AN: Anyone miss this story? As I am hoping to get back to Wednesday updates, here is a shorter chapter. I hope you enjoy it!
True to their nature, neither Lucas nor Fiona were shy about sharing the news of their engagement. Being Sunday, church provided the perfect opportunity for the newly engaged couple to share their news. People were genuinely happy for them, commenting on how well the two suited one another. As he sat in a pew with Elizabeth on one side, Ally on the other and Jack in his lap, Nathan found himself watching Lucas and Fiona, who were a few rows and across the aisle from them.
"Are you thinking that the best man won, again?" Elizabeth teased softly, leaning in close.
"More like the best man won the best girl for him," Nathan whispered back.
Elizabeth leaned her head on her shoulder. "I can't argue with that," she told him. Her gaze found Ned and Florence and then Rachel and Tyler. "It is true in many cases."
Pastor Zeke took his place at the podium and welcomed his congregation. His opening prayer recognized Hope Valley's both new couples as well as the adoption of Evelyn and Erik. Watching the two children sitting on the pew next to Florence and Ned, Nathan thought they looked a lot more content than they had the day he had first located the two children. He knew they still had some healing to do. They had lost their parents and their home. They had lived in fear those days while on the run. The man who had the argument with their father still had not been located to ask even questions of, and so their parents' murder remained unsolved. Though they had landed somewhere with people who would love them, and provide for their needs, those events were still a part of the past that would define who they were and would become. Nathan knew that from personal experience. He also knew that both Ned and Florence could empathize with the children when it came to dealing with the loss of loved ones. Seeing them now, Nathan did not regret the money he had given to smooth things over for Evelyn here in Hope Valley.
Putting those thoughts aside, Nathan tried to concentrate on the service. Given the short attention span of the little boy in his lap that was not the easiest feat. The music at least kept Jack's attention as did the toys that Elizabeth had brought for their son even if Pastor Zeke's sermon did not. Still, when the final amen was said, Nathan was more than ready to let the boy run off some energy in the yard in front of the church before trying to corral him in the wagon. As soon as those around him were moving, Jack was squirming down from Nathan's lap.
"Just take him outside," Elizabeth told her husband. "I'll gather the toys and be along."
"All right," Nathan said, having grabbed a hold of Jack's suspenders in the back to keep the little boy from running off.
Getting to his feet, Nathan let the little boy weave their way through the crowd in the aisle as the parishioners began to form a line to speak to Pastor Zeke. As Nathan slipped past them, Nathan made eye contact with the pastor. The Mountie mouthed the word "sorry" to Zeke. With an amused look in his eyes, a smile and a nod, Hope Valley's pastor let Nathan know that he understood.
Though Jack took the steps carefully, as soon as he was on flat ground, he hurried toward the pond. Jack loved to look for things in the mud of the bank or toss sticks, blades of grass, or parts of flowers into the water and watch them bob on the surface. Ally and Jack both enjoyed floating stick boats down the creek not far from their home and Nathan got the feeling the little boy was still trying to figure out why things in the pond didn't move quite the same.
Long strides kept Nathan close to the little boy. He would let his son have his fun, but would be nearby to keep him safe. Soon the excited voices and more controlled murmur of other voices filled the air as people left the church. Glancing quickly back, Nathan saw Elizabeth chatting with Rosemary and Rachel as Ally made her way toward Jack and himself, As Elizabeth, holding Margaret's hand, didn't seem in a hurry, Nathan turned his attention back to Jack, deciding to let the boy enjoy himself for a little longer.
"Dad," Ally said coming to a stop beside his father as Jack tossed a rock into the water to create ripples to watch to a bout of giggles. Nathan glanced briefly toward her to let her know she had his attention and then looked back at Jack who was getting ready to toss in another rock. "Aunt Viola wanted me to tell you that she and Uncle Dylan are going to walk back to the house together."
"All right," Nathan replied.
"Do you think they like-like each other?" Ally asked.
Reaching out, Nathan drew his daughter into a one-sided hug. "I am not sure they understand their feelings just yet. They have both been through a lot. However, we all need some kind of human companionship, even a loner like me."
