AN: So, I've got another chapter for you today! Because you waited so patiently for so long! Also, how nice was the Christmas special? Anyone else going crazy waiting for cannon Jack to propose?
If it hadn't been obvious before that Elizabeth was expecting, by June it was completely undeniable. In the month that had passed since Tom and Julie had departed, It felt like her body had changed completely. Her belly had become a perfect arch, and she could no longer button herself into any of her favorite dresses, even with Jack's helping hands. She was only glad that school was out for the summer so she could stay off of her feet for a while, but more often than not, she felt restless.
"It's so sweet that you've started nesting." Abigail said as she helped Elizabeth browse through Mr. Yost's new shipment of yarn.
"I've wasted so much time that I should have spent getting ready- I've got to find the furniture from the nursery, which needs painting, then I'll need the baby's things, diapers and clothes and booties, blankets- It's going to be so cold when they're born- I keep forgetting that, since it's so sweltering now!" Elizabeth said, speaking a million worlds a minute and fanning herself with her hand. The short sleeved purple maternity tunic she was wearing suddenly seemed much too heavy. "We don't even have names picked out yet- Julie and Tom have had names for months already, and their baby isn't due until after mine."
"Don't worry about it Elizabeth, You're going to be fine!" Abigail assured her. "You're going to have a lot of help, maybe more than you'd like. Anything I can do, you know that I'll do it!"
"You're such a wonderful friend! What would I do without you?" Elizabeth sighed. "Oh! Here, this green would look so lovely together with this cream- can you imagine what this would look like as a blanket?" She put them on the counter, and then grabbed several duplicates. "Mm. Yellow, I think I'd like a bit of yellow."
"When you go to Hamilton tomorrow, You should go shopping for a bit of cloth. Clara's been excited to teach you how to sew some baby clothes." Abigail said, causing Elizabeth to sigh.
"I'm excited to see my sister, even more excited to see her married, but a long journey by stage, and then by train sounds...less than ideal. And then to make the return journey in a week…But it will be nice to pick up some things for the baby before my belly is too big. And I'm glad that Clara is excited, because I'm lousy at it."
"Your sewing is much improved since the curtain fiasco of December."
"Yes, thanks for bringing that up." Elizabeth laughed.
"Have you gotten a cradle yet? Or thought of it?" Abigail asked.
"Jack said that he would take care of it, so Im sure that he will." Elizabeth said, running her hand possessively over her belly. "I'd better pick up a bit of sugar while we're here...and some peaches, while I'm at it...Ooh, and cinnamon!"
"It sounds like someone's craving cobbler." Abigail smiled, and Elizabeth nodded a bit sheepishly. "Don't be ashamed. You've got to take good care of that baby in there, and if he wants cobbler, then I'll whip one up for you before we start knitting our squares."
"Have I told you how much I love you?" Elizabeth laughed and went on a quest for the sugar, peaches, and cinnamon. She tucked them into her basket, and by the time she had made it back to the counter, Rosemary had entered, and was looking through the yarn that was laid out on the counter.
"Well that doesn't make any sense- she ought to go with a pink or a blue!" Rosemary was saying.
"Why? She doesn't know if it's a boy or a girl." Abigail pointed out.
"THese colors are just so...blah!" Rosemary protested. Elizabeth let out a breath, and pasted a smile on her face as she approached them.
"Actually, I chose these colors because I like them, Rosemary." She said as she set her basket on the counter so that Mr. Yost could add them up. "I've always loved green and cream together. And Jack loves it when I wear green. But when you have a baby one day, I'll be sure to buy lots of pink and blue yarn for you."
"Of course, mother knows best and all that. I just came to pick up a few odds and ends. I'm cooking dinner for Lee tonight!" Rosemary said, and then leaned in close to them and whispered, "Between us girls, I think that maybe tonight is the night that he's going to propose!"
"Oh? Well, then, congratulations." Abigail said, patting her hand.
"Of course, I could be wrong, but a woman does know when a man is going to propose! For instance, when Jack proposed to me he-" She clapped her hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry Elizabeth, I shouldn't speak of such things."
"It's alright Rosemary, what's in the past cannot hurt anyone. We all know how the story of you and Jack ended." Elizabeth said with a smile.
"Yes I suppose you do." Rosemary smiled. "And the story of you and Jack has only just begun!" She whirled around and grabbed a ball of pink yarn. "I think I'll go ahead and knit a little something for baby Thornton too!" She set the yarn on the counter, and gently put a hand of Elizabeth's stomach. "Such a cute little belly!" She went back to looking at the store, and talking to anyone who would listen. Elizabeth raised her eyebrows in exasperation, and Abigail put a hand on her shoulder.
"Let's make our purchases, and get to your house. I believe we've got a peach cobbler to bake." This put a genuine smile on Elizabeth's face. She payed Mr. Yost, who insisted she take an extra ball of green yarn, free of charge. She collected the basket, which Abigail then reached for.
"Ah-ah! I'm perfectly capable of carrying a basket Abigail!" Elizabeth laughed.
"You're already busy carrying a baby, Elizabeth. Let me share some of the load." Abigail insisted, taking the basket, and then linking arms with Elizabeth. "Besides, If Jack saw us, and you were carrying that basket I'd never hear the end of it!"
"I suppose you're right. But that doesn't mean I like it." She sighed. "It's strange to have everyone wanting to do everything for me now."
"Can you blame us? After that scare you gave us with fainting in the woods, you're lucky we let you out of the house at all!"
"I know, I know." Elizabeth smirked. "And I love you all dearly."
"Good." Abigail smiled in return. "We're going to get everything in the house all neat and tidy before you leave, then I'll start on this cobbler while you start on the blanket."
