Part 1: Chapter 48: 1888: Red Deer, Alberta

Nate Starts School

James and the Grants treaded back to the schoolhouse. When Ms. Fletcher saw them with the addition of the fort's major, she rolled her eyes and sighed heavily.

"How can I help you?" Ms. Fletcher asked as she looked at James.

"I'm here on behalf of the Grants, and little Nate. He is a shy little boy, who doesn't like enclosed spaces. I'm here because we feel like you haven't given his enrollment test to school a fair chance," James said calmly, but his long look left her the impression that he wasn't going anywhere until this was completed.

She sighed.

"Alright," she gestured for the Grants to follow her into her office.

"Colleen and I will wait out here for the rest of you," James said to the Grants.

Colleen nodded.

James kneeled next to Nate before looking him in the eye.

"Nate, your parents will be with you inside the room this time. But you still need to answer Ms. Fletcher's scary questions. If you can do that, how about I take you on a ride this afternoon? Would you rather it be Galileo or General?" James asked in French.

Nate's face lit up with understanding.

"With General, please," Nate said politely back in French as well.

James smiled at him; then handed over the pile of books.

Colleen looked at James in shock.

"Uncle James, I had no idea you spoke French," Colleen pouted in a huff.

James laughed before replying.

"There is a contention about what my first and second languages are, French or English. But let's just say that I learned both from an early age," James explained as he took her outside.

Ms. Fletcher led the Grants back into her office. Archie let Ophelia and Nate have the chair as he stood behind them. Nate was sitting on Ophelia's lap facing the board.

"Alright, try again. Read the letters you know," Ms. Fletcher said.

Nate looked up at the list; then gave a tentative look at his mother. Ophelia smiled and nodded gently.

Nate looked back at the board and softly went through all of them.

"And the numbers?" Ms. Fletcher pointed.

Nate softly read the ones she wrote.

Ms. Fletcher made a note. Then passed over a book with simple sentences on them.

"Read these, please," Ms. Fletcher instructed.

"The cat ran. The rat ran. The bat ran," Nate whispered.

Ms. Fletcher made a note. Then wiped the board and had simple math on it.

"Can you do these?" Ms. Fletcher asked.

Nate nodded. Ms. Fletcher pointed to the first one.

"Three," Nate answered.

She pointed to the next one.

"Seven."

She pointed to the last one.

"Two-dot-three-nine," Nate answered.

Ms. Fletcher shook her head at the last answer.

"Don't go sayin' that this one is wrong. Yer the one who didn't copy the decimal placement down proper," Archie argued. "He's correct."

Ms. Fletcher checked her work, and then Nate's answer. Nate's was correct. Ms. Fletcher flushed red but didn't apologize.

"Well, I think we are done. Mr. Grant is approved to attend school," Ms. Fletcher said as a dismissal.

Ophelia and Archie were both beaming at him. Nate's smile was also wide under the love and affection he was receiving from his parents.

Colleen, James, and General were already waiting for them to come out of the schoolhouse. The beaming faces of them all said everything they needed to know.

"I knew she couldn't keep you out," Colleen said as he hugged her brother.

Nate smiled.

"Things went better, then?" James asked the parents.

"Much better. Nate proved Ms. Fletcher's work wrong," Archie said proudly.

James and Colleen both looked over at Nate and Ophelia.

"Well, it's more like Archie proved Nate's answer was correct, but still," Ophelia said.

"She missed the decimal," Archie said.

"How did she take that?" James asked in curiosity.

"She didn't comment on it," Archie said.

Ophelia nodded.

"Well, I did promise Nate a ride on General if he answered her questions. Do you mind?" James asked.

The Grants all shook their heads.

Nate was already waiting on General's left side, impatient to be helped into the saddle.

"Colleen and I will keep Edith company while you are out," Ophelia said.

"I'm going to find Kevin and try and talk with him," Archie said with a wave.

James picked him up and placed him safely in the saddle with a tie around Nate to hold him steady. Then, he Mounted General sitting behind Nate.

The three of them waved goodbye to the others as they took off down one of the roads to the outskirts of Red Deer.

