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A HOPE VALLEY CHRISTMAS
Epilogue I
"Happily Ever After"
"Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,
It keeps no record of wrongs."
I Corinthians 13:4-5*
. . .
After getting a cantankerous Jack, at his most tenacious insistence and against her own better judgment, finally settled into bed with his sister, Allie, Elizabeth listened to both children's prayers and tenderly kissed them goodnight.
"If Jack gets to be too much, just call for me, Sweetheart!" directed Elizabeth in a low voice.
"We'll be fine, Mama! I love you!"
"I love you too, Sweet Girl!"
With one hand at her back and the other rubbing her tense neck, Elizabeth laboriously plodded across the hall to her new master bedroom, Nathan's former bedroom, now their bedroom together.
She quickly, well as quickly as she could, given her cumbersome body, changed into her nightclothes, reveling in the pure joy that had surrounded her since their Wedding Day, a little over eight months ago.
Tonight, Nathan, as well as most of the men in Hope Valley, were working late, doing their best to get the bulk of the trim work done inside their spacious new home.
At least what they could finish.
Disappointed, Nathan had explained to her earlier this morning there was a problem with the back staircase's spindles not fitting, and that they would have to wait till all of the spindles were re-made by hand in Buxton. According to the original specifications, too, which frustratingly had been accurate all along.
It was a setback, for sure, but could have been a lot worse.
Nathan was just thankful the error had been caught early enough for the Buxton shop to re-craft the spindles, hopefully in plenty of time before their scheduled moving date.
Elizabeth was beyond excited about finally moving into their new larger quarters, but oh, how she missed her husband!
Deep down, she knew that Allie and Jack were also missing him desperately too, which accounted in part for Jack's being so out of sorts.
But on top of his demanding new job at the Academy, Nathan was building their new home, feverishly working to get his family in while the weather was still good, leaving very little family time. How he was holding up to it all, Elizabeth would never understand. But then again, love was a powerful thing, and there was no doubt, that Nathan Grant was overflowing with love, for both her and their children.
No doubt, the four of them were truly blessed to have found each other, and they all seemed to know it, each flourishing in their new life together!
Since their marriage, Jack, whom Nathan, on principle, had always refused to call 'Little Jack,' had attached himself to the man of the house, following his every step. That is when his new Dad was not carrying the boy high up on his shoulders, or holding him on his lap.
It seemed the two 'boys' were always laughing or sharing some private secret with each other.
It was like Jack was instinctively making up for all those years his father had been missing, while Nathan had intuitively understood, giving his son all the attention and love he possibly could.
Theirs was a mutual admiration society for all to see!
As usual, Allie was very tolerant, and although a bit amused at Jack's exclusive and gregarious adoration, she never appeared the least bit jealous, not once.
Instead, she seemed more than happy to share her father with the little brother she adored.
But perhaps that was because as much as Jack loved his Daddy, he loved his sister every bit as much!
Allie was already like a second mother to him, a big sister in every way, and Jack simply adored his 'Awee.'
Yet it was also Elizabeth's daughter who always stepped in to make sure her new Mama wasn't feeling left out of all the new relationships.
Yet the truth was, Elizabeth and Allie had grown just as close in ways that only a Mother and Daughter would understand.
"What a wise old soul, my beautiful girl is!" thought Elizabeth aloud. "Often more perceptive than most adults."
And her heart swelled with pride at the thought.
Burdened by her added weight, Elizabeth sat down briefly on their bed for a moment of rest but instantly knew that without Nathan beside her, the normally cozy room felt empty.
So, she trudged down the stairs as quietly as she could so as not to wake the children, went to the kitchen, fixed and poured herself a cup of steaming hot chamomile tea, then took it to Nathan's desk, which was cozily wedged in next to hers in the little alcove of their crowded living room...
Missing her Husband, she found the journal she wanted and sat down, making herself comfortable at his larger desk. Her hands automatically flipped back to that first journal entry after they had returned from their Honeymoon in Banff, when she couldn't wait to sit down and write, trying to remember every precious detail of their wedding. She had read her own words so many times since then, they were emblazoned in her memory, but she would never tire of seeing them.
Alone tonight, she simply couldn't resist reading her words yet again tonight, all these eight months and a few days later:
January 15th, 1919
Finally, home with our children, whom we've both smothered with kisses and hugs over and over again, after the most romantic Honeymoon a wife could ask for, but I'll get to that a bit later.
