Made For Each Other
Chapter 3
Sunday morning dawned, sunny, and bright. Elisabeth woke up at her normal time just before Jack came in to snuggle with her and she gave him a kiss on his forehead.
Lucas came to walk them to church and as they came near the church yard Elizabeth thought she heard a voice from the past. As she scanned the gathered crowd she caught sight of a familiar figure just as she turned in her direction. Elizabeth squealed in delight and ran into the open arms of Abigail Stanton!
"Why didn't you call or send me a letter letting me know you were coming this soon? Elizabeth asked.
"I wanted to surprise you," Abigail said.
"Well mission accomplished," laughed Elisabeth. "I thought you weren't getting here until Thursday morning."
"It's been so long since I've been to Hope Valley, I wanted to have time to truly enjoy it." Abigail explained.
Lucas and Jack walked up and stood beside Elizabeth. "Oh my, Little Jack! Just look how much you have grown!" Abigail exclaimed. "You probably don't remember me, but I was with your mama the night you were born and I was so happy to meet you for the first time. And I am so happy to get to meet you again today and see what a big boy you have grown into. Would it be okay if I gave you a hug?" she asked, sensing that he might be a little shy to hug someone that to him would seem as if they were a total stranger.
Jack looked a little hesitant but then opened his arms so she could give him a hug. "Auntie Abigail loves you so much Jack! Just like I love your mama and how I loved your daddy Jack." Abigail said softly as she hugged Jack closely.
"Oh Abigail, I am so glad you are here, I have missed you so much!" And with that Elizabeth gave her another hug.
Lucas had stood quietly by letting the ladies have their reunion but now that they were beginning to look towards heading inside he extended his hand to Abigail in greeting and said he was glad to see her again. He well remembered how it was the last he had seen Abigail. Although she had been willing to accept him as part of Hope Valley, that hadn't meant that she didn't still have her doubts about him, especially after he told her one thing to her face but in actions had done another. Before she had left to care for her mother they had been on working terms with each other, but nothing more.
Abigail smiled at him and said the same about seeing him again, noting to herself that he was still as good looking and charming acting as she remembered. Then the four of them made their way towards the church. Of course everyone wanted to say hello to Abigail and they ended up being the next to last people to make it into the sanctuary. Molly waved at them that there was room by her and the three adults squeezed in together putting Jack on Elizabeth's lap.
After the service everyone visited and mingled around outside. Jack ran over to see Allie and Elizabeth followed after stopping to say a greeting to a few people. "Hello Mrs. Thornton" Allie greeted her, "Jack was just asking about going fishing when I watch him later when you have your bachelorette... bachelor... wedding party...? Whatever it is tonight."
Elisabeth smiled "Yes the girls decided that the last few times they tried doing separate bachelorette and bachelor parties the guys always end up wanting to join the fun the girls are having, so this time they just planned it to be together to start with", explained Elizabeth.
"Well, if you are ok with me taking Jack fishing, I could come pick him up a little sooner than you had asked me to come sit with him. Say maybe 3:30?" Allie asked. adding, "My dad might even go with us or at least help us get them ready to cook up for dinner."
"Please Mama? "asked Jack sweetly.
"It's ok with me if it's what you both want to do." Elizabeth replied, thinking to herself how fast Jack was growing up.
"Oh boy!" an excited Jack shouted, jumping up and down clapping his hands.
Elizabeth smiled at his enthusiasm and thanked Allie for being so willing to spend time showing Jack how to fish. "After you took him the first time, I swear that was all he wanted to talk about for days. So, thank you for taking him again."
Elizabeth found her way back over to Abigail. "Do you have someplace to stay?" she asked. "I never got a response from the letter where I asked you if I should arrange something for you."
"I arranged to stay with Molly at her house." Abigail told her. "With coming early to surprise you I didn't want to put you out trying to find a place in your house. Especially while you are getting ready for a wedding and probably packing for a honeymoon. I remember how small the row houses can be!" Abigail said with a smile remembering her years of living in the very one Elizabeth now occupied.
