Hope for Tomorrow

Chapter 37

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Henry stopped over at Dottie's Apparel looking for Dottie. She was in and going over the orders making sure they had all arrived. Quite a few were gifts and her customers would be coming to pick them up. With her head in the books Dottie snapped back to reality when she heard the door bell ring and saw Henry smiling down at her.

"Well hello there Henry! What brings you here?" she smiled in return.

"Good morning Dottie! I just wanted to talk with you in person and make sure I was still invited to your house for Christmas."

"Yes, why? I thought we already had plans for spending dinner together," Dottie questioned.

"Oh, it's just an excuse for me to come see you I guess," Henry looked away.

"Henry, you don't need an excuse, I want to see you anytime you want to come by!" she said as she stood up. Walking over to him, she gave him a kiss on his cheek.

Henry didn't mind, in fact he liked it. Looking around and noting that no one else was in the store at the time, he pulled her close to him and gave her a tender kiss. He cupped her face in his hands and told her that he was looking forward to being together. "You and I should spend more time together. I need you Dottie."

Dottie stared at Henry, not knowing what to say. He was being so serious and tender. What was he saying? "Henry, aren't you happy with our relationship?"

"Of course, you bring joy into my life, and I've been thinking, well, that I'd like to court you as my lady. I don't want to lose you Dottie," Henry admitted.

Dottie stood there trying to absorb what Henry was telling her. "Henry, my head is spinning. I've been so flustered with orders for customers and the busyness of the season, I haven't meant to neglect you, I'm sorry!"

Henry chuckled and reassured her he wasn't feeling slighted. "Dottie, it just seems clear to me now that I want to be with you more. I know we've both been running our own businesses, but it wouldn't it be wonderful to come home and just relax together?"

Dottie finally realized then that Henry was leading up to more than she thought!

After taking a deep breath Henry continued, "Dottie, would you give me the best Christmas gift you could ever give me and accept my proposal to become my wife?"

Dottie looked around while processing what Henry just asked. Her whole body seemed to crumble as he looked deep into her eyes penetrating to her heart. This was such a surprise even after courting for a year now. Henry caught her and held her whispering, "If you would do me the honor of marrying me, I promise I will love you forever!"

Dottie's eyes welled up with tears, looking up at Henry she saw the sweet man that she had brought out of him underneath his gruff exterior. He was a tender- hearted man that needed her to help him show the world his true colors. Without hesitation she answered "Yes, Henry, I love you too, and yes, I'd be honored to be your wife!"

With that answer he had been hoping for, he kissed her like he hadn't kissed her before. They embraced and held eachother tightly until Henry pulled back and told her, "I don't have a ring for you right now. I wanted you to pick out what you wanted. We can go today or tomorrow to Buxton and find one that your big heart desires!"

"Goodness Henry, let me see to it that all these orders are picked up today so we can plan for tomorrow, if that's all right with you?"

"Tomorrow it is, even if I have to deliver these orders," he laughed.

As if on cue, the bell rang as someone walked in to pick up their order. Henry kissed Dottie on her cheek and winked. "See you tomorrow!"

Elizabeth heard the train whistle and holding little Jack's hand, stepped out of the station and waited outside on the platform. She watched as people were either getting on or stepping off the train. Then she saw him. "Tom, over here!" she called.

Tom looked and spotted Elizabeth. Picking up his duffle bag, he came right over. He stopped short of hugging her when he realized he was meeting his little nephew for the first time and he looked just like his father.

"Hello there Jack! I'm very happy to meet you. I'm your Uncle Tom," he said joyfully as he grabbed Jack's hand and shook it like a little man.

Jack didn't say much, he just looked at him and held onto his mommy. "It's okay Jack, he's family," Elizabeth tried to explain, "he's daddy's brother." With that she gave Tom a long hug, "it's so good to see you!"

Tom nodded smiling from ear to ear, "It's been way too long! I can't wait to catch up with you on what's been happening. Thank you for inviting me for Christmas!"

"Tom," Elizabeth started as she put her arm through his, "Jack and I can't wait to share stories. I'm so glad that you are doing all right after being held captive. Let's go home and we can talk over lunch."

"Sounds great, I'm starving." Tom laughed.

Down the platform was another Hope Valley family. Dan, Gail, and Lisa Peterson we're welcoming home Lana. She had just arrived coming home from nursing school for Christmas break.

"There she is!" Lisa said excitedly as she pointed to Lana.

Dan sprinted over to grab her bag after giving her a big hug. Gail was right there too, "Sweetie, it's so good to see you! We've missed you."

Lana felt the warmth of her family's love and was very happy to be home. Putting her arms through her mom's on one side, and her sister's on the other, they all chatted and walked together.

Yes, it's true, there's no place like home for the holidays!

