William arrived home from Cape Fullerton right around noon, so Jack and Elizabeth took the opportunity to gather all of their children while they were still available. They sat down on the couch, all looking very bewildered as to why their parents wanted to have a discussion with them, "Mom, Dad, what's going on?" asked William nervously.
"Is something wrong? Is Dad going away?" asked Charlotte.
"No, I'm staying put," confirmed Jack, "It's about me and Aunt Rosemary."
The siblings looked at each other and simultaneously said, "Okay."
Jack sat down across from them and Elizabeth sat down next to her husband, "Listen, guys, rest assured, I love your mother very much and I'm grateful to God that we met. So I don't want what I'm about to tell you all to affect our relationship with Uncle Lee, Aunt Rosemary, or their kid, alright?" they all nodded, "Well, you all know Aunt Rosemary and I have been friends for a really long time. But, back before I was assigned to Coal Valley, back before I met your mother, Aunt Rosemary and I courted for a short time when we both still lived in Ottawa. We were also engaged to be married at one point in our lives."
The siblings glanced at each other and William hesitantly asked, "So, what happened?"
"She broke off the engagement to go pursue an acting career in New York City. Granted, I was very heartbroken at first, but I threw all of my time and energy into my work, hoping to secure an assignment at Cape Fullerton."
"But you didn't get that, either," commented Mary.
Elizabeth went to speak, but Jack interrupted her, "Thank your grandfather for that one."
The girls chuckled amusingly and William shook his head, "I don't even want to know."
"Anyway, two years after she left, Aunt Rosemary came to Coal Valley trying to win me back, pretending like she hadn't ever broken up with me, but know that I was already courting your mother at the time and didn't have any interest in taking her back."
"So that's why Aunt Rosemary moved to Coal Valley?" asked William.
"Well, you all know Aunt Rosemary. Do you really think she'd move to a small coal mining town over a big city without a reason in mind?" asked Jack.
"No, probably not," William agreed.
"So, how did you eventually get her to stop pursuing you?" asked Charlotte.
"Uncle Lee moved to town and took care of the problem for us," Elizabeth stated casually and her children chuckled.
"I promise, guys, the past is the past, and even though Aunt Rosemary and I are still best friends, we no longer have feelings for each other in that manner. Understood?" they nodded, "Alright, come here guys," he hugged them all, "I love you all so much."
"We love you too, Dad," they said.
"Well, come on girls, we have to start getting lunch ready," said Elizabeth. She looked over at Jack and nodded, indicating to him to take William upstairs to talk about his date with Lilly.
"Hey William, can I talk to you about something in private?" Jack whispered to his son.
William nodded and followed his father upstairs. He followed Jack into his childhood bedroom, though it looked much different than it had when they first moved in ten years ago.
"So…." William started, "What did you want to talk to me about, Dad?"
Jack and William both sat down on his bed and Jack responded, "It's about the other night when you went out with Lilly Coulter."
"Oh," William sighed, "I don't even know where to begin."
"William, I was your age once, I might have an idea about what you're going through right now," said Jack.
William ran his hand through his brown hair and said, "I've had a crush on her for years, but I just never found the courage to ask her out. And I don't want to ruin our friendship if we court and it doesn't work out."
"Buddy," Jack laid a hand on his son's back, "Have you talked to Lee about any of this?"
William shook his head, "No. For one thing, I don't know what to call him. Do I call him Uncle Lee, Mr. Coulter, just plain Lee? And I know Uncle Lee has known me since I was born, but Lilly is still his daughter. I can only imagine he'll be the same way with me as you would be towards anyone who wanted to court Mary or Charlotte. It won't matter how long he's known me; Lillian's still his little girl. And then of course, there's the whole situation with you and Aunt Rosemary, which probably means it wouldn't work out anyway…"
"William, Aunt Rosemary and I didn't work out because it wasn't meant to be, but that doesn't mean you and Lilly won't," said Jack.
William sighed, "Dad, I haven't even gotten my first assignment yet. What if my first assignment is in Quebec or Ontario or somewhere else on the other side of the country?"
Jack nodded in understanding, "Well, distance can be a challenge in any relationship, but your mother and I make it work. If it's really meant to be with you and Lillian, you both will find a way to make it work too," Jack stood to leave, "Well, I've said what I needed to say. Now you have to decide the rest for yourself."
Jack went to exit the room when William said, "Thanks Dad."
"No problem, Buddy."
William waited until after lunch when he knew Lee would be at his office. His mother and his sisters were out at the church so Elizabeth could begin setting up her classroom for the new school year, while Jack and Bill had a meeting with Abigail about town functions and budgets. William slowly made his way to L. Coulter Enterprises and quietly knocked on the door when he reached Lee's office, "Come in," he heard Lee call. William hesitantly walked into the room and Lee smiled, "Hello William, what's up?"
"Well, he seems to be in an upbeat mood, so I guess that's good," William thought, "Um, Uncle Lee, can we talk about something?"
"Sure," Lee gestured to the seat on the other side of his desk. William sat down nervously and Lee smiled, "What did you want to talk about, William?"