"Well, that's very thoughtful of you but you know I would have been more than happy to make room for you", and Elizabeth gave Abigail another hug. Having her good friend back in Hope Valley filled her heart in a way she'd been missing ever since Abigail had to go away.
Molly invited Elizabeth and Lucas to join her and Abigail for Sunday lunch, which Elizabeth happily accepted. Florence and Ned were invited too and in no time, it had turned into a full blown potluck spreading out into Molly's backyard as everyone brought their Sunday lunch fare to share as they all chatted. Cat and Emily came, as well as Bill, Mike, and Henry. The Coulters were there, albeit a bit late as their little one had decided to have a diaper blowout just as they were getting ready to leave the house. The kind where she had to be stripped of all her clothes and given a bath, before putting all new clothes on her again.
When it was getting close to 3:30pm Elizabeth took Jack to their house to get changed and find his fishing pole that his grandma Charlotte had sent him for his birthday. When he came down from his room he had the pole in one hand and Jack's Mountie hat on his head. Elisabeth smiled at him and they headed for the door.
Allie and Nathan were just coming up the road towards Elizabeth's house so as soon as Jack saw them he ran to greet them. Nathan was heading into town to get Newton ready to go on rounds so he was in his Mountie uniform. When he saw Jack in his dad's Mountie hat he squatted down to be at his level and gave him a salute. Jack stopped and did a salute back to Nathan. Elisabeth felt her heart melting at the sight of Nathan and Jack greeting each other in this way and a tear slipped down her cheek.
Nathan told Jack "Us Mounties need to always be on guard so make sure to keep an eye out for any trouble and report back to me if you find some, ok?"
Jack giggled, but then gave Nathan another salute and in a pretend deep voice said "yes Sir!"
Nathan stood up and told Allie he would be back after rounds to help her clean and cook any fish they caught. Then he continued walking past the row houses heading towards town. He smiled and tipped his hat when he passed where Elizabeth stood watching as Allie and Jack headed off to find a fishing hole.
Elisabeth turned to call after Nathan and thank him for making Jack feel so big and important just then. "Anytime," Nathan said, taking a couple of steps back towards Elizabeth. "I will check on them when I go out that way, then I'll help them get the fish cleaned up and cooked when I get back from rounds" he said, figuring it would keep her from worrying about them.
"You're not coming to the party tonight?" Elisabeth asked.
"Well, " he said, taking off his hat, "I have been to enough of these, bachelor, bachelorette, wedding party... things... to kind of know how they go."
Seeing Elizabeth give him a look of annoyance or disappointment, it was sometimes hard to tell, he added that perhaps once he helped Allie and Jack with their fish dinner then he could maybe at least stop by. Then he added with a teasing grin "Who knows, maybe it will be such a lively party that you will be in need of Mountie presence to keep things in hand!" Then smiling one of his slightly crooked smiles that she had to admit were rather endearing he put on his hat and continued towards the livery.
Elizabeth stood smiling at Nathan's humor and watched his long strides carry him down the road.
Elisabeth wasn't the one only one watching. After she had left Molly's house Lucas didn't feel as comfortable, especially since he hadn't really had a chance to get to know Abigail all that well before she had to leave Hope Valley. Stepping out onto Molly's porch he saw the end of Nathan's exchange with Jack and noticed the effect it seemed to have on Elizabeth. Then he witnessed the entire exchange between Nathan and Elizabeth, which was enough to make his blood boil. Why she had to insist on being buddy, buddy with a man that he knew had been or perhaps even still was in love with her was something he couldn't understand. And it was one of the things he intended to see changed once they were married!
Not wanting Elisabeth to think he was spying on her he quickly opened and shut the door again so it would appear that he had just stepped out at the same moment she was turning to walk back towards the row house. Trying to keep the irritation he felt from being heard in his voice he smiled and greeted Elizabeth by saying "There you are, I was just coming to look for you."