Chapter Thirty-four

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Another Aunt for Allie

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Bill's eyes were still sparking when he joined the Grants for their traditional Saturday breakfast of apple pancakes, syrup, hot fruit compote, eggs and sausage patties. Sipping his second cup of coffee, and with a full stomach, Bill leaned back, a happy man.

"Uncle Bill? What is going on? You've been happier last night and this morning than I have ever seen you. It's almost like you are in l…" Allie's eyes went wide. "You are in love aren't you! Who is she? Do I know her? Is she pretty? Does she live here? In Regina? When can I meet her?"

Nathan and Bill laughed loud and long. "Well, the cat's out of the bag now, Bill. You've got some explaining to do!"

"Gladly!" Bill gave a condensed version of his history with Adeli, leaving out the arrest and prison time, just mentioning that Adeli had left Hope Valley after saving his life, but after he recovered they had lost touch. He assured Allie that she would get to meet Adeli, but they weren't calling it love yet, just getting to know one another again. "And yes, Allie, she is very pretty! And I'm taking her to dinner tonight!" Bill concluded.

Allie searched Uncle Bill's face, thinking he looked younger and less burdened. "I think it's love." Allie declared, coming around the table to wrap her arms around her Uncle Bill's shoulders. "And love looks good on you, Uncle Bill!"

At that surprising announcement, Bill and Nathan nearly choked on their final sips of coffee!


Bill had arranged with Nathan that he wanted to bring Adeli back to the Cottage for a brief visit after their dinner, so Nathan and Allie prepared a tray of cookies and a pot of tea.

Bill knocked on the door, then opened it grinning as Adeli stepped in ahead of him. "Nathan, you've met Adeli? Adeli you've met Nathan and now I want to introduce a very special young lady to you. Adeli Foster, please meet Allison Grant. We call her Allie!" Bill beamed with pride.

"Lovely to meet you Miss Foster. I hope you had a nice dinner?"

Nathan was taking Adeli's coat and hanging it on the coat tree. She unwrapped her scarf, handed it to Bill with her purse and gave Allie her full attention. "It is my pleasure to meet you, Allie!" They shook hands then Adeli continued. "Now, what should you call me? Do you have lots of aunts and uncles in Hope Valley like your Uncle Bill?"

"Well, no one is like Uncle Bill, but I do have Aunt Rosemary and Uncle Lee. Do you want me to call you Aunt Adeli?" She looked at Nathan. "Is that okay, Dad?"

"Adeli? It's fine with me if okay with you." Nathan grinned then caught Bill's glance and grin.

"Oh, I would love it, Allie! I don't have any other nieces so this is especially nice. I have three nephews, but it's not as fun to be outnumbered, you know?"Adeli placed her arm around Allie's shoulders and the two of them made their way to the sofa. "So, your uncle says you are fourteen? And when do you turn fifteen?"

"October twenty-seventh." Allie spoke quietly. She didn't think anyone remembered this year.

"Why that's coming up really soon, Sweetheart? Do you and your Dad have plans?" Adeli glanced at Nathan just in time to see him give a head shake and hold up his hand to stop her line of questioning. Adeli recovered quickly. "Maybe nothing big this year since you just moved here. This is a charming little Cottage. Did you help decorate?" When she next caught Nathan's eye she winked and he mouthed the words, "Thank you!"

"Tell me about those beautiful paintings, Allie? Who is the artist?"

As Allie explained about the paintings, she shared about her mother and her death, her coming to live with her uncle and how he had adopted her.

Adeli had tears in her eyes as she listened to this lovely girl share so calmly about her family background. Adeli felt a kindred spirit with Allie although the circumstances had not been the same. Still Adeli knew loss and connected with Allie on a deep level.

When Allie asked innocently about how Uncle Bill and Aunt Adeli had met, Adeli took a deep breath. There was no reason to hide her past from someone who was already becoming dear to her and might even become a family member someday.

"We met when I was hiding in a cabin not far from Hope Valley. I had gotten involved with some bad men and I had a large sum of money with me, hidden in that cabin. Your uncle found it and caught me." She bent to whisper to Allie. "When I tried to escape, he caught me around the waist and carried me back into the cabin!"

Bill chuckled as Allie and Adeli laughed. "How about that for a unique meeting! I slipped through the cracks so to speak, but later returned to Hope Valley and turned myself in. You see I knew I had done wrong and needed to accept the consequences. While in the jail I helped your Uncle Bill identify and arrest a man who was going to really harm a lot of people in Hope Valley. That was very satisfying, let me tell you. But I still had to be tried and your Uncle was taking me to Cape Fullerton when I lost my horse. I know… Don't even ask. It was pretty stupid, but I certainly did a lot of foolish things back then. Anyway, when your Uncle Bill got bitten by a poisonous snake I tried to suck out the venom and then got help for him. The last time I saw him was when I said goodbye to him in the back of a wagon. They were taking him to a doctor to try to save his life." Adeli stopped and brushed away some tears. Bill stood and brought her his handkerchief although he had tears in his eyes as well.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry." Allie leaned against her new aunt. "You couldn't stay with Uncle Bill?" As Adeli shook her head, Allie added, "That is so tragic. So Romeo and Juliet tragic!"

