AN: So, after accidently seeing part of previews for season 9 (the hotair balloon is ridiculous) I decided to do a Post season 9 story to vent my bad feelings. Yes, I realize that Lucas is out of character from what we first see but then he will be on the show too. You don't go from taking a single mother on a horseback ride when she just tells her nanny that she is concerned her son is sick to suddenly being the perfect family man. At this point they might as well have Jack come back from the dead as I would find it more believable. But alas, the terrible writing of season 8 has led us here so I am basically writing season 10 to fix season 8 and 9 in my view. Don't like my view of Hope Valley, feel free to read something else.
I am rating this story M due to events that will take back. There will be a lot of pain at the start but there will be a rainbow at the other side of the storm. Some themes that will come up is spousal abuse, child abuse, and suicide. If that will bother you, then I suggest you do not read. Otherwise, consider this my alternative to actually watching season 9 episodes. The plan is to post every Sunday for the next 12 weeks. After that, we'll see how the updates go and where the story is at.
Elizabeth peaked in at her sleeping son. Jack lay on his low bed, a light blanket that Rosemary had made for his fourth birthday covering him. Part of her wished he would wake up from his nap. The big house on the outskirts of Hope Valley seemed very empty these days.
Last spring, after a whirlwind courtship with Lucas in which they had never seemed to be still, the house had seemed so inviting when he had brought her here as his new bride. In a lot of way, the modern house had reminded her more of her childhood home than any of the other dwellings in their Little town. Not that they had spent a lot of time in the house in those early months.
Other than her marriage to Lucas, nothing seemed to be going right last spring. A shoe factory had been put up not far from the railroad depot. With the factory came a rush of new faces. Cheap houses had been built on the property bought up by Spurlock to house the factory families. The Jack Thornton school had seen a huge influx of students at the end of the year, though the factory had said they would help build a larger school to accommodate the children for the start of the new school year. Not that Elizabeth had ever set foot in the new school. Several parents had lodged complaints that she was showing favoritism to her original students. Complaints that were not true, though proving the allegations false would have proven hard.
The school year had ended with those allegations hanging over her head. Lucas had then whisked her away from Hope Valley. Little Jack was left with his grandparents for the summer while Lucas had taken her from city to city. Elizabeth had soon grown weary of the travel. Places started to seem the same and she missed her son. Lucas would not hear of cutting their honeymoon trip short no matter what.
Elizabeth had been weary when she had arrived home in Hope Valley with Little Jack and Lucas. The big house seemed cold and empty when they had arrived late in the evening. No friends waited to greet her. There were no near neighbors to stop by for a quick chat. Elizabeth found herself longing for the possibility of being overheard by her neighbors. Longed to open the window and be greeted by Rosemary's smile.
That was no longer a possibility, though Rosemary had stopped by the following day with a surprise of her own. Rosemary was four months pregnant, and glowing like an expectant mother should be. Though her friend had asked about her trip with Lucas, Elizabeth had tried to deflect the questions. She did not want to talk about her summer with Lucas. She had wanted to know about the friends and neighbors she had left behind.
Changes had come to Hope Valley, not all of them good. The Canfields had left, Joseph giving his parishioners his regrets. The new children were not as accepting as Hope Valley had been of Angela's disability. Putting his family needs first, Joseph had moved onto Brookfield, who had built a church in their town with the hopes of attracting a permanent pastor to the area. The Canfields were not the only ones to leave Hope Valley for Brookfield. Missing Carson, Faith had made the move as well. According to Abigail, who was helping Lillian run the orphanage, Faith and Maggie had established a good working relationship there in the little country town surrounded by ranches.
Perhaps the biggest surprise to Elizabeth was the fact that Nathan had left Hope Valley. Abigail said that he had gotten a summons about his mother and him and Ally had left suddenly. His replacement, Constable Noah Riggins was not well liked. Nor did Riggins seem to want to be in Hope Valley. Rumor had it, when Mayor Hickman had asked him why he had gotten this assignment, Riggins had indicated he felt it was a punishment and hoped Constable Grant would come back soon.
