Chapter Five

Elizabeth, Nathan, and the children settled into their new routines over the next few weeks. Nathan walked Elizabeth to school most mornings and escorted her and Allie home whenever his schedule allowed. Allie watched Jack after school two or three days a week, giving Laura the chance to keep up on her correspondence class. Elizabeth and Allie frequently shopped at the Mercantile together, and Little Jack was enjoying fishing lessons with Nathan and Allie. They alternated dinners at their row houses, the Coulters', and sometimes the cafe, dining together most nights.

The one place they didn't make a habit of going was the saloon. Things were still awkward between Elizabeth and Lucas, and she didn't want to worsen the situation by flaunting her happiness. While he had backed down from his threats against her job, there had been heated words and high emotions when he accused Elizabeth and Nathan of trying to ruin his business. It turned out Lee's prediction had been right, and while none of the adults had spoken of the incident at Elizabeth's, Allie had indeed told her friends. As often happens with gossip, the story became exaggerated the further it spread. By the time Nathan heard it in town, Lucas had not only put his hands on Elizabeth but Allie and young Jack as well, and had threatened violent revenge on both Elizabeth and Nathan.

So Elizabeth and Nathan found themselves dining at the saloon and publically making small talk with Lucas, trying to remind the town of the spirit of good will. Elizabeth even used the situation as a lesson in her classroom. She knew that none of the children intended to hurt Mr. Bouchard's business by embellishing the story, but that was the effect of their words. There were many subdued faces at dismissal that day as the children prepared to tell their parents the truth, and slowly people began to frequent the saloon again.

Even with that issue behind them, Elizabeth had been unusually distracted and quiet for several days. When pressed, she finally admitted to Nathan that she was debating how to celebrate Jack Sr.'s birthday this year. The first year after his death, she had spent a few hours alone at the cemetery, talking, crying, and remembering him while Rosemary and Lee watched Little Jack. Last year, she, the Coulters, and Bill had a quiet dinner together; there were still tears, but also some nice memories. Young Jack had been there, but didn't really understand the significance. This year, she wanted to do something that included their son in the occasion, but she wasn't sure how. She was planning a picnic, again with Bill and the Coulters, on Jack's land. The weather looked promising, and it was somewhere she and their son could still be connected to Jack. She was hesitant, however, about whether or not to include Allie and Nathan.

"I know that Jack is happy for us; he wanted me to open my heart to love again and I have no doubt that he approves of you. I just don't want you and Allie to feel like you have to come. I know it's a little strange to want to celebrate him this way, but I want my son to know his father, and feel that he will always be a part of our lives."

"It's not strange at all," Nathan assured her. "Allie and I have a special dinner for Colleen's birthday every year."

"You do?" Elizabeth asked, surprised. "Why have you never mentioned it before?"

Nathan shrugged. "It's not really a big deal to anyone else here in Hope Valley. No one here knew her, so what reason would they have to remember her? We'll invite you and Jack to the next one, obviously, but until recently, our family affairs weren't any of your business. No offense."

"None taken," she promised him. "So what do you guys do for this dinner? Is there a special menu? Do you go somewhere in particular?"

Nathan smiled. "We used to go out to eat, but once we moved here, we started making dinner. Or, we attempt to, anyway. We cook some of Colleen's favorite foods and we just talk about her. I've made sure Allie knows that she can ask me about her mom any time, and she does every once in a while, but for this one night, she is all we talk about. No school, no work, just Allie and Colleen."

"What do you talk about?" Elizabeth asked. "I'm not trying to be nosy, honestly. I'm just trying to figure out how to include Little Jack in our celebration."

"Well, we always sing 'Happy Birthday' to Colleen before we have her favorite dessert-chocolate cake with strawberry frosting. Then Allie opens her gift and we go from there."

"You get Allie a gift for Colleens' birthday?"

