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Chapter 19
One Awkward Trip
The Thatchers had been notified of their impending guests and how they were traveling. When they had discussed who was going and how, Grace and Julie insisted that Elizabeth, Jack, and Allie come with Lucas and Charlotte and Elizabeth in order to meet Jack and Allie. Charlotte was asked to go for two reasons: protection on the car trip and she knew how to recognize Mountie file folders in a glance. Elizabeth was the common ground to introduce her parents to the people in the car since the Thatchers hadn't met Charlotte Thornton at all. Lucas had only brief interactions with William and Julie on separate occasions.
Lucas drove expertly with care of who he was in charge of (as he had been given a long lecture by Nathan about Allie specifically, which had been followed up by another long lecture about Elizabeth and Jack, and that was followed by Bill's threatening looks and mimes of death should anything happen to the people in the car. Lucas knew that Bill would not be above spending the rest of his life in prison for killing him). Charlotte Thornton sat next to Lucas in the front seat in order to watch the roads better. Elizabeth, Allie, and Jack were all in the back seat reading to each other and playing games to keep everyone distracted on the long, cold drive.
When they finally reached Calgary and found the new Thatcher house, in a very ritzy part of Calgary, everyone stared in awe at the gates in front of the house. Lucas pulled into the driveway and pulled next to the front doors.
The staff were waiting silently to open the doors and take their luggage.
"Holy…" Allie started to swear under her breath.
Elizabeth gave her a look of reprimand.
She flushed red but stopped her curse.
"I think I need a crash course on manners here," Allie whispered urgently as she looked at the house that is larger than the row houses put together in Hope Valley.
"Don't worry, I will be doing some unintentional offendin' myself," Charlotte admitted as they approached the doors.
"With silverware placings, start on the outside and work your way in," Lucas whispered.
Allie and Charlotte both nodded, just as the butler opened the door to the foyer.
"Just follow my lead," Elizabeth said under her breath as her family came into the foyer and started greeting Elizabeth.
"Hello!" came the greetings from Grace, Julie, and William.
"We're glad to host you, even for a short amount of time," Grace said with a welcoming smile.
"Thank you," Allie said.
Grace smiled.
"Mother, Father, Julie, I would like to introduce Charlotte Thornton-my mother-in-law-, Allison Grant-Nathan's daughter-, Lucas Bouchard-a friend and the saloon and oil owner-, and Little Jack. Charlotte, Allie, Jack, and Lucas, my parents-Grace and William-and my little sister Julie Thatcher," Elizabeth introduced.
Everyone went through polite greetings.
"We've prepared rooms for all of you. Elizabeth, Jack is staying with you. Allie, is just down the hall. Charlotte, you are near them as well. Lucas, you are on the other side with our guest rooms," Grace said.
"Why don't we show you to your rooms so that you can warm up and clean up," William said with a smile.
They were led up a staircase and into a long hallway.
The females plus Little Jack had been put in the family wing. This surprised Charlotte since she had heard about their reception of Jack when they had met.
Lucas had been put near the guest rooms, which were mostly filled with the trunks of the families of Hope Valley. The Thatchers then let the group get settled. Or at least William and Grace did. Julie couldn't help herself in making herself present in Elizabeth's room.
"Oh, Jack, you've gotten so big! Really, you must stop growing so fast," Julie said as she held her nephew and godson close.
Elizabeth smiled at the image.
"There are days that I agree with that. Others where I can't wait for him to be self-reliant so that I don't have to carry him everywhere," Elizabeth admitted with a smile.
Julie winked.
Charlotte and Allie knocked on Elizabeth's door frame as the door was open.
"Hello, Mrs. Thornton, Allie," Julie greeted them both fondly and with a welcoming smile.
They both smiled back.
"Allie, you need to stop growing, too. The last time I saw you, I'm pretty sure you were a foot shorter," Julie said teasingly.
"You remember me?" Allie asked in surprise as she hadn't been introduced to her when she had last been in Hope Valley.
"We may not have officially met, but you stand out wherever you go," Julie said in response.
"That is most certainly true," Elizabeth agreed.
