Elizabeth hastily paced back and forth. She heard a knock on the door and Nathan and Allie entered her house.
"Good morning." Nathan and Allie said in unison.
"Elizabeth. Look at the poster I made for my book report presentation." Allie said holding up her poster.
"That's wonderful." Elizabeth said.
"Is everything okay?" Nathan asked. He could sense there was something on his fiancé's mind.
"Laura is out sick. Rosemary is busy with the paper. I don't have anyone to watch Jack. I'll have to cancel class." Elizabeth said.
"No!" Allie exclaimed. Elizabeth's face was apologetic.
"Hold everyone. I can watch Jack." Nathan said.
"Really?!" Allie said with excitement.
"Yeah. Really? Don't you have to work?" Elizabeth asked.
"I'll take him to work with me." Nathan said.
"Really? He wouldn't be a distraction?" Elizabeth asked.
"Not at all. He can be my partner for the day. A son of a Mountie. There's no else better." Nathan said lifting Jack up in the air. Jack giggled.
"If you're sure." Elizabeth asked.
"Absolutely." Nathan said.
Elizabeth went to the kitchen to make a lunch for Jack. Once his lunch was ready, Elizabeth, Allie, Nathan and Little Jack walked Elizabeth and Allie to school.
They let Allie and Jack run ahead while they walked a little further back so they could talk in private.
"I hope you know what you are getting yourself into. Jack can be a handful." Elizabeth said.
"I have watched Jack before. Nothing I can't handle. I am a Mountie." Nathan said proudly.
Elizabeth laughed.
"But you have only watched him for a couple of hours, not the whole day." Elizabeth said.
Nathan shrugged.
"Just remember that I have the town council meeting after school. It is going to go late since we are deciding the budget for next year. If you don't mind feeding him before I get home. I would really appreciate it." Elizabeth asked.
"I can do that." Nathan said.
"And remember, he needs a nap after lunch." Elizabeth said.
Nathan stopped and pulled Elizabeth toward him.
"I know what I'm doing, remember" Nathan said with a smile.
"You're right." Elizabeth said.
"I love those words." Nathan said.
Elizabeth laughed.
Nathan took off his hat and put it to shield their faces. Nathan pulled Elizabeth in for a kiss.
"And I love you." Elizabeth said.
"I love you too." Nathan said back.
"Come on love birds." Allie shouted.
Elizabeth and Nathan laughed and caught up with the kids.
They all walked together the rest of the way to school.
Once they reached the school, Elizabeth bent down to Jack.
"You be a good boy for Nathan." Elizabeth said to Jack.
Jack nodded his head and Elizabeth kissed him on the cheek. They said their goodbyes and Nathan put Jack on his shoulders and they headed toward the Mountie office.
Once they reached the Mountie office, Nathan took Jack off his shoulders and put him gently on the ground. They both walked into the Mountie office together.
"Okay partner, go ahead and look around" Nathan said. Jack began to look around. He went into the jail cell and jumped on the bed. Nathan laughed and sat down in his chair. It was going to be a quiet day. Most of the paperwork was done and there weren't any transfers heading his way. Jack jumped off the jail bed and looked around the Mountie office. He looked around until he stopped on a picture of Jack.
"Daddy!" Jack said.
"That's your daddy, Jack." Nathan said. Nathan looked at Jack who was looking at Jack's picture. Nathan had reached out to some of Jack's old Mountie buddies. They are all going to write letters of their experience of working along side Jack. Once he gets all the letters, Nathan is going to make it in a book for Jack so that he can read and know his father. Once Jack was finished looking at the picture, he ran over to Nathan.
"Horsey?" Jack asked.
"You want to go do our rounds now, partner?" Nathan asked.
Jack nodded his head enthuastically. Nathan laughed. He put Jack on his shoulders and they went to the livery. Once they reached the livery, Nathan took Jack off his shoulders and put him on the stable door. Sargent came over to greet both of them. Nathan grabbed the carrots off the shelf and gave one to Jack.
"Hi Sargent. I brought Jack for a visit." Nathan said. The horse neighed as if he knew that it was Jack's son. Sargent gently took the carrot out of Jack's hand. Jack laughed. Jack started to pet Sargent softly.
"I think he likes you." Nathan said. Jack laughed as Sargent licked him. Nathan loved that little boy's laugh.
"Alright. We can come see Sargent later. Let's go see our buddy, Newton." Nathan said.
