Elizabeth felt excitement threading through her. It was late February, and the time had finally arrived for Viola and Julie's visit. They were going to stay through the beginning of April. Elizabeth couldn't be happier. She'd missed her sisters. They hadn't seen each other since the disastrous trip home several months ago.
The plan was for Viola and Julie to rent a car from the airport, settle into their room at the bed and breakfast, and then come over to the Grant house for an early dinner. Elizabeth already had a savory stew simmering in the crockpot. The recipe was Rosemary's. Elizabeth's cheeks warmed slightly as she remembered the first time she'd had the stew - the night after her wedding, when she'd been so nervous about giving herself completely to Nathan. She smiled at the memory, thinking back to his gentle, selfless response, the one that had melted away all her reservations.
Shaking herself back into the present, Elizabeth made a simple salad to go with the stew, storing it in the fridge until it was time to eat. Nathan appeared from his office, holding a sleeping Cecilia in his arms. He smiled at Elizabeth, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "The girls are both asleep," he said, nodding down at Cecilia. "I'm just about to put her in her crib. Did you need anything from the store?"
"Yes," Elizabeth said. "I wanted to make a butter pecan cake for this evening, but we don't have pecans or sugar. Would you mind picking those up?"
"Consider it done," Nathan said. "I'll head out now."
With her husband at the store and the babies asleep, Elizabeth had a few moments to herself. She settled herself on the couch, taking the time to read. Anthony stirred in her womb, kicking his foot against the walls of her stomach. Elizabeth grunted, letting out a small chuckle. "You give your sisters a run for their money with kicks," she murmured, rubbing a hand against her growing belly. She turned her attention back to the book, humming lightly to soothe her son. Anthony always seemed to calm when she hummed.
When Nathan returned, Elizabeth had read several chapters in the novel. Feeling refreshed even with the small break, she set about making the cake. Nathan leaned against the counter, watching her with a sweet smile on his face. It nearly broke Elizabeth's concentration. She looked at him, seeing his calm, steady blue eyes training on her every move. Looking down, she wondered if she'd managed to get flour on her clothes.
"What?" she asked, raising a brow at him.
He chuckled. "Nothing. I'm just enjoying watching my beautiful wife complete a task I know she loves."
His complement warmed Elizabeth from the inside out. Momentarily abandoning the cake batter, she walked to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and reaching up to give him a long, deep kiss. When they finally drew apart, they were both breathless.
Nathan rested his forehead against hers, his eyes closed as he smiled. "That never gets old," he murmured. "I love your kisses."
"And I love yours," she whispered back.
Anthony kicked. Nathan drew back slightly, looking down at the rounded bump between them. They'd been pressed so close, he'd felt the kick through her stomach. "I think our son is trying to tell us something," he said, an amused smile on his face. "He already thinks it's icky that Mom and Dad like to kiss."
Elizabeth laughed. "I can only imagine the things our children will say when they catch us kissing. Jesse and Clara already have some very loud objections when Lee and Rosemary kiss, and Lucas has caught on to it as well."
Nathan chuckled. "It's inevitable." He waggled his eyebrows, drawing a grin from Elizabeth. "But the kids will just have to get used to it." He pressed another kiss to her lips, only to be on the receiving end of another kick from their son. He bent down, placing his hands on either side of Elizabeth's bump, speaking to Anthony through her stomach. "Better get used to it, son," he said, a smile curving his lips. "This isn't going to stop anytime soon." He was rewarded with another kick.
Chuckling, he stood. "I'd better get back to work if I want to finish before your sisters get here."
Elizabeth smiled at him, turning her attention back to the cake. "Thank you for going to the store."
"My pleasure," he said, giving a little wave before vanishing from sight.
Elizabeth hummed softly as she slid the cakes into the oven, then set about preparing the frosting. The twins woke while the cake was cooling. Elizabeth fed them, then set them in their playpens in the living room. She marveled that they were now able to keep themselves entertained for large chunks of time. It probably helped that they had each other for constant company.
