Chapter 35

As the coach rattled along, Elizabeth fell asleep leaning against Jack. Her steady breathing and occasional soft snoring sounds reminded him of the time she fell asleep in the saloon after being up all night researching ways to help the widows save their homes. He smiled remembering how peaceful she looked and how he left the note on her face. If that were to happen now, he most definitely would have kissed her awake, but then he wasn't thinking that. He remembered admiring her tenacity in searching for an answer to the widow's plight. His thoughts raced to the future when their own children arrived and he knew she would miss the classroom. He kissed the top of her head and grinned thinking of her carrying a child and how he would have to watch over her to make sure she didn't stumble and fall down. He looked forward to having a baby with her even though the thought of becoming a father made him nervous. He had to admit the thought of becoming a husband made him nervous too. Neither one of them knew the first thing about be married and although he often dreamed of her as his wife, he knew that day to day life would present obstacles they would have to deal with together and it wouldn't always be easy. He had so much to do when they finally arrived back in Coal Valley and he couldn't wait to see Adam Miller and discuss their house, he had a few ideas that he wanted Adam to incorporate into the design, ideas he wanted to surprise Elizabeth with and knew she would appreciate. He closed his eyes, soon fell asleep and began to dream.

'Jack enters their house, Elizabeth is there in a very pretty blue nightgown, it was short and lacy. "Elizabeth why are you wearing that?" She had her hand on her hip and one leg bent behind the other, "Come on Jack, let's make a baby…" Jack stumbles as he takes off his red serge jacket, "What? What did you say?" Elizabeth takes his hand and leads him through the first door, there are 12 babies in highchairs, all looking at Jack. Through a second door, there are 12 more babies looking at Jack. Elizabeth pulls him through the third door where there is a giant bed covered in a gold satin comforter…'

The dream startled Jack awake and he sat up straight, breathing heavy. He looked at Elizabeth, glad she was still sleeping. "What a dream," he wiped slight perspiration from his forehead. "That's a lot of babies."

Elizabeth stirred, "Jack…" She was having her own dream.

'…one baby was crying, Jack was feeding another baby, Elizabeth was rocking a baby and two were sleeping in a nearby cradle, and another baby was sitting on the floor playing with blocks. "Elizabeth, hurry up, that one needs a diaper change!" Jack yelled. "Shhh, I'm trying to get this one to sleep so I can change that one," she said to Jack. "Once the others wake up, they'll need to be fed too!" Jack replied. "Oh Jack, relax, I'm pregnant and moving as fast as I can…'

"Jack!" She moved against him, pressing her hand on his leg.

Jack glanced down at her, not really wanting her to wake up now.

She moved again, leaning her face on his shoulder, "Oh Jack…"

"What? I'm here." he whispered.

Her eyes fluttered open, "What? Where are the babies?"

"Babies? What about the babies?" How could she know what I dreamed about, he wondered.

"I had such a bizarre dream, we had all these babies…" she placed her hand on her chest.

"I know how you feel," Jack wiped his palms on his thighs.

"You do?"

"Yes, I had a dream about babies too," Jack said.

"Oh…" She said softly, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. The two sat in silence for a moment.

"Well, just a dream, right?" Jack tried to lighten the mood, not wanting to tell her about all the babies in his dream.

"Yes, I suppose so," she didn't want to tell him that in her dream they had so many babies.

"We'll be home soon," Jack said softly.

Elizabeth nodded, wanting to forget her dream, "Jack how will we find time to be alone once we're home?"

"We'll find time don't worry, we'll walk to our spot, and don't forget we'll be working on our house together, so we'll have some private time there," he shifted slightly.

She rubbed his arm, "Might be a nice way to keep warm in the cold of winter," she said as she kissed his cheek, "if we're married before winter sets in…"

Jack sighed, "I wasn't exactly thinking of that…but now that you say it, sure would be nice to keep the winter chill out holding you in my arms every night."

"Won't our house be ready before Christmas?"