Adeli raised her head to catch Bill's gaze. They held each other's glance even as they considered Allie's assessment but were taken aback with Allie's next question.

"Did you kiss him goodbye?"

"Allie…" Nathan's voice held that warning that she had gone too far with her questions.

Glancing at her Dad, she returned her glance to see Aunt Adeli and Uncle Bill staring at each other as if frozen. "I'm sorry. I probably shouldn't have asked you that." She patted Adeli's arm to get her attention, even while whispering "Although I really want to know."

What Allie thought was quiet, everyone in the room heard and couldn't help bursting into loud laughter. Now the tears in everyone's eyes were because of laughter!

Bill was the first to recover enough to say, "Did she ever!"

And with that everyone laughed again, even Allie!


Before saying goodnight, the group made arrangements for attending church the following morning. Bill would get a ride with Peter and Carol to meet Adeli at the Anglican service at St. Stephen's, promising to meet Nathan and Allie at Knox afterwards. They would all dine with the Samuels and spend the afternoon together.

As Adeli hugged Allie goodnight, she quietly asked her to keep her confidences on what she had shared this evening. "Because you are Bill's family I wanted you to know the truth, Honey. It's just not for anyone else to know. I've started a new life here in Regina and I want to move forward from my past…well that is except for my relationship with your uncle!" She winked at Allie who gave her a strong hug and a promise to keep it within the family.


Later, as Nathan laid in bed, he saw the headlights swing into the driveway and was glad to know Bill had returned after taking Adeli home. Soon after, Nathan was startled to hear a ping on his windowpane. He rose from bed and went to see Bill standing outside motioning for Nathan to open up.

"What is it, Bill? Is the car alright?"

"The car? Of course the car's alright. I just wanted you to know we kissed!" Bill grinned like a schoolboy!

Nathan chuckled. "Is that so! Memorable?"

"Better than before and that one was world-changing! Just thought you'd want to know. Good night."

"Sweet dreams, Bill! Sweet dreams."

Unbeknownst to Bill or Nathan, Allie wasn't asleep yet and heard Bill's confession.

Everyone in the Grant, Avery and Foster family went to sleep smiling this night!


After the service at Knox, and having made arrangements with Jane and Jon for both Bill and Adeli to join them for dinner at the Samuels, Nathan and Allie waited on the front steps. Nathan hoped that Adeli had been in Regina long enough to direct Bill regarding the location of Knox Presbyterian and was relieved when they pulled up in front. He wasn't sure how dependable Bill's memory might be right now!

Upon arriving at the Samuels house Bill carried the basket with the jams from Hope Valley. Bill had kindly replenished Nathan's supply from the small trunk he had brought and, although Nathan and Allie were no longer allowed to bring hostess gifts, Bill would be the one to share a gift this Sunday. Nathan was pleased to see that Adeli had a wrapped package in her hand as well. They made their way to the front door where introductions were made.

Allie and Sally disappeared into Sally's bedroom to 'catch-up on who knows what' as Nathan would teasingly say about the girls conversations. They giggled all the more whenever he said that!

Adeli immediately followed Jane to the kitchen to assist with the meal preparations and to get to know her.

Bill joined Nathan, Jon and Joshua in the living room. "So, Nathan tells me you are a retired Mountie, Bill? Where did you serve?" Jon laughed. "I know for those who didn't remain at Depot, that is a loaded question!"

Nathan laughed since he had had to answer the same question Jon posed not long ago.

Bill laughed. "How much time do you have, Jon? The short version is all over for a very long time!"

"Well, maybe answer in what capacity you served? I know you are currently a judge so there is a story there I am sure!"

Bill chuckled again. "Don't worry Jon. I am not put off by your question! It's just so difficult to remember all my postings over more that twenty-five years with the Mounties! Just as Nathan has, I moved from Fort to Fort. I never served as a small town Constable although I've assisted Nathan and his predecessor, Jack Thornton, with many Hope Valley issues. A good number of my years I served traveling as a Forensic Inspector. After that I served the Hope Valley area as a sheriff and then after Nathan got settled-in, I left that job behind and accepted the invitation to become the Judge for Hope Valley and the surrounding areas. I have found that extremely fulfilling, although not without its frustrations!"

"Did you catch robbers and murderers and get in gun-fights, Mr. Avery?" Joshua asked before his father could stop him.

"I'm not sure that is a Sabbath day dinner conversation, Son." Jon apologized.