"And Elizabeth has written about you," Julie added with a teasing smirk.
"I write about all of my students," Elizabeth said with embarrassment.
"Her favorites get the most space, though," Charlotte added.
Elizabeth gave a look to both women.
"As a teacher, I don't have favorites," Elizabeth said in her teacher voice.
"You're forgettin' that I was a teacher, have favorites," Charlotte said.
"Opal," Julie said.
"Emily," Charlotte added.
"Robert."
"Anna."
"The Canfields."
"Cody."
"But it was Allie who has always had the most written about her," Julie said with a wink towards Allie.
Elizabeth just flushed red.
"Alright. You've made your points," Elizabeth said tersely.
Allie just looked at Elizabeth with a gleam in her eye.
"I have always cared a little more than a teacher should for all of my students, and the ones who have overcome greater obstacles have been a bit dearer to my heart than others. When we met, I knew you were going to be a tough nut to crack, but once I did, it would be worth it. I've only loved you more," Elizabeth admitted to Allie.
Allie just went in for a hug. It was an Allie hug, which was tight and made Elizabeth a little breathless, but she felt that for this young woman to trust her enough to give her one of these, was worth the pain and discomfort.
"I won't tell the others," Allie whispered in her ear before she separated from Elizabeth.
This showed Elizabeth how mature Allie was. To know that this would be a private conversation between them and to not let her friends know was a huge deal. Elizabeth smiled at her with pride and thanks.
"Tomorrow, while you and Charlotte are going through the trunks, Mother and I are taking Lucas and Allie shopping," Julie said.
"You're taking Lucas?" Elizabeth said in surprise.
Julie nodded.
"We figured that since he needs to be shopping for the Christmas Festival he will need to come back with things," Julie explained.
Elizabeth nodded in agreement.
"We also thought we could make up for not getting Allie anything before now," Julie said as she looked towards Allie.
"I don't have much money, but I did bring some. I'm hoping to find Dad a present," Allie admitted.
"Nathan is hard to shop for I imagine," Julie said.
"So hard. He doesn't ask for anything, and what he does have he can make himself," Allie said with frustration.
Elizabeth nodded at that frustration.
"Nathan is a man of simple tastes," Elizabeth said.
"Do you have anything specific in mind?" Julie asked Allie.
"A book. A brand new book," Allie said. "But I don't know where to find new books or what's been recently published. Dad usually uses a library to read."
Julie looked at Elizabeth in surprise. Elizabeth hadn't said anything about Nathan being a reader, Lucas yes, but Nathan not so much.
"We'll make sure to go to as many bookstores as you need," Julie promised.
They then soon felt their exhaustion and left to go to sleep.
The next day as Charlotte and Elizabeth were working on the trunks, Lucas, Allie, Julie, and Grace were all in the higher end shops of Calgary to look at Christmas presents and Christmas gear. The shops of Calgary were done up quite nicely and very spiritedly.
"It reminds me of the shops in London," Grace said as they walked down the streets.
"I prefer the shops in Paris," Julie admitted.
"Bavaria," Lucas added.
"Is that why you started the Christmas Festival?" Julie asked.
Lucas nodded.
"That is quite beautiful! And the food! Tres magnifique," Julie professed her enthusiasm.
"You've been?" Lucas asked.
"Before the war, but yes," Julie said.
"Well, you will know what I am looking for then," Lucas said, "I've done the festival for two years now, and I don't know how to make it a different experience for those who are coming back."
"What have you done?" Julie asked.
Lucas explained.
"Why not have it truly travel themed? Each year you add a new place, a new culture to the shops and the festival. So, that the returning customers see a new place each year," Julie said as she went into party planning mode.
"And they could have a passport for the Christmas Festival to be stamped each year," Lucas added.
"And there are discounts and prizes for the amount of stamps in the passports," Julie said excitedly.
Grace and Allie watched in amusement as Lucas and Julie had already planned out the Christmas Festival for the next ten years, at least. They eventually went into one of the stores and began looking at items for this year's festival. Lucas and Julie went very overboard, in Allie's opinion, on the decorations and the booths and the purchases they were making, and it had only been 15 minutes into their shopping trip.
