Welcome back my fellow hearties! I had finals all week so I couldn't update a new chapter, but I'm back now with a new chapter/story. I'm glad you guys are enjoying them. I really enjoy writing them, especially because the idea of the Grant family just makes me happy :)
Elizabeth started dinner so that Nathan would simply have to put things together when he got home from work. She went upstairs to change, but not before she peeked through the crack in the door to Jack's bedroom to make sure he was still asleep. Elizabeth was going to have lunch in town and catch up with Rosemary today, she figured she would not be home until after dinner. Once she finished, she went down to the living room where Allie was concentrating on her homework.
"How is it going?" Asked Elizabeth as she walked up to where Allie was sitting at the kitchen table.
"Pretty good - I like math" Allie responded with a smile.
"Well, I'm very proud of you. You are doing so well" Elizabeth praised as she placed a hand on Allie's shoulder. The girl's smile broadened as she looked up at her mother.
Footsteps ascending closer to the door drew Elizabeth's attention.
"Oh, that must be your dad," Elizabeth chimed as she quickly walked towards the front door.
Nathan was just about to reach for the doorknob when a smiling Elizabeth quickly opened the door and lunged up hugging him around the neck.
"Hi," Nathan said, smiling in amusement as he gave her a quick squeeze and kiss on the cheek before letting her go.
"Hi! Come in - I have everything ready for dinner," Elizabeth said as she held onto his arm and led him towards the kitchen.
"Wait a minute…" Nathan said as he held Elizabeth out in front of him at arm's length, "Let me take a look at my lovely wife before she goes flying out the door."
Elizabeth giggled.
"You look so beautiful," He said as he looked her up and down.
"Thank you," Elizabeth said, she looked up at him with a shy smile and locked his gaze.
"I'm done!" Allie exclaimed. She jumped out of her chair and ran over to hug Nathan.
"Hey! How are you?" Nathan said, hugging Allie close to his chest.
Elizabeth walked back towards the kitchen, still blushing.
"Good!" Allie said, looking up at Nathan with her arms still wrapped around his waist.
Allie ran back to the table and took her finished homework up to her room. Elizabeth explained to Nathan what he had to do for dinner, and then Nathan went upstairs to change out of his serge.
Nathan was busy working on dinner when he heard little Jack babbling in his room. With an apron wrapped around his waist, he quickly went upstairs and opened the door to Jack's room. A smile lit up his face as he watched the scene in front of him unfold. Allie had already taken little Jack out of the crib and was kneeling in front of the dresser in Jack's room - helping him pick out a new shirt.
"Hey, what are you two up to?" Nathan said with a hint of laughter in his voice. He walked over to his children. Allie looked up at him with a proud smile as she picked Jack up and perched him on her hip.
"I was just helping little Jack get dressed for dinner," Allie remarked with a smile. "Nice apron," she added teasingly with a raised eyebrow.
Nathan just beamed and placed a praising hand on Allie's shoulder. He then turned to go back down to finish dinner. Not long after, Allie brought little Jack down and gently placed him at the end of the stairs. As soon as his little legs touched the ground, Jack ran straight for his toys in the corner of the living room. Allie walked over to the kitchen to see what she could help with.
"Would you like me to set the table?" Allie asked, hoping Nathan wouldn't say "yes". If she was being completely honest, her new book was calling her name and she would have much rather been reading than setting the table.
"That would be great, thank you!" Nathan said quickly as he turned off the stove and rinsed his hands.
Allie sighed and walked over to the cupboards. A few squeals from Jack drew Nathan's attention. Jack had spread all his toys across the living room and was currently banging his wooden horse against a small coffee table. Nathan walked over and started picking up the blocks that had managed to fly to the opposite side of the room.
"Hey buddy, do you want to come sit at the table with us?" Nathan asked as he picked up little Jack. Much to his surprise, Jack started fussing and wiggling until Nathan had to put him down.
Nathan decided to leave him for a bit and hoped he would be able to get him in his high chair later. After Allie finished setting the table she picked up her book and walked over to sit on the couch. Nathan put dinner on the table and made his way over to Jack. Once again, Jack was unwilling to get into his chair. Nathan tried coaxing him with some mashed potatoes but that didn't work either. Allie got up and tried to help, but Jack refused to go over to eat. Finally, Nathan decided to try something else.
"You know what, Allie, why don't we set up sort of an indoor picnic?" Nathan suggested, "That way we don't have to get Jack to sit in the chair, and maybe he will eat something". Normally, dinner was always eaten at the table, but little Jack was missing Elizabeth and refused to sit at the table without her. Allie agreed that the picnic would be a good idea.
Allie promptly ran upstairs and came back down with a checkered blanket. She cleared some space and laid the blanket down in front of the couch. Nathan brought the plates over and sat down on the floor with Allie. After they started eating, Jack slowly made his way to the blanket and sat down next to Nathan with his stuffed dog in hand. Nathan just smiled down at the little boy and glanced over at Allie who was smiling, pleased that their plan had worked. Allie picked up a small bowl of mashed potatoes and handed it over to Nathan. Nathan took a small spoonful, blew it, and held his breath as he maneuvered the spoon towards Jack's mouth and hoped he would eat. Thankfully, Jack took it without hesitation.
