Chapter 202 – New Year's Eve
Saturday, dawned and Jack woke before the alarm. He didn't wake Elizabeth right away. He propped himself up and just watched her sleep for a little bit. He loved how she curled into his side and she made faces while she slept. He couldn't wait until they had a child to share things with. Not that he was complaining about how things were, but he had always wanted kids. He had just never told anyone that. He loved kids and couldn't wait to have his own. He knew that Elizabeth would be a wonderful mother. She was so patient and caring with all of her students. After watching her for a few moments, he leaned over and kissed her softly. She didn't respond right away, so he tried again and this time she responded. She opened her eyes and blinked to bring Jack into focus.
"Morning Bella." Jack said.
"Morning handsome." Elizabeth said.
"Want to do anything special for New Year's Eve today?" Jack asked.
"I would like to stay right here." Elizabeth said.
"That can be arranged." Jack said. "I also thought that even though we just said vows, maybe we could make a couple of new year's resolutions."
"Oh." Elizabeth said. "You thought that did you. Well what did you have in mind?"
"Well." Jack said. "I was thinking that we agree to always try to be patient, to be kind, to trust and to love each other. I know that we just got married and we haven't been together all that long, but I think that there are things that are going to challenge us in this new year and we needed to remember that we are stronger together then apart."
"I think that you are right." Elizabeth said. "I also think that we will face challenges. I know that we are going to have to tell my family and that is going to create a challenge for us. No matter what happens with them, I want you to remember that I am yours and that you are mine – no matter what other people say."
"I love you." Jack said.
"I love you, too." Elizabeth said.
Jack leaned over and gave Elizabeth a kiss. She wrapped her arms around him and leaned back and looked into his green eyes and saw them clearer then she had seen in days. She then pulled him in for another kiss. Elizabeth ran her hands across Jack's chest and down his arms. Jack pulled Elizabeth closer, then leaned down and trailed kisses across her collarbone. Elizabeth ran her hands along Jack's body and stilled them on his hips, only to drum them there and on his back. It wasn't long and they were coming together. Afterwards, they laid in bed holding each other. Elizabeth knew that she would never tire of being held in Jack's arms and being close to him. She dreaded the day that he would have to go out of town on Mountie business. She wasn't sure how she would be go a night or more without him. It had just been a week and she wasn't even ready to go back to school and be away from him all day.
Little did Elizabeth know that Jack felt the same way. Jack didn't want to have to ever leave Elizabeth. He knew that they both had jobs and that neither was willing to give them up. They would just have to find a routine and with Bill being named sheriff, it would be easier for Jack and Elizabeth to have the evenings to themselves. They finally got up and had a late breakfast. While Elizabeth was cleaning up the dishes, Jack arranged the bookshelves and took the extra one upstairs. He then brought down the trunks with Elizabeth's books. He wanted to help her put them away but wasn't sure how she wanted them organized.
"So how to you organize you books?" Jack asked coming up behind Elizabeth.
"What do you mean?" Elizabeth asked.
"We do you do it by type, genre or alphabetically by author or title." Jack asked.
"I usually just do them alphabetically by title." Elizabeth said. "Why do you ask?"
"I brought your trunks down." Jack said. "I thought that I would help you put your books away and then we would have more time together. Unless you don't want me to help you with the books."
"If you want to help that would be great." Elizabeth said. "I am almost done here, and then we can do it together."
"Sounds good." Jack said giving Elizabeth a kiss.
Elizabeth finished in the kitchen and Jack went over to start putting the books away. Elizabeth joined him after a little bit and what started as putting away Elizabeth's books, turned into a kissing session. Jack ended up pulling Elizabeth into his lap and they collapsed to the floor laughing. They spent most of the day trying to organize things but usually ended up kissing, which led to them having to stop what they were doing. They loved spending time together and expressing their love for one another. Ever since they started to officially court, they always held hands and shared kisses. The intensity of those expressions only increased in the last week. Since Jack and Elizabeth had a late breakfast, they had a late lunch that was more of a little lunch. They wanted to have something to eat before they went into town for the New Year's gathering that was happening at the church. Jack just hoped that people would set aside differences and get along for the evening.