Ally giggled. "Grandma use to tell me she thought you joined the Mounties so you didn't have to pursue a relationship with a member of the opposite gender."
"Did she now?" Nathan said, not able to really feel any animosity toward his mother. He supposed on some level she was right. Being a Mountie had given him something else to focus on. "Well anyway, back to your Aunt Viola and Uncle Dylan. Right now, I think they are just two people who have been lonely for a long time who found someone who can understand that in away. What it leads to, only time can tell."
Ally was quiet after that answer. Nathan waited a few moments to see if she would volunteer anything on her own. When she didn't, he asked, "if there was something like that between them, would it bother you?"
As Jack had wandered away from the water's edge following a butterfly, Nathan glanced in Ally's direction in time to see her shrug. "I am not sure," Ally replied slowly as both she and Nathan followed after Jack. "I mean I am happy with how my life turned out and I am grateful to finally have my questions answered. I am even okay with Dylan being in my life in some capacity, but you are my father. I wouldn't want that to change but I guess a little bit I might be worried about what would happen if he and Aunt Viola do have feelings for one another and he ups and walks out on them like he did me. I wouldn't wish that on anyone, let alone my cousin."
Nathan reached out and wrapped an arm around Ally's shoulders. "Your Mama told Viola a little about Dylan's past. Viola said, that he had already admitted to it himself, so rest assured your aunt knows what she is getting herself into. She'll look out for Margaret."
"Maybe the fact that he was up front about his past mistakes is an indication of how much he has changed," Ally ventured.
"Perhaps," Nathan replied.
The butterfly Jack had been following had found a bush along the pond edge to land on, and Jack stood watching the wings flutter. Glancing back toward the church, he noticed his wife had finished her conversation and was glancing around the area presumably for him and the kids. Nathan raised the hand not around Ally's shoulders to get her attention. Spotting him, Elizabeth waved back.
"All right, Jack. Time to head home," Nathan told the little boy.
Jack hesitated a moment, before he waved a hand in the butterflies direction, causing it to take flight. The boy giggled even as he turned to take a hold of his father's hand, on the opposite side of his sister. The trio then headed back toward where the wagons were parked outside of the church. Elizabeth was waiting beside their wagon.
"Are we all ready to head home?" Elizabeth asked, receiving positive replies from her family members.
After helping the children into the wagon, Nathan offered his hand to Elizabeth to assist her up. With a murmured "thank you," Elizabeth climbed up and settled on the seat. Soon, Nathan was settled on the seat beside her and had the horses headed for home.
"Rachel and I have a request for you," Elizabeth told her husband after they were on their way.
"What would that request be?" Nathan asked her.
"That you make sure that Tyler heads home on time tomorrow," Elizabeth informed him. "Rachel has been wanting to do something special for Tyler, but hasn't felt quite up to it until now. Autumn is going to stay with the Coulter's so she can play with Ivy. I told Rachel I would take baby Gilbert for a few hours so she and Tyler can have a little time alone. Lee promised to pick me up at the Randall's and drive me and Gilbert home. I hope you don't mind giving us a ride back later."
"Of course not," Nathan replied. "I am happy for Tyler. I know what it is like to fall for a woman that you are not sure when it is the appropriate time to start showing your feelings or if she is able to even consider returning your feelings."
"Rachel and I are both lucky that we found men willing to be patient and take on our emotional baggage," Elizabeth said, looping her arm through Nathan's and leaning her head against his arm. "I have found myself wondering if my own journey would have been easier if someone had come along earlier. That I had less time to consider what opening my heart up to another man meant."
Nathan leaned his cheek against the top of her head, feeling the silkiness of Elizabeth's hair against his skin.
"Rachel even asked me before saying yes to Tyler's proposal if I would have considered accepting someone's marriage proposal when I was expecting Jack if I knew he would treat me and the baby with respect. I admitted that I probably would have. Facing the birth of a child and knowing you are alone is a frightening aspect."
