Christmas 1918
Elizabeth slowly sipped a cup of hot peppermint tea, gazing out the window at the falling snow. The house was still and quiet as her family slept. The first glimpse of dawn lit the sky, though clouds covered the rising sun. It created an ethereal look, one she was happy to see. Usually, she slept in on Christmas morning. This year, she'd been too excited to sleep.
It was the first Christmas she, Nathan, and the children would spend together as a family. After Nathan's proposal last year, they'd settled on a June wedding, not wanting to waste more time than necessary to start their lives together. Nathan built them a lovely home near a large pond, with plenty of room for the kids to enjoy playing and lots of outdoor space. The house was big enough for more children, when the time came.
Elizabeth smiled, slipping her free hand over her stomach. Though the child she nurtured was not quite big enough to leave a bump, she knew it was there. She'd suspected for almost two months that she was pregnant, and she'd shared her suspicion with Nathan. After three months of no cycles, she was positive they were having a baby. Carson had confirmed it just last week. She and Nathan planned to surprise Allie and Jack with the news this morning. Her husband had found a creative way to let them know about their baby brother or sister. It would be their final gift on this snowy Christmas morning.
"You will be such a blessing, little one," she murmured. "You'll have a wonderful father, an amazing big sister, and a sweet big brother."
"Not to mention the world's best mother." Two strong arms encircled her. Nathan's hands rested against her stomach. He pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Talking to our baby again?"
She chuckled softly. "I can't seem to help it." She turned in his arms, wrapping hers around his waist. "Merry Christmas, love."
"Merry Christmas." He glanced up, his eyes twinkling. "I see you managed to stand directly under the mistletoe this morning."
Elizabeth's eyes followed his. The pretty green leaves with white berries seemed to smile back at her. She returned her gaze to Nathan. "That was not intentional, but I say we take full advantage of that."
He grinned. "Happily, Mrs. Grant." He bent and kissed her. Elizabeth closed her eyes, lost in the moment. She loved Nathan's kisses. After a year of experiencing them, they felt as fresh and exciting as they had in the beginning. She savored each and every one. Life had taught her the hard way not to take love for granted. She didn't intend to forget that.
"Close your eyes, Jack. They're kissing. As usual."
Allie's wry comment broke them apart. They looked over to see her standing with her hands over Jack's eyes. Their son laughed. "Wet go, A'wee. I wike when Daddy kiff Mama. It cute."
"Cute?" Nathan's voice sounded amused. "Our three-year-old thinks kissing is cute?"
Elizabeth patted his cheek. "It is cute, sweetheart."
His response was to kiss her again, much to Jack's delight. When Nathan finally pulled back, Elizabeth was breathless. "How's that for cute?" he murmured in her ear, a smirk on his lips.
She swatted his chest with a laugh. "I think it's time for presents." She grinned at the children. "Are you ready to see what's under the tree?"
"Yes!" Both kids hurried to the tree and dropped to the floor in excitement. Nathan grabbed two presents, handing one to each child. "Alright, let's see what we've got."
Jack opened up a brand new teddy bear, while Allie got a new fishing pole. Both exclaimed their joy over the gifts. Elizabeth received a necklace from Nathan, while her gift to him was a trio of books. After the first round of gifts, they started another for the children. Jack loved his train set. Allie oohed over the new charm for her bracelet.
"There's one more," Nathan said. He disappeared behind the tree, then brought a large item over. It was covered with a sheet. Allie tilted her head, studying it. Jack copied his sister. Nathan sat beside Elizabeth, wrapping an arm around her waist. He smiled. "It's the moment of truth." The whispered words sent tingles of excitement through her. She nearly held her breath while Nathan instructed the children to pull the sheet from the present.
Allie put her hands on Jack's, helping him with the sheet. Together, they yanked it off the object. The sheet floated to the ground, revealing a beautiful, handcrafted cradle that Nathan spent several days making. Allie gasped, her eyes lighting up. "Oh!"