Jack and Elizabeth made their way into town and stopped at the mercantile before they headed to the gathering at the church. Elizabeth wanted to pick up a few things and check to see if they had received any mail. Jack made a quick stop at the jail to see if Bill needed anything. Even though Bill hadn't officially started as sheriff, he had been in the office finishing up things with the Mounties and getting ready to be sheriff. Elizabeth joined Jack at the jail when she was done at the mercantile. She left her basket there and headed to the church with Jack. When they arrived at the church, the only people that were there were Pastor Frank and Abigail. It looked like Abigail was talking to Pastor, so Jack cleared his throat to announce that they were there. Both Pastor Frank and Abigail looked up. Jack could see that Abigail had been crying. He was concerned that something had happened to Becky. He quickly looked over to Elizabeth and she rushed to her friend's side.
"Is everything okay?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes and no." Abigail said. "I received a wire earlier, that Becky had woke up. She was asking for Cody. When the doctors explained that he was safe, she was worried that he had been sent back to the orphanage. They further went on to explain that he was with me and she didn't remember even being in Hope Valley."
"Oh Abigail." Elizabeth said.
"Abigail." Jack said. "After what she has been through, I believe a little memory loss is normal. At least she remembered Cody. Hopefully as she recovers, she will regain more of her memory. I remember when my cousin, Laura, was sick with a high fever on and off for over a week and then unconscious for a few days. She didn't remember my brother Tom and I coming to live with her. We had only been there for a few days before she got sick. As she got stronger, she remembered us coming and eventually even remembered getting sick. Just give Becky some time. I am sure that knowing that Cody is safe and not back at the orphanage will give her mind rest."
"I wonder why she was so concerned about him being sent back to the orphanage." Elizabeth said.
"I think that I can answer that." Dee said coming into the schoolhouse. "After I talked to Cody. I wired the Mountie station in Fort Garry to check on the orphanage. When I heard back from them, apparently it wasn't a good place. They actually shut it down and moved the children this past week. There were rumors that the orphanage was selling some of the children as indentured servants. They would split up siblings without hesitation."
"Oh how awful." Elizabeth said. "That must be why Becky was so afraid of being sent back."
"Well." Jack said. "We have received the order from the judge granting Abigail here custody of the kids and I have cleared the way for her to adopt them if she wants. It will just take some time. Between Wynn and I, we see no reason not to support the application. It will just be a matter of doing the paperwork and following procedures before the adoption is granted. They had been in the orphanage for over a year, so apparently no living relative could be found."
Jack, Elizabeth, Dee and Abigail sat there for a few more minutes before people started gathering. Pastor Frank welcomed everyone and then the children put on a play about the new year. Each child stepped forward and spoke about all that the new year could hold. When the children were done. Pastor Frank stepped back up and asked Jack and Dee to join him up front.
"Before I turn things over to Jack and Dee." Pastor Frank said. "Please let up pray. Heavenly Father we gather here as we get ready to start a new year. We ask your blessings on everyone here. Please give this community peace about this past year and hope as we move forward. Only you, O Lord, knows the challenges that we will face in the new year. Please give us strength that we will need to face those challenges and knowledge and comfort knowing that you will never leave us. Help this community to continue to heal from the scars of the past and rejoice in the blessings that you bestow on us. Amen."
"Thank you Pastor." Dee said. "Jack and I would like to, with the help of Cat Montgomery on piano, lead everyone in singing Amazing Grace before we leave tonight."
Cat stepped forward and sat down at the piano, both Jack and Dee took a seat on Elizabeth's desk and adjusted their guitars. Cat looked back and nodded, she then played the opening notes of the song and Jack and Dee quickly joined in both playing and singing. After a few words, Pastor Frank stepped up and joined in the singing and by the end of the first verse, all had joined in. Elizabeth knew that Dee could play and sing, but was surprised that Jack could. She enjoyed listening to their voices blend. She made a mental note to have Jack sing to her at some point. She also had an idea of what to get him for his birthday, especially since she knew that he didn't have a guitar. As Elizabeth watched her new husband and cousin sing and play, she was so glad that they were getting along. She hoped that Jack figured out where he knew Dee from and wasn't mad at her for not saying something sooner.