Archie found Kevin Clarke in the saloon and looking unapproachable, with his hunched shoulders and back turned to everyone except the bar keep. Archie sighed and walked up to him anyway.

"I'm not going to ask how yer doin' as that seems obvious, but is there anything I can do to help?" Archie said as he slipped into the barstool next to Kevin.

Kevin glowered at him over his whiskey. One of many as the empties on the counter suggested.

"You have no REAL idea of what its like," Kevin slurred angrily. "Leave me alone!"

"I know the fear of potentially losing me children, Kevin. I may have been fighting for me life while Colleen was fighting for hers, but that doesn't mean I don't remember. And Nate almost died with the pitchfork injury. I've more grey hairs on me head from the stress and fear of that, than me age. And yes, I don't know what it feels like to ACTUALLY have lost me child, but that doesn't mean I can't empathize," Archie started back.

Kevin visibly blanched at the reminder of what had happened with Nate and Colleen.

"No one here has lost a child to kidnapping, though," Kevin growled and shot back his drink.

"That's true," Archie said.

"How do we live with that? Knowing that our little girl is somewhere in the world terrified and not being comforted. Or being used wrongly. Or dead," Kevin's voice got more passionate.

Archie nodded as he was going through his list.

"Your family is lucky because Nate got away," the man slurred.

"We know that," Archie said calmly.

Kevin glared some more.

"I'm sorry, Archie, but right now all I feel towards you is anger that it was Kathryn and not Nate," Kevin slurred.

Archie had the feeling that if the man was 10 sheets to the wind, he wouldn't have been as honest.

"I understand. But ya need to be kinder to the people in yer life who are just as affected as you are. Ya still have three of yer beautiful daughters at home and yer wife. All of them are worried and feeling guilty and are looking at ya to guide them or comfort them," Archie said in a firm whisper, before standing up and walking away.

Kevin nodded slowly as he processed what Archie had said. He must have agreed because he asked for water.

Archie went back to the fort to spend the day with his family.

James and Nate were the last back. But Nate seemed quite satisfied with his present for dealing with Ms. Fletcher.

Edith greeted them with a smile as they came inside.

"How was your ride?" Edith asked.

"Fun. Riding General is always fun," Nate said as he joined his family in the parlor.

"I don't know about that," Colleen shook her head.

"How would you know? You've never ridden him," Nate pointed out with a glare.

Colleen was about to argue, but realized that she hadn't.

She looked between the adults, trying to come up with a retort.

"Colleen, if you ever feel like riding General, you only have to ask," James said with a wink.

Colleen just nodded, but she was still nervous about riding the large horse.

"Actually, we should probably teach her how to ride a horse, even if it is a smaller one," James added as he looked at Archie. Archie nodded.

The family had an enjoyable evening together.

The next morning, James received a telegram that the Mountie that had sustained injuries had succumbed to them. He felt that he had to attend and talk with the man's family. Edith agreed, so James packed his things for a long trip on horseback, and then said goodbye to the Grants on his way out of town.

Nate had given General extra carrots and ear scratches as his parents and uncle said goodbye.

"Have you met your new neighbor yet?" James asked as he pointed over his shoulder at the farm land behind the Grants.

They shook their heads.

"We've seen the farmer clearing fields, but he hasn't said anything to us," Archie said.

"Do you know if he has children?" Colleen asked James.

"I'm afraid I don't know much about him," James replied.

Colleen nodded sadly.

"Stay safe, and give our thoughts and prayers to the family," Ophelia said as James had mounted his horse again.

"I will," James replied as he rode down the road.

Throughout the long spring and summer, Archie had been struggling with staying away from the gambling tables. He actually held off more than he thought he would, but the ever-present urge to go was increasing by the day. It wasn't long after James left that Archie was in a gambling hall with Ed. The brothers left them alone. As did his boss. But he and Ed enjoyed a nice low stakes game with some Mounties from the fort. Then he went again in a few days. He never went on the days where they were spending time as a family at the fort, but he began to be gone most evenings again.

"Are you excited for school?" Edith asked both Colleen and Nate.

"I'm excited to see my friends," Colleen said honestly.