"Julie gets that from me, I'm afraid," Grace whispered into Allie's ear. "Tell her about a party and she has to be involved. But she is very good at it."
Allie nodded once in acknowledgement.
"Why don't you look around and see if you like anything," Grace suggested to Allie.
Allie, in fact, liked a lot of things in here, but even the cheapest items were far out of her budget. This had been the type of store her dad had always told her to walk across the street away from, because he couldn't afford anything she might break.
Grace seemed to notice her hesitation.
"Don't you like anything, Allie?" Grace asked.
Allie nodded.
"I like a lot of things in here, I just can't afford it," Allie said in a low voice to Grace.
Grace looked at her.
"Well, William and I feel like we owe you some presents. Why don't you pick some things to be presents from us?" Grace said.
"Thank you, Mrs. Thatcher, but I can't accept that. It's too much," Allie said kindly back.
Grace just nodded once, but had made mental notes about what Allie had been looking at to come back with William later.
Lucas and Julie met up with Grace and Allie at the front of the store after Lucas had paid for his items to be shipped to Hope Valley.
And so they went to the next store, and the next store in a similar manner. Julie and Lucas had a one track mind with the Christmas Festival and had become quite good at reading each other in one afternoon.
Grace and Allie shopped a little more discreetly. Grace had picked up a few items as they shopped. Allie hadn't even really touched anything.
"Allie, haven't you found anything?" Julie asked as they were eating lunch at a bistro.
"I can't afford any of it," Allie said softly, looking down into her soup.
Lucas and Julie both flinched at her words. They should have known better than to start with these shops with Allie present.
"You've lived in Calgary before, where did you shop then?" Lucas asked.
"It's not even close to here," Allie said with more embarrassment.
"It's alright, we have a driver," Julie smiled encouragingly.
Allie spouted off where her grandmother had lived for years.
Grace, Julie, and Lucas all tried to hide their shock and flinching, but they couldn't quite manage it. Allie glared at them all.
"It's not a great place, and people live on top of each other, and it's not exactly in the safest spot, but it's all Grandma can afford. And some of us have to work that much harder in order to have a roof over our heads! Grants aren't highly bred people, but we are good and honest, and if you don't like it, you can take a hike, because I'm proud to be one!" Allie lectured angrily.
Grace, Julie, and Lucas all looked down at their laps as they processed Allie's statements.
"Allie, I apologize for the reaction I had to learning about where your grandparents, I suppose it is now, are renting an apartment. There's nothing wrong with your family. They are all hard working and honest, and that's hard to come by. But we all know how rough it is around where she lives. It's not a safe place. So, we...I was surprised that you've been around and have stayed there," Lucas said to Allie in apology first.
Allie glared at him.
"I would think our financial differences were fairly obvious, Mr. Bouchard," Allie stated sardonically.
Lucas flinched again, but nodded in agreement.
Julie looked at her mother, trying to find some way to make their reactions less of a pain for Allie, but they knew that Allie was right to lecture them.
They were interrupted by lunch being served. They ate in an awkward silence. At the end of their meal, Allie had asked to go back to the house and rest.
No one in the car knew how to make this insult right.
Elizabeth and Charlotte had just put Jack down for his nap when Allie walked stiffly past and into her room and closed it firmly, tears only starting to flow as she shut her door behind her. She was crying silently in her room.
Charlotte and Elizabeth both looked in her direction in confusion, when Grace, Julie, and Lucas all came into the hallway behind her all looking guilty.
"What have you done to that poor girl?" Charlotte glared at them all.
They went into the parlor to discuss it more openly. They each explained about the events of the morning. Charlotte took offense and was scowling five minutes into their narration of the events.
"You can't buy her forgiveness," Charlotte said firmly, before any of the three of them had started to try and process proper solutions.
"What makes you think we were going to try?" Grace asked in offense.
