Chapter 204 – Showing Proof of a Long Standing Dream (long)
Jack took a deep breath and let it harshly. He then looked at Andrew and softened his look. He went on to explain how that past October that he rescued the Russell girls, but he didn't know who they were. He explained how he was sent a reward and tried to return it, only to have Wynn personally bring it back at Christmas when he came for the wedding. Jack talked about meeting the Sr Andrew Russell in January when he and Elizabeth were in Hamilton and learning that Andy Russell was a blood relation to the request to take the girls. Jack also touched on how he and Elizabeth knew almost immediately that it was what they needed to do and how his mother wasn't happy.
"Then I got sick." Jack said. "I mean the set back in my breathing that we are dealing with right now. Ma has wanted to talk about this for days, but I have put her off until I was stronger. She chose today to confront me. Dee here tried to explain who Andy was and why he would want us to have the girls, but it appears that Ma is unmoved. I sent Elizabeth up to grab something and she had just come down with it when you guys arrived."
"Thank you for catching me up." Andrew said. "I knew some of it, but not all of it. I don't understand how I fit into things, but I am willing to wait and hear what you have to say. If you want me here, I will be here."
"Please stay." Elizabeth said. "I can't explain it right now, but later you will understand that if things work out the way that I want, why and how you will be affected."
"Then I will stay here." Andrew said. "Do you mind if I take notes, just from a legal standpoint?"
"Do what you need to so you keep things straight." Jack said.
Andrew pulled out a notebook and pen. He scribbled a bunch of notes as Jack continued to stare at his mother.
"So what does some old notebook have to do with why you feel you need to take on two children who aren't your own when you are expecting a child of your own." Charlotte demanded. "I mean you haven't even been married a year and you are taking on a huge burden."
"We don't see it as a burden." Elizabeth said. "We see it as a blessing and fulfillment from God."
"What do you mean?" Charlotte demanded.
Jack opened the sketchbook and laid out two loose pages and then flipped the book to a third page. He put them all so everyone could see them. He then pulled out another page and handed it to Elizabeth for her to see.
"Elizabeth." Jack said. "I found another drawing that I was thinking about. I wanted you to see it."
Elizabeth looked at the picture and immediately searched out the date. It was from August 1907 like the other one. It was of a woman with Elizabeth's hair color. The woman was looking down at two little ones sleeping in a cradle and the two little girls from the other drawings were also watching the two babies sleep. After Elizabeth looked at it for a few minutes, she set it down on the coffee table and then looked at Jack.
"Is that what I think it is?" Elizabeth asked.
"Yes." Jack said. "I had forgotten about that drawing until the other day when we were talking about twins. I found it. I was going to show you later, but Ma pushed and I felt everyone needed to see these."
"What are these?" Wynn asked.
"Drawings I have done." Jack said.
"So you made a few drawings lately." Charlotte scoffed. "It doesn't prove anything."
"Look at the dates." Elizabeth said. "Jack drew those between December 1906 and August 1907. He didn't know me and he definitely didn't know about the Russell girls, especially since little Sarah wasn't born. Look at the pictures. Even without definitive facial features, you can tell that it is me and the girls. I saw it immediately when Jack showed me the pictures last week."
"You have to admit that the woman in the drawing looks a lot like Beth." Andrew said. "I have only ever seen the Russell girls once, but I can see it."
Elizabeth got up and went and got the picture that Andrew Russell had sent of the girls and put it down on the coffee table.
"Oh." Andrew said. "I can totally see it now."
"Seriously." Charlotte said. "What does this prove?"
Jack turned to Elizabeth.
"I am sorry." Jack said. "I told you that they wouldn't understand."
"I would like to understand." Andrew said.
"Me too." Wynn said. "Please tell us about these drawings."
"I did them after I had a dream." Jack said. "It doesn't happen all that often, but there are times that I get an image stuck in my head and the only way that I can make sense of it is to draw it out. That is where those four drawings came from. Dee, you remember that picture I showed you of the house?"
"Yes." Dee said.
"That was the same thing." Jack said. "I was here in Hope Valley when that happened. I was struggling with my feelings about Elizabeth early on and I was struck one night with an image I couldn't get out of my head. I got up and drew an image and another one. When I was done the sun was coming up. I drew the view from the land where the house will sit when I was still in Fort Garry, so long before I had ever stepped foot on the land. Before I ever thought of buying the land, I drew where I was going to build a house for my family. Bill saw that drawing of the mountains and wondered when I had had a chance to sit and draw up there. I told him to look at the date on it and he was floored."
