Happly Thanksgiving (from Australia where we don't even celebrate Thanksgiving! )but I am thankful for all my Heartie friends and readers here (amongst other things) but this is why I wrote this chapter. So this is a Thanksgiving chapter from someone who has never even celebrated Thanksgiving but I hope I can do it justice and that you enjoy it.
The days and weeks passed quickly. Jack and Elizabeth's daughter Matilda was now four weeks old and Thanksgiving was fast approaching.
Elizabeth sat out on the verandah with Matilda in her arms. It had been a long day and she was expecting Jack to be home soon.
It wasn't long before she saw his red serge off in the distance.
"Daddy's almost home." She said to her daughter as she smiled down at her.
As Jack neared the house, Elizabeth stood up and waited on the top step.
Lately the days had seemed long, Matilda had certainly kept her busy, but she longed for the hours when Jack would be home.
"How was your day?" He asked greeting her with a kiss.
"Exhausting, I'm glad you're home." She said as she carefully placed Matilda into Jack's arms.
He smiled down at his daughter and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek.
"I don't think she's up for playing right now, she's due for another nap." Elizabeth informed him.
"That's ok." He told Elizabeth. "We'll just have some quiet cuddle time won't we Tilly?"
Elizabeth smiled and they both headed into the house.
"I'm going to start on supper." She told Jack as she headed into the kitchen.
Jack gently rocked Matilda and walked her through the kitchen before heading into the parlour.
Elizabeth got started on dinner and not too long after Jack returned to the kitchen looking for her.
"Elizabeth" He called, and she turned around to face him. "She spat up on my serge."
Elizabeth laughed as she looked over at him.
"I just fed her." She told him.
"Sorry."
"It's alright, she'll be fine, and you have a spare serge in the wardrobe. I'll arrange to get this one cleaned." She said as she pulled the serge off one of Jack's arms as he held Matilda with the other, he then took the baby in his other arm as Elizabeth pulled the coat down off the other side.
Elizabeth took the serge and put it out near the dirty laundry and returned to her cooking in the kitchen.
"Can I help?" Jack asked as he walked around with the sleeping baby in his arms.
"You are helping. You're taking care of Tilly." She reminded him.
"She's asleep though."
"She will wake up if you put her down in the day time." Elizabeth told him.
"Since when did she start doing that?" Jack asked surprised.
"Since Tuesday." Elizabeth told him. It was now Friday.
"Oh." He said wondering what else he may have missed out on.
"Don't worry, you have a couple of days to catch up with her now." Elizabeth said reading his mind. She smiled at him over her shoulder before looking back at her cooking.
"Abigail asked me today if we'd like to go to her place for Thanksgiving next week." Jack told her.
"Sounds great, I really need to get into town and see her sometime."
"I think she understands why you haven't been in much."
"I know, but it would be nice to get out more."
"It will get easier, once Tilly's a little older." Jack reminded her, and she nodded.
"How about the three of us go somewhere tomorrow?" Jack suggested.
"Sounds lovely. Where were you thinking?"
"You'll have to wait till tomorrow to find out." Jack said heading over to her side as he peered over her shoulder to see what she was cooking.
"So, it's a surprise?" She asked, and Jack nodded. She leaned over and placed a kiss on Jack's cheek. "I can't wait."
The next day
It was mid-morning and Jack and Elizabeth walked into town with Matilda.
"Are you going to tell me where we are going yet?" Elizabeth asked as she leant in to Jack's side as he carried their daughter in his arms.
"You'll see, first we need to stop at Abigail's."
Jack rested Matilda on his chest and held her with one arm as he reached out for Elizabeth's hand with the other as they headed for the café.
As they entered town some of the girls spotted Elizabeth and Jack and they rushed over to their side.
"Oh, she's so cute!" Exclaimed Emily as she looked up at the baby in Jack's arms.
"She's so tiny." Opal said gently touching the Matilda's small hand.
"She is." Elizabeth replied with a smile.
"When will she be coming to school?" Opal asked as she looked up at Elizabeth.
"Not for a few years yet Opal."