"Because that's how your lot think. Throwing more money at things will solve all the problems of the world," Charlotte glared at them. "I've been where the Grants are many times in my life. I know the threat of living payday to payday. I was raised in a homeless camp myself. I taught myself how to read, because no one else cared to do it. I learned to read because the people with education had more success in the world, and that is why I became a teacher. I needed to share that with young people, any young people, but especially those who are forgotten or told that it's not important! Allie is incredibly smart. She is not one to passover. She is not one to sit in silence if something wrong is happening. She is observant and knows the place she is in well. Allie is how I imagine I would have been had my parents bothered to emphasize education the way Nathan has. I have no doubt that Allie will be able to do whatever she sets her mind and heart on, and she will be very successful at it...and that is despite her gender and her background. She won't have all of those cushy ins of knowing the right people, and have a cushy trust fund to live off of. It will absolutely be hard work because there's no way the Grants have set enough aside for Allie to go to school and live off a trust fund."
Charlotte stopped a moment in her lecture.
"I challenge you to live off of the income the Grants have...and see if you fare any better," Charlotte said as a last comment before she stormed away.
The rest of the group sat in silence as they processed Charlotte's comments.
"What do you suggest we do?" Julie asked Elizabeth softly.
Elizabeth looked at them all.
"Charlotte is correct about not using your money to try and win her over. You need to realize that she has been saving her money for months to get Nathan the perfect gift...and she is feeling helpless because she knows that the money she's saved won't buy even the cheapest item in these stores. I know it is also in a tough spot in Calgary, but go with her to where Ruth has lived for years, see how they manage. Let Allie show you their spots," Elizabeth said. "And don't buy things for the festival if she is around."
The others nodded before Elizabeth left them to find Allie to chat.
But Charlotte had beaten her to it.
"They aren't worth your tears," Charlotte said softly as she wiped away Allie's tears.
Allie looked at her in hurt.
"But money and status seems to be the only thing people care about. We don't have that," Allie whispered, choking over her sobs.
"The wrong kind of people only care about those things, little miss. You're proud to be a Grant, right?" Charlotte asked.
Allie nodded.
"Why are you proud of that name?" Charlotte asked.
"Because I wasn't one for a long time. When Dad adopted me, it was like the world was finally making sense. He raised me. He loved me. Even when others told him not to. Even when others said it would be foolish. He took me in and cared for me and loved me, and I didn't really realize that it would be so easy for him to have given me up. To make me stay with Grandma. Or for them to both drop me off at an orphanage. Dad has always been my rock...and we constantly had to explain why our last names were different. Not anymore. I am a Grant, daughter of Nathan Grant, and he chose me to be his daughter, which I think makes it more special, because it wasn't forced on him," Allie said passionately.
Charlotte smiled warmly at the response.
"Any other reasons?" Charlotte encouraged.
"Because Grandma and Grandpa are the type of people to drop everything to help someone they love. Because my mother was reclaiming her Grant name when she died. She was very proud of her name, so I should be, too!" Allie said.
Charlotte took Allie's face into her hands.
"In the short time I've had the pleasure of knowing you and your family, it has become very clear to me that while your family isn't the wealthiest monetarily, you love each other. It is how much, and how selflessly, you love each other that makes your family truly rich. Your grandparents did drop everything to be there for you. I have no idea exactly how often your dad has put you first, but he does it all the time. You're his world. And if anything were to happen to you, it would destroy him," Charlotte said as she looked into Allie's eyes.
Allie looked at her with some hesitation.
"But I'm not really his," Allie whispered.
"Allie, a parent doesn't stop loving one's child with our whole being just because one's child grows up. I know from personal experience just how heartbreaking it is to lose my whole world. It took me far too long to meet my grandson because I thought it would hurt too much to be reminded of my Jack. Your dad has been that way with you, I would bet, your entire life. The idea of giving you up to an orphanage was never an option for him because he's loved you that deeply for that long. And I'm quite certain no one will ever really be able to replace you in how he feels and loves you. You are his first child and his little girl. That is what you will always be," Charlotte said firmly.
Allie nodded a few times before noticing Elizabeth standing in her doorway. She blushed.
"Mrs. Thornton heard me crying," Allie said as she looked at Jack's grandmother.
Elizabeth smiled at the two of them.
