Chapter 86: Traveling to a New Life Part II

Millicent knocked on hers and Allie's Bedroom door.

"Come in, Momma!"

"What is it, Sweetheart?" asked Millicent.

"Momma, I can't decide what dress to wear!"

"Well, let's see, we'll dress later for Dinner, which is more formal, so don't worry about that right now. What have you narrowed your day dress down to?"

"The blue and the red ones!"

"Did you notice that gorgeous blue sky outside?"

"Yes Ma'am! It's beautiful even though it's so cold today."

"Exactly! I vote blue. This one matches the sky perfectly. Here, let me help."

Millicent held Allie's light woolen blue dress up and lifted it carefully over her head, so as to not disturb her hair.

The dress was loose and it fell in a perfect flounce around Allie, causing her to giggle.

"Mama, how did you do that?"

"Well, I've had lots of practice dressing myself, and since your clothes arent' as cumbersome as mine, yours are a lot easier to do!"

Allie smiled.

"How would you like us to fix your hair, Angel?"

"I like my French Braid just like you did it this morning, but can you fix this strand of hair that came loose back into the braid?"

"Here, I most certainly can! We also need to change the ribbon, and I know exactly where your blue one is. Well, that is, I did know before everything was unpacked for us!"

"Oh, my ribbons are in that top drawer. I've already looked. I'll get the blue one. But, Momma, is that bracelet new?"

"Yes, your Father gave it to me. It's an old mined diamond that belonged to his Great Grandmother from England, and the magic is it matches the bracelet Auntie Luciana gave me all these years later!"

"That's really neat! Does that mean you and Dad were always meant to be together? I love that!"

"I believe so and I love that, too, Allie!"

"You were God's dream for both Dad and me!" pronounced Allie matter-of-factly.

"That's a beautiful thought, Sweetheart!"

"It's true! Dad says so. And that you're our best dream ever!"

"What a lovely thing to say. I'm honored, Allie! Truly honored."

Mother and Daughter embraced, both needing the other, both full of love for the other.

Millicent watched as her Daughter finally broke away and rifled through her drawer of ribbons, feeling contented as only a mother can that her Daughter seemed so very happy amidst this massive family change.

She was so thankful for so many things, and this little girl was at the top of her list, and would always be.

Allie was now hers in every way, hers together with her best friend Colleen. It was a partnering across time and space, heaven and earth, and would always be a joint effort as far as Millicent was concerned. She also knew in her heart that her forever best friend understood the enormity of the role she was taking on and would somehow guide her when the going got rough.

"Here it is! Momma, it's nice to have help getting dressed. Dad used to help when I was little, then I got too big!"

"It's nice to be able to help you, Sweet Girl! You look beautiful!" Millicent tied the blue ribbon into a perfect full bow at the end of Allie's French Braid, fluffing the wide ribbon which reminded her of something.

"Allie, tonight I want to try braiding the ribbon into your French Braid again just like we did for your dance. Your hair looked so pretty that way. I want to make sure I can do it without your Auntie Rosie's help."

"That's great! All the girls want to learn how to do it!"

"Then Auntie Rosie and I will teach them when we get back to Hope Valley. Are you ready for some Lemonade with your Father?"

"Yes, Ma'am, I am. I want to tell you both everything about the dance! Every single detail!"

"I can't wait to hear it all!"

And Millicent meant that, although had she had her 'rathers' she would have preferred hearing all the details with just the two of them together since she alone knew how nerve-wracking hearing the details could potentially be for Allie's Dad.

That was when Millicent said a quick prayer.

"Dear God, please help Nathan, reticent as he is to see his Little Girl grow up, to listen attentively and show his love to Allie as she re-tells her happy experience...

"My, you look beautiful, Allie!" complimented Nathan, standing up for both Millicent and Allie, as they walked into the sitting area.

He reached to kiss both their cheeks.

"Colton brought our Lemonade and Biscuits. Some little Tea Sandwiches and Miniature Desserts, too! He thought you Ladies might like to sit at the banquette for the view and to eat at the table."

"That's perfect! We'll get to watch that beautiful blue sky go by!" smiled Millicent, excited at the prospect.

"This food looks scrumptious. Just like at the dance," chimed in Allie. "I'm already hungry!"

"Really?" asked Millicent, shocked since they had had such a huge send-off lunch, compliments of Allie's Uncle Bill.