"A few years!" Opal exclaimed. "When will you be back at school Mrs Thornton? It's not the same having all the Mother's teach us every day."
"I'm taking quite a bit of time off to be with Tilly."
Opal's eyes grew wide upon hearing Elizabeth's words.
"You're not going to be our teacher?" Opal asked feeling rather shocked and she started to cry.
"I'll be back part time when Tilly's a little older, in the mean time we're looking for a new teacher for all of you."
Opal continued to cry, and Elizabeth noticed tears forming in the other girl's eyes.
"Oh girls, you'll see me all the time." Elizabeth said trying to console them.
"It won't be the same though Mrs Thornton." Said Anna.
The girls then all gathered around Elizabeth and hugged her. Elizabeth looked down at them sympathetically and then looked up at Jack and he gave her a look to say he understood.
"It won't be the same, but I still care about all of you. I promise to keep in touch with you as much as I possibly can." Elizabeth said trying to console them further.
The girls brightened a little as they let go of their hold on Elizabeth. Elizabeth gave the girls a smile and she noticed them look up at her, and they all tried their best to smile back through their shed tears.
"I'll see you girls soon alright?" She said and they all nodded their heads eagerly before they ran off to play.
"They really care about you." Jack said.
"I'm going to miss them myself."
Jack leaned over and placed a kiss on her cheek and she reached out for his hand and they headed over to the Café.
Abigail noticed the Thornton's enter the Café and she rushed over to their side.
"Oh, I've missed you both, and this little one." Abigail said as she looked down at Matilda before embracing Jack and Elizabeth. "How is the little Angel?" Abigail asked looking down at the baby.
"She's been sleeping like an Angel since we left home. I'm sure she'll be awake soon for some Aunty Abigail cuddles." Elizabeth said.
"I'd love that. Although I know you don't plan to stay long." Abigail said as she looked over at Jack knowingly.
"We can stay for a bit." Jack said and he carefully handed Matilda over to Abigail and placed her in his arms.
"She's such a little doll isn't she. She certainly seems to have your auburn hair Elizabeth." Abigail said noticing more of Matilda's hair had started to come through.
"She does." Jack replied with a smile.
"Why don't you two take a moment to yourselves while Matilda and I make ourselves busy?" Abigail suggested realising the new parents would likely appreciate the time out to take a moment.
Jack and Elizabeth nodded, and Abigail went off with Matilda, talking with her along the way as she showed her around the Café.
Jack found a nearby empty table and pulled out a seat for Elizabeth and she sat down before he took a seat himself.
"Are you going to tell me why we're here and where we're going yet?" She asked again, eager to know what he was up to.
"No, I'm not." He said with a grin as he reached over the table and took hold of her hand.
"Oh." Elizabeth said, feigning disappointment as she held onto Jack's hand.
Jack gave her a smile.
"I have to admit, it is a little strange being separated from Tilly." She admitted.
"She'll be alright with Abigail."
"I know, but Tilly's been attached to my side for the past four weeks and then I was carrying her the previous nine months. It's nice to have a breather but I…"
"You miss her?" Jack suggested as he finished her sentence. Elizabeth nodded.
"I understand a little. I know I miss both my girls when I'm at work." Jack said as he ran his thumb over the top of her hand and she gave him a smile.
Jack and Elizabeth heard Matilda's cries out in the kitchen and Jack hurried to his feet.
"You seem more worried than me." Elizabeth said as she got up from her seat.
Jack made his way over to her side and she leaned in and kissed him on the cheek and they both headed into the kitchen.
They found Abigail rocking Matilda in her arms as she walked around the kitchen.
"I think she's hungry." Elizabeth told Abigail, and Abigail handed Matilda back to her.
"You're welcome to go up to your old room and feed her if you like." Abigail suggested.
"Thank you." Elizabeth said, and she headed up the stairs with Matilda.
"So how are you both doing Jack, and I mean honestly." Abigail asked.
"We're really good Abigail, Elizabeth has been amazing with Tilly. I always knew she would be, but honestly she has just transitioned into Motherhood so naturally."
"And you?" Abigail asked.
"I'm fine. I think I mostly worry about the crying, I didn't realise babies cry so often." Jack said.
