Upon trying to contact the Coulters, Brian had learned that Rosemary and Lee had actually headed for Brookfield with the lumber crew. He did however chat briefly with his sisters, Molly insisting that Florence would not mind excusing the girls briefly from school to talk to him. Brian had waited by the phone in headquarters while Bridget and Ivy were fetched from their schoolhouse. Brian had to admit that he felt better about explaining the situation to the girl's in person than giving them a message. He was able to reassure his sisters that he was still coming to visit for the same length of time. The only thing changing was the timing of that visit.
With the phone call to Hope Valley made, Brian and Gabriel left Clearwater. Gabriel did not wait long to begin explaining the situation to Brian in detail. His fellow Mountie deserved to know any information that might help him anticipate what situations in which Gabriel might not be able to assist him. When it came to the most recent incident though, Gabriel only told him that Lillian had been helping him take off the jacket and that the jacket had momentarily gotten caught resulting in the panic attack.
"It was the first time anything had triggered that kind of response," Gabriel told his fellow Mountie. "Yes, I experienced some periods of increased anxiety immediately following the abduction but it was different. Those times I had been thinking about what happened and what could have happened and felt them coming on. This panic attack came out of nowhere."
"Except that it had to do with your arms being restrained, like during the abduction," Brian commented.
"Yes," Gabriel said. "I have no doubt that it has something to do with that experience. I am just not sure exactly what all will trigger it. Though most of my duties around Brookfield do not involve physical contact with people, so things should be all right."
Brian nodded. "If a panic attack does come along, I will look out for the both of us," the younger man promised him.
"I appreciate you changing your plans to help me out."
"From what I heard, you did the same to help my sisters and me," Brian said. "The way I see it, I am returning that consideration."
Gabriel nodded his consent.
The two Mounties continued on in silence after that. It was getting close to dinner time as the approached the little town. Gabriel had invited Brian to eat with them. As the young man was helping him out, it seemed the least he could do for the young man. The fact that the Coulters had come to Brookfield, Gabriel expected they would be eating at the orphanage tonight as well. As they approached the big house set away from the little town, the two Mounties noticed two cars parked out in front of the house.
"Looks like there is more company than you expected," Brian commented.
"Lucas and Fiona were meeting with Lillian and Grace today. Perhaps they have stayed as well," Gabriel replied.
"Perhaps I should just head into town and have dinner at the hotel. I do not want to intrude or cause an inconvenience," Brian told him.
"You are already here," Gabriel told him. "Let's just go inside and see what is going on," Gabriel told him. He had no doubt that no matter how crowded the place was, Lillian, Eleanor and Grace would find a way to fit one more person around the table. That was just the type of people they were. "Besides, you still need to speak with the Coulters, right?"
Brian acquiesced to the logic. Still, the two Mounties secured their horses outside instead of taking them to the barn. That could be done after plans were discussed with Lillian and the others.
"I will be right back, boy," Gabriel told the black as he ran his hand along Apollo's neck.
Gabriel led the way into the kitchen entrance. Eleanor, Rosemary, and Fiona were working on the dinner prep. Grace's laughter mixed with the children floating in from another room told Gabriel that she was entertaining the children. Glancing around for his wife, he spotted her at the desk on the side of the room. She was standing behind the chair Billy was occupying, leaning over the desk.
Walking over in that direction, he realized that Billy was working on the sketch of the Grant family that he had started in Hope Valley. Next to the sketch, was a piece of paper on which Lillian was showing Billy shading techniques.
Lillian looked back over at Gabriel as he approached her. "Welcome, home," she said, a smile on her face.
Gabriel grinned. "I do not think I will ever get tired of that greeting," he told her quietly, before leaning in to give her a quick kiss.
Behind him he heard Rosemary greeting Brian happily. Letting Rosemary occupy the other Mountie for now, Gabriel let his attention remain on his family for a bit. With one arm around Lillian's waist he greeted Billy.
"Hello, Billy. Did you have a good day?"
The boy looked up from his drawing. "Hello, Dad. It was okay. I am glad you're home."
"You and me both," Gabriel told the boy. "The picture is looking good," he commented.
"Thank you," Billy replied. "However it is a portrait not just a picture," he corrected uneasily.
Lillian smothered her laugh behind her hand.
Gabriel smiled. "Then the portrait is looking good," he corrected easily.
"Mom has been helping me," Billy commented.
Gabriel looked at his new wife. "I did not realize you were an artist."
Lillian met his gaze. "I am sure there are other things to discover about one another, but sketching is a hobby of mine. Has been since I came to Brookfield. I learned some from my Mom and some from my Dad, though most of his drawings were engineering blue prints."