Jack frowned at the cradle. "That for babies. I not a baby."
Allie scooped him into a hug. "There's going to be a baby, Jack! Mom is having a baby!" She looked at Elizabeth. "Right?"
Elizabeth nodded. "Right." She placed her hands on her stomach. "Dr. Shepherd said your new brother or sister will be here in June."
A piercing shriek rent the air as Allie jumped up and down. "This is so exciting!"
Jack wiggled in her arms, not looking the least bit impressed. "Why?"
Allie rolled her eyes as she did when she began losing patience with her inquisitive little brother. "Because it won't just be you and me anymore. We'll have another sibling."
Jack frowned. "What wrong with you and me?"
"Nothing." Allie set him on the ground, then knelt beside him. "But another baby means our family will grow. We will have more room in our hearts to love. It's going to make Mom and Dad very happy."
Jack looked at his parents. "You happy?"
Elizabeth nodded. "Very happy, Jack. I was happy when I found out I was having you, and I'm happy now that I'm having this baby."
He took her hand. "You happy when you had A'wee?"
Elizabeth looked between Allie and Nathan before settling on the floor beside her son. "I didn't give birth to Allie, sweetie. She had another mama before me, just like you had another dad before your Daddy came along."
"Oh." Jack crawled into her lap. "But A'wee my sisteh?"
"Yes, she's your sister."
Allie sat beside them. "I always hoped I'd have a family again." She leaned her head on Elizabeth's shoulder. "Now I have a mother, a father, and a brother. Maybe now I can have a sister!" Her eyes sparkled with excitement.
Nathan chuckled. "We can't really control that part, Allie-girl."
She shot him a wry smile. "I know. But I can hope." She grinned at Jack. "Though another little brother would be fine too."
Elizabeth wrapped one arm around her son and the other around her daughter. "Either way, I know this baby is going to be well loved. He or she is very fortunate to have the two of you as siblings."
Nathan knelt behind her, enveloping their entire family in his long arms. "That's the beautiful thing about family. There's plenty of love to go around."
She leaned her head against his chest. "Exactly."
After Christmas services, Nathan took Allie on their annual fishing trip. With a pond on their property, they didn't have far to go. Nathan liked that part. It was still snowing and very cold, so he knew this particular trip would be shorter than normal. But Allie was determined to catch a fish for their Christmas dinner. They'd never yet failed to reel one in. Elizabeth had already begun preparing the side dishes to go with the meal. He knew she had a fresh roast in the icebox if needed, but he had faith they would bring home a good catch.
Christmas fishing trips were largely spent in silence. Both he and Allie liked it that way. This time, however, his daughter was bubbly and excited, chattering nonstop about the coming baby. Nathan smiled, catching her excitement. He still remembered every detail about the day Elizabeth revealed her suspicion to him.
"I missed my monthly cycle, Nathan. And now I'm late for another."
He glanced up from his book. "What does that mean?"
She laughed softly. "Did no one explain to you how a woman's body works?"
He blinked, setting his book aside to gain some time. "Uh … no. Should they have?"
She sat beside him on the settee, taking his hand in hers. "I guess I just assumed. It means I'm probably pregnant."
He stared at her for a full thirty seconds. "Pr … pregnant?" The stuttered word came out on a whisper.
His wife nodded, tears in her eyes, a smile on her face. "Yes, Nathan. Most likely, at least. Carson won't be able to confirm it, but the symptoms are there. My cycles are off, I've been unusually tired, and I can't stand the smell of coffee."
He chuckled. "I thought that last one was a bit strange."
Elizabeth laughed again. "That's how Abigail figured out I was pregnant with Jack. I love coffee. Only a pregnancy makes sense for my sudden aversion to it."
He reached out, placing a hand on her stomach. A sense of awe rose inside. "We're really having a baby?"
She nodded, covering his hand with both of hers. "It looks that way."
