AN: As I am going to be out most of the day tomorrow I thought I would post this before bed tonight. Hope you all enjoy this week's update!
The following morning, Grace had convinced Lillian to stay home from walking the children to school. She had used the fact that both Mary Louise and Ellie would be at home and Eleanor had her own work to do as an excuse. Not that Eleanor would have minded keeping an eye on the two girls while they were still out. However, Grace didn't want to have to explain to her sister why she wanted to see Gabriel before her shift at the hotel.
After watching the children go into the schoolhouse, Grace stood alone on the road. Though the everyday trekking to and from the orphanage had created a path of sorts across the field that lay between it and the town, the snow still inevitably got the bottom of her skirt wet every morning. At least here in town some of the snow had been cleared from the road and packed down, making it easier to walk on and the boardwalks were completely free of snow. No matter how pretty the snow was, wet skirts were the one thing Grace hated about winter.
At least her boots had kept her feet warm and dry.
Knowing that standing in the road wasn't accomplishing anything, Grace made her way to the boardwalk on the opposite side of the street than the hotel was on. She still had a task to take care of before her shift. Grace just hoped that Gabriel was in his office.
As she approached the jail, a splash of red against the white background of the snow-covered world behind him made Gabriel easy to spot as he stepped out of his office.
"Gabriel!" Grace called out as she quickened her steps.
The Mountie turned toward the sound of her voice. Spotting her Gabriel started in her direction.
"Is everything okay?" Gabriel asked her as they both came to a stop on the boardwalk.
"Yes," Grace said. "I just had a couple of things to ask you," Grace told him. Looking around, she saw that her call had attracted attention of others out and about. "Maybe we could talk in your office."
"Of course," Gabriel replied.
Side by side, they walked the few steps back to the NWMP office. Gabriel opened the door for Grace, and let him precede her inside.
"Why don't we stand by the stove? It'll help warm you up and maybe start drying your skirt," Gabriel suggested. "Or I can bring a chair over for you."
Grace didn't answer right away, having spotted Gabriel's current visitor. The young boy looked awfully small in the cell and Grace's heart went out to him. Still, Lillian had told her that Gabriel was afraid the boy would run off if not in the cell and she had to admit that was even a worse scenario.
Still, his presence was making her even more nervous. She didn't want an audience for what she wanted to ask Gabriel, even if that audience had no one to talk to.
"Would it be possible to talk in the back?" Grace asked tentatively, looking from the cell up to Gabriel.
Gabriel gave her a perplexed look but nodded. "If you would like," he told her, motioning her to the door leading to his two room living quarters.
Gabriel held the door for her, and Grace stepped into the dimly lit main room. She also noticed that it was cooler back here than the jail, Gabriel having let the fire go out, not intending to use the rooms again until later.
Before pulling the door between the office and living quarters closed, Gabriel lit a lamp. "Sorry, I prefer to keep the curtains pulled when I'm gone, not that anyone would probably bother looking in," he told her as he pulled the door shut.
"It's fine," Grace commented.
"Was it the plans for Lillian's birthday that you wanted to talk to me about?" Gabriel asked. Lillian's birthday was next Friday. Eleanor and Grace had assured him that they would let them know the details of the celebration as soon as they got them worked out.
"That was one thing I wanted to discuss. The children want to cook her dinner and then we'll do cake and presents afterwards. Eleanor and I were hoping you could keep Lillian occupied in the afternoon so we can cook and decorate without Lillian being around."
"It would be my pleasure," Gabriel said. "What time would you like me to bring her home?"
"About six."
"Consider it done," Gabriel said. He paused, waiting for Grace to bring up the other thing she wanted to discuss. "You mentioned there was something else," Gabriel prompted when she didn't.
Grace wrung her hands nervously. She was unsure of how to bring the subject up and she was convinced Gabriel would find the notion silly. It was why she hadn't even discussed the idea with Chuck or Lillian.
"I had a favor to ask you. Feel free to say no if you don't want to do it. However, Chuck and I have gotten a lot of the details for the wedding figured out. It's just getting everything done between now and May fourth. There is one thing that I haven't figured out," Grace said, realizing she was rambling as she stared off to the side, her gaze finding a small round table. Changing her gaze from the table to Gabriel, Grace found he was looking patiently at her waiting for her to continue.
"I guess I could walk down the aisle by myself. Maybe I should. I don't remember my father and there is nobody in my life that I feel is like a father figure. I'm not even sure I'd know what having a father figure would feel like. Sometimes women have a brother fill in for their father but I have never had a brother either. I know you haven't officially proposed to Lillian yet but she said you planned to so eventually you will be my brother-in-law."
Gabriel reached out and took a hold of Grace's still gloved hands. Grace looked down at their hands and then back up at Gabriel. There was a small smile on the Mountie's face.
"Grace, just ask your question," Gabriel instructed calmly and patiently.
Something in his voice helped calm Grace. She had a feeling that Gabriel already knew what she wanted to ask but was too polite to jump to any conclusions.
"I was wondering if you would walk me down the aisle at my wedding?" Grace finally asked before she lost her nerve. She found herself holding her breath after the words were out.
"I would be honored to," Gabriel told her.
Grace let out her breath. "Really?" she said, the relief washing over her. "Thank-you," she added, pulling her hands from Gabriel's gentle grasp so she could hug him.