Nate shook his head.

"Well, I hope to see you both tomorrow?" Edith said.

The Grants agreed to come after school.

They walked their children to the schoolhouse the next morning. It was growing more obvious that Nate was taller than Collen. When they reached the school yard, Nate immediately roamed his eyes over the people, and not finding James or General, started petting Sirius who had walked with them.

The old families were greeting each other. New families were waiting nervously. Ms. Fletcher opened the door and rang the bell.

"Good luck today," Archie said as he hugged both of his children.

Ophelia followed that with a longer hug and kiss.

"Come on, Nate," Colleen said as she held out her hand. Nate took it. They walked up to the schoolhouse together. Both turned and waved at the top of the step.

Colleen led Nate inside.

"You put your things over there," Colleen pointed to the boy's side.

Nate cautiously waited until the path was clear before putting his lunch away on the boy's side. Colleen then showed him to his seat in the first row.

"You sit here, and follow the instructions on the right board. I can't sit next to you because Ms. Fletcher separates us. And I won't be able to eat lunch with you, either, but don't worry someone will be kind and help you out," Colleen whispered just before she was glared back to her seat.

Nate nodded nervously as he watched his sister's retreating back

Ms. Fletcher took the roll. And then went into their lessons for the day. Nate stayed quiet and observed his peers. Colleen and the Clarke sisters seemed to be the only friendly faces in the room.

"Mr. Grant, please come forward and read this section," Ms. Fletcher ordered from the front of the room. She was holding out a children's reader.

Colleen looked up at her teacher and let out an "oh, no!" with a heavy sigh.

Nate looked back at his sister. She gave him a smile and a nod.

Nate shakily got to his feet and walked to the front of the room. His palms got sweaty and he could feel his throat closing before he even reached the front.

Ms. Fletcher handed him the reader.

"Read this part here, loudly," Ms. Fletcher instructed.

Nate read the section to himself three times, before he tried to say it.

"Ssss….sss..sss…sss…" was as far as he got before the boys started laughing at his nervous stutter. Nate immediately stopped and flushed red.

Ms. Fletcher turned her glare at them, but it was obvious that she was glaring at the noise and being interrupted, not at them being bullies.

"Again," Ms. Fletcher said firmly.

Nate looked down at the reader in his hands, there was a gentle shaking to his hands. Nate took a few deep breaths, but they didn't help. He shook his head and handed the reader back.

"If you don't do the task, I can't mark you for it," Ms. Fletcher glared down at him.

"I know, miss," Nate puffed out.

"Go sit down, Mr. Grant," Ms. Fletcher said with a look.

Nate turned around quickly and walked stiffly to his seat. Colleen was glowering at Ms. Fletcher.

"Mr. Evans, please come forward and read this part loudly," Ms. Fletcher directed. The boy was a year older than Nate. He walked confidently up to the room.

"See Spot run. Spot is a dog," the little boy read loudly.

Ms. Fletcher gave a nod of approval and let him sit back down. The boy smirked at Nate as he took the seat behind him.

When it was time for the boy's lunch, Nate waited until the mad dash of larger boys went through the door before grabbing his own lunch and sitting at a picnic table to eat his lunch. No one went over to sit with him. Nate opened his lunch pail to find his lunch with a note from his parents and Aunt Edith. All wishing him a good day. He tucked it away in a pocket. Nate watched the other boys breakout into teams and play different sports. No one asked him to join, and he didn't ask to play either.

At the end of the day, Nate was certain he was going to hate school the way Ms. Fletcher taught it. When Ms. Fletcher ran the bell to release the students there was the normal mad dash to get out. Nate waited until they were done before getting his things. Someone had knocked over his lunch pail and didn't pick it up, so Nate had to crawl underneath a table to grab it.

"Are you okay?" Colleen asked in real worry.

Nate shook his head.

Colleen put her arm around him as they walked together out of the schoolhouse. Which was the first thing that Ophelia had noticed. Colleen had never left the school so slowly.

"I take it, today was hard," Ophelia commented as she looked at her two children both dragging.

The both nodded.

The Grants slowly walked to the fort to attend their aunt's dinner. Edith noticed their negative emotions as she watched them walk into the yard.

