Chapter 20

Following their embrace, Elizabeth and Charlette took a seat with Grace and Julie.

"What are you going to tell me that I am not going to believe?" Inquired Charlette.

"Well, I'm not sure where I am going to begin. You simply won't believe any of it." An excited Elizabeth began.

Charlette looked at her with confusion. She was excited and rambling. Grace saw Charlette's confusion and stepped in.

"What my excited daughter is trying to tell you is that our families have known each other for some time."

Now Charlette was really confused. "How is that possible Grace? Jack has known Elizabeth for a week or so now."

Grace smiled and began to tell Charlette the whole story. Elizabeth would jump in occasionally, but Grace did the majority of the talking. As the story continued, Charlette's look of confusion turned into great shock.

"Wait! Mr. Thatcher is Marcus? The man Tom helped during the warehouse robbery?"

Both Elizabeth and Grace nodded.

"How is that possible?"

Both ladies continued to nod their heads.

"Tom grew to really like Marcus. He thought he was a very good man. He would often talk about him, but his name was William Thatcher? I only knew him as William and that quickly turned into Marcus. Tom spoke of him often. For Tom, they became good friends." Charlette was having a difficult time processing this information.

"Yes, Charlette. William grew to really like Officer T."

"Officer T?"

"That's what William called Tom. Officer Thorton was too formal between friends, and he respected Tom too much to call him Tom. It was Elizabeth who began calling him Officer T. It just stuck between the two. It was a friendly nickname."

"Wait!" Charlette looked at Elizabeth when the realization of everything was beginning to settle. "That would make you…Cinderella?!"

Elizabeth nodded in agreement with a huge smile.

"Tom loved you like a daughter. I didn't know how he could with so little time, but he did."

"I loved Officer T. I would beg my father to let me go with him when he visited the warehouse so I could see him."

Just above a whisper, "Whenever Marcus called to see if Tom was available for lunch the next day, he always hoped his Cinderella would be there. He would go and get a Cinderella doll just in case you would be. Eventually, we just bought several so he wouldn't have to make a late night run to find one." She thought for a few moments, "I think I still have two or three of those dolls. He wasn't able to give to you. I thought about throwing them away but could never bring myself to do it."

"I have three of those dolls in my apartment and the rest is at mother's house in my old bedroom closet. They are important to me. He always made me feel so special."

"He always said that he hoped Jack would meet someone like you and would fall in love with her. I always said then why not introduce them.

Elizabeth laughed. "Father said that Officer T wanted me to marry his son."

"Oh, he did. I said why a girl like that your Cindarella when you already have the girl in front of you? Why not that girl? That's when he started to talk about an arranged marriage like the old days. I told him he couldn't make his son fall in love with anyone."

"William gave him a hard time about it, but I think he was secretly ok with it."

"When I warned him about pushing too much, he said he would begin to pray about it. When Tom had his mind made up about something, it was difficult to change it. I didn't think he would follow through with praying about it, but one night I woke up and heard him praying for Jack and his Cinderella to meet one day and fall in love."

All the ladies sat quietly sipping on their drinks thinking everything through. This was just too odd. Tom and William being good friends, Tom's love for Elizabeth and her love for him. How could all this be true?

"Well, I have to say Elizabeth, it seems that this relationship between you and my son was written in the stars for a couple of decades."

Elizabeth blushed. "It seems so. I have a hard time believing this."

…

Julie texted Tom asking him to join them for lunch in a couple of hours. After a few minutes, Tom replied eager to spend some time with his fiancé. She also informed him that she has a shocking piece of information she needed to share with him.

…

"Mr. Thatcher, thank you for joining me this morning." Jack began again.

"Jack, please call me William."

Jack offered William a faint smile.

"Sir, I would like to discuss Elizabeth and the future of our relationship."

William smiled. He knew this day was coming sooner rather than later. His middle daughter was a successful, intelligent, beautiful woman and it was only time before a suitor would request a conversation with him. He already liked Jack and after last night's revelation, he liked him even more. He thought about ending Jack's anxiety, but felt Jack needed to ask him the question for himself.

"Jack, take a deep breath. Relax, and ask me what you came here for."

