I did not think it would take me so long to finish this, but here it finally is - the final chapter of my story. I knew I had to do a lot of research to do it justice, thus one of the reasons why it took so long. As I was editing earlier today, I cried, because of the love that i have for these characters. I may not have developed them, but I hope I gave them the happy endings that they all deserve. Thank you for going on this journey with me, I know that it has given me a great deal of peace after the finale of season 8. I hope it helps you also.


Chapter 20 The Story of a Family

March 5, 1975, Regina, SK, Canada

Allie stepped out of her husband's Mercedes Benz, stretched her long legs, pulled the hem of her skirt down and pulled her coat closed. She knew she should have worn pants. The chill from the air caught her breathe for a moment. It was slightly warmer than back home in Hope Valley, but not by much. Luckily it was not snowing, just horribly cold.

Scattered throughout the parking lot, she watched doors open, and the Grant family entourage started to spill from their vehicles. The backdoor on the car opened, and Allie reached to stop the door from hitting the car next to them as her grandchildren exited from the backseat. Connor was 7 and Joy was 10, and when court was not in session, she loved spending as much time with them as she could. Being a Canadian Supreme Court judge was the pinnacle of her career, and even though most of her colleagues waited until 75 to retire, she was considering going within the next year at 69. She was ready to spend more time with her family. Her husband, Ben, came around the back of the car to help assist with the children. Behind their car, their daughter's VW van pulled in. Through the window, their daughter, Bridget, looked slightly haggard, and her husband Josh looked no better. Through the enclosed windows, baby Grace was screaming at the top of her lungs. The trip from Hope Valley two days before had not been the easiest with the three children in tow, so Allie and Ben volunteered to corral the older two while the weary parents managed baby Grace.

Allie was proud of her daughter and her accomplishments. Just like herself, Bridget met her husband while in law school, Josh focusing on Environmental Law, and Bridget, Human Rights Law. They were both huge advocates for the greater good and were often found protesting for their respective causes and representing those cases in court. They started their family shortly after they were married, and thought they were done until baby Grace came into their life's years later. Despite the demands of their careers, Bridget and Josh were amazing parents, and introduced the children to as much of the world as they could.

Allie bent down to make sure that Connor and Joy were bundled up against the cold. The children were dressed in their best, as was the rest of the family. It was a huge day for the family - history in the making.

"It always amazes me how intimidating this family looks when it is altogether. And to think this isn't everyone", her best friend of over 55 years said as she approached Allie. Opal Weiss Cantrell was still as happy and kind as she had been when they were children. Her demeanor had served her well as a teacher in their beloved Hope Valley. Behind her was her husband of almost 48 years. Phillip Cantrell returned to his childhood home of Hope Valley after he graduated from high school to work in the factory. Hope Valley had always held a special place in his heart, and he was drawn to return to the one place he seemed the happiest in his life. He ran into Opal that summer, and quickly they started spending time together. Just as she was getting ready to leave to attend the Calgary Normal School to earn her teachers certificate, Phillip asked to court her, and she accepted. Every other weekend, he made the trip to Calgary to spend a day with her, and when she finally came home to start teaching at the Hope Valley School under Mrs. Thornton, things became even more serious. At the end of the school year, Phillip asked her to marry him, and she happily said yes. They had a small but beautiful wedding that summer when their friends were home from college.

Phillip's father, Shane, came back to Hope Valley for the ceremony, and quickly remembered why he loved the small town. He immediately felt back at home and welcomed by his former neighbors. He noticed Elizabeth Thornton from across the church, sitting with Little Jack, as she did him, and they both gave each other a little wave as the ceremony was starting. At the reception at the Queen of the Valley, he approached her and thanked her for all the kindness and help that she had given to himself and Phillip so many years before. Elizabeth introduced him to Little Jack, and after conversing for a while, he asked Elizabeth to dance. The pair danced multiple times throughout the night, all the while, both having huge smiles on their faces. Being that their situations were very much the same - widowed at a young age and raising their sons alone, they shared an instant connection. After the wedding, Elizabeth and Shane corresponded by writing letters to each other, but Shane returned to Hope Valley several months later, ready to start a new chapter in his life. Shane Cantrell and Elizabeth Thornton were officially courting, and no one was surprised when he proposed to her 6 months later, and they were married shortly thereafter. They both knew that life was too short, and they wanted to live the rest their lives to the fullest, side by side.

