Elizabeth was fairly bursting with excitement as she glanced at the clock for the hundredth time. Jack and Allie would be home any minute. She had missed them more than words could say. A whole month without her precious children was too much, though she was thankful that they had been able to stay with her parents while she and Nathan cared for Kathleen.
The baby was currently swaddled tightly in blankets and sleeping peacefully in her bassinet amidst several hot water bottles. She slept a lot, but Carson had said that was a good sign; it meant she was growing and getting stronger. Elizabeth wryly wished her daughter would sleep at night and wake up during the day, instead of the other way around, but she was glad Katheen was getting better each day.
Nathan came out of the bedroom, having changed from his serge into civilian clothes. He laughed as he noticed her looking at the clock. "You know they won't get here any faster if you keep looking at that, right?" he teased, kissing her cheek.
Elizabeth gave him a mock pout. "Perhaps not, but at least it gives me something to do." As soon as the words left her mouth, the unmistakable sound of a car pulling into the drive reached her ears, followed closely by the honking of a horn. "They're here!" she squealed, running for the door. She pulled it open to see her parents helping the children from the car. "Jack! Allie!"
"Mama!" Jack beamed, his little face full of excitement. Elizabeth scooped him into her arms and gave him a fierce hug, pressing kisses all over his cheeks. "I missed you so much!" she exclaimed, laughing as Jack protested the enthusiastic display of affection.
Elizabeth handed Jack to Nathan, then turned to Allie and pulled her into an embrace. "Oh, I've missed you too, my sweet girl," she whispered, pressing a kiss to Allie's forehead.
Allie held her tightly. "I missed you too, Mom." When they pulled back, Allie looked up at her with hopeful eyes. "Can we see Kathleen?"
"Of course, honey. Let me just say hi to Grandma Grace and Grandpa William, okay?"
Allie nodded, and Elizabeth turned to her parents. They looked tired from the cross-country trip, but they were smiling. Elizabeth folded each of them into a hug. "Thank you for coming," she said softly.
William patted Elizabeth's back while Grace held her close. "Anything, darling," Grace said, smiling. They greeted Nathan, then looked at the house expectantly. "Now, where is this new granddaughter of ours?"
"Come with me," Elizabeth said, leading her family into the house. The bassinet was in the living room, and everyone crowded around it, mesmerized by their first glimpse of the new baby.
"She's perfect, Elizabeth," Grace said, her eyes soft as she looked at her granddaughter. "And so tiny!"
"What're those?" Allie asked, pointing to the water bottles.
"Those are full of hot water to keep Kathleen warm," Nathan said.
"Why?" Allie asked.
"She needs heat to stay at a normal body temperature. If she gets too cold, she could get very sick. We have to keep her surrounded by these bottles at all times, unless we're holding her against our skin."
"Oh," Allie said, looking thoughtful. "Does that mean we can't hold her yet?"
Elizabeth smiled. "You'll be able to hold her for short periods of time, as long as she's wrapped in a thick blanket."
Allie studied the baby, then looked up at her parents. "She looks like both of you," she declared.
William nodded. "I have to agree. She certainly appears to be a blend of the two of you."
Nathan laughed. "I guess that settles it. Lee and Rosemary think the same, and so do Lucas and Fiona, Carson and Faith, and Hickam and Genevieve." He put an arm around Elizabeth, pulling her close. "I'm glad our daughter takes after both of us."
Kathleen let out a big yawn and opened her eyes, blinking up at the four strangers gazing back at her. Elizabeth picked her up, then looked at Allie. "Would you like to hold her?"
Allie nodded eagerly, and after getting situated on the settee, Elizabeth set Kathleen in Allie's arms. Kathleen looked at her sister with wide, alert eyes, making soft mewling sounds. Allie gazed down at the baby with more wonder than Elizabeth had ever seen in her before. Jack crawled up next to Allie and cuddled close, leaning against her arm and watching Kathleen. The three of them sat like that for several long minutes, lost in their own little world, siblings bonding together for the first time.
Elizabeth looked at William. "How was the drive, Father?"
"Good," he replied, placing an arm around her. "It went fast, but we're glad to be here."
"You said there's a rowhouse we can stay in?" Grace asked.
Elizabeth nodded. "Nathan will take you there shortly. Our friends made sure it was clean and well stocked for your stay." She smiled. "I'm so glad you're going to be here for another month. It will be an immense help."
