It was decided that Mr. and Mrs. Meredith along with Una needed to take their leave of Ingleside quite shortly. Heartfelt hugs and goodbyes were given to the Reverend Jerry, Nan, and Cecilia as they had to return to Avonlea. Though Jerry, as Una's older brother, would have much rather stayed, met this Samson Bell fellow, and well, 'put the fear of God' into him. All three actually wanted to stay for different reasons, Jerry, for the aforementioned, Nan, wanted to stay and be of some assistance to the family if needed and to know more of what was transpiring, Cecilia because she loved to be in the company of her cousins and grandparents.
Walter returned, just in time to bid his sister, niece, and brother-in-law goodbye. He stood apart with Jerry, Jem, and Ken. Jerry shook each of his brother's hands goodbye and looked to the three of them for support. "Please keep me informed of all the goings-on here. I love my father greatly, but I worry that he may not look the situation blankly in the face. I know not of this Bell fellow, and I read updates of our missions weekly. Something in my gut tells me that this isn't right." He looked to Walter. "I don't believe that Una belongs with this... this outsider." He looked back to the other two men. "I trust the three of you to watch over things for me."
Walter looked to the ground and declined. "I am sorry Jerry, but I myself will be leaving Ingleside for a great length of time as business in the States requires my presence."
Jerry smiled with perhaps more understanding than anyone understood for no one saw him reading Fordyce in his father's study so late the night before with a full view of what was transpiring outside the window. "Yes Walter, take care of all the loose ends. Clear up all the unresolved business. Have a safe journey; just remember that Thanksgiving is being celebrated in Avonlea this year."
He walked off to gather his wife and daughter. Nan hugged Rilla goodbye last, whispering into her ear, "Write me soon. Call me even sooner," as she got into the car.
Rilla nodded her head as Ken came to her and protectively wrapped his arms around her.
The dust settled after they drove away, leaving a perplexed family standing around, staring at each other.
"When do you leave for the States?" Kenneth asked Walter, trying to change the subject from what they were wondering was happening down at the manse.
Walter was kicking around at some gravel on the driveway. He sighed and looked up, his grey eyes staring into nowhere in particular. "I need to be in Charlotteown by ten in the morning to catch a steamer to the mainland." He now looked about to everyone and felt a rather odd feeling of loneliness. There stood Ken with his arms protectively around Rilla. Jem and Faith were beside each other, Faith clinging on to Jem's sturdy hand. Then there were his parents, with his father's arms about his mother's waist, and his mother's head resting on his father's shoulder. He remembered what that was like; to love someone so completely that just to feel that person's touch can be the most comforting thing in the world. He missed that feeling. He missed his wife, her laugh, her smile, the feel of her hand running through his hair, the utter devotion that she had for him and their children. His children, he had to remember them. "If you all will excuse me, I need to spend some time with my children before I leave them. Mother do you know where they are?"
Anne wiped a small tear from her eye and nodded. "The boys all ran off to Rainbow Valley as soon as Cecilia told them her goodbyes. I imagine that they are still there and will be until we go and get them. Hope wandered off just a few minutes ago in that direction. I'll go get Tenny and Hope if you would like, Walter."
He understood, when all else seems to be getting too tense, escape to the wonders of Rainbow Valley and enjoy just being a child. "No, that's okay, Mother. I think that I would enjoy a trip down to Rainbow Valley myself."
He left them there with their own thoughts and troubles. He noticed Jem and Faith start walking in the direction of the manse. He thought only of his children. That was all that he resolved to think of. Nothing else that had happened mattered now.
He found Tenny up in the Tree Lovers with Walt and Gil, yelling and pretending to be pirates of the high seas. He hated to stop the play, but he needed to tell his children goodbye, and to just be in their presence for a little while.
"Tenny! Son, why don't you come down from there and take a walk with me?"
Tenny looked down to see his father. He loved his father a great deal, but wished to stay with his cousins. However, he noticed the serious look that couldn't be hidden away on his father's face. "Sure Dad. I'll be right down."
He made his way down the Tree Lover's branched much more recklessly than Walter would have liked, but when he looked into his son's sparkling eyes that at that moment reflected his mother's, he couldn't rebuke him.
"What'd you want me for, Dad?" Tenny asked.
They started walking along the valley, "I've got to take a trip tomorrow, and I wanted to spend some time with you and your sister before I have to leave."
"Where are you going, Dad?" the preccious boy asked.
Walter hesitated to tell Tenny where he was going. "I have some business to finish in Oklahoma."
"Back home?" the boy asked, still considering the place he spent his formative years as home.
"Do you still consider Oklahoma as home, Tenny? You can tell me the truth, I won't be mad."
Tenny thought for a minute before answering. "Ingleside is a good home, and I like it here a lot. Grandmother and Grandfather are wonderful. There's no one like Walt and Gil, they're the best friends a fellow could have. Cecilia sure is pretty and nice. My other cousins are pretty great too, even if they are little. My aunts and uncles are great. It's nice being part of a big family. The Island and Rainbow Valley in particular are wonderful," he stopped.
"But," his father interjected.
"But, Oklahoma and Dovedale are where we had Boomer and would go fishing at Grand Lake. It's where we would watch you play church baseball." He still wouldn't say what was really on his mind.
"It's where we lived with Mama," Walter stated.
Tenny kind of shrugged. "Yeah. She was there too."
Walter sat down on a mossy stone and pulled his little boy into his lap. "You miss your Mama, don't you?"
Tenny nodded his head. Walter continued to talk to his son. "You know that it is okay to talk about Mama and miss her. I miss her too."
Tenny looked up to his father in disbelief. "You miss her too?" He didn't believe that his tall, strong father had weaknesses.
Walter smiled. "I miss her every day. I miss her when I breathe, Tenny. Your mother was my wife. We spent almost every day for nine years together. She was my heart and soul. I miss her every time you and Hope reach a milestone, every time you smile. I will never stop missing her."
Father and son spent a little while sitting quietly together. Tenny then looked up to his father and asked, "Dad, do you think that someday I'll fall in love?"
"I certainly hope so, Son," he stood up and took Tenny's hand.
"Me too," Tenny agreed.
"Let's find your sister, Son." The two walked together along the valley, searching all the nooks and crannies where Hope loved to wander off and daydream. She was nowhere to be found. When all places where exhausted, Walter thought of the one place where he least wanted to be, and where Hope was most likely to go, considering her attachment to Una.