Nathan shook his head, grinning. "No, my mom sends something of Colleen's for Allie to have, and a letter telling her the significance of it. A doll, a picture, a scarf, her favorite book….last year was the locket I got Colleen for her eighteenth birthday. I saved up for weeks to buy it. She was getting ready to move to the city and I didn't want her to forget about me, so I had pictures of the two of us put inside, so I would always be close to her. When Allie got it, I offered to have new pictures put in, but she refused. She said she wanted to keep it just the way Colleen wore it, and that she liked the idea of having both her mom and I close to her. You've probably seen her wearing it."

Elizabeth smiled softly. "I believe I have."

"Mom already sent this year's gift. It's actually something of hers, a ring that Colleen always used to borrow because it has her birthstone in it. Dad got it for her when Colleen was born."

"That's so sweet," Elizabeth said. "Are there some earrings or a necklace with your birthstone?"

Nathan bit his lip, his cheeks flushing as he refused to meet her eyes. "There's something…" he admitted, not wanting to elaborate. It was actually another ring. His mother had sent them together, suggesting that the one with Nathan's diamond birthstone might make a special gift for another important woman in his life, when they were ready for the next step in their relationship.

Hoping she didn't notice his discomfort, Nathan changed the subject. "Elizabeth, Allie and I are more than happy to be a part of however you choose to celebrate Jack. No matter what we are and wherever this is going, he will always be a part of your life. I would never expect you to forget about him, and I will never try to take his place in your son's life. At the same time, if you would rather keep it to just the people he was closest to, we understand."

She leaned into him, sighing contently. They were quiet for a few minutes, holding hands and watching Jack and Allie run around the yard. "I want you to be there," she finally said. "You came here for us, and you've had to live in Jack's shadow. I'd like you to get to know him."

Nathan placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Then count us in. Is there anything you'd like us to bring?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "Bill and Rosemary are taking care of the food and Lee is making a picnic table for us. They won't even let me bring anything except myself and little Jack." She sat up and turned to face Nathan. "Would you mind if I stole your idea to have your mom send things to pass down? I would love to be able to include Charlotte. We've been out to visit her a few times, but she hasn't been back to Hope Valley since the funeral. The first year it was too soon after his death for her to come here again. Last year, she wasn't feeling well, and this year her foreman has a broken leg, so she doesn't feel she can leave the ranch. She won't be able to get anything here in time for his dad's actual birthday, but maybe she could send something Jack and I can open later…"

"I have no problem with you sharing our little tradition, and I'm sure your mother-in-law would be thrilled to be included." He paused, not sure if he should ask his question. "Does she know about us?"

Elizabeth gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "She does. And she's happy for us. I wrote her when you arrived in town, telling her about you as a Mountie. Apparently, I mentioned you as a man more than I realized the last couple of years, because when I told her we were courting, she scolded me for waiting so long." They both laughed. "She never said much about Lucas whenever I mentioned him; I assumed she was just reserving judgement, but now I suspect she didn't approve of him."

"She just wants what's best for you and her grandson," Nathan said, hugging her against his side. "I hope I get to meet her someday, and Jack's brother, too. They're important to you and your son, and that makes them important to me."

Tom Thornton looked around as he got out of his car in front of the saloon. A number of people walking past smiled, nodded, and waved in greeting, but he didn't recognize any of them. Probably better he thought to himself. Don't want to ruin the surprise. He glanced across the street at the jail, noting the horse tied out front. He remembered from Elizabeth's letters that a new Mountie had arrived about a year after Jack's death, and knew he would have to face the man eventually, but not right now. Not today. He gathered his things and went into the saloon, pleased to see it was fairly quiet.

To his dismay, a tall man in a red serge jacket came in shortly after he'd taken a seat at the bar. By the way the other customers greeted him, Tom knew he must be the town's Constable. He nodded as the man stopped at the bar and asked for some iced tea, hoping they could leave it at that.

"Good morning," the Mountie said politely, turning to face him. "Welcome to Hope Valley. What brings you to our little town?"

Tom sighed but forced a smile. "Morning. I'm here to visit. It's my brother's birthday, so I thought I'd surprise his family."

The other man smiled. "Well I hope your brother has a very happy birthday. Do you need help getting in touch with the family, or do you know where you're going?"

