In the morning, Jack dressed in a black suit and hurried off to church. He didn't have much of an appetite for breakfast.
At the church he found Elli, looking somber in a plain black dress with Stu by her side. The three exchanged sullen glances, no knowing quite what to say. At the end of the sanctuary, in front of the altar, rested Ellen's casket. White cloths were draped over the top, buried in more flowers than Jack could plant in a season. Pastor Carter stood to the side, muttering a silent prayer.
Soon townspeople began to trickle in for the funeral service. Jack, Elli, and Stu took seats in the front pews, and the funeral commenced. Carter spoke comforting words about how Ellen was in the arms of the Harvest Goddess now, in the company of her deceased husband and daughter. In a segment that brought tears to the eyes of all present, the mayor gave a brief history of her life and spoke about her loving and gentle personality.
When the service was over, the organ pumped out some of Ellen's favorite hymns. The rest of the guests filed outside, headed towards Doug's Inn for a meal in Ellen's memory.
Jack turned to Elli. Her face was covered by her hands, her shoulders bubbling with suppressed sobs. Her face appeared from behind her hands. "Can I have a moment alone, please?"
"Of course." Jack took Stu by the hand and led him outside.
On the church steps, the pair of was silent. Jack watched the boy as he sat on the step, fiddling with a pile of dust and pebbles. His pale young face was oddly blank. No tears, no puffy red cheeks, no mournfulness at all. "You're being pretty brave," said Jack, sitting down beside him. The boy shrugged. "I was about your age when my grandmother died. I cried my eyes out then." He glanced over at Stu, expecting a response. None came until after a period of companionable silence.
"It's not fair." Stu chucked a rock down the steps. "Now me and Elli hafta be all alone."
Not necessarily... "Tomorrow, do you want to come over and help feed the cows?" Jack hoped this would cheer him up. Stu loved the animals.
He looked up suddenly. "Yeah, I'd love too!"
"Good," replied Jack. "In fact, you can come help every day, if you'd like."
"Really?"
"Yes. I'll be right back." With that, Jack stood and surged into the church, as if pushed by a sudden gust of wind. He had someone else to cheer up.
Elli was kneeling by the coffin with her head bowed low. She stood when she heard the door burst open and hastily swiped tears off her cheeks. "Jack? What's wrong?"
He crossed the church in a few swift steps. Elli gasped as he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her close. "Elli," he said, "marry me."
She stiffened in his grip; he could feel her muscles tighten. "What?"
"Marry me," her repeated. "It'll be good. Stu can come live with us on the farm. the two of you won't have to be alone!"
She didn't answer, just stared at him with eyes as white and wide as chicken eggs. Silently, he pleaded for her to say "yes." She was speechless. With joy, right?
Wrong. Her fist crashing into his jaw said so.
"You BASTARD!" Her voice was thick. "You'd dare ask me that at my own grandmother's funeral? In front of the body?!"
"I-I thought you'd be happy!"
Her face was wild with emotion. "I'm still grieving!" She pushed past him. He could only watch in shock as she flew down the aisle, away from him.
The marriage was put off. Again. This time, all hope may be gone. He chased after her.
He already knew where she was going. There was one place she always went when she was distressed. Once she told him her parents had often taken her there to picnic before their deaths.
A chilly wind blew, spurring him onwards as his feet took him along the street. Before he knew it, he was right where he knew she would be. The lake on Mother's Peak, frozen over in the winter season, covered with a dusty layer of snow. Elli sat huddled on the shore with her arms around her knees. Jack approached her, and she did not look up.
"Aren't you cold?" he asked, standing over her.
"No."
Silence. Winter was awfully quiet.
"Why don't you put this on?" Jack shrugged off his suit jacket and extended it to her. She reached with an impassive arm to take it, and draped it across her shoulders. The oversized jacket made her look small. "No offense," said Jack, "But you're acting like a little kid." He sat next to her in the snow.
"Can't I?" She sighed, and finally shot him a begrudging look. "I've been the adult ever since my parents died. It's been almost eight years. Don't I get one day to cry and pout and wish for my mommy?"
Jack looked at his feet. "If you marry me, you can act like that every day." That earned him a sharp glare. "It was a joke."
"Not a funny one."
"Look. I didn't mean to upset you by proposing. I thought I could cheer you up."
Silence, again.
"Don't you have anything to say?"
No response.
"Well?"
"Shhh. Listen."
"Huh?" What was she talking about?
After a moment he heard it. Rustling, coming from somewhere behind the pair. Simultaneously, they turned to see the bushes twitch. A low growl sounded. Jack shot to his feet and pulled Elli with him. "Must be some animal. We'd better leave it alone."
Just then the creature pounced. A flurry of brown fur leapt from the underbrush with a hissing snarl, white teeth flashing. Elli shrieked as Jack jerked her out of the way, and together they ran from the scene. Not until they arrived at the woodcutter's house did they realize the animal wasn't chasing them. Their sprint slowed to a jog, and finally a walk. Both were surprised to see that their hands were entwined.
"That was scary," panted Elli. She giggled. Her face was red and hosted a smile. Her first genuine smile in days.
"Yeah," agreed Jack. He was about to say more, but Elli stopped him with a sudden kiss. He pulled away. "What was that for?"
"Of course I'll marry you, Jack." Elli grinned. He stared at her for a moment, not quite believing her rapid changed of attitude. Then he let out a loud whoop of joy and crushed her into his arms. They did not let go of each other until back at Doug's Inn.
43789970(I need a better way to make these separation lines)7385934899092038
"And so we are happy to now announce our engagement today. It's what Ellen would've wanted."
The announcement was met with enthusiastic applause from the people at the inn. Stu was the first person to reach them. "You're gonna be my brother!" he gleefully shouted, tripping over his own feet in the effort to reach them.
The mayor was soon behind him. "Congratulations," he said warmly. "Ellen will be watching over you."
Then came the doctor, looking as if his sheep just lost the annual wool festival in Rose Square. "Congrats," he said simply. He sulked his way to the food counter as more townspeople approached.
Jack and Elli, standing at the front of the dining room, smiled as they received best wishes from everyone. Though Ellen's life had ended, their new life together was just beginning.
Jack would be dead within the hour. He would not tolerate being thwarted like so.