Families

Chapter 02

The Dance

Since Caroline knew she didn't have any set appointments or babies on the way she stayed at the post for a few days. In the weekend it was the spring-dance and when Bob the same night as Buck and Lillian's baby was born had asked her to accompany him she had happily accepted. Since the baby had been a natural on feeding she had left Lillian and Buck alone to enjoy the baby and went back to Bob's house. They hadn't even had time to make dinner before they ended up in bed. 'Indeed, this spring will be different' Caroline had thought.

As members of the RCMP Bob and Buck had been ordered to help out with setting the town-hall in order for the dance. It had been as good time as any for Caroline to check out Lillian. She had been up for a few short moments, but there was no way she'd be able to manage it to the dance.

"It doesn't matter, I'm happy here" Lillian smiled down at her nursing child. "Besides I don't have anything to wear" she looked up at her friend "But why don't you open that closet" she pointed with her free hand and saw Caroline walk over. "Take out the green one and try it on" she more or less ordered.

Caroline did as he friend had said. She had packed her traditional Inuit outfit as she had suspected she'd be around for the dance. "I've never had a dress like this" she said and looked in the full-length mirror.

"Come here" Lillian waved her over and showed her how to push her breast so the décolletage was more attractive. At first Caroline had stepped back at the touch from the other woman but Lillian had simply said "I don't think we have any more secrets" referring to where Caroline had had her hands during the birth of the baby.

Caroline laughed and stepped closer again "I guess we don't"

"I knew it would match your eyes" Lillian said with tears in hers "I want you to have it"

"I can borrow it but surely you will need it yourself again some time" Caroline said.

Lillian shook her head "It has hung there since we came here. I've not been able to wear it since our engagement party" she said.

"If you're really sure" Caroline swirled around.

"I am. As we don't know it already but Bob won't be able to keep neither eyes nor hands off you" Lillian said.

Caroline changed out of the dress and then made some tea for them both.

"I will miss you when you go back home" Lillian confessed "I'm not sure I'll cope with everything, especially when Buck needs to go back out"

"I promise you will find your way around everything. I see women do it all the time. Sometimes they had to get straight back to normal life because of older children being around and the husband is out hunting or something" Caroline said and went on "Besides I'll pop in whenever I'm close"

It seemed to calm Lillian a bit.

Bob had been told to pick Caroline up at the Frobisher's home. Lillian had helped her with a little bit of make up and made something amazing with her long hair. They had a few times giggled like they were teenagers and not 25 as they both were. Buck had left them alone with the baby sleeping in it's crib next to Lillian's side of the bed.

Bob stood there quiet taking her in. The green fabric in her dress made her eyes sparkle. "You look amazing" he said when he finally found his speech.

"Thank you" Caroline said blushing. Bob had on his red serge and looked as handsome as he always did.

"Shall we leave?" Bob offered her his arm.

"Wait" Lillian said "Let me take a photo of you" it didn't happen so often but now and then she and Buck remembered to use the camera they had gotten from her parents as a wedding gift. "Smile" she said and took the picture.

She hugged Caroline and told her to have fun for her as well and with a stern look at Bob she said "Send Buck home early and somewhat sober this time. I don't want him to wake the baby if she's sleeping"

"I will try my best" Bob said and knew Buck would go home early, all he had talked about at work this week had been the baby. It had brought thoughts to him of a family of his own.

Bob woke up the next morning with Caroline in his arms. He knew she would leave this afternoon, just as he and Buck wanted to get back to the post with the dogs he knew she wanted hers back in the village. As he was used to care for himself he got up and made them breakfast. He was standing by the stove frying eggs and bacon when he felt a pair of arms around his waist.

"Good morning lover" Caroline whispered in his ear.

"Good morning to you too" Bob turned around and kissed her. "I'm making breakfast" he stated the obvious.

"That's one of the many things I love about you" Caroline smiled and got busy making them some coffee. "You will one day, although you at times are away a lot, make someone a good husband" she took out some plates. It wasn't much he had in his cupboards and it was all in materials easy to pack and bring outside.

Bob rested on the counter and crossed his arms. When Caroline looked up at him from the kitchen table she was setting he smiled "I've been thinking about that" he said.

"About what?" Caroline wondered.

"About being someone's husband" he walked over and opened a drawer in his desk. He then stood behind her and put his arms around her resting his chin on her shoulder "What would you say about me being your husband?" he opened the box and showed her a quite simple ring with three small red rubies set beautifully in the flat ring.

"Bob" Caroline said and turned around to face him. Barefoot as they both were they were almost the same height and she saw the seriousness in his eyes. She cleared her throat and nodded "I think I would like for you to be my husband" it was these last days with him and the Frobisher's that had made her start thinking about marriage in another way than she first had thought.

"Really?" Bob said and busied himself with taking the ring out. "I hope it will fit, it was my grandmother's. My grandfather found the gold himself and had the rubies set flat into it so she would be able to use it even when she was busy with everyday work" he rambled on nervously.

"Why don't you just put it on and see" Caroline held out her left hand for him.

The ring fit perfectly and Caroline put her hands around his face and pulled him close for a kiss.

"This is for real then now?" she asked suddenly feeling nervous.

"Yes, for real and forever" Bob said. He had been with a few different women in his 28 years long life but since he first had laid in Caroline's bed it had been her and only her however much other women had tried.

They skipped breakfast and went back to bed instead, just to wake up in just enough time to dress and get over to Buck and Lillian for Sunday dinner.

Disclaimer/Copyright 2014 and forward: I don't own the characters from Due South, but I've written the story and therefore feel I own that. I also want to say I don't know about how the Academy for RCMP or something alike works so I've made it up a nice way to fit my story. I'm also not familiar with names for different kind of people in a village such as the Inuits live in.