William rubbed his hands together nervously, "Well, first of all, I really don't know what to call you in this case…"
"William, you've been calling me Uncle Lee since you first learned how to talk," reminded Lee.
"I know," said William. He took a deep breath and said, "I wanted to talk to you about Lillian."
"Oh," Lee's eyes widened, "What about her?"
William twiddled his thumbs apprehensively before he spoke again, "Listen, Uncle Lee, sir, I know Lillian is your daughter, your first-born, and your little girl," William rambled, "I understand that and I'll respect whatever decision you choose to make. But, this is something I've been contemplating for a while; I just haven't worked up the courage to ask you until now," Lee nodded, having a slight feeling he knew what William was going to ask, "Sir, I would like your permission to court Lillian."
And there it was. The question Lee knew he would eventually be asked since the day Lillian was born. He had never really thought about this moment as he watched Lilly grow. He had just embraced the dress-up sessions, tea parties, doll house arranging, and pretend play with dolls and stuffed animals. He hadn't even really thought about it when Lilly hit puberty and her teenage years as Rosemary had dealt with most of her questions and challenges then. And now, here he was, seventeen years later, and he had the power to bless or deny a courtship for his daughter. He had known William Thornton for the young man's entire life. He had been one of the first people to hold him after Jack and Elizabeth and he clearly remembered the first time William had uttered the words 'Uncle Lee' to him. It had been what made him want to try to have a baby with Rosie, but luckily for him, Rosie had already been six weeks pregnant with Lilly when he had brought up the notion. And he still remembered the moment he looked into his sweet baby girl's bright green eyes for the first time, the same eyes that her mother had, and instantly having so many hopes and dreams for her. She was only going to be eighteen in October. He couldn't possibly give his blessing on a possible courtship could he?
And then, he remembered back to the recent conversations with his wife about how honorable and trustworthy William was. He had come to ask his permission to court Lilly and Lee respected that. But was he really ready to let his baby girl go? Was he really ready for the fact that this courtship could lead to marriage and Lillian starting a family of her own (though he chuckled at the idea of Rosie becoming a grandmother; she would spoil their future grandkids rotten), "Uncle Lee, if I've said something to offend you…" William started.
"No, no," Lee assured William. He wondered how long he had been lost in his own thoughts, "Listen, William, I'm going to be completely honest with you. I've known you since the day you were born, and I love you like a son, but Lillian is still my baby girl," William nodded his understanding, "If you do anything to hurt her physically, mentally, or emotionally, I will quickly become your worst enemy, understand?" he questioned, doing his best to sound intimidating.
"Of course," William replied, "Wait, so is this your way of giving me your permission to court Lilly?"
"Yes, now go before I change my mind," said Lee.
William stood excitedly and shook his hand, "Thank you Uncle Lee, I mean sir, I mean…what do you want me to call you exactly?"
"Uncle Lee is still fine with me, William," said Lee, "Now I have work to do."
"Right, of course," William went to leave, "Thanks Uncle Lee!"
"Don't make me regret this, William!"
Later that night, after the Coulters had finished dinner, Rosemary had tucked Violet into bed, and Aaron and Lilly had also gone to sleep, Lee and Rosemary decided to settle down for the night. Rosemary was chatting away about all of the new outfits she and Violet were planning on buying or making for the new school year, "She grew five inches over the summer, Lee. I forgot how fast they grow once they hit the age of ten," Rosemary said, though her husband seemed to be off in his own world, "Honey, what's the matter?"
Lee finished changing into his pajamas and crawled into bed, "William Thornton came by my office to talk to me today."
"Really? About what?" asked Rosemary as she finished buttoning her nightgown and began to brush out her hair.
"About Lillian."
Rosemary froze and immediately stopped brushing. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and asked, "What did he want to know?" she asked, feeling she knew the answer.
"He wanted my permission to ask if she was interested in courting him," Lee responded. Rosemary nodded and set her hairbrush down on her vanity. She crawled under the covers next to him, but didn't say anything, "Sweetheart, I know we usually have a conversation about major life changes and big issues before we make a decision, especially when it involves the kids…"
"Oh, I know that you're the one who gets to make the decision in this case because you're her father; that's not why I'm upset," she answered. Rosemary sighed, "I guess I'm just having trouble accepting the fact that our first baby has grown up. I mean, I knew that they wouldn't stay little forever no matter how much I wanted that to be the case and I know we still have Aaron and Violet, but still, she could be in a courtship by tomorrow afternoon, Lee."
"Mmhm. She could be married in a few years," he said.
"And then she'll move out of our house to go live with her husband," said Rosie absentmindedly.
"We could be grandparents before we know it," commented Lee.
"Now I'll be totally into that," Rosie chuckled.
"I'm sure you will be," laughed Lee. He rubbed her leg soothingly before he opened his arms out to her. She happily accepted his embrace and he kissed her temple, "I guess we just have to trust in God at this point."
Rosemary laid her head against Lee's chest and said, "And we have to accept the fact that Lilly is no longer our little girl anymore. We don't have to like it, but we have to accept it."