Chapter 159 – Elizabeth and Rosie (short)

Jack and Elizabeth gave each other a quick kiss and then Jack went upstairs to start bringing things down for some music. Elizabeth picked up her phone and texted Rosie:

If you can talk privately please call me.

After texting Rosie, Elizabeth went back to talking with Katie, Abigail and Gran. Katie showed Elizabeth the pictures that she took of Nathan and Cody. Elizabeth showed the one that she took of Cappy.

"I always loved that horse." Gran said. "Too bad none of the babies from him came out with that coloring. We had a few that were a little darker, but nothing as pretty as him. No matter how much the guys tried to breed him with mares they thought would produce that coloring. We got a couple that were more white/gray. We got some darker colored Palomino foals, but nothing came close to the gorgeous color of Cappy."

"I love his color." Elizabeth said. "Yeah, Jack told me a little about how you can't really breed for color. You can try, but you never know what you are going to get. I also didn't realize that there were so many different types of horses in so many colors and color doesn't always determine breed."

"You will learn." Gran said.

"I would love a Palomino." Elizabeth said. "But I don't want Jack to go buy me a Palomino just to have as a trail horse when there are plenty of other horses around here that I can ride."

"I won't say anything." Gran said. "But if I know my grandson, he is probably already looking for one for you."

As they continued to talk, Elizabeth's phone rang and it was Rosie, so she answered.

"Hey." Elizabeth said, getting up and walking to the library.

("Hey yourself." Rosie said.)

"I was wondering what you are doing this weekend." Elizabeth said.

("Nothing." Rosie said. "My best friend has gone awol on me and there is no play practice due to the another performance.")

"How would you like to get together this weekend then?" Elizabeth said.

("Sure." Rosie said. "I am free from Thursday night until I have to be back for practice on Monday morning. Then again, I don't have to be there every day if I don't want to. Since we want to showcase the younger kids, I am in the background. You know I normally would hate that, but I totally understand why this time.)

"I know." Elizabeth said. "You have to get me the information about when the show is. I would like to try and be there. Jack and his friends also said that they would like to try and come."

(Where do you want to meet and what do you want to do? Rosie asked. "And I will bring the information when get together.")

"I am not exactly in the city." Elizabeth said. "But how about I arrange for you to come to me and we can have fun here."

("What should I pack?" Rosie asked.)

"Pack for a weekend in the country." Elizabeth said. "Nice, but comfortable. Also bring a couple dressy outfits and something for church. Also bring a swimsuit."

("Okay." Rosie said. "Where are you?")

"Promise not to tell anyone?" Elizabeth asked.

("I promise." Rosie said.)

"I am with Jack at his grandparents farm in Saratoga." Elizabeth said.

("Who is this Jack you keep talking about?" Rosie asked. "You don't have any friends named Jack. Also you never told me why you left.")

"Jack and his friend Doug are the ones that stepped in when Charlie had me cornered in Central Park." Elizabeth said. "Doug's father is a chief with the NYPD and he is up here as well with Jack. Their other friend Lee is here as well. The Saturday after Jack and Doug rescued me, we came up here to be with his grandparents. Jack and I came up with his mother and brother. Jack's father and two best friends came up on the Tuesday after us. Jack's parents have since gone back to the city. They may or may not be back. They weren't clear.

Jack and Doug and another friend, Nathan, show jump. Jack and Doug jumped this past weekend at the Saratoga Charity Classic. All three of them are going to be jumping on the seventh at a local show and then we are putting on a show here at the farm the weekend after that one. Then the weekend after that is the start of the races here. We have a lot going on, but I would love for you to come spend some time here. It isn't that easy to come back to the city right now."

("How long are you going to be up there?" Rosie asked.)

"We will be back before school starts." Elizabeth said. "A lot will depend on what Jack has planned. There might be another show he wants to jump in. There are other plans as well. He is working while he is up here. Not only with the horses, but with both of his grandfathers. There is a lot of business that has to happen and things to finish before we come back."

("Is there something that you aren't telling me?" Rosie asked. "I have never known you to make plans according to what some guy is doing. Why are you rearranging your life for a guy you just met. What about Charlie? Everyone is talking about how you two are getting married in September. What about school? I thought we were going to be living together? It is like I don't even know you anymore.")

Elizabeth let out a harsh breath and slowly counted to ten.

"Jack is not just some guy." Elizabeth said. "There is nothing between Charlie and I and there never was. I would never marry Charlie! As far as us living together this fall, depending on what happens that might still happen, but it won't be at that tiny apartment that you have. I am still your best friend, or at least I think so. Also it is called growing up and living in reality."

("Still." Rosie said. "I feel that there is more.")

"Yes there is more." Elizabeth said. "What I am not telling you. I was hoping to tell you in person."