When the song ended, people started leaving. Elizabeth spoke to her aunt and uncle for a few moments. She relayed the news about Becky. Wynn promised to follow up with the Mountie station and see if there was any additional information was found about Cody or Becky. Wynn also let Elizabeth know that they had made arrangements to leave on the stage Monday morning. Elizabeth knew that they had to leave, but had enjoyed having them there. She promised the her and Jack would come and visit them in Hamilton. Charlotte also stopped by and let Elizabeth know that she would be heading out after church the next morning. She had already been gone longer then planned.
Before everyone left for the evening, Elizabeth and Jack pulled Bill and Abigail aside. Everyone sat down and Frank looked at them.
"Everything okay?" Frank asked. "I mean after last night."
Charlotte was still there as well, so she stepped over to listen.
"Yes." Elizabeth said. "I was upset about some papers that my mother had sent with me last time I was home. We worked things out, but I need some help. That is where Abigail and Bill come in."
"I will leave you be then." Frank said. "I will stop back and make sure everything is closed up."
Wynn nodded.
"I will let you be as well unless you need me?" Charlotte said.
"Could you make sure Cody is in bed please?" Abigail asked.
"Of course." Charlotte said.
After Charlotte left, Abigail turned to Elizabeth.
"Ok." Abigail said. "What do you need?"
"We both need you to sign as a witness." Jack said.
"What are we signing?" Bill asked.
Elizabeth looked to Wynn.
"To make things easier for Jack and Elizabeth." Wynn said. "They have asked my wife and I to be allowed access to Elizabeth's accounts. In order to do that, we need to sign a couple of documents with witnesses. The first is stating that you have no reason to believe that Jack and Elizabeth entered into their marriage for false reasons. The other is as witnesses that Jack and Elizabeth personally and freely signed the document giving us access to her account."
"Elizabeth." Bill said. "Is this what you want?"
"Yes." Elizabeth said.
"Good enough for me." Bill said. "And I know that they are in love so I have no problem with the other document."
"Abigail." Wynn said. "Any questions?"
"No." Abigail said. "I have no problem signing either."
"Thank you both." Jack said.
With that, everyone signed the documents where Dee pointed for each person. He had made three copies of each one, so they had to sign each one. When they were done, he took one set and placed it in messenger bag, gave one to his father and the other to Jack.
"Thank you." Dee said. "We wanted to get it done before we left and after last night. The sooner the better. That is why I wanted it dated tonight."
"Of course." Abigail said. "I am just glad that everything worked out. Now, I need to get back to Cody. Morning is going to come early."
"Night Abigail." Elizabeth said.
After a quick goodnight to others, Abigail left. Bill waited a moment and when the door to the school closed, he turned to Jack and Wynn.
"So what aren't you saying?" Bill asked. "There has to be more to it."
"You are correct." Wynn said. "Jack, Elizabeth?"
Wynn looked at both and they nodded to him. Elizabeth didn't exactly want to share with Bill, but she also knew that Jack trusted him and that he would do anything to help Jack.
"The long and short of it." Wynn said. "With them getting married, Elizabeth has the right to exercise a clause in her grandfather's will and take over the company that her father runs since it was originally her grandfather's. They haven't decided if they want to do that, since it would mean that Jack would have to quit the Mounties for safety reasons or at least take a desk job. I would be willing to work with Jack if he wanted to stay with the Mounties, but it might mean leaving Hope Valley. I would have to look into things and see what could be done."
"I take it that since Elizabeth got married." Bill said. "She has access to a very large sum of money in a trust fund as well?"
"Yes." Wynn said. "We need to look into if she can access it without letting her father know because we aren't sure what he is going to do when he learns that Elizabeth got married behind his back."
"On my toes." Bill said. "Got it."
"Thank you for understanding." Jack said. "We are also not going to advertise my connection to Wynn with other Mounties."
Bill nodded in understanding. The group said goodbye and started to head out. Jack made sure the school was closed up before walking Elizabeth back to their house.
Author's note: This is the end of The Beginning of Chalk Dust to Eternity, but have no fear there are plenty of adventures ahead for Jack, Elizabeth and all of Hope Valley. The story immediately picks up in Chalk Dust to Eternity, which is part of two of at least three of this series. I hope that you enjoyed this story and come with me as we see what life has in store for our favorite couple.