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Trevor heard from his parents. Their telephone call was brief being long distance from Detroit, but long enough to wish eachother a Merry Christmas and sorrow that they wouldn't be home together for the holiday. "I hope you understand that with my gasoline station and automobile repair shop I have to stay here. If I could, I would be down there, but until my shop gets big enough to hire an assistant, I must stay put."

His family understood, but with him going off to war and now living in Canada, they had hoped it might be possible after he missed so many Christmases. They couldn't afford to travel with their large family all that way, so telephone calls and letters would have to suffice, for now.

Trevor's good friend, Luke, wasn't staying in Hope Valley for Christmas, so he offered Trevor a place at the table at his folks' home which was close enough to enjoy Christmas dinner together after Mass. Trevor was looking forward to that.

Matthew, Mark, and John were invited to Mark's folks home as they lived the closest. However, being further away than Luke's home, they would leave first thing Christmas morning which gave them time to go to the Christmas pageant on Christmas Eve.

Gunther was so hoping to go home for Christmas but he and Andy knew they had to stay in Hope Valley with Sargent Grant busy with baby Christopher. So, when they called home, Gunther talked with his mother about visiting him. His mother was a widow and all his siblings had grown up and moved away. He didn't want her to be alone, so he offered her a room at Billees for her to stay and visit, but she told him that she would be staying home for Christmas day as his siblings were coming home for Christmas. Some were married, and his sister was expecting. When he heard the news, he was excited to find out that he was going to be an uncle. That news was a boost in an otherwise disappointing telephone call. His mother could sense his deep dismay and then thought out loud about coming to see him after Christmas before New Years. Gunther perked right up and agreed, it was better late than never. "I can't wait for you to meet Emily Grant, Sergeant Grant's mother. She is German through and through, and boy can she cook!" His mother laughed and told him she'd be more than happy to visit with Emily.

Over at the Flynn's home, they were celebrating with a birthday party for Michael. It was already a year since he was born too, a close birthday with Timi Anne. It was fun thinking ahead to when they would be old enough to play together in the next couple of months. They had talked about doing just that after mass a few times and both of them agreed that after the holidays they would plan a play date!

For the birthday party, they didn't have many to ask being Christmas time, so they just invited Pastor Joseph and the Canfield family over for dinner since they were so close to them as well as Fr. Ricardo. Clara had been helping a few days a week again at Minnie's Cafe since Emily was now staying home caring for Archie. She appreciated it when some of the Chickadees would come over and babysit so she could go to work.

Michael was already pulling himself up on furniture and trying to walk around, showing off and laughing when he would fall down, only to try again. His eyes were big as saucers when he sat staring at the candle on his cake and everyone was singing Happy Birthday to him. He clapped when everyone else did, smiling the whole time.

When Elizabeth got Tom settled in, he surprised her by saying his mother would be coming for Christmas. "Oh really?" was all she could muster.

The last time she had visited was when Jack was alive. She never bothered to come and see how Elizabeth was doing after he passed which bothered Elizabeth and caused her to wonder why. Then, when she wrote her a letter telling her the wonderful news that Jack had left her pregnant and alone, she still hadn't heard back in return. This really upset her, but didn't stop her from letting her know when little Jack was born. This time she simply sent her an announcement, but when she didn't hear back she was not only upset but mad.

She told Tom, "It's one thing to ignore me, but not even caring about your own grandson all this time, there's no excuse for that!"

"I don't blame you Elizabeth, truly I don't, but now she is coming. When she heard from me that I was going to be here, she wanted to see me after I was kidnapped by Bouchard. She told me she couldn't bear the thought of losing her other son," Tom informed her.

"So, she's not coming here for little Jack?" Elizabeth was furious!

"Well, yes I guess. I mean, I did tell her that you've been wondering why she hasn't come to meet him. I think she wants to make amends."

"Amends? Jack will be 4 years old this Christmas! I can't believe she has the gall to show up now after all this time!" Elizabeth was storming around the living room.

"Mama, what's wrong?" Jack asked.

Elizabeth swooped up Jack and held him close to her hugging him tightly. "Nothing is wrong baby. Sometimes mama just doesn't understand some people and it bothers me. But, you sweetie, are my little love and you have nothing to worry about," she reassured him with a kiss on his head.

"Uncle Tom love you too buddy, let's build with your blocks while mama warms us up something to eat," Tom said to try to calm things down.

"Okay Uncle Tom, let's get them," Jack reached for Tom's hand and led him up the stairs.

Elizabeth was still fuming when she went over to the stove to warm up the stew she had made before she left for the train station to pick up Tom. She thought to herself, I can't believe this woman, Jack's grandmother, would wait this long to come and see him! I'll be darn if I let her stay in my home!"

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Dee was thrilled that her parents, Bertie and Ted, with her brother, Walter arrived the day before Christmas Eve. When they came Emily welcomed them with open arms. "Just you wait and see our little one. Oh my, a precious gift from God, ya!"