His hope had not been realized.
The school year in Hope Valley had started without Ally Grant. It also started without Elizabeth. The allegations from the spring had not been settled. Landis had paid her a visit and given her the opportunity to resign without fuss and she could seek employment elsewhere with no mark on her record. Otherwise, the allegations would go to a court above even Judge Avery.
Elizabeth's gaze moved from her sleeping son to the lone picture of Jack that stood in her new home. Lucas had forbidden her to put up any pictures of her and Jack or even Jack alone. That had been their first argument. One that Elizabeth felt she had lost despite the concession that Jack be allowed to have the picture of his father in the room.
It was not uncommon for Elizabeth to find her way to this room to stare at Jack's picture. Jack, she knew would have stood by her side while she fought the allegations. Lucas had implored her to walk away. To not bother fighting people who did not appreciate her talents. He told her that she did not need to work now that she was married to him. That she should stay home with her son and concentrate on simply being his wife.
Shortly after the school year started, Elizabeth heard rumors that said Lucas had paid the parents to make the allegations against her. Elizabeth had come to Lucas defense at first. However, as time went by even her defense went moot. More than once she had laid in their bed, sore and confused, after a lovemaking session in which Lucas seemed to care only about his needs and not her needs or her comfort, and wondered if there was truth to those rumors.
The slamming of the front door made Elizabeth jump. Lucas was home and apparently not happy. Looking to the bed, Elizabeth was relieved that Little Jack had not been disturbed. Quickly she reached up and removed the locket she was wearing. A locket that Lucas had tried to throw away shortly after Christmas but she had retrieved from the trash. The locket contained a small picture of Jack, and she wore it when she was alone and missing Jack. Nathan had sent it to her this past Christmas. There had been no fuss about the package and the note inside simply said 'always cherish the past' with a simple signature. It was the only correspondence she'd had with Nathan since he had been in Calgary with his mom. She had thought about writing and inquiring after his mom on more than one occasion, as Bill's response to anyone's questions was to contact Nathan themselves if they wanted information, but she had never gotten the courage to do so.
Stashing the locket in the top drawer of Little Jack's dresser, Elizabeth hurried downstairs before Lucas started calling for her. She knew he would not come looking for her. He hadn't done that since they had returned last fall.
"Hello, Lucas," Elizabeth said casually as she came downstairs. She had planned on telling him something tonight but one look at the angry expression on her husband's features and she was reconsidering that idea. "Is something wrong?" she asked, knowing that she did not need an answer to know the answer to that question even without the details.
"You could say that," Lucas said. "Our Constable saw fit to give me citations for two safety violations at a drilling site and then if that is not enough, apparently Gary missed the expiration date on one of our licences for the saloon. It expired yesterday, but do you think he could give me a warning. No. He gives me a third citation. Even I am stating to wish Constable Grant would come back."
So do I, Elizabeth thought. She missed Nathan's quiet, steady, supportive presence in her life. She never realized how much it meant to her until it wasn't there.
"You could appeal to Bill about the third violation. Perhaps he would give you time to correct the discrepancy?"
Lucas gave a harsh laugh as he hung his coat up. "The judge is the one that probably had Riggins check the licences in the first place. I swear those two have nothing better to do than harass me."
"You are not being fair," Elizabeth countered, more in defense of Bill rather than Constable Riggins. She had not had many encounters with Hope Valley's current Mountie.
"Really?" Lucas snapped at her. "It is not a question of whether Bill Avery hates me. The only question is whether he hates me more than Henry Gowen. The fact that you chose to marry me did not help. He refused to come to the wedding, remember."
"I remember," Elizabeth replied dully. Bill would stop by to see Little Jack but only when he could be sure that Lucas was not around.
"What is for dinner?" Lucas asked, absently kissing her cheek as he headed toward the sitting room.
