Chapter Eighty-Three
Suffice it to say, Allie and Jack weren't the only ones with new Puppies.
Elizabeth had shared her plans with Rosemary who was not about to be one-upped.
But she had to send poor Lee all the way to Buxton to find the perfect one for Frederic.
He ended up getting a Golden Retriever Puppy, which had upset Rosemary to no end, because she really wanted Frederic to have a Chocolate Border Collie, just like Allie's and Jack's, but as Lee had explained, there were none to be had!
But when she saw the little Golden Retriever Puppy, she fell in love and was sure their Son would too. So luckily for Lee, all was forgiven.
As it turned out, Adeline loved Dogs and had a very special way with them.
She had volunteered to keep the Puppies at her place until Christmas Day, and now was having trouble saying goodbye to them.
"Adeline, Darlin', we have Tillie!"
"No, we don't. She stays in the Mountie Office during the day, and goes to her home at night! I'm the one left without a Dog, William Spencer! You're the one that has Tillie!" she pouted.
Finally, Bill had to relent, and promise his sweet Adeline the Dog of her choice, "First thing after Christmas, Darlin', I promise!"
"You do know, I'm holding you to that!"
She had very reluctantly let them go so Bill could sneak into Elizabeth's and the Coulter's at their designated times, and the Children wouldn't see.
"Only for the Children, Bill! Here give me one last kiss. Not you! The Puppies!"
But Christmas or not, Adeline was definitely going through Puppy withdrawal, already missing all three of them...
Bill, Adeline, Aaron, and Felicity were all waiting at the Café, where Bill had cooked a Christmas Feast to end all Feasts for his Family.
"Aaron, are you and Nathan going to need help with Rounds later?" asked Bill.
"Not if there aren't any problems! Everything was so quiet this morning, I thought Nathan and I would split it, do a quick run-through, and then just be on call! Unless you want to thirds it?"
"Sure, let's do split it up in thirds. Actually, that's smart! Why we'll be done in no time flat that way. After all, it is Christmas Day!"
"Bill…" admonished Adeline.
"Need to stretch my legs, Darlin'! I'll be back so fast, you won't even miss me!"
"Oh, you Boys!" and Adeline did her famous eye roll.
"Hey, can anybody cook? I need some help back in the Kitchen…" asked Bill staring each of them down.
"Don't look at us. We're both 'Kitchen Inept!'" answered Felicity.
"Well, I guess that leaves me! Coming Sweetheart…" and off Adeline went.
Alone, Aaron grabbed Felicity's hand and led her to the front window of the Cafe to watch the snow falling.
"You happy Felice?"
"So happy, Aaron. Our first Christmas together…it's just perfect! I really do love it here."
"Me too, Honey. It feels like home, doesn't it?"
She reached up to kiss him, "It is Home, Darling!"
Aaron took her hand and kissed it, and Felicity smiled up at him over their secret...
"But Dad, we can't leave Rex and Reggie. They would be afraid, and I'm sure Uncle Bill will understand. He wouldn't want us to leave them. They could get hurt or something or cry for their Mother, or cry for Jack and me. Just so many things could go wrong…"
Nathan was looking down at two pairs of the most pleading eyes he had ever seen, evaluating the situation, and Elizabeth was standing to the side, ready to burst out in laughter, until she saw Jack's new pair of shoes, well, one of the pair, that is. Then she got worried.
"Jack, where is your other shoe?" she asked her Son, in a tone he knew meant business.
He scrunched up his mouth, then looked over at his brand new Toy Bench, and there sat his other brand new shoe, the one in question…
"Thank goodness," but as Elizabeth got closer to her Son's new Toy Bench, her eyes widened in alarm!
For there sat Jack's new shoe, but with little tiny teeth marks all along the top edge of the brand new Leather!
"Jack, did you give this to Rex?" she asked.
He proudly nodded yes, "But Awee took away!"
"And you, Young Man better be glad she did! Rex and Reggie cannot play with shoes! We'll get them a play toy," and she threw up her arms, promptly leaving Nathan to deal with the situation, while she went into the Kitchen to go through her Laundry Basket.
Nathan was doing his best to keep a serious face, as he continued to hear their case…
"…and Dad you just can't leave little Babies alone!" but then Allie, who had the makings of a very good lawyer decided to change her tactic.
If Nathan hadn't known better, it was almost as though, Nathaniel himself had prepped her for pleading her case.
"Dad, just look at Jack's shoe, and that happened with us right here. Imagine what could happen if we were gone!"
