Chapter 317 – Saturday Morning at the Thorntons
Saturday morning started early for several members of the household. Albert was up early and wanted to start on the list of things that Jack had given him. His goal was to get the farm site ready for the coming winter, including making sure the stable was ready to house the horses against the weather. He knew that he had been hired as security first and a handyman second, but after speaking to Wynn and Dee, he knew that the family was safe on the farm and the security was more when they traveled and only because Andrew Russell insisted on there being security. Albert understood that he was mostly a handyman for the time being and if needed there to protect the family. He was fine with that, he hated sitting around, so being able to take care of things was a good plan. It would also get him familiar with the layout and able to interact with townspeople without them knowing his true job. He would be able to assess who was a potential problem and who was safe.
Dee was also up early despite staying up late. He couldn't sleep. He was thinking about things. He was still worried about marrying Annie because he wasn't sure that he could physically perform yet and he was worried that he was going to be a disappointment. Him and Annie had had many conversations, despite the awkwardness and embarrassment that both of them experienced. Annie said she didn't care and that she loved Dee, but he still felt bad about it and was self-conscious about it. He had tried talking to a doctor in Hamilton, but they weren't really much help. He wondered if he would be able to have a conversation with Carson. From everything that he had learned about the man for his father, Dr Carson Shepherd was an extremely talented doctor and was highly respected. Dee knew that the man was put in an impossible situation when his wife got a brain tumor. They knew that her only chance was surgery, but the surgery was extremely risky. It was considered experimental and had only been done a handful of times with no patient living longer than a few days post-op. Dee wasn't sure what he would have done if he had been in Carson's position. He was going to lose his wife if he did nothing and ended up losing her trying the only thing that would save her. Dee didn't blame the man for walking away from medicine for a few years, especially with the way that his sister-in-law was making his life difficult. Dee had also spent quite a bit of time in prayer thanking God that Carson was there to save his cousin and her children.
Dee was sitting on the porch with his Bible and a mug of coffee when his father came out to join him.
"How are you doing?" Wynn asked.
"I am okay." Dee said. "Just thinking about things. Jack and I talked for a while last night and I just got thinking about things."
"Anything you want to share?" Wynn asked.
"Not at this point." Dee said. "I might later. I was thinking about how much it was a good thing that Carson was here for Jack and Beth. I did that research for you about him and he is an amazing doctor and was a rising star in the surgical world when he lost his wife."
"I know." Wynn said. "What were you thinking about?"
"You know how I saw a doctor back home." Dee said.
"Yes." Wynn said.
"Well they told me that there wasn't anything that they could do for me." Dee said. "I was wondering if maybe making an appointment with Carson might be helpful. From everything that I have read, he is forward thinking in his approach to medicine and might have an idea on how to help."
"It couldn't hurt if that is what you want." Wynn said. "Just remember that we love you no matter what happened in the past or what happens in the future. Giving us grandchildren or not is not going to change anything."
"I know." Dee said. "This is more for personal knowledge than anything. Annie has told me that she doesn't care, but I still feel like I should be able to give her a husband that can love her properly."
"As long as you are not putting too much pressure on yourself." Wynn said.
"I won't." Dee said. "I have plans to talk to Frank again. Maybe the appointment with Carson will give me a direction that I didn't think about. Frank has suggested that there is a huge mental component to what I am experiencing, so there is still working through all the emotions and trauma from what actually happened in Cape Fullerton. I promise that if it starts to affect my job, then I will say something, but at this point, I would like some space to deal with things in my own way."
"I told you I would." Wynn said. "I just want you to be aware that I am here if you want to talk."
"I know." Dee said. "It is embarrassing enough. I can't talk to you about this."
"Okay." Wynn said. "I will continue to pray for you and will trust you will come to me if needed."
"Thank you." Dee said.
"Then I will leave you be." Wynn said. "Don't stay out here too long, Jack has a list of things for us to do."
"Okay." Dee said. "He mentioned something about it last night."
"Okay." Wynn said. "Beth fed the twins and went back to bed. Your mother is taking care of them for now. Jack is working in his office."
"Fifteen minutes." Dee said.
"Okay." Wynn said.