I honestly don't know who is the happiest, we parents to finally be home or our children to have us home!
Though, I think I can safely speak for my wonderful husband in saying neither of us could possibly be happier!
To say Allie and Jack have missed us is as big an understatement and misnomer as saying we barely missed them.
Thankfully, Nathan has taken the day off tomorrow so that we can all spend the entire day together. And the four of us are so excited!
It will be our first official family day together, and with all the snow, we plan on using the cross-country snowshoes and poles we brought home as gifts from our Honeymoon, teaching the children how to trek through the snow in a new, more efficient way, and hopefully much more fun way as well!
As snowshoeing is not a usual mode of transportation for this area, it will be fun to teach Allie and Jack something new while they acquire a useful new skill at the same time.
Sometime during our next cold season, Nathan and I both are hoping to take Allie and Jack on a winter trip to Banff, so we can teach them to ski.
But first, I need to jot down every memorable detail of our beautiful wedding held on New Year's Eve, December 31, 1918, just six days after our rather quick engagement, or as Rosemary says, the quickest engagement in all of history!
Admittedly, the short number of days from our Proposal to our Wedding allowed just enough time for both our families to travel quickly to Hope Valley, thrilled to be able to celebrate with us. Everyone came except Viola and Lionel, of course, who could hardly make the trip in time from Great Britain. But they did send us their love and best wishes via a trans-Atlantic telegram that arrived on our Big Day. They are also sending us a much anticipated 'trunk full of exquisite Wedding Gifts from Europe,' according to Viola, that excitedly should arrive within the next couple of months.
The minimal number of days we allotted, however, also gave my best friend Rosemary, Hope Valley's resident wedding coordinator, more than enough time to throw a grand conniption fit, if not a full-fledged coronary, with her angst directed squarely at both my Groom and me!
Yes, her initial reaction was, at first, elation, which rapidly switched to beyond scathing when she realized the short timetable. But, gratefully, she did finally come around to coordinate the most beautiful, and largest wedding Hope Valley has ever seen!
Not that that was what Nathan and I wanted at all! The two of us were planning a very simple, small family gathering of twelve, but as we soon found out, one doesn't always get what one wants, even when it's their own Wedding!
Miraculously, my reserved Groom and I somehow managed to get through all the commotion, while still keeping our massive wedding ceremony personal by simply blocking everything else out and concentrating only on each other!
But on the positive side, never before had we known a wedding, large or small, could bring all the loved ones in our lives together in such a beautiful way, and that was indeed a great unforeseen blessing that happened right before our very eyes.
There was so much love, so much certainty that our marriage was simply meant to be. It seemed everyone knew that the two of us, as well as our families, belonged together, understanding perfectly why neither of us could waste a second longer than we had to. Everyone was thrilled for us, graciously offering their services for anything and everything that was needed.
Assisting Rosemary in every way possible, our friends took care of things that we had never even considered.
Let's just say the entire town was spiffed and polished like never before.
It was like the Christmas Spirit lingered on, hovering over Hope Valley through the New Year, just for our Wedding!
Every smile, every 'congratulations', every 'best wishes,' along with every heartfelt word of support only reinforced our love and magnified the celebration that was already alive in our hearts from the glorious moment we found our way back to each other.
And for that, we are both eternally grateful to everyone who played a part.
It was as though our love was contagious, spreading goodwill and happiness to all.
Pastor Canfield was thrilled to officiate the ceremony, even on such short notice, humorously saying, "Well, it's about time!"
Angela played the piano beautifully, thrilled to get to play her favorite processional, which happened to be our favorite as well: Canon in D by Pachelbel. (*36)
The voluminous, spectacular flowers were beautifully arranged everywhere throughout the church and the reception hall, all in my favorite purples and lavenders, which happen to be my daughter's favorite colors as well! My parents saw that they were brought in by train from Union City and they were absolutely stunning, warming the depths of the cold, cold winter surrounding us.