Elizabeth came through the Kitchen Door with a bunch of socks in her hands, wrapping them up into two little balls for the two Puppies.
"Darling, she makes a very good point. They're supposed to be paper trained at the Breeders, but not here!" and now he was looking down at three pairs of pleading eyes.
"Okay, we take them on one condition. Rex and Reggie are your responsibilities and you two do not let them out of your sight for one second. Do you understand that?"
"Yes, Sir!" said Allie hopefully and then a little more emphatically, "Yes, Sir! We do. We won't let them out of our site for a second and we'll take a box with a blanket for them to lay in. And another box for er…accidents!"
"Jack?"
Little Jack nodded yes as fast as he could.
"All right, sounds like you two have it covered. But you have to realize Rex and Reggie are brand new to us, and they're excited, maybe a little scared, so you have to be very careful and watch them closely to see what they need. And that means whether or not they need to eat or drink water or whether they need to go to potty. Understood?"
"Understood, Sir!" answered Allie as Little Jack watched her, then nodded vociferously.
He wasn't quite sure they had won their battle till Allie nodded back to him, and then his little face broke out into a huge grin!
"If you'll get the boxes, I'll get a blanket!" as Elizabeth turned to start up the Stairs.
Nathan looked at Elizabeth, who now was starting to see the humor in the situation.
"We knew this wasn't going to be the easiest thing, but it's the best thing. Look at them, they're already bonded at the hip! It's going to be alright, Darling! We just have to teach the Children how to care for them. And Rex and Reggie are pretty adorable," reminded Nathan.
"Are you already in love, Constable?"
He shrugged and looked totally innocent, but quickly admitted, "Yes!"
She laughed, "Me, too!"
He grabbed her around the waist as she was standing on the second Stair, and pulled her to him.
"I love you, Mrs. Thornton. Your idea has made their Christmas!"
"And I think yours, too!"
"Maybe…" he laughed and kissed her with an urgency she hadn't expected.
And without realizing it, her response became just as urgent…
Just as promised, promptly at 1:30, Seth arrived at Elizabeth's rowhouse driving the Sleigh, which Nathan promptly loaded with their Christmas Gifts for everyone.
"Nathan, Merry Christmas!" shouted Lee from his front porch.
"Merry Christmas, Lee! Ready for Dinner?"
By this time, Nathan was helping Elizabeth with the boxes for the Puppies, and the Children, who were proudly carrying Rex and Reggie bundled up in blankets.
"You'd better believe it. But Rosie's still bundling up Frederic…we'll be just a minute! He wants to bring Oliver!"
Nathan pointed to Allie and Jack carrying Rex and Reggie.
"I think we've lost this one Lee, might as well let the entire Family join in! I'm sure Bill won't mind. It's not like anyone can close him down. He is the Judge, after all!"
Lee laughed, "That he is! I tell you it's been quite the Christmas at the Coulters! What about you all?"
"Same here. Amazing! Need help with Packages? We've got ours loaded."
"Sure, here, let me hand you these!"
Lee handed off the presents to Nathan as he tucked them behind the back seat of their Sleigh.
Finally, Rosemary and a very bundled-up Frederic appeared!
"Rosemary, Merry Christmas!" called Elizabeth.
"Merry Christmas, Elizabeth! It's been so wonderful!"
Elizabeth could see the joy in Rosemary's face, and she instantly realized this was Rosemary and Lee's first Christmas with a Child and One on the Way!
How could Rosemary, and Lee for that matter, not be radiant?
Elizabeth hugged her friend extra tightly, so thankful for both Frederic as well as the Baby who was coming.
Finally, with Nathan and Lee helping, the Grants, Thorntons, and Coulters started piling into the Sleigh with Seth.
"Seth, do you mind stopping by my house for just a few minutes?"
"Dad, do we have to? Uncle Bill and Aunt Adeline are ready for Christmas and waiting on us!" pleaded Allie.
"I know, but there's one more package in the hallway upstairs that we need to grab for Uncle Bill. Will you go do it, Allie?"
"May I take Reggie?"
"Yes, you may take Reggie! I'd really appreciate the help!"
"Okay, Dad. I'll do it!" but poor Allie didn't look very happy about it.
She was more than ready to get their Christmas moving along with her Uncles and Aunties!
Seth grinned because he was in on the Surprise.
But after Nathan got Allie out of the Sleigh, everyone else got out too, as they all wanted to see her face, or at least hear her, when she saw her Christmas Surprise.