"I am glad no one did, because I would have missed my chance with you," Nathan told her. "I think that things worked out just as they should have. I don't think you would have been ready to open your heart right after Jack's death like Rachel was. Rachel already had Autumn who helped to keep her heart open to love throughout it all. You lost your one true love when Jack died Elizabeth. I could see that when I first met you. Little Jack and your students were what kept you going. You had to be ready to accept love again before you were ready for a new relationship and I think only through loving Jack's son were you able to finally do that."
"God doesn't ask us to understand his ways, just obey," Elizabeth said softly.
With those words the two of them lapsed into silence, just enjoying each others company. Behind them, the children's game of "I Spy" could be heard.
"Do you stay in touch with Ave?" Viola asked, tying to make her voice sound like nothing more than idle curiosity.
"An occasional note gets exchanged between us, but nothing more. I have not seen her since I made sure she was safely at home with her parents. We got to be friends while working on the trapline together for sure. I sent Alexia a gift for her birthday and plan to do so for Christmas but our feelings went no further than friendship. It was what we both needed at the time to get us both to the next stage of life God had in plan for us," Dylan told her, his heart beating slightly faster at the thought that Viola seemed curious if there was another woman in his life.
Viola was pretty. Dylan would not deny that. Maybe just as pretty as Colleen though in a different way. In fact, Viola was the first woman he had ever had feelings for that were even similar to those he had felt for Colleen. With Ave, there had simply been a desire to help this woman who was in a position that he had once been in. He may have chosen the wrong path at that juncture in his life, but he had hoped that with his help, Ave would choose a better path. So, far she had. In fact, from the sounds of her last note, Ave might have been opening her own heart to love again.
Dylan glanced over at the woman that walked beside him. Viola wore a serious expression, though there was still a softness about her. Her eyes did not hold the deep pain and grief that he had seen in Ave's eyes right after her husband's death. It told him that though she was sorry about the loss of her husband that there was not the same kind of emotion involved.
Even Colleen's eyes had held that pain and grief when he would come home drunk yet again. Despite all he had put her through, Colleen had deeply loved him. He did not doubt that.
"Are you going back to Saskatoon?" Colleen asked.
Dylan shrugged his shoulders. "I am not sure. I do have a job there if I want one but other than my boss and my counselor, I did not have a lot of connections there," he told her. He looked around at their surroundings. "While I am grateful for the time to get to know Ally, I am not sure that my permanent spot is nearby. Ally is very happy with Nathan and her family. I gave up my right to be a big part of her life a long time ago. I am thrilled that she has claimed me as an uncle, but I can be an uncle from somewhere else. I do not want to where out my welcome. However, I also need to find a place where I can find someone to help me in my quest to stay sober. Being here has taught me how much I relied on my boss and counselor. I probably would have given up my year of sobriety if the people of this town weren't looking out for Nathan and Ally."
"They were looking out for you too," Viola said. "If they helped keep you sober, then that helps you, doesn't it."
Dylan looked over at her. "You have a point," he admitted. "I guess I just kind of got use to it being just me for so long. Colleen believed in me, but I didn't appreciate that at the time."
"What a pair we make," Viola commented.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you had a marriage based on love, but mistakes you made cost you that way of life. Now you are afraid of making new attachments out of fear of repeating those mistakes. I am here because I am afraid of going back to the world that led me to believe that the choice I was making for my life was the right one. I believe now that status and money are not the most important things in a marriage. I want what Elizabeth has found twice now - a marriage based on love."
Dylan chuckled. There was a certain irony to that when she put it that way. "You make a good point," he conceded. "Do you plan on going back to Hamilton?"
Viola nodded. "Yes, because unlike my sister, I do not have a way nor a desire to struggle to support myself in a town like this. While I have a feeling Nathan is too nice of a man to actually kick me out, I know that living with Elizabeth and Nathan is not a long term solution. For a little while though, I want to hide from the eyes of the world my parents thrive in, but eventually I will go home to my parent's home."
"I am glad you have family to go to in troubled times," Dylan commented before asking her about growing up in Hamilton. Though he knew Viola was out of his league, he still wanted to know as much about her as she was willing to share.