Whenever Allie thought of Elizabeth, her first friend in Hope Valley was never far behind. Lucas Bouchard had been gone for many years now, but the legacy he left behind in Hope Valley, and Canada, was just as important as Elizabeth's. Finally choosing to make Hope Valley his forever home, Lucas was able to appreciate the world around him, fighting and petitioning for the National Parks Act, and it was finally realized in 1930. By then he had created a mountain resort to rival Banff. The Chateau of the Woods was an undertaking when it was built but turned into a gorgeous vision that only Lucas Bouchard could envision when he developed the project. The building was in the style of a massive French chateau, but completely made of wood and logs. All the lumber was supplied by Coulter lumber, and Lucas spared no expense to create what he hoped would be his legacy. The five-story chateau contained 100 rooms, two restaurants plus a cafe, outdoor shop, banquet facilities, gardens, and patios to take in the views of the mountains around it. Over the years, the chateau had brought in thousands of visitors into the area, making Hope Valley a major entrance into Jasper National Park. While working on the National Parks Act, Lucas met the woman who was the love of his life, Emilee LaPointe. She was born and raised in Quebec, not overly flashy, but extremely intelligent, and an advocate for the environment. Lucas and Emilee never had any children, and after his death, Emilee sold the resort to the parks service and split the proceeds up to benefit the causes Lucas believed in - the environment and literacy. A new library was built in his remembrance. It was two stories, built to resemble a smaller version of The Chateau of the Woods, and near the church along the shores of the pond. It was full of windows, comfortable chairs, tables for students to study, and packed with more books than anyone could ever read in their lifetime. Eventually, smaller libraries were built in surrounding areas, all a part of the Southern Alberta District Library Consortium. Until those were built, every two weeks a mobile library traveled to those smaller communities, bringing Lucas's love of books to others who were not as fortunate has he had been.

Allie looked on as most of her siblings approached her. Isabelle had married Andrew Coulter shortly after she finished receiving her teaching certificate, making Hope Valley their home. Andrew now ran Coulter Lumber, which had grown larger than Lee Coulter had ever dreamed of. Being the supplier of materials for The Chateau of the Woods made them one of the most prominent lumber companies in Canada. Andrew learned from his parents what true love looked like, and he found that in Isabelle. The two of them were blessed with children from the early days of their marriage, and Lee and Rosemary loved dotting on their grandchildren.

Her baby brother Archie arrived into the world shortly after Allie left for college, but that did not stop her from developing a strong bond with him as he grew up. During her summer breaks she spent a great deal of time with him, and when she moved back to Hope Valley, she continued to spend as much time with him as she could. She didn't want him to ever think that because there was an 18-year gap in age that she wouldn't love him as much as the others. Today he lived in Calgary, working as an Inspector with the Mounties. Allie thought he was just as handsome as their dad, but smart like their mom. He was blessed to be a good mix of both of their parents. He was dressed in his Inspector uniform and had his wife Charlotte on his arm. They had 4 children, but only their daughter Jane, the youngest, made the trip with them. She was 14, and much like her grandmother, she wanted to make the world a better place. She wore a smart looking red peacock coat and black earmuffs over her dress and tall boats.

Allie's sister-in-law, Greta, joined the growing group, surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Today was an important day for their family, as it was the last graduation ceremony that her brother Caleb would be a part of. Caleb was retiring from the Mounties, and ready to focus on his wife and family more than he had been able to in years. Being an instructor at Depot for the last 10 years, he had a hand in training hundreds, if not thousands, of Mounties, including his son and nephew. But today was the pinnacle of his career, and to him, nothing else would top what was happening today.

Bringing up the rear were two of the proudest parents Allie had ever seen. Her sister Colleen was the spitting image of her namesake, and still looked so much like herself. She was on the arm of her husband, Jack Thornton. It was no surprise to their family when Colleen and Jack decided to date, even though Jack was 4 years older than Colleen. Colleen had always adored Jack, and she always said she was going to marry him. Jack did not always feel the same-she was like a kid sister to him. When he left for college in Toronto, Colleen was the furthest thing from his mind. Jack attended the University of Toronto to study business. As much as he admired the Mounties, he knew he wanted to continue the family business and step into his Grandpa Thatcher's shoes and run Hamilton Shipyards. During his years in school, Jack dated a few girls here and there, and during the summers, he stayed in Hamilton to learn the business. The first summer he took a job working on a ship to experience the nitty gritty of the business. He then worked in the offices at the shipyards, before finally spending his last summer before his forth year working directly with Charles Kensington, his mother's old friend and president of the company. After graduation, Jack finally made the trip back to Hope Valley, along with his mother and stepfather who had traveled to Toronto for his graduation, where he was greeted by the Grants and the Coulters. The only one missing was Colleen. Jack did not run into Colleen for several days, until one day he was walking near the pond, and caught sight of the most beautiful young woman he had ever seen. At first, he thought it was Allie, then realized it was Colleen. She smiled her dad's crooked smile, and he was hooked. Colleen was accepted to the University of Toronto and planned on studying law like her mother and sister. By the time Colleen was scheduled to leave for school, they were officially courting. They traveled to Toronto together, seldom spending more than a couple of days apart. Jack asked her to marry him the day she graduated from college, enjoyed a two-year engagement while she was in law school before finally getting married in their childhood home of Hope Valley. The ceremony and reception took place at The Chateau of the Woods, an experience that many of their Hamilton and Toronto friends would never forget. It was a glorious day, the bringing together of the Thornton and Grant families. Nathan, Elise, Elizabeth, and Shane beamed as they watched their two families become one, with Lee and Rosemary joining them, knowing that this tied all three families together through the sanctity of marriage.

