Stirring the chili warming on the stove, Jack heard the approach of an automobile. As Henry and Lee were the only two in Hope Valley with a motorcar, Jack figured the chances were high that the sound indicated that Henry was arriving with Avery and Nathan. Placing the spoon down on a nearby plate he had put there for that reason, Jack turned from the stove and headed for the door. Opening the door, he found Henry's car parked in front of the house.
"Welcome back, Avery," Jack greeted, as the petite blonde climbed from the car, as Nathan held her door.
"Hello, Jack," Avery replied, a bright smile on her face. "I am happy to be near Nathan and Allie again. I do appreciate you and Elizabeth giving me a place to stay."
"You are more than welcome," Jack assured her, as Nathan escorted Avery around the car. "You are welcome to stay as long as you need, though when the baby comes I can't promise a good night sleep," he joked.
Avery laughed. "That is perfectly understandable," she said. As they paused at the foot of the steps that Jack stood on, she looked up at Nathan. Jack could see the adoration on her face. Much the same way Elizabeth often looked at him. "Once Nathan and I figure out our plans, I will be able to determine if I should look for a place of my own or not."
"You are welcome to stay with Elizabeth and me as long as you want," Jack assured her as Henry approached with her bag. "I'll take that, Henry," he told the man, reaching for the bag.
Henry handed over the bag and then looked to Avery and Nathan. "You two have a good day. I should get back to the office before Lee thinks I am out joy riding," he joked.
Avery and Nathan thanked the man again for his hospitality and as Henry drove away, Jack led Avery and Nathan into his home.
"Elizabeth and I thought the two would enjoy a private place to enjoy a meal and talk after Avery's time away," Jack said as they entered the home. "Elizabeth baked cornbread last night and I got some chili from the café which is warming on the stove. Nathan, if you want to start getting the meal ready, I will get Avery settled in her room and then go do rounds."
"You didn't have to go to all this trouble," Nathan told his friend.
"Yes, I did. My wife made me," Jack said with a smile, getting a chuckle from both Nathan and Avery. "Seriously though, it is no trouble. Get the table set for the lady. We'll be right back down."
As Nathan headed for the kitchen for the bowls and silverware, Jack motioned for Avery to follow him upstairs. He pointed out which room was his and Elizabeth's, showed her the nursery with the crib he had finished late last night and had Lee help him put in that morning. "As soon as Elizabeth decides which sheets she wants to use first, I will put those on and with the exception of the rocking chair, we will be ready for the baby," Jack said. "Elizabeth doesn't know it, but Nathan is planning on building her rocking chair for her, as she put that wish on the Wishing Tree."
"I will keep it a secret then," Avery said. "I have a couple of outfits for the baby that I kept myself busy with on the train. I will get them out this evening."
"This baby is going to be well dressed," Jack commented as he pulled the door to the nursery shut. "So, this room will be yours while you are staying with us," he continued moving to the next door and pushing it open.
As Jack held the door, Avery stepped past him into a simply furnished but cozy looking room. The bed was made with a pretty, floral quilt on the top. A night stand sat next to one side of the bed with a lamp and a vase of cloth flowers. There was a simple three drawer dresser, on one side of the room's window, and a small writing desk and chair, that looked very familiar, on the other.
"Is that my writing desk?" Avery asked, looking back at Jack.
"It is," Jack replied. "Nathan arranged for it, your clothes and some of the pictures from your room at your mother's to be shipped here. He realizes you will still need to go back and finish sorting through things but he thought having some familiar things here would make you feel more at ease."
Avery blinked away the tears of gratitude that were threatening. "I don't know what I did to get so lucky to have Nathan in my life."
Reaching out, Jack put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick, reassuring, one-armed hug. "I am fairly certain that Nathan would say the same thing about you. Seeing how his spirits rose when you got to his side in the hospital that was when I knew, he was going to make it."
Avery reached up to wipe away a couple of tears that had escaped.
His arm still around her shoulders, Jack patted Avery's shoulder as he spoke. "Why don't you take a few minutes to yourself before you go downstairs to join Nathan for lunch. The paperwork in the office is not going anywhere."
That comment got a smile from Avery. "Thank you, Jack," she told him.
"You're welcome," Jack told her before slipping from the room.
