"I appreciate you watching him on such short notice," Elizabeth said she slipped her coat on, Laura was already settling on the floor with Jack and his building logs.
Lucas had asked her to dinner at his house at church that morning. He had said he was sorry for the day before and wanted to make it up to her. Still unsettled from the day before, Elizabeth hoped the dinner would help smooth her relationship with Lucas. More than anything she wanted that to happen. If they could just figure things out, then Elizabeth was sure that her life would not be in such turmoil.
"It is no problem, Mrs. Thornton, " Laura replied, glancing over her shoulder at Elizabeth. "Dad went to Buxton on a secret errand. I think he is getting my Christmas gift. I would have been by myself tonight otherwise."
Elizabeth smiled. "Well, I am glad things worked out," she told Laura even as a horn sounded from outside. "That is probably, Lucas," Elizabeth commented. "You be good for Laura, Jack."
"Mama, play?" Jack asked holding up his Lincoln logs.
"Not tonight, Jack," Elizabeth told him.
Jack pouted at the answer. The expression tore at Elizabeth's heart. She couldn't help but feel like she should be spending time with her son as well as Lucas. However, Lucas was always specific about asking her to join him. He had even asked Laura for her on occasion if she was available and one time he had shown up with Robert in tow to watch Jack. It was not that she did not trust Robert with her son, because she did, but she also wished that Lucas would make more of an effort in including her son in their plans. Lucas had seemed to even be reluctant about including Jack with the tree hunting.
"Mama will build with you tomorrow evening," Elizabeth said.
"Promise?"
"I promise," Elizabeth told him.
Elizabeth moved over to where her son sat on a blanket on the floor. Kneeling down, she placed a kiss on her son's cheek. The gesture changed Jack's pout to a smile as he looked up at his mother.
"Good night, Jack," Elizabeth told him.
"Night, Mama," Jack replied.
Elizabeth went to get to her feet. As she stood, she heard the sound of fabric ripping and realized her foot was on the hem of her dress. Lifting that foot she finished getting to her feet, looking down at her skirt as the horn sounded outside again.
Elizabeth let out a frustrated sigh. Not that the dress was one of her favorites. It was the one Julie had sent her that she had never quite felt was her, but that Lucas seemed to like.
"It is just a small tear, Mrs. Thornton," Laura said, examining the skirt from where she sat on the floor. "I doubt anyone will even notice it."
"Well, thankfully we are having dinner at Lucas' house and not in town so it will not matter much, I guess," Elizabeth said. "Anyway, I do not have time to change. I know you are back in the morning so I will not stay out late."
"All right," Laura replied. "Have fun."
Elizabeth forced a smile, part of her wanting to take off the fancy dress and spend the evening with her son.
"Thank you," Elizabeth replied, turning and heading for the door.
Stepping outside, Elizabeth found Lucas waiting in his car. As she stepped outside, he reached over and pushed over the passenger side door for her.
"I was starting to think you were standing me up," Lucas told her with a smile.
Elizabeth shook her head. "No. I was just saying good night to Jack. He did not want me to leave," she replied as she climbed into the car. Making sure her dress was inside, Elizabeth pulled the door shut.
Reaching out, Lucas took her left hand and gave it a kiss. "He will be fine with Laura. Let us just concentrate on you and me tonight."
The gesture made Elizabeth smiled and nodded.
"You look beautiful tonight. I love that dress on you."
~At least one of us does, ~ Elizabeth thought even as she managed a polite thank you.
Nathan sat on the settee staring at the floor in front of him. He held the telegram in his hand feeling blind sided by the news the short message had contained. Dylan Parks was to have a parole meeting on Tuesday morning at nine a.m. in Benson Hills. The telegram stated it was the second and final notice of the meeting.
Not that Nathan had received the first notice, which had been sent by mail. For all he knew, that message had gotten lost on its way to him and was now buried in the road somewhere.
The front door opened and Ally came in laughing. Normally, her laughter would bring a smile to Nathan's face but not tonight. Tonight he knew what he was about to tell her would put an end to that laughter.
"Did you have fun caroling with your friends?" Nathan asked.
"I did," Ally told him. "Robert told me I had a beautiful voice and after we dropped Opal and Byrony off at their home he walked me home while holding my hand," she said as she stuffed her gloves in one pocket of her coat.
Nathan felt his breath catch. His little girl was growing up, and despite the slight difference in age, it seemed like Robert was her first crush. At least Robert seemed like a nicer young man than Dylan had been. He knew Robert would treat Ally better than Dylan had ever treated Colleen. Whether he was ready for Ally to be involved with a boy or not, there was at least that.
"I am glad you enjoyed yourself," Nathan said as Ally hung up her coat.
Ally hung up and her coat and turned toward Nathan. Her smile faded as she took in Nathan's expression for the first time.
"Is something wrong?" Ally asked.
"Come sit next to me," Nathan told her, patting the cushion beside her.
Ally did as asked. Sitting next to Nathan, she put her hand around his arm as he leaned her head on his shoulder. "What is it?"
"I got a telegram today. Your birth father has a parole hearing on Tuesday."
"Parole? As in they decide whether to let him out of jail early?" Ally asked, her voice sounding deflated.
"Yes," Nathan told her.
"How can they? After all he's done. He just left me and then when he does come back he wanted money to stay away from me! That was not even enough! He wanted to hurt you when you were bringing him the money! He could have seriously hurt you pulling you from your horse! He belongs in jail forever!"