Colleen and Jack called Hamilton home for the first ten years of their marriage. There, their son Thomas, named after his great grandfather, Thomas Thornton, was born. When Tommy was 8, they discovered they were expecting again, this time, twins. Colleen and Jack decided to return home to Hope Valley to raise their growing family. They felt it was a good time, as their parents were starting to slow down and not able to travel to Hamilton as often as they once used to. By this time, Hamilton Shipyards had now become Hamilton Shipping Company, and had expanded into trucking. In the years with Jack at the helm, the company had become the largest transport company in Canada. By moving to Hope Valley, Jack was able to move the trucking operations with him and offered his trucking office employees the opportunity to move to Hope Valley with him. Some said yes, some remained and transferred into the shipping side. Those that moved to Hope Valley were happy that they made the decision to leave Hamilton, as they immediately understood why their employer loved the little town so much. Colleen stepped into the family law practice and took over the legacy that her mother-in-law had created with her mother. The Thornton Scholarship continued to grow and keep giving, so much so that a foundation was created, Elizabeth's Hope. As was her hope over the years, Elizabeth's books sold out, demanding multiple reprints, and even after her death, the children of Hope Valley reaped the rewards of a legendary teachers work.

The twins were born on a cool, spring morning, one boy, one girl. It did not take long for the ecstatic parents to decide on names - Grant Jackson Thornton and Elise Elizabeth Thornton. All three of the grandparents were honored by the name choices and basked in being surrounded by all their children and grandchildren during the golden years of their lives.

On the other side of Colleen was Grant, handsome in his red surge. Grant had graduated from Depot the year before and was currently a constable in northern Alberta. Tagging behind them was Thomas and his wife and small children. The only ones missing were her beloved parents, Elizabeth and Shane, and Lee and Rosemary. They were all gone by now, but she knew that all six of the parents were looking down at their family, proud of who they had become and how they chose to live their lives. All of them had followed in the footsteps of their parents - running the family business or being a servant to the community that they had loved so much.


It was a busy weekend. Most of the family had arrived in Regina on Saturday, then spent Sunday together having meals and attending the graduation ceremony. Monday morning started by attending the swearing in ceremony. They then went to grab a quick lunch before the Sergeant Major's Parade. Most of the ladies carried a blanket to keep themselves and the children warm during the parade, and they hurried to the parade grounds as they heard the band coming down the road. By the time they arrived, the band had passed along with whom they were there to see, but the other troops in training were passing to the large space where the ceremony took place. Allie couldn't make out the faces in the distance, so she concentrated on the parade itself. She thought of the past, watching her dad, her brothers and nephew as they all took part in the same ceremony, either at their graduations or after training sessions. As the parade ended, the family proceeded to head back inside to the Depot gymnasium. A section of the stadium seats had been reserved for the large family, and they all finally found their seats, with Greta and the kids near the front and Colleen, Jack and Grant next to them, Thomas and his family behind, and the rest of the family filling in behind them.

Allie looked around the gymnasium and took in the camera crews present to record the historic event. They were not there a year ago when Grant graduated, but then, that was not considered historic. Officials within the RCMP were seated in the front of the audience, and a long table in front of them. There were more officials this time also, but once again, it was history in the making.

Right at the stroke of 1330, the sounds of boots marching reverberated inside the gymnasium, and a moment later the instructors entered in perfect formation. Behind them, two in a row, Troop 17, the very first graduating class of female Mounties, marched in behind them. Allie watched as Colleen grasped Jack's hand, and then her other arm raised as she pointed at her daughter as she marched out onto the floor. Dressed in the familiar red serge, Elise wore a skirt that hung just above her knees, black panty hose and saddle shoes with a one-and-a-half-inch pump heel. On her head was a black box hat, adorned with a gold ribbon and the Mountie insignia. Elise's normally jubilant face was void of emotion, but Allie could see, even from a distance, that her eyes were dancing, overflowing with excitement.


