"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up." Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (KJV)

Wednesday, December 8, 1920

Elizabeth dismissed her students, tidied up her desk, and then began walking toward the café for the planning meeting. She was running a bit late but was happy to see that Fiona and Florence were just arriving themselves. She briefly noticed as she walked in that the tree was already there. As soon as they walked in, Fiona got right to the point as Elizabeth found her seat. Minnie handed her a cup of tea, which she gratefully accepted.

"Well, it is that time of year again ladies, and Rosemary has charged me, Florence, and Molly with ensuring that we have our plan for celebrating Christmas this year even though it has been a tough year for everyone," Fiona said enthusiastically as she faced the group of women gathered.

"Not to mention that it is Goldie's first Christmas, too," Molly added.

"How are she and Rosemary doing, Elizabeth?" Minnie asked. Rosemary and Goldie were stuck at home with colds. One that had been going around for the past month and had managed to affect almost everyone in town. Elizabeth was hoping that she and Jack wouldn't be among them.

"Lee said that Goldie seems to be on the mend, but Rosemary is still not feeling well, though she no longer has a fever. But you know Rosemary is struggling with not being here. I think Lee had to tie her to the bed to keep her home."

The ladies giggled because they did not doubt that. Rosemary was usually in the middle of everything, and it was hard for her to sit back and let others do what she considered her job.

"I promised to give her a full rundown on everything right after," Fiona said with a chuckle. "Why don't we start with status reports starting with the Wishing Tree? I noticed that Joseph and Bill have already set it up for us. What about the rest, Minnie?"

"Nathan and Joseph have already made sure the pencils are sharpened as well as having the ornaments ready to go. Joseph set up the box just before he and Bill left to go cut down the tree. According to him, we are all set for tomorrow night's Tree Decorating event."

"I spoke with Lee, our newly elected mayor, and he is ready to make the speech tomorrow night as well," Florence added. Lee had been elected by special vote when Bill decided to step down as pro tem due to the increase of cases and working with Lucas and others against Union City Holdings.

"Faith told Rosemary that as long as she goes 24 hours without a fever, she can attend. Otherwise, I don't think anything would keep her home," Molly added.

"I think we need to keep things simple and low-key this year because so many are struggling to get by. But it doesn't mean we can't make it special." Elizabeth said.

"I completely agree," Fiona said. "That's why Florence, Molly, and I were thinking that we encourage homemade gifts over store-bought or at least inexpensive."

"Ned and I have already begun to create a shelf of inexpensive items in the store that can be purchased as well as materials such as paint and material if one is making the gift," Florence said. "Also, to show our appreciation for Harry, we thought we would take up a collection of items to present to him as a present for all that he has done around town."

Everyone was delighted at the prospect and quickly agreed to provide something for his gift. The meeting continued on and before long concluded.

As they walked out together, Elizabeth asked Molly about Rosaleen.

"Oh, she is doing so great, Elizabeth. She is going to be coming for Christmas and will be able to stay until January 2. She starts classes back up on the 5th, giving her time to settle. She is arriving on the 23rd."

"That's wonderful, Molly," Elizabeth replied with a huge smile. "Being a mother myself, I can imagine how hard it has been on you to have her so far away."

"Faith has already said she would gladly hire her as a nurse when she finishes."

"Well, I have no doubt that she will make a great one, and Hope Valley would be lucky to have her," Elizabeth said, hugging her before saying goodbye and heading home to relieve Allie.

For the past month, rather than going home when Elizabeth arrived, Allie often stayed longer, wanting to spend more time with Elizabeth and Jack. Elizabeth enjoyed spending time with her, and they quickly fell into a routine of sorts. Elizabeth helped her with her writing and was always finding ways to encourage her. The two of them had also been working on their sewing skills under Rosemary's expert tutelage. Opal began joining them, accompanied by Angela, though Angela mainly just sat talking as the others worked on projects or played with Jack.

Ellen began working with them on needlepoint, knitting, and crocheting while Minnie would help them with baking. Elizabeth benefited because her skills in those areas, though adequate, still needed work. Thanks to her dear friends, she was getting quite proficient. Allie often stayed for dinner, which became a highlight of Elizabeth's day. Occasionally, Bill and Nathan would join them, bringing food from the café so she didn't have to cook.

Sometimes, while spending time with Allie, she would pretend that the teen girl was her daughter even though it always caused a pang in her heart. But though she loved Allie and Nathan, she couldn't bring herself to risk losing either of them again because of her actions. She knew that the two children were very attached to one another. In fact, she felt that Jack had become even closer to Allie than he had been with anyone else, not even Laura. She chuckled at recent memories of Jack always starting everything with what Allie says or Allie thinks. In Jack's mind, wherever his Allie was, that was where he also needed to be. Only Nathan, Scout, and Bill came close to Jack's adoration for his babysitter. His other favorite playmate was Robert's little sister, Sarah, who was very shy and timid. Jack had become almost protective of her, and when the kids played together, Jack often sought Sarah to play with, reminding her so much of his father with his charm and dimples. The older he got, the more she began to see her late husband in their boy.

Her mind drifted back to that day when he asked about his daddy, and she placed his Mountie hat on their son. When he looked over at her, Elizabeth's breath caught in her throat, and it was all she could do to answer him when he asked how he looked in it. It had become his most prized possession besides the Teddy Bear he slept with and the wooden Mounties that Nathan had made for him. She had Fiona take a picture of him sitting on Sargent. She planned to send copies to Charlotte and Tom and give one to Bill and the Coulters for Christmas. Henry had helped Jack make frames and they finished painting them last night. She kept one to place next to his daddy's picture on the side table by the stairs in the double frame that Henry had surprised her with. It was the one from where he got his medal, and it was their son's favorite.

