Jack and Elizabeth took Helen back to the orphanage and then he took her to see the livery owner and the house they would rent.
Jack accepted the job at the livery with a promise he would be back within a month to start work. Then they headed to the house.
Jack turned the key in the door and opened it, stepping back to allow Elizabeth to go in first.
"It needs a good cleaning," Elizabeth muttered. "But it's a good size."
Jack pulled out his wallet and handed her money. A lot of money. She looked at his hand, afraid to take it. "Please. For a stove and bathtub. And maybe curtains and a crib or bed for Helen and you. I know that we will need things and I'm going to be away for a month, wrapping up things back there. Anything you need, put it on the credit page I'll open at the store."
"Jack, are you rich? This is a lot of money." She knew it was a sensitive question potentially but she figured as his future wife, it might be good to know.
"I own part of a store and I live in a small home with my dog and have one horse. I live modestly and save most of my earnings. So when I have things I need, I can get them. These things I mentioned, we need them to be comfortable and to raise Helen."
"I make a little from my job. I can help. I'm guessing working at the livery won't pay as much as your store."
"It would be ok if you saved your money. Put it away in case of emergencies. My job will be enough to cover our necessities."
Hearing him say "our" necessities made her heart beat a bit faster. Thinking of having a husband again, even if in name only, made her happy. She missed having a person to lean on, even though she had friends in the women she worked with. And even though she hadn't known him long, she could be sure he would be there for her. He was a good man.
They wandered down the hall and found the bedrooms. A smaller one on the left and a larger on the right. "You and Helen can share this one. I'll take the other."
"Ok. Thank you." She was grateful and not surprised in the least that he was not forcing his right as her husband.
"I will be bringing my things by wagon so it will take me a bit longer to get here than two days."
"Are you bringing your mother?"
"Yes. She wouldn't want to miss our wedding." Jack saw the slight fear on her face. "She will love you, I promise. You're marrying me and taking care of her granddaughter. Those things alone earn you big points with Charlotte Thornton."
….
Jack said goodbye to Helen and Elizabeth the next morning. "Hold, Dat!"
He picked her up and held her, just tight enough to satisfy her need for love. It helped his too. "I love you, Daisy girl. Be a good girl, okay?" He wiped a tear away and kissed her cheeks again.
He put her down and touched Elizabeth's hand, briefly. "I'll see you soon."
"Will you write?"
"Of course." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Bye." The light touch of his lips on her cheek took her by surprise but made her feel emotional for some reason. Then she realized she would miss him.
She waved and took Helen from him. "Dat! Hold!" she called as he rode off, tears rolling down her chubby cheeks.
"Oh, sweetie. He will be back soon, I promise. And when he does, we are going to move into our own house. And you know what else? He's bringing Grammie with him. Remember Grammie?"
After she stopped crying, Elizabeth took her for a walk to town to order a stove and bathtub.
"Hello, Miss Beth and Miss Helen!" Jesse Flynn, the storekeeper greeted as they entered the store.
"Morning, Mr. Flynn."
"What can I help you with today?"
"We need to order a few things."
"Oh yes, Mr. Thornton told me to be expecting you."
"Yes. We need a stove for our kitchen and a bathtub."
"It will take about a week or so for the stove and about a month or six weeks for the bathtub and I need half up front."
"That will be fine. How much is that?" He answered and she handed the money over. "May I ask a question, Mr. Flynn?"
"Jesse, please."
"Alright. Jesse, we will need to order a mattress as well. How long will that take?"
"About a week or so. I'll need half of the cost for that, as well."
As they walked back, Elizabeth thought about what else they may need for the house. She would make a list when they returned to the orphanage.
….
A week later….
His letters drew her in, made her want to see him more. He had such a way of making her feel special just by being inquisitive and caring.
"Good letter?" Abigail asked as she joined her at the table for their nightly tea.
"Yeah."
"You miss him."
"I do and I feel weird admitting that. Total, I've seen the man about four times. Now we are getting married and moving into a house."
"He is a good man and he adores Helen."
"Yes. He does." Maybe some of that adoration would be directed toward her some day.
"Do you have a dress for the ceremony?" Abigail wondered.
"I have a light blue one that will work."
"Blue? You don't wear blue to get married."
"I've been married, Abigail. There is no reason to spend money on a dress or fabric when I have a perfectly good dress in my bureau."
"I'll take care of the dress. I can also make the food for the dinner after. Does Jack like chicken or beef?"
"I have no idea. You made us beef sandwiches for the picnic, so go with that."
"Ok, and I suppose you have no idea if he would prefer cake or pie."
"Um, no," she said with a laugh.
"Apple pie it is!"
….
The days went by, letters being written, Elizabeth anxiously awaiting his return and Helen wanting Dat to hold her.
Finally at the three week mark his letter told them he would be right on time.
Elizabeth hung curtains in the house, the stove was installed, the dust wiped away. She also purchased a bed frame for her and Helen's bed they would share.
