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Chapter Sixty-four
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A Café and a Restaurant
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Having left Allie engrossed in painting pictures for Christmas gifts, Nathan locked the Cottage and headed to the car, directions in hand. He found the house, exited the car and walked up the path, unaware that two pair of eyes were observing him from the upstairs window.
Ringing the doorbell, he heard light footsteps on the stairs behind the windowed door. Rachel Bell opened the door and continued to button her coat, smiling. "Good morning, Nathan! How are you today?"
"I confess I really need the coffee today. I didn't have the best night's sleep! How are you?" He closed the outer door behind them and accompanied Rachel down the steps to the car.
Once settled in the vehicle, Rachel answered. "I am very well, Nathan, although I also am a bit sleep deprived. My mind was swirling last night!" She looked shyly at him, wondering if his reasons for losing sleep were the same as hers.
The car in gear, Nathan turned and asked, "Where to? You said you knew of a nice Café?"
"Yes, we're heading to Victoria's. Straight down this street and I'll tell you where to turn right." While Nathan was occupied with pulling the car into the street, Rachel surreptitiously glanced up at the windows above them and waved. She knew her flat-mates, Ardis and Claire would be watching until the car was down the street. Momentarily she felt bad for Ardis because she knew her friend would love to be seated where she was right now, but she put the thought aside. She intended to enjoy this coffee date, even if she was the one to arrange it!
"So how long have you lived in Regina and taught at St. Anne's?" Nathan opened their conversation casually.
After sharing that she was raised in Toronto and got her degree in Hamilton, Rachel explained that the position in Regina intrigued her because it was more remote and she wanted to bring music and culture to a place that didn't have as many opportunities. Rachel neglected to mention that the idea of all the Mountie men in town may have influenced her decision! "When Ardis and Claire and I met at St. Anne's we became immediate friends and I knew I had found my place."
"So, directing the choir is part of the culture you have brought to Regina?"
"Well, it's a start!" Rachel laughed. "Last year I assisted in the production of an early January concert of readings and chorus pieces sung by St. Anne's students and those from the chorus of Regina Boy's Academy. To entice a wider audience I arranged for it to be held at City Hall. Have you been there yet? The Ballroom there is a beautiful facility and a great place for evenings out. That's where the Christmas Concert will be held again this year, plus I have arranged for a piano recital for a talented friend who will be visiting from the Conservatory in Hamilton. She is touring some of the large cities here in western Canada and was willing to add Regina to her itinerary, so she'll be here on November 27th. You should bring Allie! It would be a treat."
Nathan chuckled. He didn't need to uphold his end of the conversation with Rachel Bell! He recognized that she was offering some hints for December activities, but chose not to respond to them. Exiting the car, he only said. "Here we are."
Had he been in Hope Valley, Nathan would have been aware of a black car that had followed him and was parking a few cars down, but in Regina cars were everywhere and Nathan's instincts were not tuned to unusual automobile activity.
Seated in the Café, Nathan was also unaware that a man had exited that vehicle and entered the Café, taking a seat directly behind him to try to listen to his conversation.
"Would you like a Danish or a Croissant or something with your coffee, Rachel?" Nathan inquired.
"I would enjoy a scone, cream and jam, please? The scones here are excellent." Rachel suggested.
"Thanks for the recommendation, but Allie and I make scones frequently and the best I've ever had, cannot be beat!" He set the menu on the table. "The Café in Hope Valley, that's where we lived most recently, has my vote for the best!"
"So the town has a Café? Somehow I thought it was pretty small, knowing Allie attended a one-room school."
After ordering for Rachel and a croissant for himself, Nathan responded. "Hope Valley boasts Abigail's Café and a Saloon with a French chef! We also have an expanding Mercantile, numerous shops and businesses, a newspaper, a district Judge, a well-established infirmary, a small library and a new multi-classroom school building I haven't even seen." Nathan added as an afterthought. "Actually the dedication should be soon…"
"How long did you serve in Hope Valley? By the way, that is a lovely name for a town."
"Isn't it? The original name was Coal Valley, but the name was changed once the townspeople made progress in recovering from a mining disaster that took the lives of almost fifty men and boys. The widows there are amazing." Nathan shook his head, thoughtful about his friends. "Now you wouldn't even know all that the town suffered except that their shared sorrows helped them to develop a strong sense of community and care for each other. In all my postings, I have never encountered a place like it."
"It sounds as though you miss it, Nathan." She asked her question a second time. "How long were you there?"