Jack swallowed hard. He typically didn't get nervous, his job required that. He learned techniques throughout his numerous training session on how to control that emotion. However, ever since he met the Thatchers, he felt nervous constantly. "Mr. Thatcher, I love your daughter very much. I know it has only been a week, but I have fallen in love with her. She has quickly become the most important person to me. I have given her my heart without reservation. I want to spend today and tomorrow with her. A lifetime of todays and tomorrows. She is my soul mate. I am asking you for your blessing for her hand in marriage and for a lifetime together as one."

William smiled at Jack. For all his nerves, he thought Jack did well. In his short time seeing Jack and his daughter together, he could see the love between them. It was palpable. His concern wasn't if there were enough love for a lifetime. William's question was the time frame. Was this happening too fast for them to truly know what they want? Were they getting caught up in the beginning of a romance with no real foundation for a lifetime of love, a lifetime of struggle?

"Well, Jack, I have no concern of your love for Elizabeth or her love for you."

"So, may I ask what your concern is?"

"It's been one week since you meet, and one of those days you were afraid of her and avoided her." He grinned.

"I wasn't…well…I wasn't…Ok. I was a little bit afraid of her and avoided her. She was very rude, and I didn't wish to speak with her again."

William let out a loud laugh. He knew his daughter could be a little stubborn, but not rude. He heard everything that happened when Grace told him about it after her talk with Elizabeth. "She can be a little stubborn, but that is the first time I heard of her being rude."

"Well" Jack began until William cut him off. "I know Jack. Grace told me the entire story."

Jack was a little embarrassed. "So, what is your concern?"

"It's how fast this is happening. I'm afraid the foundation isn't being set for a lifetime together."

"Sir, how fast is too fast?"

…

Elizabeth kept looking at her watch. She knew where Jack was and was anxious to hear how his talk with her father was going. She wasn't paying any attention to where her mother, Charlette, and Julie were taking her. When they walked into a store, she looked up and saw something that stopped her in her tracks.

"Why are we here?"

"My dear, I suppose you will have a very short engagement."

Elizabeth laughed and then under her breath, "I hope so."

Grace smiled at her sensible daughter. "I imagine so. If that is the case, then we need to get this dress picked out now and altered so it will be ready soon."

"But Jack is just now talking with father. Do you think it will go well?"

"Yes dear, I do. Even if it doesn't, you are not sixteen seeking permission to extend your curfew."

Elizabeth nodded her head in agreement.

"Let's go, dear. We have a wedding dress to pick and two mother's gowns to find."

"You don't think it's bad luck or something to pick out a wedding gown before I am engaged?"

"Nonsense dear. This is a done deal; it's just not finalized yet. There is no chance this will not work out. This will end up with you being Mrs. Thorton."

She swooned over the name. "Mrs. Thorton" she whispered. Afraid if she said it too loud, she may jinx herself and everything would fly away on the breeze. Elizabeth hugged her mother in the middle of the doorway. She was grateful for her mother's understanding.

…

"Jack, I am not trying to argue just to argue. I trust my middle daughter. She has a level head on her shoulders. She isn't perfect, no one is, but she knows herself and she knows what makes her happy. She has grown into that, and I am proud of her. This is a discussion between a father and a man who loves his daughter."

Jack was reassured that William knew he loved Elizabeth. He also knew where William was coming from with his questions. He loved his daughter and cared for her. He only wanted the best for his middle daughter.

"Sir, I understand where you are coming from. I do love your daughter with all my heart."

"I don't question that, Jack. I can see it in your eyes. I can also see it in how you are around her. You look at her with admiration, not lust."

Jack smiled knowing her father is seeing the true feelings he has for Elizabeth. "Sir, if we wait for six months or two years, my love for your daughter couldn't be any greater than it is now. It would only be six months older. I have a lot to learn about your daughter's past, but I know her now. I look forward to living our future together. I promise you I will love her to the best of my ability. I don't do many things well, but I love her well. She is foremost in my thoughts and decisions?"

"What would you two do if I don't give my blessing?"

…

After trying on the third dress, she exhaled a long shaky breath. "Dear, what's wrong?"

