AN: So, another chapter for you!
"Julie!" Elizabeth called as Tom was helping her sister out of the Stage. Julie looked up, smiled and waved at her, and as soon as she was on the ground, she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around her sister.
"Why hello there Mrs. Thornton!" Julie laughed as she pulled away. "How are you?"
"I'm very good Mrs. Thornton, and how are you?" Elizabeth smiled, and her sister tucked her arm through hers.
"I'm doing well. Even better now that I'm here to see you!" Julie said. Elizabeth smiled, and turned to see her husband shaking hands with his brother.
"It's good to see you again Tom." Elizabeth said. Tom nodded and half smiled at Elizabeth.
"Yes. Julie and I are very grateful that you asked us to visit." Tom said.
"Of course we did! You're our siblings." Elizabeth smiled. "We can continue this reunion at our house. Abigail is there now, she's actually starting dinner for us."
"I thought we'd get to sample your cooking Beth, since you've been telling me about it in your letters." Julie sighed disappointedly.
"Don't worry, there's plenty of time for that Julie. Abigail has just been helping me around the house a little for the last few days." Elizabeth explained as they moved towards the wagon. "But I'll be making breakfast in the morning, then lunch, and dinner too."
"Don't you have to go to the school? Which I'm excited to see as well!" Julie smiled.
"Oh, actually, I'm taking this week off of work." Elizabeth said.
"Because of me?" Julie asked.
"Well, no, not exactly. But it did work out nicely didn't it?" Elizabeth smiled and went to climb up onto the wagon.
"Hold on Elizabeth, let me help you!" Jack said as she suddenly came up behind her.
"I'm not an invalid!" Elizabeth laughed, but accepted his help nonetheless.
"What kind of husband would I be if I didn't offer to help you up?" Jack smiled, and kissed Elizabeth's hand as she got settled.
"My my, Tom, it seems like you could learn a thing or two from your brother." Julie teased, and Tom came up behind her to help her up to sit beside her sister.
"My apologies my Queen." Tom said, and Julie giggled. "I'll help Jack get everything in the wagon."
"You seem happy." Elizabeth said and took her sister's hand.
"I am happy." Julie smiled. "And you seem happy too. You're glowing!"
"Glowing?" Elizabeth asked, and Julie nodded.
"You've never looked better. It seems that marriage and Hope Valley suit you." Julie smiled. Jack climbed in across from them, and Jack hopped up onto the driver's seat. Elizabeth reached forward and put a hand on Jack's back.
"It does. I'm very happy here." Elizabeth said, and Jack smiled back at her. "Take us home!"
"As you wish." Jack nodded, and pushed the horses forward.
"How was your trip?" Elizabeth asked.
"It was lovely! Oh, it's so wonderful to be here again! And we both have husbands, and houses of our own, it's so exciting! If only Viola and Sir Lionel were married and visiting, then we'd be a complete group- but even without them, we're going to have a lovely time!" Julie clapped.
"Of course sister, It's going to be wonderful! I can't wait for you to see the house." Elizabeth smiled. "See, if you look just over there, that's the church that Jack paid for with his reward money for capturing the Toliver gang. I teach school there during the week."
"It's lovely!" Julie grinned.
"I love it, and so do the children. Jack is so good to me." Elizabeth smiled and glanced subtly over at him. "But if you think that's lovely, just wait until you see our house!"
"Tom built us a kitchen table- it's the finest table I've ever seen." Julie said, and looked happily at her husband. "Mmm, I know I teased about you not cooking, but honestly, I can't wait to eat Abigail's cooking again! I'm starving."
"Well then you're in luck. Abigail was almost ready to take a tray of apple cinnamon muffins out of the oven when Jack and I left. We can have dessert first." Elizabeth suggested. "Oh! There, do you see it?"
"Oh Beth! It looks so lovely!" Julie gasped, and gripped her sister's arm as the Hope Valley Thornton's home came into view. Surely it was larger than the small apartment that she and Tom lived in, but she found that she couldn't be jealous of her sister. Not when she was so happy with Tom.
"Jack built it with his own two hands!" Elizabeth said as Jack pulled the horse to a stop.
"She's exaggerating. I had a lot of help." Jack laughed as he hopped down from his seat and secured the horse. Tom hopped out of the wagon and easily lifted Julie and set her on her feet again. Jack came around and reached for Elizabeth, who stood up just a bit too quickly and waivered once again. "Elizabeth!" He gasped, and hopped up onto the wagon to steady her.
