Two weeks later and Julie hadn't written him back or even told Elizabeth about receiving it. She was completely torn about the proposal.

She really thought she knew what she wanted. A husband who asked her to marry him because he loved her, because he wanted to. Not out of wanting his son to be happy. She didn't want him to eventually fall in love with some other woman and feel trapped with her. That wasn't fair to anyone involved, especially the little guy they were marrying for.

"Ggggggrrrrr," Julie growled in frustration.

"Auntie, why are you growling?" Sammy asked with a giggle from the table where he was drawing a picture.

"No reason, dear. How is your picture coming along?"

"Okay, I guess. I don't know how to draw a horse."

"Let me see what you have." She walked over and stared at his page. It looked like a four year old made it but it wasn't terrible. The horse consisted of a stick animal with a really long body and a huge head. She could also see an obvious tail too. "Good job, Sammy! I'm proud of you."

"Do you think Daddy will like it?"

"I know he will."

"Yay," Sammy said with a smile.

"Julie!" Elizabeth yelled from the bedroom, a bit of panic in her voice.

"Coming, Beth!" Julie ran down the short hall and looked in Elizabeth and Jack's bedroom. "Are you okay?" Elizabeth sat on the bed, holding her stomach and panting.

"I think it's time. Please take the kids to Abigail and get Jack and the doctor."

"How can I leave you alone? Jack will be home for lunch anyway. Then I can take the kids."

"Julie, listen. I've been in labor since the middle of the night. The pains are bad and more frequent. Please go. It's not going to be long."

So Julie grabbed Helen who was sleeping and took her and Sammy first to tell Jack so he could rush to be with her.

As Elizabeth waited alone, she tried not to be scared but she was. She had never seen a birth or given birth so she wasn't sure what to expect. When her water broke, she changed into a nightgown and went to get towels and boiled a pot of water. She didn't know why but she heard that's what people did.

Finally, just as she laid down, she heard the door open and loud steps rushing toward her.

"Elizabeth? Sweetheart?"

"Jack! Thank heavens!"

"Are you alright?"

"I don't know. I'm scared. Where's the doctor?"

"Julie was headed that way when she left me."

Elizabeth nodded and then tensed up when another contraction took hold on her. "Oh gosh," she moaned. She clenched his hand like a vice, but he was more than happy to let her if it made her feel better. "That was a….strong one," she panted between breaths a moment later.

"Elizabeth?" Carson called from the other room about ten minutes later.

"In here, Doc," Jack said, opening the door.

"Hi, how are we doing?"

Elizabeth clenched through another contraction instead of answering.

"Jack, would you mind putting these in the boiling water out on the stove?"

Carson handed him something that resembled a knife and another thing that looked like scissors.

Jack wavered and then took the instruments out of the room. The doc still rubbed him the wrong way, but he complied.

"Beth, how long have you been in labor?"

"Middle of the night."

"Why did you wait so long to get me?"

"I didn't know that it wasn't those false labor things you told me about."

"Okay, well, let's take a look at how far along you are."

"How are you going to do that?" Jack asked from the doorway.

"Jack, it might be best if you stepped out now."

"What? No. I'm not leaving my wife while she gives birth to our child." Jack stubbornly walked to the other side of the bed and sat down, grabbing her hand.

As Carson assessed the situation, Jack heard the door open. He assumed it was his mom.

It was. "Hey there," Charlotte greeted from the door.

"Ma, why are you here?"

"In case the good doctor needed my assistance. That's all."

"I do actually. Charlotte, would you mind grabbing the instruments from the pot of boiling water? We will need those soon." He looked back at Elizabeth as she handled another contraction. "Try to relax when you feel the pain, Beth. It will help you manage it."

"Ever been in labor, Doc?" Jack asked.

"I've delivered babies enough to know what seems to help," Carson told him, ignoring Jack's sarcasm.

"Jack? Be nice," Elizabeth whispered.

"Sorry."

About ten minutes later, it was time to push. The first push didn't do much but after a few tries, Elizabeth got the hang of it and before long, the room was filled with the cries of a newborn and the tears of its parents and grandmother.

Jack and Elizabeth watched as the doctor cleaned it and cut the umbilical cord and wrapped it in a soft blanket Charlotte gave him.

"Congratulations, you have a beautiful baby girl," he told them, handing her to Elizabeth.

"A girl," Elizabeth sobbed, knowing the baby was going to be named Violet after her similarly named aunt Viola.

Jack kissed her softly. "Our daughter, Elizabeth. She's so beautiful." He kissed her again. "I love you."

"I love you too."

…..

Jack was completely enamored with his new baby girl and so impressed by Elizabeth. What an amazingly strong woman he married.

While Elizabeth slept, Jack sat with the baby in the kitchen with Charlotte. He stared at the tiny girl and Charlotte stared at both of them.

"What?" he asked, catching her eye.

"Its amazing, isnt it?"

"Beyond, actually. I mean, Elizabeth and I made her. How is that even possible?"

"With God all things are possible," she told him.

"Yeah. I know…I'm just…overwhelmed with love for her."

"As it should be, son. A child is one of God's greatest blessings."

"And now I have three."

"May I hold her, Jack?"

