CHAPTER 39

- Elizabeth, this is the past... said Bill.

- No, Bill... it's not in the past. They had parties on the seventh day after Jack was buried, my pain was enormous, but when I was dressed, I didn't even know what they were doing, I hadn't eaten for days, I just cried, they made Charles propose to me at that party, in front of everyone, without caring about my pain. They were trying to throw me into the hands of anyone, regardless of my loss...

- Elizabeth, why didn't you tell me? It was... How could you still be there? Bill said.

Willian's eyes were on the floor, he knew all about it, but it was only today that he saw the pain in his daughter's eyes.

- I stayed there for a week, Bill, but every hour it got worse. After Charles' party, where I ran away and denied his request, they started to invest heavily in the subject of marriage. Viola and Mom had about ten suitors, and they had to choose one of them or Charles. I stayed in my room, but they started to set traps and locked the room as soon as I left, so I had to walk around the house and ended up meeting these men. Nobody cared about my pain. It was just the widow Thatcher and her suitors. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

- Elizabeth, you were away for sixty days, what happened then? Bill asked. Jack was her friend, he promised to look after her.

- No, Bill. She left on the fifteenth day after your arrival. said Willian Thatcher.

- Yes, Dad... I left your house. I was no longer part of it. And I needed to know what to do with my life, where to go, and what direction to take. I didn't think I could live in Hope Valle with so many memories of Jack.

- Where did you go? Willian Thatcher asked.

- I went to Brookfield; Gab... I mean mountie Gabriel kinslow, he's still posted there today, he was a good friend of Jack and Doug, and they fought together in the Northern Territories. I didn't know what to do, so I took the first train there. Gab was interested in Lilian, the owner of the orphanage, and that's where I stayed for the whole time. Gab was a great help, he was my shoulder to lean on and it was he who found out I was pregnant when I collapsed at his feet. He called and spoke to Carson, who traveled and came to examine me.

- So that's why Carson traveled for days and several times... and that's why you came back with him in a wagon? Bill asked.

- Yes, Bill... He didn't want to let me go back alone, so Gab accompanied us to the entrance of the town.

- Elizabeth... why didn't you ever tell me about Gab? Nathan asked.

- Nathan! I didn't know you yet. Gab told me a lot about his uniformed friend Nathaniel, but I didn't know it was you. I only learned your real name after our wedding. Jack and I wrote a lot of letters while he was in the Northern Territories, and once Jack commented that Gab didn't have many friends and that he never received any letters, and he asked me for permission to read some excerpts from our letters, where they talked about Hope Valle or the school, just to make him feel loved.

Nathan smiled, he knew she had started writing to her friend, Gab talked about it a lot.

- Yes, Nathan... I started writing to him along with the letters to Jack and Doug. I also sent boxes of snacks and even learned to bake chocolate cookies for them. Doug unfortunately died while still in battle, but Gab and I always kept in touch. That's why, Bill, I didn't say anything, I knew that with him I would be well looked after.

Willian looked at his daughter and said:

- Daughter, forgive me. I mean, at least let me enjoy these days off and be close to you. I promise I'll never hurt you or anyone in your family. I just want to be with you and meet my two grandchildren.

Elizabeth looked at Bill, and he shook his head. Ever since he had arrived in town, Elizabeth had had great respect for him. And after Jack's death he had been a friend and a father to her.

She called her children with a warm smile, bringing her precious family together in a moment of togetherness. With tenderness, she introduced Alien, her teenage daughter, who radiated youth and vitality, and little Jack, a whirlwind of energy and curiosity.

Willian, the patriarch of the family, embraced the two children with love and affection. He looked at Alien with pride, admiring the young woman she was becoming. Then he looked at little Jack, the boy was a copy of his father, the family's little treasure, and his eyes sparkled with joy when he saw the innocence and liveliness in the boy's eyes.

With a sincere smile, Willian expressed what he felt in his heart.

- We have a beautiful family, he said.

- Beth, you are the link that makes this family special. Your determination, intelligence and kindness are characteristics that fill me with pride every day. You are a remarkable young woman, and I am very blessed to be your father.

That evening, as Nathan watched the meeting between father and daughter unfold before his eyes, he felt a shiver run down his spine. There was something special about that moment, something that transcended words and touched the hearts of everyone present.

Nathan maintained hope in the power of a miracle from God, in God's ability to restore broken family ties. He knew that reconciliation between father and daughter would not be simple, but there, that night, was a spark of hope, a sign that love and understanding could overcome differences.

As he watched the conversation between father and daughter unfold, he noticed that there was a special energy in the air, an energy that seemed to be guided by greater forces. The father and daughter spoke sincerely, shared their sorrows and dreams, and Nathan could see the beginnings of a great reconciliation forming before his eyes.

He believed in God's miracle, in God's ability to transform hearts and unite families. And that night, as he witnessed the power of love and understanding, Nathan was sure that something special was happening. It was a reminder that, even in the most difficult situations, love and faith could pave the way for healing and reconciliation.

That night, when the final words were spoken and hearts were opened, what prevailed was the power of love and understanding. The loving embraces that followed were like a balm for wounded souls, sealing the commitment to forgiveness and renewal.

Wilian and Elizabeth wrapped each other in a warm embrace, as if that gesture could express all the gratitude and hope they felt at that moment. The embrace was a celebration of reconnection, a demonstration that the past had been left behind and a future of unity and love was on the horizon.

Hope was renewed that night, like a star shining at its brightest. It was a sign that, with love and understanding, any relationship could be healed and strengthened. The evening ended with a feeling of peace and optimism, and everyone knew that they were starting a new chapter in their lives, together, with more love than ever before and Nathan once again thanked God.