Why?

The morning was well underway and Cole was following his mother around the house as she picked up and started her daily ritual of laundry.

"Where does water go?" He asked staring into the bucket of water on the floor.

Elizabeth thought for a moment, smiling at her inquisitive boy, "It comes from the ground and goes back into the ground."

"Why?" the little boy ran his hand over the edge of the laundry basket.

"Because when it rains…because of science, you'll understand more when you're older," she added some wet diapers to the basket. "Come on, you can help me outside."

Elizabeth instructed her son to hand her the clothespins. Cole looked them over, "Papa make them?"

Elizabeth smiled, "No, but he probably could."

"Papa smart," he beamed.

"Yes he is."

Cole put the little pail of clothespins down, "I go see Lee Lee now."

"Oh no you don't. You come back here young man, you have to finish your job."

"Why?"

"Cole…," her hands firmly planted on her hips, "come here please."

"But Lee Lee…"

"She's fine. Let's compromise, we'll check on her after we're done our job here." She motioned for him to pick up the pail.

He obliged.

"You always need to finish your work, do you understand?"

Cole nodded and handed her a clothespin, his head turned toward the house.

"Okay Mama."

Jack ran into the house, "Elizabeth! Where are you?"

She ran to the bedroom door, "Here! What is it Jack?"

"Oh, it's nothing," he stole a kiss, "just missing you that's all."

She sighed and tugged his sleeve, "Jack! Don't do that. Is everything okay?"

He nodded and snickered following her into the bedroom where he began to change out of his uniform. He smiled at Cole sitting on the bed, "What are you doing big boy?"

"Helping Mama with laundry," he said.

Jack looked over his shoulder, "Doing chores already Mama? Good work."

Elizabeth smiled as she picked up a crying Halley, "He's very good at completing a job, right Cole?"

"I finish my work, and got the prize," Cole said proudly.

"Compromise," Elizabeth said slowly, correcting him.

His attention turned to Halley as Elizabeth laid her on the bed and began changing her clothing. "Ut oh," Cole rose onto his knees, "Lee Lee can't do bulls-eye."

Elizabeth covered her with a diaper, "Cole!"

Jack pulled a clean shirt over his head, which smothered his laughter at his son's comment, "Hey son, come on, let's go check that laundry." He scooped Cole up and looked back at Elizabeth, who was trying not to laugh.

Outside, Jack held Cole up while he touched each diaper on the line to check if they were dry. Jack had the boy laughing as he said, "Wet! Dry! Dry!"

"Why dry?" Cole asked as his father placed him on the ground.

"The fresh air and sunshine dries them."

"Why?"

"Hmm, the sun is outside and it's warm," Jack nodded, confident his answer wouldn't confuse the boy.

"Oh," Cole looked up at his father, unconvinced.

Elizabeth came outside to join them. Cole enjoyed the swing while Jack and Elizabeth sat on a blanket. "Let me see my beautiful little girl," Jack said as he took Halley into his arms.

Elizabeth closed her eyes, wanting to memorize the vision of Jack holding Halley and Cole swinging behind them. He was such a wonderful father, always so caring about the children. She smiled watching their daughter look at him. "We're so blessed," she whispered.

"I know we are," Jack flashed a smile, "I certainly know I am."

Jack looked to his left to see Cole nodding off in the swing, "Someone's tired. Must be all those chores you had him doing."

Elizabeth moved closer to Jack, "Chores can tire a person out. I'm not tired though, are you?" She made a circle on his ear with her finger.

"Why Mrs. Thornton, what are you thinking?"

"Watching you with our children…well, it's appealing. Makes me admire the man I married."

"Ah ha," Jack bit his lip.

"Makes me want to be close," she pressed her body against his arm.

"We're with the children," he mumbled looking into her eyes.

"I believe it's their bedtime," she blinked, "and your bedtime too Mr. Thornton."

He shifted Halley on his arm and tugged Elizabeth's chin, "I can't go to bed alone," he kissed her.