"No problem, Jon." He addressed Joshua. "I did catch the men you describe. But I caught many more, kidnappers and gamblers and fighters too! As a matter of fact, did Sergeant Nathan tell you how we first met? I threw him in jail!"

Now he had both Joshua and his father's attention.

"You better finish that story quickly, Bill or I will!"

Bill chuckled. "Oh, I shouldn't leave them longing for more, eh?"

"Not on this story. My reputation is at stake!"

"Right. Well, on Sergeant Nathan's first night in Hope Valley, he was in civilian clothes and eating dinner at the Saloon. A fight broke out and Nathan was quick to step in to stop it, getting a punch in the jaw for his efforts, by the way. The only problem is that I didn't know who he was and grabbed him from behind to stop the fight. I marched him right out of that Saloon and threw him in jail. When I told him not to do that again, he answered "I can't do that." When I asked him 'Why not,' you know what he said?" Bill was enjoying this retelling and especially the rapt attention he was getting from Joshua.

"What?" Joshua was on the edge of his seat.

"Sergeant Nathan said he couldn't do that because he was the new Constable, Nathan Grant! Can you imagine what I had done? I had to apologize right away for that goof! What a welcome to your new post, eh?" Bill chuckled remembering. "Of course the next day, when Sergeant Nathan strode across the street in his red serge everyone, and I mean everyone including all the ladies, knew who he was and took notice. Plus, we solved a stagecoach robbery together on Nathan's first day!" He glanced happily at Nathan. "Now that was fun!"

"Wow. From jail to your uniform to catching a robber. How did you do that?"

Joshua was hanging on every word and what these men did was so much more exciting than what his father did at Depot. "Uncle Nathan? Tell me what happened?"

Nathan grinned at Joshua then, in great detail, proceeded to describe the stagecoach robbery and how they discovered the criminal. He ended with the good news that everyone's paycheck was restored and the robber and his accomplice were sent to jail.

Adeli was standing in the doorway listening to this tale of Bill and Nathan's success, so when Nathan finished she interrupted. "I am sorry to stop the telling of tales, but Jane says dinner is ready to be served. Bill? The WC is down that hallway so you can wash-up. Nathan, you want to use the kitchen sink?"


Nathan, Rachel, Sally and Allie all helped bring the food to the table while Jon, Jane and Adeli served the drinks.

"Nathan would you please bless the food?" Jon asked, as they gathered around the extended dining room table. Jon loved hearing Nathan's prayers.

So that Allie and Sally could each sit beside Adeli, Jane seated Bill across the table from Adeli, requested that Nathan sit on the end opposite Jon and she and Rachel would flank Bill. When Joshua protested that he wanted to sit next to Mr. Bill, Rachel gladly moved to share the head of the table with her father. Once settled and the food served, the table was quiet for some moments before Jon asked Adeli what she did for a living.

"You don't recognize me, Jon?" Adeli asked laughing. "Maybe that means I am doing my job well! I work in the Finance Department at Headquarters as an accountant. My particular responsibility is payroll for the staff at headquarters, the Academy and the upper echelon of officers across the Mounties. Other accountants handle the individual Constables and everyone else."

"Excuse me, Aunt Adeli? What is an echelon?"

"Good question, Allie! In this case an echelon is a certain level of individuals within the Mounties. The upper echelon would be those of the highest rank and therefore the highest paid officers."

"Oh, wow. We learned a new vocabulary word! Can you spell it please? We'll have to tell Miss Collins tomorrow!"

While Adeli spelled the word for them, Nathan grinned at Bill, both as proud as peacocks at their Allie-girl.


As dessert was finishing, Nathan volunteered the menfolk to do the washing up. "No arguments, Ladies. You prepared the delicious meal, Jane, and thank you for it! I'm guessing you may have had some assistance from Rachel and Sally, and Adeli you are a guest this first time, so you are off the hook."

"Dad! Uncle Bill is a guest too, you know! I can take his place so he can sit with Aunt Adeli."

"Well, that's wonderful of you to volunteer, Allie-girl. Bill? Did you hear that? Allie wants you to go sit with Adeli!" Nathan winked at Bill and then at Adeli.

"No complaints here. Dinner was delicious, Jane. Thank you so much to both you and Jon. It is lovely to be here with your family. Adeli? Shall we?"

In the living room, Bill regaled Jane, Rachel and Adeli with tales from the Café, surprising them both with some of his complicated recipes. "Next time, you'll have to contribute something, Bill! I need to taste your cooking!"

"I do too, Bill. You didn't cook in the Café when I was in Hope Valley! I am hungry to taste some of your recipes!" Adeli smiled at a very happy Bill.

Both Allie and Sally joined their fathers in the kitchen and, once the dishes were washed and the kitchen cleaned, the family decided to play Mexican Train. Joshua dumped the dominoes at each end of the long table.

Although this time she really wished she didn't have to miss out, Rachel excused herself to finish her homework so she could attend Youth Group that night. It was more important not to miss out on that!