After dinner, Nathan took Jack upstairs to change his clothes and get him ready for bed. Meanwhile, Allie cleared the picnic. I think you managed to get more food on your clothes than in your mouth, Nathan thought, as he wiped Jack's face with a wet towel. Downstairs, Allie put the dishes in the sink and folded up the blanket. She walked up the stairs and put the folded blanket back into the wooden chest in the hallway before going to her room. She changed into her pyjamas, then she sat down in front of the mirror in her bedroom and and took out her braids.
"Tap, tap" a couple knocks on her bedroom door drew her attention.
"Come in!" Allie responded, looking back at herself in the mirror.
Still looking into the mirror, she saw Nathan's reflection walk up behind her. She looked back and saw little Jack in his freshly cleaned clothes looking up at her, bright-eyed, with his little dog still in hand. Allie smiled and looked over at Nathan who was now sitting on the edge of her bed.
"Thank you for cleaning up downstairs," Nathan said, as he finally untied the apron from around his waist and draped it over his shoulder.
"No problem!" Allie said. She looked into her father's eyes and looked as if she was about to say something else, but then stopped.
"Is everything okay?" Nathan asked concerned, lifting little Jack onto the bed
"Oh yes, everything is fine… It's just… mom usually brushes my hair before bed and she is not home yet." Allie finally said, a little embarrassed. She liked to spend time with Elizabeth before bed, it was sort of a tradition, and one of the few times in the day she got to spend time with her mother one on one.
Nathan smiled and held out his hand. "Now I know I'm not Elizabeth, and we all know I'm no expert at girls' hair - but would you like me to brush your hair? I know it's not the same but…" Nathan paused and looked at Allie's reflection in the mirror. A small smile brightened her face as she turned and handed the brush over to Nathan.
Nathan gently brushed Allie's shiny light brown hair. Jack was lying on his back in the middle of Allie's bed playing with his hands.
"Do you have any plans tomorrow?" Nathan asked,
"Mom and I were just going to do some stuff after school tomorrow," Allie replied cheerfully.
"That sounds nice," Nathan placed the brush down on the bedside table. "There, how's that?" He asked.
"Perfect, thank you!" Allie exclaimed, as she swivelled around in her chair and tightly hugged Nathan around the neck.
Nathan smiled and ran his hands up and down her back before letting go and looking over at Jack. Jack was now sitting up and waving a little tan book at Nathan.
"You want me to read you a story?" Nathan asked, reaching for the book in little Jack's outstretched hand. Allie climbed into bed and slid under the covers next to where Nathan was sitting against the headboard. Jack got into Nathan's lap and rested his little head against Nathan's chest.
"I'll take that as a yes" Nathan said laughing.
He made it through the first few pages before Jack was asleep. Allie smiled and looked up at her father. Nathan stood and placed the book on the bedside table as he gently picked up little Jack.
"Remember to say your prayers," Nathan whispered before quietly placing a kiss on Allie's head and taking little Jack to his room.
Nathan gently laid little Jack down in his bed and walked back downstairs to finish cleaning up. He was drying plates when he heard Elizabeth walk in the front door behind him. Turning around, he smiled at her and dried his hands before walking over.
"Hi," Elizabeth said in a hushed voice as she quickly walked over to Nathan and hugged him around the waist.
"Hi" Nathan replied "I was hoping to finish everything before you got home, but the night ran away from me a bit," Nathan said after letting go.
"Don't worry about it." Elizabeth said calmly, "How are Allie and Jack?" She quickly asked.
"They are good" Nathan let out a deep breath, "I just got them to bed - Oh, how was it catching up with Rosemary?" He asked, still speaking in a hushed voice.
"It was very nice to catch up. We went to the cafe for lunch and then chatted at her and Lee's house," Elizabeth said with a smile. She looked up at Nathan who was listening to her attentively. She smiled, cupped his face in her hands and gave him a kiss. Footsteps upstairs caught their attention.
"Allie probably heard that you are back - she didn't want to go to sleep before you got home," Nathan said. Elizabeth reached up and gently moved a few strands of hair away from Nathan's face.
"I'll go upstairs and check on her. - In the meantime why don't you finish up and we can have a cup of tea later." Elizabeth said with a smile as she reached up and pulled down the apron that was still draped over Nathan's shoulder. Nathan laughed and looked down at the floor, slightly embarrassed. Just then, Allie peaked her head from behind the wall at the top of the stairs and smiled as she looked down at her parents.
"I'll be right there Allie," Elizabeth said with a hint of laughter in her voice and gave Nathan a quick kiss on the cheek before running upstairs. Nathan watched his two girls in contentment until they disappeared from view.