"Jack," Elizabeth said as they left the house, "I realize I misspoke earlier. It has been 2 weeks since I found out I was expecting and two MONTHS since we were united as husband and wife." "Oh I figured that's what you meant sweetheart".Jack said reassuring his bride he could read her like a book "I am sure it's just the fact that you are hungry. Given that you are ALREADY showing and it would ONLY be about 2 to 2 and a half months since the wedding,
and the fact that you are ALWAYS starving, I'm tempted to say it's twins." "Oh Jack!" Elizabeth said "Don't tease me like that, for if it is indeed twins, how shall I EVER go back to teaching, plus you'd think I was ugly and HUGE after giving birth to TWO babies at once." "Now THAT is where you are WRONG Mrs Thornton" Jack said adamantly "I love you regardless of how "HUGE" you get". This last commented was greeted by Elizabeth with a "Jack" and a playful slap on his arm. He grabbed her hand before she could pull it away and drowned her in a kiss. Jack and Elizabeth's house was comparable to Lee and Rosemary's house. It had 6 bedrooms, two INDOOR bathrooms. Two formal dining rooms, A parlor,
a sun room, a seating room, a kitchen. And it had a LOT of room for little ones to run. Just behind the house was a smaller house with about 5 bedrooms where any servants Elizabeth MIGHT desire to hire in the future could reside without interfering with her and Jack's life. Elizabeth took in the sight of her home, overlooking the lake and the church, and she didn't know how she could be happier. Silently her thoughts drifted to her unborn child and her first thought was "well little one, I will have to hire a nanny to help with you when I go back to teaching, if your daddy lets me that is." Jack touched her arm pulling her out of her reverier, and gently prodded her towards town. She glanced at his hand and saw the ring on his finger. Her heart swelled with pride that she got to call this man husband. "Lord," she began "thank you for putting this precious man by my side. Thank you for allowing me to find him and marry him.
Father, I pray that you watch over our baby...Or babies...and let it or them be healthy. I pray that they grow up to love you as Jack and I do. Amen" She added "And PLEASE let the baby be Jacks" in her head.
Elizabeth and Jack got back to town where Elizabeth was stopped by Julie "Julie!" Elizabeth exclaimed "I thought you had gone home by now. WHO is this?!" she inqured noticing a 3 year old and 1 year old with her sister. One had Julie's red hair and Elizabeth's blue eyes. The other child was a Thornton, that much was plain to see. "Julie" she continued "Please tell me you didn't run away from home to be with Tom"? "Yes Elizabeth" Julie said rather annoyed with her sister "as a matter of fact I did. I thought you'd be happy to hear that we are sisters in every way FINALLY. I am married to your brother in law, and my husbands brother married my sister. As to the kids, I'd like to intro-
duce you to Timothy Thornton and Tiffany Thornton. And I am expecting yet another child. So it appears you and I shall have our children roughly the same time Elizabeth. Oh we used to talk about that growing up. We'd both go out on this great adventure and find a person, fall in love and HOPEFULLY be married and expecting together. Well I have 2 before you have one, because Jack drug his feet. But hey 3 to 1 isn't bad." "Oh Julie" Elizabeth said, "I am SO Happy for you I know mom and dad didn't exactly approve of Tom, what did you do to get them to change their mind? Do I want to know?" "Well probably not Elizabeth, but I will tell you anyways" Julie said, sure her sister wouldn't like what she was going to say. "When I ran away from mom and dad to meet Tom that night, we did things, intimate things. Things I am not proud of" Jack's face turned red and he wanted to go talk to Tom, but Elizabeth held the pressure on his arm compelling him to stay by her side. "I got pregnant and Tom took off again. He wasn't ready to be a father, ashamed I went back to mother and father and told them what happened. Dad immediatelly hired mounties to find Thomas and bring him back. He then had a circuit judge marry Tom and I that moment." Julie paused and saw Jack's face before continuing "OH Jack! Don't be such a stick in the mud, we know you wanted my sister. Besides, times are changing AND it's not like Tom was ACTUALLY going to abandon me. He did it because he knew daddy would let us marry if I told him I was pregnant and Tom had run off."
