AN: To my readers who celebrate, Happy Thanksgiving! To those who don't, Happy Thursday! Hope you all enjoy the update!
As the last note from the student choir fading into the air, Elizabeth breathed a sigh of relief. With only a few minor mistakes, she considered this rehearsal to have gone well. As they had only one more rehearsal before the Christmas Eve concert she was relieved things had gone so well. There wasn't much time to fix any major mistakes.
"Very nice," Elizabeth told the students in her choir. Turning around, she addressed the rest of the students, family and townsfolk who were participating in the Christmas Eve Concert this year.
"Everyone did very well," Elizabeth said addressing the room. "Please remember that we have one more rehearsal tomorrow afternoon. That will be the final rehearsal before the concert on Christmas Eve so I'd like to run it from start to finish without stopping just like the concert will go. I'll see you all tomorrow."
There was an outbreak of chatter as everyone started to put on coats and gather their things. Elizabeth found her way over to where Allie was sitting with Bill and Little Jack. Elizabeth had been happily surprised that her son had been fairly well behaved during the rehearsal. Between Bill, Nathan, and Rosemary being around she had known Little Jack had been well looked after. What she hadn't been sure about was if he would be disruptive or not during the rehearsal. Surprisingly, he had been quite captivated by the performances and was now giving Allie a quizzical look as she tried to teach him patty cake.
"Nathan wanted to do one last set of rounds before calling it a day," Bill told Elizabeth as she approached. "He wanted me to let you know he'd meet you at your house when he's finished. I hear someone volunteered to help him and Ally build a gingerbread house."
Elizabeth smiled. "I did," she admitted. "Should be interesting. Hopefully, Nathan won't be quite as stressed out as when the girl's were decorating cupcakes at Allie's first sleep over."
Bill chuckled. "I wish I could've seen that," he commented. "If you'd like, I could take Little Jack for the evening," he added. "Might be a little easier baking without a two year old underfoot."
"I'd appreciate that," Elizabeth said. "Laura's watching him tomorrow when we go to the saloon to actually build the house, but she needed some time to finish her own Christmas preparations today."
"I'll bring him home later tonight," Bill told her. "He can keep me company tonight, as Clara and Jesse are going out."
"Thank-you, Bill," Elizabeth said even as a small voice spoke up behind her.
"Mrs. Thornton."
Elizabeth turned to find Bridget standing nearby. "What is it, Bridget?" Elizabeth asked as she knelt down in front of the nervous looking child. Part of her was wondering if the two sisters were backing out of the concert after all. Though they had gotten through the song, both girls had gotten a little choked up at different parts of the song.
"I was wondering, is it too late for my brother to join us with our song? He knows the song and as he's going to be here, Ivy and I really want him to join us. He said he would if its okay with you."
Elizabeth smiled. "It's perfectly fine with me. He can join our final rehearsal but I need the three of you to do something for me, okay."
Bridget nodded. "Anything."
"I want the three of you to find time to practice a couple of times together before rehearsal tomorrow."
"We will," Bridget replied, excitedly before turning and hurrying back to where Ivy stood with Rosemary and Brian.
"She said you can join us, Brian," Bridget exclaimed happily as she joined them, her voice carrying over the diminishing chatter in the room.
"I'm so glad they all get to be together over Christmas," Elizabeth said, turning back to face Bill.
"What happens when Constable Peterson goes back to his own post?" Ally asked. "Will he take Bridget and Ivy with him?"
"I don't know," Elizabeth replied.
"I'm not even sure he knows, at this point," Bill commented, thinking of his brief conversation with Nathan on the topic. For now, they had both agreed that unless Brian came seeking a conversation with him that Bill would give the young man space instead of bombarding him with all kinds of legal options on custody of Bridget and Ivy.
"Uncle Nathan gave up a lot when he chose to take me in," Ally commented. "I know there were struggles that I don't even really remember and moving around all the time was not easy but I always knew he loved me. That's what's important, I think. Knowing that you're loved no matter who is raising you."
"I think you make a very good point, Ally," Elizabeth said, looking down at the girl. "Now, what do you say we go start baking some ginger bread and making icing."
Ally nodded. "I want to build a big house," she said, grabbing her coat that was sitting on the bench beside her. "Dad and I picked up the candy to use to decorate the house earlier today. I don't care if we win or not, but I do want to create something I can be proud of."
"I think we can manage that," Elizabeth said, as she put on her own coat which Bill handed to her. "And Dr. Shepherd is planning on taking pictures of all the entries so we can mail pictures to both your grandparents."
"Cool," Ally said, as she zipped up her coat. Pulling on her hat, she looked up at Elizabeth thoughtfully. "When you marry my Dad, would that make your parents my step-grandparents?"
Elizabeth nodded. "It would."
"Are they going to like me?" Ally asked.
"They are going to love you," Elizabeth told the girl. "You want to know how I know?"