Grace took Elizabeth's hand. "We wouldn't have it any other way, Elizabeth. You are our treasure, and these children have become our joy." She kissed her daughter's cheek. "We love you, darling."
Tears filled Elizabeth's eyes. "I love you too," she whispered, overcome with emotion. She looked around the room, awe filling her. The people she loved most were all here. Her husband and children and parents. And they were all together in time for Christmas, which was now less than a week away. She let out a little sigh, leaning her head against her father's shoulder and watching Allie and Jack coo at Kathleen.
Life was good.
"Four more days," Fiona said softly, her head on Lucas's shoulder.
He pressed a kiss to her temple, pulling her closer. "I can't wait," he said, nuzzling her cheek. They were standing in the main room of the saloon after closing hours, admiring the cheerful Christmas decorations that had gone up that day. Their Christmas Eve wedding was finalized; all they needed now was the day itself. They would spend Christmas in Hope Valley, then leave for their San Francisco honeymoon the next day.
Clara was Fiona's second bridesmaid, while Mike was Lucas's second groomsman. They had decided to have a Christmas ball for their reception, with a French inspired menu compliments of Gustav.
Fiona had asked Elizabeth if she wanted to skip the wedding or reception since baby Kathleen was only three weeks old and too young to be in public groups, but Elizabeth's parents would hear none of it. They had told their daughter to go to the wedding and reception and enjoy herself while they took care of the baby. Elizabeth had accepted after some initial hesitation, and Fiona had to admit she was glad her friend was going to be there.
Lucas turned so he could wrap Fiona snugly in his arms. He leaned down, pressing a gentle peck to her lips. "Four days," he murmured, finding her lips again, this time in a slow, deep kiss.
Fiona held him close, amazed that his kiss could weaken her knees and make her head spin. When he pulled away, her eyes remained shut as she let herself thoroughly enjoy the way he made her feel. When she finally opened her eyes, she was met with Lucas's sweet smile. "Walk with me?" he said, inclining his head toward the door.
She nodded, and he helped her with her coat before stepping out into the dark streets. Snow was falling lightly, and in the dim glow of the street lamps, it was almost like they were inside a snowglobe. Their hands met and held as they walked slowly down the street, taking in the Christmas lights and decorations that had appeared all over Hope Valley in the past few days.
Fiona looked up at Lucas. His brow was furrowed slightly, a look she recognized as him thinking. "What is it?" she asked, her voice nearly a whisper. The peacefulness of their surroundings made using a normal voice unnecessary.
He smiled down at her. "I was just thinking about the day we met." He chuckled. "I think I was intrigued by you in those first moments, but then your questions about where I was from made me pause. I was so closed off after that." He shook his head. "We could have ended up together sooner if it wasn't for my secretive nature in those first months in Hope Valley."
Fiona leaned closer to him, seeking his warmth. She thought for a moment before answering. "I think everything happened the way it was supposed to," she said softly. "Maybe things wouldn't have worked out between us if we'd become more than friends at that time. And we're here now. About to be married and more in love than either of us thought possible." She stopped walking and hugged him close. "I'm glad everything turned out the way it did."
Lucas's arms wrapped around her, and she could feel him inhale deeply. "Me too, Fiona. You're everything I never knew I wanted."
She smiled, leaning her head against his chest. "I feel the same way."
"Who's ready to find a tree?" Nathan asked, smiling at his children.
"Me! Me! Me!" Jack hollered, waving his hands in the air.
Elizabeth chuckled as Kathleen moved suddenly against her chest, startled by her brother's loud exclamation. She wrapped the blanket more snugly around the two of them. "I think Jack is a tad excited," she said, her eyes sparkling.
Nathan looked at his wife. "Are you sure you don't want to come with us this year?" he asked. "It won't be the same without you."
"Yes, I'm sure," Elizabeth said. "Kathleen will want to eat soon, and I'm looking forward to a quiet afternoon of snuggling her while you all go find the perfect tree." She grinned. "Besides, we can all decorate it together tonight. That's the best part."
"Don't worry, Mom," Allie said, sounding a little too grown up for Nathan's liking. "I'll make sure we find the best tree in the entire forest."
"Me too!" Jack inserted, not about to be outdone by his big sister.
"Alright, let's bundle up, you two," Nathan said. "We need to show Grandma and Grandpa how to find the best tree." He lowered his voice conspiratorially. "They're never picked a tree from a forest before."