Elizabeth was shocked by her sister's actions and ESPECIALLY by the suggestion that she and Jack would do anything less than proper during their courtship. She started to speak "Julie" but Jack quieted her with a whispered "Elizabeth do you really want to have this conversation now? In your condition and in front of all of our neighbors? If you argue with your sister, people might think that there is validity to what she says. And you and I both know we did nothing improper during our courtship or on our wedding day dearest". Hearing Jack reassure her she said "I am happy for you and Tom. Timothy and Tiffany are adorable! And I am glad I have a niece and nephew to spoil as I am sure Jack is as well" "Nothing but" Jack said "now if you will excuse us Mrs Thornton. I have to escort Mrs Thornton to the school and begin my duties as constable of Hope Valley again. I have a lot of paperwork to catch up on as I have been gone for so long." Jack escorted Elizabeth to the school and kissed her soundly before saying "I will pick you up promptly at 4 and we shall go for our walk. Don't delay Mrs Thornton or I shall be VERY upset" In his best teacher voice making ALL of her students giggle. Elizabeth walked him to the door, kissed him goodbye and said "I love you Jack, I will see you after school. Be safe I care about my constable" "What about the man?" Jack Queried "Well I don't know"
Elizabeth said, "I might need some convincing to care for him". She tried to escape but Jack caught her hand and twirled her back to him before kissing her soundly once again. "How's that? Keep in mind you didn't JUST marry the uniform you also married the man under it" Elizabeth blushed and said "Yes, I do care about the man WEARING the uniform as well. Now let me go or classes shall be late."
Elizabeth shut the door and turned to see all of her students staring at her and smiling Laura was the first to speak "You must really love him Ms Thatcher, I mean Mrs Thornton". "Yes Laura I do, otherwise I wouldn't have married him" Elizabeth said. "I got to be the flower girl at their wedding and see up close the way they looked at each other" Opal said matter of factly. "Mrs Thorton, you looked beautiful at your wedding" all of the kids said. "Thank you children," Elizabeth said "Now if you will all pickup your readers and turn to page 80, we will get started for the day." The rest of the day went by uneventfully, Elizabeth was exhausted though. She couldn't remember EVER being this tired before. She walked outside with the kids and locked up the school after they left. She started off to find Jack when she heard a "Yoohoo ELIZABETH!" turning around Elizabeth saw Rosemary Coulter walking towards her, with a bundle of blankets in her arms. "Rosemary" Elizabeth acknowledged "How are you? And who is this charming little angel"? She said noticing the bundle of blankets was a baby "Oh! This is Peter Jack Coulter" she said "Lee is beside himself since I had a boy. He says he hopes Jack is as fortunate given everything that happened. Oh Elizabeth I am SO Sorry about what that awful Garrison man did to you. What happened to the Tulliver gang?" Elizabeth didn't really feel like discussing the afternoon of her wedding but said, "The Tullivers all hung with Jake Garrison EXCEPT Nathan Tulliver. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his hand in the kidnapping and robbery. Plus all of his former crimes and escaping added another 5 years onto it. After that, he is to go into indentured servitude in the United States for 5 years before he will be reintegrated into society. His citizenship in Canada will be pulled when he is sent to the United States and he will NOT be allowed to return. As to the other issue Rosie, I don't wish to discuss it any further. Jack is the father of the child I carry as far as I am concerned and that is how it will remain." "Alright Elizabeth," Rosie said, rather miffed "And I won't print a WORD of your story in my column either. Now onto other things, would you like to hold little Peter?" "Of course I would Rosie" Elizabeth said, grateful for the opportunity to distract herself. "By the way thank you for not printing it. Since you know it would embarass Jack to no end and ruin his good reputation around here. I appreciate it so much Rosie. Hi little fellow, my you are a cutie" Elizabeth saw Rosemary turned her back for a second to wave at someone and said "Don't you turn out like your mom though little guy. Be as patient and loving as your daddy Lee, or Mountie Jack." Elizabeth kissed the baby and handed him back to Rosie before heading to find Jack.