"You also needed to vent to someone who knows what you've done and how you grew up," Elizabeth said softly.
Both nodded in agreement.
"Are you feeling any better?" Elizabeth asked Allie as she came inside more.
"Somewhat. But I feel a little out of my depth. We've never stayed anywhere this nice," Allie said as she looked around the room she had been placed in.
"Me either," Charlotte admitted.
"You're used to it, I assume?" Allie said as she looked at her teacher.
"'Used to it' is a relative term. I enjoy it when I'm home or on a trip. But Hope Valley and all of its comforts, or lack-there-of, is my home now. I can't say that I know how hard you've both had it growing up. I haven't had to fight to be noticed the way you have. But I did need to prove my worth as a teacher when I first went to Hope Valley. No one was particularly happy that they got a city princess in her first year of teaching," Elizabeth admitted.
Charlotte and Allie both looked at her in some surprise.
"Jack thought it wouldn't be long before you left," Charlotte said.
"He told me that as well. I think I was trying to prove to everyone that I could live in the west alone and survive in the harsh conditions. I was also desperately trying to prove to Jack that I didn't need him around for him to watch over me."
"How well did that go?" Allie asked.
"Well, he saved my life several times over the years, so I guess it's a good thing he was there," Elizabeth winked.
Allie smiled at her.
The next day, the entire group was trying to rally a forgiveness trip for Allie. Charlotte insisted on going with them because she didn't want Allie to come home in tears again. So, with two of the less stately vehicles did they drive to where Ruth, and then Archie, lived.
The apartment building was tall, and had a lot of people living in it. Allie led them to where her grandmother had her first floor apartment for as long as she could remember. Despite the Thatchers and Lucas dressing down, it was obvious they were from wealth and the looks of distrust as they walked the sidewalk was palpable.
"Allie! You're back!" a girl Allie's age greeted from the steps next to her grandmother's apartment.
"Nicole, only for a little bit," Allie said as she hugged the friend she had made during summer.
Nicole was wearing a diner uniform.
"You got a job?" Allie asked.
"Yeah, Ma and Pop need the help with the bills and for Christmas presents," Nicole said with embarrassment.
Allie nodded.
"How's your dad? We read about what happened to him in the papers. Is he doing okay?" Nicole asked in worry.
"Sort of. He has his memories back, but he's still fighting the people who started the problem to begin with," Allie said.
"I'm sorry to hear that. Anyway, I need to dash, I have a shift. Merry Christmas, Allie," Nicole said as she rushed down the street.
Allie then pulled out her keys, and opened her grandparents apartment with its key. She showed everyone else inside.
It was small and cramped.
William had to stoop inside. So did Lucas.
"How does Nathan manage to get around in here?" Lucas said just after he had scrapped his head against the doorway.
"He slouches," Allie said as she looked at Lucas for that obvious answer.
The Thatchers began to look around the small space after Allie had shut the door behind them. The three bedrooms were all the same size. They all only had a full sized bed with a narrow walking space between the walls. The wash closet had a sink and wash basin, but no indoor plumbing. The living room merged into the small dining room and the kitchen was a one person kitchen.
The walls had some of the photographs that Archie and Ruth had decorated it with during the summer. Some of Ruth's decorations had stayed behind. A wooden cross neatly carved was firmly placed where everyone could see it.
"This is Grandma's favorite," Allie said as she gently caressed the edge of the cross.
"Why didn't you take it to Hope Valley when you came back?" Lucas asked.
"It wouldn't fit, and it is a bit heavy. Dad made it for Grandma one Christmas. It has three different layers of wood," Allie explained. "Grandma and Grandpa both tried to put it in one of their bags, but it made them too heavy with everything else and Grandpa needed to help Grandma walk. We decided that the pictures were more important to take."
"Do you want to bring it back?" Elizabeth asked as she put a hand on Allie's shoulder.
"No. Grandma and Grandpa will come back eventually," Allie said as she took one last long look at the living area.
"They're still paying rent for this place?" Charlotte asked.
Allie nodded.
