The next morning….

"Why did it bother you so much that he suggested he pay you to watch Charlie?" Elizabeth asked.

"Beth, it made me feel he was not accepting how much I love Charlie. Like our relationship was nothing more than nanny and child."

"I see."

"Do you?"

"Yes, I do. Do you see though that he wasn't intending that?"

"Yes. I forgave him, Beth."

"Did you? Because what I saw this morning at breakfast was silence and lack of eye contact. You are avoiding talking to him."

"That's because I told him that I loved him, Beth. He didn't say it back. He didn't kiss me. He isn't ready for this."

"So you are giving up?"

"I don't know. My heart will break if I do that."

"It might. But if he isn't ready, you can't force the issue."

"I'm not forcing him. I am being honest with him."

"Honesty is good."

"Mama?" Charlie said quietly, tugging on Julie's hand.

"Hi, my darling." She picked him up and hugged him tight. "I love you."

"I love, Mama."

"Do you want to go with me to the store and to see Daddy?"

"Yeah! We go!"

"Do you mind if I go to town, Beth?"

"Of course not. Go ahead."

"We will be back soon."

As they walked to the store, Julie kept a hold on Charlie's hand as she was daydreaming. She loved Hope Valley. It was a perfect place to raise a family. However, the family she wanted still technically resided in Alberta. She couldn't expect Charles to move to Hope Valley permanently. His job was there.

"Mama! Bird!" Charlie said, pointing to the birds flying above them.

"I see, love. Yes, bird." The observations of a child were so simple. They didn't have many worries, they just looked around them and learned. She wished her own life was that simple.

After sending the telegram to her father, she and Charlie walked over to the bank. As soon as they closed the door behind them, Charlie greeted his father.

"Hi Daddy! I see bird!"

Charles looked up, his eyes filled with love as he looked at his son. "You did? What color was it?"

"I don't know," he said with a shrug. "Maybe, lello."

"A yellow bird?"

"Yeah. Lello."

Charles stepped out from behind the desk and walked over, kneeling in front of Charlie. "Are you being good today?"

"Yep." Charlie wrapped his arms around his father. "Love, Daddy."

"I love you more, son."

Charles stood, Charlie in his arms. He touched Julie's hand. "I'm surprised to see you."

"Can we talk for a moment? Maybe in your office?"

Charles looked at Luke. "Luke, I will be back in a few moments, alright?"

"Sure thing, Mr. Kensington."

The three of them went into the office and closed the door. Charles leaned against the desk after depositing Charlie in the chair. "What's on your mind, Julie?"

"I need to apologize to you."

"For what?"

"This morning. Well, last night and this morning. I said I forgave you but I didn't act like it this morning. I'm really sorry."

He touched her hands and pulled her closer. Before he realized what he was doing, he reached up and touched her cheek, tucking her hair behind her ears. "You're beautiful, Julie."

She didn't understand what that had to do with her apology but his gentle touch made a million butterflies take flight inside her stomach. If she didn't know better, the look he was giving her and his words meant he was actually feeling something for her.

"Thank you." She put her hand over his as it rested on her cheek. "Forgive me?"

He nodded and pulled her into his arms. "Nothing to forgive." He stroked her hair with his hand. "You know I care for you, right?"

"I guess I feel like maybe you aren't ready yet."

"I am, Julie."

"I'm not pressuring you so if you aren't ready, it's ok."

He leaned back a few inches and stared deep into her eyes. "I am ready. Last night, when you said you loved me…"

"I do. I felt like I needed to tell you."

"You are so important to me. At the very least, you are my best friend. But you are also the person I want to see every day and tell about something Charlie said or something that happened here. I love holding your hand and looking into your beautiful eyes, touching your soft skin…" He leaned forward and gently, slowly pressed his lips to hers, making her head swim. "I'm ready Julie. I want us to be a family."

"I want that too, so much." She leaned against his chest and sighed. "I'll marry you, Charles. I want to be your wife. I want to be Charlie's Mama."

…..

When Julie returned home with Charlie, Elizabeth could see the change in her. She seemed happy.

"Jules? What's going on?"

"I was wrong, Beth. He told me he is ready. He's ready for us to be a family! Can you believe it?"

"He did? I thought you said that last night he wasn't ready."

"I was wrong. I misread what happened. He kissed me today, Beth. It was the softest, sweetest kiss. It was perfect!"

"I'm happy for you, Julie."

But she was also worried. She had seen a few looks of longing in Charles' eyes but she hadn't seen anything that indicated he was actually ready to be Julie's husband. She didn't want Julie hurt but she was scared that was exactly what was going to happen, even if he didn't mean to do it.

"You don't look happy, Beth. This is what I've wanted for so long. I'm finally going to be a wife and a mother."

Elizabeth gave her a hug and forced a smile. "I am happy for you. Just be careful."