"Do I get to see some of your work sometime?"
Lillian nodded. "I will show you my sketchbook later," she told him.
"Mom is good," Billy commented, earning a blush from Lillian. "Dad, do you think I could mail this to Miss Thatcher when it is done. She said she wanted a sample of my work at some point. I thought she might like the picture of her sister's family."
Gabriel smiled. "I think that is a wonderful idea," he told the boy. "We can get a tube to put it in to mail it so it arrives safely in Hamilton."
"Thank you," Billy said, a smile on his face.
As Billy went back to working on his portrait, Gabriel gently turned Lillian to face the others in the room. Rosemary had already introduced Brian to Eleanor.
"Lillian, this is Constable Brian Peterson. Bridget and Ivy's older brother," Gabriel said, knowing that Lillian would remember the two little girls that she and he had come across driving back from Hope Valley over a year ago now. "Brian this is my wife, Lillian," he added before, looking to Lillian to explain the situation. "Brian is going to be working with me for a few days. I can see we already have a full house, but do you think you could feed one more?"
"Of course," Lillian said, without hesitation. "Welcome to Brookfield, Constable Peterson," Lillian greeted, extending her hand to the young Mountie.
"Thank you kindly, Mrs. Kinslow," Brian said easily as he shook the hand offered to him.
"Does this mean you are not coming to Hope Valley?" Rosemary asked.
"I am still coming," Brian assured her, looking at Rosemary. "My leave time is just being delayed by a few days. I called Hope Valley and talked to my sisters. They are already aware of the delay."
"Glad to hear that," Rosemary replied, looking relieved. "Those two girls have been looking forward to seeing you."
"I am looking forward to seeing them as well. As well as you and Lee," Brian replied.
"Brian and I should probably get the horses settled in the barn then," Gabriel said.
"Can I come with you?" Billy asked.
Gabriel nodded. "Get your coat on," he instructed, nodding to the pegs from which both Lillian's shawl and Billy's coat hung.
Billy went to gather up his supplies but Lillian spoke up. "You can clean that up when you come back, Billy," she told him gently.
Billy nodded and then went to get his coat. Shortly after, Billy and the two Mounties were heading outside to get the horses settled in the barn before dinner.
Lucas sat at the small table in the orphanage's kitchen and smiled across at the young girl sitting across from him. Lillian had spread a tablecloth on the table, and fancy plates and silverware sat at three places. Lucas had a feeling the dishes had probably belonged to Lillian's adoptive mother. A pinecone centerpiece sat in the middle of the table. Lucas appreciated the effort that Lillian had put into making this dinner festive.
"I made the centerpiece," Mary Louise informed him matter-of-factly as Fiona put small serving dishes of the food she had helped prepare on the table.
"You did a good job with it," Lucas told her.
"It is very pretty," Fiona added as she sat down in a chair next to Lucas. "Shall we say grace?" Fiona asked.
"I can say it," Mary Louise told them.
Lucas and Fiona nodded their consent and bowed their heads.
"Lord, thank you for the blessing of this food and a solid roof to eat it over. Thank you also for Mr. and Mrs. Bouchard who might be kind enough to give me a permanent home. Amen."
"Amen," Lucas managed, keeping his head bowed a few seconds longer to get his grin under control. The little girl was definitely direct. Beside him Fiona echoed the amen.
The three went about putting food on their places, the serving bowls being passed from person to person.
"So, what do you think about coming to live with me and Mr. Bouchard?" Fiona asked after the plates had been filled, echoing the young girl's directness.
"I guess it would be all right," Mary Louise said. "I mean I like it here and I would miss Brookfield, but I know Miss Lillian and Miss Grace wants all of us to eventually find a new family. But why do you want me? Everyone always seems to want to adopt the more sedate girls. Kind of like Miss Lillian."
Lucas felt a chuckle threatening again. Mary Louise would definitely not fit the definition of sedate, but then neither would Fiona.
"I admire Miss Lillian but no matter how hard I try, I always fail at behaving like her. It is hard," Mary Louise continued.
"Most people would not use sedate to describe me either," Fiona confessed. "However, just because we draw a bit more notice to ourselves does not mean there is anything wrong with us," Fiona told her.
Mary Louise had taken a bite of her fried chicken. She finished nodding and swallowed it before replying. "Miss Lillian has told me the same thing. She told me it is more important to have good behavior than to be calm and quiet in my behavior. Is that what sedate means?"
"Yes," Lucas told her. "Sedate is usually used to describe someone whose manner is calm, dignified and unhurried."
