what she was dreaming.

Then he went to his room to undress and prepare for bed.

He had a long day ahead of him tomorrow, which included a ride to Benson Hills and back.

But when he finally was able to pull the covers up around him and close his eyes. All he could think about was having his Elizabeth there beside him, holding her as they fell asleep together, breathing in her scent of lavender and white lilies, not even having to dream because everything he desired would be in his arms...