Jack nodded.
"Hey Newt, guess who I brought?" Nathan said as he put Jack on the stable door. He gave Jack a carrot to give to Newton. Jack giggled as Newton took his carrot.
"I think you he likes you. You are a natural with horses." Nathan said. Nathan took Jack off the stable door and took Newton out. Nathan removed his hat and saddled up Newton. Once Newton was saddled up, he looked for his hat. Jack came out of the stable wearing it.
"So, you want to wear my hat today?" Nathan said.
Jack nodded his head. The hat almost fell off Jack's head as he nodded.
Nathan laughed.
Nathan took Newton and Jack outside the livery. Nathan mounted Jack first and then mounted Newton himself. Nathan tied rope around his back and looped it in front of Jack so he wouldn't fall. Nathan gave Newton a signal and Newton began walking.
"Hold on partner!" Nathan said to Jack.
Jack giggled. Nathan took his hat off Jack so it wouldn't fly off.
"Faster!" Jack said.
"Are you sure?" Nathan said.
"Yes!" Jack shouted.
Nathan gave Newton a signal to trot faster. Jack laughed as Newton trotted faster. Nathan and Jack went on rounds together. Jack was fascinated by everything in nature. Jack ooed and awed at the birds, the clouds and even at the trees.
While almost completing their rounds, two men were trying to lift a board off the trail. Nathan stopped, un-tied the rope and brought Jack down with him. Jack took Nathan's hat. They both walked over to the two men. Nathan helped the two men with the board. After he helped the men, he turned around but Jack wasn't near Newton.
"Jack?" Nathan called. Jack didn't call back. Nathan pulse started to race.
"Jack where are you?" Nathan called out. Suddenly, Nathan heard some humming.
Nathan walked over to the humming and saw Jack sitting in mud putting mud into Nathan's hat.
"There you are!" Nathan said with relief.
"Look!" Jack said handing Nathan his hat. It was full of mud.
"Wow. That's great." Natha said.
Jack smiled at him. Nathan wanted to be mad, bur couldn't. One smile from Jack and Nathan was pudding.
"Come on, let's go clean you up." Nathan said.
Nathan walked Jack over to Newton. He took a towel out from his satchel and wiped Jack's hands. The two went back onto Newton and headed toward the Mountie office.
As they were getting closer, they saw Bill riding hero.
"Well, hello there!" Bil said to them.
"Hello!" Jack called out.
"What are you doing out here?" Bill asked.
"Laura is out sick. I volunteered to babysit Jack. We just got done with our rounds and heading back to the office." Nathan said.
Bill looked fondly down at Jack.
"It is such a beautiful day, why don't you take the rest of the day off." Bill offered.
"Really?" Nathan said.
"It's quiet today. I need to get out of that office before my head explodes. I can hold down the fort for half a day." Bill said.
"You're the best Bill." Nathan said.
Bill smiled.
"Good fishing weather too." Bill said. Nathan got the hint from Bill. They said their goodbyes and Nathan headed back to the livery with Jack. They put Newton back into his stable.
"How about we go fishing today!" Nathan said.
Jack nodded enthuastically.
"Let's go!" Nathan said.
And with that they headed back toward the row houses. They stopped at Nathan's first. Nathan changed and made lunch for them. He grabbed a blanket and the fishing poles and they headed to Eizabeth's. Nathan helped Jack change and they were on their way toward the pond.
Nathan and Allie had found this pond by accident. They had caught a lot of fish from this pond. But their trips to the pond had decreased. Nathan knew that Allie was getting older and these fishing expeditions were going to be far and in between. Nathan knew this was normal but was sad that his little girl was growing up. But Nathan was blessed with Jack who was still young enough to enjoy fishing. And hopefully in the future, Nathan could take his many children he shares with Eizabeth to this pond.
Once they reached the pond, Nathan stretched out the blanket and put the picnic basket on top of it. Jack ran to the edge of pond and looked at out the pond.
Jack's eyes grew large as he looked at the pond. Nathan brought the poles and bent down to Jack.
"What do you think?" Nathan asked.
"Big!" Jack said.
"It is big." Nathan said.
Nathan brought out some worms and showed Jack how to put the bait on his hook. After the bait was hooked, he helped Jack cast his pole. It went far out there. Nathan casted his reel.