My Bridal Bouquet was simply perfection, and what I had always dreamed of, made up of my favorite purple and lavender roses mixed with white orchids! It was so beautiful, that I was grateful my Mother had the foresight to insist on ordering an exact replica for me to toss. Thankfully, that allowed me to keep my gorgeous original to be dried and framed. It was funny, however, when I tossed the second bouquet, Julie and Fiona both reached for it at the exact same time. And neither was giving up. But luckily, at their persistence, the flowers broke into two separate smaller bouquets, leaving both ecstatic with their catches as well as the promise of being the next to marry! Although at the time, it should be noted that there were no known prospects for either young lady. But that was a mere technicality, and as far as they were concerned, didn't deter their excitement and giddiness at all!
Allie was delighted and honored to stand by my side and serve as my Junior Bridesmaid! Standing beside my new daughter, Julie proudly served as my Maid of Honor, while Rosemary, despite her panic, was radiant as my Matron of Honor.
Jack served as Nathan's Junior Groomsman, keeping everyone on their toes! Judge Bill Avery enthusiastically and proudly served as Nathan's Best Man, at the same time helping control his overly excited godson when the Groom was unable to do so himself. Constable Gabriel Kinslow provided both encouragement and hilarity as his Groomsman, not that Nathan needed much encouragement at all!
My attendants wore simple, long cream-colored velvet gowns that were designed in the same beautiful style as my own gown. They also wore antique circlets of real pearls in their hair, compliments of my Mother, who had found them in a ritzy antique shoppe in Hamilton. She was amazed to discover after her arrival here, that they could easily be converted to choker necklaces, which delighted my attendants, who were more than excited to wear them as such in the future.
The Ladies carried bouquets that were similar to mine, but just a tiny bit smaller.
As elated as Allie was to be a member of the Wedding Party, she was even more thrilled to be gaining a complete family. She looked like a perfect angel, a very, very happy, beautiful, perfect angel, whose every dream was finally coming true. Everyone was ecstatic for her, so happy to see her dreams, as well as ours, at long last being fulfilled. And although Jack was too young to say, everyone was just as happy for him, as the love he showed his new Daddy, along with the paternal love shown back to him by his new Father, couldn't have been missed at all by anyone!
All in all, my new family meshed together as though we had simply always been meant to be.
And with the children, the adorableness factor was simply off the charts, making our Wedding more beautiful and more poignant than I could have ever imagined.
Nathan's attendants wore their Dress Uniforms, including Little Jack, who was beyond thrilled with his newly minted miniature uniform! From the moment he put it on, he insisted he was going to wear it forever, just like his Daddies, but without ever taking it off! I should add that was one little conundrum Nathan and I were more than happy to leave to his blessed grandparents to handle instead!
At first, I was going to wear the cream-colored dress I wore at Jack's Christening as Nathan loved it so. But my mother, as well as my best friend and Wedding Planner, were hearing none of that!
Without a doubt, Mother brought with her the most beautiful couture gown in all of Hamilton, along with the coordinating gowns for my attendants. One look and I knew that gown was made for me and for my most special day. The heavy velvet fabric woven of fine silk threads was of the palest gold, coordinating with the gold of my Groom's dress uniform perfectly. I hadn't planned to wear a veil at all, but when Mother showed me the golden lace headpiece that was designed to go with the gown, I just couldn't resist.
It was rapturous! My Groom's word.
Nathan later told me that he was thrilled I had chosen to wear the veil, as he loved lifting it up and seeing me all to himself in that one brief instant before our vows. I will never ever forget the look on his face at that moment as long as I live. I am sure it is that same look of pure love, I will see as I go to meet my Maker.
Although the gown was couture, it was very simplistic in style, very elegant, and thankfully, so different from my first Wedding Gown.
But if I'm being honest, even though I will always cherish my first wedding to Jack, I was surprised that this wedding felt exactly the same.
Just as monumental, just as wonderful, and just as life-changing.
Everything felt new, and just as important, if not more so.
Perhaps, life has taught me monumental lessons, teaching me through experience just how precious love and marriage really are.
As my Father whispered in my ear just before he walked me down the aisle, his simple, yet wise words totally confirmed my emotions, thoughts, and feelings.
"This is your first wedding to Nathan, Lilibet, and every bit as important, as well as new and wonderful!"
And he was right.
Everything was so glorious, I still cry tears of joy just thinking of any singular thought related to our entire, extraordinary Wedding!
Yes, it was thrown together by Rosemary, my Parents, and all of Hope Valley in six short days, but in a word, it was perfect, and neither of us would change a thing!