Archie was standing right next to Emily and was following their conversation but he wasn't quite sure who the Gleixners were. They looked familiar and then when Allie gave them all a hug and called them Grandpa and Grandma, he thought about it and remembered they were Dee's parents. That's when Archie held his hand out to shake Ted's hand and hug Bertie. When Emily saw that, she winked at them and smiled happily nodding at Nathan.

Nathan was talking to Walter which gave Archie the connection. He remembered those two as young boys playing catch but he didn't know where. As they talked Archie listened intently and then heard the words Brook Springs. Now, it was all coming back to him and making sense.

Dee came down the stairs holding Christopher after finishing nursing him. Nathan noticed how radiant she looked. She was becoming more confident about herself as a mother and it showed. The last few days were a blur as they all were adjusting to having this little boy running the show. He already had his daddy wrapped around his little finger so when he would fuss Nathan was right there. Dee on the other hand, learned to let him fuss to see if he would go back to sleep first.

"Oh, lookee there, here comes Dee and little bun!" Bertie beamed.

"Honey, you are looking so good, how do you feel?" Ted asked as they rushed over.

"Welcome mom and dad! I'm fine, just a bit tired. This is your little charmer, Christopher Theodore!" Dee was watching her dad closely to see his reaction to the name as she held him so her parents could see him better.

"Dee, may I hold him, I can hardly wait?" Bertie was already holding her arms outstretched motioning for her grandson. As Dee gently handed him over, she suggested that her mom put a diaper on her shoulder and hold Christopher upright to pass any burps.

Once Christopher was snuggled in the crook of his (new) grandma's neck he looked around at the people he hadn't seen before. There was a silly man making faces at him, who he would come to know as Uncle Walter. The other man was hugging his mom, later known as Grandpa Ted.

Oh, and there was his big sister, always smiling at him and telling him how cute he was. Of course, daddy was there, who constantly answered his beck and call with a proud but concerned grin.

Ah, there was Oma, she loved to talk to him while laughing and next to her was grandpa. This grandpa didn't say much but he sure seemed nice.

Then he spotted mom. Mom who held him, fed him, and sang to him. She had the prettiest voice and he loved to fall asleep in her arms while she sang.

Christopher seemed happily content that everyone there together were really nice people. Later he would learn that this warm feeling with these people who were his family and that it was wonderful to feel loved.

They all gathered in the living room and talked about Bertie and Ted having the farm up for sale. It wasn't easy leaving their home town but with Walter leaving right after Christmas for medical school, that was when they decided they were done farming and ready to retire. Besides, they wanted to be close by Dee and Dorothy and their families with their grandchildren. Dorothy had spotted a few homes for them in or near Brookfield so after Christmas they planned on checking them out.

Emily and Bertie went in the kitchen and prepared the dinner together while Allie set the table. Tonight for dinner they were going to dine on wiener schnitzel with noodles. Nathan, Ted, Walter, and Archie talked about the cold and snow forecast the next week. Ted laughed as he shared how he was looking forward to sleeping in and staying inside when the cold winter weather came marching in. He had already sold off his cattle to another farmer so he didn't have to worry about them any longer, but he did admit he missed a few of his favorites.

When the dinner was ready they all sat together around the table and held hands. Ted led with the grace, and then the passing of the dishes began. Christopher had fallen asleep so Dee had taken him upstairs to lay down for a little nap. After a delightful dinner, Walter and Nathan cleared the table and did the dishes while Allie put them away. Emily had baked her popular apple strudel for dessert that they would enjoy afterwards sitting by the fireside.

Dee was especially grateful to have their family all together and couldn't wait for Dorothy to come the next day, Christmas Eve, which is known as Heiligabend (holy night). Dorothy, George, and children would be attending the Christmas pageant with them followed by dinner tomorrow of Kartoffelsalat mit Würstchen (potato salad with sausage) followed with Weihnachtsplätzchen cookies and Lebkuchen, (heart-shaped gingerbread cookie decorated with intricate icing patterns) for dessert with enough baked so a plateful could be left out for St. Nicholas.

Luckily, Dee had bought a few extra stockings for Robert and Roberta at the Christkindlmarkt, before her water broke, to hang by the fireplace. Even though her family would be sleeping at Billees, the stockings would stay untouched until they all came back to the Grant home after mass in the morning.

Emily had already planned a big German Christmas dinner with a festive main dish of beef rouladen, with braised red cabbage, spaetzle, and Kartoffelpuffer, potato dumplings served with Glühwein and topped off with stollen for dessert.

Presents, good food, love, laughter, these are the precious gifts the Grant family would enjoy and remember for Christopher's first Christmas. From now on they would not only be celebrating Jesus' birthday, but also Christopher's too and Dee and Nathan would always treasure this time in their hearts.