Downstairs, Nathan was slowly but steadily going about getting lunch for himself and Avery. As he did not seem to be struggling, Jack did not bother offering help. Jack knew in Nathan's position he would want to do as much as he possibly could.
"I am heading out for rounds," Jack said. "Take some time with Avery. There is nothing in the office that can't wait."
"Thanks, Jack," Nathan said, placing a bowl of chili on the table. "And not just letting me off the hook for sitting in the office, twiddling my thumbs."
"Hey I love not having as much paperwork," Jack told him. "Not to mention, having you in the office to deal with the town stuff does make a difference." Jack's voice got more serious as he added. "I know this is not the job you signed up to do, but what you do does have a purpose and you are important to people. Not just Allie and Avery either."
"Sometimes it feels like people are just giving me things to do to placate me," Nathan admitted.
"We're not," Jack replied, "but you need to convince yourself of that. We can't do that for you."
Though he was looking down at the bowl he had placed on the table, Nathan did nod in acknowledgment of Jack's words. For now, Jack decided to leave it at that. Saying a final good-bye to Nathan, Jack left his home, a plan formulating in his head. Before doing anything else though, Jack knew he would need to speak to Carson to see if the plan would be possible from a medical standpoint.
Upstairs, Avery had done what Jack suggested and took a few moments for herself. She had moved to the dresser where the photographs that Jack had mentioned were displayed. There was one of her grandparents, taken shortly before her grandfather had passed. Her grandmother had followed her husband shortly after. Avery suspected that her grandmother's grief over losing her grandfather had played a part. There was the photograph of her and her mother taken shortly before her mother had taken ill. There was also the picture of her and Nathan at a Mountie ball in Calgary only a couple months after Nathan had started courting her.
Picking up the photograph, Avery thought back to when she had first met Nathan. She had been teaching at one of the schools when Nathan had been posted to Calgary. Though Allie was not in her class, she had literally run into Nathan one afternoon a few days after Allie had been enrolled in school. Only seven years old, and at her third school, Allie was very withdrawn. The teacher had started giving Nathan a lecture about how being raised by a single man and a Mountie at that, was the cause of Allie's behavioral issues. Upset by the accusations, Nathan had stormed out of that classroom and into Avery who was walking past the classroom to leave for the day. Nathan's reflective action of reaching out to steady her had been the only thing that had kept Avery on her feet. His face as red as his tunic, Nathan had started immediately apologizing. Assuring him that no harm had been done, Avery could tell something other than just running into her had upset him. Though if it had been one of the students, Avery would have asked immediately if they wanted to talk, she had not been quite bold enough to ask this handsome stranger at first. However, as he held the door at the entrance to the building open for her, Nathan had asked her which direction she was heading. Her reply had led them to discovering they were heading in the same direction, at least initially. Nathan had asked if he could carry her basket for her. Avery had surrendered the basket, and on the way to pick up Allie from the woman who watched the girl for him, she had found the courage to ask if he would like to talk about what had him upset.
That had been the start of their relationship. She had met Allie that afternoon and immediately taken a liking to the withdrawn little girl. Getting to know Nathan and Allie, Avery chose to talk to her coworker and smooth things over between her and Nathan. When Nathan had been transferred to Fort Simpson, their relationship had continued via letters. She had kept every letter Nathan had written her. When her mother had taken ill, Avery had quit teaching to care for her. Shortly afterwards, came the news that Nathan had to join the fight in the Northern Territories. She had wanted to take Allie for the duration of that assignment but she had known it would be too much. When her mother had passed, Avery had planned to go to Union City to spend some time with Allie while she was at the O'Reilly's. Then had come the news that Nathan had been seriously injured and she had gone to his bedside.
Placing the photograph back on the dresser, Avery looked down at the diamond on her hand. More than anything she wanted to say 'I do' to Nathan so that she could truly care for him and Allie. At the same time, she knew that if she did not settle this question of whom her father was and if he was still alive, there would always be a part of her wondering 'what if'. That would not be fair to either of them.
Moreover, in her heart, part of her hoped that if she found her father that he might want to walk her down the aisle. It was part of every girl's dream of her wedding day.
Turning from the dresser, Avery headed downstairs. She found her fiancé patiently waiting for her at the foot of the stairs.