My gown's low v-cut velvet fitted bodice fell to a slightly gathered skirt that was cut to be low-waisted, also in velvet, but with an overskirt of the same fine lace as my veil. Its sleeves, also velvet, were long, purposely stretching in a similar v-cut a little below my wrists, as a slight circular lace-covered train grazed the floor behind me.
Everyone said the gown and veil were unique and simply stunning! So much so, my daughter has asked that both be saved for her own Wedding Day! Needless to say, I was more than happy to comply, although her father raised his eyebrows at the mere thought of his little girl and marriage.
I accessorized with the extraordinary gold pearl necklace and drop earrings, gifted by my beloved Groom the evening before our big day. The pearls are from the South Seas of Polynesia and are exquisite, but even more so because Nathan found and chose them just for me in Union City, even before he knew the color of my gown. He said he had chosen the gold color because I was more precious than gold to him. I will cherish them always, as my most loved and treasured pieces of jewelry.
In that short period of time from our Engagement till our Wedding Day, Nathan and I still wrote our own vows, with neither of us knowing what the other was going to say prior to standing at the altar.
The problem wasn't finding something to say, it was paring everything down enough to fit into the ceremony!
Words flowed for both of us, even my normally succinct husband.
But had we said everything our hearts wanted to say, our Wedding Ceremony would have lasted forever!
So, instead, we communicated all our emotionally felt words to each other with our eyes and our hearts.
Although our most personal vows are now locked away in a very special place, I can tell you, there wasn't a dry eye in the house when we voiced them to each other, Bride and Groom included!
They were so heartfelt, so real, so poignant, that many people since the Wedding have requested that we write a book of poetry together, more specifically, poems of love.
And in the short time since our wedding, we have continued to write daily love poems to each other, but only for our eyes, and our eyes alone!
I do believe, though, that we will be writing notes of love to each other our whole lives through.
Yes, our quiet Wedding unceremoniously exploded into a joyous celebration for the entire town, especially since it was New Year's Eve! But rightfully so, as each of the townspeople had played a significant role in supporting us and bringing us together, through prayer and through action.
They had earned the right to be there as much as anyone else.
After all, they were also family, our frontier family.
Their unified participation turned our Wedding into the most celebrated of all events ever seen in Hope Valley.
Nathan's highest Officers, including the Commissioner, himself, also insisted on attending, providing us with an official 'Arch of Sabers,' to pass through after our Ceremony.
It was a wonderful surprise and such an honor for my husband, who kissed me gloriously to release us from being entrapped forever!
The sweetest thing of all was that Allie and Jack walked the arch with us, and to say Jack was mesmerized as his Daddy carried him through, didn't begin to cover it!
Neither Nathan nor I will ever forget the precious moment! And I think it's safe to say, neither will Allie nor Jack!
The reception was happily hosted by my parents, meaning it was the biggest and most lavish New Year's bash ever thrown in the area, to the delight of the entire town.
Thankfully, though we both simply wanted to be alone, Nathan and I somehow managed to survive all of the evening's many festivities.
We danced our first dance together as husband and wife, after reluctantly breaking apart to dance with our parents, our new in-laws, and then our own children.
It was clear to see that Nathan's skills were beyond impressive, with my own Mother making the request that she also be included as his dance partner whenever they were attending some dance function together in the future. A very high compliment from my socially conscious Mother who seldom dances with anyone but my Father!
One most unexpected surprise was how quickly our parents took up with each other, obviously enjoying each other's company.
New friendships were made as our families joined together, supporting both us and their grandchildren, and warming both of our hearts.
Then the Wedding Toasts were made, by our Fathers, and all of our adult attendants. They consisted of beautiful, wonderful wishes for a lifetime of happiness, most offered with tears, and they touched our very souls.
Compliments of my parents, no expense was spared on our Wedding Dinner, which was scrumptious with both surf and turf for all, including my husband's favorite steak in the form of filet mignon, along with my favorite lobster. But at our insistence, to balance the 'fancy' out, there was also a buffet including all of Hope Valley's favorite down-home dishes, served family style. And I must say the combination of both was culinary perfection. Surprisingly, even my shocked parents agreed in the end!
After eating, greeting, and chatting with all our joyful guests, we cut our Wedding Cake, a giant five-tiered chocolate cake (chocolate being our favorite) covered in the most exquisite white and lavender sugared roses. Additional live flowers, matching my bouquet, topped the extraordinary cake beautifully.