When the RCMP announced a year prior that they would be accepting applications for the first class of female Mounties, Elise went to her Papa Nathan, and asked his opinion. Nathan's health was declining, but he still was as sharp as ever. Ever since his beloved Elise had passed the year before, Nathan seemed to slip faster than any of them wanted to admit. That day, Nathan helped cement his granddaughter's decision. "Your nana wanted to be just like her daddy, but back then, it was not appropriate for woman to be constables, or Mounties. So, she went to law school, and did what she could to bring good into the world, to bring justice when needed. She was a remarkable woman, just like you are, and even though it would make me nervous, knowing what you're walking into, I could also never be prouder. Your nana would be extremely proud. You would blaze the trail for other young women, travel a road no other woman has traveled before." Elise was one of 292 women who applied, and one of the first 32 to be hired. When she told her parents that she intended to leave college and join the Mounties, her mother tried to stop her, but then her father stepped in, and stated that "It's in her blood".

When it was time to leave for her training, Elise bent over and hugged her Papa Nathan, and kissed him on the cheek, suspecting it may be the last time she was to see him alive. He pushed a piece of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail to behind her ear and whispered, "No matter what happens, we are proud of you. But always remember what is most important - it is love. Love of family, love of friends, and love of the person you find home with." She whispered back, "I know Papa, I love you." She kissed his cheek, and turned to walk away, but turned back to wave before she climbed into her car to drive away.

Nathan passed away in his sleep a month later. The loss of him was still raw on the family. It was hard to imagine them all being gone - her parents, the Coulters and the Cantrell's. But having them all in their lives, helping to influence their lives, made every member of their family richer because of it.


The new Mounties displayed their skills as they moved from one formation to the next. Finally, they marched into their line up and eased as two of their superiors approached the podium to speak. When the final speaker was done, Sergeant Major Caleb Grant was asked to approach the podium. He was saluted, then Caleb stepped behind the podium as he reached into his pocket to retrieve an envelope. He opened the envelope and slid a sheet of paper out of it, then unfolded it. He took a big breath, then began.

"My father was an extraordinary Mountie. When you think of one, he is exactly what you would

picture - brave, strong, intelligent, but more than that, he was kind. When my father found out that my niece had been accepted into the first class of female Mounties, he wrote this, not knowing he would not see this day. I found it in his Bible that he kept on his bedside hours after his passing, and I believe he was going to request to read it himself today. So, with agreement of my esteemed colleagues, these are the words of Inspector Nathan Grant of Hope Valley, Alberta.

"To serve one's country is an honor. The years that I served the North West Mounted Police, then the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, were truly an honor. Back in my day, there was a running joke that if the Mounties wanted you to have a wife, they would issue you one." Many in the audience chuckled, knowing that it was not just a joke. "It takes a special breed of woman to be a Mounties wife. It takes a special breed to be a Mounties child. I was extremely lucky to find that in my beloved Elise. We were very lucky to have that in our children – Allie, Caleb, Colleen, Isabelle, and Archie. And now I am lucky to say that about my grandchildren. It was with tremendous pride to watch…" Caleb paused as his throat caught on the words. "My son Caleb take the vows to be a Mountie, and then my son Archie do the same thing five years later. Then, many years later, watch my grandson Grant take those same vows. Even with all that pride, the pride and love that I have for my family is like no other. Our family is one that serves its country – through law enforcement, practicing the law, and education. And now, I can add my granddaughter to the growing list of my family that are following in the steps of those that came before them. To take the vows of a Mountie, to protect and serve her country. On both sides of her family, she is not only a generational peace maker, but a trail blazer for all of the young women that will follow behind her".

Allie found Elise in her formation, and even though she stood there at ease, looking straight ahead, tears were falling from her eyes, taking in the words of her beloved Papa.

"I wish so many things for my granddaughter and these young women who are committing to serve their country. Most of all, I wish that you find what I found in my Elise – the special breed it takes to be the life partner of someone who serves. To raise a family that makes you a better person. To find that love that will walk through fire with you if need be. Because at the end of the day, that is what truly matters.

"On my wedding day, her grandma, Elizabeth Thornton, recited "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost to my wife and me. The last stanza has stayed with me for years, and I think it is perfect for these young women who have stepped up to their calling, the calling in their hearts.

'I shall be telling this with a sigh,

Somewhere ages and ages hence;

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference'.