Before Tom could answer, he saw a young boy run past on the boardwalk, his mother chasing behind him.

"Jack Thornton, you stop right there!"

The Mountie turned, leaving money for his drink on the bar as he grabbed his hat. "Duty calls," he said, grinning as he hurried out the door.

Tom glanced at the man behind the bar. "Since when is it a Mountie's job to chase down wayward children?" He noticed that the other man frowned before answering.

"Our good constable watches over all the citizens of Hope Valley, but he has taken a particular interest in Mrs. Thornton and her son."

"Oh?" Tom's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Just how interested?"

"And why is that any of your business?" the bartender asked suspiciously.

Tom reached across the bar. "Tom Thornton."

"Lucas Bouchard," the other man answered, shaking his hand. "Thornton? Any relation?"

"Jack's baby brother."

"Does Elizabeth know you're here?" Lucas asked, feeling a bit smug. Nathan had no idea this man could ruin his whole relationship. He couldn't imagine the Thornton family would be pleased to hear she was involved with another Mountie. She hadn't been willing to listen to him; perhaps her brother-in-law could make her see reason.

"No," Tom shrugged. "I wanted to surprise her. I thought we could celebrate Jack together today."

Lucas smiled. "Well, I know she and a few friends were planning a gathering of some sort. I'm sure she would welcome you to join them. Why don't you go find her? I'll make sure your bag makes it safely up to your room."

"I think I will, thanks," Tom said. He paused, pulling a small wrapped package from his bag before closing and passing it to Lucas. "Can't go without this. When Ma tells you to hand deliver something to her grandson, you don't want to forget it." He went out the door, stopping on the boardwalk to look for Elizabeth and Jack.

"Mama! Want down!" Jack whined, struggling against Elizabeth's hold.

Flustered and getting tired of grappling with the flailing child, she literally sagged with relief when she heard Nathan say, "Let me take him."

"Daddy Na-tan!" Jack exclaimed happily, diving into his arms. "We go on pic-nic!"

Nathan laughed, holding Jack with one arm while putting the other around Elizabeth. "Yes, but first we have to wait for Allie, Aunt Rosie, Uncle Lee, and Grandpa Bill."

"Actually, we were just waiting for you to get back from your rounds," Elizabeth explained, leaning on Nathan as they stopped in front of the jail. "Rosemary and Lee were going to drive out to get things set up, and they offered to take Allie with them. Bill rode out to meet them."

Nathan swung Jack around, much to the little boy's glee, and then held him up to pet Newton and Sargent. Setting him down next to Elizabeth, he went into his office to change out of his uniform and into more casual clothes. "I hope it's alright," he said as he came back out. "Allie has something for you and Jack."

"She didn't have to bring a gift!" Elizabeth protested.

Nathan shook his head. "She knows that, but she wanted to do something special for you guys today. It means a lot to her, so I hope you'll accept it."

"Of course we will! Anything from Allie is special to us, right Jack?" She reached over to tickle her son, eliciting more giggles.

Nathan was watching Elizabeth carefully, not sure how she was handling the day. He knew he struggled on Colleen's birthday, and wanted to provide any support he could. He relaxed a bit when she put her arm around him and smiled.

"Well what have we here?"

Elizabeth and Nathan both looked up at the bitter voice. She seemed stunned. "Tom?"

Nathan recognized the younger man from their brief interaction at the saloon, his heart sinking as he recalled their short conversation. His brother's birthday. "Tom Thornton, I presume?"

Tom stared at Nathan's outstretched hand, but didn't take it, glaring at him instead. "Wishing my brother well on his birthday, huh? Looks to me like you're making yourself at home with his family instead."

"Tom!" Elizabeth scolded. "That was uncalled for!"

Jack had hidden, huddling against his mother's skirt. He peeked at the stranger warily, and Tom's countenance softened as he looked at his nephew. "Hey there, Jack," he said cheerfully, stooping down to the child's level. "Remember me? I'm your Uncle Tom."

"Unca Tom?" Jack asked nervously.