The whole Wedding Cake had been a labor of love made by Bill and Minnie, and it tasted as good as it was stunning in appearance.
We cut it using Nathan's decorative saber, and I'm told there's a beautiful photo to prove it, with all his Officers standing in the background, sabers drawn in brotherhood!
After the cake cutting and eating, there was more dancing, followed by the obligatory New Year's celebrations, including a rigorous countdown!
Suddenly, realizing our train would soon depart, Nathan and I made our way to the entrance and waved goodbye, just as the most beautiful snowfall began outside. My husband gave a heartfelt, but succinct, thank-you speech. His words were profound, and there wasn't a dry eye in the hall, as everyone clapped and yelled best wishes.
We finally escaped into the snow, just after midnight with Allie between us, and Nathan carrying Jack. All our guests ran after us, rushing to the train station with just minutes to spare before our train pulled out!
Thankfully, Nathan knew the head conductor, who had prepared everything for us.
We kissed and hugged Allie and Jack goodbye one last time before the grandparents took over.
Suddenly, there was an absolute onslaught of rice and rose petals, with our children enjoying the 'throw' most of all!
Surprisingly and most romantically, my new husband lifted me to thunderous applause, carrying me onto the train, our home for the next three days.
With snowflakes dancing by, we stood on the small platform together with Nathan's arm securely around me, smiling and waving to all those we loved, as the train pulled slowly out of sight.
After that, we're told our Wedding Party and all of Hope Valley raced back through the snow to the reception hall without us, happily continuing the huge celebration.
We are also told the party lasted joyfully till the morning's sunrise when our Mothers managed to gather enough cooks commandeered by Nathan's Mother to scrounge up a full and hearty breakfast for everyone, insistent they weren't sending our guests home hungry!
Once the train carried us out of sight from Hope Valley, Nathan and I were finally alone!
And after a most romantic kiss under the moonlight with flecks of snow fluttering about us, Nathan picked me up and carried me inside to our beautiful accommodations, where we toasted each other privately as Bride and Groom, amid a myriad of scintillating kisses.
As much as my new husband loved my gown, telling me I looked ravishing over and over, I must admit, that when I first turned my back to him inside our Stateroom in Father's private train car, my Groom first caught a glimpse of what appeared to be hundreds of tiny golden pearl buttons running down the back of my gown, causing a moment of momentary panic. Like Rosemary, my normally calm husband almost had a coronary right then and there, having no idea how to proceed. But with a little direction and reassurance, he soon recovered and laboriously began his arduous task, proudly completing it in record time, I might add!
Our Wedding Night on that train car was so memorable, so intimate, so romantic, so personal, and so private, I can't bring myself to even write words describing it. Perhaps if I am totally honest, that's because there simply are no words that could come close to being adequate. I will say the entire night was heavenly, dream-like, but so very present, so very real for both of us.
If there was ever a doubt anywhere in this huge world that we weren't made for each other, it was obliterated entirely in that single night.
We became one, of body, mind, spirit, and soul, freely giving our all, each to the other.
Now on to our beautiful Honeymoon...
I can only say our two-week Honeymoon in Banff, Alberta, Canada was the stuff extraordinary dreams are made of.
As I mentioned, we were transported there in the luxury of my parent's private railway car, but as we reached our destination, there was a rather delightful culture shock as we switched our mode of travel to small, very rustic Tally-hos, the only mode of transportation available to us. They consisted of tiny, rough-hewn, horse-drawn wagons for two that ricocheted, er, perilously transported all those touring through the beautiful mountainous terrain surrounding us. They were just big enough for the driver, my husband, me, and our luggage, though barely!
Although a challenge, for sure, the raw juxtaposition of the two extreme modes of transportation was simply enthralling, as we embraced our new mountainous adventure with bravery and gusto.
Suffice it to say, we had the most beautiful winter honeymoon imaginable, the most loving and romantic one too, while gratefully relishing the magnificent handiwork of God's nature and each other!
Nathan taught me to ski for the first time, and I absolutely loved the thrill of crashing down the hill at what I considered record speed.