"That is true," Grace said, walking through the front door with her husband in time to hear Nathan's statement. She was greeted by hugs from her grandchildren, and she smiled at them fondly. "Your grandfather and I are very excited!"
"You can pick the twee, Gwandma," Jack offered generously.
Grace grinned, picking him up and placing a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Jack. But I think you and Allie should have the final say in which tree we get."
While the children chattered around Grace and William, Nathan knelt next to Elizabeth and gave her a tender kiss. "We'll be back shortly," he promised.
Elizabeth placed a hand on his cheek with a smile. "Not too shortly, I hope," she said with a wink. "I'm kind of hoping to get a nap in while you're gone."
Nathan chuckled, giving her another kiss. "You do that, sweetheart. We'll see you when we get back."
"Okay," she said, leaning back as Kathleen started to fuss. Elizabeth began adjusting her clothes to feed her, and Nathan grabbed the saw as he headed out the door with his little brood. "Let's go find a tree!"
Once again, Allie managed to find the perfect tree, though this time she and Jack spotted it at the same time and agreed that it was the tree they wanted to take home. William and Grace caught on to the children's enthusiasm, with the five of them singing Christmas carols as they walked through the forest to find their tree. Once it was cut down and secured, Nathan and William carried it between them while Grace walked ahead, holding Jack and Allie's hands as they talked together animatedly.
"I haven't seen my wife this happy in years," William commented to Nathan, watching the trio in front of them. "She reminds me of the way she was when we first married."
"Oh?" Nathan asked, wondering what the story was there.
William nodded. "She used to be a very carefree woman with lots of spirit, much like my daughter Julie. When we got married, we were very much in love. The world was at our fingertips. We had so many dreams." His voice trailed off for a moment, and Nathan kept quiet as William thought, lost in memories. "Then my father died, leaving his shipping business to me. Suddenly I became a wealthy member of society and had to live up to those expectations. So did Grace. We slowly became like the other members of society, caring too much what people thought and throwing parties that no one wanted to attend." He shook his head, chuckling. "Being here in Hope Valley, seeing you and Elizabeth so much in love and raising your children so well...it reminds me of what Grace and I once dreamt for ourselves." His smile grew. "In a way, it feels like we're getting it now. So thank you for that."
Nathan smiled back, trying to picture a young and carefree William and Grace. "I'm glad you're able to experience that here, William. And I know Elizabeth would love to hear that story."
William nodded thoughtfully. "I don't think she's heard that one. I'll have to tell her about our early days together."
They reached the house, and Nathan could tell Elizabeth was just waking up from a nap. Her eyes looked a little groggy as they brought the tree into the living room, but she smiled broadly. "You found it!"
Allie beamed. "The perfect tree!" They quickly got it set up, and then Allie and William helped Nathan get the decorations out.
Grace walked over to Elizabeth, reaching her arms out for the baby. "You decorate with the family," she said. "I'll hold Kathleen."
Elizabeth handed her daughter over, making sure her mother was comfortable in a rocking chair by the fire before turning to the tree. Allie and Jack were taking ornaments from the boxes, telling William all about each one. He was listening with genuine rapt attention, so Nathan took that moment to pull Elizabeth behind the tree, away from the eyes and ears of everyone else in the room. He took her in his arms and kissed her deeply, savoring the few moments alone together. Elizabeth's arms curled around his back and held him close, sighing gently against his lips. "I love you," she whispered.
Nathan tapped her nose playfully. "The feeling is mutual, Mrs. Grant," he whispered back. He held up the ornament he'd plucked from the box as he whisked her behind the tree. Holding it up, he smiled. "Care to do the honors?" he asked, his eyes twinkling.
Elizabeth laughed as she took in the small red cardinal. "Naturally it needs to go on the highest branch."
"Naturally," Nathan agreed, unable to keep from chuckling.
With a deliberate look at him, Elizabeth reached up and tried to place the ornament on the highest branch. She glanced over her shoulder at him. "It appears to be just out of reach again, sweetheart," she said innocently.
Nathan reached up, taking the bird from her grasp and moving it the few inches needed to secure it to the branch. Elizabeth turned slowly, and as their eyes met they both smiled, reliving the memory of the first time they decorated a tree together. Last year, they had nearly kissed for the first time, but had been interrupted. This time, there was nothing inhibiting them. Nathan pressed his lips to Elizabeth's, framing her face in his hands as their kiss lengthened.
"I guess the third time really is a charm," he whispered when they pulled apart.
Elizabeth laughed. "I guess you're right."