She pressed her lips hard against his, swaying, until he moaned. "You won't be alone, I promise."

Jack stood up, "Let's go!"

The next morning, Jack took Cole outside to do chores while Elizabeth cared for Halley and prepared breakfast. She was humming at the stove when she heard Jack and Cole come in. "I hope you're hungry!"

"We are," Jack responded, "come on son, we need to get cleaned up."

Cole lingered for a minute, making faces at Halley, eliciting giggles from the little girl.

"Get those hands washed young man," Elizabeth said as she plated some pancakes.

He held up his hands, "Clean!"

"No, go wash them."

"Why?"

Elizabeth sighed, "You come to the table with clean hands, that's why."

He scampered off and joined his father, "I bulls-eye papa!"

Elizabeth's scream interrupted them.

Jack ran to the kitchen, "What is it?"

Elizabeth pointed to the chair, "There are two worms near Halley!" She pulled the little girl into her arms.

Jack held out his arms, "No spider?"

"Jack! Just get them out of here, now!"

Jack took a towel and wrapped the worms, "They won't hurt anyone," he looked at his son, "come on, we're going to take these outside where they belong."

After depositing the uninvited guests into the garden, Jack crouched next to his son, "Did you put those worms next to your sister?"

Cole sheepishly nodded.

"You can't do that. You scared your Ma," Jack said.

Cole looked down at the worms, "Why?"

"They belong out here, not in the house. Do you understand?"

"Okay," his finger went to his mouth.

"Let's go have breakfast."

Cole ran to the house and into the kitchen.

Elizabeth's eyes were still wide, "How did they get in here?"

"Don't worry about it, won't happen again," Jack replied.

"Sit down young man," Elizabeth instructed Cole, as he stood on the chair reaching for his cancakes.

Cole sat down and began to cry, which made Halley cry.

Elizabeth covered her eyes, "Oh dear." She scooped up Halley and went to the bedroom. She rocked her daughter at a hectic space trying to calm them both.

Cole came to the doorway, "Mama?" He sniffled and rubbed his tear strained face, "I sorry." He rested his cheek on her arm and sniffed.

Elizabeth felt her heart melt at his actions, "It's okay my sweet boy, but please don't do that again," she said, her voice calm.

Jack entered the room, winked at his wife and picked up his son, "Come on, let's go on the swing for a while."

The remainder of the day was quiet, Cole and Halley napped, Jack went to town to check on things and Elizabeth did her usual pile of diapers. As she went outside with a basket, she noticed the clouds getting darker. "I'll take a chance and hang these up," she mumbled as she hung up the wet diapers.

Jack returned from his check in town, content that everything was quiet and under control. He saw Elizabeth hanging laundry and decided to play a trick on her. He quietly approached her from behind, "Elizabeth don't move, there's a spider on your back, but I'll get it."

"What?" She froze, her hands on the line, holding a diaper in place.

Jack ran his hands down her sides and swiftly moved to tickle her tummy as he buried his face in her neck, "I got it."

Elizabeth squirmed in his arms, "You got it all right, let me go!"

"I'll never let you go," his hands roamed over her curves, "Hmm, I love you so much."

She leaned back against him, enjoying his intimate touches and his lips on her neck, "Jack, what are you doing to me?"

He unbuttoned her blouse and pulled the ribbon from her chemise, "Touching your soft skin," he whispered, his tongue flickering across her ear.

"I have all this laundry to finish," she whispered, pulling his hand away with a sigh.

"Later, not now," he took her hand, "come with me."

"Where?" She tried keeping up with his fast pace.

"Are you taking after your son, with all the questions?" He squeezed her hand.

"You're the one who taught him to answer a question with a question," she tugged him.

"Like father like son," Jack smiled.

"He is handsome," Elizabeth swatted Jack's backside.

"Hey, cut that out!" He pulled her into his embrace and kissed her.

