Waking up the next morning, Elizabeth found Nathan's side of the bed empty, though it didn't alarm her. Even though he didn't have to get up to do rounds these days, Nathan still tended to rise before the sun. Some habits just apparently never ceased. If he wasn't downstairs, then she knew her husband could be found in the barn taking care of the horses. He had been talking about getting a couple of cows for milk in the spring. She smiled as she recalled her answer to him.

"I don't want to be the one milking them and we are not calling any of them Lizzie."

The mention of the nickname had of course led to her telling Nathan about watching two of her students while their father went out of town during her second year of teaching in Hope Valley. A short time later the children had informed her that they had named their cow Lizzie in her honor. That of course had prompted Jack to gift her with a cowbell to make up for the lack of a teacher's bell at the schoolhouse.

Stretching her arms over her head, Elizabeth found herself smiling again. It was nice to be able to think about Jack and smile. To not have to live in fear that a thought or mention of her late husband would bring about her husband's anger. She was sure there would still be tears at times, but she also knew she could share those emotions with Nathan and receive comfort and not ire.

Throwing back the blankets, Elizabeth sat up. Her sock clad feet naturally found the slippers that stayed near her bed. Reaching out, she retrieved the robe she had draped over the footboard. Donning it, she then went about picking out her clothes before heading to the water closet to get ready for the day.

A short time later, having tidied her bedroom, Elizabeth headed downstairs. A peek in Jack's room reassured her that he was still sleeping. The boy had never been an early riser, which she had a feeling might prove problematic getting him up for school when he started in the fall. However, she had found that letting him wake up on his own terms meant the little boy was less fussy. In her five years of being a mother, she had learned to pick her battles. A cranky child during breakfast was a battle she chose to avoid for now.

Padding softly down the hallway, Elizabeth made her way downstairs and into the kitchen. Humming softly, she started the tea first and then went about starting breakfast - pancakes, sausage, and some muffins. Though Allie had taught her how to make Nathan's special morning coffee, she let their daughter make it. As the smell of coffee still made her mother's stomach a little queasy, Allie usually waited until the other food was on the table to make it. Elizabeth then sat at the opposite end of the table from Nathan so that he could have his morning coffee and she could keep her appetite, which was slowly improving.

Elizabeth hadn't been at it long when she heard familiar footsteps enter the room. Even without looking she knew it was Allie. Pausing mid-song she greeted the girl. "Good morning, sweetheart."

"Good morning, Mom," Allie replied walking up to Elizabeth and placing a kiss on her cheek. "What can I do to help?"

"Well, I started with the blueberry muffins so you can either take over this or start with the pancakes," Elizabeth told her.

"I'll start the pancakes," Allie said, moving to retrieve the things she would need for her task.

Mother and daughter worked quietly for a bit, before Elizabeth broke the silence. "Are you looking forward to the dance, Allie?"

"I am. I can't wait for Vincent to see me in the dress I picked out!" Allie said quickly.

Even though she had been enthusiastic about showing the dress to her Dad the evening before, Elizabeth could hear something else in her excitement this morning. Glancing over at the teen, she noticed a blush in Allie's cheek.

"I guess if we are simply friends though, Vincent might not care about the dress?" Allie ventured, her voice a bit more subdued.

"Men and teenage boys tend to care about clothes a little less than we do," Elizabeth admitted. "We also tend to care a little more about what they think about our clothes when our feelings go beyond just friendship. Might your feelings for Vincent be a little stronger than friendship?"

"Maybe," Allie said. "Though I don't know when it started. I wasn't even going to say yes to his invitation before Anna said something about Robert breaking up with me and that I had no one to go to the dance with. However, since I said yes, I've gotten these fluttering sensations when I thought about Vincent and our upcoming plans. I never felt that way when it came to Robert."

"Perhaps because your feelings are stronger this time around," Elizabeth suggested softly as she continued her breakfast prep.