Elizabeth set to work frosting the cake. She sliced each cake round in half, ending up with four layers. Spreading a generous amount of frosting on the first layer, she smoothed it and then topped it with the second layer. She repeated the process until all four layers were stacked and then frosted the entire cake. Decorating it with both whole and chopped pecans, she stepped back to survey her work. She gave a little grin of satisfaction. The cake looked perfect.
She glanced at the clock. Her sisters would be here within half an hour. That gave her enough time to change her clothes and freshen up a bit.
Exactly thirty minutes later, a knock sounded on the door. Nathan was sitting on the floor, playing with the twins, as Elizabeth rose from her seat on the couch to answer it. She squealed as Julie came into view. Her younger sister launched herself into Elizabeth's arms, squeezing tightly.
"Oh, Beth, I've missed you!" she exclaimed.
Elizabeth laughed, hugging her exuberant sister back. When they released each other, Julie immediately made her way to the floor with Nathan and the twins, cooing at the girls happily. Elizabeth looked back to see Viola reaching for her more sedately but no less lovingly. The two women embraced. Elizabeth couldn't help thanking God for the fact that she and her sister had mended their relationship. It felt good to be friends again.
Viola glanced at the family members on the floor, then gently tugged Elizabeth outside onto the porch. Tilting her head, Elizabeth studied her sister. Viola looked slightly nervous.
"What is it, Vi?" Elizabeth asked, taking her sister's hand. "Is everything alright?"
Viola nodded. "Yes, everything is fine. It's just…" She hesitated, pursing her lips. "Do you remember how my arrival here the first time with Julie was a surprise?"
Elizabeth smiled. "Of course I do. It was a shock, but a happy shock."
"I have a surprise for you this time," Viola said softly. She turned to the car, waving at someone behind the tinted windows. The car door opened and an elegant woman stepped out tentatively.
Elizabeth gasped. "Mother?" she whispered, shocked frozen.
Grace Thatcher slowly climbed the stairs, her eyes never wavering from Elizabeth's. The two women faced each other for what seemed like an eternity. Elizabeth couldn't believe her mother was standing in front of her. After the trip to New York, she'd thought she might never see her again.
Tears brimmed in Grace's eyes. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth," she choked out. "So, so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?"
Swift tears sprang to Elizabeth's eyes. With a single nod, she threw herself into her mother's embrace. They cried together, clinging to one another tightly. Elizabeth felt a sense of hope, hope that had long ago died where her parents were concerned.
Maybe, just maybe, she and her mother would be able to restore the relationship they had lost all those years ago.
Nathan leaned back in his chair, full and happy. Dinner had been a joyful affair, and now they were sitting on the back porch with coffee and plates of cake, chatting freely. He took in Grace, holding Arianna on her lap and feeding the baby bits of dessert. Her face was glowing, delighting in getting to know her granddaughters.
Her arrival shocked Nathan, almost as much as the hug she had offered him when she came into their home. She'd whispered "welcome to the family" in his ear right before she pulled away, and Nathan knew in that moment that at least one half of the Thatcher parents accepted him.
Elizabeth had worn a wide-eyed expression of joy mixed with disbelief ever since her mother arrived. Nathan half wondered if she thought she was dreaming.
The conversation flowed freely between the five adults. Eventually, Elizabeth asked the question that had been on Nathan's mind as well. "Where's Father?"
A hush settled over the group. Viola and Julie looked sad, while Grace sighed and took a sip of her coffee. When she set the mug down, she looked up, her eyes meeting Elizabeth's. "He's still in Europe."
"For over four months?" Elizabeth asked, eyes wide.
