Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Romans 12:10 (KJV)

Thursday, December 9, 1920

Because of the amount of increased car traffic, it was no longer feasible to place the town tree, the wishing tree, in the middle of the intersection. The town agreed that since the stagecoach platform wasn't really utilized much anymore, they would remodel it into an outdoor gathering place. During the BBQ competition between Joseph and Minnie, it was the site of the dance. They dug a hole in the boardwalk from the canopy to the building that stood there and then also knocked down an old storage building to construct the area.

Joseph, Lee, and Nathan had come up with a design for a tree stand that would go in the ground. Once it was completed, he and Henry placed it there with Bill's supervision. It would be reinforced in the hole with concrete, and the trunk of the tree would sit down inside, keeping it secure, though there would also be extra ropes and stakes to help it as well. Nathan had suggested holes in both the bottom as well as the sides to allow the tree to be watered and stay moist. There was also another one where the post of the ornament stand holding the wishing tree supplies would go.

Once they were satisfied with the design, they sought out Kevin Townsend, the town blacksmith who had recently returned to Hope Valley to make it. He made a few other suggestions in regard to the ability for long-term use. Once it was completed, he and Henry placed it there with Bill's supervision.

With the wood that was left from what was supposed to have been a wedding arch for Elizabeth and Lucas' wedding, more benches were made and placed nearby as well as a few outdoor tables for spectators to sit while watching the festivities. They were not leaving anything to waste and found ways to repurpose it. The location chosen for the stage and tree was between the Mercantile and the Café, so it was a great spot and was becoming very popular in a short amount of time. It was also close to the playground as well, making it very convenient for mothers to meet up and talk while kids played.

Fiona, Mike, and Mei had spent a lot of time decorating both it and the saloon, although most of the town decorations were destroyed when the saloon caught fire. A storage building close to the saloon had also caught fire thanks to flying sparks. But as usual, Hope Vallians banded together to share what they had to get the job done.

Elizabeth and a few of the older kids had helped make wreaths from evergreen boughs. Florence and Ned provided the bows and other garland. Even Lucas made a mark by reaching out to his mother for some decorations they might have lying about. Helen was happy to donate to the cause, although they were brand new decorations, as with all the traveling they had done over the years, they didn't have any. It didn't matter, though, because they were appreciated all the same.

The families were hit hard this year, and not one was spared from what happened. Some had lost their livelihoods and had either left or had contemplated it before Lee stepped in and provided jobs. Even Lucas had been feeling the financial pinch this season as he had to spend a lot of his money running the campaign. Plus, in the short time since he had been elected, he had begun to realize how badly some places were hurting, and he knew that flashing money around didn't make the problem go away.

Thankfully, he was more attuned to his constituents, and he sought to work on the root of the problem rather than a short-term fix. Secretly, Elizabeth, Mike, Bill, Joseph, and Minnie wondered if it was the result of Fiona's loving influence on him and that he was finally happy and fulfilled. Elizabeth knew as well that her Aunt Agatha also had a huge impact on him when she provided him with what he needed when Balfour and the others were trying to come after him. Who would have thought that her Aunt and her Father would have traveled from Hamilton to Capitol City without anyone knowing to offer their support for Lucas?

There was excitement and festive spirit in the air as the kids headed home for the day. Elizabeth could barely keep them focused on their studies so they could get their assignments completed. Robert had already dropped Jack off with Bill since he had deliveries to make before the tree dedication.

She chuckled as she recalled that Bill would be conducting the band this evening and it made her think of that first time the band ever played. Luckily, they had gotten used to playing together and didn't require so much instruction anymore.

As she drew close to the café, she saw Rosemary talking with Fiona and Minnie with her hands flailing all around in her exuberance. Minnie just nodded patiently and continued to listen, occasionally adding a few comments here and there. Shaking her head, she headed over to the judge's office to grab her son and go home for a little piece and quiet before tonight.

LATER THAT NIGHT

Elizabeth, Allie, and Jack headed into town early to meet up and have dinner with Bill. He shared the happy news that he had heard from Nathan and that he would be returning late that night and for Allie to stay with Elizabeth. As they finished eating dinner, they could hear some of the four band members beginning to warm up.

