Part 1: Chapter 91: 1892 Red Deer, Alberta

Somber Birthdays

Nate's birthday morning was much like any other birthday without Archie present. Ophelia, with Colleen's help, made his favorite meals. Thomas and Eoan went fishing with Nate (at which point Thomas and Nate realized that Mr. McSweeney's movements were getting worse). Nate brought home a lot of fish for his family. James stopped by to celebrate with the family. Then they went to the Normandeau home to celebrate with Edith.

She had painted Nate on General for his birthday present.

Nate was smiling at it in wonder and awe.

"This is wonderful, Aunt Edith," he said in gratitude.

Edith smiled at him with love in her expression.

"You've grown so much!" Edith said with pride.

Nate flushed and ducked his head in embarrassment, but he thanked each person there for their time and their presents.

The next day, Ophelia had woken up expecting to see Archie again. But he didn't show up. But that wasn't outside of his behavior either. The family went about their normal morning routine and went through their day without Archie.

As the school week started, Archie was still not back. Thomas was complaining heavily on behalf of Colleen and Nate about the unfairness and how crap Archie was being. Edith and James made sure to make themselves more available to the Grants as Archie's return was taking longer than he had been gone before.

Colleen's birthday was approaching and no one had heard from Archie, nor could say if he would be back. Ophelia was getting restless. Did her husband understand that he was supposed to check in? Ophelia got the impression he was doing something he wasn't supposed to do, and he didn't want to have to deal with the guilt of looking at her or James while he did whatever he felt he needed to do.

Archie was being stupid.

Colleen was passing out her party invitations. One was going home for Becky to give to Elle. Elle was working with her mother at home. Thomas would be over for Nate. The children went through their normal routine. That evening, Colleen and Nate were sitting with Ophelia at Archie's desk going over ledgers and numbers.

Colleen and Ophelia were both looking at them with a headache. Nate was shaking his head at both.

"It's adding and subtracting," Nate said in puzzlement. "This is easier than fractions."

Colleen rolled her eyes at him.

"But how do you keep track? It's hard to tell when to add and when to subtract," Colleen complained as she showed her work in pencil on a sheet. Ophelia blanched because Colleen's was closer to Nate's answer than hers. Both were way off.

"It would be easier if Dad had come back to update our money," Nate said with a concession, "but as he has been gone for a month, we need to figure it out ourselves."

Ophelia nodded.

Colleen sighed and put her head in her arms.

"Okay, go through it slowly," Colleen instructed.

Nate went through his process. But Ophelia and Colleen both got vague looks in their eyes as Nate was finishing.

"Try it," Nate added to Colleen.

Colleen looked at Ophelia with fear, before trying it.

"You forgot to carry the two," Nate said and pointed out her error.

Colleen looked down at her paper and sighed heavily.

"Math is like quicksand; you miss a step and you're sunk," Nate said with a straight face.

Colleen gave him a cross look.

"Not funny," Colleen protested.

Nate was grinning widely.

Ophelia was smiling at them both.

Colleen kept at the instruction from Nate. She slowly worked out how Nate had budgeted their money.

"Nate, promise me that you will teach all of our children how to do math," Colleen said with a slight demand to her.

"Sure, I will teach your children," Nate agreed.

Colleen narrowed her eyes at him as she grabbed his shirt and pulled him to her level. She glared at him firmly.

"All of OUR children, Nate. Your daughters, too," Colleen demanded.

Ophelia was smiling as she watched her son and daughter glare at each other.

"IF I have children," Nate promised.

Colleen smiled widely.

"You will," she said with certainty.

Nate sighed as he shook his head at his sister.

Ophelia smiled with pride at each of them. While Archie was a sore spot in their family, she knew that Colleen and Nate would grow into kind, loving people. They were her biggest joys and greatest pride.

On Colleen's birthday, Mildred escorted Thomas with their present to Colleen. Eoan wasn't feeling well and had to stay at home. Becky and Elle were both escorted by Mr. Clarke. He had a cross look on his face as he dropped off the girls.

"Natalie is engaged," Elle explained.

Colleen looked at her in surprise.

"We've met him twice," Becky added.

"We think that Natalie is mostly wanting to leave our home, since there is the reminder of Katie," Elle added in a whisper as she approached the Grant home with Becky on one side, Colleen on the other.

Colleen shook her head.

Thomas and Nate held open the front door for the girls and smiled at them all.

Elle and Becky giggled. Colleen shook her head at them.

The girls immediately went into Colleen's room and shut the door behind them.

"Thomas sure is becoming handsome," Elle remarked.

Colleen gave her a look.

"And waiting on Colleen's every need," Becky added.

Colleen turned her glare to Becky.

"He's just a friend," Colleen protested.

"Friends can become more," Elle pointed out.

Becky nodded in agreement.

"Not Thomas," Colleen shook her head.

Both girls looked at her in skepticism.

"Look ladies, even if I developed more than friendly feelings for Thomas, I couldn't act on them. He is still the ONLY one who is Nate's friend. That relationship needs to come first," Colleen rationalized.

Becky and Elle both looked at Colleen in surprise, but they ultimately agreed with her.

The girls stayed up in Colleen's bedroom catching up and playing games. Thomas and Nate were the ones to complete chores and played outside with Sirius.