That evening, Elizabeth couldn't sleep. She was too concerned about Julie and Charles.

Jack rolled over and wrapped his arm around her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, why?"

"You sighed. Tell me."

"Julie told me that Charles kissed her and told her he was ready for them to be a family."

"That's good, isn't it?"

"Is it? Last I knew he was still grieving over Vi and was having trouble showing affection. Now he kisses her?"

"You and I both know how quickly hearts can open towards someone, don't we?"

"You don't think there's an issue, Jack? What if he changes his mind and hurts Julie in the process?"

"Sweetheart, the way I see it, he is trying to get there, if he isn't already. He took a leave from work in Alberta where I'm sure he made excellent money to take a job here making a lot less. He is courting Julie and I think he has been doing a pretty good job. If he isn't ready, it's really between him and Julie."

"She's my sister. I can't help but want to prevent a broken heart."

"Elizabeth, her heart could be broken if she was courting anyone. It's always a possibility. You could have broken my heart when we courted." He grinned at her.

"Honey, we hardly courted. You proposed to me the very first day we met."

"I wrote to you."

"True. Those letters were pretty wonderful," she admitted.

"I would call that courting. And the walks we took with Helen around the pond."

She tilted her chin back and gave him a kiss. "Alright, I suppose you courted me."

"Oh, and don't forget the flowers and the notes I left you around here after we got married."

"Did you honestly think I would break your heart, Jack?"

"No, but it's always a possibility in any relationship. Even ours or Charles and Julie. Let them handle it."

"Alright, but will you at least talk with him? Maybe just to see if you can see how he feels."

…..

The next day, at Jack's lunch break, he walked up to the bank to do just that.

"Good afternoon, Jack," Charles greeted. "What can I do for you?"

"Have you taken your lunch yet?"

"Nope. I will be in about five minutes."

"May I speak with you when you are on break?"

"Of course."

About ten minutes later, they were taking a walk in the beautiful weather. "So, I heard that you and Julie are getting married."

"At some point, yes."

"Well, the way I heard it, you told Julie you were ready to be a family."

"Yes. That is correct."

"So when is the big day?"

"I don't know. I haven't actually proposed."

"I'm not sure Julie knows that."

"Jack, I get the impression from your tone that you don't trust me or something."

"Well, the more you say, the more it makes it sound like Elizabeth was right."

"Right about what?"

"Julie is under the impression that you are going to get married. Elizabeth is concerned because she thinks you aren't ready and are going to break Julie's heart. I am starting to agree with her. What's going on Charles?"

"I care for her, Jack. There is nothing going on. It's what she wants. It will be what's best for Charlie and her."

"What about you?"

"I'm not concerned about me."

"You don't think you deserve to be happy?"

"I was happy. Then my happiness died along with my wife. Now I want Julie and Charlie to be happy. Look, Jack, I will take our vows seriously. I will be married to Julie forever and I will be good to her. We will have a family and everything will be fine. Like I said, I care for her. She is my best friend and I know she is a good mother to my son."

Jack couldn't believe the man was giving up on the possibility of love again. It confirmed that he wasn't ready but now Jack needed to take his own advice and let Julie and Charles handle it. It wasn't really his business. It was theirs.

As much as Jack couldn't understand what Charles was doing, he was doing essentially the same thing Jack himself had done for Helen. He was entering into a relationship or a marriage of convenience for the sake of a child. He couldn't fault his logic in that respect. Now, he just had to convince Elizabeth of that.

…..

Julie left the children with Elizabeth as they slept and took a walk up to the orphanage to apply for a job. She wanted to prove herself to her parents, even if now she was going to be a mother and a wife.

As she entered the kitchen, she smiled at Charlotte. "Morning Charlotte."

"Hi, Julie. How are you and my grandchildren?"

"Good. Everyone is doing just fine. How are you?"

"Fine as well."

"Is Abigail here?"

"She is out walking with the Pastor. That Bill is a good choice for her, I think."

"Are they courting?"

"Yes, finally. They had intended to do it quite a while back but things kept getting in the way. Now Bill asked her and she agreed."

"That's a good thing."

"Yes. She will be back in about thirty minutes. Maybe I can help you?"

"I need a job. Something that I can make a little money at but make a difference."

"Well, Mary is going to be leaving us soon. She is moving out of town so we do have an opening. Would you like me to ask Abigail for you?"

"That's alright. I will come back later. Thank you, Charlotte."

…..

Jack headed back to the mercantile to speak with Jesse before heading back to work. "Jack, good to see you."

"You too, Jesse. Got a moment?"

"Yes. Of course."

"I spoke with Elizabeth and we agreed that I should invest in the mercantile."

"Great! I have some blueprints drawn up. Would you like to see them?"

"I would yes. Can I stop by after work?"

"Sure thing. See you then."