"I was going to make steak, green beans and a pasta salad," Elizabeth told him.
"Sounds fine," Lucas replied absently.
Elizabeth's hand subconsciously went to her belly. Tonight was definitely not the night to break the news.
Nathan sat in the overstuffed arm chair in the corner of his mother's room. It was a place that he had spent a lot of time these last few months. Though originally called to Calgary because his mother had fallen and broken a hip, his mother's heart had started falling soon after. The leave he had first requested had turned into an office job at the Calgary headquarters when he knew his mother's health issues were going to be long term.
As he watched his mother interact with Ally, Nathan knew in his heart that the hard months of caring for his mother were coming an end. Eileen Grant would not be with them much longer. As she spoke words of wisdom to Ally, Nathan knew his mother was realized it as well.
"Nathan, dear, can you bring me my jewelry box," Eileen requested.
Getting to his feet, Nathan went to the dresser. He picked up the wooden jewelry box that he had carved for his mother as a teenager. He had given it to her for a Christmas present one year. Bringing it over to his mother, he placed it on her lap as she was sitting propped up on a pile of pillows.
"I realize that you will probably end up with all my jewelry eventually," Eileen said, looking at her granddaughter. "It isn't like I have any other granddaughters or even a daughter-in-law to pass it on too," Eileen said, casting a quick glance at Nathan as she said the last words.
Having retreated back to the armchair, Nathan looked down at the floor. He had not told his mother much about Elizabeth. He had not wanted to burden her with his broken heart at a time like this. If it had been his choice, there would have been someone other than Ally for Eileen Grant to pass jewelry on to.
"However, I will leave it to your father to decide when he wants you to have most of the pieces. There is one that I want to give you now. I had planned on it being a sweet sixteen gift for you, but I am not going to make it to see you turn sixteen."
Ally reached up and wiped some tears away.
Eileen reached out a hand to her granddaughter. "Try not to cry sweetheart. I want to see your smile for as long as I can," she told the girl, laying a frail hand on Ally's cheek.
Ally nodded and forced a smile.
"Thank you," Eileen said. She left her hand on Ally's cheek for a few moments before she let it drop.
Opening the jewelry box, Eileen lifted the tray. She lifted the lone piece of jewelry that lay under the tree. It was a necklace with an outline of a heart made of garnets. A single diamond was set in the center of the hollow heart-shaped space.
"Your grandfather bought this for me for our first anniversary. Back before things went wrong. We had a good marriage those first few years and I got two wonderful children and you from that choice. This necklace always let me remember what that love felt like. When I think about how I felt those first years, and what I got from it, I don't regret the choice I made when I married him. It was not all bad."
Eileen held the necklace out to Ally. With trembling hands, Ally reached out and took the necklace.
"It is beautiful," Ally said as she cradled the pendant in her hands.
"When you wear that, remember the love that existed in this family despite the heartache we have seen. The love your grandfather and I have for one another, for our children and for you. The love your mother had for you. The love that your Uncle has for you. Love will always shine through the heartache. We just have to be willing to see it."
"Thank you, Grandma," Ally said, leaning in and hugging her grandmother.
Grandmother and granddaughter held onto one another for a long time. Watching them, Nathan somehow knew it was the last hug they would share. He did nothing to disrupt it. However, when Ally finally did pull back, he spoke.
"Ally, it is time for bed. Kiss your grandmother good night and then say goodnight to your grandfather before going upstairs. I will be up to say goodnight shortly."
Ally did as bidden. As she left, Eileen's gaze followed her until the door closed behind Ally. She then gazed at her son who had taken Ally's place on the side of her bed.
"You have done a good job raising her, Nathan," Eileen told him. "Colleen would be proud and so am I."
"Thank you, Ma," Nathan said, taking her hand.
"I am also proud that you have found a way to forgive your father. He is all the family you and Ally will have left soon. I am glad the three of you will have each other. It has taken me a long time to forgive him myself but I got there. I told him so earlier when I spoke to him."
