Part 1: Chapter 54: 1889: Red Deer, Alberta

Thomas Has a Habit of Saying What He Thinks

After the new year came and went, and the children were back into their school sessions again, not much changed with their after school plans or arrangements, except that Nate was being taught how to handle some of the smaller animal chores. With the Normandeaus also opening their home to Thomas, they were able to watch him on days they went over to see Edith for tutoring.

Thomas and Colleen were often heard loud and clear over the fort walls when they were visiting. But they were also making Edith and Nate laugh hard, so James was happy when he was doing paperwork and could hear them.

It was mid-February when Thomas came into the parlor in a tizzy to their Wednesday study session.

"What's wrong, Thomas?" Edith asked kindly.

Thomas just continued glowering.

Edith looked to the Grants.

"He's been like this all day," Colleen said.

Nate nodded.

"Thomas, I see that you're upset, but maybe we can help," Edith tried to coax him out.

Thomas looked at them and tears of frustration in his eyes.

"Mother said there's nothing we can do," Thomas said, his eyes down.

"About?" Ophelia asked as she bent over to get him to look at her.

"Luke's birthday," Thomas said.

Edith and Ophelia both looked at each other. Thomas and Luke had kept sending each other letters and presents and news back-and-forth. None of the adults felt like they should interfere in their private communication, but the way Thomas looked sad and guilty when he realized that his cousin was alone, when he had found friends, said everything.

"What about it?" Edith tried.

"It's in three weeks. And there's nothing in our Mercantile that he would enjoy. Mother said it's silly to waste time on sending for a special order and to just send him a birthday card. But we've never done that. And he didn't for me!" Thomas protested.

Edith and Ophelia both looked at each other and then at Thomas.

"Today's session is cancelled," Edith announced.

"Why? We're already here," Colleen asked.

Nate looked at his sister and rolled his eyes.

"We're making presents for Luke," Nate said as if that should be obvious.

Thomas looked at the people standing around him.

They all nodded in agreement.

"Oh, yer the best!" Thomas was smiling his deep dimple smile and hugged them both tightly. Ophelia and Edith both just patted his head. He was one of theirs.

"You're going to need to tell us what he likes," Edith said.

Thomas then went into a long, long description of Luke's favorite things. By the time he was done, Ophelia had already knitted Luke mittens in Luke's favorite colors and was working on a scarf, Thomas was perusing Edith's game closet for a game that he thought he may like. Colleen and Nate were each writing him their own birthday letter and card. Edith was beginning to draw one of her lifelike portraits. The staff had made Luke's favorite dinner and desert and had "Happy Birthday, Luke!" with the number 9 on it. When Archie and James joined them again, no one even flinched at what they were doing, they also started making some presents for Luke. Edith's drawing was of only Colleen, Thomas, and Nate around Luke's birthday cake and blowing out the candles. Everything was signed by each person individually, with a lot of love and hopes for a wonderful year.

Thomas had the package sent off the very next day, much more optimistic about the box.

Everyone around was happy because Thomas was happy.

It was several weeks later when the fallout of the package from Luke's birthday box was seen. James got a terse telegram from Luke's mother to pass along the message that Luke was being taken care of just fine without the need for their care, and to stay out of her and her sister's business.

The Mounties in the fort who had to transcribe the rather long message were all making bets about how their leader would react to this obviously overly pampered princess. When James read the message, he crumpled it up in anger, and then immediately went to his house to show Edith.

"How cruel can she get? We weren't trying to say that they weren't taking care of him. We were trying to cheer Thomas AND Luke up," Edith said in outrage.

James nodded.

"THIS is why I've come to HATE Society," Edith said with frustration.

Edith and James kept the information about the telegram until later that night, after all of the children were happily distracted playing with each other.

Archie and Ophelia read it together.

"What do we do?" Archie asked.

"What can we do? We have no right to force her to let us send Luke presents. She's obviously checking his mail. We have no right to say anything to her child," Ophelia pointed out.

"So, we do nothing? What if Thomas asks us again? It seems silly to give up without some fight," Edith growled.

"Ophelia is right. We can't interfere. We're not his parents. They don't even know us. We're just Nate's family," James added. "If we fight this, I think she may stop the whole letter exchange between Luke and Thomas, and Thomas is still his only real friend."

They all sighed in frustration at the woman's lack of empathy.

It was a few days later that Thomas had gotten Luke's reply in the mail.

Dear Thomas,

First of all, thank you for my birthday presents. I, unfortunately, only got to opening the scarf and mittens, when Mother surprised me and Gertrude in the room where I was opening them. She saw the box and got quite angry that Nate's family had the awdasity to send me presents as if I weren't being taken care of properly. She lectured me on how privileged I am, and how not everyone is so lucky to be able to afford our lifestyle…

….she then picked up the whole box and threw it straight onto our fire in the room.