"You all could have waited in the Sleigh. I'll just be a minute!" she admonished.
"Oh, and Allie can you bring me that Book you borrowed on your Nightstand? Auntie Effie wanted to see it!"
"Sure thing, Dad!"
By this time Nathan, Elizabeth, and Rosemary were sneaking up the steps behind Allie.
Lee stayed downstairs with Frederic and Jack.
When Allie opened her bedroom door, she just stood there…then turned to look at her Dad.
"Dad!" and then she flung herself at him, sobbing.
Nathan had to be careful to not squash Reggie because Allie had not and was not about to let that little Puppy out of her hands!
He soothed his Daughter (and Reggie), while Elizabeth and Rosemary cried.
"What's wrong Mama?" called Frederic up the Stairs.
"Nothing's wrong, Darling! Allie just got a great big Surprise! We'll be right down," and Rosemary hugged Allie, so she could go back downstairs and check on Lee and the Boys, and give the three a bit of privacy.
"Allie, this is from your Grandmother and me. All the furniture was your Mother's and we thought it was time you had it in your own room to use! It's yours now!"
"I love it, Dad! I didn't want to tell you, but I was getting way too big for my old Bed! This is just great," and then Allie looked at Elizabeth and ran to her. "And look at all the drawers! I'll have so much space!"
"Now, I'll have both my Mothers' love at night!" she whispered.
Elizabeth held her and kissed her, "You know Allie, you'll bring this with us to our new house someday soon!"
Allie nodded through her tears.
"Your new Quilt, Shams, and Curtains are going to look so beautiful with this, Allie! Rosemary and I'll come back after Dinner and help you get everything fixed! How does that sound?"
"That sounds great! It's going to be so beautiful! Can I have Opal over to spend the night and show her my new room, Dad?"
"I think that can be arranged! But for now, are you two ready for Christmas Dinner?"
"Starved!" they both said it at the very same time, and all three started laughing!
"Let's go," and Nathan led them through the door and directed them down the stairs...
In perfect timing, Seth pulled into the Livery at the same time Nathaniel entered it to stable his Horse.
"Merry Christmas everyone!" shouted out Nathaniel, who was wearing a bright red Christmasy Scarf.
"Merry Christmas, Nathaniel!"
"Merry Christmas, Gramps. Look what we got!" called Allie. "This one's a Girl and her name is Regina, but we call her Reggie, so Jack can say it. And Jack's is a Boy and his name is Rex!"
"Gwamps, Gwamps look, look! It's Wex!"
"Whoa, hold on, Allie…two new members of the Family? My goodness, and Jack, aren't they the cutest things ever? What have you got there, Frederic?"
"This is my Puppy. He's a Boy, and I named him Oliver, but Papa says we'll probably end up calling him Ollie. He's very friendly!"
"I can see that and quite handsome, too! Boy, has Santa been busy! With all the work he's got to do and delivering Puppies, too! Now, that's a Christmas out of the Storybooks! You three must have really been extra good this year! Santa just doesn't deliver Puppies to everybody!"
And Nathaniel scooped up Jack and Rex to carry them on to the Café! Allie and Frederic walked along on either side, showing off their Puppies, and the proud Parents walked along behind, carrying the many Christmas Gifts for their extended Family, thrilled to see Nathaniel and the Children enjoying each other!
The more Nathaniel had been around the Children, he had insisted they call him Gramps.
"That's what my own Grandchildren call me, but that's only in Letters and on the occasional Phone Call! So, it will be nice to actually hear my name from Allie, Jack, and Frederic on a regular basis, here in Hope Valley!"
The Children had been thrilled.
For if the truth were known, the Children adored him, as much as Nathaniel adored them.
It was a match made in Heaven! What the Children didn't know was that Nathaniel had already delivered his Christmas Presents for them and their Parents to the Café last evening when he had attended Jack's Birthday Party! And all were safe and sound under the Café's huge Christmas Tree.
But they were so excited to see their Gramps, it wouldn't have mattered if he had come empty-handed...
Adeline met everyone at the door of the Café, while Bill finished up the details for his Masterpiece of a Feast in the Kitchen.
"Merry Christmas All! Now, it's really Christmas!"
"Auntie AJ, look, we got Puppies! This one's a Girl and her name is Regina, but we have to call her Reggie, so Jack can say it. And Jack's Puppy is a Boy and his name is Rex!"
"Wex!" corrected Little Jack.
"And this is my Puppy and he's a Boy. We named him Oliver, but we might call him Ollie," explained Frederic. "He won't bite!"
