Chapter 37: Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

It had been a week since Allie and Nathan had arrived in Rock Creek. They had been spending the time fishing, horseback riding, and helping Archie and Nellie with odd jobs around the homestead that needed to be done. Today, they were in town to pick up an order from the mercantile for paint and nails, along with Nellie's grocery order. While there, Mr. Arthur Lovelady, the owner, handed Nathan two envelopes that had come in the mail earlier in the day.

Nathan handed the letters to Allie as he grabbed the crate full of paint and nails. Once he loaded that into the wagon, he came back for the shipping crate full of Nellie's groceries. Allie had already settled into the wagon, knowing that Nathan was headed next to Rock Creek's saw mill for some lumber to make the necessary repairs to the Grant homestead.

While Nathan was inside the saw mill finalizing the order, Allie opened Elizabeth's next letter to her. The second one that Elizabeth had sent with Allie, she had read and responded to last week, but it was simply Elizabeth's sharing about some of her favorite stories that Allie could check out from the Rock Creek library and read while she was away. Allie was already on book three of Elizabeth's suggested reading list. Allie was eager to see what Elizabeth had to say to her this time. This was Elizabeth's first response back since they had been away.

Dear Allie,

I love the fact that I have already received two letters from you since we've been apart, in addition to the letters that you wrote in Hope Valley. I'm really enjoying sharing things with you through this means of communication!

It sounds like you are having a wonderful time with your dad and grandparents! I love the fact that Newton and Sergeant are having some time out each day with the both of you! I'm glad that you are also helping your grandparents around their home while you are both there. That is a very thoughtful gift in itself, and I'm sure that they genuinely appreciate it.

Jack is loving the drawings that you have sent. Although he really loves the homestead and fishing drawings, he absolutely adores the one with you and your dad that also has Newton and Sergeant. He has them all posted on the wall by his bed here. He talks about you both all the time, so much so that I've drawn out a little calendar just for him that we use to countdown until we see you both again. He is so excited to see his friends Allie and Mountie Nathan. To be honest, I am too.

In this letter to you, I am including two things. The first is a drawing that Jack drew for you. He says it's of you and him playing at our house. The other thing is a recipe from our cook here in Hamilton. I shared that you were trying out new recipes with your grandma and he shared this goulash recipe. It's the first thing that he learned how to make years ago. I hope that you and your grandma enjoy making it. It is so delicious!

Take care, Allie girl! We will see you very soon, but in the meantime, I look forward to your next letter!

Love always,

Mrs. Thornton

Allie folded the letter and drawing and placed them back in the envelope. However, she kept the recipe out and scanned it over. She wondered if her dad would be willing to go back to the mercantile for the items that she would need for this recipe. As if hearing her thoughts, Nathan came out with the sawmill worker, both of them carrying a load of lumber, which they loaded onto the wagon. Afterwards, Nathan shook the worker's hand, said goodbye, and then climbed back into the wagon.

Allie looked over with puppy dog eyes, and Nathan rolled his eyes and chuckled. "All right, Allie, what is it that you would like? I know that look!", Nathan asked as he looked over at his daughter with a crooked grin and sparkling eyes. Allie held up the paper and explained to him about Elizabeth sharing the recipe from their Hamilton cook. She asked if they could make another quick stop back at the mercantile for the ingredients. Nathan agreed, and Allie smiled and gave Nathan a big hug. Nathan redirected the wagon back towards the mercantile. He parked it out front, and both Grants climbed out of the wagon and went back into the mercantile for the ingredients for the goulash recipe that had been shared.

Once they returned home, Allie jumped down from the wagon and grabbed the items that they had just gotten from the mercantile, along with her letter from Elizabeth. She took the load inside and shared with her grandmother what she had received and her plans to make the dish that evening for dinner. Her grandmother, Nellie, simply smiled at Allie and nodded enthusiastically at the idea. Nathan took his own letter from Elizabeth off the seat next to him and carried it with him as he went to offload the other items from the back of the wagon. He placed the envelope in the crate with the paint in the meantime, while he finished his task. Once the lumber and the crate were stored safely in the barn, Nathan grabbed the letter and then walked out of the barn and closed it up for the evening.