Nathan smiled at the waitress who brought their food and topped off their coffee. "Thank you so much."
Rachel laughed to herself as she noticed that the waitress was mesmerized by the pair of deep blue eyes that looked up at her.
"Please let me know if you need anything else? My name is Deborah."
Nathan responded, "We are fine for now, but thank you, Deborah."
Rachel almost giggled as Deborah blushed and placed a hand on her heart.
"Excuse me, Rachel. What did you ask before he waitress came?"
The remainder of Nathan and Rachel's coffee 'date' was filled with getting-to-know you surface questions until Nathan looked at his wristwatch and explained he needed to get back to Allie as they had some things to discuss today. It was only in the car that he realized they had never addressed the subject of Rachel's ideas for the choir. "Rachel? You originally said you wanted my input on some ideas for choir? I guess we forgot…" He pulled from the parking space.
"Oh my! I guess we did! Well, one thing was that I wanted to ask you if you thought Allie would be open to singing a duet with you on Christmas Eve. She has a sweet voice, and like you, is always right on key."
Nathan wondered at this request, but answered. "I guess you really should be asking Allie that question. She has sung solos in Hope Valley so would most likely agree. It's fine with me if we can find a place and time to practice. Our life has been rather full since we've been in Regina!"
"Oh? Well, let me ask her then. Maybe you could practice with the pianist right after church? Once everyone has departed?" Rachel suggested.
"I'm sorry that won't work for us. But I play the guitar if you want to provide the music, we could find time to practice at home?"
Disappointed that she would not have more time to spend with this tall, handsome man, Rachel nonetheless was thrilled he played guitar. "Really? You play? Would you be comfortable playing for the service then? I don't know if you have ever done that before, but it could be nice."
Nathan laughed. "I have played and sung many times in public, with Allie and alone. No problem. How about you give me the music at church tomorrow?"
"Okay, I will. I need to see which Christmas carol would be best with the guitar." Impressed, Rachel agreed.
"Wait and I'll walk you to your door." Nathan exited the vehicle while Rachel waited, reluctant for the morning to end. A quick glance told her that Ardis and Claire were not watching, so she was grateful as her return was earlier than she had hoped.
As Nathan pulled away from the curb he chuckled to himself. 'If that was Rachel's excuse for an outing with me, it was poorly disguised!'
He turned towards home, thinking about the discussion that awaited him there. After reading Elizabeth's letter to Allie last evening, Nathan had decided to have Allie read it today. As Nathan pondered Elizabeth, he compared how he felt with her to being with Rachel Bell this morning.
With Rachel they had talked, but there was no spark or excitement to be with her. Whereas with Elizabeth there was always an unsettled feeling on his insides. Fire and ice. Uncertainties and possibilities. Peaks and valleys. Bittersweet. Breathlessness and long, deep sighs. Sparks and excitement. Desire and he admitted, for the past year, repulsion. All at once. Despite the location or the topic of conversation, Elizabeth had always captured his interest.
Shaking his head as he engaged the brake, Nathan chuckled to himself. 'Get a grip, Nathan! Just thoughts of Elizabeth are creating chaos inside you!'
Allie was just returning from the kitchen carrying a jar of clean water when Nathan entered the cottage. Her paints and pictures were spread over the dining room table and she was in the midst of creative activity. "Hi Dad!"
"Hi, Allie-girl. Are you getting some Christmas gifts done?"
"I think so. I wrote my list and I have a lot of people I want to remember this year. Hope Valley friends and friends here." She settled back in her chair but looked intently at her father. "So how did it go with Miss Bell? What ideas did she want to discuss with you?"
Chuckling Nathan answered, "The only thing related to choir was a request for you and me to sing a duet at the Christmas Eve service. I explained practice time might be an issue, but suggested I play the guitar for us and that would make it easier. Would you be willing, Honey?"
"Of course! What will we sing?"
"Miss Bell hasn't decided yet, but she'll tell us tomorrow." Nathan kissed the top of Allie's head and sat at the table.
Allie frowned. "She asked us to sing, but doesn't know what song?"
Nathan shrugged and redirected the conversation. Pointing to a painting of a daisy, he questioned, "Who is that one for?"
After sandwiches and fruit for lunch, Nathan asked Allie to join him in the front room. Seated together on the sofa, Nathan held an envelope in his hand and explained. "Allie, you know that Mr. Thatcher visited me yesterday? Well, he brought a letter for you that Mrs. Thornton asked me to read before I gave it to you." He handed the envelope to his daughter, who looked both surprised and a little worried.
"For me? What does she say?"