"My goodness, these are the most beautiful Puppies I've ever seen! Aren't you three good little Boys and Girls! You know Santa doesn't just give Puppies out to anyone," and suddenly, much to Adeline's delight, she was being handed three Puppies at the exact same time.
She laughed and managed to take them all, and although the Kids didn't notice, all three Puppies were very taken with their Auntie AJ!
Of course, this wasn't their first time to meet, as she had been the one to feed them for the last three days! She had also stayed up with them for three nights in a row, singing them to sleep, placing hot water bottles in their box! And then, of course, she had played with them every single waking moment she could spare over their time together during those three days!
"Look, Auntie AJ, they love you already! You're getting loads of kisses!" marveled Allie.
And Auntie AJ was enjoying them thoroughly, but when she saw the Children's sad eyes, she knew it was time to relinquish them back to their new little Masters and Mistress!
AJ hugged Nathaniel, "Welcome, Nathaniel, and Merry Christmas! Just make yourself at home!"
Then she hugged Elizabeth and Nathan, who both whispered their huge gratitude of thanks for taking care of the Puppies!
Followed by Rosemary and Lee who were also gushing with thanks, trying to tell her about Frederic's excitement when he first saw his Puppy!
Needless to say, AJ's efforts had all been worth it!
Aaron and Felicity came up to hug everyone, "Merry Christmas, all! Great to see you!"
"Merriest of Christmases, everyone!" added Felicity.
"Oh, my goodness, look at that mound of presents!" exclaimed Elizabeth.
"This is like Christmas all over again," agreed Felicity. "Adeline, everything looks so pretty!"
The women hugged and the men shook hands…and everyone was ready for their Family Christmas.
"You two sit down at the table with the men and Bill and I will get ready to serve you! Children, I fixed a smaller table right here beside us, so you three can catch up with each other on all your Christmas Gifts, and of course the Puppies!"
"Perfect, Auntie AJ!"
Allie led the Boys to their table, each of them very excited to have their own table and be lower to the floor so they could keep a better watch on Rex, Reggie, and Ollie!
Then came a loud, booming "Merry Christmas!" from the Chef, who was carrying out the biggest Christmas Goose, any of them had ever seen!
There was a chorus of "Merry Christmas!" from each and every one of the Guests!
"Bill, you've outdone yourself! This is the most beautiful Christmas Goose I've ever seen! And I've seen a lot of Christmas Geese!" assured Nathaniel.
It was indeed a sight to behold, Golden Brown, with a Date and Mixed Fruit Stuffing spilling out over the huge platter.
Next came, Scalloped Potatoes, a highly risen Corn Souffle, Roasted Butternut Squash, Turnips with Candied Bacon, a Winter Salad with Buttermilk Dressing, and Rosemary Popovers!
All of which looked exquisite and scrumptious.
"One last thing…"
Bill ran back to the Kitchen to open the Oven Door.
When he did, the most glorious scent of his 'Famous Freshly Baked Yeast Rolls' engulfed the Café, and everyone was thrilled he hadn't forgotten to include them!
They had risen even higher than they normally did and looked positively divine!
He placed them in a basket and covered them with a red-checkered cloth to keep them warm for the table.
"And there we are, Merry Christmas everyone, from Adeline and me!"
"Merry Christmas!" "Merry Christmas, Uncle Bill, and Auntie Adeline!" came from all!
"Nathaniel, can you lead us in our Christmas Prayer?"
"An Honor to do so, Bill!"
"Our Dearest Heavenly Father, On this most special of Days, this Christmas Day, when we remember the Most Important Gift ever given, Your Son, we come to You with such grateful hearts for Your allowing us to find each other down here on Earth! We thank You for bringing us together as a Family. For we are truly blessed to celebrate the Birth of Your Most Holy Son, here together. We thank you for this delicious meal that has been prepared for us so lovingly by our very own Chef. We ask that You bless it to the nourishment of our bodies. And we ask that you allow those who have gone before us to know the many ways they are here with us today. With ever grateful and thankful hearts, we thank you for our food and fellowship together as one. Amen!"
"Amen!" said all.
"Bon Appetite!" said the Chef.
And everyone started passing the Food around the two Tables.
Rosemary took it upon herself to serve the Children, and as the Puppies seemed hungry too, she walked to the Kitchen to see if she could find some Barley.
"It's already fixed. On the stove, Rosemary, in the Pot on the back burner!" called Bill.
"Thanks, Bill, got it!"