"And now we wait." Nathan said. Nathan brought Jack back to the blanket for lunch. Nathan made them peanut butter and jelly with fruit on the side. As Jack ate, Nathan looked at Jack. He had his mother's eyes. They were kind and lighted up when he laughed, just like his mother's. From the pictures that Nathan had seen of Jack, Jack has his smile. What a blessing it must be for Elizabeth to have someone to remember Jack with. Nathan was blessed to have Allie who reminded him of Colleen every day.
"Look!" Jack shouted toward the fishing poles. Jack's pole was tugging.
"Let's go see!" Nathan said. They both ran down to the edge. Nathan held Jack who held onto the pole. Nathan helped Jack reel in a fish. The fish was small and looked like a minnow.
"My first fish!" Jack said.
Nathan laughed.
"It sure is partner. But this looks like a baby fish who still needs its mommy. We should throw him back in." Nathan said.
Jack nodded. Nathan threw the fish back in. Jack threw his arms around Nathan and hugged him. Nathan hugged him right back and they went back to the blanket to eat lunch. After they ate lunch, the both laid down to take nap. In the beginning of the nap, Jack was curled up next to Nathan but when Nathan woke up, Jack was on top of his chest.
After their nap, they packed everything up and headed toward the school to pick Allie up. While they were half way there, they ran into Allie and her friends.
Jack ran up to her and hugged her. The other girls said hello to Jack. Nathan walked up to them.
"Hello there." Nathan said to Allie and her friends.
"Hello." They said in unison.
"Can I go over to Opal's for supper?' Allie asked.
"Yes, if it is okay with Opal's mom." Nathan said.
"She said I could invite some friends over as long as we do our homework before supper." Opal said.
"Sounds like fun." Nathan said.
"Opal's mom will walk me home." Allie said.
Nathan nodded.
They all said their goodbyes.
"Looks like it is just you and me for now." Nathan said.
Jack smiled at Nathan. They walked home. Jack played on the floor as Nathan started dinner. He knew how to make a few dishes. He decided to make spaghetti. Nathan looked in Elizabeth's pantry and ice box and found all the ingredients to make the sauce for the spaghetti. Nathan peeled the tomatoes and heated up a pan. He put the tomatoes in the pan to heat up. He put a little of garlic and a few herbs. He tasted the sauce. It was perfect. Next, Nathan boiled the noodles. Once the noodles had boiled and cooled, he put the noodles in a bowl and put the sauce on top of it.
"Are you ready for some spaghetti, partner." Nathan asked Jack.
Jack ran over to the table. Nathan helped put Jack into a high chair. Nathan turned around and went back to get his plate. When he turned around, he saw that Jack had made a mess with the spaghetti. Nathan sighed and went to get a towel. He went over to Jack and wiped his hands and face. Nathan saw there was some spaghetti on the floor and went to wipe it up. While on the floor, Nathan felt a big plop on his head. Nathan felt it and looked at his hand. He looked up at Jack. Jack had plopped a big pile of spaghetti on Nathan's head.
Nathan stood up.
"Jack." Nathan said sternly.
Jack heard Nathan's tone.
"Sowy, Natey." Jack said.
Nathan sighed and took Jack upstairs for a bath. Nathan took a towel out of the closet and wiped off the spaghetti from his hair. Nathan gave Jack a bath and put him in his pajamas. He laid Jack in bed and laid right next to him.
"Can you tell me a story?" Jack asked.
"Sure. Let me think." Nathan said.
After thinking, Nathan started.
"Once upon a time, there was a Queen and her little Prince. The Queen lost her King shortly after they were married. The Queen was sad but found out that she would have a part of her King on earth through a child. One day, a Knight showed up to protect the Queen and the little Prince. As the Knight got to know the Queen and the little Prince, he started to fall in love with the Queen. But the Knight felt guilty for falling in love with the Queen. After a secret was out, the Queen forgave the Knight and conquering her fear, she let her heart love the knight. And they lived happily ever after." Nathan said.
Nathan looked over at Jack who was fast asleep. Nathan decided he would just rest his eyes.
When Elizabeth came home, she went up to Jack's room to find Jack's head on Nathan's shoulder. She smiled and went over to look at Nathan. He was fast asleep. Elizabeth decided to let Nathan sleep a little while longer. She ran her hands through his hair. Elizabeth felt something in Nathan's hair and pulled out a piece of spaghetti. Elizabeth stifled her laugh in order not to wake either of them. She could not wait to be married to this man and start a family with him.