"I was starting to wonder if you had fallen asleep," Nathan told her as he reached for her hand as she stepped from the last step.
"No. I just got lost in some memories," Avery replied. She stood on tip toe and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for moving some of my things to make me feel more at home, here," she said with a smile.
"You're welcome," Nathan replied.
Nathan escorted her to the table. Still, managing to help her be seated despite the cane. When she was seated, Nathan sat across from her. They said a quick blessing on the food and the friends who provided it.
"So did you find any answers in Pine Springs," Nathan asked after a few moments of them both eating silently.
As they had spent the drive from the train station talking about things here in Hope Valley, the direct question did not surprise Avery.
"I think leads might the best way to describe what I found in Pine Springs," Avery replied, looking across the table at Nathan. "I spent the first few weeks asking around to see if anyone remembered Melinda Scharp. I showed them the photograph of my mother and me taken when I was two. It seemed like no one recalled her."
"It has been close to thirty years since she lived there," Nathan gently reasoned.
Avery smiled. "Those words in your voice are exactly what kept me grounded during those weeks of what seemed like fruitless inquiries. I was about ready to give up when a woman about my mother's age said she had been friends with Melinda while she lived in Pine Springs. When she introduced herself as Bethany Marsh, I recognized the name from my mother's journal."
Avery paused in her tale, taking a few moments to eat some of her lunch before continuing. Nathan did not rush her. "Bethany was surprised to hear that Melinda had a daughter but when she asked me her age, she immediately realized that being pregnant was the reason her friend had suddenly left without a word to anyone."
Avery could still see the anguish in the older woman's eyes as she had said seemingly to herself, "Melinda could have told me. I wouldn't have thought any less of her."
"When I asked Bethany if she recalled my mother having a relationship with anyone, the older woman couldn't recall one. She said there were some fellows that were sweet on her, but that my mother had not shown any interest in any of them. I was going to ask her if she recalled those men's names, even if it was a long shot when she suddenly asked me what my name was again. I told her, and that was when she told me there was a young Constable posted in town just prior to my mother leaving, whose last name was Avery. I don't believe that the fact my first name is the same as his last name is mere coincidence. Bethany told me that he had a bit of a wild streak. Didn't show any interest in a serious relationship but that my mother had her eye on him. I know it is a long shot, but do you think you could check Mountie records and see if you could track this man down, Nathan?" Avery asked.
Her fiancé didn't answer right away. Avery found him staring at her with a contemplative look.
"That is why I have been seeing your eyes," Nathan murmured.
"What?" Avery asked, perplexed by the return to the conversation about her eyes.
Nathan shook his head, as if shaking himself out of his thoughts. "I don't think I am going to need to check any records," he told her. "Judge Bill Avery resides here in Hope Valley. He is a former Mountie, and though I did not realize it at the time, he has got the same blue-grey eyes that you do."
Avery gasped. Could it really be that easy?
"Do you think?" she asked, unable to put voice to the rest of the question.
Nathan reached across the table, for her hand. "The only way to find out is to ask if he knew your mother," he replied, giving her hand a squeeze. "We can go to his office after lunch, if you would like?"
Avery nodded, feeling like she was in a daze. After all her searching would the last step really be this easy.
The words of the contract he was reading, were blurring together. Two business partners over in Buxton were in the middle of a dispute over the financial records of their business. The majority partner was refusing to show the minority partner the books, and as an official complaint had been lodged by the minority partner it fell to him to determine if the complaint was valid according to their contract.
Closing the folder, Bill let it fall to his desk with a soft thud. This was exactly why he never should have taken the judgeship.
Leaning back in his chair, Bill closed his eyes as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. The sound of the office door opening had him opening them again, hoping that it wasn't someone with a petty complaint. He had about enough of those as of late.
Instead, he found Nathan holding the door for a young woman who made him wonder if he had fallen asleep. The blonde who entered his office looked exactly like someone from his past except for the eyes. The eyes that looked back at him made him wonder if he was looking into a mirror.
"Melinda."
The name was past his lips before Bill realized he was saying them as he got to his feet.
"So you did know my mother," the blonde said, breaking Bill out of the daze he was in.