She returned with three small bowls on a tray filled with Barley for the Puppies, who were as excited as everyone at the tables!
"Here, Rosie, come sit with me!" smiled Lee.
Rosemary did and reached to kiss her dear husband, who tenderly touched her tummy, both remembering their tiny Child inside on this Christmas Day!
The Couples all smiled at each other and their Loves, all so happy to be with each other and their entire Hope Valley Family on this special Christmas Day.
"Bill, you have positively outdone yourself," exclaimed Nathan, amazed. "Each meal, you continue to surprise us! This is an extraordinary Christmas Feast! Our Hats off to the Chef!"
Then Nathan stood to lead a Toast, "To our Mentor, our Friend, the Head of our Family, and our Favorite Chef!"
"Hear, hear!" added Aaron.
Bill beamed.
"The only person, we're missing is Gabe. Has anyone heard from him?" asked Bill.
"Thanks to Allie's idea, she and I actually called him to see if he had remembered to get Lillian a Gift," explained Elizabeth.
"Please tell me the Boy did at least buy her a Gift!" begged Bill.
"Yes, he did. Now, what, he wouldn't tell us, but he assured us she would like it. So, I guess we're just going to have to trust him! He is having Dinner with her tonight at the Orphanage with the Children."
"Why did Allie think about reminding him to get Lillian's Gift?" asked a curious Adeline.
"Well, she realized she was missing an Auntie, and figured he needed a little prodding," explained Elizabeth. "So, she and the Boys would have an even number of Aunties and Uncles!"
"A little prodding? That poor Boy needs all the prodding he can get. I've never in my life seen a young man so inept at Romance!" and Bill just shook his head.
"Yes, and you, Gramps, better watch out! Allie will be after you next!" teased Lee.
"I'm perfectly fine as I am, thank you, Lee!"
Allie overheard, "Yes, we love Gramps just like he is!"
"Thank you, my Sweet Allie! Much appreciated!" and Nathaniel blew her a kiss.
Nathan and Elizabeth were holding hands, well Elizabeth had laid her hand on Nathan's thigh and he had covered her hand with his own, when suddenly, Elizabeth let out a shriek!
"Felicity! You have an Engagement Ring!"
"Let me see right now!" demanded AJ.
Felicity blushed all Shades of Red, and so did Aaron!
But she proudly lifted her hand across the table so that both Women could see it, then turned to her side so Rosemary could also see it.
"It's stunning, Felicity! Congratulations you two! This is wonderful!" enthused Elizabeth.
"It's absolutely beautiful, Felicity! Aaron, you did a great job! Congratulations!" complimented Rosemary.
"I'm thrilled. Couldn't be happier, and it's absolutely stunning! I love it!" said an overjoyed Adeline.
The Ring was a beautiful Solitaire Round Diamond although the Antique Setting made it almost look Square-Shaped. But, of course, the most important thing, was that the Couple was just so happy and excited to finally be making it official!
They literally couldn't keep their eyes off each other!
"Nathan, do we have any news from you and Elizabeth?" prodded Bill, none too shyly.
"Bill!" that one came from Elizabeth.
"Bill!" that one came from Adeline.
"Bill!" that one came from Rosemary, and was probably the most rebuke-filled one!
"I was just asking," he said trying to sound all innocent.
"No Bill, no news as of yet, but I promise you'll be among the first to know!" assured Nathan, calmly. "And it isn't because I don't love her. I love her with all my heart and would marry her this very second, but we've just decided to wait a bit if you must know."
He did, however, look intently at Elizabeth to make sure she was not regretting their decision to wait.
She tightened her grip on his hand, then reached up to kiss him.
"Well, if no ring, at least tell us what you gave each other for Christmas! Something romantic, I presume!" demanded Bill.
"I got Nathan a Typewriter!" announced Elizabeth proudly.
"And I got Elizabeth a Camera for our…" and then Nathan caught himself. "I got Elizabeth a Camera to have for every day, with the Children and all.
Of course, Nathan was deciding not to explain the "and all."
"A Typewriter and a Camera?" asked Bill incredulously. "That's about as romantic as a…"
That question and the utter look of chagrin on Bill's face caused Adeline to give him the death stare, daring him to say another word!
"Bill, he gave me a Diamond Necklace too, in the most romantic way ever on Christmas Eve!" explained Elizabeth, quickly defending her Nathan. "And the most beautiful Musical Jewelry Chest he handmade for me, among other things I won't mention!"
"Well, thank Heavens!" and then Bill stopped when he noticed Adeline's glare still there.