Andrew and Wynn each picked up a drawing and looked at it closer. They then exchanged drawings and again studied the one in their hands.
"You mean to tell me that you drew these from an image in your head." Wynn said.
"Yes." Jack said. "Long before I ever heard of Elizabeth Thatcher or Coal Valley."
Jack pulled out the ones of the house and view. He added them to the drawings on the table. Andrew, Wynn and Dee each in turn studied the drawing. Charlotte barely glanced at them. Even Elizabeth Rose came over and was looking at the drawings.
"These are amazing." Elizabeth Rose said.
She got to one of the woman and two girls looking at the twins in the cradle. The faces of the twins were visible. Their eyes were closed, but you could see Jack's lips and mouth on one and Elizabeth's mouth and chin on the other. Both looked to have dimples.
"Jack." Elizabeth said. "You believe that Beth is carrying twins."
"I do." Jack said. "We don't have confirmation of that, but I strongly believe that we will have twins. Whether it is this pregnancy or another, I know in my heart that I will be the father of twins at some point."
"That is what we are saying." Elizabeth said. "I had dreams of Jack long before I met him. I wrote about my dreams in my journals. I have shared one of those entries with Jack."
"That day almost a year ago when I saw Elizabeth standing there holding one of her students out by the mine, it sent me reeling." Jack said. "Then when I saw her in the saloon later that afternoon, I could have sworn I was dreaming. I was literally looking at the woman of my dreams and I realized that she was completely out of my league. That was part of why I was so angry when I sent that wire demanding a transfer. I wanted to get as far away from Elizabeth as possible, because I didn't think I would be able to handle being around her and not being with her.
We have admitted that we both felt electricity when shook hands that afternoon. I had to use every ounce of control I had that afternoon to not take Elizabeth in my arms and kiss her. I was fighting with my head and heart. My heart was screaming at me that we had finally found the woman we had been dreaming about for the last four years and my head was screaming at me to get as far away as possible as fast as possible because she was so far out of my league that I would never have her."
"For me." Elizabeth said. "That day, I was looking into the eyes of the man of my dreams and all I wanted to do was wrap my arms around him and kiss him. I had never felt that for another man in my life. Then for him to be so angry when he learned who my father was. Well, for me it was a punch in the gut. I couldn't believe that the man of my dreams was someone that I would have to let go because of my stupid family. Without knowing it, we were both struggling because not only had we met the person of our dreams, but we made assumptions about the other without facts. That is why it was so hard for us in the beginning. We are both stubborn and we were both fighting an internal battle."
"It took us a long time to admit that we were truly the other person's dream." Jack said. "But once we admitted out feelings and that we were much stronger as a pair then apart, well that is why we didn't want to wait to start our lives together. Yes, my job and Elizabeth's family were part of it, but the biggest part of it was that we physically needed each other. It was more then being together as man and wife. We need each other as much as we need oxygen and water.
When we learned about the Russell girls, it was like another dream that was meant to be. The drawings I did was proof that we were meant to have the girls. I told you that I felt a connection to them right away that I couldn't explain. I think those drawings are the reason that I felt that connection. Of all the train cars that I could have sat in, I was sat in the one with those girls. Looking back, I truly believe that God had his hand in it all. Even though it was hard to leave Elizabeth in Hamilton, I was meant to be on that train. I was meant to be in that car with the girls. It is tragic that the girls lost their parents, but I believe that God is giving us all a second chance. I mean think about it."
"I agree." Dee said. "Mom, Dad. You both know that I have drawn things that I can't explain. I can see now why Jack and Beth have been so sure about their decision and I will do everything I can to support them."
"You are right Dee." Elizabeth Rose said. "I had my doubts for a bit about Jack and Beth taking the girls right after Beth gives birth, but now I see it was all meant to be. I too will do everything I can to help and support you."
"I will also." Wynn said.
"Name it and I will do what I can to help." Andrew said. "I am not going to question it, because the things I have seen with Sophie have made me a true believer. When all the doctors told us that there would be problems with the baby, but Sophie was absolutely positive that he would be alright. I chose to believe my wife. And as it turned out, he was perfectly fine."
"Well." Charlotte said. "I can see that no one here is going to listen to my opinion."
"Charlotte Ann Thornton." Elizabeth Rose said. "Have you become that much of a cynic? Why can't you be happy for your son and daughter-in-law? They truly believe this is how their family is supposed to be. Why can't you be supportive? What is your problem? Those two little girls did nothing to you and they didn't ask for what happened to them. This is a chance for them to be part of a loving family and a supportive town."