Edith gave them both big hugs when they were inside.

Archie was soon behind them.

"What's wrong?" he asked the somber group.

And that is when Colleen couldn't keep her peace any longer.

"Ms. Fletcher is the WORST teacher! She had young students read in front of the class, even though many of them CAN'T read well. She made Nate go up first! He knew the words, but he couldn't say them because he was too nervous! And the boys laughed at him for it!"

Everyone's eyes drifted to Nate's and his stiff posture confirmed Colleen's retelling of his day without them asking.

"Did you make any friends during recess?" Edith asked.

Nate shook his head again.

"Well, what did she give you for homework?" Edith asked, knowing from the Grants that she always did.

Nate and Colleen both handed over their assignments. Edith read through them.

"Apparently, she wants Nate to go over the section in the reader until its perfect, and Colleen has math," Edith said as she looked back over at the children. "Give me 30 minutes, I need to think about how to approach this."

Thirty minutes later and the Grant children were happily engrossed in play that included their homework. And as soon as Edith could let them play on their own, she stepped aside.

"Ophelia, Archie, as much as I would love to tutor them every night, that isn't a reasonable request of your family's time and resources, especially when it gets cold. I would suggest talking with Ms. Fletcher advocating that she needs to have Nate do the public speaking in private until he is comfortable. He had the reader section memorized, and he can say it just fine if he isn't feeling pressure or feels safe. So going over it at home until he can say it, isn't going to help him in a classroom full of strangers," Edith pointed out.

"We'll do that," Archie agreed.

"Are there any particular days that work best for homework help?" Edith asked.

They eventually decided on Sundays and Wednesdays.

The next morning, Archie and Ophelia walked their children to school early, in hopes that Ms. Fletcher would be willing to meet before school. They got some looks as they went to the school door and knocked. None more withering than Ms. Fletcher.

"Ms. Fletcher, if you have the time this morning, we want to discuss Nate with you," Ophelia said politely.

Ms. Fletcher just opened the door and let them in, before closing it behind him.

"What is your concern?" Ms. Fletcher asked.

Archie and Ophelia both looked at each other.

"We've told you that Nate isn't going to speak unless he is comfortable. He knew the reader's sentences and could say them all just fine last night when we practiced. But if he is required to read it in front of the class, he won't be able to do it," Ophelia said.

"We would appreciate it ya could do his public answering in a private setting," Archie added.

"Public speaking is part of their standards, Mr. and Mrs. Grant. He needs to be able to say it in front of a group," Ms. Fletcher said.

"It's just until he is comfortable in your classroom," Ophelia added.

Ms. Fletcher looked at each Grant.

"Mr. Grant, come here," she finally instructed Nate to come closer.

Nate followed her directions.

"Did you complete your homework?" Ms. Fletcher asked.

Nate nodded.

"Recite your reading," she instructed.

Nate stood at the front of the room, just like his aunt had instructed.

"See Spot run. Spot is a dog. Sam is Spot's boy," Nate recited perfectly.

Ms. Fletcher then grabbed the reader and turned it to the page for that morning's reading.

Nate read that out, as well.

"I will grant your request for two weeks. After that, he needs to speak in front of the others," Ms. Fletcher said.

"Thank you," both Archie and Ophelia said as they left the building, just before Ms. Fletcher rang the bell to start school.

Colleen and Nate took their seats as the day started.

Ms. Fletcher had Nate's age group writing and rewriting their letters and numbers on their slates, then they did their reading, then they watched Ms. Fletcher show the older boys how to do a science experiment and go over more complex guidelines for their experiment. Then she was talking about science in general terms to her younger years. Nate was fascinated with the experiment.

Then it was time for lunch. Nate went outside alone again and sat by himself. Bobby Wallace eventually noticed him sitting alone and approached gleefully. Bobby approached him and sat down.

"Hi, Nate," Bobby said.

Nate waved.

"Wanna play?" Bobby asked as he pointed to the group of Bobby's friends playing kickball. Nate looked at him with distrust. Bobby just smiled back.

Nate slowly stood up.