"They tend to do that. You just have to remember it's one of the only ways they can verbally communicate with you right now." She said thinking about when Peter was a baby. "You'll work it out soon enough, in time you'll know what that baby of yours is saying to you when she cries."
"I think Elizabeth has worked it out already."
"That's wonderful, but you're wishing you knew also?"
Jack nodded.
"Don't worry Jack, there's always a different adjustment period between men and their babies. You'll work it out in time."
"I know, I just want to be more helpful, for Elizabeth's sake."
"You underestimate yourself Jack. I know Elizabeth thinks the world of you as a husband and a Father. You don't need to worry, as you spend more time with your baby you'll get to know her and your role as a Father will become easier."
"I just wonder if I know what I'm doing sometimes."
"Jack Thornton, I've seen you with that baby, you're a natural. You definitely know what you're doing."
"I hope so." He said not entirely convinced but was thankful to hear Abigail's encouraging words.
"I know so. Now here's your picnic basket, you go have a lovely afternoon with that wife and baby of yours." She told him. "I need to attend to my customers, but you just make yourself comfortable for as long as you need."
"Thank you Abigail, I don't know what we'd do without you."
"I'm sure you'd both manage fine, but it's my pleasure." Abigail replied as she gave him a smile and then headed back into the dining room.
Jack headed up stairs to find Elizabeth and found her sitting in a chair at the side of the bedroom as she nursed Matilda.
"I think she's sleeping." Whispered Elizabeth.
"You want to wait here a while?"
"No, I think she's fine. She'll stay asleep." Elizabeth told him.
Jack took the baby from her arms as Elizabeth fixed herself up and they headed downstairs.
Jack handed Matilda back to Elizabeth and he grabbed the picnic basket off the table in the kitchen that Abigail had left them.
"Are we going on a picnic?" Elizabeth asked with a grin on her face.
"Maybe."
"We are." She said knowingly.
"Okay we are, but you don't know where we are going."
She gave him a playful smile in hopes of getting some details out of him, but Jack just shook his head and grinned.
They headed out of the Café and Jack guided her down main street and they walked towards the livery.
"You're taking me to the livery?" She asked. "We can't go riding with Tilly."
"We're going to the stables…"
"Jack Thornton! A snack in the stables?!" She exclaimed laughing.
He shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "I thought it would be… different." He said leading her over to an empty stall.
She noticed the fresh hay and picnic rug already set up.
"Well I do have to give you credit for the set up." Elizabeth told him.
"I thought you'd like it here?"
"I do, but I'm glad we didn't have to resolve to coming out here during our courtship."
"So am I. I was glad you moved into the row house, it was rather convenient" He said.
"You think?" She asked suggestively.
"So, you did have other motives for moving into the row house?"
"I did tell you I was setting down roots."
"In Hope Valley, not with me." Jack reminded her.
"Well I wasn't going to state the obvious, we were courting back then."
"I love you." Jack told her, and he kissed her.
"I love you too." She told him once they broke from the kiss.
He lead her over to the picnic rug and they sat down.
Jack placed Tilly down on the picnic rug and Elizabeth swaddled her firmer in her warm little blanket, thinking it was likely she would go back to sleep.
They both lay on the picnic rug with Tilly between them as they rested on their elbows and looked down at her.
"So how did you decide to bring us here of all places?" She asked Jack.
"I wanted to take you on a picnic, but I couldn't very well do so in this weather, especially with Tilly."
Elizabeth nodded, she looked down at Tilly and watched her little pink face and she leaned over abs placed a kiss on her cheek. Jack smiled, and he placed a kiss on Tilly's other cheek.
"I love that she has your eyes." Jack said as he looked down at Tilly's eyes and then back over at Elizabeth's.
"The colour may still change."
"Maybe, but they look so similar in shape and colour to yours, I don't think they'll change."
"I think she's asleep." Elizabeth whispered, and Jack nodded.
Jack carefully leaned over Tilly and placed a kiss on Elizabeth's lips.
They then heard a noise over at the entrance to the stables, and they noticed Lee coming in with his horse.