"Sorry, I mean…sorry, Darlin'! Sorry, Elizabeth!"
"Son, you two take your time. There's not a thing wrong in the world with that! And those Gifts sound pretty romantic to me. We all know you both are madly in love with each other, and that's what's important!" said Nathaniel, coming to the Couple's rescue.
"Well, have you two set a date, Felicity?" asked Adeline, trying desperately to change the subject and get her Fiancee off what seemed to be his one-track mind.
"Yes, it will be the second weekend in May, but the bad news is, Daddy and Mama, are insisting we come Home to be married there!" explained Felicity.
"And we really can't argue as Felicity is their only Daughter. Also, it will be a lot closer for my Parents to travel to. But we hate it that you all can't be with us," added Aaron. "I wanted you all to stand up with me, but now, I suppose, Felicity's Brothers are going to have to fill in."
"Oh, we understand. Don't worry at all about that! We'll just miss seeing you get married. But we'll have a big Reception here in Hope Valley when you get back and be sure to bring lots of Wedding Pictures for us!" consoled Nathan.
"Oh, a Hope Valley Reception would be wonderful, Nathan. I so want you all included!" and everyone could tell Felicity really meant it.
"Well, there just might be a bit of more Wedding related news," hinted Adeline.
And Bill took her smile as the signal he was waiting on, stood from his seat at the Head of the Table, and proudly announced, "Adeline and I have set a date for our Wedding!"
"Tell us, Bill, we can't stand the suspense!" begged Rosemary.
"We're getting married on February 13th and leaving on our Honeymoon the next day, on Valentine's Day!"
Adeline was beaming, and the group quickly noticed, so was Bill.
Nathan rose again, "What wonderful Christmas News! Now, we have two Weddings to toast. Felicity and Aaron, Congratulations on your Engagement, upcoming Wedding, and extra Reception back in Hope Valley. Adeline and Bill, Congratulations on setting the Wedding Date and your upcoming Wedding! I'm sure I speak for all of us, when I say, we couldn't be prouder or happier for both of you Couples. You both are Family and we love you! Congratulations, we wish you both many happy years of Contentment, Love, and Joy together!"
Everyone quickly added their Congratulations with a round of Kisses and Hugs for all!
And yes, there were a few tears shed, but all of them were happy tears. Very happy tears, indeed!
"Adeline, that gives us less than a month and a half for your Wedding. We'll have to get busy, immediately!" warned Rosemary, but so excited to do so.
"I can't wait," piped in Elizabeth. "Felicity, you'll have to help us and practice for yours!"
"For sure, wouldn't miss it, Adeline!"
"And with that, Ladies and Gentlemen, Dessert is served! Excuse me," and Bill retired to the Kitchen, while Adeline and the other Ladies jumped up to clear the tables.
Adeline returned with a selection of fancy Christmas Crackers beautifully arranged on a silver tray for both the Adults and Children, who promptly pulled them and checked out their bounty of goodies!
There were Crown Hats, Trinkets, Whistles, and even fun Christmas Riddles that everyone shared with each other!
Of course, no one could guess the answers, but it sure was fun trying. Although Nathaniel got pretty close each time!
And everyone looked so adorable in their Crown Paper Hats!
"I think you look the best, Darling," teased Elizabeth.
"No, definitely you, Love!" and Nathan reached to kiss her.
Next Bill appeared with the perfect Assortment of Christmas Desserts. There was a Queen's Mother Cake, light and airy with Mixed Berries on the Side, followed by a Traditional Christmas Pudding, and a Selection of Mince Pies!
He even brought a separate tray of Iced Christmas Cookies, some Sugar, some Gingerbread, for the Children, of every imaginable shape and size!
And Adeline poured Christmas Punch for all, a Virgin Mix for the Children of course, and a Special Mix for the Adults!
There was also Eggnog for those who preferred that! As well as Coffee and Mulled Wine.
The Children were happy with their selection of Cookies, sneaking a few to Rex, Reggie, and Ollie when the Adults weren't looking!
The Adults were just thrilled with their Selection of Desserts and each other, as well as spending time with Family.
"I've never been happier," declared Bill as he reached to kiss Adeline. "This is the way Christmas Dinner is supposed to be!"
And everyone joyfully concurred…
After all the Desserts were tried, and even Lee couldn't eat another bite, suddenly, there was a loud "HO, HO, HO!" at the Door of the Café!
As the Door opened, there was Santa himself, resplendent in his traditional red outfit trimmed in lots of white fur and tall black boots!