"You can join Conner's team," Bobby said as they took a position in the field.

Nate was joining the kickers. Bobby took a position as a baseman. Conner pitched the kickball to Nate, Nate kicked it down the field. He took off running to the first base. Wilson threw the ball to Bobby. Bobby dove for it and then threw it straight at the back of Nate's head. Nate tripped and fell, scraping his knees and face.

"Whoops," Bobby yelled loudly which got the attention of Bobby's older brother and his best friend who were the older boys in charge that week.

"Bobby!" his brother admonished as they came to check on Nate.

"Are you okay, Nate?" the other older boy said.

Nate just sat as they checked him over and cleaned his wounds.

"Are you alright, now?" the older boy asked again.

"Nate is a survivor. He's made of strong stuff," Jeremy said kindly as he helped Nate stand up.

Nate smiled weakly.

It was soon the girls lunch time and they exchanged places. Elle saw that Nate had been injured first.

"Nate?" Elle asked in shock.

"He had an accident at recess," Bobby said from behind him.

Colleen glared at Bobby.

"We'll talk when we go home," Colleen said kindly to Nate as they passed each other.

Nate nodded.

"It's good that he was playing," Becky said to the group of girls.

"If Bobby Wallace is involved then that wasn't an accident," Colleen said with anger. That was the last thing that Nate heard as the door shut behind the shuffling boys.

And that ended up being a true statement of Nate's entire first week of school. Although he enjoyed learning, and it came easy to him, Bobby and his friends had continuously picked on him throughout the day. Nate dealt with constant kicking to the back of his chair. At recess the boys constantly tripped him if they invited him to a game. They whispered cruel things about his large ears. All done more subtly so that the boys in charge wouldn't notice.

Archie was gone most evenings as well. So he hadn't had time to discuss with his family how things were going.

Weeks two and three were in the same manner. But at the end of week three, James had come back and was waiting outside the school house in surprise.

"UNCLE JAMES, YOU'RE BACK!" Colleen bounded out of the school house with Nate on her tail. Both children were smiling at seeing him again.

He picked them both up easily and hugged them tightly.

"Are you doing okay?" Colleen asked once she was on the ground again.

"Sort of. These types of trips are always hard," James said.

Colleen and Nate both nodded in agreement.

"How has school been?" James asked.

Ophelia, Colleen, and Nate all looked down.

They walked back to the fort to go visit Edith. Once the children were playing happily on the floor, the adults gathered to discuss worries.

"Nate is keeping up, sort of. Ms. Fletcher has him speaking in front of the group again. From what Colleen has said, Nate still struggles with being loud and enunciating. He's stuttering when he's nervous. But he is doing the recitation," Ophelia said.

"Has he made a friend yet?" Edith asked quietly.

Ophelia shook her head.

"How can Nate not have any friends? He's kind," James asked in astonishment.

"Colleen thinks it's because Bobby Wallace and his friends have taken to bullying Nate. They see that he is being picked on and don't want to become a target. I agree with her," Ophelia whispered.

"What exactly are they doing?" James asked.

Ophelia summed up what they had done so far.

James looked cross.

"Where's Archie?" James asked as he looked at the time on the wall and figured that Archie would have been off of work by now.

Edith and Ophelia both looked cross.

"He's taken up gambling again…and I'm pretty sure he's borrowing money from someone," Ophelia hissed out.

James sighed heavily.

"Do you want me to talk with him?" James asked.

"No. Archie needs to figure things out himself," Ophelia said.

The Normandeaus both nodded in agreement.

"How are the Clarkes?" James asked as a last question.

"Still mourning. They're not sure how to grieve for her since there is a possibility of her being alive. They have good days and bad days. But Kevin has been more patient with the others and has been trying to be better at being there. Ironically after Archie told him off," Ophelia said.

"Some people are really good at giving advice, but are horrible about doing the same for themselves," James observed.

"That's true," Edith said right before Colleen and Nate asked for James to play, which he wholeheartedly did.

Hello everyone! I hope that you all enjoy this chapter much better than last week's episode! (*sighs* *rolls eyes*). Anyway! Thanks for the positive feedback!