Pointing to the letter in her hands, Nathan said, "Read it, Honey. It's okay."
Allie looked closely as Nathan's expression, then slowly extracted the letter and unfolded it. With one last glance at her father, Allie read the page, tears blurring her eyes by the time she reached the end. "Oh…"
Nathan reached his arm around Allie's shoulders and drew her to lean on him. He whispered, "What are you thinking, Honey?"
Allie gulped and exclaimed. "Wow…" Allie began to re-read the apologies. "I'm glad Mrs. Thornton admitted these things. I mean, the broken date and…" Allie's voice trailed off.
"Yes. These admissions are difficult for an adult to confess to a child, or a teacher to her student. Mrs. Thornton must have felt this very deeply and wanted to make certain you believe her."
"She didn't think I would be affected by how she was hurting you, Dad? Of course I was."
"If you read her exact words, Honey?" Nathan pointed to the sentence and read. "…I couldn't face how I was hurting your Dad. But, more than this, I didn't realize you took my rejection personally, Allie, because you love your Dad so much. I am so sorry. I didn't understand when your Dad said that you were afraid to be with me. I do now and it breaks my heart for how I broke yours." Mrs. Thornton didn't think you would take it personally as if what she was doing was being done to you. I think that's what she means. But the important thing to take from this is her sorrow for breaking your heart."
"I guess so." Allie conceded. Reading the following paragraph again, Allie pointed to it. "Saying that is amazing. '…gave no thought to how my attitudes and actions were affecting others.' Dad? How can anyone not see others around them?"
"Well, when someone is only and always thinking about themselves, there is no room in their lives to consider others. I've seen this when people are greedy. Even if a person they are stealing from is desperately poor, some criminals will still steal from them. They don't see, so they don't care."
"Is pride something that makes people do that? I mean not see people and not care?"
"Yes, Allie. There is a verse that talks about how a person full of pride doesn't follow God or seek him, because there is no room in them for God. In the same way a prideful person is blind to those around them, because their minds and heart are full of themselves so they can't see anyone besides themselves."
"Is haughty the same thing?"
Nathan paused. "Haughty means someone who looks down on others. Someone who thinks more of himself than others. I don't mean more as in quantity, I mean thinks they are more important than anyone else. Being proud and haughty go together. Do you understand, Allie?"
"I think so. What I don't understand is why she became so different. She wasn't like this when we moved to Hope Valley, right?"
"I don't know completely, but it doesn't happen all at once. We make gradual choices that separate us from God and from others. Plus, we can be influenced by those around us. That's why we pick our friends so carefully." Nathan sighed. "I think Mr. Bouchard was a poor influence on Mrs. Thornton, especially since she was running from her own feelings and not facing her fears. He didn't encourage her to think of others or to be true to herself either."
Nathan asked gently. "What do you think about her praying you two can have a second chance? And about forgiving her?"
"Dad, I have forgiven her and I think I can forgive her as she has requested. But, here's the thing. I'm not sure I want to have a second chance with her, unless you get one. A second chance I mean." Allie looked up, leaning on Nathan's shoulder. "Did she ask for that in her letter to you, Dad?"
"In different words, Honey, but yes she did. She wants to restore our relationship to what it used to be, only deeper."
"So she asked for you to forgive her for all the things too?" Allie thought for a moment. "Maybe she doesn't know you already have forgiven her. What are you going to do, Dad?"
On Saturday evening, Nathan and Allie sat across from William Thatcher in high-backed benches at a corner window table in an elegant downtown restaurant. The atmosphere was low lit and subdued, with a harpist playing quietly in the background and candlelit ambiance. It was getting dark earlier each day, so it felt warm and inviting and oddly familiar to Allie to dine by candlelight in a beautiful place.
Allie had suggested they schedule their dinner for today, just in case Mr. Thatcher wanted to speak with her father again on Sunday. She had no idea why Mr. Thatcher was in Regina, or why he wanted to meet her and get to know her, but since it might have something to do with her former teacher, Mrs. Thornton, and her Dad, Allie was more than willing to participate. She was actually excited and as she glanced around the restaurant her excitement grew. She had been out to eat at restaurants before, but not one as elegant as this one. And that was when Allie made the connection! Her face beamed.
William Thatcher was watching Allie survey her surroundings. "Miss Allie, do you approve of my selection for tonight's dinner?"