He led them to the tall grasses just before the pond. He stared at her as he began undoing his trousers.

Elizabeth's eyes widened, "What? Here?"

Jack looked up as a clap of thunder rang out overhead, "Yeah, why not. We kind of fell asleep last night..."

"Jack, don't be silly," she turned to leave but he pulled her back. He took her face in his hands and kissed her softly at first and then harder. Soon, she succumbed to his charms and reached up under his shirt. "I think it's going to rain," she mumbled.

"Then we better hurry," he beamed as he pulled up her skirt.

She could not resist her husband and pushed him to the ground, laughing at the way he stumbled, his trousers around his ankles. "Mr. Thornton….are you ready?"

Jack laughed, "Oh yes." He sat up and helped her dispose of her undergarments, "You shouldn't wear all this when we're alone." He began a little pile of her clothes next to them and touched her leg, "You're like silk."

She pushed him back and swung her leg over him, "Just be quiet…" but her movements made him gasp out loud and he watched as she removed her blouse and her chemise dropped low with the straps dangling on her elbows. She lifted his hands from her hips and kissed his palms, slowly lingering on each one. She kissed each finger, her eyes closed, listening to his reaction. As their movements intensified, her chemise dropped to her waist and Jack's hands moved to her body. She leaned forward touching her forehead to his as he softly said her name.

The thunder clapped again and a light rain began to fall. Jack spread the raindrops across her skin, enjoying the way her body reacted to the cool wetness. When she threw her head back and dragged her fingers down her neck, Jack couldn't hold back and he swung her onto her back, "You're so beautiful," he said while hovering over her and rubbing his thumb across her cheek before he smothered her lips with his own. She urged him on and with every clap of thunder Jack moved faster, harder. Elizabeth dug her fingers into his back, squirming under his weight, his lips smothering her with a demand of excitement. When he began to kiss and nibble at her neck, she couldn't refrain, she reacted as loud as the thunder that rang out over them. The passion raged through Jack and he felt every muscle in his body tighten each time she rose to meet his need and her own. When he was totally breathless, he looked into her eyes as she moved her hands to his face, "I love you," her fingers pressing his lips and he gently bit her finger. His soft laugh made her smile and he pressed his lips to hers once again.

"Elizabeth?"

"Hmm?"

"I hope you know how much I love you."

She chuckled softly, "I think you just showed me."

He took her hand, "Well, there's that. But you motivate me, energize me. I just love you so much."

She brought his hand to her chest, "Jack, my heart beats for you and it always will. I love you and those two beautiful children you gave me."

Thunder roared and the rain became stronger. Jack kissed her hand and sat up, "I guess we should go to the house and check on those two children."

She touched his back, "Jack? Will it always be this way? Will we always feel the need for each other?"

Jack rested on his elbow, "Of course we will. From the beginning I've wanted you, I don't mean just physically. I mean first as a friend, a companion. That's how our love grew. Even with all the hardships we had, we realized we were meant to be together. And then…," he scratched the back of his neck, "well, once we started courting…my wanting you changed a bit."

Elizabeth's tongue poked out, "Did it?"

"Yeah, you know that. I wanted to be with you all the time."

"Why?"

"Because I was in love."

"Why?"

"Oh come on, you know why," he tapped her nose with his finger.

"I know, I just like how you say it. I do like the way it makes you uncomfortable."

"Okay and that makes you feel good. Well, it isn't something that one normally talks about," Jack said.

"But I still like to hear you tell me how you fell in love."

"Hmm, then I'll make a habit of telling you more often," he kissed her nose.

She giggled, "Okay, I'd like that."

"Okay. Now get up, it's starting to rain even harder!"

"Why?" She asked teasingly, trying control her big grin.

He shook his head, picked up her clothes and ran back to the house, "That's why, start running!"

Elizabeth yelled, "Oh Jack Thornton you come back here with my clothes!"

But all she saw was her naked husband running toward the house in the rain.

to be continued...