AN: Not necessarily Hope Valley, but as I have posted other drabbles with the When Hope Calls characters, I decided to post this in this collections. Just a little Fall Fun!
"How about we play tag?" Lillian suggested to her group of dejected children. One of the Clay children were having a birthday party and the children of her orphanage had not been invited. Lillian felt bad for the orphans in her care. This was not the first time any of them had been left out of something, but she knew that rejection did not get any easier.
"Boring," Christian replied, taking his turn at rejecting her or Grace's idea.
Lillian gave a sigh and looked to Grace who sat on the steps, one arm around Mary Louise's shoulders. Grace shrugged her shoulders, apparently out of ideas herself.
The sound of an approaching wagon caught Lillian's attention. Looking, she saw a wagon filled with hay bales approaching. On the wagon seat, Lillian recognized Gabriel and Chuck. She looked from the wagon and back to her sister, who shrugged her shoulders again and shook her head.
By this time, the kids had noticed the approaching wagon as well. Lillian saw curiosity on their faces, even if there was no anticipation. If one didn't get their hopes up, then they could not be disappointed.
Moving from where she was standing by the front door, Lillian moved past Grace and Mary Louise and went down the porch steps.
"What is this about?" Lillian asked, as the wagon came to a stop.
"I thought the children might enjoy a hay ride," Gabriel replied. "Chuck helped me convince his mother to loan the hay bales for the cause. The kids can enjoy the hay ride, then we'll stop by Joe's. He is setting up a surprise for them. After which, Ronnie has agreed to serve them apple cider in the hotel dining room and Pearl is sending over some apple cinnamon doughnuts."
"We can go, right Miss Lillian?" Christian asked, speaking for all of the children.
"Of course we can," Lillian said. "Go grab coats as it will probably get cooler before we get back."
With excited chatter, the children headed inside. Lillian looked back to Gabriel and Chuck who had climbed down from the wagon.
"Thank you both," Lillian said.
"We heard about how they got left out of the birthday party. There was not much we could do about that, but I thought we could at least give them a special outing," Gabriel replied.
"Hopefully, the community will keep warming up to the idea of having an orphanage," Chuck added. "I know these children just want to be accepted."
"Things are getting better," Lillian admitted.
"Activities like this help, so thank you both," Grace added.
Both men said "you are welcome" as the children started coming back outside. Chuck and Gabriel helped the children onto the hay bales. Chuck helped Grace up and then climbed up with her.
"You can ride up front if you would like, Lillian," Chuck offered.
Lillian blushed but accepted Gabriel's help to climb up on the wagon seat. He then climbed up beside her. They took a forty minute hay ride around the area before ending at the back of Joe's store. The store owner had set a big tub of water. Shiny red apples floated in the water. One by one, each of the children took a turn bobbing for apples. Fred almost ended up in the tub of water but chuck grabbed the little boy's suspenders before that happened. Grace happily took a turn after the children and after a few tries managed to snag an apple.
"Are you going to take a turn, Miss Walsh?" Gabriel asked lightly.
"I think the town Mountie should show me how it is done," she told him.
"I can do that," Gabriel told her.
Gabriel made a show out of his attempt, getting the children and the adults laughing. After a few 'failed' attempts, he looked to Lillian. "I think I need some help, Miss Walsh," he told her. "Perhaps you could show me how it is done."
With the children cheering her on, Lillian participated. Grabbing a stem of an apple on her first try, she grinned at Gabriel triumphantly.
A bit later, they were all in a corner of the hotel dining room. All the kids had mugs of apple cider and a doughnut in their hand. They were chattering excitedly with Grace and Chuck who were sitting at the tables with them. Gabriel stood nearby. Though he held a mug of cider, Lillian noted he did not have a doughnut.
Picking up a doughnut, Lillian went to his side. "Given the trouble you were having bobbing for Apples, I thought you might need help with a doughnut as well," she teased, holding up the doughnut to him.
"I will always accept help from you, Miss Walsh," Gabriel told her lightly before taking a bite of the offered doughnut.
Lillian laughed lightly. It had turned into an enjoyable afternoon after all.