Grace nodded. "We were supposed to be there for six months. After your visit, though, I couldn't stop thinking about you. Couldn't stop thinking about your girls." She pressed a kiss to Arianna's red curls. "Your father and I got into a huge argument about a week ago. I told him I was tired of acting as if our middle daughter and her family didn't exist. I told him I wanted to see you. He flew into a tizzy, saying if I wanted to see you, it was my choice. He wasn't going to be cutting his trip short." The words were laced with sarcasm. "I couldn't stand it anymore. I came home to find that Julie and Viola were coming to see you, and I knew I had to come along. I had to try to reconcile with you." She bit her lip. "Even though I thought it might be too late."
Elizabeth shook her head, wrapping her arms around her mother. "It's never too late," she murmured. "I'm so glad you decided to come."
"So am I," Grace said, her tone warm. She reached out to pat Elizabeth's stomach. "I just wish I'd known sooner about your baby boy. I'm going to have to come back this summer in order to meet him."
"We all are," Julie chimed in. "I'm very excited to meet my first nephew!" She bounced Cecilia up and down on her knee, causing the child to laugh with glee. "Now, you know I have to ask - are there any events coming up that we could attend? I know this is a tiny island and all, but there has to be something going on, right?"
Nathan chuckled. "As a matter of fact, there is a gala coming up in a couple weeks to benefit the police station here in town. Everyone is invited. It's fancy dress and there will be food and dancing. I can let Bill know how many tickets I need. We can all go."
Elizabeth looked at him, eyes shining. "That sounds fun!"
Grace smiled. "I'll watch the girls while you young people go to the gala. If that's alright with you?" She directed the words at both Nathan and Elizabeth.
They nodded in unison. "That would be wonderful, Grace. Thank you," Nathan said, smiling at his mother-in-law. He glanced at Elizabeth's older sister. "Are you interested in going, Viola?" He grinned. "I seem to remember telling you one of my coworkers is a good man. He's still single, and he'll be at the gala."
Viola feigned indifference, but Nathan thought he caught a spark of interest in her eyes. "I'd love to go," she said breezily. "Coworker or no coworker."
Nathan's grin grew. "Uh-huh. His name is Michael Hickam. He's about my age and never been married, though for the life of me I can't figure out why. One of the nicest guys around. Any lady would be lucky to snatch him up."
Julie poked Viola, making her sister jump. "You'd better take that chance while you can," she said, laughing mischievously. "Otherwise I might take him!"
Viola's cheeks reddened, but she joined in the laughter. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to meet him," she said. "But that's all. I'm not looking for romance."
"Of course not, dear," Grace said, a smile twitched at her lips. "Personally, though, I think it would be lovely if you found someone to settle down with. Someone who would make you happy."
Viola stared at her mother, brows raised. "You and Father have been pushing every eligible, wealthy bachelor in New York at me for the last ten years. Now you're okay with the idea of me with a small town cop?"
Grace smiled genuinely, her eyes slowly sweeping Nathan and Elizabeth. "I'll admit it doesn't sound like me," she said, snuggling a sleepy Arianna closer. "But I see how happy your sister is and what a good man your brother-in-law is. If you can find someone here to make you happy, you have my blessing." Her eyes drifted to Julie. "Same goes for you, Jules."
Both of Elizabeth's sisters stared at their mother as if they were stunned. Elizabeth was wearing a matching expression, though a smile played on her lips. Nathan watched them all, amazed at the lightness between them. What he had seen in New York was one thing; this was the complete opposite. Grace Thatcher had softened exponentially in the last four months. Nathan wondered what brought about the change.
Arianna gave a soft gurgling sigh, and Grace carefully lifted the child to her shoulder, patting her back and looking at her with a starry-eyed expression. And Nathan knew.
Their trip to New York hadn't been in vain. Grace had seen her granddaughters and wanted to know them. They had been the impetus to break through the walls surrounding her heart.
Thankful, Nathan resumed listening to the chatter of the women around him. He was happy for his wife, happy for his sisters-in-law.
The restoration of relationships was a beautiful thing to behold.
