April 10

Rosemary pulled the Model T next to the cafe, where all three of her friends lifted a hand in greeting. Dottie, who was dressed in a creamy yellow, stepped forward and opened the door. "We were hoping you weren't having second thoughts."

Rosemary patted the seat. "I wasn't. But Lee was. I think he was having more than second thoughts… perhaps third and fourth and fifth thoughts."

Dottie giggled and slid in on the bench next to her.

Molly, her red hair gleaming, slid into the back. "I am glad you managed to talk him into it."

Rosemary held the car idling. "Me too."

Florence, complete in her fabulous purple feathered hat, had a somber look on her face. "Now how on God's green earth am I supposed to fit in this remaining space?"

It was a two benched Model T, but with the superfluous amount of items— including an emergency bag, an extra blanket and tank of gas along with their growing heap of hand bags, the space had become a bit tighter than planned. And that was without their soon-to-be purchases in Edmonton.

Rosemary sighed. "Perhaps Lee was right. It is too tight for our trip east."

Dottie shook her head. "Oh fiddle faddle. We will fit just fine, won't we, Flo?"

Florence, who must have realized she was endangering their trip, nodded eagerly. "Oh yes, no problem at all." And with much pomp and circumstance she fit herself into the small space and pulled the door shut.

Rosemary shifted the car into first gear. "All set?"

The ladies nodded their agreement, and off they went. She pulled out of main street onto the road stretching out through the long country meadow that would eventually lead them to Edmonton. After several minutes of catching up on the latest goings on of the town, she couldn't bite down the question that had been on her lips.

"Flo, how are things going with Ned? The two of you seemed outright cozy on Easter Sunday." She threw a look over her shoulder to Florence, who immediately began beaming.

Dottie jostled. "Yes, I do say the two of you are positively glowing. You could rival newlyweds Frank and Abigail."

Florence twittered. "Things are going… very well. I suppose I have the three of you to thank for that."

Dottie waved her hand. "Oh tish tosh. You were well on your way to capturing Ned's heart."

Florence grinned. "Perhaps, but I do say Rosemary's idea was just genius. That was the beginning of it all."

Rosemary laughed.

Dottie elbowed her. "Leave it up to Rosemary to come up with a plan of sabotage."

Rosemary glowed from the compliment. It didn't bother her that she was often considered the master mind behind genius plots. Especially the kind that got people together. "You all didn't see all the shenanigans I have put Lee through in our dating days."

Dottie lifted a finger. "I do have to say I remember more than a few. But your idea to purposefully plug the stove's indoor chimney… well, that was stellar."

Florence giggled. "I about burned the house down waiting for Ned to come over and check the stove for me."

Molly laughed. "Do you think he was none the wiser?"

"Well, I'd like to say he had no clue whatsoever but after he fished the wad of newspaper out of the chimney, I think he was suspicious. I feigned innocence." Florence lifted the tilt of her voice. "'Why how ever did that get in there?" She recalled the conversation and laughed. "We aired out the house. I invited him to a proper supper the next day. It was the least I could do."

The ladies chuckled.

"And the rest is history." Molly said.

Dottie smiled. "I do say I wouldn't be surprised if you had a ring on your finger before fall."

Florence gasped. "Why I would hope not!"

All three of them swiveled their heads in her direction.

Rosemary couldn't believe her ears. Wasn't marriage the ultimate goal? "Why ever not?"

Florence smiled like the cat that ate the canary. "It is way too much fun… this bantering back and forth. My, the tension is delightful."

Dottie placed her gloved hands in her lap. "Surely. But a marriage is all that plus more."

Rosemary's cheeks warmed as she thought of the "plus more" Dottie referred to. Each of them had been married and knew of the joys that came along with marriage.

"Oh," Florence said, "Don't get me wrong, I'll be happy as a clam when Ned proposes. But in the mean time, I don't mind having a good bout of fun."

Rosemary threw a look over her shoulder. "And it does seem you both are happier than I've seen you in months."

Florence was practically glowing from the back seat. "You can say that again."

The Model T hit a particularly rough spot in the round causing them all to jostle. Rosemary righted the wheel to continue on track. "So do any of you lovely ladies want to give me a hint about why we are heading to Edmonton?"

Dottie reached to finger her pearls. "For a day filled with shopping and fine dining of course."

Florence shifted in the back row. "Not to mention a much needed item for your babies."