He still felt awed over the fact that they had created a tiny life together. He didn't know much about babies, but he was excited to learn as the months went on.
" … and the baby can share my room if needed." Allie's eyes were glowing as she spoke. "I know there are lots of rooms in the house, but the baby wouldn't want to be lonely."
Nathan chuckled. "Allie-girl, the baby is going to sleep in a bassinet in your mom and my room for the first several months, and then we'll move him or her to the nursery." He slung an arm around her shoulders. "But thank you for being so generous as to offer your room."
Allie leaned her head on his arm. "Do you want a son or a daughter?"
"I will be happy with either," he replied, kissing her head. "Both are a joy."
She beamed. "Glad you think so. What are you going to name the baby?"
"That depends. Your mom and I have talked about a few names, but we haven't settled on any that we like." He nudged her. "What would your choice be?"
Allie thought about it for a minute. "I like the name Amy for a girl."
"That's a pretty name," Nathan said. "But it's awfully close to Allie, don't you think?"
She shook her head. "That could be part of the fun. What if you gave all your girls names that start with A, and your boys names that start with J? It could be a little theme within our family. There are lots of good names with those letters. Amy, Abigail, Ava for girls; John, Jordan, Jesse for boys. And those are only a few. I'm sure I could come up with a list of many names for either boys or girls."
A slow smile spread over his face. "You know, that's not a bad idea. I'll mention it to your mom and see what she thinks." He leaned toward her. "You know, I used to want a little sister named Amy."
Allie's eyes widened. "You did?"
He nodded. "I always liked the name. Maybe if we have a little girl, that can be her name."
"And her middle name can be Elizabeth, like Mom!"
His smile grew. "Amy Elizabeth Grant. That has a nice ring to it."
"I hope Mom likes it too." Allie started to say something else, but a tug at her line caught her attention. "I got a fish!"
They reeled it in together, and shortly after, Nathan caught one as well. By the time their trip was over, they had three large fish to bring home for Christmas dinner. Elizabeth greeted them at the door with a smile. "You were successful, I see."
"Aren't they beauties?" Allie grinned. "We're going to have a feast tonight! Dad makes the best fish in the world. Nothing better than cooking up fresh-caught fish." She turned to Nathan. "Right, Dad?"
"Absolutely," he agreed. He winked at Elizabeth. "Would you like to help me gut them?"
She placed a hand over her mouth, cheeks going pale. "You know, I think I'll leave that to you. Maybe you can teach Jack how to gut a fish. Outside."
He laughed. "Yes, ma'am. Where's our son?"
"Hewe I am!" Jack came hurrying into the room. "Mama said I hewp gut fif!"
Nathan scooped the boy into his arms. "That's right, son. There are three of them. Do you think you can manage that?"
"Yeah!"
Jack's enthusiasm made Nathan grin. "That's my boy." He kissed his cheek.
Elizabeth slid an arm around Allie. "While you two do that, Allie and I will bake some Christmas cookies. I have the dough all ready. It just needs to be cut and baked. We can frost and eat them after dinner."
Allie's eyes lit up. "That sounds great!"
They set out to complete their various tasks. Jack proved to be an avid learner. He watched Nathan's every move with the first fish, then gutted the second with only a little help. Nathan had a feeling the boy could have done more on his own, but he didn't feel comfortable letting his three-year-old wield a knife by himself. Soon enough, they were done and headed back into the warmth of the house. Elizabeth and Allie were just taking a batch of cookies from the oven. The little family chatted and laughed over the next half hour as Nathan fried the fish. They enjoyed a delicious supper. When everyone was comfortably full, they cleaned up and then gathered around the table once more to frost the cooled Christmas cookies. Allie and Elizabeth used precise motions to create beautiful patterns. Jack attempted to copy their actions, but his ended up bulkier than theirs. Nathan simply dunked his cookies in the frosting before placing them on the rack to dry. Elizabeth chuckled as she watched him.