My dear husband was kind enough not to shatter my many illusions. But I will say, it's true that, as a novice, I'm afraid I was no threat to my most accomplished husband, who, I soon learned, had skied from the time he was a child. He glided down the highest mountainous terrain just like he approaches most everything in life: assured, calm, and confident! And he excelled like no other, sailing down the black pistes, the most dangerous trails of all, with unwitting bravado and ease.
But I'm afraid most of his time was spent with me, on the blue pistes, which I proudly graduated to after a couple of days from green! Never once did he complain. Instead, he patiently urged me on, confidently teaching me the whole time, laughing not at me, but with me, while helping, loving, and encouraging me through all my clumsy mishaps!
I'll admit, as much as we loved the skiing and the touring, there were a few days when we did nothing at all, deciding to stay under the warmth of the many comforters on our giant featherbed in front of our cavernous fireplace, without seeing another person all day long except for each other.
Doubtless, those were the best days of all! Days we will treasure for the rest of our lives. Days that will no doubt tide us through any rough spots ahead.
But by the end of the first week, we both were desperately missing our children, and by the end of the second week, we were happy to be heading home to them, anxious to start our new life together as both a couple and a new family.
All in all, it was a most memorable, perfect honeymoon!
Little did we realize, in addition to the many gifts we purchased for our children, family, friends, and each other, we were, in reality, bringing home to Nathan's little rowhouse more blessed and priceless treasures than we could have possibly known…
While reading, the smile on Elizabeth's face was radiant and as full as the many treasured memories in her heart that were now racing through her mind.
But inside that bursting heart of hers was also an urgency to write in her journal once more, and so she stretched, reaching over on her own desk to grab her new, beautifully engraved journal. Nathan had gifted it to her for their eight-month anniversary a few days ago, along with a beautiful gold fountain pen. She dipped the stylus of her new pen in the jar of inky blackness setting before her and watched intently as the ink was slowly drawn up in the pen. Then in her beautiful cursive handwriting, she began to give life to the words that were in her heart at this very moment, all these eight months past their Honeymoon:
I suppose it's commonly accepted that happiness breeds reminiscing, as well as courting a bright new future at the same time.
But I do believe, delirious happiness causes one to re-evaluate their essence, their core values.
I know, because for once in my life, I can say I'm truly, deliriously happy. So happy I marvel each day that the happiness within me and surrounding me just continues to grow and grow.
The smile on my face grows broader and broader, without effort, and my overflowing heart just becomes fuller and fuller.
Like in a Fairy tale.
I should know that as well since my sisters, and I were raised on Fairy Tales from early childhood.
Having read one, we were hungry for another, and another till we basically consumed every single Fairy Tale we could get our hands on!
So, one might say, the three of us are Fairy Tale experts, of sorts!
And since we Thatchers conveniently had every resource at our fingertips, there were many, many tales to read, to our extreme delight.
Why one tale is thought to have originated as early as the Bronze Age, almost six thousand years ago, called "The Smith and the Devil." It was a favorite of mine about a blacksmith who sold his soul in a pact with the Devil in order to gain supernatural abilities. I must have memorized every word of that one because it was so adventuresome, so dangerous, and so very exciting, that it held my rapt attention. The Smith finally tricks the Devil out of his prize by bargaining for the power to weld any material, then shockingly uses his brand new 'gifted' power to stick the Devil, himself, to an immovable object, allowing the Smith to re-negotiate, renege on his bargain, and ultimately regain his soul! (*37)
I remember wondering if I would have been as brave and intelligent in a similar situation, not that I would have ever made any sort of deal with the Devil!
But the story was captivating, nonetheless, truly enthralling!
However, for both Viola and Julie, I believe it's safe to say that particular tale was their least favorite, both preferring the Fairy Tales with handsome Princes!
But still, all three of us spent hours and hours listening to Godfrey who brought the tales alive, reading to us with all his British inflections and dramatic insertions.
We chose to wile our hours away listening to action-packed stories practically as old as time with tons of universal appeal, where dark obstacles are hurled but somehow overcome through dedicated and focused work along with endless love; generosity is well-rewarded; truth ultimately wins over lies; goodness eventually triumphs over evil; and the greatest powers shown are kindness, love, and mercy. Plus you can pretty much count on a happy ending!
What's not to like? Fairy Tales have truly stood the test of time.
And although we girls might not have understood in our youth, there was usually a deep moral message to learn in each of them.
Perhaps that was why our parents never considered them a waste of time!