"I thought I'd better come check on those Puppies, to see how they're doing since I delivered them earlier!" said Santa.
All three Children immediately ran to him, each carrying their Prized Puppy!
"I see, this one's Rex, and this one's Reggie, and Ollie, I knew I'd recognize you all! See, Santa knows their names!"
And Santa grabbed them all up, "How do you like your new Masters and Mistress? Are they being good to you?"
He put each one to his ear to hear their answer, "Why, they're as happy as can be! You three just keep up the good work! Right now, I've got more Presents to deliver, so you'll have to hold them tight!
"Here, let's gather around the Christmas Tree," suggested Santa.
All the Children excitedly followed him, happily sitting on the floor in front of the gorgeous tree, each holding their Puppy, mesmerized as they anxiously watched Santa…
Santa reached for a large beautifully wrapped Package, "This one says, Miss Alexandra Rose Grant! This one is for Frederic Coulter and this one is for Jack Thornton, Jr. and they're all from Gramps with Lots of Love!"
Before the Children even started to unwrap their Presents, they ran to their Gramps and gave him three big Hugs, along with Kisses!
Nathaniel was thrilled, hugging and kissing them all!
Then the three quickly ran back to their task at hand…
All three Packages were full of Fishing Goodies, including Boots, Hats, Heavy Duty Gloves, Life Jackets, Waders, Fishing Lure Sets, and Tackle Boxes (except for Jack who already had the one Nathan had made him that was geared more to his size; Nathaniel was going to save his larger one for when he grew much bigger).
Each Box also held the cutest Fishing Outfits for Children anyone had ever seen! Allie, Jack, and Frederic were thrilled, as they knew there were going to be many hours of fun ahead in warmer weather, with the three of them spending time Fishing together with their Gramps!
"And we mustn't forget the Adults!" reminded Santa as he handed out four beautifully wrapped smaller Gifts to each Couple.
"These are all from Nathaniel! But I must warn his Gifts were much too big for old Santa to get in his Sleigh and carry here to place under the Christmas Tree, so you're getting smaller replicas!" explained Santa enthusiastically.
As the Couples opened their Gifts, they each lifted out little Wooden Canoes, still not quite understanding exactly what their actual Gifts were…"
Nathaniel let out a raucous laugh, then explained, "Well, as soon as Nathan gets this Lodge built, we'll all be spending a lot of time together at the Lake, so I thought what better Christmas gift but Canoes for each couple! They'll be in the Lake on our first Trip there together! And each will have your Names on them. The Grants, The Coulters, The Lathams, and The Averys!"
Nathan and Elizabeth stole a radiant smile for each other, upon hearing themselves described out loud as a Couple with what would be their Married Name together for the first time.
Well, you can imagine the excitement when the full impact of Nathaniel's Gifts all sank in, especially for Nathan, the avid Fisherman of the group!
But Bill, Lee, and Aaron seemed almost just as excited!
And the Ladies weren't far behind!
What fun this was going to be!
Hours on the Lake…fishing, drifting, just enjoying the water.
"And there'll be Life Jackets in each Canoe!" added Nathaniel.
"You are the best, Nathaniel! What a tremendous Gift! We'll enjoy this for many Years to come! Especially with you being there with us! Thank you," and Nathan got up to give Nathaniel a big bear hug!
And the others quickly followed.
"I'd better get back to passing out these Gifts!" said Santa. "Because we've got lots of them!"
"This next one is for Judge Avery, and it's from Allie, Jack, and Frederic!"
Well, the kids came running to their Uncle Bill, wanting to see him up close as he opened their Gift!
"I'll be! Look at this! You couldn't have gotten me a single thing I needed more!" and the Judge held up a brand new beautiful Wooden Gavel with a Wooden Box and Brass Plaque engraved with his Name and the Children's Names!
"Do you like it, Uncle Bill?" asked Allie.
"I love it, Allie! You three will be a part of every important decision I make as a Judge from here on out! I love it!" and Bill had tears in his eyes! "It's almost like now, I'm officially a real Judge!"
Adeline reached to kiss him after the Children had finished with theirs! She knew exactly what this meant to him, and to come from the Children made it perfect!
Next, we have another Present from Allie, Jack, and Frederic. Now, let's see who it's for…"
And Santa started walking to Nathaniel!
The box was large and gorgeous, tied with a huge red bow.
Nathaniel had the most stunned look when he opened it…
"It's a Wall Case for Lures! Nathan, did you make this? It's simply stunning!"