"Mother, they have been gone for a couple of hours now. I have a strange feeling it is not going well. We shouldn't have pushed my luck with shopping so quickly."

"It's fine dear. Trust in your father."

"Mother!"

"Elizabeth, patience has never been a strong trait for you, was it?" Grace smiled at her expression. "Has Jack learned that about you yet?"

Elizabeth stood in front of her mother with her hands on her hips giving her a scary teacher face.

"What does Jack do when you do that?"

Elizabeth blushed. Speaking just above a whisper, "He smiles at me, tells me I'm adorable, and kisses me on the tip of my nose."

"You mean this look doesn't work on him?" She asked laughing.

"Not even in the least." She exclaimed. All the ladies laughed at her expression.

"I'm sorry about that, Elizabeth. I did that a lot when he was little. It worked in the beginning, but I think he grew immune to it." Charlette said laughing.

"That's ok. I don't think it would work anyways. He says I look too adorable." She blushed.

"Geesh, my boy has it bad."

…

"Sir, we want to start this marriage off right. We want your blessing. But sir, we are not teenagers seeking permission to go to the movies. We are both in our later twenties with careers. We have both lived on our own for years now. We do not desire to go against your wishes, but sir, we are going to be married. We just wish for your blessing."

Jack didn't know it, but that was what William was wanting to hear. He never liked people who just folded. He only worked with people who knew what they wanted and went about it the proper way. Jack was doing this the proper way. He was seeking his love's hand in marriage by asking permission, but also knew he didn't have to have it. Jack already had his respect, but he gained even more of it by his stance.

Jack was becoming very concerned over the silence. He was afraid he may have pushed too far with his last statement to William. "Sir, I…"

"Jack" William cut him off. You have my blessing. To be honest with you, I'm worried about the time frame. I think it's too soon."

"Sir" Jack repeated. "I understand you have concerns. You don't really know me. You knew my father. I'm still in shock over that."

"Jack, I said you have my blessing."

Jack was rambling. He couldn't stop it. "How is it possible that you knew my father even though you didn't live in the same town. And don't even get me started with how much my father thought of your daughter."

"Jack! Jack!"

"Who would even think this was possible. We…wait. What?"

"You ramble when you are nervous." Laughed William.

"I've been told."

"Jack, you have our blessing."

"Our?"

"Grace's and mine. You have our blessing. Elizabeth can be a little stubborn at times, but I think you are the perfect match for our middle daughter. You have our blessing to marry our daughter."

"Thank you sir." Jack stood to shake his hand. Instead, William leaned in and gave Jack a hug.

"Welcome to the family son."

Jack could only smile.

…

Elizabeth's phone buzzed in the seat across the room. She jumped down from the platform where she was getting pinned by the older lady working on the alterations. She moved so quickly she almost knocked the lady down. She ran across the room in a wedding gown. She knew where her phone was, but she was in such a hurry she couldn't find it.

Everyone was laughing at her antics. Julie calmly walked over and reached into Elizabeth's purse and picked up her phone. Elizabeth stared at her younger sister for a moment before grabbing her phone from Julie.

She looked at her screen expecting to see Jack's face, but she saw a picture of her father with a text stating, "Your boyfriend rambles when he is nervous."

She laughed knowing it to be true. She didn't want to be reminded of a fact she was aware of, she wanted to know how things went. She tried calling Jack, but she couldn't calm her fingers enough to tap the correct tabs on her phone. She was growing frustrated with herself and that wasn't helping either. She stopped, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath trying to control her emotions.

Her phone buzzed again, this time it was a text from Jack.

J – Hey Nani. What are you doing?

E – I'm shopping. How did things go with father?

J – you free for lunch?

E – Jack! How did things go?

J – It's almost lunch time.

E – How…Did…Things…Go…

J – lunch?

E – Thomas Jack Thorton! You better tell me!

J – your father warned me you are stubborn and impatient at times

E – Jack, you already know that. Tell me, please
J – Belle, I want to tell you but not over a text. Lunch?

E – fine Abagail's place in thirty min.

J – see you there

She huffed at his antics. She walked across the room with her phone still in her hand. All the ladies were standing looking at her waiting to hear what was happening.

