Chapter 6: For Better or For Worse
Elizabeth and Kat watched over Emily as she slept fitfully through the night. In the morning, Emily's fever was still raging, and the child was noticeably weakening. Kat kept talking to Emily, telling her stories of their family life and life in Hope Valley, hoping to keep Emily awake and her mind active. Elizabeth kept sponging down Emily and holding her hand, adding to Kat's stories by reminding Emily of fun times they'd had at school.
After a while, Emily opened her eyes, and looked up towards the ceiling. Emily asked, "Mama, if I die, will I see Pa in heaven?" Kat's voice caught as she answered, "Yes, dear. I'm sure Pa is in heaven. But it's not your time to die, so let's not think about that." Emily then turned to Elizabeth and asked quietly, "Miss Thatcher, have you and Mountie Jack made up yet?" Elizabeth smiled and squeezed Emily's hand. "Yes we have. We're good friends again. Does that make you happy?" Emily looked up at the ceiling again. "I wish you and Mountie Jack would get married. That would make me happy."
Elizabeth blushed a little as she answered, "I . . . I would do anything to make you happy, Emily, if I could. Unfortunately, that's something I can't control. I'm sorry, sweetheart, I . . . " Elizabeth was interrupted by a scuffling at the door, and then she heard Jack's voice.
"There's no reason to be sorry – Emily's right, we should get married. In fact, I should propose right now. Would that make you happy, Emily?" Jack strode over to Emily's bedside and took her hand in his. Emily turned to look at Jack and smiled for the first time in hours. "Yes, it would," Emily replied softly. Jack kissed Emily's hand and said, "You hang in there, Emily - watch this." Jack turned to face Elizabeth, who was looking at Jack, astonished.
By this point, the doctor had also come into the room and was taking Emily's pulse on the other side of the bed. Kat was sitting by Emily's side, rubbing her arm. Pastor Frank was standing at the doorway with Abigail by his side. Everyone's eyes, including Emily's, were on Jack as he slowly knelt on the floor in front of Elizabeth, and reached out for her hand.
"Elizabeth Thatcher, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife and making me the happiest man on earth . . . and Emily, the happiest girl?" Jack asked solemnly, with just a hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth. Tears started to form in Elizabeth's eyes as she answered, laughing, "Of course, yes, I do, I mean . . . I will . . . I mean, yes!" Elizabeth and Jack gazed at each, laughing and smiling at this turn of events.
Jack stood up and turned to Emily. "Did you like that?" Jack asked. Emily nodded her head and tried to smile. Jack looked over at the doctor, who had examined Emily, and was now putting away his medical tools. Jack raised his eyebrows, but the doctor frowned and shook his head, his eyelids heavy and sad. Kat saw the doctor's signal to Jack, and put her hands over her face, weeping.
Jack quickly unbuttoned his red Mountie jacket and continued, "Look, Emily, there's more. Look what I have here." Jack reached inside his jacket, unbuttoned a pocket, and pulled out a diamond ring, which he held in front of Emily's eyes to show her. "I've been carrying this with me for days, waiting for just the right moment to ask for Elizabeth's hand in marriage. I'm so glad you helped me realize that today is the perfect day – thank you. Emily . . . do you hear me? Stay with me Emily . . . do you like it?" Emily nodded again, her eyes glistening.
Jack glanced over at Elizabeth, whose mouth was agape as she took in the scene, trying not to succumb to her own grief. Jack motioned to Elizabeth to join him at Emily's bedside. Elizabeth quickly walked over to allow Jack to slide the ring onto her finger. Elizabeth and Jack then, together, held up Elizabeth's hand in front of Emily's face to show her the ring.
Emily smiled and sighed. Emily whispered, "I wish I could have lived long enough to marry someone like you, Mountie Jack." At that, Elizabeth stifled a sob and ran out of the room. Jack fell to his knees by Emily's bedside and grabbed her hands. "You can, Emily. You must." Emily's eyes rolled back in her head and her body shook, as she cried out, "Pa is calling me, Ma." Jack let go of Emily's hands as Kat gathered Emily up in her arms. Jack rose and left the room, a stunned expression on his face, as the Pastor walked over to join Kat during Emily's last moments.
As Jack came down the stairs, he saw Abigail and Julie comforting Elizabeth. Elizabeth turned her tear-strewn face towards Jack and ran over to him. Jack buried his face in Elizabeth's hair, pulling Elizabeth close to him as he succumbed to tears himself. The young couple held on tightly to each other as if they were lifeboats in a sea of sorrow, bulwarks in a world where innocents suffer and die. That they had given Emily some happiness at the end was little comfort for the pain that now permeated their souls.
Yes, the morning light shone through the windows, but in truth darkness descended on Hope Valley that day at the loss of an angel from this earth.