"You are welcome," Gabriel told her, hugging her back. "You know, that's probably the most words anyone has used to ask that question," he joked.
Grace felt herself blushing at the gentle teasing, though she knew Gabriel made a good point.
Releasing him, Grace took a step back. "I like to do things my own way," she commented.
"Yes, you do," Gabriel agreed. "I'll share something with you, if you promise to not say anything to anyone, not even Lillian."
"I promise," Grace said, nodding as she anticipated it had to do with the expected proposal.
"I'll be right back," Gabriel told her heading to the sleeping quarters of the little apartment.
As she waited, Grace took a look around the room she was standing in. The small round table had two chairs at it. A stove provided both heat and a place to cook meals. Grace noted a small pot, a pan, and a few utensils hung on the wall beside the stove. A coffee pot sat on top of the stove. A cabinet was on the wall on the other side of the stove. Grace assumed it held dishes and food items as she didn't see those. A bright colored, braided rug added a splash of color to it. The only other piece of furniture in the small room was a cherry colored rocking chair.
Walking over to the rocking chair, Grace ran her hands over the smooth wood. She had a feeling the rocking chair was a personal item of Gabriel's given it's well kempt appearance which made a stark contrast to the weathered look of the table and chairs. An intricate pattern of ivy graced the head rest of the chair.
"Nathan actually made that," Gabriel said, drawing Grace's attention from the chair. She looked over to find the Mountie standing in the doorway to the other room. "He made it for his sister, Colleen, right before Ally was born. His mother insisted he take it when he moved out with Ally. When I went to visit him at that first new posting following Colleen's death I found him using a store bought rocking chair and this one covered with a sheet, mostly out of sight. Nathan said it brought up too many painful memories for him and offered it to me. Concerned that he would do something he would later regret in his grief, I took it. I've offered it back a few times over the years, and he declines. I figure I'll hang onto it until Ally sets up a house of her own, and that is probably way more information than you needed."
Grace smiled. It was probably the most personal information that she had gotten directly from Gabriel since she met him but she found she didn't care. "No, it's fine and it is a beautiful chair," Grace said.
"I always figured if Nathan wanted to quit the Force that he could probably make a living with his woodworking," Gabriel said, stepping out of the doorway and crossing over to Grace.
"Looking at the chair, I would say you were right," Grace commented, turning to face Gabriel.
Gabriel held a small black box in his hands. Opening it, he showed Grace a ring with a small diamond set in the center of a heart of light blue moonstone.
Grace gasped. "Lillian will love it," she said. Looking up at Gabriel she asked, "the moonstone is your birth stone, isn't it?"
Gabriel nodded. "I thought it added a more personal touch to the ring," he admitted. "I'm sure some people will say I was just being conceited or arrogant though. As long as Lillian likes it, I can live with that."
"Lillian will think the former and her opinion is the only one that counts," Grace told him. "When are you going to ask her?"
"I was thinking the proposal might be my birthday present to her," Gabriel admitted. "Though I do plan on buying her some chocolates as well. Do you think I would upset her if I did it in front of everyone or should I do it before the dinner party?"
"Oh, wait for the party," Grace gushed. "I don't think Lillian will mind. It's not like you're doing it in the middle of the hotel dining room. It'll just be the children, Chuck, Eleanor and I. You can do it after everyone else gives her their presents."
"Okay," Gabriel said, closing the box. He trusted Grace's opinion on her sister's reaction. Besides, it was clear that Grace wanted to be a part of the moment.
"Do you work today?" Gabriel asked, closing the lid of the box.
"Yes," Grace said, having forgotten about her shift at the hotel. "Ronnie will probably start looking for me soon. I should get going."
"Let me just put this away and I'll escort you over. If he gives you a hard time about being late, I'll handle him for you. I tend to make him nervous," Gabriel told her.
Grace laughed. "Thank-you."
"It's what big brothers do, right?" Gabriel told her, before turning and heading back into the other room.
Grace smiled. Never having a brother, Grace wasn't sure what big brothers would do. However, she did know that family was the people that looked out for you and supported you. Since arriving back in Brookfield, Gabriel definitely fit that definition. He had been supportive of the orphanage and their efforts, even when the other town people hadn't. He and Chuck had volunteered their time to help fix the roof, and do other things around the orphanage. He had spent time with the children, teaching the boys skills that neither she nor Lillian would have been able to. It had been Gabriel who had organized the effort at the end of November to have a proper barn built so the cow and the horses would have proper shelter over the winter.
Yes, Grace decided, if that was the type of things big brothers were suppose to do, then she felt lucky to soon have Gabriel as her brother-in-law.
Gabriel was soon back, and led Grace back into the jail. He pulled shut the door to the back rooms and offered her his arm. Grace took it.
"I'll be back with your breakfast shortly, Billy," Gabriel said, addressing the quiet boy in the cell.
Billy's response was a shrug of his shoulders.
"How long is he going to be in that cell?" Grace asked, as they stepped outside.
"I have him there for his own safety right now, Grace," Gabriel told her, as they started across the street. "Until I figure out what to do with him or am confident he won't run, it is for the best. The force is trying to identify him with what little information we have on him. Judge Avery said he was going into Union City to personally check a few things and then he's coming to Brookfield to help me navigate this."
"I feel so bad for him," Grace commented.
"You're not the only one, Grace," Gabriel assured her.