Elizabeth Rose sat there and was giving Charlotte her scary teacher face. Charlotte just sat there with her arms crossed, not looking at anyone. After a few minutes, Elizabeth Rose had enough. She stood up and stood over Charlotte.
"If you can't see that Jack and Beth love those two little girls." Elizabeth Rose said. "You are no better than my good for nothing brother."
Elizabeth Rose then stormed over to the kitchen and after a few minutes went out the back door, shutting it with a slam. Everyone jumped when the door slammed.
"Ma." Jack said.
"What do you want me to say?" Charlotte said. "You are going to do what you want, no matter what I say."
"Then I revert back to my previous statement." Jack said. "If you can't accept Little Beth and Sarah, then I would strongly suggest you reconsider all future visits. Beth and Sarah will be our daughters, no different than any daughter that Elizabeth gives birth to. We will not allow them to be treated any differently because of circumstances beyond their control."
"You would really keep me from my grandchildren?" Charlotte asked.
"You would be making the choice to be away from your grandchildren." Jack said. "Beth and Sarah will be as much a Thornton as the child that Elizabeth is carrying. They deserve a grandmother as much as a child that Elizabeth is carrying. If you can't accept that, then that is your choice. As the man of the house, I am not going to allow you to dote on one child while ignoring two others."
Charlotte sat there staring at Jack with her scary teacher face and he didn't even flinch. While Jack and Charlotte were staring at each other, Dee and Elizabeth picked up the drawings and put them back in the sketchbook, leaving it on the coffee table. The tension was making Andrew uncomfortable, so he got up and went to the kitchen where Patty got him some tea. While Andrew was getting his tea, Elizabeth Rose came back in.
"Patty." Elizabeth Rose said. "What else needs to be done?"
"Just the apple crumble." Patty said. "If you are alright, I will head back and help Abigail."
"We will be fine." Elizabeth Rose said.
Everyone walked back to the sitting room.
"Jack, Elizabeth." Patty said. "Lunch is in the oven and should be done in about an hour and half. I am going to head back into town and help Abigail. She gave Ann the weekend off since her husband was home from Rock Creek."
"Thank you for coming out and helping." Elizabeth said. "I agree, Abigail needs the help more than we do right now. Thank you for helping her. You know that she won't ask for it."
"I know." Patty said. "That is why Frank and I have both decided to just help her."
"Good plan." Elizabeth said.
"I think I will leave as well." Charlotte said.
Patty hugged Elizabeth Rose and whispered that she would try to talk to her. Charlotte left without saying anything else to anyone. As Patty opened the door to leave, Jacobs and Faith were standing there.
"Come in." Patty said. "I was just leaving to head back and help Abigail."
"Let me know if you need more cadets." Jacobs said.
"I will." Patty said.
With that, Patty left. She was trying to figure out what she could say to get through Charlotte. She knew that Charlotte was being unreasonable, but there had to be more to it, but she wasn't sure that Charlotte would talk to her. All Patty knew was that she had to try or Charlotte was going to regret her actions in a few years when it was too late. Patty knew about regrets. She had seen what it could do to families. She never learned what the problem was between her mother and grandmother, but Patty knew that it robbed her and her siblings of a chance at having a grandmother in their lives.
Jacobs and Faith entered the house.
"Sorry to interrupt." Jacobs said. "There was just something that I wanted Faith to check on with Jack."
"It is okay." Wynn said. "We all needed a break at the moment."
"Jack." Faith said. "Jeremiah told me a little about what was going on. Where would you like me to examine you?"
"I think my bedroom would be best." Jack said.
Jack then turned to Elizabeth.
"It is not that I don't want you with me." Jack said. "But would you be okay with Jacobs helping Faith? Not only do we have company, but if there is something that needs to be done, Jacobs might be better equipped to help."
"As long as you tell me what is going on when you are done." Elizabeth said.
"I will personally make sure he talks to you." Jacobs said.
"Thank you." Elizabeth said.
"Then Jack." Faith said. "Lead the way."
Jacobs came over and helped Jack stand. The three of them headed upstairs. Elizabeth watched them go and when she couldn't see them anymore, she turned and looked at her Aunt, Uncle and cousins.
"I am going to run back into town and check messages." Dee said.
"Can you grab my briefcase?" Andrew asked.
"The one at the office?" Dee asked.
"Yes." Andrew said.
"Also, can you see if David can come out?" Wynn asked. "I want him to meet Jack and Beth."
Dee nodded and left. When he opened the door, everyone noticed the light rain that was falling.