"If Melinda Scharp was your mother, then yes, I knew her," Bill stated, knowing that there was no way Melinda was not this woman's mother. In which case, giving the eyes staring back at him, Bill had a feeling he knew who her father was as well. Thank God he had listened to that invisible voice instructing him to tell Abigail about his not so moral behavior as a young man.
"Bill, this is Avery Scharp," Nathan said, looping an arm protectively around the woman's shoulders as he introduced her. "Though she grew up believing her father was dead, her mother revealed otherwise before she passed away. Avery's search using the information her mother's journal provided has led to you."
Bill sat back down, his legs feeling weak, as he digested the information. Melinda had passed and he had a daughter. A daughter that he had not known about for her entire life.
"You would be what, twenty-seven now?" Bill asked, his mind still trying to process everything.
"Yes," Avery replied.
"You look just like your mother, except for the eyes," Bill said, realizing as soon as the words were out that it was information that probably did not need to be stated. Getting a hold of himself, Bill gave himself a mental shake. Not only was his babbling not accomplishing anything but it was also undignified behavior for a judge. "Nathan, why don't you lock the door so we are not interrupted. Seems that Avery and I have some matters to discuss."
Bill rose to his feet, this time completely aware of his actions. Nathan whispered something in Avery's ear and motioned her forward while he turned to lock the office door. Bill motioned for Avery to sit in one of the chairs opposite him. Only when she was seated, did Bill sit again himself. The judge waited for Nathan to be seated beside his fiancé, one of his hands grasping hers in support, before he spoke again.
"Why don't you start with telling me what you do know," Bill suggested, hoping to give himself time to get control of the swirling emotions inside and organize his own thoughts before speaking?
Avery nodded. In a hesitant voice at first, she began with the information that Nathan already knew about what she had grown up being told, the journal and her recent time spent in Pine Springs.
"So, is it possible?" Avery asked, a desperation and longing in her voice as she asked the question. "Did my mother give me your last name for a reason?"
Bill sighed. "It is definitely possible," he told her. "I was twenty-five when I was posted to Pine Springs and had no intention of being tied down in a relationship. However, Melinda showed an interest in me. Being young and cocky, I was flattered by it and Melinda was beautiful," he said, his mind picturing the young woman he had fallen for. Her pretty light green eyes framed by a halo of blonde hair. "Several fellows in town had fallen under her spell. What started out as a bit of innocent flirting, went further despite my insistence to Melinda that I wanted no long term relationship. We had several secret rendevous, the fact that no other dwellings were near the teacherage making it easy for me to sneak out unseen."
"Did you love her?" Avery asked.
Bill paused. "At the time, I would have said no," he admitted. "However, looking back, I think the fear of the emotions I was feeling for Melinda is what made me run. I put in for a transfer that was quickly honored. I left Pine Springs with the intention of never looking back."
"So, you never tried to look for my mother?" Avery asked, unable to keep the disappointment out of her voice.
"Not right away. However, when I met Nora, she was expecting a child and the man responsible refused to take responsibility. Though I didn't love her, the thought that I could have been the man that left someone else in that position weighed on me. I married Nora to support her and the child she carried. I also, secretly as Nora always was in a fragile mental state even then, decided to check on Melinda. I found she had left Pine Springs. I even checked for her at her parent's address but found they had moved on without word of where they had went and that Melinda was with them. The fact that Melinda had her parent's support no matter what had happened, made me feel better about the situation. At least she wasn't alone. No one ever mentioned a child though."
"If they had, would you have kept trying to find us?" Avery asked.
Bill sighed. "I wish I could tell you I would have," he told her honestly. "But I honestly do not know what I would have done. I was a different man back then. I was a different man when I first came to Hope Valley. Being here has changed me. It has made me a better person."
Bill reached a hand out across his desk, placing it palm up on its smooth surface. Avery reached out and placed the hand not still claimed by Nathan on the open palm. Gently, Bill encircled his fingers around the small palm.
"I can't make up for the years I was not there for you, but if you will allow me, I will happily take my place as your father now. It would give us both family."
Avery had tears brimming in her eyes. "I would like that," she replied.