"Grandma would cook or sew or knit for money with the people around here. Grandpa worked as a cashier for a bit. But that's also why he was working at the Mercantile in Hope Valley. They are still paying for this place." Allie explained.
The Thatchers and Lucas flinched because the Grants had been paying for a small, dingy apartment that they weren't living in.
"So, where do you go to shop?" Julie asked.
Allie led them two blocks over.
"Hey! It's the Grant girl!"
"Allie!"
"Hey, kiddo, where have ya been?"
Came from several shop doors.
The largest and toughest guy on the street was glaring at the intruders. He made Nathan look small.
"They're with me, Gus," Allie said with a smile at the people trailing behind her.
Gus looked down at Allie and across at all of the people following her.
"Do yas need me to get rid of them? Because I know people?" Gus glared at them.
"No, Gus," Allie said. "They're family...or family adjacent."
Gus looked at her in surprise.
"Sounds like a long story there," Gus said firmly, not moving an inch.
"Dad is courting someone with a small child; they're mostly related to her of her child," Allie said as she looked at Elizabeth and Jack.
Gus looked truly shocked to hear this.
"Nathan is courting someone? Well I never thought I would see the day!" Gus stated.
"We didn't either," Allie admitted.
"Well, if you're being vouched for by a Grant that's all we needs to know in this street," Gus said with a smile to the people behind Allie.
The Thatchers and Lucas all looked like they didn't quite believe him.
"A recommendation from Ruth, Nathan, or Allie will get you places a lot easier in here," Gus said again with a smile to Allie.
"To be completely honest, Ruth is still on the fence about me," Elizabeth felt that full disclosure was absolutely necessary with Gus.
Gus just laughed deeply.
"You're here with Allie, with Nathan's permission. Ruth must trust all of you as well, or she would be behind you," Gus pointed out.
They all nodded at that statement.
Gus stepped away from the front of his shop door.
They entered behind Allie.
Gus' shop was a little bit of everything. But what they smelled was Ruth's baked goods.
"Take a look around. See if anything catches your eye," Gus said as he went behind the curtain to his back room.
"Gus is the baker around here," Allie said in explanation. "He and Grandma have a deal. He bakes using Grandma's recipes, and they share the profit."
"I like him," Charlotte said as they took in a sniff of fresh brownies.
Allie smiled at the comment.
"He's a big teddy bear," Allie whispered.
"Sure, if your teddy bears maul you in your sleep," Lucas whispered sarcastically even lower. That brought a smile to everyone's faces.
"That does smell really good," Grace said as she followed her nose.
Gus brought out a fresh tray of plated brownies.
"Go ahead and try one," Gus encouraged.
Charlotte helped Jack with his and was intending to share it.
"No, Grandma Lotte. Mine," Jack said with a pout. "Granma Roof's brownie. No share."
Gus couldn't help the booming laugh that escaped him.
"Well, that just proves Allie's story. The boy has eaten Ruth's food and knows its worth! Here ya go," Gus said as he held out the plate so that each person could have their own individual piece. Everyone grabbed one, blew on it to cool it, and then spent some time taking a bite.
Then the compliments were coming profusely.
"Do you change the recipe at all?" Julie asked Gus once she was done with the brownie.
"Ruth's recipes don't need changing, and the times we've tried, the customers noticed and complained," Gus replied. "You don't mess with a good thing around here."
Everyone nodded.
As they began to be more comfortable in the shop, they began to walk around the store to look at it. Allie was showing Jack the wall of candy. Charlotte was also listening to her stories attentively. Elizabeth had noticed a photo wall behind the register. On the wall was a much younger Nathan with a five year old Allie.
"Nathan would bring Allie in here when she wouldn't sleep. This was taken when Nathan had to go back to Mountie business, just before they had to move," Gus said as he had noticed where Elizabeth's focus was. "The shops of this street have seen and watched that family go through Hell and back a few times over. We're very protective of them. And we protect our own."
Elizabeth completely heard the implied threat in his voice. 'If you break them, we will break you.'
The group had purchased a good sampling of the goods in Gus' shop. Allie led them to a used store next.
"Hi, Allie," the proprietress greeted warmly. "Where's your grandpa?"'
