May 9th

"Rosemary? Are you home?"

Rosemary stirred from her resting spot on the settee and opened her eyes. My, it was already nearly 7 p.m.! She had only meant to shut her eyes for a brief moment after supper, but here it was already well into the evening. This seemed to be happening more as of late, perhaps from the pregnancy but more than likely, from the abundant amount of work she had been pouring into getting every detail just right for Jack and Elizabeth's quickly approaching wedding date. She struggled to sit up, causing a slumbering Sidney to wake up from her spot curled underneath Rosemary's arm.

"Come on in." Rosemary called to the front door and then gave the kitten a scratch under the chin. "Seems we have a guest, sweet girl."

The door creaked open and Elizabeth peaked through.

"Oh, Rosemary," Elizabeth looked her over. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt your… rest. Lee said I could just peak in…" Elizabeth's cheeks bloomed pink.

"Oh, I was just waking anyway. Not to worry." Rosemary stood. "What brings you out this way?" She straightened her skirt and with nimble fingers, reached up to check her coiffed hair.

"I… I was just checking in on wedding details. But I should have called first." Elizabeth motioned to the telephone on the wall.

"Everything is coming along fine." She motioned to the pile of decorations for next week's bridal shower and to the pile of wedding decorations including twenty doilies that her and Harriet had hand stitched. Across the room the large amount of white satin tablecloths were all sewn and awaiting pressing before the big day.

Elizabeth glanced at all the items, but seemed distracted. She twisted her hands together nervously.

Rosemary lifted an eyebrow. "Something tells me you have something else on your mind. Here, have a seat and tell me all about it." Rosemary nodded towards the settee.

"Oh, I know you are busy. I just—"

"No, truly, I'm never too busy for friendship. And please say you will stay for dessert and tea. Harriet is just retrieving one of her soon-to-be-famous dessert cobblers from the oven. You just simply must stay for a taste."

Immediately Elizabeth's eyes softened. "Oh, that is kind of you. Although I am not sure I can stomach a bite."

Rosemary sat back down on the settee and patted the spot next to her. Elizabeth took off her light shawl and made herself comfortable.

"What does that mean? Has something distressing brought you out this way? Don't you and Jack usually share Friday night supper together?"

Elizabeth wrung her hands together. "That's just the thing. Jack skipped tonight's supper."

"Oh?" Rosemary couldn't help but realize how pale Elizabeth was, her brow pinched tight just serious as the school mistress she was.

"He's never done that before." Her forehead was lined with worry. "Unless if he is out of town or delayed or such. I just don't know what to make of it, especially here exactly four weeks from our wedding night."

Rosemary clicked her tongue. "Did he give you any clue as to what he was doing instead?"

"No. It just has me worried like none other. I mean, what if he is having second thoughts?" Elizabeth's beautiful blue eyes widened with fear.

Rosemary patted her hand. "Now, now. There would be no reason on heaven or earth Jack would be rethinking marrying you. Don't you know he looks at you as if you hung the moon?"

Elizabeth's cheeks brightened. "I know that is how I feel about him."

"Well, I can assure you the feeling is quite mutual. I am sure there is a good explanation for why he missed tonight's meetup."

Elizabeth nodded. "I am sure you are right. I… I am sorry to have come over here all wrung out. I just… well, I just need to talk with a friend. And although I know Abigail is always there for me, I have been trying to leave ample time for both her and Frank as they are newlyweds." Her cheeks colored.

Rosemary watched her friend blush and thought it all too adorable. Young love was so impressionable and flighty. "Soon it will be your own turn. For… ample time as newlyweds, I mean." Rosemary teased.

Elizabeth colored with various strains of pinks and red.

Rosemary smiled to herself. "But in the mean time, I hope you know I am always here for you."

Elizabeth softly smiled. "I just feel bad bothering you with my petty problems. I mean here you are with your own preoccupations," Elizabeth motioned to Rosemary's burgeoning belly. "What are you, six weeks away?"