"Yes, sweetheart," Elizabeth said soothingly. "He's your daddy's brother. You met him at Grandma Charlotte's at Christmas. Do you remember?"

Jack studied him for a moment and then, in the quick judgement that children do, walked over to hug him. "Hi Unca Tom. We go pic-nic for Daddy's birfday. You go too?"

Tom closed his eyes, not wanting Elizabeth or the Mountie to see how moved he was. He missed his brother all the time, but moments like this really tugged on his heart. He opened his eyes as he loosened his hold on the boy. "I guess that depends on your mom."

"Of course you can join us," Elizabeth hastened to reply. "It will give us a chance to catch up, and I'm sure you have some stories you can share about Jack. Who better than his brother to help us remember him, right?"

"Tom Thornton, is that you?" Rosemary exclaimed as she saw them ride in. She rushed over to hug him. "It's been far too long! Tell me you're staying to visit for a while!"

"I guess that depends." He watched as Nathan helped Elizabeth and Jack down from their horse, his affection for them quite clear.

Rosemary followed his gaze, nodding in understanding when she saw his frown. She put her arm through his and pulled him towards the picnic table. "I'm guessing Charlotte didn't tell you?"

Tom stopped, stunned. "Ma knows? And she's alright with it?"

Rosemary nodded. "She knows Jack would have wanted Elizabeth to be happy, to love again. And really, I don't think Elizabeth could have found anyone better. Nathan is a Mountie, so you know Jack's son will be raised with honor and integrity. He knows loss, too, so he understands the struggles of moving on and starting over. And, most importantly, he adores Elizabeth and little Jack."

"His wife?" Tom asked, curious about the man who seemed to be taking his brother's place.

Rosemary shook her head. "His sister. Allie is biologically his niece, but he's been her guardian since she was a little girl, and he's the only father she's ever known. He officially adopted her a few months ago. But he's been through a lot of what Elizabeth is dealing with—the grief, the guilt, the uncertainty—and he's been someone solid for her to lean on."

After greeting Bill and Lee and introducing himself to Allie, Tom sat back and watched. It was easy to see how much everyone there cared for and admired Jack Thornton, even Nathan and Allie. While they didn't have any stories of their own to share about him, they were genuinely interested in what everyone else had to say. And it was obvious how much they both cared for Elizabeth and Little Jack, from helping the little boy with his food to silently offering a handkerchief and a shoulder to lean on when tears overwhelmed her.

"So there's Jack, his face and clothes covered in dirt, holding one shoe and trying to explain that it was his fault I had gotten into Mr. Sanderson's pasture." Rosemary stopped as they all laughed. "I can still hear him. 'A gentleman would never sully a lady's name.'"

"I remember that!" Tom said, still laughing. "He was so determined to get you out of trouble that he got himself into even more! Our mom told him that, while it was honorable of him to try to protect a young lady, a lie is still a lie."

"I don't think he spoke to me for a month!" Rosemary remembered. "Dear Jack, always the gentleman, even at ten years old!"

Bill recalled a story from Jack's days at the academy, and how it garnered him even more respect from his superiors. Lee spoke of Jack's loving frustration and admiration for a certain schoolteacher's independent streak, and how it made it difficult for him to take care of her the way he wanted to. Tom told them how Jack looked out for him after their dad died, and how it made him too serious. "Which made me all the more determined to make him let loose!" Tom presented Jack Jr with the package from Charlotte, helping him open it to find his dad's favorite teddy bear. "I remember this guy!" Tom exclaimed. "His name was Bear. My brother would never let me hold or play with him, even after he'd outgrown him. What do you think, Jack? Can I play with him now?" Jack hugged the bear tightly, shaking his head and making everyone laugh.