Allie stopped stirring her pancake batter and looked over at Elizabeth. "But I did like-like Robert. I know I did, and it hurt when he broke up with me," she protested.

"Of course you did," Elizabeth responded. "I am not trying to invalidate those feelings. I remember how those early infatuations could hurt but even they were not as bad as losing Jack. They even pale in comparison to the time I thought I had lost your father. Each relationship we have is special, but some are deeper than others."

"How do you know when you find the person you meant to spend your life with?" Allie asked, returning to the task of making pancakes.

"There is no one sure way to know that," Elizabeth said. "If there were, I would've spared a lot of people some heartache, myself included. But my advice is, listen to your heart not your head. Maybe it's a fluttering feeling, or maybe you feel like your heart skips a beat when you see him," she continued as she now filled the muffin pan with batter. "Whatever it is, don't just try to brush it aside. Take the time to feel and explore. It could lead to heartache but then again it could lead to something special. Most people do experience a few breakups before they find that special someone."

"Sort of like you are trying to figure out what you really want."

"Something like that," Elizabeth agreed.

The two fell silent. Having filled all the compartments in the muffin pan, Elizabeth slid them into the oven. As she stepped out of the way, Ally took her place, ready to start the pancakes. Feeling a little uneasy at broaching the topic on her mind, Elizabeth pondered whether she should wait and talk to Nathan first. However, she couldn't recall her father having anything to do with the subject she wanted to bring up with Allie. Had Nathan already attempted on his own, being a single father? Had he had his mother speak with her granddaughter? Someone else? Ellen Weiss and Cat Montgomery had certainly spent quite a bit of time with Allie over the years.

Finally deciding it might be less uncomfortable for them all of them if the inquiry stayed between her and Ally, Elizabeth made her decision.

"Ally, has anyone talked to you about the changes a teenage girl experiences with her body and proper conduct between young men and women?"

"Yes," Ally asked, not looking up from the pancake she was cooking. "Dad tried. He turned bright red and started stumbling over words, so he said we were going to visit Grandma so she could have the conversation with me."

"I am sure your grandma did a fine job," Elizabeth said, relieved. "Know that if any questions come up or you just want a woman to talk to about something, you can come to me."

"Good, because I was worried about dad with as red as his face turned. I knew I didn't want to ask him certain questions."

"I bet," Elizabeth said, picturing a red faced, flustered Nathan very easily. "It isn't easy to be a single parent, but I imagine it is especially hard on a single father of a daughter. Though I know that it will be important for Jack to have a male figure in his life when he gets older."

Ally flipped the pancake and then looked up at Elizabeth. "He's got Dad now, along with Grandpa and Grandpa Bill, Uncle Gabe, and Uncle Lee. Even Uncle Tom too, though I imagine there are some things you don't want Grandpa or Uncle Tom talking to him about."

"Your Grandpa Bill as well," Elizabeth said.

"Though I missed being with my friends here in Hope Valley, I am glad we went to stay with Grandma in Calgary at the end," Ally admitted. "It got me away from the painful memories here and gave me plenty of opportunities to have conversations with Grandma. She helped me understand a lot of things."

The girl paused for a moment. Sensing Ally needed a little time with her thoughts, Elizabeth started getting the sausage ready to cook. After a bit, Ally spoke up.

"I know we all went through some painful feelings but maybe things had to work out like they did," Ally finally ventured. "Perhaps we all had lessons to learn. Dad and I needed that time with Grandma at the end as much as she needed us. Dad would not have up and left Hope Valley for as long as he did if things had worked out differently with you and him."

"Still, I am sorry for the pain I caused you, Ally. I should have handled things better."

Putting down the spatula, Ally turned and put her arms around Elizabeth. "It's okay. Dad has always said everyone makes mistakes. All we can do is admit them, learn from them, and apologize."

"Your Dad is very wise man," Elizabeth replied, hugging her daughter back.