"Shh maybe he won't hear us." Jack said as they lay quietly with Tilly still in-between them.
Elizabeth pierced her lips together and waited.
Lee pulled his horse into a stable across the other side of the livery and then went to leave.
"Well hello you two, or I should say three." Lee said as he spotted them laying on the picnic rug.
"Hi Lee." Jack said as he and Elizabeth both sat up.
"Seems like I've caught you out." He said with a smile looking over at Jack and Elizabeth.
"Better you than Rosie, we'd never hear the end of it." Jack told him.
"Quite true." Lee said.
"Well I'll be off and leave you to your little picnic here."
"Thanks Lee." Jack said, and Lee made his way out of the livery.
"You hungry?" Jack asked Elizabeth as he grabbed the picnic basket.
"A little."
Jack and Elizabeth moved away from Tilly so as not to disturb her and they sat back in the fresh hay.
"I asked Abigail to make sure she put some of those muffins in here that you like so much." He told her as he started to take out the contents from the basket.
"There's so much food here, it looks like lunch, not a snack."
"You know Abigail." Jack said giving her a smile.
Elizabeth nodded, and she picked up a muffin and took a small bite.
Jack grabbed a muffin for himself and rested his back on one of the hay bales. He wrapped an arm around Elizabeth and pulled her back towards him.
She looked over her shoulder at Jack and smiled as she rested her back into the side of his chest.
"These really are good." He said as he took a bite of the muffin.
"This is what I've been telling you!" She said, and she noticed his dimpled smile make an appearance.
"So how are you really doing sweetheart, I know we've hardly had time to talk since Tilly was born."
"I'm really good Jack. The days are sometimes long but I'm really loving my time with her." Elizabeth said as she looked over at Tilly sleeping on the picnic rug. "I'm so glad we have the entire day to spend together though."
"Good." Jack said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.
"It's you I'm worried about."
"Me?" He asked surprised.
"You seem a little lost sometimes."
"I didn't realise you'd noticed."
"I'm your wife Jack, I notice when somethings not right with you." She said with concern in her voice.
"I see you and how you are with Tilly, and I worry that I'm not that good."
"Jack, you are every bit the amazing Father I knew you would be. Please don't doubt that."
"I believe you believe that, but when it comes to all this baby stuff, I often feel like a fish out of water."
"Sweetie, I see you with our little girl and I can see in your eyes how much you adore her. It breaks my heart to think that you have these worries. It takes time to adjust, you'll learn, we're learning all this together."
"You're such a natural Elizabeth, it seems like smooth sailing for you."
"In some ways I think those natural instincts have just kicked in for me, but other ways I'm just working it out as I go along. Jack, we can do this together alright? We are in this together remember."
Jack nodded as he felt more encouraged and he gave her a smile.
"Thank you." Jack said as he ran his fingers through her hair and played with the long strands.
"Whatever for?" Elizabeth asked surprised.
"For always knowing the right thing to say."
Jack leaned in and kissed her on the lips. She turned her body to face him and she wrapped her arms around his neck. They got lost in their kisses until they heard a little cry.
"I hope she's not cold." Elizabeth said as they broke away from their kiss. She noticed Tilly had gotten her little hand out of her blanket.
"Maybe we should pack up, it is fairly cold out today."
Jack packed up the picnic basket as Elizabeth went over and attended to her daughter, she swaddled her back up before bringing her up into her arms.
"Hey pretty girl, what's wrong?" She asked talking to her. Tilly's cries stopped as she listened to her Mother's voice and Elizabeth rocked her in her arms. A moment later she started to cry again. "You want your Daddy huh?" She asked her, and she took Tilly over and handed her to Jack.
Jack looked down at his daughter as he held her close.
"Are you tired little one? You sure look tired." He said and then Tilly yawned.
"See, you know exactly what you're doing." Elizabeth said as she gave him smile.
She picked up the picnic basket and the three of them headed out of the livery and went back home.
Thanksgiving Day
It was early Thanksgiving morning. Elizabeth woke to her daughters cries and she forced herself out of the bed and picked Tilly up from the cradle that was near their bed.