"I'm alright- I just stood up too quickly. I'm really alright this time Jack, I promise." Elizabeth laughed, and lifted her hand to smooth out the concerned wrinkle on his forehead. "Come on, let's get them settled in before dinner." Jack hopped down first, and wrapped his hands very tenderly around Elizabeth's waist to lift her from the wagon. When she was on her feet again, she rose slightly on her toes, and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. "Why don't you and Tom take the bags up to their room, and I'll show Julie around the first floor?" Elizabeth suggested.
"Sounds good. I love you." Jack said, and kissed her again. He grabbed the largest of the three cases, and nodded to Tom. "Let's go." Tom grabbed the other two, and followed his brother.
"What was all that about?" Julie asked when they were alone. Elizabeth looked down at her feet, and bit her lip. "Oh my goodness, Elizabeth, are you pregnant?"
"How did you know that?!" Elizabeth gaped at her younger sister. Julie took her hand, and looked around as if she was afraid to be overheard.
"Because I'm pregnant too!" She whispered, and Elizabeth gasped and wrapped her arms around her younger sister.
"Julie! That's wonderful!" Elizabeth said. "How far along are you? When will my little niece or nephew arrive?!"
"Well, it's still early, But we're expecting the arrival in late December or early January. And what about you?! When will my niece or nephew arrive?" Julie was almost bouncing with joy.
"November or December." Elizabeth grinned, and put her hand over her belly.
"My, that seems soon! Tell me, did you make the little thing before or after the vows?" Julie asked, and Elizabeth gasped.
"Julie That- Julie Thornton, Don't even joke about such a thing!" Elizabeth said sternly and Julie laughed.
"I've missed you sister." Julie sighed, and embraced her sister once again. "But it seems as if we'll have much to discuss during my visit. After all, how often are two sisters pregnant at the same time? Oh, I'm so excited! We've got to talk about names- how awful would it be if we liked the same ones?"
"I'm sure it won't be a problem Julie. I've missed you too." Elizabeth said with a smile as she took her sister's arm and led her towards the door. "Come on then, let me give you the grand tour!" Elizabeth held opened the door, and found herself face to face with her husband.
"Elizabeth, don't you think you should sit down for a while? I don't want you to tire yourself out." Jack suggested, laying a hand on her cheek. Elizabeth rolled her eyes but smiled at him.
"Oh Jack, don't be such a spoil sport. Pregnant women aren't invalids!" Julie laughed.
"What happened to telling them at dinner?" Jack asked. He put his hands on Elizabeth's waist, and pulled her in.
"I didn't say a word! She guessed it!" Elizabeth held her hands up innocently and Jack pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, Tom and I were going to tell you the same thing at dinner. But I've never been very good with secrets!" Julie laughed, and then it dawned on Jack what she meant. He turned to look at Tom who was on the stairs.
"You didn't tell me I was going to be an uncle!" Jack said, and Tom stolled casually foreword to sling an arm around his wife.
"I could say the same thing to you brother." Tom said. "What are the odds, two sisters expecting at the same time."
"You're pregnant too?" Abigail gasped. The group of siblings turned to see her standing in the doorway.
"Abigail! Oh, it's so good to see you again!" Julie said as she rushed forwards to embrace her. "I'm so excited to eat your cooking again! Oh, I'm starving; a side effect of being pregnant I suppose."
"Well dinner will be finished pretty soon, but we do have a tray of-"
"Apple cinnamon muffins?" Julie said giddily, and Abigail laughed.
"Yes, apple cinnamon muffins, fresh out of the oven." Abigail grinned. Julie took her arm.
"Tell me where they are!" Julie grinned, and Abigail nodded.
"Well come on then Julie, I'll show you."
"Come along then Tom, let's eat!" Julie beckoned him after her. Tom smiled, and followed after her.
"Well we didn't give them a tour, but I think everything is going well." Elizabeth grinned up at Jack. "I love you Jack."
"I love you too." Jack grinned and pressed his lips to her forehead.
"Come along then Jack, let's eat." Elizabeth grinned, and pulled on his arm.
"Sounds good." Jack laughed and followed.
"Good. I have a feeling that you'll be hearing that a lot in the next few months." Elizabeth laughed.
AN: Thank you for reading! Another chapter coming soon!