"Precisely. And I am feeling every day of it." She put a hand to her back, which ached constantly but as of late was tensing something horrible. "But don't you never mind. Perhaps we can both distract each other as our big days approach."

They shared a laugh, but then an awful tightening gripped her midsection, causing her to draw in a breath.

"Rosemary?" Elizabeth asked, concern flaring in her eyes.

Rosemary waved her off. "I don't think supper agreed with me tonight."

"Are you sure that is all?" Elizabeth looked her up and down.

The tensing abated and she nodded, feeling much better. "Harriet does like to experiment with the herbs a bit much."

Elizabeth gave her a concerned look, but then settled back into the settee.

Rosemary relaxed back into the pillows and addressed the original topic that brought Elizabeth here. "I truly do think you have nothing to worry about. Perhaps Jack had an errand that he forgot, or he simply lost track of time. Worse case scenario, perhaps he is preparing a surprise for you!" She wiggled her eyebrows.

Elizabeth seemed to relax at that. "He does often like to surprise me. He did bring a bouquet of fresh daffodils to the classroom yesterday."

Rosemary sighed. "See, there is absolutely nothing to worry about."

Elizabeth nodded. "You are right. I am sorry to have bothered you. Perhaps I ought to—"

Harriet slipped her head into the room. "The cobbler is almost cooled." Then, realizing they had a guest, Harriet exclaimed, "Oh, Elizabeth! Please say you will stay for dessert."

Elizabeth looked back and forth between them.

Rosemary smiled. "I already asked her and she said yes."

Harriet smiled. "Perfect. Let me put a pot of tea on." She disappeared into the kitchen.

"I am glad you came over." Rosemary rose and went to the sewing machine in the corner, where the wedding dress sat in a neatly folded heap. "I do have something to show you." She took it with her over to the settee. "It's all finished. Perfectly tucked in at every nook and cranny and now the perfect length. And, the embroidery—"

Elizabeth reached out and touched the dress. "It is exquisite! I can't believe I will be wearing this in a matter of weeks!" Her voice held a note of awe, causing Rosemary to beam inside.

"Try it on." Rosemary pushed the dress into Elizabeth's lap.

"Now?"

"Well, you can wait until after dessert but I wouldn't recommend it."

Elizabeth laughed, the happiness chasing away every last trail of fear from her eyes. "Okay, I will be back in a jiffy."

"Use the first room upstairs to the left." She said indicating the nursery.

"Okay!" Elizabeth hollered from the staircase.

XXX

The rest of the night passed with comments about the wedding over bowls of warm cobbler topped with ice cream. Lee, ever the gentleman, endured the ladies chatter but was relieved when a knock had came to the door. He walked out of the dining room to answer the door. A few minutes later, he walked back in with Jack accompanying him.

"Jack!" Elizabeth rose in surprise.

"There's my finance." He gave her a charming smile. "I thought we had dinner plans." He tried to scowl but the love brimming from his eyes canceled out all his efforts at being cross.

"I waited for you. I thought… I thought you stood me up." Elizabeth put the napkin down on the table.

Jack's warm eyes melted. "On the contrary, I was finishing a very important project."

"A project? What kind of project?"

"Our new house."

Elizabeth gurgled with happiness and shot to his side. "Don't tell me… it's done?" Her eyes sparkled and she held onto Jack's hand excitedly.

He gave her a brief nod. "Would you accompany me, Miss Thornton, for a moonlight ride to our new home accompanied by a dinner afterward?"

Elizabeth smiled so brightly it lit the room.

"Abigail has put together two fine suppers of tonight's special that are awaiting us in the back of the wagon." Jack said motioning to the door. "What do you say?"

"Yes, a million times yes!" Elizabeth rose on tip toes and placed a kiss on Jack's lips. After a moment or so, they realized their audience and smiled shyly.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your evening, folks, but we have some other plans to attend too." Jack took Elizabeth's hand in his and led her out the door.

Rosemary went to the door to watch the couple ride off and a satisfied sigh escaped her lips. Everything was working out just perfectly.