"Yes, Ma'am! I think it's because I'm so excited about you being with us, Momma, and our trip to our Wedding, and the dance still!"

Millicent wrapped her arm around her Daughter, in a side hug.

"Of course, you are! All of this is pretty exciting! You're going to love your new family, Allie. And I've got a feeling you're going to love Montreal, too. At least I hope so!"

"I know I will, Momma! I just can't wait! And Mrs. Nelson wants me to write a travel report to present to the whole class when I get back. One for Montreal, and one for Toronto, too!"

"That's exciting, Allie! You'll have to keep a notebook of things you see and do. I believe I have an extra one in my briefcase if you need it."

"That's a great idea. Thanks, Momma! I can start with the Train ride!"

"Ladies," and Nathan helped each to be seated.

Taking Millicent's cue, he slid into the seat by Allie.

"Allie, would you like to say Grace for us?"

"Yes, Sir!"

The three gathered hands as had been their custom from their first meal together.

"Thank You, God, for this trip and for this food. Thank You for my new family that I'm going to meet. I hope they love me. But thank you most of all for my Momma and Dad! And please help the days pass really fast till we get married! And please tell my Mom in heaven we love her too and miss her and wish she could be at our Wedding! Amen!"

"Amen," answered Nathan and Millicent in unison, but with tears sparkling in their eyes thinking of Colleen, while automatically squeezing each other's hands.

"You know, Allie, I feel sure your Mom in Heaven will be at our Wedding in spirit," suggested Nathan.

"You do?"

"Yes, I do. It seems she's always been there with us on our big occasions when we've needed her most."

"She has?"

"I think so, Sweetheart. And this is our biggest occasion of all!"

It was too early to tell Allie that Colleen had been watching over her at her first dance, but someday Nathan would explain it to her when the timing was right.

"That's nice of her!" smiled Allie.

"Your Mom is wonderful!" agreed Millicent, reaching over to pat Allie's hand. "And she loves you so very much! I can't imagine that she won't be there with the three of us for our important day!"

Allie smiled radiantly in agreement.

"Momma, look! You were right! The scenery is so pretty! Look at that little town covered in snow. But boy, that's a lot of snow!"

"It sure is a lot. They look like they're snowed under!"

"It's called Mapletown, Allie. The town has a population of about a thousand citizens," interjected her Dad.

"Really? How do you know that, Dad?"

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, I am a Mountie. And part of our job is knowing everything we can about our various surrounding cities and towns!"

"All the way to Montreal?"

"No, only those within a two hundred and fifty-mile radius. But don't forget I worked in Montreal for a while too, so I know that area and surrounding area as well!"

"I forget that! That was before me!"

"Yes, Young Lady, that was before you were even born! And now with my new job, that two hundred and fifty-mile radius just got expanded to all of Canada. I can't possibly learn them all, but I most certainly will learn the major cities."

"That sounds like a lot of work to me. Maybe I can help," offered Allie before she got all serious. "Dad, I want to tell you all about the dance last night, but will it make you sad?"

Millicent tapped Nathan's leg under the table.

"Your Momma and I were talking about that Allie, and I think I've just been a little afraid of you growing up too fast."

"But that won't happen, Dad," reassured Allie. "I have a long way to go before I really grow up!"

"That's exactly what your Momma said. And she also said we'll be here to go through it with you together. And we will. You can always count on us, Allie. So no, I won't be sad. I really do want to hear everything!"

Allie looked so relieved; the last thing she wanted to do was hurt her Father.

Nathan could see and feel her love and concern for him, and he knew now was the time to apologize and fully immerse himself in what was important to his Daughter, even if that meant boy talk.

"I'm sorry if you felt that I was dreading the dance, Allie. I truly am. I think it's just a Father thing. As it turns out, all the other Fathers were feeling the same way I was. But the dance wasn't nearly as hard on us as we thought it would be. In fact, I for one, was very proud to escort my beautiful Daughter. And I think now, with your Momma here with us, I think I'll be fine to hear all the details about your dance! In fact, I want to hear about your special night, Allie. We both do!"

"That makes me so happy, Dad!"

"Me, too, Darling!" smiled Millicent, proudly.

The trio filled their plates and sipped on their Lemonade, as the Train sped by, in preparation for Allie's soliloquy.

"Boy, this is the best Lemonade ever! Now if we just had Momma's Lemon Cupcakes!"

"I'll make you some in Montreal!"

"May I help make them?"