Bill reached out and placed his other hand over top of hers. "I do have one favor to ask the two of you. I need this to stay our secret for a little while. One more day, at the most. I might never have loved Nora, but I do love Abigail. Now, I have already mentioned my relationship with Melinda to her, but I need to be able to tell Abigail about you, in my own way. I want to finally try to do things right in a relationship. Can you give me a little more time?"
"Of course," Avery replied. She paused for a bit and then added. "Dad."
Bill smiled. "Dad," he repeated. "I do like the sound of that," he admitted. The judge looked to Nathan. "And you? Do I have your word to keep this quiet for now?"
"I can keep a secret," Nathan replied.
"Good," Bill said gruffly, though his hands still clasped Avery's hand.
Leaving Sargent in his nice warm stall, Jack walked toward the schoolhouse as the kids came pouring out, excited to be out for the day. He had checked in with Kevin. The blacksmith had been able to bring the wagon into town with Lee and Curt's help. Now that he had access to all of his tools, Kevin was confident that he could fix not only the broken wheel but several other patch jobs that had been made during the group's journey.
"Those orphans will be waiting for Santa Claus in their new home," Kevin had promised him.
Jack was thrilled at the news. Though he knew that no one was feeling put out with the group's presence, he knew being in their new home was what was best for the children, Lillian, Grace and Gabriel. Leaving Kevin's workshop, Jack's step was light, especially with the rest of the news that would be revealed to Lillian and Grace in the next day or two. Lee was donating a toy for each of the orphans on behalf of Coulter's lumber. Ned was getting together some supplies to help the two ladies create not only a Christmas feast for the children, but help meet some of their basic food needs for a bit.
A detour through Hope Valley might not have been in their plans, but it was one stop that the people of this town would make sure was not regretted. Things like this, was what made him fall in love with this town.
Jack greeted the children and parents as they headed away from the schoolhouse. Allie spotted him and came hurrying toward him, throwing her arms around his waist as she reached him.
"Thanks for giving Miss Avery a place to stay, Uncle Jack. Having her here in Hope Valley for Christmas is going to make Uncle Nathan happy and that makes me happy," the girl told him.
Jack hugged the girl back. "You are very welcome, Sweetheart," he told her.
"I need to go. We get to have supper at the café today," Allie said, letting go as quickly as she had hugged him.
"Sounds like fun," Jack told her, laughing as she hurried off toward Nathan and Avery. Nathan raised his hand in greeting. Jack returned the gesture before heading to the school house.
Walking into the schoolhouse, Jack found his wife putting a stack of papers into her basket.
"Did the teacher give a test on the last full day of school?" Jack asked, as he walked up the aisle.
Elizabeth looked back at him and smiled. "She did. But as a treat, she is letting them play games and enjoy punch and Christmas treats tomorrow. Including a gingerbread house contest. Which reminds me, Rosemary and Abigail are baking the gingerbread for me but I need to stop at the mercantile on the way home to get decorations and the ingredients to make the icing and the punch tonight. The mother's have graciously agreed to bake treats for tomorrow. Allie was so excited when Avery promised to help her and Nathan bake snicker doodles tonight for the party."
"I am so glad that Avery is spending Christmas with them. Hopefully, she will soon be done her search and can settle here with them."
Elizabeth nodded. "That would make two people very happy," she agreed.
Having reached the front of the room, Jack stepped up onto the platform. Reaching out, he took his wife in his arms, the baby limiting how close he could pull her to him. Leaning in, he pressed his lips against hers, Elizabeth returning his kiss with gentle pressure of her own. Jack only broke the kiss when he needed air.
"So, where are these decorations you want hung," Jack asked her.
"Are you sure you don't want me to help you?" Elizabeth asked.
"Not a chance," Jack told her. "All I want you to do is to find a seat and supervise your favorite Mountie as he turns your classroom into a Christmas wonderland."
"If you insist," Elizabeth replied. "You can start with putting the red garland around the blackboard," she told him. "I think I am going to supervise from the front row. That bench seat looks more comfortable than my chair right now."
"Do you want me to help you there?" Jack asked.
"I am not an invalid," Elizabeth assured him. "Get to work, Constable," she said playfully, pointing to the garland peeking out of a box.
"Yes, ma'am," Jack told her with a smile, moving to get the garland out of the box to begin the decorating of the classroom.