"I know nothing!" She started frustrated. "Father texted me first telling me Jack rambles when he is nervous. Then Jack texted me asking me to meet him for lunch." Her posture was that of a five year old who was just told no by her parents.

"William didn't say anything else?" Asked Grace.

"No" She huffed again. "Jack didn't either. He wants to talk about it at lunch and not over a text."

Charlette laughed. "That sounds like Jack. He is a lot like my Thomas. He always wanted to have important conversations face to face and never over the phone, but sometimes I just wanted to know then and not have to wait until later."

Elizabeth stepped up on the platform again, "Let's go ladies. I have twenty minutes before I need to leave."

Everyone laughed at her eagerness. She bounced from foot to foot waiting on the nice lady to pin her wedding dress. She loved the dress. It was white with a sweetheart neckline. The back had beautiful ties that made the dress adjustable. They were not needed, the dress fit her perfectly as if it was made with her in mind. She loved the flow of the dress and how it fit each of her curves. The dress was modest, which she loved.

The lady finally stepped back and asked the other woman, "What do you think?"

With that statement, Elizabeth stepped down from the platform and ran to the dressing room to change.

"Well, I guess that means it's perfect." Everyone laughed at Grace's words.

…

Elizabeth didn't just walk down the sidewalk to the cafe, she speed walked down the sidewalk. She was laser focused on her mission to walk into the café as quickly as possible. The other ladies were having a difficult time keeping up. A ten to fifteen minute walk was done in just over six minutes.

When Elizabeth walked through the front door of Abagail's café, she quickly scanned the dining room looking for Jack. She found Jack and her father sitting at the booth where she and Jack usually sit. She walked directly up to Jack and placed her arms around him for a hug. Jack leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on her cheek. She looked into his eyes looking for any hints to his little secret he was keeping from her.

Finally, Charlette, Grace, and Julie walked into the café and walked over to where Jack, William, and Elizabeth were seated. A couple of minutes later Tom walked in. Julie jumped up and walked over to Tom.

"Tom, while we have everyone here, we might as well tell them about us."

"I agree. We need to get this out in the open so we can begin to plan our wedding."

Julie smiled at the term 'our wedding'. She was ready for this stage of her life to begin. She never pictured herself married, now she was having trouble waiting.

Julie and Tom walked up to the group holding hands. "Father, Mother, we both have something we need to talk to you about."

Elizabeth groaned under her breath. Not at the news of her sister's engagement, but at the fact that she was going to wait until Tom and Julie finished. Elizabeth's patience was already thin. Jack could sense she was tense and reached over to take her hand. He gently squeezed it to gain her attention. When she looked in her eyes, she instantly calmed, a little.

"Mom, would you please take a seat too. You need to hear this."

"Tom, what do you need to say to us?"

In unison, Tom and Julie said, "We're engaged!"

The group instantly feel silent. Grace looked over at William to try and gauge his thoughts. Jack looked at his mother wondering how she was going to react.

"Excuse me son."

"Ma, I asked Julie to marry me, and she agreed."

"You agreed?" Asked Grace.

"Yes. I agreed. We are getting married. I know what you are all thinking. I have always been the tumbleweed of the family."

Tom cut in, "We have always been the tumbleweed of the family. But we are not that way anymore. We have grown over the last few months. We have matured. That process began before we met each other, but we have encouraged each other to grow."

Julie took over, "I began to work at one job and was there two months before I met Tom. We both have been there for months now."

Grace sat back and thought about everything that was spoken so far. She couldn't deny that Julie has matured over the last few months. Charlette was thinking the same thing about Tom.

Elizabeth spoke up sitting beside Jack. "It's true mother. She has matured. I'm shocked but it's true."

"Hey" exclaimed Julie.

Elizabeth looked at Julie with an older sister look.

"After Tom and I came here, we feel in love with Hope Valley. We decided to move here. Tom already has a job; a better job and we have rented a house. I will begin college again. I am halfway through, so I will begin as a junior."

"Really?" Asked William.

"Yes, I begin next semester. I will continue my Pre-Elementary studies with a minor in art. I want to be an art teacher."

