Jessie was surprised when she walked back into The Queen of Hearts to see so many people there, talking with each other like they were all the best of friends. Then she noticed the "Come meet the mayor" sigh by the door and was even more confused. Seeing a man in a tie and vest walking towards a booth, she rushed over to talk to him.
"Excuse me, sir, but can I ask what is going on?"
"Of course," the man said. "Every Wednesday at four o'clock, the people of Hope Valley have a chance to talk to the mayor. Lee Coulter, but you just call me Lee," he said extending his hand, "I haven't seen you around before, are you here to take the waters at our famous Hope Springs?"
"Ah, no. I am actually here on business." she answered, shaking his hand, "I am a freelance journalist and hope to do some research on your town for a few days." Remembering she hadn't introduced her self, she quickly added, "I'm Jessie, but you can call me Jessie." and winked.
"Jessie, it's very nice to meet you. Journalist you say?" Jessie nodded.
"My wife and I own the local newspaper. The Valley Voice," Lee said with pride and then chuckled seeing the look on Jessie's face. "I know it seems strange a mayor and a newspaper man, but really my wife, Rosemary, does most of the work. I also own the sawmill."
"Goodness," Jessie exclaimed, "I've been around the country and see my fair share of small towns, but Lee, I've never been in a place like this."
"It is a unique town, but it's also an amazing town. Well, I better get to my booth in case people need the mayor. It was so nice to meet you, Jessie, let me know if there is anything I can help you with." Lee turned and started heading towards his official Wednesday afternoon booth, when he heard Jessie speak.
"Actually, Mayor Coulter, I do have a question. Is the Governor still in Hope Valley?"
"Really, Jessie, it's Lee. I am not much of a fan of the formal stuff. But to answer your question, he is still here, why?" Her being a journalist caused him to stiffen just a bit, knowing that Lucas had forbidden any reporter, but Rosemary, to talk to him unless it was an organized press session.
"I'd kind of like to talk to him about it first," Jessie explained.
"Well, the thing is, Jessie, Lucas isn't speaking to any member of the press, except for Rosie."
"I can understand his hesitancy, with everything that is going on, but I promise my intention is not to cause more harm but to help."
Now Lee was confused, "I don't understand."
There was something about this man, this Lee, that told Jessie she could trust him.
"Can we sit?" she asked
"Please" Lee answered pointing to the booth.
Once they were settled, Jessie began. "I want to try to help the Governor get his story out to the public, to show them that he isn't he person the papers are making him out to be"
Seeing the skepticism in his eyes, the continued. "You see, I've worked for a lot of papers over the years and have been able to build up quite a bit of credibility during that time. Please don't think I am boasting, but I have to tell you that before I tell you the rest. I would like to interview the Governor, hear his side of the story, and then publish it as an editorial published in the Capital City Gazette."
"And why would you want to do that?" Lee asked, hesitantly.
"I had hoped to only tell this story to him, it's rather personal, but it seems like I haven't convinced you I am on the good side, so I'll tell you."
"Mike, I am heading out for a while." the voice she heard was exactly like then one she had heard early. The same little shiver went down her spine like it had this morning.
"Lucas!" she heard Lee call out, "Come over here for a moment."
She watched as the Governor headed towards them. "Lee," Lucas greeted him with a pat on the shoulder, "What can I do for you, my friend?"
Her heart started pounding, and her hands began to sweat. This was it. This was the culmination of everything that had happened in the last two weeks. There's no turning back now, she told herself.
She heard Lee say, "This is Jessie," and paused, "You know I don't think I know your last name, Jessie."
"It's Marshall, Jessica Marshall, but I prefer Jessie." she said, looking between the two men.
Nudging Lee to move over, Lucas sat down in the booth and smiled, reaching out his hand.
"It's nice to meet you Jessie, Lucas Bouchard, but I prefer Lucas." the Governor said with a wink and a grin. "What can I do for you, Lee."
"Well, Jessie here is a journalist," at that word Lucas began to get up so Lee hurried on, "And I know you don't want to talk to them, but maybe you should listen to what she has to say."
Jessie saw the wariness in his eyes but was relieved when he sat back down and nodded.
"Well Governor, and since this is an official conversation, that's what I will call you. I want to get the story straight from you about what has happened in the last few months and get an editorial published in the Capital City Gazette."
"And why would you want to do that?" Lucas asked.
"Will you please listen to my full story if I tell you?" Both men nodded.
"A few weeks ago, I was reading your statement about how your initiatives were going and couldn't believe how much good you had done, for so many people, in such a short amount of time. The housing projects, the bridge, all of it, but when I read about the resort something just struck me as odd. Thinking I was reading into things, I put it out of my mind and carried on. Well, for the rest of the week, all I was hearing about was negative things about you and about your resort. I had been to a few of your speeches, both before and after you were elected, and I couldn't figure out why you'd changed so suddenly. A few nights ago, a thought entered my head saying I needed to come to Hope Valley. I'm embarrassed to admit, but I didn't even know where this place was, so I pushed it aside, but it wouldn't go away. That night I dreamed about a beautiful valley with a white Church, next to a beautiful pond, with dirt roads. The next day my father called, and of course you and the resort came up and in passing, my father said, "I wish someone would get his side of the story, then we can all made up our minds once and for all." For some reason, that statement stuck with me, and I knew that I was the one to try to accomplish this for you. As soon as that thought came to me, I had the strongest impression from my Heavenly Father, that this was right, and those impressions have never been the wrong thing for me to do in the past. So here I am."