"That fits Miss Lillian," Mary Louise said. "It does not fit me. So, why do you want to adopt me?"
"Because I like your spirit, Mary Louise," Lucas told her. "You say what is on your mind. I admire honesty."
Mary Louise beamed.
The trio ate their food silently for a few moments before Mary Louise spoke again.
"Do you think the other kids would like me in Hope Valley?" Mary Louise asked. "The kids here, were not nice to us orphans, at first but I have made friends. Do you think I would make new friends in Hope Valley?"
"Yes, I think you would," Lucas told her.
"Hope Valley is very accepting of new people," Fiona told her. "I made friends right away though I was a duck out of water when I first came to the little town. The children are very accepting as well. You got along okay with Bridget and Ivy when you stayed with the Coulters, right?"
Mary Louise nodded. "Ivy and I are each others first pen pals," she said. "Though I have only written her one letter so far and both our letters were short. Neither of us knows a whole lot of words yet."
"You see, you already have one friend in Hope Valley," Lucas told her.
"I would hate leaving Virginia behind," Mary Louise commented, with a frown.
"Virginia?" Lucas asked.
"The cow," Fiona reminded him.
"Ah," Lucas replied. "I hear you are the one who takes care of Virginia."
"Yes," Mary Louise replied. "Though I am sure she will be well taken care of if I leave it is more than that. It is not even that I will miss her. She is just a cow. But, I feel the closest to my Dad when I am with her. I remember the times I spent with my Dad milking our cows."
Lucas glanced over at Fiona to catch her reaching up and wiping a couple of tears away.
"Would it help if we got you a cow if you came to live with us?" Lucas asked.
Mary Louise looked at him hopefully. "Would you?"
Lucas nodded. "There is room on the property to build a barn for a cow. I am sure I can find a cow to buy somewhere though I will tell you neither Mrs. Bouchard nor I know anything about cows."
"Speak for yourself," Fiona countered with an impish smile on her face. "I do know that cows are a source of milk."
Mary Louise giggled at the comment. Lucas chuckled himself.
"Fair enough," Lucas conceded.
"I know all about taking care of cows, and chickens, and pigs," Mary Louise replied seriously.
"Then I see no obstacle to having a cow if you want one," Lucas told her.
"Then I guess if you and Mrs. Bouchard are being kind enough to offer me a permanent home that I should be gracious enough to accept," Mary Louise replied.
"That makes me very happy to hear," Lucas told the little girl. "Is there anything about us or our home that you want to ask about?" he asked, fully prepared to be answering some very blunt questions. He wasn't disappointed as the first question Mary Louise asked was if she would get her own room and would she have a bed time.
Lucas and Fiona did their best to field all of the questions Mary Louise asked openly and honestly. Dinner continued as did the conversation. All three had cleared their plates when Mary Louise asked a question that made Fiona and Lucas hesitate with an answer.
"What would I call you?" Mary Louise asked.
Lucas looked over at Fiona. If they were having a baby, it would not even have been an issue. As the child started talking the child would be taught to call them some form of Mother and Father. It had not even occurred to either of them to discuss the topic. Thankfully, Lillian and Grace had prepared them for the situation and with a nod from Fiona, Lucas bridge the topic exactly how they had been advised to.
"What would you feel comfortable calling us, Mary Louise?" Lucas asked the girl.
Mary Louise looked down at her empty plates. For the first time ever, the girl seemed hesitant to speak. However, while still looking at the plate, she quietly replied.
"I do not remember my mom. It would nice to have a mom but I also do not want anyone to replace my Dad."
"I am not trying to replace your Dad, Mary Louise," Lucas said, reaching across the table to take one of the girl's hands that rested on the table. Mary Louise looked up at him at the gesture. "Your Dad will always have a special place in your life. His memory and the things he taught you are a part of you. A very special part that Mrs. Bouchard and I hope you will share with us at some point."
"But only if you want to share," Fiona added gently.
"It would be silly if I referred to Mrs. Bouchard as Mom and called you Mr. Bouchard. I know Billy used Mountie Gabe's first name for a while but that doesn't work well for me either," Mary Louise told him.
Lucas nodded his consent of the girl's words. "There are other forms of address that children use for their fathers," he ventured. "Would you feel comfortable with one of those?"
"Calling you father would seem too stuffy," Mary Louise stated.
Lucas grinned. Beside him, Fiona let out a short giggle.
"All right. What about Papa?" Lucas suggested.
"Too childish," Mary Louise replied.
"I called my father, Pa," Fiona told the girl.
There was a pause as Mary Louise mouthed the word 'Pa' clearly trying to decided how it sounded to her. Lucas and Fiona waited patiently.