"In Hope Valley still. So is Grandma and Dad," Allie said with a warm smile.
"Oh?" the woman said in surprise for Allie to not be around another Grant.
Allie introduced the people with her.
"What brings you all the way out here?" the woman asked.
They all looked at Allie.
The woman gave them all a long look, but didn't say anything else.
"Do you have any new books in?" Allie asked.
"New as in new to the store, yes, there are a few and even a few Nathan would read, but they were traded in on credit," the woman answered Allie's question. Allie immediately went to the book stacks and began to peruse them. She pulled some off the shelf and flipped through the pages, but they were well read. None of them looked like a brand new book.
The others began to look at the items on the shelves themselves.
"Do you have anything brand new?" Allie asked loudly.
"Only a new novel. A Single Mother on the Frontier," the woman said back as she held up with a new book by the register.
Elizabeth couldn't help but blush.
"Don't need that one. We lived it," Allie said with a teasing look to Elizabeth.
The proprietress looked at them in confusion.
"You're the author?" she asked.
Elizabeth just nodded.
The woman dropped her jaw in shock.
"It's very good. Are you going to stop teaching to pursue a book career?" she asked.
"No. Teaching is my calling," Elizabeth said firmly.
The woman looked shocked but didn't say anything else.
Lucas and Julie had actually managed to find some things they wanted for the festival. Charlotte had found a Christmas present for her surviving child. Then they all left to go down to the next store.
In each store, they were greeted in much the same way. They all knew Allie on sight. They were all surprised to see her without a Grant present, and they all gave long looks of distrust to the people she was with.
The last shop was a hardware store, and this was run by an older man.
"You're Nathan's girl," he said in greeting as he walked up with a cane.
Allie smiled.
"I'm sorry, but I don't remember you," Allie admitted.
"That's because we've never officially met. Nathan, however, has always waxed poetic about you. You look like him," the man said kindly as he peered at her over large glasses.
Allie smiled.
"That's because I, supposedly, look like my mom. They were brother and sister," Allie explained.
"I met your mother. And you definitely take after her. She was a beautiful woman. But there is an air of Nathan in you that is separate from Colleen. Something that is true to him, which you've picked up on as his daughter," the man said.
Allie didn't know how to take the compliment.
"Thank you. You're the first to say that I take after him," Allie said breathlessly.
The man smiled.
"Really?" Charlotte asked in surprise.
Allie nodded.
"That was the first thing I noticed," Charlotte explained her surprise.
The Thatchers and Lucas all nodded in agreement.
"I think we all saw it, and we all assumed that you knew," Elizabeth said after a moment's reflection.
The others nodded in agreement.
"What brings you all here?" the man asked.
"We're Christmas shopping," they said.
"Looking for anything in particular?" he asked.
They shook their heads.
"Feel free to browse, and let me know if you have any questions.
They began to look around the store. But they couldn't find any uses for the items in the store. Only if they were planning on building or fixing something.
"How much time did Nathan spend in here?" William asked the proprietor.
"Every spare moment he could. He was constantly in here to fix things for Ruth or Colleen and Dylan, and then Allie when she was born. They couldn't afford store bought items, but Nathan is very handy with a hammer and wood. I'm quite certain that he could have made a very successful business as a handyman," the man replied.
The others nodded in agreement.
No one left with any purchases made, but they had a better understanding of the Grants as they walked back into the street. They were walking slowly, enjoying the displays in the windows when everyone noticed a shift in the energy on the street.
The owners of the stores were all looking down one direction and watched as a young teenager came up to Gus and whispered in his ear. Gus looked angry and nodded. He looked up and down the street trying to find someone, when his eyes landed on the group. He gestured them back inside his shop.
"What's wrong?" Charlotte asked in a low whisper as they were escorted inside.
"Some men have found your vehicles and are looking at them quite thoroughly. We don't trust their intentions, and we are hiding you until they pass," Gus whispered as he led them into his back room. Everyone looked at him in surprise and fear.
Gus opened a cellar door and told them all to hide inside.