Ally nodded. "Because despite the differences I've had with my parents over the years, I know they love me and accept my choices, even if they don't approve of them. That's what being a parent is all about. So, they will love you because I already do love you and your Dad. Once my parents see that, nothing else will matter."
"Good," Allies reply. "I always wanted to be a part of a big family and ever since I came to Hope Valley my family just gets bigger and bigger."
After stopping by his house and changing out of his red serge, Nathan made the walk down the row houses to Elizabeth's. As she was expecting him and they had been spending quite a bit of time at one another's homes, Nathan didn't bother knocking when he reached Elizabeth's house. Stepping inside he asked, "I didn't miss all the fun yet, did I?"
"Not at all," Elizabeth said. "In fact, as Ally is currently having fun mixing frosting, you are just in time to help me mix the next batch of batter for more gingerbread."
"Yeah, I want to build a big house tomorrow," Ally informed him, a huge smile on her face, despite the flour or powdered sugar on her apron, face and hair. Nathan wasn't sure which it was, and figured it didn't much matter.
"Of course you do," Nathan commented, shrugging out of his coat and hanging it on the coat rack. "Where's Little Jack?"
"With Bill," Elizabeth replied. "As Clara and Jesse were going out tonight, little Jack is making sure the place doesn't get too quiet."
"If he doesn't want quiet, maybe I'll lend him Ally for a few days. I'd enjoy some peace and quiet around the house," Nathan teased as he made his way over to the kitchen.
"Dad!" Ally pouted, trying to look angry but failing miserably.
Nathan walked behind her and placed a kiss on top of her head. "I'd miss your chatter after about an hour," he confessed. "The nights you are at your friend's house are always too quiet."
Ally beamed up at him as he moved to wash his hands. "Well, after you and Mrs. Thornton are married then you'll have her and Little Jack to keep you company when I go on a sleep over," she commented as Nathan washed his hands.
"Doesn't mean I won't still miss you," Nathan told her.
Ally looked pensive for a moment and then looked over at Elizabeth. "When you and Dad get married what would I call you?"
Elizabeth looked up at Nathan as he came to stand by her side.
"I think that's for the two of you to decide," Nathan replied to Elizabeth's silent question.
"Well, Ally, what would you like to call me?" Elizabeth asked, deciding that the best course of action was to let the young girl lead the way in defining their soon to be changing relationship. The last thing that Elizabeth wanted to do was try claiming a place in Ally's life that Ally wasn't ready to give her.
"Well, Uncle Nathan has adopted me, and I'd really like to consider Little Jack and any other children that might come along as siblings, so I guess that would make you my mother," Ally ventured. "In the letter she wrote to me for my birthday, my mother said it would be okay for me to think of the person who married Uncle Nathan as my mother. That it wouldn't be a betrayal to her."
"She's right, Ally. No one can ever take your mother's place in your heart," Nathan told her.
Ally nodded.
"I've always thought of her as Mom though. I don't think I could give someone else that title."
"That's okay, Ally," Elizabeth assured her. "You need to keep your memory of her special and separate."
"I've noticed that Little Jack calls you Mama," Ally said, looking over at Elizabeth. "Would it be okay if after the wedding, I called you that as well? It would feel different even if it's just a different way of referring to the same person."
Elizabeth's vision blurred as tears filled them. "I would be honored if you called me Mama," Elizabeth told her, moving away from her spot at the counter to wrap her arms around Ally.
Nathan watched the two of them for a few moments, his own vision a little blurry. He was relieved that Ally was ready to accept a mother figure in her life. Perhaps in a way, he knew part of her had been starving for someone to help fill that empty space in her life. He was also relieved that he had fell for someone who could not only fill that role, but who wanted to do so while being respectful of Colleen's memory.
~I hope you approve of my choice, Colleen, ~ Nathan thought as Elizabeth stepped back from Ally. Somehow, he felt his sister would.
"The gingerbread and frosting aren't going to make itself," Elizabeth commented, trying to get them back on track even as both she and Ally used their aprons to wipe tears from their cheeks.
"So what would you like me to do?" Nathan asked, looking at the spread of ingredients around the mixing bowl.
"How about a kiss first," Elizabeth suggested as she moved to stand next to her finace.
"I think I can manage that," Nathan said, leaning down to press his lips against hers. He would have liked to let them linger there, but was all too aware of Ally standing not far away. He didn't mind showing affection in front of her, but he also didn't want things to go too far. "Now what?" he asked, pulling away.
Elizabeth reached out and grabbed a measuring cup and handed it to Nathan. "Let's start with the brown sugar," she told him.
With Ally happily making icing to put the pieces of their house together, Elizabeth talked Nathan through mixing the batter for some gingerbread. Whether they won or not, Nathan knew that the fact that they were doing it together, and enjoying themselves, was what would matter in the long run.