"I don't know, I suppose I'll know better once I talk with Adam."

"Remember Jack, no big elaborate house, promise?" She squeezed his arm.

"Of course….just one big bedroom," a laugh escaping through his lips.

She sat up straight, "Jack! Very funny! How could you say that…"

He interrupted her with a kiss. "Elizabeth, you and I will talk to Adam about what we want…but remember the sketch I showed you? That's the basic plan and you're going to help design the inside."

"Well I don't know the first thing about that, but I'll be glad to help."

"You don't want to help design our bedroom?" He whispered.

She looked around nervously, "Well, what's to design?"

Jack shrugged, "We need windows, so the morning sun can come in and wake up my beautiful wife."

"Won't that be my husband's job, to wake me up?" she leaned closer.

He swallowed a laugh, "Sure, but I imagine you're a pretty deep sleeper, might be hard to wake you up."

"You'll have to be inventive then…" she ran her finger down his cheek and across his chin.

"What do you think would wake you up?" Jack was intrigued, "I've never had to wake up a wife before…"

She took his hand and put it on her waist, "I think if you touched me…"

"There?" He spread his fingers and moved his hand slightly, "or there?"

She took a deep breath and her eyes widened, "Yes, I'd stir…oh, yes I would wake up if these lips were to come my way," she ran her fingers over his lips.

He moved his hand to her shoulder and pushed the material slightly and kissed her shoulder, "If I put them here, would that wake you up?"

She sighed and rolled her head to the side, "Maybe…but you'd have to do more…"

He continued with soft kisses toward her neck as he gently rubbed her side with one hand and squeezed her shoulder with the other. "Can I ask you something?"

"Not now," she put her hands on his face and kissed his lips.

"Elizabeth! What's gotten into you?" Jack asked as she continued touching his face and kissing him.

"I've had a wonderful time with you Jack, we've shared so much on this trip. Thank you for making my trip home so wonderful, I'll never forget it. I love you." She sat back and looked at him.

He smiled, "I love you too and I'm so glad we made so many special memories. Now next we have to plan our wedding, are you ready to do that? How about we start with where we'll get married?"

"In the church you helped build, it has to be there. We can have our guests back at Abigail's Café. She'll have to get people to help of course."

"I think our friends will want to help us celebrate," he moved closer, "and then there's the honeymoon."

She leaned back, "The one we're going to take to New York?"

He reached for her necklace and she jumped at the touch of his fingers.

"You can pretend you're anywhere you want, but you'll be in our house… in our bedroom… in our bed," he was inches from her face. "I think you're going to like it…" He played with her necklace, his fingers brushing her skin.

She looked in his eyes and then looked at his hand, "I think I will…"

"I'll make sure of it."

"How will you do that?" She leaned back as he kept getting closer.

He smiled, "I think I can do that…"

"Oh really Constable….," she whispered, crinkling her nose.

"Oh, it will be all Jack, I promise you that," he whispered.

"Well I look forward to that," she said, "and you're blushing…all Jack."

"That's not all I'm doing," he pulled her up as he sat up and cleared his throat, "So how soon can we get married?"

Elizabeth smiled, "As soon as the house is ready."

He folded his arms across his chest and looked out the window.

Elizabeth wondered if she said something wrong, "Is that not what you were thinking? When do you want to get married Jack?" She rested her hand on his thigh.

Jack picked up her hand, "Whenever you want. It's fine with me." He touched her engagement ring.

Elizabeth saw his somber look, "Don't worry, as soon as we decide, we can get my family here quickly and we can get married."

He lifted her hand and kissed it, "Good. Before that, we have a lot of decisions to make."

"I know and we'll make them," she worried slightly at his concerned tone, "Jack, you aren't worried about this are you?"

"No, just don't like to depend on others for things...and I was just thinking about babies…"

Elizabeth smiled, "Babies? Why?" She asked, hesitation in her voice.

He rubbed his chin, "How many we might have…" he looked so pensive, thinking about his dream.