"I am glad you two made your peace," Nathan said. "I was worried you would not like that I asked him to come, but I needed his help and support these last few months."
Eileen reached up and placed a hand on her son's cheek. "You always were the strong one, my son. I wish there was someone to care for you when I go."
"I will be fine, Ma," Nathan told her. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Eileen said.
Like she had Ally, Eileen hugged her son. She held him close with all the strength she had left. She knew she would not live to see the sun rise again.
When they finally broke apart, Nathan set the jewelry box on the night stand and helped his mother get settled in a lying position.
"After you say goodnight to Ally, could you come and sit with me son? It would bring me peace if both you and your father are here tonight."
Nathan nodded. He knew what Eileen was really asking. She wanted him and his father here when she took her last breath. As it was the only thing left that he could do for her, Nathan would honor that last request.
"I will be back shortly," Nathan promised her. He leaned down and kissed her cheek one last time before going to tuck his daughter into bed.
Elizabeth lay in the darkness staring up at the ceiling. Beside her, Lucas snored peacefully. Despite her insistence that she was not in the mood, Lucas had told her that he needed to make love to her. As she had already been in her robe and nightgown, Lucas had pushed her down on the bed. She had tried to dissuade him a few more times as he had undressed but he kept telling her that this was what she really wanted. Just like he had before she had consented to court him though the patient charm was gone now. Apparently Lucas felt it was no longer needed now that he had gotten her to say "I do."
As he had moved in closer, Elizabeth had put her hands on his chest and tried to push him away, again telling him that she wasn't in the mood. His response had been to tell her that she didn't know what she wanted, that she never had.
There was no feeling of love and joy following the act like there had been when she and Jack had made love. If she were honest, there never had been. Even when she had been a willing participant, there had always been an empty feeling in her heart when they were through. The empty feeling was still there but she felt defeated and hurt too as well nowadays.
Elizabeth's hands went to her stomach. She had yet to tell Lucas that she was pregnant. She hadn't told anyone despite being almost four months along. Dr. Simmons knew about the baby and that was it. She had been going to tell Lucas tonight, but like so many other times it had not seemed to be the right time. She had thought perhaps he would figure it out making love to her tonight. She had been aware of the changes in her body for a little while now. It was part of the reason she did not want to make love tonight. After the earlier conversation of the evening and Lucas yelling at Little Jack at dinner when the little boy had accidently upset his milk, Elizabeth had not felt it was the time to have that conversation with her husband.
Lucas had noticed a change in her body. His response to that change was to tell her that perhaps she should walk more as she was putting on a little weight.
Tears stung her eyes. This was not what marriage should be. Her marriage to Jack may have been short but it had been filled with love. Jack had shown her that love in his words and actions. Jack had taken but he had also given. They had fallen asleep in each others arms after making love. The pain she had felt had faded fast in the passion that went along with it.
Now there was just pain - both emotional and physical. Pain that her husband seemed oblivious too.
Elizabeth had heard said that money could not buy love. Was she finding out the truth to those words now? Had she let Lucas' charm and money trick her into thinking that there was really love between them?
Tears started to fall from her eyes but Elizabeth did not reach up to wipe them away. Instead she simply let them fall.
It was just past midnight when Eileen Grant took her last breath. Her ex-husband and son were at her bedside as she had requested. Nathan was aware when his mother took her last breath and he bowed his head in grief. The only respite was knowing his mother was no longer in pain.
Letting go of the limp hand, Nathan got to his feet. He turned from the bed, unsure of where he was going to go but knowing that sitting there was pointless. He had only taken a couple of steps when his father wrapped his arms around Nathan.
Instead of fighting it, Nathan wrapped his arms around his father let the man support him as he gave into his grief. There were plans and decisions that would need to be made but they did not have to be made tonight. For tonight, Nathan and Archie Grant let themselves grieve for the woman they had both loved in their own ways.