("Just tell me." Rosie said.)

"Fine." Elizabeth said. "But don't get any ideas and you can't tell anyone."

Rosie huffed.

("Fine." She said.)

"Jack asked me to marry him yesterday and I said yes." Elizabeth said.

("What?" Rosie yelled. "You barely know this guy. What about your family?)

"Slow down." Elizabeth said. "That is why I want you to come up here and spend some time with everyone. I want you to meet him, his friends and grandparents."

("What about this Thornton who supposedly kidnapped you." Rosie said. "How does he fit into this and what is going on with that?")

"First and foremost." Elizabeth said. "No one kidnapped me. I asked Jack to help me leave. I am an adult and I can go where I want. I don't want anything to do with Charlie and as long as my father thinks he can dictate who I am with, he has no place in my life. I want you to keep an open mind. The man I am with, who I call Jack is better known as John Parker Thornton, II or JP Thornton.

If you can't have an open mind about Jack, his family and friends then we can forget about this weekend and everything else. I have had enough drama. I have made my choice and I will not back down. Just like Jack made his choice in choosing me despite what his parents said. We are not going to allow others to dictate to us what we can and can't do. We are adults and we both know how we feel. If people can't accept that, then they don't need to be a part of our lives."

("Seriously?" Rosie said.)

"I am serious." Elizabeth said. "I can't fully explain things, but Jack and I have felt a connection since the moment we met in Central Park. We talked the entire way home while his friend Doug drove. We talked and it felt like we knew each other for years, not hours. When Father was being unreasonable, I called Jack for help. He came and got me. He set me up in a lovely two bedroom apartment in a secure building. He offered to bring me up here to get out of the city. Everyone up here can tell that we are in love.

I love Jack and he loves me. We are going to build a future together. I would love for you to be a part of it, but I am not going to put up with people who can't be happy for me. Jack and I are planning our future. We want to go to school, get married and raise our family all the while growing the businesses that Jack is involved with. He has asked me to be a part of his future and I have agreed. I don't know what would happen if I lost Jack. Like I said, I can't explain the connection that we have."

("You know what the gossip pages are saying about him." Rosie said.)

"And none of it is true." Elizabeth said. "This other girl and her family are just trying to cause trouble. They are cousins of Charlie Kensington. Jack and his friends are not like that. They have a deep Catholic faith and have made a vow to remain pure until marriage. I believe Jack when he says he hasn't done anything. Just like he believed me when I told him nothing happened with Charlie."

("Wow." Rosie said.)

"Think about what you want to do." Elizabeth said. "And let me know. If you want to come up here, I will let you know where to be on Friday and when. No matter what you do, please don't talk to the press or tell anyone where I am or there will be repercussions."

("You are serious." Rosie said. )

"I am very serious." Elizabeth said. "Jack and his family are working very hard to keep me safe. We have security every time we leave the farm. We have been harassed by the press and they are currently camped out outside the front gates. We have also had problems with Charlie Kensington and his frat buddies. We have had to leave places and be escorted by state police. We even had problems at church this morning. I am serious when I say I don't want people to know where I am. Jack says we don't have to talk to the press and I don't want to."

("Fine." Rosie said. "But do you really think that this guy is worth it if you are going to have to live like this for the rest of your life? I mean what about just going out for a girls afternoon? What about dropping everything and going shopping or having some fun?)

"I will still be able to do those things." Elizabeth said. "They just may look a little different. And to answer your question, yes, Jack is totally worth the minor inconvenience of security right now. Jack has told me that he doesn't always have full-time security and the only reason we have the amount of security we do is because of Charlie and his family. Once everything is sorted out and the press dies down, we won't have as much security. His grandfather explained that we would always have some security, but not like we do right now."

("And you are okay with living like that?" Rosie asked.)

"Yes." Elizabeth said. "I wasn't sure at first, but I now realize that if Jack can do it, so can I. Like I said, it won't always be like this."

("Okay." Roise said. "I really want to see you, so I will try to keep an open mind.")

"Thank you." Elizabeth said. "As soon as I know where you will be taking off from, I will let you know."

("Taking off?" Rosie said.)

"Yes." Elizabeth said. "You will be flying up here in a helicopter probably with Doug's mother Patricia Burke and his ten year old twin sisters, Maddie and Missy."

("Wow." Rosie said.)

"That was my thought." Elizabeth said. "You will need your id to fly, and remember you are only going to be here for a few days so try to pack light."

("I will try." Rosie said. "Can I call you later?")

"You can try." Elizabeth said. "Jack has family and friends over. They said something about music and I assume they will stay for supper. Leave a message and I will try to call you before bed."

("Talk later." Rosie said.)

"Talk later." Elizabeth said