"Morning, Mama, Allie," a little voice chimed in.

Releasing her daughter, Elizabeth looked to the doorway to see a sleep tousled, Jack standing there. Despite having found his way downstairs, he still looked partially asleep. Both Elizabeth and Ally returned the greeting. As Ally quickly returned to save the pancake in the pan, Elizabeth walked over to her son.

"How are you this morning, my sweet boy?" Elizabeth said, a lyrical hint to her tone.

"Fine. Where is, Daddy?"

"Still out with the horses," Elizabeth replied even as the front door opened.

"Not now," Jack said gleefully, all traces of sleep vanished in a second as he hurried toward the front door. "Daddy!"

"Hey, pal," Elizabeth heard Nathan say even as she headed in that direction herself. Nathan was holding Jack in his arms.

"I want to help with the horses," Jack said, his lower lip stuck out.

"You've got to get up earlier if you want to do that," Nathan said easily.

"I no like mornings," Jack declared.

"Yes, we are all aware of that," Nathan said, a smile on his face. "So, tell you what? How about you help me out with them this evening? Would you like that?"

Though Jack nodded his head enthusiastically, Elizabeth wanted to protest, knowing the task would be made harder for Nathan with Jack's help. The smile on her husband's face made her hold her tongue though. This was how it was supposed to be between father and son.

"I was about to help him get dressed," Elizabeth said.

"I'll see to that," Nathan said, taking a step closer and leaning in to kiss her.

~That is better than morning coffee, ~ Elizabeth thought as she returned the kiss, which in her opinion ended all too soon. However, they still had breakfast to eat and a daughter to get off to school.

"I'll go back and finish helping Allie with breakfast. It should be done by the time you get back downstairs."

"Good, because I'm starving!" Nathan exclaimed.

"Me too!" Jack chimed in.

"Then let's go get you dressed," Nathan told the boy, heading to the stairs with him.

As she hurried back to the kitchen, Elizabeth thought about Allie's words that perhaps they all had things to learn before it was the right time for them to be together. She had definitely learned that Lucas was not father material. The relationship Nathan had with Jack only emphasized that particular lesson more.

Elizabeth placed a hand on her stomach as she said softly, "you are going to be joining a wonderful family, little one. You will be blessed, and you will be a blessing to us."

After a morning ride to get his horse some exercise, Robert settled Corporal back in his stall. He had taken a lot of ribbing from his peers at Depot for the name he had chosen for the horse. Not that he had cared. Nor had he tried to explain the name to anyone. He had not wanted to explain to his fellow Mounties the inspiration that Sgt. Jack Thornton had been on him during the years the man had served in Hope Valley. Just like his career choice had been influenced by the man, Robert had also wanted a tribute to him when it came to his horse - the first horse he had ever ridden though that adventure hadn't turned out as planned. So, instead of Sargent, Robert had chosen another rank for his steed's name.

"As you seem to be more confident in your duties than me, having you outrank me seems appropriate," Robert told his horse as he ran a hand down the black's neck.

Corporal whinnied in reply.

"I'll take you for another ride this evening, if we are not needed for something," Robert told the horse. Unless asked by Andy or Elias to assist with something, today was a day off for him and Sgt. Delaney. While Shaun was spending his day out hunting, hoping to get some fresh meat for the Mounties as well as for any others in the area, Robert was hoping to get some quiet time to read. Their cabin was temporarily crowded, Andy and Elias having moved in with him and the sergeant after Elias former fiancé had shown up on a supply wagon. Having not gotten a response from her letters, Bethany Rhodes had chosen to show up on Elias' doorstep and force him to talk to her. As there were no other suitable accommodations for the single woman in the small community, they had given her the one cabin and doubled up in the other. Though Elias had not been talkative on the subject of his former fiancé, the fact that he had spent some time with her gave the others hope that the two were working out an acceptable solution for both of them. Though he had managed to get letters written, Robert was finding too many distractions for reading during the evening hours. He was hoping to enjoy a few hours of alone time on this day off, and fervently hoped that nothing come up to disturb it.