…..
Elizabeth leaned heavily on Jack's shoulder as the rocking of the train wreaked havoc on her stomach. He stroked her hair gently, and pressed a kiss to the top of her head as she let out a soft moan.
"Is this trip almost over?" She sighed, wanting nothing more than to curl up in her own bed back home in Hope Valley.
"We'll be in Hamilton before you know it Elizabeth, I promise." He assured her. He was now strongly regretting not taking Mr. Thatcher up on his offer of booking them a private train car...at least then Elizabeth could have laid down and slept. But then Elizabeth had insisted that they could pay for their own tickets. "On the way home, I think it would be best if we took your father up on his offer-"
"No, no. I'm fine."
"Elizabeth, I promised when we got married that I'd do everything in my power to ensure your happiness, and at the moment, you are not happy. You don't look well-"
"Thank you Jack, that's what every pregnant woman wants to hear." She muttered, and he laughed.
"You know what I mean my love, You look beautiful, absolutely beautiful, but I can tell you're uncomfortable." Jack said. He carefully put his hand on her stomach, and kissed her forehead. "I love you both so much. I hate to see you hurting."
"We love you too...Now be quiet, I want to sleep." She sighed, trying to settle in a more comfortable position. She barely heard him chuckle "Yes Ma'am." Before she was out cold. The next thing she recalled, she was being gentle shaken. She opened her eyes, and mercifully noticed that the swaying had ceased.
"We're here." Jack said, and she smiled. He stood, and helped her up. She swayed on her feet for a moment, and he held her steady until she nodded.
"I'm alright. Just a bit hungry...and tired...But I'm alright." He took her arm and they walked down the train until they made it to the door.
"Elizabeth! Jack! Oh, look at her darling! Elizabeth!" Her mother called, waving them over. Elizabeth waved, and smiled as Jack went to attend to their baggage. Her mother and father moved through the crowd as quickly and politely as they could, and when they reached them, her mother threw her arms around her. "My darling! Oh, just look at you! Can you believe it? Our first grandchild! Oh Beth, you look so beautiful!"
"Mother!" She laughed, pulling out of the embrace. "It's good to see you too." Her father was shaking Jack's hand, until he turned to her, and kissed her forehead. "Hi daddy."
"Beth. You look well." he said, but his eyes were a bit narrowed. "But a little pale."
"Oh, it's nothing. The train ride was just a little much for my stomach, I'm afraid."
"Perhaps you should have allowed me to book a train car for you after all." Mr. Thatcher said, looking at Jack skeptically.
"That's what Jack was saying, weren't you darling?" Elizabeth said, taking his arm again. "I was the one who insisted we book our own tickets. If the offer still stands for the return journey, we'll gladly take you up on it."
"Of course the offer still stands. You're my princess." William laughed. "And you are having my first grandchild. I do hope it will be a boy. Of course a girl would also be acceptable."
"Well, I'm relatively certain it will be a boy or a girl." Elizabeth said, and for a moment everyone was silent before Jack and Elizabeth began to laugh.
"Well then, this way, this way. The car is waiting outside! I hope you aren't too tired from your journey Elizabeth, we've so much to do, and so little time to do it in! Today we've got to get to the dressmaker, clearly your measurements have changed since we saw you last, and those were the measurements the dressmaker had- it's a good thing the dress is nicely draped, or it would be difficult to have it let out in time. Oh, and tonight, Sir Lionel will be joining us, as will Charles, and his...er...Friend, Edith."
"Ah, yes, his "friend"." Elizabeth laughed, and leaned over to whisper to Jack. "They're a might bit closer than friends. According to Charles's last letter, he's thinking of proposing."
"I think I'm going to like Edith." Jack said with a smile as he helped Elizabeth into the car. She laughed as he took the seat beside her as her father helped her mother into the passenger's seat. He leaned over to her, and whispered, "Just how formal is this dinner going to be? Another occasion where I'm the only one in a suit?"
"You look handsome in your suit. Better than other men look in tails." She assured him. "Besides, I'll hardly be dressed to the nines myself. Most of my formal wear wont button unless I lace myself into an absurdly tight corset, and I adamantly refuse to do so."
"Yes, but you look more beautiful in an old nightgown than other women do in their sunday best." He leaned in even closer, and whispered, "Come to think of it, you look best in nothing at all."
"Jack!" She gasped, and smacked his arm as a blush crept across her skin. "My parents are right there!"
"They can't hear us over the car, Elizabeth." He laughed, and she realized that he was probably right. He leaned to kiss her, and she turned her head so he got her cheek. He looked at her with wide, confused eyes.
"They may not be able to hear you, Jack, but they can surely see us." She said.
"They've seen me kiss you before."
"At our wedding- I don't think they need to see it in their car!" She laughed.
"You're right, you're right. It's just difficult to keep my hands off of you."
"Really?" She asked, and he nodded, causing her to laugh. "But I'm fat!"
"You don't honestly think that!" Jack scoffed.
"Well, it's hard not to when people keep commenting on my "Little belly" and dress alterations, and cautioning me not to eat too much pie!" She said, suddenly feeling very self conscious.
"Well, as your husband, who has seen you without all of these…" He gently tweaked the collar of her coat. "Layers, I can assure you, Elizabeth, that you are not fat. You're absolutely, breath takingly beautiful, and anyone who says otherwise will have me to deal with."
"Mmm. I don't know Jack…"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, if you keep saying things like that to me…" The car pulled to a stop in front of the Thatcher home. "I might be the one who has trouble keeping my hands to myself." With that, she took her father's hand, and hopped out of the car, leaving Jack just like she liked him. Slack jawed and staring.
An: Here's another chapter my Hearties! Happy New year to you all!