"Are we low on patience this evening?" Her sapphire eyes sparkled with humor as she gently teased him.
He shot her a smirk. "More like low on artistic skill." Placing his latest cookie on the tray, Nathan dipped his free finger in the frosting. "Though now that I think about it, there's something I've been meaning to do since a certain sleepover." Before his wife could blink, his hand shot out, smearing frosting on her nose. He grinned. "Payback."
Allie and Jack dissolved into laughter. Elizabeth planted her hands on her hips. "Nathan!"
He tugged her into his arms. "Yes, love? Is something wrong?"
She shook her head, joining the kids in laughter. "You are a big child yourself sometimes, you know that?"
He kissed the sweet frosting from her nose. "You started it."
"A year and a half ago!"
He grinned. "I was just waiting for the right time to return the favor." He quickly kissed her on the lips. "Consider us even."
She turned slightly starry-eyed. "Only if you kiss me properly."
He obliged without protest.
They spent the next hour over cookies and hot cocoa. When that was done, they made their way to the large settee in the living room, where the Christmas tree shone bright with lights. Nathan stoked the fire, then joined his family on the settee. "Carol time," Elizabeth announced. "Which song is first?"
"Can we do what we did last year?" Allie asked. "Start with God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and end with O Holy Night?"
"That sounds perfect," Nathan replied. He looked at Elizabeth. "What do you think, sweetheart?"
She nodded. "I love it. It can be our Grant family tradition." She tilted her head. "Will you start us off again this year, love?"
"It would be my honor." He launched into his favorite carol, smiling when his family joined in. Jack didn't know most of the words, but he sang along with made-up words of his own. As they sang, Nathan closed his eyes, the words wrapping around his heart. Most people liked the beginning of the song best, but he had always loved the verses about the shepherds.
From God our Heavenly Father
A blessed Angel came
And unto certain Shepherds
Brought tidings of the same
How that in Bethlehem was born
The Son of God by Name
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
He often wondered what it would be like to see an angel. The general biblical reaction was fear. What did angels look like? What was it that caused the knee-jerk reaction of fright? Was it awe?
"Fear not then", said the Angel
"Let nothing you affright
This day is born a Saviour
Of a pure Virgin bright
To free all those who trust in Him
From Satan's power and might"
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
Nathan smiled to himself. What a beautiful gift the shepherds had been entrusted with. The tidings of the Savior's birth had come not to the wealthy or the powerful, but to the poor and humble. In the dark of night, keeping their sheep, the nameless shepherds received a vision of glory and a message of peace.
The shepherds at those tidings
Rejoiced much in mind
And left their flocks a-feeding
In tempest, storm and wind
And went to Bethlehem straightway
The Son of God to find
O tidings of comfort and joy
Comfort and joy
O tidings of comfort and joy
When the song ended, he opened his eyes. "Lovely singing, everyone. Which carol is next?"
Allie requested Silent Night. They sang that song and then another. Carol after carol blessed their home, their voices raised in joy. Finally, Jack began yawning.
"We should probably wrap up and get ready for bed," Elizabeth said gently.
"Then let's finish with your favorite." Nathan reached over to clasp her hand in his. "O Holy Night."
They sang their final song. Though he'd sung it dozens of times over the years, one phrase in particular stood out to Nathan this time.
A thrill of hope.
The lyric was in reference to the birth of Christ, but he found it applicable to his own life. After years of being alone, of caring for a child without knowing what he was doing, of moving from town to town and never having a true home, he'd found hope in this town aptly named Hope Valley. He'd found the woman of his dreams and fallen in love. They'd been through some rough times, and he'd often wondered if they had a chance, but it was all in the past. They were now happily married, with two wonderful children and another on the way. He had much to be thankful for. As they stood to take the children upstairs to bed, Nathan breathed a prayer of gratitude for the many blessings over the last year. It had been the happiest year of his life, but he knew the best was still to come.