"I told you this could come up," Nathan reminded her gently, reaching out for Ally's free hand with his free hand.
"I know. But why this soon?" Ally asked. "He was given five years in jail and he has not been there even one. He should not be let out. What if he tries to hurt you again? What if he tries to take me away from you?"
"He has not even been released yet, Ally. This hearing will determine that. Remember though, legally he can no longer take you away from me. Judge Avery made sure of that. You are my daughter now, no matter what."
Ally nodded.
"However, I am going to head to Benson Hills tomorrow. I want to be at the parole hearing on Tuesday. I want to tell the judge why he should not be considered for release and I plan on letting the judge know your fears," Nathan told her.
"Does that mean you will not be here to decorate the tree Tuesday night?" Ally asked.
"We are not changing those plans," Nathan told her, shaking his head. "The hearing is early Tuesday. I am going to ride Newton instead of taking the stage so that I can leave as soon as the hearing is over. I talked to Opal's mother. You will go home with Opal tomorrow and Tuesday. After dinner on Tuesday, Mrs. Weise will bring you girls over here. I should be home by then. I might even be able to join you at the Weise's for dinner. We will see how things go, but I will be home to help you decorate that tree Tuesday. I promise."
Ally nodded. "Just be careful," she told him.
"I will be," Nathan promised her as he pulled her into a hug. More than anything, he wished there had been more time to prepare for this but he just had to deal with the situation. It was either not show up and the parole hearing or leave at the last minute like he was. Nathan planned on doing everything he could to make sure that Dylan Parks served his full sentence.
Finishing the meal, Elizabeth wiped her mouth, folded the napkin and set it on the table. "The meal was lovely," she said, gazing at Lucas over the sea of flickering candles that filled the table between them. She had been nervous about accidently bumping the table while she ate in fear of knocking over one of them. Around them, candles flickered as well. There was something comforting about the candles though she could not exactly place what.
"I will pass the compliment onto the chef," Lucas replied smoothly with a smile, having already finished his own meal. "How about dessert?"
Elizabeth shook her head. "I feel too stuffed."
"Maybe later then," Lucas replied.
"Perhaps I should be going. Laura needs to be back at my house early in the morning so that I can get to school on time."
"You just got here," Lucas told her.
Elizabeth looked over at the clock on the mantle. Given the production Lucas had made with lighting the candles and putting the dinner that Gustav had cooked on the dinner she had already been at his house for two hours.
Getting to his feet, Lucas headed over to his phonograph. "Let me put some music on and we can relax and let dinner digest before having dessert."
Elizabeth sighed, feeling like Lucas had not heard her concerns. Or perhaps he did hear and he simply did not care. Though he often made her feel special, Elizabeth often felt that he never really heard her. That what he wanted came first and she was secondary. Like with her manuscript. Lucas had sent it in without asking her permission. Though she had forgiven him, Elizabeth had often wondered if that was just indicative of Lucas' personality. Like his mother, Lucas was use to having things his way but marriage was about compromise. It had taken her and Jack a lot of trial and error to figure that out. Helen Bouchard seemed to finally be learning it.
Sometimes Elizabeth wondered if Lucas ever would.
Elizabeth's heart skipped a beat when she became aware of what song Lucas had put on. O' Danny Boy was playing. Jack's favorite song. Elizabeth did not think she would ever be able to hear it and not think of Jack.
"Shall we move to the settee," Lucas suggested easily as he turned from the phonograph.
Elizabeth nodded, her emotions too stirred up by the song for her to trust her voice.
Lucas walked over to her. He was about to offer her his hand but hesitated when he noticed the tears glistening in her eyes.
"Have I done something to upset you?" Lucas asked.
Elizabeth shook her head. "No. It is just that O' Danny Boy was Jack's favorite song. I sang it a school recital right after he left to go to the Northern Territories."
"I will remember not to play it around you again."
"Oh, I do not necessarily avoid the song," Elizabeth told him. "It does however tend to stir up memories and emotions," she added, reaching up to brush a stray tear away.
"I understand," Lucas said. "Which is a good reason to avoid the song. I already have to compete with your son for your attention. I do not need to compete with your late husband."
Elizabeth looked up at Lucas. His words stung. If that was how he truly felt, Elizabeth wasn't sure how this relationship could work out.
"Then do not make it a competition," Elizabeth told him. "If you want to spend more time with me than let us do some things that include Little Jack." She almost said like the tree hunting outing but stopped herself. That had not ended well and was probably not the best example. "As for my memories of Jack, they are a part of who I am Lucas. Just because I chose to pursue a relationship with you does not mean I am going to just forget about the time I did share with Jack, brief as it was."
"Fair enough, but maybe I do not want to be reminded that your heart once belonged to another man."
"Part of it always will," Elizabeth told him. "I think perhaps I should head home," she added getting to her fit.
Lucas gave a frustrated sigh as he turned to the phonograph. "Just let me blow out the candles and I will take you," he said as he turned off the music.
Elizabeth shook her head, already heading to the rack where her coat hung. "I think I will walk. The fresh air will help me clear my head."
"Elizabeth, will you stop being so stubborn," Lucas countered.
"I think of it as independence," Elizabeth told him as she reached for her coat. "It is a trait that allowed me to chase my dreams and something that Jack loved about me," she told him. "We'll talk later, Lucas," Elizabeth told him.
For the second time in as many days, Elizabeth walked away from Lucas. This time though, Elizabeth was not surprised when he did not follow her. In fact, she found herself relieved that he didn't.