Nathan and Allie sat back, enjoying the tales and the peek into Elizabeth's life before them. When the stories were done, Allie came forward with her gift for Elizabeth and Jack—a box to keep the letters and mementoes from these birthday celebrations, and a small journal to write down their memories. "My dad told me that you're going to borrow our tradition. I have a box that I keep all of the letters from my Grandma in. I take them out to reread them sometimes, like when I'm really sad or need to feel like I have a mom. I thought Jack might like to be able to do that, too." She leaned closer to Elizabeth before adding, "But hopefully soon I'll have you as a mom and Jack will have my dad. Then we can look through our boxes for happy memories, instead of when we're sad."

As evening fall and the party broke up, Elizabeth invited Tom to join her and Jack for dinner at their house, wanting him to see that even though she was moving on, she hadn't forgotten about his brother. Little Jack led his uncle around the room to show off his toys and books, then pulled him to the table by the window and pointed to the pictures. "Dis is my Daddy. He wivs in heaven so we can't see him, but we wuv him and tawk to him aww da time. Daddy Na-tan is a Mon-tee wike my Daddy."

Elizabeth was about to put the lamp out and go up to bed when she heard a quiet knock on the door. Knowing only one person who would come calling this late, she grinned as she opened the door. "I didn't think I'd get to see you tonight."

Nathan smiled softly, pulling her onto the porch and wrapping his arms around her. "I won't ask to come in at this hour, but I wanted to see how you're doing after everything today. I'm sure the stories about Jack brought up a lot of memories and emotions for you. And then Tom…" He trailed off, pressing a kiss on the top of her head.

Leaving the door slightly ajar so she could hear if her son awoke, Elizabeth sighed, relaxing into Nathan's arms. "It was nice to share happy memories of Jack, especially with other people who loved him, but it was definitely bittersweet. A part of me is always going to miss him and wish he could be a part of our lives, but I know he's watching over us, and that he wants us to be happy."

"And are you?" Nathan asked quietly. "Happy?"

Elizabeth shifted back to meet his patient gaze. "I am," she vowed. "I still have moments when I struggle, but I know I've got people to lean on if I need to."

Nathan grinned, hugging her close again. "And how did things go with Tom? I imagine he is a little less than happy about our relationship."

"He isn't thrilled," Elizabeth admitted. "He was going to go to Aberdeen and spend a couple of weeks with Charlotte, but I convinced him to stay here a few more days. He's spent a total of four days in Hope Valley—for our wedding and then for Jack's funeral. He's seen me here for one of the best and on the worst day of my life; I want him to see what our everyday life is like."

"And I imagine some extra time with his nephew might work in your favor, too?"

Elizabeth smiled. "Jack was certainly trying to impress him tonight. He showed Tom every toy and book he owns, told him about playing with Laura while I'm at school, asked if he knew how to fish like Allie, let him read him his bedtime story…And he explained in great toddler detail about how we talk to and about his dad every day, and how much we love him. I think that more than anything I said convinced Tom that I'm not leaving Jack behind."

"I'm glad you get to spend more time with him, and that Jack is getting to enjoy some time with his Thornton family," Nathan said. "It's good to know who and where you came from."

Elizabeth nodded, happy that Nathan was taking the Tom situation in stride. She intended to have Tom, Nathan, and Allie all over for dinner at least once before her brother-in-law had to leave, and it was easier knowing Nathan would be beside her. She could only hope Tom would be as respectful of her new life as Nathan was of her old one.

"I admit, I had an ulterior motive for stopping over," Nathan admitted, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Oh? What was that?" Elizabeth asked, suspecting it was the same reason she was glad he'd come.

He took one hand from her waist and reached up to softly caress her cheek. "I knew I'd never get to sleep without a goodnight kiss."

"Well," she replied slyly. "We can't have our Mountie too tired to do his rounds tomorrow, can we?" She stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around his neck as their lips met in a long sweet kiss.

I apologize for the delay in getting this up. I knew where I wanted to go with the whole "consequences" scenario, but the words just would not come. The first few paragraphs were my compromise, and I'm hoping to circle back later and play it out the way I intended. In the meantime, this idea would NOT go away. I literally dreamt about the birthday celebration and Allie's gift tradition. More than once. So I figure if the muses are being that insistent, I HAD to write it.

As always, thanks for your comments and reviews. :-)