"Pa would work," Mary Louise finally declared. Her pensive look changed to a happy smile as she looked across the table at Lucas and Fiona. "I am going to have a Mom and a Pa again," she stated.
The smile faded as quickly as it appeared though. Before Lucas could ask Mary Louise what was wrong though the girl voiced her concern.
"Miss Grace is going to marry Mr. Stewart next month. I do not want to miss her wedding."
"You won't," Lucas promised her. "I know the Coulters and the Grants are planning on coming to Brookfield for it. Even if Mrs. Bouchard and I cannot get away, we will find someone to bring you to Brookfield."
Mary Louise response did not come in words. Instead, the girl got up from her chair and hurried around the table. Though Lucas was surprised when she threw her arms around him, he quickly recovered and hugged the girl close.
Nathan had told him to start simply by loving the child. As he held her close, Lucas knew that part was not going to be hard.
Later that night, Gabriel laid in bed waiting for Lillian to join him. The Coulters were using Billy's room tonight while the Bouchards were at the Royal Brookfield. Gabriel had gotten Brian Peterson settled in the apartment behind the Mountie office. It had not taken long for Gabriel to get the three boys settled in Christian and Vincent's room tonight, but apparently despite it only being Mary Louise, Lillian was not having the same ease with the girl tonight.
Gabriel was about to go see what was going on when Lillian finally entered the room. Stepping into the room, Lillian closed the bedroom door behind her.
"Is everything all right?" Gabriel asked her, putting aside the paper he had been reading from.
Lillian nodded as she untied her robe and draped it over the back of the armchair for easy access if she needed it during the night.
"Mary Louise was just excited and nervous about the prospect of leaving for Hope Valley with Lucas and Fiona the day after tomorrow," Lillian told him as she approached the bed.
Gabriel held back the blankets to let her slip into bed beside him.
"She even asked if she was being selfish wanting one more day at school so she could say good-bye to her friends," Lillian told him. "I assured her it was perfectly natural to want to say a proper good-bye."
"I am glad Lucas and Fiona are not rushing her," Gabriel said as he and Lillian settled down in bed. He felt Lillian's hair against his chin as she settled her head on his shoulder. "This is a big change for Mary Louise."
"It is, but I think it will be good for her as well," Lillian replied. "Lucas and Fiona will make good parents for her given her spirited nature. I know they will set rules but I think Mary Louise will fit in better with them than she did here. She never quite fit with the other children, though she seemed happy. I hope she was happy here."
"You give all these children a wonderful home while they are with you, Lillian. Never doubt that," Gabriel told her. Placing a couple of fingers under her chin, he titled her head up so that he could press his lips against hers.
Lillian responded to the kiss, applying pressure against his lips as she placed a hand flat against his chest. The kiss had a languid feel to it, which was in sharp contrast to Gabriel's racing heart. Though he did not want to end it, Gabriel eventually broke the kiss, drawing in a deep breath even as Lillian rested her head against him again, her own breaths coming quickly.
Reaching out with one hand, Gabriel put out the lamp beside the bed. He then wrapped the arm around Lillian, holding his wife close to him.
"How are you feeling about another child leaving?" Gabriel asked her, remembering her brief melancholy spell when Sophia had left.
"I am all right," Lillian assured him. "This feels different. Maybe because you and Billy are here with me now. Perhaps it has to do with all that needs to be done for Grace's wedding and the building projects. Or maybe it is simply because Mary Louise is going to be close enough that I know I will see her again. Whatever it is though, I do not feel the same sense of emptiness as when Ellie and then Sophia left."
"I guess I will not have a reason to share a slice of chocolate cake with you when she leaves then," Gabriel said lightly.
"We can still share a piece of chocolate cake when the Bouchards leave with Mary Louise," Lillian told him. "I have enough acting skills to put on a pout if need be."
Gabriel chuckled. "No pout necessary," he assured her. "You can have your chocolate cake."
"Good," Lillian replied even as her hand came to rest on his cheek. "Now, what about you? How did the trip to Clearwater go?"
Relaxing into his wife's gentle touch, Gabriel told her about his talk with Patrick O'Reilly. "Brian is going to ride with me until Patrick can get here, just in case something comes up," Gabriel told her. "Once Patrick gets here, he and I will start trying to figure out what may trigger a panic attack and how to get past it. If we can't, then I may be making my mother happy and looking for another career path."
"No matter what happens, you will not face it alone. I will be right by your side," Lillian assured him.
Gabriel did not put his gratitude into words. Instead, his lips found Lillian's in the dark and he let his kiss tell her how much his support meant to him.