Ophelia was working on mending as she heard the girls playing in Colleen's room still. She smiled tiredly. Even though she was exhausted and knew the girls wouldn't sleep, she was quite happy for Colleen to be able to not worry about Archie or Nate at the moment. Ophelia was rocking as she stitched Nate's sock.

The next day, started with the blatant notice of Archie's missing presence. Archie had never missed Colleen's birthday. This year, he had. Colleen was trying to put on a brave smile over her pain, but her disappointment was palpable.

"Hey, I know how you feel?" Nate whispered as they walked outside after Colleen's birthday breakfast.

Colleen looked at her brother. Of course he did. He knew it multiple times over.

"I must seem like a rotten sister after all the times Dad has not shown up to your birthday," Colleen said with pain in her voice.

Nate shook his head.

"You're not to blame for Dad being a moron," Nate said with derision and crossed his arms.

Colleen glared at him for his description of their father.

"How would you describe it, then?" Nate challenged.

"Dad is a person who lets his vices win in moments that matter," Colleen whispered.

Nate gave her a look back, "how is that not being a moron, exactly?"

Colleen rolled her eyes at him.

Nate smirked at her.

"You still need to be respectful," Colleen admonished.

"Why? He hasn't been respecting us as a family," Nate pointed out.

Colleen took in a gasp of horror.

"We don't know why he is gone, Nathan. He could have a perfectly good reason," Colleen argued.

Nate scowled heavily.

"I am getting tired of everyone giving him the benefit of the doubt. Yes, that may be true, but in our history it hasn't been. I am tired of everyone just accepting him back like he did nothing wrong. It is wrong to be gone so much!" Nate argued.

Colleen and Nate both looked at each other in pain.

"I'm sorry, Colleen, I was trying to cheer you up," Nate said with guilt laced in his words.

"I know. I understand where you come from, but I also have hope about Dad," Colleen said.

Nate just shrugged as their friends came around the corner with a kickball. They both smiled a fake smile, knowing Thomas, Elle, and Becky had noticed their argument and had come to interrupt.

Colleen enjoyed her party. She was gracious as Mr. Clarke arrived to take his girls back.

Thomas would be going with the Grants to the Normandeau celebration.

Edith and James had really gone out with Colleen's party in their home. Edith had a proper tea ordered. Thomas and Nate both looked like they would rather die than wear a suite for tea. James was already wearing his dress uniform.

The family had a pleasant afternoon drinking tea and eating the small fillings on their tea trays. Colleen had looked resplendent in her new dress made for the occasion. Everyone had the thought that she was turning into a beautiful young woman.

It was a week later that Archie tiredly rode Galileo back to his home in the dead of the night. He stealthy emptied his pockets into a tin and hid it in his wood carving space. Archie sighed heavily as he quickly added $10 to his total in his pocket book in his coat pocket. All that it had were a series of numbers. He currently owed $30.

Archie quietly went inside his home. He opened his pocket book again and sat down at the desk in his home. Nate's handwriting covered the family ledger. Archie quickly did the numbers. Nate had done a good job with the balancing of their family accounts. Archie sighed as he put the rest of his pay in the ledger and added it to the family account balance.

Archie gave a long stretch as he sat in the chair. He turned when he heard soft footsteps at the top of the stairs. His eyes met Colleens. She let out a gasp of surprise, but she smiled widely at him when she realized she wasn't dreaming.

Archie smiled back at her and gestured for her to go back to bed. Colleen nodded. Archie watched as his daughter was on the cusp of womanhood. He shook his head at how much growth she had done in the short amount of time he had been gone. Archie followed her to her room with stealth. She waved goodnight. Archie smiled. He walked to Nate's room, as Colleen closed hers.

Nate was sleeping. Sirius was on his bed and lifted his head as Archie took a glimpse. Sirius didn't move. Archie quietly closed the door and walked to his bedroom with Ophelia. He quietly entered their room. Ophelia was sleeping, her brown hair in knots above her head on her pillow. She didn't like things on her neck, and yet her hair was always long–longer than most women had their hair. Archie smiled with love at his sleeping wife. He leaned over to kiss her head. Eyes fluttering, Ophelia moved ever so gently.

"Arr…chie?" Ophelia whispered as her chocolate eyes met his own.

"Shhh. I'm home, but we can talk tomorrow," Archie said softly.

Ophelia sighed. She was too tired to argue. She rolled over as Archie got into bed. Archie leaned over to whisper into her ear.

"I'll explain in time. But what I am doing is for the family. It won't be forever. I promise," Archie said as he leaned back onto his own pillow. Ophelia laid awake. Her heart constricting at Archie's words.

'Oh, Archie. What are you doing?' Ophelia thought just as sleep turned into nightmares.

Hello everyone! Sorry for the short chapter after a long wait. But I am finding it hard to sit and work like I used to. I am going public about my health. I have been diagnosed with early stage Huntington's Disease. This is a genetic neuro-degenerative disease. My brain will slowly deteriorate my muscles, memories, and personality. Symptoms are different for each person, but once they are started, you have a ticking timer on how much time you have left. My mother was in a nursing home for nine years with the disease. She couldn't write at that point. She was in her early 40's when she was put into a nursing home. She was 53 when she died. My symptoms are minor, but it's hard to stay still enough to write when I need to or want to. I will also die of this (probably in my 50's).

As always, thanks for the positive feedback.