Wynn went inside and Dee leaned forward to say a prayer before he started working on helping everyone else. Dee felt that between Frank and Carson that they would be able to help him. As much as he wanted to speak to his father about what he was feeling, he was just too embarrassed to do so. Dee knew that his father and by extension his mother were worried about him, but at the same time he just couldn't talk to them about this. He hadn't really shared much about what he went through in Cape Fullerton because he didn't want to hurt them more than they already were. After Dee finished his prayers, he picked up his cold coffee and threw the remains over the rail into the bush, then went inside. He rinsed his mug and left it in the sink. He went to the living room and saw that his mother was fine with the twins.
"Jack and your father are in the library." Elizabeth Rose said. "Beth is sleeping, the girls are upstairs with Kate. Patty is unpacking at the cottage."
"Thank you." Dee said. "I am going to do up the breakfast dishes and then go help Jack and Dad."
"Sounds good." Elizabeth Rose said.
Dee went to do the dishes. He was still thinking about how and when to speak to Carson and he wanted to have another conversation with Frank. Mainly because Frank had asked about Annie when he was helping to get the luggage to the house. Dee had promised to check in later because he didn't feel comfortable talking at the moment. Frank nodded in understanding. Frank knew Dee struggled talking about things with his father around.
Once Dee was done with the dishes, he went upstairs to check on Kate and the girls. They were playing nicely and Kate was unpacking the rest of herself. Dee spoke to the girls for a moment and then let Kate know that Elizabeth was sleeping, but everyone else was downstairs working mainly in the library.
"Thank you." Kate said. "We had breakfast, and we will be okay until lunch."
"Okay." Dee said. "Just checking."
"Thank you." Kate said.
Dee headed back downstairs and smiled as he watched his mother hold and rock little Andrew. She was softly singing to him and he wondered if that was what she was like with him and Sophie. Dee saw how happy the babies made his mother and wondered if she was disappointed that they didn't have more children. He also knew that as much as they didn't put pressure on him and Sophie, Dee knew that they would love a houseful of grandchildren. He wanted to give his mother that, but he knew that it was going to potentially be a difficult road.
Dee said a quick prayer for his mother and then went to the library. He looked at his father who was sorting some of Beth's many books to put on shelves that had been built into the walls. Dee looked around the library again and was amazed at how much had gotten done and how big the room actually was. He knew that Jack, Beth and their family would be spending a lot of time in the room and it was actually a very cozy room despite its size. It was anchored on both ends with large fireplaces. There were sliding doors that went to the living room and pocket doors to the double office that could be opened into a large office for Jack and Beth. It had one of those accordion folding doors down the middle so Jack and Beth could each have their own space.
Dee went over and leaned on the doorway and looked at Jack.
"How are you doing?" Dee asked.
Jack looked up. He smiled at his friend.
"I am okay." Jack said. "Not a lot of sleep, but sort of getting used to that. Not sure if that is a good thing or not. At least Elizabeth is getting some sleep, so thank you for helping with that."
"Well, Mom looked pretty happy to be rocking the twins when I came in." Dee said. "She has always loved children and I know that she struggled not giving Dad more. They don't talk about it, but they are so happy that you and Beth want a big family. Sophie isn't sure that she is going to have but one more and I don't know if Annie and I will be able to have any."
Jack looked at Dee confused.
"Because of some of the injuries I experienced in Cape Fullerton." Dee said. "But I don't want to talk to you about it anymore then that."
"Understood." Jack said. "But talking to Doug might be a good thing."
"Already ahead of you." Dee said.
"Then I will leave it alone unless you specifically ask to talk to me about it." Jack said.
"Thank you." Dee said. "Now what do you need me to do?"
"I need to do my office myself." Jack said. "But if you and your dad can get the main part of the library in order that would go a long way in helping."
"On it." Dee said.