"Oh, I do, Sir! I just realized this reminds me of a special dinner date Dad and I shared on the train when we moved here." Allie looked at her Dad with sparking eyes. "We dressed up in our best clothing and the atmosphere was like it is here." Allie leaned over to connect her shoulder with her father's. "Remember Dad? We talked about the red wallpaper and upholstery and how that and the candlelight made everyone's complexion look their best. This place is the same."
Nathan chuckled. "Oh I remember, Honey. That was a memorable night wasn't it?" Nathan's love and admiration for his daughter was written all over his face.
That was the moment when William Thatcher, a man who had everything, understood what he had missed. For a fleeting moment he was jealous of Nathan Grant. The closeness that he shared with his daughter awakened a longing in William for the same and he silently asked God to give him that same privilege. Allie's voice interrupted William's thoughts.
"You see, Mr. Thatcher, my mother was an artist. A painter. And Dad says that I see the world in the same way as she did. I notice colors and light and am always pointing things out to Dad." Searching her father's face, Allie added, "Actually I think Dad is that way too, he's just quieter. Dad writes his observations. I talk a lot!"
Chuckling, William caught Nathan's eye. "She has you pegged, eh?"
"Don't I know it! Allie doesn't miss much and her insights are becoming more accurate the older she gets. I have to be on my toes all the time!" Nathan grinned.
Allie looked beautiful in her new birthday outfit, the dark green skirt, a ruffled white blouse and the matching green sweater. She was unaware but she had accomplished her goal of making a good impression on Mrs. Thornton's father. Allie had also made sure that her father had worn his most complimentary midnight blue suit with his finely striped blue shirt and one of his neckties that combined shades of blue. William had noticed that as well and admired how the necktie complimented the ever changing blues of Nathan's eyes. He had been aware of Nathan's eyes from their first meeting, but it wasn't just the colors, he saw in Nathan a pure soul.
"I guess you are used to all this elegance all the time, right? We had more simple eating establishments in Hope Valley. But, what the Café didn't have in atmosphere, it made up for in love and warmth and welcome, right Dad? We've had a lot of special meals there too."
"Having lived in Hope Valley for the past couple months, I have enjoyed Abigail's Café many times, myself, so I think I know what you are saying. The Café's cooking rivals some of the best chef's I know." William whispered conspiratorially. "Just don't tell any chefs I said such a thing, okay?"
Allie grinned. "I sure would like some of the best chefs' recipes though!"
"Oh? Do you enjoy cooking, Miss Allie?"
"I really do. Dad has taught me some recipes, plus my Grandmom has too. I have a book where I have collected lots of recipes from people we know in Hope Valley and even here with Gramma Carol. She's an excellent cook!"
"Now you mentioned your Grandmom and Gramma Carol. Are they different people or…"
Allie giggled. "I have two Grandmothers sort of. My real one, Dad's mother, and my adopted one. You know, just like we have lots of aunts and uncles who are not really related? I have a lot of those too!"
Nathan grinned. "Allie has accumulated a very large family of aunts and uncles. We have rarely been without any. In this case the Commissioner's wife, Carol, has taken Allie under her wing and Allie now has two sets of 'grandparents!'" Chuckling he added, "We have an ever expanding family!"
"Yes, even here in Regina, besides my Uncle Zachary, I have new aunts and uncles!"
"Really! Tell me about them, would you?"
William Thatcher was already charmed by Miss Allie Grant. He was so grateful he'd had a chance to meet this vivacious and bright young lady. Plus, he admitted, Allie was sweet. Endearing. Winsome. And fascinating. William found himself wishing he could be a part of her expanded family!
Over a delicious meal of roasted lamb with mint sauce that had appealed to them all, the Grants chose one of their favorite desserts, Crème Brulee. "Mr. Thatcher? Did you notice how Dad's face lit up with the arrival of dessert?"
Nathan blushed, although the candlelight hid some of that from onlookers. "Allie-girl! Sharing secrets about your old dad?"
"First of all, Dad, it is not a secret that desserts are your favorite meal!" She smirked at her father. "And secondly, you are not old! You are just, what's that word? Maturing." She imitated her father, saying the word in a proper British accent.
William couldn't keep from laughing aloud. "Miss Allie? You are a delight!"
"She is, isn't she?" Chuckling, Nathan readily and proudly agreed. "God's gift to me for sure. I am forever grateful."
"And, you are His gift to her, Nathan. I can see it."
Allie leaned her shoulder to her father's again, raising her face to his and stating simply. "He is."
Suddenly, William caught movement outside the window and stared intently out onto the street. Abruptly rising, he quietly said. "Excuse me a moment." William Thatcher was out the door in a flash.