"Now, don't spoil the surprise,. Flo." Dottie admonished.

"Of course I won't." Florence pouted.

Molly's quiet voice was barely heard above the hum of the motor. "We think you will like it."

Rosemary focused in on her white gloves on the steering wheel. They still had a good two hour drive ahead of them. "I am grateful for both the excuse to get out of town and whatever so called surprise you have up your sleeves." She bit her smile. The ladies had so badly wanted to surprise her, and surprised she would be when they took her into the large Edmonton Mercantile and presented her with a beautiful handcrafted cradle. She'd known that would be their gift to her ever since that day in Yost's Mercantile when Florence and Molly had not-so-subtly demanded her not to order the specific item from Eaton's Shopping Catalogue. She was a fine actress and if they wanted her to play clueless, she would. She cleared her throat. "I do wonder what you all have been up to." She batted her eyes, her grand performance in full mode. "Whatever it is, I am sure it will be delightful. Even with Hickam fetching items off my list from Calgary, I am still missing several things. One important thing in particular." She could feel the ladies' eyes on her.

Florence was the first to respond. "Oh… what could that be?" Her voice warbled with the question.

"Well, to be truthfully honest. I have had my eye on this beautiful handmade cradle. I'll always treasure the one Lee made, but with two babies, I'm in need of one more. I just haven't been able to get my hands on the right one."

Everyone was silent. She could imagine them giving each other little victorious looks behind her back. My, she would have to put on ever the performance at the mercantile over their display of kindness. They truly were the world's best friends.

She cleared her throat. "Anyway, the babies' room is shaping up well. I just have this beautiful pale yellow on the walls, the most luxurious silk taffeta curtains, and we are almost finished with the baby's bedding, aren't we Dottie?"

Dottie nodded. "That we are."

Florence clapped her hands. "You will have to invite us all in soon. I'd simply love to see it all."

Rosemary nodded. "Consider yourselves invited."

A happy chirp of approval came from all the ladies.

Dottie smiled. "And when are you officially moving in?"

Rosemary smiled. "Hopefully in two weeks. Whenever I mention moving day, Lee laughs. He says I already have nearly half the house moved over."

The ladies smiled.

"It is true," Rosemary nodded. "Except for the master bedroom. Lee won't let me near that room. It's a surprise he says."

Molly put her hand on the back of Rosemary's chair. "The town certainly has rallied around you both. The way they've almost completed the house is truly amazing."

The clink of Florence's compact came from the back row. "Yes it is. What I cannot figure out is— Hickam, Jesse, and Murphy, even Jack and Bill as a part of the crew, that I understand— but Gowen? He is truly the black sheep of the town. I'd be wary to let him anywhere near my house."

Dottie stiffened.

Florence continued, oblivious to their friend's tension. "I mean whatever inspired the man to move back to Hope Valley? Didn't he realize after his stint in jail that he once and for all lost our trust?"

Dottie cleared her throat. "He isn't as heartless or as hopeless as everyone says he is." The defensiveness in her voice was unmistakable. Obviously Florence's harsh views on Gowen were not shared.

Florence cleared her throat. "I do see that he is changing… or so he wants us to think. In my book once a man has shown his true colors, as Gowen most definitely has, he is not to be trusted again."

Dottie put her hands in her lap as she sat ramrod straight. "I would hope that the people of Hope Valley would give him another chance and stop being over critical in their assessment of him. His involvement has made all the difference for me in the past and present."

Florence leaned forward. "Oh?"

Dottie nodded tersely. "I have a hunch it was he who talked Bill into opening up the shop again."

Rosemary raised an eyebrow. "That is a very noble thing to do."

Dottie continued, "And I am convinced he is also the one who convinced Bill to let me go back to my home."

Florence and Molly sat quietly in the back seat.

"Add that to the many times he intervened on our behalf early in Silas and I's marriage… and well, I'd consider him more of a loyal friend than most." Dottie sat with her chin jutted forward, the barb hanging in the air.

The tension rose in the car until finally Florence's voice came from the back seat. "I didn't mean to imply—"

A horrid noise rose from the car as it rattled, wheezed, and then went still.

"Oh— the gas!" Rosemary looked at the gas gauge. It registered full despite them traveling so many miles from home. She gave it a slight tap and the arrow plummeted to empty. "Looks like we need to refill here."