She held her close as Tilly's cries continued, and she went to take her out of the bedroom.
"Are you alright?" Jack asked.
"We're fine, go back to sleep."
"Really? I'm awake now anyway." Jack said starting to sit up in the bed.
"You rest, we'll be back once she's settled."
Elizabeth headed into Tilly's room and showed her the large painting of a forest and woodland animals that Jack had painted on the wall before she was born.
"You see this? Your Daddy painted this for you, isn't he clever." Elizabeth said hoping to calm Tilly, but she continued to cry. "Can you see all these animals here. Aren't they beautiful, but they're not as beautiful as you pretty girl." Elizabeth said as she placed a kiss on Tilly's head, as she continued to cry.
"What's wrong Tilly? I fed you an hour ago and you don't need a change." Elizabeth said looking down at Tilly. She rocked her in her arms as she looked around the room.
"How would you like this?" She said going over to the bookcase where she picked up Jack's blankie. She covered Tilly with it and her cries settled. "You like your Daddy's blankie huh."
Elizabeth headed back into her and Jack's bedroom and she placed Tilly in the bed next to Jack as she got in her herself.
"You gave her my blankie?"
"It was the only thing that would make her settle." Elizabeth told him as she looked down at Tilly who quietly lay between then two of them. Jack shook his head and they both lay quietly as they watched Tilly. They noticed her eyes every so often move from one parent to the other.
"I think she likes your blankie."
"Just please don't tell my Mother."
"I won't, it can be our little secret, and Tilly's of course."
She said leaning over giving Jack a quick kiss. He smiled, and they went back to watching their daughter until she finally went back to sleep.
Late that afternoon.
Jack and Elizabeth made their way over to the Church with Tilly. Rosemary had organised a Thanksgiving play with the children at the school. As they got closer they noticed all the children running around the front of the Church in their costumes.
"Hello Miss Thatcher." Opal said before covering her mouth with her hands upon realising her mistake. "I mean Mrs Thornton." She said, and Elizabeth and Jack smiled down at her.
"Hello Opal." Elizabeth said, she recognised Opal was dressed up as a turkey for the play. "Aren't you the cutest little turkey I ever did see." She told her.
Opal grinned up at Elizabeth before she looked down at herself in her costume.
"You're looking very handsome Cody." Jack said as Cody walked up to them, he was dressed as a Pilgrim.
Cody gave him a small smile before taking a closer look at Tilly in Jack's arms.
Anna, Hattie, Emily and Laura who were also dressed as pilgrims made their way over to Jack and Elizabeth and were eager to see little Tilly.
They all crowded around Jack and looked at the babies little face.
"Oh she's so cute." Said Anna.
"She has your eyes Mrs Thornton." Laura told her as she gave Elizabeth a smile.
"This is what I've been telling you, even they can notice it." Jack said as he looked over at Elizabeth.
Robert and Philip then ran past in their Indian costumes and disturbed the peace. Matilda wriggled in Jack's arms before she gave out a wail. The girls backed off a little as Jack started to rock her in his arms.
Rosemary then headed over to gather up all the children and bring them into the Church for the play to start.
"Oh, what's wrong little Tilly?" Rosemary asked as she heard the baby crying from Jack's arms.
"She's not used to all this excitement." Elizabeth told her.
"Poor little girl. Neither is Johnathan, though I'm sure it won't be long until their both running around here with all the other children."
"You're right. I can't believe how much Johnathan has grown already. Is he here?" Elizabeth asked.
"He's inside with Lee." Rosemary informed them. "I need to get going, we're about to start though so you might want to head in soon." Rosemary said as she headed off and tried to gather all the children again.
"Maybe she wants her Mummy?" Jack said, as Tilly continued to cry and he placed her into Elizabeth's arms. Tilly's cries stopped, and Jack felt relieved. He smiled over at his girls and then wrapped his arm around Elizabeth and they made their way into the Church.
The sun had set as Jack and Elizabeth exited the Church. The rest of the townsfolk dispersed out the front of the Church as the children ran around.
"We'll see you at the café soon?" Abigail asked as Jack and Elizabeth made their way down the steps.