Elizabeth looked away for a moment, "We talked about this once before, two or three is what I thought we decided on. Have you changed your mind?"

He slapped his thigh, "That's right, two or three. But back to the wedding, who will stand up for you?"

Elizabeth's mouth opened, surprised at his quick change, "Well…I suppose Julie…and you, who will stand up with you?"

"I don't know, I think I'd like to ask Bill Avery and if he isn't around Adam would do it," he looked at her out of the corner of his eye, "I guess I could always track down Marco, he'd do it. But I don't want him to steal you away from me," Jack smiled.

"That would never happen," she said, tilting her head knowing he was joking.

"Good, because I think he'd like to have you run off with him and be a gypsy," Jack grinned.

Elizabeth laughed, "Could you see me living a gypsy life?" She ran her finger down the side of his face and then looked up, "Although he did have those amazing blonde curls…."

The coach went over a bump and they both lifted from their seats and Elizabeth's hand came down on Jack's thigh. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she was embarrassed and quickly moved her hand.

Jack cracked a grin at where her hand landed, "It's hmmm, okay. See what happens when you think of another man."

"I wasn't thinking of another man!"

"Hmmm, speaking of Marco, where is that book anyway, I think I'd like you to read some more of it to me. Once we're back in Coal Valley you won't be able to read to me very much, we'll be too busy."

She looked at him, "Well, I suppose I could read just a little," she grabbed her bag and searched for the book, "wait, you have the book."

Jack reached in and pulled the book out, "So I do."

"Why don't you read to me?" She snuggled at his side.

"Okay, I will…" Jack sat back and put his feet up on the opposite bench.

"Marco threw his coat onto the chair, his office dark and cold. He lit a lamp and poured himself a glass of whiskey. Before he could get the burning liquid down he heard the door open. It was her, he could smell her perfume, heard the swish of her gown. She touched his back and he felt heat rush through his body. He turned, picked her up against his strong chest and kissed her. She raised a leg against his side and he took her to his desk and with one swoop he cleared the top and laid her down."

Jack read ahead, cleared his throat and looked at Elizabeth whose eyes were cast down, her cheeks pink, "Well, that Marco's quite the man isn't he?" He commented.

Elizabeth put her hand on the book, "Keep going!"

Jack slammed the book shut, "I can't read that out loud!"

"Why? What happens next?" Elizabeth reached for the book.

Jack pulled the book out of her reach, "Elizabeth, have you actually read this book?"

"No…well, just parts of it," She looked up into his eyes.

"I don't think you've read that part! Let's put it away for now," Jack tucked the book back into his bag. The look of innocence in her eyes melted him and also worried him. "You don't need to read that."

"Julie said since I'm getting married, that I should read it."

"Never mind what Julie says. Sometimes fiction can put false expectations in your mind," Jack said.

She giggled, "Jack, I know you aren't going to throw me on a desk…"

Jack raised his eyebrows, "Well, how do you know that I won't do that?"

"It's just for fun Jack."

"I know, but books like that can put ideas in your mind, unrealistic ideas and expectations..."

"When you were young didn't you ever read about cowboys and outlaws and gunfights? It's the same thing. That's all fiction too."

Jack nodded, knowing he wasn't going to win. "Okay, but don't expect me to come home and toss you around on the furniture."

Elizabeth giggled, "Jack Thornton, you rascal. I will be expecting you to do something like that!"

He looked at her and shook his head, "Come here, this is where I want you, in my arms," he pulled her into his embrace and kissed her.

The coach hit another bump and they both bounced to the floor, laughing. Jack leaned over Elizabeth, "This is….interesting. I didn't expect to end our trip like this…"

She looked up into his eyes, "We've gotten so much closer… in so many ways…"

He nodded and she touched his face. Jack kept his arms straight, not wanting to put his weight on her, not daring to get that close. Finally he got back onto the seat and helped her return next to him.

They glanced at each other, smiling, knowing this adventure may be ending but a whole new one was about to begin.