Lucas arrived at Elizabeth's house just after supper. He still had time to read Jack a bedtime story which had now become a nightly routine. After Jack went to bed he and Elizabeth talked about their day for a few hours before saying goodnight.
"Sorry, I am late tonight. Things got busy with the dinner service. Now with Hope Springs, we are double the number of customers for each meal. Not that I am complaining but I miss having family dinners together." Lucas kissed Elizabeth as he hung up his coat.
"I understand it is a new adjustment for everyone. Earlier I went into town to get some things at the Mercantile, and the main street was packed with people. Did you eat dinner yet?" Elizabeth asked as she sat next to Jack on the couch.
"Yes, thank you. I had the pot roast special for tonight. I did bring some cookies for dessert. How is my buddy doing tonight?" Lucas asked Jack before sitting down on the other side of him.
"What story tonight?" Jack started to giggle as Lucas began to tickle him.
"I have a very special story. It's called The Velveteen Rabbit. How does that sound?" Lucas asked the little boy.
"Good. Want to build?" Jack asked as he moved to the floor to play with his blocks.
"Sure." Lucas moved to the floor and started to build with the blocks. Elizabeth went upstairs to get things ready for Jack to go to bed.
"Honey, just a few more minutes, and then time for bed." Elizabeth smiled as she reached the last stair watching them play together. In just a few weeks this would be their nightly routine as a family.
"Aww, five more minutes please?" Lucas asked and laughed.
"Sure. Tomorrow is Saturday and we can stay up later tonight." Elizabeth joined them on the floor.
"I have off this weekend. How about if we fly kites? Or would you like to go to Hope Springs for a swim?" Lucas asked as he looked at Elizabeth and Jack.
"Both!" Jack said excitedly.
"Both sound nice to me as well. We can also have a picnic. I can make some sandwiches." Elizabeth started building a tower with her blocks.
"Great. It will be fun." Lucas leaned in whispering something to Jack and winked at him. He turned and looked at Elizabeth smiling.
"What are you two up to?" Elizabeth laughed.
"BOOM" Jack yelled as he walked through Elizabeth's tower of blocks.
"Hey." Elizabeth laughed as she grabbed Jack giving him kisses on his forehead and cheeks.
"Momma, I'm a dinosaur. Dinosaurs don't get kisses." Jack laughed trying to wiggle free.
"A dinosaur? How scary!" Elizabeth said looking shocked.
"Yes. I'm a T-Rex. Roar…." Jack roared as he marched around the living room.
"Oh no! I need to protect the fair maiden from the scary dinosaur." Lucas jumped up and ran to the coat rack grabbing his umbrella. He swung his umbrella like a sword.
"Roar…. Roar… Roar… Roar." Jack stomped even louder and roared around the room.
"I'm going to capture you. Here I come." Lucas continued to swing his umbrella in the air as he followed Jack around the room.
"You can't catch me." Jack laughed as he ran behind the couch.
"Here I come." Lucas set down the umbrella on the couch before he went towards Jack.
"You are too slow." Jack laughed as he ran under the kitchen table.
"Hmm." Lucas waited just a few feet from the table waiting for Jack.
"Roar…. Roar…" Jack said as he came out from under the table heading to the living room.
"Gotcha." Lucas picked up the little boy raising him high in the air.
"Buddy." Jack laughed loudly.
"I don't know who the bigger kid is." Elizabeth laughed as she stood up and walked towards them.
"Alright buddy ready for story time?" Lucas asked as he flew Jack in the air before holding him in his arms.
"Yes!" Jack hugged tightly to Lucas as he held him.
"Go, get ready for bed, and then we will read," Elizabeth asked as Lucas set Jack on the floor. She smiled as she saw Jack go quickly up the stairs. It meant a lot that her son enjoyed her love of reading. Growing up every night she would read with her family and now with Jack.
"I can read a story tonight if you want to relax. Gustav gave me some chocolate chip cookies for dessert. They are in the bag on the counter. Today I just got the new issue of Harper's Bazaar and there is a wonderful story inside called The Velveteen Rabbit. Jack will love it." Lucas showed Elizabeth the magazine and watched as she read the story.
"That is lovely. Thank you. I will have a cookie and come up and join you both in a few minutes." Elizabeth always had a sweet tooth for cookies.
"Sounds good. I will skip the parts he is too little for." Lucas kissed her before heading upstairs. "Here we go, Jack. It is a story about a very special rabbit." Lucas sat on the bed next to him opening up the magazine to the story. Jack laid his head on Lucas's shoulder as Lucas wrapped his arm around him kissing him on the top of his head.