"Of course." As much as he didn't want to let her go, he needed to figure out something to eat for everyone for dinner. He stood and gently placed the bundle in Charlotte's arms. "I'm going to figure out dinner. Elizabeth and the kids will be hungry."

"That's all taken care of, son. Abigail gave me some beef stew and fresh biscuits and butter. Just need to heat it up."

"That was nice of her."

"That woman is always prepared. It was like she knew Elizabeth was going to have her today."

….

When Julie brought the kids home later, Elizabeth was feeding the baby and Jack was watching. He never wanted to be far from his new daughter. She had grabbed a fierce hold on his heart the moment he heard her cry.

"Mama!" Sammy and Helen yelled as they ran in the door. Julie tried to shush them but there was no use. They wanted to meet their new sibling.

Jack greeted them at the door to the bedroom. "Hey, kids. I know you're excited but we need to be quieter and go slower. Mama is feeding your sister and she's very little." He raised his eyebrows. "Okay?"

They both nodded and then walked over to the bed, both sets of eyes opened wide. "Hi," Sammy whispered.

"Hi, Sam. Hi, Helen. Climb up and see Violet, your new sister."

The kids climbed up and sat and watched. "What's she doing?" Helen wondered.

"She's eating so she can be a big girl like you."

"I'm hungry. Can I eat like that?"

"Nope. This is special food for only little babies."

"Oh." Jack smiled at Helen's disappointment.

"If you're hungry, Miss Abby made us stew and biscuits. Who wants to help me get food for Mama?"

Both kids followed him out and Julie peeked in. "Hey, Beth."

"Julie, come in. Come meet your niece."

Julie came in quietly and sat on the bed. "She's lovely."

"We named her Violet."

"Baby Vi," Julie said with tears in her eyes. "Perfect."

Julie watched her niece and almost decided right then that she would marry Charles. She would have Charlie then, a son. She would have what she wanted so badly.

"What's on your mind, Julie?"

"Charles wrote to me."

"He did?" Elizabeth moved the baby to her shoulder and patted her back to burp her.

"Yeah. He…asked me to marry him. For Charlie. Like you and Jack did for Helen."

Elizabeth was speechless. That was certainly a surprise. "Is that what you want?" she finally asked.

"Its not fair, Beth. Shouldn't I get the chance to have a man marry me because he wants to and loves me? Why should I have to go into this situation when it might never change? What if he never loves me? What if somewhere out there someone is waiting for me?"

"I don't know how to answer that. I guess, if you feel like you're settling by marrying Charles, don't do it."

"I'm so lost without Charlie. If I say yes, I could be his Mama, Beth. I want that so much."

"Enough to give up on the possibility of love?"

"I don't know."

….

She tried to pray about it and leave it in God's hands, hoping she could come up with some compromise. For the next week, she prayed multiple times and left it with God each time. At the very least, she felt a bit better so she helped with Helen and Sammy while Elizabeth healed.

At the beginning of day eight, she took the older kids to the orphanage to play and then ran to the Mercantile for supplies. As she walked through town, the stage rolled in and stopped.

"Mama!" Julie turned at the voice, her heart filling with happiness.

"Charlie?" She reached up for him as the stage door opened. "Oh, darling! I've missed you so, so much."

Charles watched them hugging from the stage. "Beautiful," he mumbled to himself.

That was confusing. Never had he thought that about Julie before. But she was happy and so was Charlie and the sight of them made him happy too. That was also a feeling he hadn't had in awhile.

He stepped down out of the stage and reached for his suitcase.

Julie looked at him, dressed well as always, handsome. His eyes met hers. "Charles? Why are you here?"

"You didn't respond to my letter."

"No, I didn't. I don't want to get into this on the street."

"Potty," Charlie told her. She handed him to Charles. "I need to get some things for the dinner. I'll be inside."

As she shopped, she stewed about her decision. Now he would expect one soon. Nothing about this situation seemed fair at all.

"Grrrrr," she growled.

"Something wrong, Miss Thatcher?" Jesse asked with a grin.

"No, Mr. Flynn. Nothing wrong."

"You growled."

"Yeah, well, I apparently do that."

She paid for her basket full of items and turned to leave. As she walked out the door, she noticed them waiting on the porch.

"Mama!" Charlie said, grabbing her legs.

"I'll carry the basket," Charles offered.

"Thank you." She handed it to him and picked up Charlie. "Why are you here?" she asked again. "The real reason."

"That was the real reason. You didn't write me back."

"Of course I didn't!" she bellowed, forgetting they were in town. People stared at them but went about their business shortly after.

"What do you mean, of course? It was an important question. A serious one that affects all of us."

"Its not fair to me, Charles. I want a real marriage, not one where I may never know and feel love from my husband. Don't you think I deserve that?"

"Of course you do. But I thought you wanted to be Charlie's mother."

"I do and I want to be your wife. But not like that. That's just not fair."

"So you're saying no?"

"I don't know yet."

Charles sighed as they walked. He was more confused than ever now. "Did Beth have her baby?"

"Yes. A girl. She named her Violet Rose after Vi."

Julie looked at him and turned to enter the house. He stopped and stared for a moment. This trip was starting to get to him.

First, he found himself surprisingly attracted to his sister-in-law. Then, he smiled for the first time in ages. Julie was mad at his proposal when he thought she would have wanted it and now Beth named her daughter after Vi. What was next?