Dee went to start organizing things as well. Wynn and Dee spent the next two hours organizing the library while Jack worked in his office. They all got a lot done. Elizabeth was able to sleep and Aunt Elizabeth had a blast taking care of the twins. She wanted more than anything to adopt a baby, but Wynn agreed that an older child or two would be easier. As much as she wished otherwise, she had settled it in her head that she would have to settle for all the grandchildren that she could. She smiled as she thought about Abigail and Frank, so she would have at least one more child to dote on when they came back. Aunt Elizabeth knew that her husband needed to spend time in Hamilton for work, but that didn't mean that she couldn't spend time in Hope Valley when he needed to be traveling elsewhere. She hadn't spoken to Wynn about it, but at that point she knew that she would be a frequent visitor to Hope Valley for years to come. Little did Elizabeth Rose know how her life would be different then she had thought it was going to go.
… … … …
Elizabeth woke up after getting a good five hours of sleep. She hurt and either needed to feed the twins or at minimum pump for later. She immediately went to the living room to see when the twins last ate.
"Hey, thank you for letting me sleep." Elizabeth said.
"You are more than welcome." Aunt Elizabeth said.
"When did the twins last eat?" Elizabeth asked.
Aunt Elizabeth looked at her watch.
"I gave them each a bottle about an hour ago." Aunt Elizabeth said.
"Then I am going to pump." Elizabeth said.
"Okay." Aunt Elizabeth said. "Kate and the girls are upstairs, the guys are all in the library. I was just going to start lunch. Dee said there was stuff for sandwiches."
"Okay." Elizabeth said. "I really need to pump, then I will eat."
"Okay." Aunt Elizabeth said. "Do what you need."
Elizabeth went back to her room to pump. Aunt Elizabeth made sure that the twins were settled in the cradles and called to the library. Jack, Wynn and Dee all came out.
"Where is Elizabeth?" Jack asked. "I thought I heard her voice."
"She went to pump." Aunt Elizabeth said. "Why don't you go get Kate and the girls. We will get the stuff set out for lunch."
"Thank you." Jack said.
Jack headed upstairs while the Delaneys headed to the kitchen. They all washed up and started pulling out the stuff that had been prepped for lunch. Just as they were getting everything set on the table Jack, Kate and the girls came down.
"Mommy will join us in a bit." Jack said. "But we will just get going."
"Okay, Daddy." Little Beth said.
"Wynn, can you say the prayer and then we will eat." Jack said.
Wynn nodded.
"Heavenly Father." Wynn prayed. "We thank you for this day and the time that we have been able to spend together. Thank you for the time my family had been able to spend helping Jack and Elizabeth get settled in the wonderful new home that Jack built. Thank you for bringing us all together and continue to bless our time together. We also ask that You bless this food to our bodies. Amen."
"Amen." Jack said.
Amen echoed around the table. Jack smiled at Little Beth.
"So how was your morning?" Jack asked.
As Jack spoke to Little Beth, Aunt Elizabeth started making a plate for each of the girls and Jack. Wynn and Dee each started making their own plates. There was sliced roast beef and ham, as well as peanut butter and some of Abigail's raspberry jam. They also had some potato salad and sliced vegetables for people to have. Once she had the girls plates made, she passed them over and Jack finished Jack's. Jack took his plate as Aunt Elizabeth made her plate.
"Thank you." Jack said. "I could have made my sandwich."
"It is okay." Aunt Elizabeth said. "Talking to the girls is important as well."
"Thank you." Jack said.
Jack smiled at Little Beth.
"Yes, talking to you is important." Jack said. "What you have to say and how you feel is important in this family and I never want you to forget that."
"Thank you, Daddy." Little Beth said. "We never really got to sit with the adults before. Sometimes our old Daddy would sit with us, but our old mommy never allowed us to talk if we were allowed at the table with other adults around."
"Well that is sad." Jack said. "We don't do that here. We will always try to eat as a family, but there will be times someone will be missing or there will be extra people, but I promise if there is a time you can't attend something, we will explain it to you. Do you understand?"
"Yes." Little Beth said.
"Good." Jack said.
Jack encouraged the girls to eat. He then looked up and Wynn gave him a smile and a nod. Jack smiled back. There was more talk as they all ate. When Elizabeth was done, she came out, put the pumped milk in the ice box and then took a seat at the table. She said hi to the girls and then made her sandwich. She joined the conversation and loved to hear about the girls trip out here now that they were more talkative.