You all have chosen to take a road that few have traveled before you, none of them being women. The road is less traveled by, but you are clearing the way for those that will come after you, and to those women and the generations after you, that will make all the difference. Do so with passion, motivation, and at the end of the day, go home to the ones that love you the most. Because at the end of your life, that is what makes all of the difference".

Caleb folded the paper, put it back in its envelope, and returned it to the safety of his pocket. He then looked out into the audience at his wife and children, then his siblings and their families. He knew how true his father's words were – they were all living proof of it. Most of them had tears in their eyes, Allie touching her eyes with a handkerchief, all of them holding hands with their spouse, his own beautiful Greta holding hands with the two children that flanked her. As he turned to return to his place in formation, he found his niece, so proud of her, and so much seeing his mother in her. He caught her eye, and he nodded at her while she stood as still as possible, her eyes full of emotion. Without moving anything except her eyes, she blinked, silently thanking him for making her feel like her Papa was with her in that moment.

The Chief Superintendent stepped up to the podium next and signaled for Caleb and his fellow sergeants to step forward for the front. They marched in perfect formation and lined up in front of the table. The Chief Superintendent then called the name of five Mounties that were sitting in the front row. They were all fathers of the graduates.

One by one, the cadets were called to the front to receive their constable badges. Cadets that had a father that served with the RCMP present had their badge handed to them by their father. When Elise reached the front, she stepped forward, and her Uncle Caleb stepped forward, her badge in his hand, and he handed it to her. He then saluted her, saying" Congratulations Constable Thornton".

"Thank you, Sergeant Major Grant". She saluted him back, stepped back, then marched back into formation.

Moments later the ceremony was over, and the Grant's and Thornton's made their way on to the floor to hug and congratulate Elise. Her smile was one of the largest Allie had ever seen. Elise finally made her way to Allie, and Allie whispered in her ear, "They are here with you today. They all are, and they are all so proud of you."

Elise whispered back, "I know Aunt Allie". She then joined her parents, who hugged and kissed her, both proud and worried as she was about to step into the next phase of her life.

Caleb had finally broken away from his comrades and joined the group. Archie went over to him, they saluted each other, then broke out into lop sided grins as they hugged each other. "Ready for retirement, old man"? Archie joked.

"I have no idea what I am going to do, other than spend more time in Hope Valley. Dad's workshop sounds pretty good right now."

"That it does brother. Maybe that's what we need to do, reopen dad's workshop, and I can join you when I retire in a couple of years."

"That sounds like a great plan little brother." Caleb put his arm around Archie, brother in life and career.

Jane and Joy went over to Elise, and Allie overheard Joy ask, "Do you think I could be a Mountie too?" Jane piped in, "I am already planning on it. I want to be just like you, Elise."

"You can both be whatever you set your mind to be. Whatever you do though, do it with your whole heart," Elise encouraged.

Greta then asked, "So where are they sending you?"

Elise's head popped up from looking down at her cousins, and enthusiastically answered, "Summerside, PEI".

Allie's breathe caught. "You're going back to momma's home".

"I know, I'm only going to be about 40 minutes from Cavendish, and I can't wait to visit it. I loved when Nana told me stories about it. It sounded like a wonderful place to live".

Allie looked at Ben, knowing how accurate of a statement that was. "But is has nothing on Hope Valley!"

At the same moment, all her siblings voiced the same sentiments.

A photographer approached them and asked if they would like a photo. The large group quickly arranged themselves, all surrounding Elise, her twin brother, Grant, next to her.

"On the count of three, everyone say, 'Mountie'. One, two," the photographer encouraged, and all at once the family yelled "Mountie".

Allie looked across at her siblings and their families, the smiles on their faces, and she knew that this was what it was all about. All these people were here, in this moment, because her parents had fallen in love so many years before and had instilled the importance of love and family. It was a perfect moment, the sun filtering through the windows of the gymnasium, brightening the already happy family.


Weeks later, when Allie received her copy of the photo, she noticed that the light from the sun wasn't as noticeable as she though it would be. But what was very noticeable was the parts of the background of the picture. It was blurred, but not the whole thing. She looked closer, then realized, it wasn't a blur. It was more an orb. She stood back, and noticed there was not only one, but there were six. Six small orbs, all together in a corner of the picture. Allie smiled, and even though she was not superstitious, it did not surprise her at all that her beloved parents, the Coulters, Elizabeth Thornton Cantrell, and Jack Thornton would join them from above to celebrate with the family that exists all because of the love and friendship they found in each other in a tiny frontier town so many years before.


Once again, thank you for going on this journey with me. Until next time, God bless.