William, Grace, Elizabeth and Jack went in first to find a spot and to, hopefully, keep Jack quiet and calm. Julie followed. Lucas and Charlotte had their guns out and Allie came in and was looking around the small space.
Allie had taken a few steps inside, Charlotte was nearest the cellar door, Lucas was standing crouched in the middle, when they heard Gus' store door open and close with a loud bang.
"How can I help you officers?" Gus asked firmly.
"We're looking for Allison Parks," one said.
"Don't know anyone by that name here," Gus said with a headshake
"Her father's car is parked two streets down. Now I know for a fact that he isn't in Calgary, so we need to know why his daughter and his car is and who is he trusting enough with that task," Hargraves voice rang through next firmly.
He sounded a little stressed.
"I don't know anything about the car. I don't drive one," Gus said.
"We know that Constable Nathan Grant's family lived here for quite some time. We need to know how to get in touch. If you can remember anything, we will make it worth your while," Hargraves said as he slid something across the counter.
Gus didn't respond.
Hargraves slipped another across the counter.
Gus still didn't respond.
Hargraves flicked some more onto the counter.
"Oh, you mean Allie Grant and her teacher," they heard Gus drawl out as he picked up something from the counter and shoved it into his pocket.
Everyone was waiting in disbelief and with baited breath to see what Gus would do next.
"They came down to buy presents and check on things. The car broke down a few streets over, but the car is a bit too outlandish for the likes of these parts. They are taking a tram to mid-city to get a mechanic to look at it," Gus lied.
"Thank you, for your cooperation," Hargraves said as the door opened and they heard many footsteps walking out of the shop.
The group in the cellar were waiting with anticipation for Gus to give them the all clear.
Charlotte was still tense as a violin string when Gus opened the door.
"Where is mid-city?" she said firmly, her pistol pointing directly at his face.
"It's a few hours from here. Directly in the city center. Most of us avoid it if we can," Allie said.
Gus and Charlotte had a stare down.
"If you've betrayed us, I will be back," Charlotte threatened.
Gus just gave Allie a small smile.
"I've given you time to get away," Gus said softly.
They left the cellar and clambered out into Gus' shop.
Gus pulled Allie into a hug.
"Let your dad know that they have been coming around here a lot. It's not safe for you or the family to be out and about shopping, especially around here. Also tell him that we are all very glad that you've got people to rely on and who love you. Your family is a good one," Gus whispered into her ear as he looked at the odd mixture of the group.
"Thanks for everything, Gus," Allie said.
Gus patted her head and handed over a package.
Allie looked up at him in surprise.
"Your Dad's Christmas present from you," Gus said.
Allie smiled.
"Did that man really try to bribe you?" Allie asked.
"He did. I took it as a down payment for when he comes back," Gus winked. "No sense in losing money because the man is a jerk."
The Thatchers, Thorntons, and Lucas all had heard that comment and all laughed.
"We need to get going, though. It's more important than ever to find that file," Charlotte said. They all nodded.
Everyone rushed back to the cars. Charlotte had everyone stay back as she did a perimeter check and looked under and inside each vehicle before she cleared them to be safe.
When they got back, Elizabeth handed over the care of Jack to Julie while she and Charlotte began to search for Jack's things.
It was a few hours later when they finally found what they were looking for. Charlotte and Elizabeth both had trouble with looking through his things without some form of a memory attached to it. The file had been at the bottom of the trunk. It had been tucked away inside Jack's Mountie notebook, folded up. Charlotte was the one who had opened the notebook and looked inside. The folded papers opened up to reveal an official investigation.
"Elizabeth, we found it, and it's a doozy," Charlotte said.
Elizabeth walked over to where she was standing and looked over her shoulder.
"You can understand that?" she asked as many of it was in Mountie shorthand.
"Yes. Tom taught both the boys to read it. They thought they were playing pirates," Charlotte said at the bittersweet memory.
Elizabeth just held her hand.
"We need to take all of this," Charlotte said as she pointed to the pile she had found it in.
Elizabeth nodded and just started grabbing them.
They returned to the group and showed them their finds. It was soon discussed on the best way to get home.