With an exaggerated sigh of long-suffering, Bill stood up. "I guess that is my cue to get out there."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Bill, you are not fooling anyone."

"Well, I guess it won't be as bad as the first time, anyway," Bill replied, making Elizabeth laugh as she recalled hearing those early strains when they first got together for a Christmas Parade a few years ago. Elizabeth sneezed a few times, and her throat was feeling scratchy. She knew Bill was giving her a side eye, but she refused to look at him. She knew what was on his mind, but she would neither confirm nor deny it because there was no way she could afford to be sick. She didn't have a substitute, and there was so much to get done. Nobody had time to spare because they were all involved in some way with getting the town ready. As she was thinking over the situation, she wondered if maybe she should add a substitute teacher to her Christmas list. But something told her Santa didn't keep any lying around at the North Pole. With a giggle at that request, she followed the kids outside to where the others had started to gather already.

While she made her way toward where Rosemary was sitting playing with Goldie, Allie grasped Jack's hands and headed over to where the kids were waiting for the start of putting on the handmade ornaments made in class. Upon sitting down, Goldie was already reaching for Elizabeth, babbling happily. Elizabeth shared a smile with her friend as she snuggled her goddaughter close. They had barely begun to speak when Lee came over, took Goldie from Elizabeth, and, with a smile, asked for Rosemary to join him on stage. Rosemary's smile was radiant as they approached the stage, her excitement and happiness on display.

After giving a short speech, Lee gave the signal for the tree decorating to begin. Rosemary walked over to where the rest of the band were sitting, and the carols began to play while they did. Fiona, Mei, Faith, and Molly passed out Hot Chocolate and cookies to those who preferred to watch for the next hour.

Finally, Rosemary declared the tree to be fully decorated and ready for the wishes. The children gathered around Rosemary as she read the story of the Wishing Tree. The children were enthralled as she did the different voices and added a dramatic flair.

"So, look within, and you will see The Magic of The Wishing Tree. So, make a wish and tie it on, and soon, your wish just might be gone, which means that someone cares for you. "And they might make your wish come true. The End." Rosemary said, adding a little bow.

When she concluded, there was great applause from the children, making Rosemary giggle as she enjoyed the adoration. Then, after quieting everyone down, she began to talk about the tree and how it worked since there were many new faces in the crowd.

"According to the book, your wish can be for anything… a toy, a hope, a dream for yourself or someone else. Someone can see your wish, take it down, and try to make it come true."

Rosemary looked around at the children and saw a few skeptical looks on their faces. "I see that there are doubters in the group. What is special about the tree is if one person can't make the wish come true, the book says that the tree can magically make it happen."

I saw the doubt on some of the adults' faces and a few children's. Elizabeth recalled feeling the same, and Rosemary's words returned to her. Standing up, she walked over to stand beside Rosemary and address the crowd. "Before we show you what to do, there's one last thing I want to say. The Wishing Tree is not just for children but for adults as well. I know it has been a hard time for all of us, but a wonderful person once told me that There is a place for wishing, wishing with all your might. I asked them why, and they told me that sometimes wishes come true, especially at Christmas. I have seen it personally, as have many others standing here. What do you have to lose?" Elizabeth locked eyes with Rosemary and saw her eyes glisten at her words, recalling that day. The two embraced, but not for long, as some of the children were a bit impatient because they were excited.

"Can we make our wishes now?" A little girl of 4 asked, standing next to her parents.

"Of course, you can. Christmas is very close, although you can do it later if you need to think about it. Now, for those who haven't done it, here is how it is done. You come over to this box where there are wooden ornaments of different shapes. There are also pencils here as well. You write your name on the front or back, along with your wish. When you are done, place it on the tree somewhere. If someone takes it down, it means someone is working on your wish.

"Do we have to put our name on it?" A lady standing in the back with her two kids called out.

"It is helpful but not required. Somehow, wishes of the unknown still have a way of being answered." Lee replied.

"One last thing before we say go. You must ensure the pencil returns to the proper place for someone else to use." Florence announced.

"And only one wish per person," Rosemary winked. Before long, there was a crowd around the tree and the box. Elizabeth and some others chose to head home and try tomorrow as the temperature began to drop significantly. As she tucked in the two kids, arrangements were made for them to visit the tree, and she made a mental note to visit Faith as a precaution.