"Really?" Asked William, Grace, and Elizabeth.

"Yes. I may not be the person you all wanted, but I am becoming who I want to be."

"Rightfully so." Said Elizabeth.

…

Bill just finished his meeting with the mayor. The plans for the press conference tomorrow was finalized. He needed to get in touch with Jack to let him know of the details. His conversation with Superintendent Johnson kept replaying. Johnson wanted Jack to travel tomorrow to his next assignment if he wasn't going to accept the position with Bill. Bill's idea was for Jack to join as a detective for three months and then Bill would retire, and Jack would step into the role of Police Chief. He already had the mayor's approval along with the city councils. Now, he just needed Jack's acceptance.

Bill sends Jack a text message.

B – you busy today?

J – not too busy. What's up?

B – can you come by?

J – sure I'm with Elizabeth

B – she can come too. It won't take too long

J – in an hour?

B – see you then

Bill felt pretty confident that Jack would take the job offer, but nothing is settled until finalized. His hope was that Elizabeth would be Jack's deciding factor.

…

While Julie and Grace were talking, Jack showed Elizabeth the texts from Bill. She leaned in and read each text. She was a little surprised she was invited to the meeting. Jack has always involved her, when possible, but there were times when he couldn't. She knew about the job offer and was praying he would accept. She didn't want a long distance or an absent marriage. She was also happy with her current job and didn't want to leave it. What ever happen, she was with Jack and Jack was with her.

"Do you want me to come along?"

"Yes, Bella. I would like for you to come with me. We still haven't talked about the conversation your father and I had this morning."

"Oh" She forgot about that. With the discussion surrounding Julie and Tom, she forgot about the conversation from earlier today. "Let's slip out a little early. I want to know what he said."

"First, he said that you were impatient."

"You didn't already know that?" She sassed.

"Oh, I know. Trust me, I know."

She playfully hit him in the upper arm. Then she turned to her family and Charlette. "Chief Avery asked Jack to stop by and see him in his office. We are heading out to that meeting. Julie and Tom, congratulations on your engagement. Just let us know when you set the date."

Everyone said their goodbyes with hugs and kisses on the cheek. As they walked out of the cafe, Elizabeth leaned over to Jack and asked, "So, what did he say?"

"Patience, Elizabeth. Patience."

"Patience is overrated!" She exclaimed.

"We will not have this conversation walking to the jail."

"Fine, let's go to the park and we can sit on the bench and talk. We have time before the meeting with Bill." She took his hand and started to lead him to the park.

…

Julie spoke up after the silence when Jack and Elizabeth left. "We want to get married in five weeks. By then, our house will be set up and Tom will be established in his new job. I will find something part time until my school starts.

"This is a little shocking, sweetheart. I was not expecting this at all from you."

"I know, father. But I have honestly changed over the last few months."

"I can see that. I am grateful you want to go back to college. The original agreement is still in place."

"The original agreement?" Asked Tom.

"We made an agreement with all of our girls. If they went to college, it is our responsibility as their parents to pay for it. If she wants to go back to college, Grace and I will be happy to pay for it."

"Sir, with my new job I can afford it."

"Tom, I have no concerns with you. I know you can. We made this agreement long before we knew you."

He nodded. Julie tightened her hold on his hand. "Father. Let Tom and I talk about that. I do appreciate your willingness to pay for school, but we need to discuss it."

"Fair enough. Just know we are still willing to do it. It will help you two to begin your life together without the burden of college expenses."

Charlette spoke up while looking at her youngest son. "We have something to tell you." She told Tom the story of his father and William being friends and that Elizabeth was his Cinderella. For Tom, he was too young to remember too much about it.

"I just don't remember too much about it. I remember hearing pa talk about a Cinderella but I just don't remember it."

"Yes, son, you were way too young to remember it."

"It is pretty cool though."

…

As Jack and Elizabeth walked into the park, the wait was driving her crazy. "Jack, you need to tell me what he said."

He laughed at her eagerness. "Will it always be like this? You being so impatient you can't wait a couple of minutes?"

"Thomas Jack Thorton! You better tell me before I tickle it out of you."

"Have a seat, Bella and I will tell you."