AN: Okay, so this one is a little longer than the others but I don't feel it would make a good stan-alone one-shot. This installment is a response to the October prompt in Nathan Grant Fanfiction! Home of the Sunday Night Serge which was to write a story about a Mountie kid. This is a future glimpse at the universe set up in Finding the Courage to Live Again. In that story, Gabriel and Faith have adopted Vincent and though Nathan retires from the Mounties, Allie is still a Mountie kid. Here is a little glimpse of what the future has in store for them!
As he re-shoed Judge Avery's horse, Vincent felt two set of eyes on him. Over the years of working as Kevin's apprentice, he had become accustomed to the blacksmith watching him. It was the second pair of eyes that had him a bit unnerved. Judge Avery was an intimidating man.
Trying to focus on just the task, Vincent finished. Turning to face the men watching him, he waited expectantly for their comments - good or bad. If this was to be his living, he needed honest feedback from those he trusted. These two men fell into that category.
Bill moved first, stepping forward and examining his horse's front right hoof. Letting the foot down he looked back to Vincent. "Adequate work. I'd recommend you to others. He'll be a real credit to you, Kevin."
Kevin nodded. "I think so." The blacksmith looked to Vincent. "In fact, now that your apprenticeship is officially over, would you be interested in working here with me or do your future plans involve being elsewhere?"
Vincent shook his head. He and Allie had talked about this. While she was thankful that she had listened to her parents' advice and gone to art school in Hamilton for a couple of years, she did not see her future in a big city. More than anything, she wanted to come home to the town where she had found family, friends and home. "No plans on settling too far from here. I would love to continue to work for you," he said, holding out his hand.
"Welcome aboard," Kevin said, shaking the proffered hand.
"Could I have a little time off before I start?" Vincent asked. "Allie is due home at the end of May but I don't think I can wait that long to see her and ask her something."
Kevin and Bill grinned as they shared a look. Both anticipated what that something was but neither planned on giving the young man a hard time about it, though Bill did have one piece of advice he wanted to impart.
"Just don't forget to speak to someone else before you go off to Hamilton," Bill commented. "You do not want to get started on the wrong foot."
Vincent nodded. "All I've been waiting for is to finish my apprenticeship so I could assure Mr. Grant that I could support his daughter."
"Well, you've done that," Kevin said. "Go. Get out of here. We can work out a schedule as soon as you get back."
"Yes, sir," Vincent said, before dashing off quickly in the direction of Grant's Wood Creations. As he and Lee now had two other employees working for him, Nathan had recently built and opened a shop just beyond Abigail's café. Though Nathan still did a lot of work in his wood shop out by the house, most afternoons he was in town taking care of whatever needed his attention there as well as brining in things he had finished.
A bell chimed as Vincent dashed into the shop. Nathan and his two employees, Timmy Lawson and Emily Montgomery, looked up.
"Is everything all right?" Nathan asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
"Yes!" Vincent said, breathing heavily. "It is more than alright. I completed my apprenticeship today and Mr. Fletcher offered me a job."
All three offer their congratulations and Nathan offered Vincent his hand. The young man shook it and then looking Nathan in the eyes continued.
"Now that I have finished my apprenticeship and have a steady job, I have a question to ask you, sir," Vincent said.
"We can go in the office if you would like," Nathan offered.
Vincent shook his head. As happy as he was, he didn't care that he had an audience. "It's not necessary. Timmy and Emily already know how I feel about your daughter. Ally and I have done a lot of talking while she had been away at art school. As much as she loves learning about art and the new experiences the city has offered, she still wants to come home to Hope Valley."
"Yes. She has told her mother and me that as well. We've been asked to come early to visit with Mr. And Mrs. Thatcher so that we can head home the day after her graduation."
"Well, now that I have a trade and a steady job, I would like your blessing to ask Ally to marry me so that we can start making our plans as soon as she returns home. I've been saving what I can, and Dad said he is willing to help us get started on a piece of our own land. So sir, may I ask for your daughter's hand in marriage."
Emily gave a contented sigh but Vincent's attention was on Nathan.
"You have it. Mostly because I would get a talking to from both my daughter and my wife if I didn't," Nathan said lightly. "I know you will always put Ally first and the two of you will take care of each other."
Vincent stuck out his hand to shake again, but Nathan pulled him into a hug. "Just make her happy." Nathan told the young man.
"I'll do my best," Vincent promised as the two men took a step back from one another.
"Have you picked out a ring yet?" Nathan asked.
Vincent shook his head. "I was actually hoping to ask Mrs. Grant for assistance with that but I wanted your blessing first."
Nathan nodded. "Well, before you go that route, I have a ring I want you to consider. It was my sister Colleen's, Ally's birth mom, engagement ring. She asked that it be passed down to Ally at some point. Though her marriage didn't turn out like she had anticipated, Colleen always believed that when Dylan gave her that ring, he did so out of love. I considered giving it to Ally quite a few times over the years, but nothing seemed right to me. This does but only if you feel comfortable with the idea as well."
Vincent nodded. "I would love to pass along her mom's engagement ring to Ally. I'd be honored sir."
"You and your family come join us for supper tonight. We'll celebrate and I'll pass the ring on to you then."
"Yes, sir. I'll see you tonight. I'm going to go see if Mom or Dad are in one of their offices still," Vincent replied. He gave a wave to Emily and Cody and then dashed out of the wood shop just as quickly as he had entered.