"Absolutely, you may! But before we start eating, I thought you might like to see the photos Miss Fiona took! Let me go get them."

Millicent excused herself to her bedroom, to locate the photos.

"I'll try to understand better, Allie. This growing-up thing is new to both of us. But as your Momma says, we all three will get through this together."

"I know, Dad, and it's pretty hard for me too! Sometimes I don't even want to grow up at all."

"Why would you say that, Sweetheart?"

"Because I'm just now getting my Momma and I just got you as my official Dad. I don't want to leave either of you. I just want our new family."

"Allie, you have our new family, and you will never ever really leave us. Your Momma explained all that to me, and she's right. You are always, always in our hearts. Just as we are always in yours and will always be."

"Momma's wise, isn't she Dad?"

"Yes, she most certainly is! We're very lucky to have her, Allie! And I think she came just in time when we needed her most!"

"I know! Besides, I want brothers and sisters before I grow up!"

"You really do, don't you?"

"Yes, really, really bad! Please, Dad!"

Nathan blushed scarlet.

"We'll see, Allie," he answered hurriedly relieved to see Millicent returning. "We'll see what God has planned for our family."

"Here we go, you two, and the photos are absolutely gorgeous!"

Millicent set the images down on the table's edge so both Nathan and she could get a good look, along with Allie.

"These are beautiful, Allie," smiled her Dad, overwhelmed at just how much his Daughter looked like Colleen, and in another way, Millicent too.

"You are beautiful, my Angel! So beautiful. And look at how handsome your Dad looks!"

"You look beautiful too, Momma!"

"Thank you, Sweetheart! Fiona has outdone herself. Now, I can't wait to see the other photos!"

"Miss Fiona took photos of all the girls first, one of us altogether and then one of each of us alone. But when she lined up the boys, they gave her all sorts of grief. She finally told them if they weren't still, she was gonna arm wrestle them one by one, and they better be very afraid because she would beat them all and she hated to make them look bad! Especially in front of us girls. We all clapped for her. I think she has a lot of brothers!"

"What happened then?" asked Millicent.

"They straightened up real quick and did exactly as she said, Momma!"

"This is a good one of you and Robert, Allie," admitted her Dad, trying his best to be open-minded and show his change of heart.

"Dad, look closer! Robert has a stupid look on his face! I don't know what he was thinking! Miss Fiona told him to smile, but he looks like a deer caught in the headlights of a car!"

Nathan laughed.

"Well, now I see what you mean. He does sort of look startled!"

Millicent gave him a warning glance and would have to remind him later that a girl could say anything about her beau, but a father couldn't, no matter the age!

Nathan knitted his eyebrows together and mouthed 'What?' not at all getting the message.

But when Millicent raised her eyebrows and shook her head ever so slightly, and Allie gave him a quizzical look, he finally understood.

"Wait, let's take a closer look, Allie, I don't think Robert looks that bad, not really! He probably was just nervous. I know I'd be, standing next to a beautiful girl."

And that got him points and a huge smile from Allie.

"Dad he was flirting with all the girls, not just me!"

Nathan's eyes widened and his mouth gaped open, unable to say anything.

'Flirting! With my Little Girl? And every other girl there at the same time?'

He tried to bury the thoughts.

"Don't worry, Dad! All the boys were flirting with all the girls! Besides, I know Robert likes me best, but like I said he still can't dance period. He didn't even know how to do the two-step. And that's pretty simple! But he was really, really good at all the games! We played a few little games between the dances. And Robert won them all but the two I won. Now, that Sammy Hammonds is a real dancer, just like you, Dad. He could dance all the steps. And all the girls loved dancing with him. But he really, really loved dancing with Antoinette. I mean he danced with me some too, but he kept looking at her the whole time he was with me. I could tell. Come to think of it, Robert looked at her some too! I guess she's really pretty, and she's new too. So everyone wanted to get to know her. But Robert doesn't have a chance with her and I'm pretty sure he knows it. Maybe I'd better start all over at the beginning!"

And start all over at the very beginning, to a still somewhat nervous, but stalwart and loving Father, Allie did, leaving out not one single effusive and florid detail.

Including all her innermost feelings about one certain Young Man named Robert Wolf...

"And that's pretty much the whole dance! Oh, except that the boys took off their boutonnieres and started tossing them across the room at each other in a game of catch at the end of the dance. Mrs. Nelson made them all do clean-up because of it! She said that was NOT the way young Gentlemen were supposed to act under any circumstances! And most certainly not at a formal dance! They straightened up real fast! And apologized too, because they were afraid she wouldn't let us have another one!"