The goulash that Allie had made with only slight help from her grandmother was delicious. The Grant family cleaned up and decided to sit outside to enjoy the evening before going to bed.

"Son, I want to ask you something. I was cleaning things out in the shed last week when I came across something. I found the guitar that you used until you left for the Mounties. I was wondering, would you want to take it with you to Hope Valley?", Archie asked as he looked into Nathan's blue eyes.

Nathan sat stunned with the realization that his mom had held onto his old guitar. Once he joined the Mounties, lost Colleen, and took on Allie, he basically forgot that he had left it behind. While he had been thinking about what his father had shared, Archie had gotten up from his spot and went into the barn and returned with the guitar. When Nathan looked up to answer, there Archie stood with the guitar case in hand.

Once again, Nathan sat shocked but still reached out to touch the leather case. Archie held it out to Nathan so that he could take it. For a moment, Nathan hesitated to look at the case, with a ton of questions swimming in his head. Would it bring back sad memories to play this guitar? Or would it bring back bad memories? He learned to play early on, and Colleen used to sing along. It was a source of peace for him in his unsettled world with his dad. When he looked up at his father again, their eyes met, and Archie nodded his head at Nathan and handed the guitar case to his son. Nathan took it from his father and brought it closer to himself.

Almost instinctively, Nathan placed the case on the ground, opened it up, and took out the six-string instrument. He went about tuning it as if it had just been yesterday since he had done the task on this specific instrument. Then, he closed his eyes as if lost in his thoughts but actually whispering a quiet prayer and then simply picturing the songs that he knew off the top of his head. Once he had his bearings, Nathan opened his eyes, and his fingers began playing the chords with ease on the old guitar. Allie sat in awe of her father, never knowing how well he played the guitar before. Over the years in Hope Valley, Bill got him to play with him, here and there, but she had never heard him like this before. Archie and Nellie smiled at one another and held hands as they listened to Nathan play "Down by the Old Mill Stream" on his guitar.

After a while, Nathan broke into song. "Who was this person before her?" Allie wondered to herself. She knew Nathan was a creative and sensitive soul that could carve things and care deeply. But this, singing and playing guitar with this emotional depth, she knew nothing about. Allie smiled to herself as she sat listening, knowing that now her dad would have both the chance to carve wood and play guitar back home in his leisure time or to soothe his spirit when he was troubled.

The Grants remained like that until the sun went down. When they moved inside, Allie and Nellie worked on some sewing projects at the table while Nathan and Archie chatted on the sofa. When the living room clock struck nine o'clock, Archie, Nellie, and Allie decided to call it a night. As Allie came to hug Nathan good night, she studied him for a moment. "Dad, you shocked me tonight. You are really talented, you know that? Thank you for sharing that piece of your heart with us tonight!", Allie said.

Nathan smiled and thanked Allie for listening and her kind words. Once he had the room to himself, he pulled out Elizabeth's letter that he had placed in his bag when they arrived home. Inside the envelope was a single-page letter and a photograph of Elizabeth and Little Jack. The picture looked like it was taken outside by a pond where both Elizabeth and Little Jack sat, both smiling brightly, and Jack proudly held up two tiny pebbles in his hands. Nathan chuckled, knowing how much the little boy was into collecting rocks everywhere he went at this stage in life.

He took the picture and placed it in his Bible that was on the sofa next to him. Before he closed it, he turned to the page that held the picture of him holding Allie for the first time, with Colleen standing behind him proudly smiling at both of them. His mother had found the picture earlier in the week and figured that he and Allie would enjoy having it. Nathan figured that he would get the picture framed and hang it amongst their pictures on the wall at home.