While she had been talking, she watched different reactions come across the faces of the two men in front of her. She saw skepticism, surprise, doubt, fear, and confusion. She also found herself getting lost in the eyes of the tall, imposing man in front of her.
Lucas had also gotten lost in the eyes of the woman across the table from him. They were a shade of gray and green he'd never seen before. It was like they could see right through to his very soul, despite all the walls and barriers he'd put up to avoid that kind of heartbreak again.
Feeling the nudge from Lee, he broke contact with those eyes and cleared his throat. "So you want to interview me, write a story and publish it, in hopes of helping people understand the situation ? I mean no offense, but why on earth would what you publish be taken any differently than what's already out there?" he asked.
"I've built up a lot of credibility during my career, and have open-ended invitations to submit stories or anything, really, to most major newspapers at any time. People seem to listen and trust what I say, so my writing has been quite popular and sought after for years." Jessie hated talking about that, but knew she needed Lucas to trust her that people would actually listen. She then gave her closing statement, knowing it would make or break her opportunity to do this. "You might have read some of my stuff in the past, I am Jess Marsh."
That final statement startled both Lucas and Lee. Jess Marsh was a very well known writer who had managed to sway the public's opinion on a lot of issues over the years. Both men looked at each other, not sure what how to respond to that statement. Deciding that he wasn't needed for the rest of this conversation, Lee nudged Lucas again and slid out of the booth to get back to being the mayor, that seemed a lot easier than staying with that conversation.
Jack had finally gone to sleep, the dinner dishes were done and Elizabeth was sitting on the front porch, trying to sort out her thoughts and feelings. It had been a stressful day. First she overslept, which she never did, then there was that feeling of a dread that was still there. She'd been so distracted, Jack wanted to go to day care instead of stay home with her. She did manage to get what she needed from the Mercantile, but was so distracted she dropped all the eggs on the floor while putting them away. Luckily, Rosemary brought Jack home from day care and after hearing the little boy talk about his morning, Rosemary invited them to dinner with the intention of talking afterward.
Rosemary was still working through her emotions over what had happened at the saloon. One moment she was perfectly fine, the next she was terrified of her own shadow, but Lee had been with her, helping her feel safe and protected, for which she was very grateful. The problem was Elizabeth didn't have that and Rosemary was worried her friend was the opposite of the 'Fine' she told everyone. After dinner, the two friends went outside on the front porch.
"Jack tells me you guys had an interesting morning," Rosemary began, "What exactly happened?"
"Oh Rosemary," Elizabeth began before the tears started falling.
"Elizabeth, what's wrong? Do you want to talk about what happened?"
"It's been a long time since I've felt this scared, Rosemary, a very long time and I don't know how to get a handle on it."
"From what happened the other night?"
"Well, no, not really. I mean that plays a part, but honestly other than seeing the cut on my cheek I don't think about it all that much."
"Then what?" Rosemary asked, confused.
"I don't know, I keep having this dream, over and over again each night, and then I wake up I am so full of dread, it's like I know something terrible is going to happen, again. I am so distracted during the day, nothing gets done at the house. It's a good think school's out, otherwise there would be even more problems."
"Are you comfortable sharing this dream you are having?" Rosemary asked.
"I guess things can't get any worse if I don't." Elizabeth told her with a small smile which Rosemary returned.
"I am sitting on the steps, waiting for someone, but at that moment I don't know who. Soon Nathan appears and the sense of relief and safety washes over me immediately. I run to him, but he stops me and say's "I realized something today, I realized how foolish it was for me to think that you and I could ever be more than friends." and I ask what he is talking about. Then he replies, "What happened to you at the saloon, you getting hurt like you did. Elizabeth it could have been so much worse than it was, I can't risk you being in danger like that, ever again because if something happened to you…. no, I can't even think about that. The thought of loosing you….I just can't" and he walks away, leaving me standing there unable to follow him when the awful feeling of dread overcomes me. Then, right before I wake up, I hear a voice say, "Don't let him go."
Taking a breath to calm her nerves, Elizabeth continues, "I don't know what it means or even what I should do."
Putting her arms around her friend, Rosemary says, "I think you do, Elizabeth"
Hearing that phrase took Elizabeth back to that awful night. The one before Lucas go on that train to Capital City after she admitted to not being able to give him her whole heart and knowing it wasn't fair to either of them for her not to be honest. Looking over at her friend, she saw the love and compassion Rosemary had for her and held on to her even tighter when she realized what it all meant.
Sitting up, and startling Rosemary, she asked if Jack could stay for a little longer. She needed to write some things down. Rosemary nodded and Elizabeth ran headed back to her house.