"Sounds like those boys need to be spoken to about proper behavior by their parents as well," suggested Nathan. "Mrs. Nelson went to an awful lot of work to put this dance together for everyone."

"I know, Dad. I don't think they'll ever try something like that again, though. Mrs. Nelson looked so disappointed. And they felt really bad!"

"Allie, I agree with your Father, but other than that awful snafu the boys made, the dance had to be amazing! The decorations sound wonderful. The food sounds scrumptious. And all the girls' dresses had to have been beautiful. I can't wait to see them. It also sounds like everyone really had a great time! Which is the most important part. You made us feel just like we were there, Sweetheart," smiled Millicent thrilled that their Daughter had been so open while ignoring the look of apprehension still on Nathan's face.

"Dad?"

"Yes, Allie?"

"What did you think about the rest of the dance?"

"It sounds like everything was really nice and exciting. A really grand party! I'm just glad you and the others had such a great time, Allie!"

"I just had to tell you everything! It's so important you know! Oh, I forgot one thing. I know she's not always nice, but I felt sorry for Anna. She just looked sad most of the night. But none of us could figure out why! We tried to cheer her up, even Robert did, but she was just real quiet for her. I don't know what it was. I mean all the guys danced with her, and stuff, but something was off. Oh, and Tommy Hammonds, Sammy's younger brother danced with Angela three times! And that boy can dance too! It must run in the family! Family genes and all. Mrs. Nelson told us all about those. They were just discovered in 1905. And we all have them, too. But the best dancer of all of them was Angela!"

"Well, good for Angela! Tommy's quite handsome if I remember correctly," smiled Millicent. "And overall, such a nice, polite boy!"

"He's really handsome, Momma! Almost as handsome as Robert! His hair's real short and straight, though, whereas Robert's hair is really long and curly. But Tommy and Angela are just really good friends."

"Friends are great too, Allie! Everything doesn't have to be about boyfriend and girlfriend. If that were the case, you'd miss out on a lot of wonderful friendships," explained Millicent.

Nathan gave a thankful look that was clearly one of relief, which caused Millicent to grin and promptly change the subject for all three.

Though it had been hard, Nathan had more than 'Mountied' up and been everything a Daughter dreamed a Father would be.

He had shown interest, even when Millicent knew he had been a bit nervous, and most of all he had paid attention to every single word, which had made Allie feel loved like she never had before.

Her Father had accepted her just as she was, at the age she was, all the while loving her while paying attention to and respecting what was important to her.

And that had been exactly what Allie had needed most.

"You two, it will be time to change for dinner soon! Does anyone want to take a nap first?" asked Millicent.

"I do, Momma. Talking about all this dance stuff is exhausting! I think I'll head to our bed!"

"Then I'll wake you in plenty of time to get dressed for dinner. I'll come now to fix the covers for you."

But as Allie left, Millicent looked back.

"Nathan?"

"I'm good, Love! I think I'll just do some reading right here."

"Then I might just go find my needlepoint!"

He smiled at her, but that smile had nothing to do with needlepoint or reading.

He just wanted to enjoy her company, not caring at all what they did, as long as they were together.

He was no longer a single parent, and that was a burden he had not even realized he had carried, till Millicent had entered their lives.

Now they were a team, and Allie had a complete family with two parents.

They really were a family!

And that was a marvelous thing.

"I'll be right here, waiting," he grinned.

"As if you could go anywhere on a Train, Chief Inspector!"

She laughed softly, that rich laugh that always sounded like music to his ears.

That laugh always made him chuckle while dreaming of their beautiful life together.

He suddenly turned serious and mouthed 'Thank you!' beaming with love for her.

She mouthed 'You're welcome!" her face showing so much love and pride for him.

Yes, he had handled the talk with Allie remarkably while making their Daughter feel extremely loved, and that was all that she had prayed for.

She leaned down to offer him a sweet kiss, playfully tousling his dark hair in the process, while then lovingly rearranging that one curly lock that always fell down across his forehead.

"You did great with Allie, Nate!"

He smiled, glad he had listened to her advice.

"That's all thanks to you! Don't be long, Babe," he begged, his voice low, his eyes already missing her.

"I couldn't stay away if I wanted to, Baby! Not from you. Be back before you know it…"