On the day he was to arrive, Elizabeth used a bit more care in her appearance, wearing her hair down instead of tightly in a bun and wearing a new skirt and blouse she had sewn.
"Pity," Helen said with a smile. "Pity, Me-Me."
"Thank you, love." She held out her hand. "Shall we go wait for Grammie and Dat?"
"Yay!" She grinned and took Elizabeth's hand and they headed downstairs.
"Don't you look lovely," Cat noticed. "A certain someone is arriving today, right?"
"Dat!" Helen told her.
"And who else?" Elizabeth prompted.
"Gammie."
"Yes, Grammie."
After lunch, they heard a knock on the door. "Hello?" Helen's little eyes lit up and she ran for the door.
Elizabeth followed and watched as Charlotte and Jack greeted Helen. Both adults were crying when all was said and done and Helen had wrapped herself around Jack.
Jack looked up and noticed Elizabeth. "Hi," he said with a smile.
"Hi."
She looked different to Jack and it wasn't just her hair. She looked happier. Was it because of the changes coming?
"I'm Charlotte Thornton. Since my son seems to be tongue-tied at the moment, I'll say hello. You must be Elizabeth?"
"Yes, ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"You too. I'm excited to have you in the family. Jack has told me all about you."
"He has?"
"Yes. I'm looking forward to getting to know you myself, and Helen again. I've missed her dearly."
"I understand. I'm so sorry for your loss, Mrs. Thornton."
She nodded. "You can call me Charlotte, dear. Now, any chance I could get some coffee?"
"Yes, of course." Charlotte hooked her arm through Elizabeth's and they walked to the kitchen.
Jack had been correct. She did immediately love Charlotte. She loved that she was blunt and told exactly what she meant. She only hoped Charlotte liked her.
It made Jack happy that his mom was accepting Elizabeth, just like he knew she would. Now, he just wanted to make a good life for her and Helen and that started with getting married and adopting Helen officially. Then he planned on courting Elizabeth because he knew he was falling for her. He had missed her a lot while away this last time and when he saw her across the room, it took all he had not to take her in his arms.
"Dat? Walk?"
"Sure, Daisy girl, let's go walk. But after that, we need to go to the new house because Dat needs to unpack."
"Home?"
"Yes at home. Do you like our home?"
"Ya. Seep wit Me-Me."
"Yes, you are going to share a room with her, right?"
"Ya."
"Me-Me will keep you safe."
"Ya, safe."
Jack was delighted to hear all the new words Helen was speaking. "I missed you, Daisy girl." He kissed her cheek and then they headed to the kitchen. "Ladies, would you like to take a walk with us around the pond?"
Elizabeth's eyes lit up. "I would."
"Mrs. Thornton, if you would like, I can show you what I have planned for the wedding dinner," Abigail offered. Elizabeth knew she was making it possible for her and Jack and Helen to be together and she was grateful for that.
"Yes, I would love to see it."
Jack offered his arm to Elizabeth, not escaping the notice of the other two ladies in the room. Elizabeth accepted, excited to get time together.
A few moments later, Elizabeth still held on to his arm, but neither had said anything yet.
"Elizabeth?"
"Yes?"
"I missed you….and of course Helen. A month is a long time."
"It is and I missed you too. Did you get everything squared away with your house and the store?"
"Yes. The good thing is, there was someone who was thrilled to buy me out of the store and they knew of someone to rent my house as well."
"That's good."
"Bird!" Helen said, pointing to the sky.
"Yes, love. What color is that bird?" Elizabeth asked.
"Blue," she said with conviction.
"Actually, its red."
"Wed," she agreed.
"She knows a lot of new words," Jack noticed.
"I think she knew them before but I think losing her parents maybe slowed down her speaking a bit. Now that she has you…"
"Us."
Elizabeth looked at him and then back to Helen. "Yes, now that she has us, she has come out of her shell."
"And maybe she has a good teacher too?" Elizabeth blushed at his praise.
"Maybe. I always wanted to be a teacher."
"Did you? What stopped you?"
"My father. He is a very strict man and he holds a lot of authority in Alberta. Having a daughter pursue such a career instead of doing what's expected of her was unthinkable. So I gave in and thankfully he approved of Paul."
"Have your dreams changed, Elizabeth? Do you still want to be a teacher?"
"Yes, they've changed. I want to a mother and I want to make a difference in these orphans lives. They have so little and need so much."
"The way I see it," he began, stopping their walk. "You do make a huge difference in their lives and they are rich in love. They don't need things."
"Me-Me! Bug!" Helen ran back and handed her a beetle that she had picked up from the ground. "Yuck!"
"Well, why don't you let it go, sweetie?" she asked with a laugh.
Helen gently put it down on the ground and grinned. "Bye!" she waved at the bug. "Home!"
Jack headed to the house to unpack a bit later while Charlotte stayed to spend time with Helen and Elizabeth.
The next day, they would marry and their lives would begin. He was ready and from what he could tell, so was Elizabeth.