"I did, very proudly so. I hope you like it. But open it up…" he insisted.
"I love it, Son! I love it!" and Nathaniel truly meant it.
Inside was the most beautiful Collection of Hand Tied Lures that could be found in the whole Country.
"I don't know what to say. These are exquisite. They're just perfect. The case is perfect and something I don't have. I love it all. Thank you, Nathan! Thank you, Children! I'll treasure them, even more since they came from you all!"
The Children were free with their kisses, especially the sloppy ones from Little Jack!
Next, came a Collection of Three Dress Pins from the Children for Adeline, followed by a Collection of Three Charms for Felicity also from the Children, all having to do with her new Hope Valley Bookstore. The Children had Fur-Trimmed Leather Gloves for Rosemary and Leather Riding Gloves for Lee and his Motorcycle!
Needless to say, everyone was thrilled with their Gifts!
Nathan and Elizabeth gave Aaron a Suede Leather Jacket from the Ranch, as he had admired Nathan's and he was so happy and surprised. They gave Felicity a Cashmere Wrap she had admired from Rosemary's Shoppe. And of course, the Pave Ruby Cuff Links for Rosemary and the Cuff Links for Lee that had been purchased in Union City were a huge surprise and an even bigger hit!
Nathaniel was thrilled with his Diamond Cuff Links and Tie Pin, and announced, "I'll be wearing these to Court for my big case. They're bound to bring me luck! These are so Snazzy! And quite Elegant, I might add!"
"Just like you, Nathaniel. Snazzy and Elegant! We love you so much!" and Elizabeth went to kiss him.
When Bill opened his Briefcase, and read the engraving, he actually shed a tear, "You two, between this and my new Gavel, I really am going to feel like a real Judge! This is the best ever!"
Not to be left out, Adeline couldn't help but shed a tear, when she opened her Crystal Candle Stick Holders from Nathan and Elizabeth, "How did you all do this? They match my Mother's Bowl exactly. I love them! And yes, Bill did replace the broken Bowl! You're now officially out of the Doghouse, Love!"
No one was left out of the Gift giving, so Santa definitely got a workout! He had Bill and Adeline's Gifts still to pass out, and Rosemary and Lee's, as well as Aaron and Felicity's.
But the most important thing and everyone knew it, even the Children, went way beyond the Gifts. The Gifts were wonderful and were so specifically chosen for each individual person with care and love. And every recipient did indeed love them!
But it was simply love that was most important!
The Family being together on this most special of Days was loved even more so…because that was the most Special Gift of All! Each other!
There were jokes, stories, more munching of Desserts and Drinks, along with a strong feeling of belonging and pure happiness.
This was where each was meant to be, here in Hope Valley with each other, their Extended Family, their Hope Valley Family.
There was a whole lot of love in the Café for sure, on this Christmas Day; so much so, no one wanted to go Home!
In fact, the Women and Children stayed there together as the Men left for a quick set of Rounds in which Lee even joined in, so they could break Rounds up four ways, and make it that much quicker for all concerned to get back to their Families...
Oh, and in case you're wondering, Santa, who looked eerily like the real thing, stayed in character the entire time during his visit, with that laugh that couldn't have been more authentic!
And if you had asked Frederic, he would have told you that Beard was on to stay!
Because that curious little Boy had tested it for himself!
But, as Santa slipped out the back Kitchen Door of the Café, he may or may not have taken some Leftovers with him.
Just suffice it to say, Hickam had a very bountiful and delicious Christmas Supper! One you might recognize, that consisted of Goose with Stuffing and all the Trimmings, along with Multiple Christmas Desserts, including a piece of Queen Mother's Cake, a bit of Christmas Pudding, and even a few Mince Pies.
In fact, the very same Supper as Seth had at the Livery!
But then again, perhaps the Men delivered the Meal to Hickam, knowing he was Home alone, along with delivering Seth's Christmas Meal.
Either way, it was a very good Christmas Night for everyone, indeed…even Santa!
Perhaps especially for Santa…as he sat eating his Golden Stuffed Goose and all the Trimmings, sharing with Mrs. Claus.
"HO, HO, HO, Mrs. Claus, just wait till you see all the Christmas Desserts I got us from my last stop of the Day! Perfection! Oh, and there were three of the cutest little Puppies you've ever seen named Rex, Reggie, and Ollie! So much love, Mrs. Claus! So much love!"
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a Good-Night." (44*)
(44*) "Twas The Night Before Christmas," Clement Clarke Moore, 1905, Public Domain