The stories were exciting and entertaining enough to capture the imagination of both children and adults, even today, which is an amazing literary accomplishment when you think of it.
But we three sisters, even as children, and most definitely as adults, reacted to them oppositely from each other, if that is even possible.
My eldest sister, Viola, reacted pragmatically. With the tales influencing her so much, she chose an English Lord to marry. She claimed all that entailed as her own, very calculated Fairy Tale. She was even willing to adopt another country as her home, leaving all she knew and loved behind, all the while adjusting to her new country as her own with its many rigid social customs. Not that there isn't love. Although I'm not sure there was at first, I'm happy to say that I truly believe love has grown and that my sister, Lady Viola Townsend, and her husband, Lord Anthony Townsend, now appear to have worked through their many differences to create their own British-American 'Fairy Tale' of sorts, amidst a level of personal happiness, agreeable to them both.
My younger sister, Julie, however, the most romantic of the three of us, instantly bought it all, the Prince, the Carriage, the Ball, and the 'Happily Ever After!' Has she found her Prince yet? No, but she is still looking and will, no doubt, keep looking till she does, driven by her own very romantic interpretations of those beloved Fairy Tales we adored. I truly hope her 'Prince' does exist, and that she is not ultimately disappointed in her search to find him.
But then again, real life does come into play.
And truthfully, I'm most concerned that with such inordinately high expectations, her dreams may come crashing down to something more practical, known as reality.
Though, for her sake, I pray not.
As for myself, I loved reading all the Fairy Tales and hearing them read, too. Perhaps most of all three.
But the truth is, I simply never believed them.
Not for a single second.
Yet, here I sit, deliriously happy, re-evaluating my own core values, quick judgments, and past beliefs. As the one who laughed and even mocked the Fairy Tales I loved growing up, I am now beginning to regret my rash judgment.
You see, unlike my sisters, me being the adventurer, I didn't see a Fairy Tale for my life. I just wanted to live an exciting life, to the fullest! Whatever that brought. That is until life brought me down to a dark place I literally had to crawl out of on my figurative hands and knees.
But throughout that dark, bleak tunnel, stood a Mountie, tall, dark, and handsome, and to my surprise, most Prince-like! A good and noble man, who oddly enough had never courted a Princess, as there hadn't been time for that in his busy, structured, even magnanimous life of service.
The attraction between us was immediate, and if I'm completely honest, at first sight, yet the darkness of my grief prevailed.
There was darkness for him, too, even deep grief. But he had tunneled through it all in order to make the best of his situation for Allie. He even continued to do so in his day-to-day life, with caring for her as his singular, most important focus.
Something, sadly, I was unable to do for my own son.
Compared to the Prince, I, on the other hand, was an utter mess, full of grief, frustration, and even anger, while at the same time allowing myself to be consumed with fear.
But miracle of miracles, my handsome Prince was stalwart, loving me through the darkness, understanding my dilemma, while patiently waiting till I was healed and ready to live again, to start over again.
He even battled a rather dark, flamboyant, Prince of great dubious wealth, by simply choosing not to battle at all, standing firm in his virtue, but even more so in his love.
He gave selflessly and waited without recrimination, even at my ugliest, encouraging me as much as I allowed along the way.
Somehow, through it all, he knew me in a way I didn't even know myself.
I was lost.
Yet he knew my heart, my true heart, and for my own good, kept asking me to see it as well.
But I saw only darkness.
Sadly, over time, I allowed fear to obliterate my true essence, and I became someone I didn't even know or like.
It was as though the real me had disappeared, and many felt, myself included, that it might be too late to ever find her again.
Yet Nathan remained a constant, standing in faith, patiently waiting, even though I lashed out at him and his daughter, hurting them in the cruelest of ways.
Through it all, he never faltered. He never wavered.
It was his profound, selfless love that eventually healed me, and brought me back to an even better version of my former self.
And now there is no life without him.
Our love is more than what I ever knew or thought love could be, and for that, I am most grateful.
Although embarrassed, I'm the one who must now admit I was wrong.
My non-belief in Fairy Tales has changed to utter belief because, with Nathan, I am truly living our own Fairy Tale. One that is passionate and real. One that I know will last the ravages of time.
One that will keep us safe against the chaos of the world.
There is a depth of emotion and love between us that I could never have imagined existing before.