"You will." Jack replied.
"Good. Sorry, I need to run, Cody needs me." She said giving both Jack and Elizabeth a smile before she rushed off.
Jack and Elizabeth didn't stay outside the Church long as they needed to get Tilly out of the cold night air, so they headed over to the Café.
They walked inside and saw that Abigail had beautifully decorated the cafés dining room. The tables had been pushed aside and there was a long table down the centre of the room, the room itself was decorated in Autumn colours.
"It's lovely in here." Elizabeth told Abigail as she saw her as soon as they entered the Café.
"Thank you, Becky helped me, she did a wonderful job."
Tilly woke and cried out, and Abigail gave her a sympathetic look.
"If you need to feed her you're welcome to use your old room again whenever you need to."
"Thank you Abigail, I think I will." Jack placed Tilly in Elizabeth's arms and she headed to the kitchen and then upstairs to feed her.
Elizabeth soon returned downstairs and it appeared everyone else had arrived. She made her way over to Jack who was chatting with Lee.
Rosemary came over to Elizabeth with Johnathan and Elizabeth gave her a smile.
"Aren't you a handsome little man." Elizabeth said to Johnathan as she noticed he was in a button up shirt and trousers. He was eight months old now and starting to look much more active and lively.
"Tilly sleeping again?" Rosemary asked remembering the newborn stage and Elizabeth nodded.
"The play tonight was wonderful Rosemary, you did such an amazing job with the children. I don't know how you even found the time."
"I managed, Lee is a great help when he's not working. I must thank Jack though, he did an amazing job on that back drop for us." Rosemary said reminding herself.
Abigail then came out and announced that dinner was almost ready and that everyone should take a seat.
Jack and Elizabeth found a seat across from Rosemary and Lee and they sat down.
"I hope you didn't paint another tiny likeness of us on that Thanksgiving back drop." She said leaning over and whispering in his ear.
"Well I can't promise that, but I can promise you there's no kissing this time." He said with a grin on his face as he looked over at Elizabeth to see her reaction.
"No kissing?" She asked slightly disappointed.
"Just wait till you find it, I think you'll like it." He said giving her a smile.
Tilly slept most of the night as Jack and Elizabeth enjoyed their evening out.
Rosemary however had her hands full the entire night as Johnathan was much too interested in everything that was going on around him.
"You want me to take him?" Jack offered.
"That would be wonderful." Rosemary exclaimed as she handed her boy over to Jack.
"You're a big boy aren't you." He said noticing the difference in size compared to Tilly.
Johnathan settled as he looked up into Jack's face as he recognised someone new.
"You know Uncle Jack." Rosemary said to him as she noticed the look on Johnathan's face. "I've just got to go find Lee. I will be back for him soon."
"No need to rush, I'm more than happy to take him off your hands." Jack told Rosemary as he bounced the boy on his knee. He noticed he was much more active and robust than Tilly was.
Eventually Johnathan relaxed on Jack's lap and he fell asleep.
"Oh my, how did you manage to get my boy to sleep?" Rosemary asked when she returned.
"Maybe Tilly had an influence on him?" He suggested looking over at his daughter who was fast asleep on Elizabeth's chest.
"Well if Tilly is anything like her Mother then I hope she will be an influence on him." Rosemary said. Elizabeth smiled at her kind words. "I think you may have the magic touch though Jack Thornton."
Jack carefully handed Johnathan over to Rosemary who stirred before resting comfortably in his Mother's arms.
"I don't know about that." Jack said.
"I've seen you with your daughter, I know you know what you're doing." Rosemary told him.
Jack shrugged his shoulders.
"Anyway, we need to get this boy to bed." Rosemary said as she looked down at her son.
"And we need to get Tilly home too." Elizabeth said to Jack. "I'll see you tomorrow Rosemary."
"Yes, at the Church."
They all said their goodbyes and made the way to their respective homes.
Back at Jack and Elizabeth's Home
Elizabeth kissed her sleeping daughter on the cheek and lay her in the cradle before she climbed into bed herself.
Jack wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer.
"So, what are you thankful for?" He asked her.