Stepping out of the stall door and securing it behind him, Robert started the trek from the stalls to the cabin that was currently his home. His mother had mailed him several new novels, telling him that she hoped he would lend them out to anyone in the small community he served who might like to read them. Robert already had a few people in mind who might appreciate the new reading material and perhaps one of them might be suitable to read with Carlos Marvin. Like most of the men in the settlement, Credence Marvin, a half Cree and half French trapper, was out running his trapline. His wife, wâpanacâhkos, had left her tribe when she had fallen in love with Credence. She had learned to read and speak English from her husband who knew both Cree and English. Though she had successfully taught the skill to her two older daughters, her son Carols was having trouble catching onto the reading. Remembering his own early struggles with the task, Robert had asked wâpanacâhkos if he could give it a try and she had said yes. So far, he had only found two evenings to spend some time with Carlos as they worked with his reader. The young boy had acted bored and Robert was wondering if a novel might spark an interest in him.

Now he just had to select an appropriate story for the boy out of the limited reading material on hand. Anxious to see if either of his new books might work, Robert took long steps toward his cabin.

Though Jack didn't always take naps these days, today the boy had fallen asleep while his mother read to him on the settee. As he was using her for a pillow, Elizabeth slipped out from beneath him, settling him on the piece of furniture with a throw pillow under his head. Taking the afghan from the back of the couch, she covered her son up and padded quietly to her desk.

While cleaning the kitchen after breakfast, Nathan having ridden with Allie to the school to give Newton and Cinnamon some exercise, Elizabeth had come to a decision. She would reach out to her aunt. During their conversation while the Grants were in Hamilton, her father had said he would happily welcome communication with his sister again if she could be located. Grace had admitted she feared it was her own disapproval of Aunt Elizabeth's adventurous spirit that had led to the woman cutting ties with her family. She had even told her daughter and son-in-law that the biggest fight she and William had occurred after two of William's letters to his sister had gone unanswered. He had accused Grace of burning or otherwise disposing of Aunt Elizabeth's replies. Eventually, he had accepted his wife's denial of the act and though he had written one more letter, finally admitted that his sister had longer wanted to correspond with him and the rest of the family.

Elizabeth knew that she could simply pass along the information Nathan had received about Wynn and her aunt's whereabouts to her father and let him reach out. Perhaps the lack of communication had been for more innocent reasons. However, if Aunt Elizabeth truly wanted nothing to do with her Eastern family, then Elizabeth wanted to spare her father any further heartache.

Sitting down at her desk, Elizabeth found a fresh piece of stationery and dipped her pen in the ink bottle.

Dear Aunt Elizabeth,

Pausing, Elizabeth took a deep breath, saying a silent prayer for the Lord to give her the right words to reach out to her aunt. She knew exactly how much pleasure family could bring one these days. Nathan had spoken of how special his renewed relationship with his father was. Her husband had thanked her for helping him take that step. Though she knew she had not lived out her own advice on numerous occasions these last years, this time she was determined to do so.

I hope that this letter finds you well even if it is a surprise. I hope that you remember me. I am your brother William's middle daughter. I was named after you and though I do not recall having met you, my father's stories have made you a real person in my mind.

Though I do not understand the full reason for your lack of communication over the years, I would like to - whether it was a deliberate choice or a misunderstanding somewhere along the way. If you continue reading this letter, I will explain my understanding of the situation from my mother and father's perspective as well as telling you about the wonderful family I finally have after much heartache.

The more she wrote, the easier the words came to Elizabeth and soon she was pouring out facts and feelings as quickly as she could move her pen across the paper.

AN: So while looking for a traditional Cree name, the article I found the name wâpanacâhkos in stated that the Cree language does not use capital letters. Therefore, I chose to leave Carlos' mother's name lower case in the story.