I have no idea what anyone sent me, not even you, but I do know that whatever it was, was made with kindness, generosity, and love for you. I'm so sorry that their hard work was destroyed in a manner of minutes, and I didn't even get to enjoy them, but give them my thanks anyway.

The fact that they tried to include me into your world means everything, but also know that Mother is going to be reading my mail from now on. Gertrude also laid into her about how the reason she was being so mean was because she was jealous of how Thomas had found people to truly care, and have no issues with showing it. She said that Mother is afraid that Nate's family would take their place in my affections, just for being kind. Mother went a color I've never seen on her, and before she could fire Gertrude, Gertrude quit.

Before Gertrude left, she told me to remember that I was a lucky boy, not because of our wealth and position, but because I have people who love me, even if they have a funny way of showing it. She also said that I had to promise her to not let whomever they replace her with ruin me. Gertrude also pulled me into a long hug and was crying when she pulled away. I was crying a little myself.

Mother hasn't hired a new nanny yet.

Best,

Luke

P.S. It was just the same night that I wrote this that Grandmother passed away. I'm hurting to have lost her, but Father wants the funeral over and done with. Then we're going to Spain. He and Mother have business there. This is the longest we have stayed in one spot. I kind of liked it. I hate moving.

Thomas had been with the Grants and Normandeaus when he was reading the letter from Luke. His face fell in horror and sorrow.

Normally Thomas didn't share his letters, but he didn't quite know how to process how cruel his aunt had been. Everyone passed around the letter. Once it was back in Thomas' hands, did they start to discuss it.

"Your aunt sent us her own message saying that we can't send Luke anything. We want to respect her wishes, and we don't want you to lose your relationship with Luke over this, so we won't send Luke anything until they're okay with it," Edith said softly.

"Auntie, is meaner than Mother," Thomas slumped. "I was just trying to share you…"

"We know that," Ophelia said softly.

"And more importantly, Luke knows that," Edith added.

"I don't know what I would have done without all of ya," Thomas said with tears in his eyes.

"Thomas, we all feel the same," Ophelia said kindly as she held his head in her hands.

"We love you. You're one of us. Forever," Edith added.

Thomas was struggling, looking back and forth between the women who had shown him more love and affection in the short months they had known him than his own family had.

"I love ya, too, Ma, Mum," Thomas finally said looking at Ophelia and Edith.

The silence at that statement was palpable.

Thomas thought about what he had just word vomited to his best friend's family and blushed. The truth was that he had thought of them in that way since Christmas. His parents were Pa and Mother. The Grants were Ma and Dad, and the Normandeaus were Mum and Daddy.

Thomas stumbled over his explanation of just what he had thought of them as and for how long.

"I'm sorry for saying it out of turn," Thomas said as he looked down at his hands.

"Thomas, don't ever apologize for saying that you love someone," James said with a smile.

Thomas looked up at him in apprehension. James was smiling at him. Thomas met Archie's eyes next. He was beaming at him. Then Ophelia's. She was giving him a loving look. But she gave a nod to Edith.

Edith, once she had the time to process that she had been referred to as "mum," was sitting in her seat with her hands clasped over her heart. She was the one crying and sniffling but she looked happy.

"Oh...oh...oh…Thomas, you've made me so happy!" Edith gushed.

"Really?" Thomas looked at them. "Ya, don't mind?"

"Thomas, we know that your parents love you in their own way, and that you love them. But the wonderful thing about love is that it is infinite. If you want three sets of parents, you have three sets of parents," Ophelia said.

Thomas just gave them all one last long look before nodding. Then there was a series of hugs and kisses from everyone in the family.

"Edith, how are you feeling?" Ophelia asked once they were packing up their things to return home.

"A precious little boy loves me enough to call me 'mom;' my life goals are complete," Edith said happily.

"That is pretty special, I will admit," Ophelia agreed. "But it's even more special when they live with you. Keep that in mind…"

"We're not adopting right now, Ophelia Grant, and you know this," Edith lectured her back.

"Uh huh. I've also seen you take in the random children your husband says has nowhere to go on your bad days, and then I've watched all of you become completely smitten with each other. Imagine how much more happy and full you will feel when you don't have to watch us take them home," Ophelia pointed out.

"Ophelia," Edith said tersely.

"Yes, Edith?" Ophelia smirked.

"You're not letting this go, are you?" Edith said as she eyed her best friend.

"No. Not until you've adopted," Ophelia added with a smile.

"And then she'll start with the 'I told ya so's,'" Archie said as he brought Ophelia her jacket and kissed her cheek.

"Well, some people don't listen to me," Ophelia said as she gave a stern glare to both her husband and her best friend.

Edith and Archie shared an exasperated look. Then they all laughed and said good-night.

Sorry for the shortness of this particular chapter, but I wanted to end it on a good note. There's storms blowing in the future. Thanks for the positive feedback!