Between Bill and Nathan, he had begun to learn more about the Mounties and his Daddy. Rosemary and Lee tried too, but with the newspaper, Goldie and Lee becoming Mayor, it was getting harder for both of them, although they did manage to help. Jack loved it when they babysat Goldie and was very attentive whenever they were together. Well, except for the stinky diapers, in which case he would take off running outside. Elizabeth tried to be there for the two of them as much as they were there for her, recalling those early days of little sleep and not wanting to be away from the baby for fear of missing an important moment. Those times she held Goldie, she couldn't help remembering Jack's birth, but it also stirred a secret hunger hidden inside her heart for another child with the man she loved with all her heart. She would allow her thoughts to drift there briefly before tamping them back into hiding, though she suspected Rosemary still knew.

Thankfully, Joseph and Minnie had also been there in the months since calling off the wedding and breaking up with Lucas. After the election, they had helped her face her grief head-on. They also helped her sort through what happened between her, Nathan, and Lucas and her guilt over hurting them, as well as Allie. The result was that she had been honest with Bill, the Coulters, and both Grants. She made no excuses and allowed none to be made for her. The hardest to face was Nathan, but they managed, resulting in a more profound, more meaningful friendship that grew out of it. One of the best things, though, that happened was that any awkwardness that had existed before was gone, except for the times when their eyes would meet, and the love would bubble up between them. No matter how much she wanted to move forward and make the first move toward love, she had done too much already to hurt him and didn't want to put him in the difficult position of saying no. Besides, both were extra cautious because there were also two children that, above everything, had to be protected.

She was brought out of her thoughts by someone calling her name. Looking over, she saw that it was Mei and Faith calling out. She stopped and waited for them to catch up. She was feeling a bit run down anyway, and in her preoccupation, she had not gone far and was still standing not far from where she and Molly separated. With a weary sigh, her rowhouse seemed worlds away at that moment.

"Hey, you two," Elizabeth said, hugging each woman. "How is everything over at the infirmary and the pharmacy?"

"It's great and when you get a chance, I have a new facial treatment from my grandmother's journal I want you to try," Mei said.

"I'll try later this week," Elizabeth said. "But I can't promise. With all the preparations for the Christmas program, the tree lighting tomorrow, and everything that must be accomplished before the break on the 17th…."

Mei chuckled. "No hurry."

"Elizabeth, you look a little pale. Are you feeling all right?" Faith asked with a frown. "Is there anything we can do to help you?"

"I'm fine, just tired," Elizabeth said. "Besides, tonight, I just have essays to grade and some lesson plans to finish up before choir practice. My plan is an early bedtime for both me and Jack."

Seeing she hadn't convinced them, she decided to change the subject. "So, how are Mike and Harry? Any special holiday plans?"

Both women blushed with happiness and then spent a few moments sharing about upcoming plans. Faith instructed her to come to see her if any new symptoms developed, while Mei renewed her offer to help if needed before they headed over towards the infirmary. Elizabeth quickly continued towards the rowhouses and couldn't remember ever being so happy when she reached it and was inside.

After taking off her outerwear, she smiled as she saw Jack and Allie curled up on the settee with a book. The sight warmed her heart, filling her with warmth and a sharp longing in her heart. Oh, how she wished she could gain the courage to approach Nathan about her desire, but it was not to be because her fear of rejection was too great, and her head began to ache. After ensuring the kids were settled, she took an aspirin and drank a glass of water. Then, after preparing a cup of tea, she settled in at her desk and began grading, thankful that Bill had offered to cook dinner since he was going to watch Jack while she attended choir practice.

A short time later, she was interrupted by Nathan calling her to ask if Allie could stay with her until Friday because he had a short-tracking mission to complete.

"I'd be happy to. I'll send her over to grab her things."

"Thanks, Elizabeth, I really appreciate it." Nathan replied before adding with a chuckle, "Also, could you maybe check on Bill a little later?"

"He is supposed to come over to watch Jack and fix dinner later. Is something wrong?" Elizabeth asked.

Nathan explained what had happened and how he and Joseph had left him sleeping on the couch at his house. "From what Joseph said, he added an extra helping of whisky, not realizing he had already added it." Nathan chuckled. "He even offered Newton some."

"Oh dear," Elizabeth said, laughing. "Sounds like his eggnog, which could probably be used as anesthesia. Abigail always kept spare eggnog out of sight so it could be switched out for the unfortunate recipients."

"Thanks for the heads up because he was talking about it today as well," Nathan chuckled.

"You are welcome, Nathan. Be Safe." She said before they disconnected the call. She also sent up a prayer for his safe return for good measure and resumed her grading.

A few hours later, she finished and rubbed her tired eyes. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Jack opened it to reveal Bill standing there with a huge basket of food. She stood up, felt dizzy, and grasped the edge of the table just as Bill looked her way. Quickly masking what happened, she went over and, after giving him a hug, began helping him set the table for them to eat. Noticing that there was a portion for Allie, she gave Bill a questioning look.

"Joseph mentioned that Allie was spending the night, so there's an extra portion for her," Bill explained. They ate quickly, and then Jack asked Allie to go play in his room."

As they did the dishes Bill caught her up on the wishing tree as well as a bit of town gossip he heard. She of course teased him about what Nathan had told her before she put on her coat and headed to the church. By the time she got home that evening, she was grateful that the day was done because she could hear her bed calling to her as she walked up the steps. Thankfully, Bill seemed of the same mind and quickly took his leave, letting her know that both kids were already asleep.