"I'm thankful that this is our first Thanksgiving as a married couple and our first with Matilda." She started as she snuggled closer to Jack.
"I like those." He said as he played with her tendrils of hair and listened.
"I'm thankful that you built us this new house we have, but most of all I'm thankful that you're my husband and that we have Tilly." She said giving him a smile.
"I think you've crossed off most of my list." Jack said with a smile and she noticed his dimples. She ran her hand over his cheek as she looked in his eyes.
"Most?"
"This time last year I was still away in the Northern Territories. I'm thankful to be home, and especially thankful that you made me your husband, and that you and Tilly are mine."
"Last Thanksgiving I felt so lonely without you here, I'm so thankful you're here now and I'm glad you're mine too." She said and placed her lips gently on Jack's and let them linger. She felt his lips respond with a gentle kiss before they broke away and looked into each-other's eyes.
"This was a perfect Thanksgiving."
"It was, I hope we have many more together like this." She said.
"I'm sure we will." He said giving her a kiss on the forehead. "We should get some sleep, before that girl of ours wakes up hungry again."
Elizabeth nodded, and Jack switched off the light on the bedside table before getting back under the blankets. He wrapped an arm over Elizabeth's waist and she snuggled into his chest once more and they fell asleep.
The next day
Early the next morning Jack and Elizabeth walked to the Church with Tilly. Jack kissed his girl's goodbye and left them at the Church as he went off to do his morning rounds.
Elizabeth headed into the Church with Tilly where she found Rosemary tidying up the Church after last night's Thanksgiving play.
"Elizabeth can you please shut the doors." Rosemary said just after Elizabeth entered. "Sorry, but with Johnathan crawling now he's bound to escape. He's so fast!"
Elizabeth smiled as she saw the little boy crawl across the floor and head towards her, just as she shut the doors behind her.
"Look at you, you clever boy." Elizabeth said as she bent down and greeted Johnathan before getting back up and heading over to Rosemary.
"You look like you've been busy." Elizabeth told her.
"I was up early so I thought I'd get a start on things." She told Rosemary.
"So, where can I start?" Elizabeth asked.
"You can take down the back drop if you like." Rosemary suggested.
Elizabeth found a quiet place on the floor near the backdrop where she could put Tilly down where she would be able to watch her. She placed some blankets down on the floor before placing Tilly down on them.
Elizabeth looked over at the backdrop and then moved closer taking in the finer details.
She noticed a very small outline of a Mountie and a young lady with a small child between them and they were all walking hand in hand. Elizabeth smiled to herself and then looked away before Rosemary noticed what she was looking at.
She started to pull down the back drop before she heard Tilly's cries. She looked over and saw Johnathan sitting next to her with his little hand on her face.
"Oh Johnathan, be gentle." Elizabeth said as she hurried over to the children.
Rosemary overheard her and came over also, she scooped up Johnathan into her arms to get him away from Matilda.
"You little scallywag, you need to be gentle. She's much smaller than you." Rosemary told him.
Elizabeth picked up Tilly and her crying soon settled.
"I think this is going to take us longer than expected." Rosemary said.
"Yes, but it is nice to have the children here with us isn't it?" Elizabeth said thinking how nice it was that her and Rosemary could share the experience of having young children at the same time.
"It is." She said smiling at Elizabeth. "Now you come with me Mister." Rosemary told Johnathan as she headed back over to the other side of the Church with him and she tried to get back to what she was doing.
Elizabeth kissed her daughter's cheek and looked back at the back drop.
"You see this Tilly? Daddy painted this." Elizabeth said showing her the backdrop. "You probably can't see this right now, but Daddy has painted a tiny little picture of all us together here, there's you, me and Daddy." She told her quietly, so Rosemary wouldn't overhear. "He loves us very much doesn't he." She asked Tilly, but she was mostly just saying her thoughts out loud.
Elizabeth took a few steps back and looked over the entirety of the backdrop as she rocked her daughter in her arms.
I hope all my American readers here are having a lovely Thanksgiving, and to all my other readers, wherever you are from, I am thankful that you're here reading 😊Would love to hear from you if you have the time to review.
Thank you 😊