(Chapter Twenty)
Arriving
On the day that Julie was scheduled to arrive, Elizabeth met Jack at his office and they walked to the stage coach office to wait for the afternoon stage to roll in.
When it neared the finaly bend, Julie could not contain her excitement to see her sister or the joy of once again becoming an aunt.
Viola was never very close to either julie or Elizabeth. The two sisters somehow had a connection somewhere deep inside. Viola was their sister and they loved her dearly. She had one little girl who was now 2 years old, and was now expecting her second child.
The stage appeared around that last corner and Jack almost had to hold Elizabeth back. He thought she might dart out to greet it.
Julie almost jumped out the door while it was still moving. I don't want to injure myself before I even arrive. So she held on tightly to the leather seat.
When the stage finally rolled to a stop, Jack opened the door and and excited Julie bounced out.
The two sisters embraced. "I've missed you, Beth," Julie finally managed through tear-filled eyes. "Me too," Elizabeth almost let her tears spill. No, she wouldn't. She had promised herself that she would contain her emotions. They pulled away reluctantly. Elizabeth wished that she could hold onto her sister for forever.
You'll always be welcome here, she wanted to say, but could not verbalize her thoughts. She feared she would burst into tears of joy and sadness if she spoke.
"It's so good to see you again, Julie," Jack said as he embraced his sister-in-law briefly.
She smiled, nodded, and managed to verbalize "You too, Jack."