Chapter 32: Love in Bloom

Little Jack came running to Elizabeth and she swept him up into her arms and kissed his cheek. He grabbed his mother's face in his little hands, gave a huge grin, and shared excitedly, "Mama, Mama! Mountie Nathan got you something? Look! It's so beautiful!"

Elizabeth responded, "Oh, he did, did he?! Well, let's see this beautiful thing that he got.", she said as she turned towards Nathan, with twinkling eyes and a coy smile on her face.

Nathan had a moment of bashfulness wash over him, and he looked down at his feet, blushing. "No, I'm not doing this again. No more shyness.", he thought to himself, and looked up with a renewed demeanor and crooked smile. Maintaining eye contact, he walked across the room and presented the gardenia bloom that he held in his hand to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth stood speechless for a moment, but before she got a chance to say anything, Allie chimed in. "Dad! Is that from Mom's bush?", Allie asked, with a surprised look on her face. Nathan looked over at Allie, eyes twinkling, still wearing his smile, and nodded. With tears in her eyes and a smile on her face, she spoke in a voice barely above a whisper, "She's here with us, Dad. I believe she wants this too."

Allie went over to the opposite side of where Nathan was holding the flower, and the two embraced. Nathan kissed Allie's head and said, "I thought that too, Allie girl. Your mama approves and is nudging us to go forward. Giving her brother a swift kick in the rear." The Grants chuckled at that.

Elizabeth looked at both father and daughter, feeling a bit baffled about the scene that had just occurred in front of her. "The flower is absolutely beautiful, but may I ask what you two were just talking about? What does this have to do with Colleen?" asked Elizabeth, looking directly at Nathan.

Nathan looked away and down at the flower, and gave a small chuckle before looking back at Elizabeth. He handed the flower to her and offered to take Little Jack. She handed Little Jack over to him and held the flower, both admiring its smell and beauty. Allie went to the cupboard and got out a bud vase. She put water into the vase and then handed it to Elizabeth. Elizabeth put the gardenia bloom into the vase and placed it on the table.

Nathan gestured for the four of them to go sit in the living room. Before they went into the living room, Allie gestured for her dad to hand over Little Jack to her. Allie took him into the other room, and the two started playing blocks with one another. Elizabeth went to sit on the couch, and Nathan took a seat next to her.

He turned to face Elizabeth, and he met her waiting gaze. He smiled at her, took a deep breath, and said, "Colleen's favorite flower was a gardenia. That flower came from a small potted bush that Allie and I gave her on her last birthday before she passed."

He looked over at the children playing, then back at Elizabeth and continued, "We have carried it with us in its pot since then. When we knew we were creating roots here in Hope Valley, we planted that bush right outside of the door here at the rowhouses. As beautiful of a bush as it is, it rarely blooms. To my knowledge, we've only seen it bloom twice before today. The first time, when I turned down the job in Union City, before we transplanted it outside. The second, two years ago, when... well, when you made your decision. And then, now. "

Nathan paused and looked over at the kids again. This time, his and Allie's eyes met, and they smiled tenderly at one another. "We see the single blooms as extra special, because we believe it's then that Colleen shows us most that she's with us and bringing us joy, smiles, and strength when maybe we need it the most," Nathan shared with Elizabeth.

Allie looked anxiously at her dad and added, "Dad! Don't forget to tell Mrs. Thornton what we found out about them when we looked them up at the library for the first time. "

Nathan nodded at Allie and continued, "One thing we found about the gardenias after the first bloom is what they are a symbol of, which makes them that much more special for us. Some of the symbolism are things like hope, peace, remembrance, and protection. Seeing it today after Joseph's sermon on Saturday reminded me of another thing... refinement. "

Allie, who was on the floor playing with Little Jack, but still listening to every bit of the conversation, chimed in one more time, "Dad! You forgot a few!" Allie encouraged, "Tell Mrs. Thornton all of them!" as she made a serious face at Nathan. Nathan blushed for a moment and chuckled, putting his hand over his face for a moment.

Then, he shifted his body once again and looked at Elizabeth. "I think what Allie wants me to share is that that gardenia is also a symbol of secret love between two people and joy.", Nathan told Elizabeth. Elizabeth's eyes grew big, and she quietly gasped, putting her hand to her heart.

Allie, looking intently at Elizabeth, spoke up, "Do you see why we think Mom is here with us and is approving of what's happening right now. She showed herself through the bloom when we stayed and made Hope Valley our home. Then again, when we needed strength after... well, you know. And then today, as you and Dad are coming together, so to speak. "

Overwhelmed but understanding their point, Elizabeth shook her head. Tears filled her eyes and she took a deep breath and finally spoke, "Nathan, you told me to let you know when I figured it out, what was in my heart. I told this to Allie outside earlier, and I will tell you now. I do want this with you and Allie, our family. You... us... that's what's in my heart. I accept the courtship offer and all of the associated conditions."

Nathan gave a wide smile, looked up with a twinkle in his eyes, and said, "Well, Colleen, you got your way. It looks like the Grants will be courting the Thorntons. " Then, he looked down and back over to Elizabeth, grabbing her hand and saying, "One step at a time, ok?" Elizabeth looked down at her hand in Nathan's, tightened her grip within it, looked back at him, and responded, "Yes, one step at a time."

Allie let out a squeal, hugged Little Jack, and then ran to her dad and Elizabeth and gave them a group hug. Elizabeth and Nathan started laughing and hugged Allie tightly back in return. After a moment, the three of them heard, "Hey, I want to hug too!" And the next thing that they knew, Little Jack was right there too, in the midst of their group hug. There they sat, at that moment, in between hugs and giggles, engulfed in one another's love.