It may be intangible, but we both know it's there, a love that binds us together forever.
A love that will carry us through the harshest of storms.
A love that makes waking up in the morning as exciting as getting on the most thrilling ride in a carnival, while anticipating its exhilarating ride of pure joy.
A love we show each other in a million different ways throughout our days, as well as our nights when we excitedly come together in our private refuge of each other after our long stressful days of work.
Ours is a love that lets us rely wholly on the other, while at the same time remaining staunchly independent.
Others see it too and ask us our secret.
But I'm not sure there is a secret, per se.
You see, the 'magic' we live every day isn't really magic at all.
It's simply love, a deep abiding love.
True love.
The kind that is found in I Corinthians 13:4-5 (*38)
Love appreciated, love honored, and love nurtured.
Every single day, both of us willingly put our life partner first, our relationship together first.
That's why our so-called magic, our truest of loves, just keeps growing deeper and deeper.
Neither of us can even imagine our life without the other, nor can the people around us.
But my fear is miraculously gone.
I now know that if that horror were ever to happen, God's grace and the strength Nathan and I give each other each and every day would somehow help carry us through, though I pray neither of us ever has to experience such a monumental loss!
Yet we move forward together, trusting in blind faith, now knowing these things with certainty.
Each moment together is cherished and lived to the fullest.
Nathan has been and is my best life teacher, and I pray that I am his.
We instantly felt our love, yet I was the one who was afraid, terrified, to be perfectly frank!
And now, I literally shake, thinking how I ran away and fought our love for so long. I foolishly threw all that precious time away. But Nathan promised me just after his proposal that he would make up for the time lost, and he truly has done just that.
Through God's abundant grace, He helped me conquer my fears, and through Nathan's patience, I am given the precious gift of time, along with immense love.
Now I, the skeptic, am the one blessed to be living the most beautiful Fairy Tale ever written.
I love our today, but can't wait for our tomorrow...
Just before midnight, an exhausted Nathan slipped through his front door, so relieved to finally be home.
"Lizbeth?" he whispered, noting her slumped form at his desk while taking off his cowboy hat and jacket.
But she didn't stir.
She had lain her head on her husband's desk, writing there to feel closer to him, but ever so tired, she had fallen fast asleep over her new journal.
He was torn, thinking about her constantly.
They were so close to their big day, and he would have much rather preferred to be with her, caring for her every desire, instead of building their house.
But there wasn't much time left, and his responsibility was great.
Nathan sighed, kissing the top of her head lovingly, then took her new pen from her lax fingers, laying it aside.
But while doing so, he couldn't help but notice the last few sentences she had written.
"Through God's abundant grace, He helped me conquer my fears, and through Nathan's patience, I am given the gift of time, along with immense love... Now I, the skeptic, am the one blessed to be living the most beautiful Fairy Tale ever written. I love our today, but can't wait for our tomorrow..."
"Oh, my Darling, you are my Fairy Tale, my today, my tomorrow," he whispered, touching her tightly stretched tummy ever so slightly. "Always!"
He kissed her forehead so tenderly, but lightly as not to wake her.
Then he scooped his beautiful wife up in his strong arms as she sleepily placed her arm around his neck, carrying his precious cargo so cautiously up the small staircase and into their bedroom, where he gently removed her robe and laid his sleeping wife ever so carefully in their bed.
With another quick kiss, he tugged their covers up around her.
After he hurriedly undressed, tended to his toiletries, and wearily re-dressed in his night clothes, his bone-weary body fell into their bed, beside his wife, while pulling their remaining covers over him as well.
He stretched to kiss her forehead once more, then overcome, instantly fell asleep.
But even in their deep sleep, their weary bodies automatically moved closer, beautifully, familiarly, and lovingly entwining with each other's…
. . .
*35. I Corinthians 13:4-5, The Holy Bible, The World English Bible, Public Domain
*36. Canon in D, also known as Canon and Gigue in D Major, Written by Johann Pachelbel, In the Late 17th or early 18th Century, Thought to be a Wedding Gift for a Colleague's Older Brother. Public Domain
*37. "The Smith and the Devil," Possibly one of the oldest European Folk Tales, Thought to be first told in Indo-European 6000 years ago in the Bronze Age, Public Domain.
*38. I Corinthians 13:4-5, The Holy Bible, The World English Bible, Public Domain