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Chapter 142
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Christmas Morning in Montreal & Saskatchewan Part I
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"Merry Christmas Morning, Hendrix! How did your early Christmas delivery to the Hayes' go?" asked Nathan entering the downstairs kitchen at sunrise for a quick cup of early morning coffee.
"Well, if Scotty's reaction is anything like Mrs. Hayes's, we have a winner on our hands, Sir! That pup took right to her, and she to him. She couldn't wait for her son to wake up!"
"That's great! Huge thank you to both you and Albert for making the delivery and for finding Scotty's new pup, too. Sounds like you made the perfect choice!"
"Our pleasure. Sir! I was able to drop off my hockey gear for Master Scotty as well, which will of course, pale in comparison after he sees the dog. But I'm hoping the young lad will look forward to and enjoy the lessons we'll attend together."
"I'm sure he'll be thrilled, after all, what little boy doesn't love hockey? Hendrix, can I pour you a cup of hot coffee too?"
"That sounds really good. I'm afraid it's quite cold out, Sir! So, be sure to dress warmly."
"By the way, Hendrix, I know exactly what you're doing and love you all the more for doing it. You're filling in while Scotty's father can't and that's a most kind and marvelous thing for you to do. I'm sure it will mean the world to both Scotty and his parents."
"The truth is, I believe I'll enjoy the hockey lessons as much as Master Scotty! Just don't tell Estella, but I admit it's somewhat of a dual gift!" laughed Hendrix.
"Your secret is perfectly safe with me. If I was going to be here in Montreal, believe me, I'd be joining the two of you. You know us Canadians. Hockey is pretty much in our blood, no matter the age…"
The Fosters, along with Bill, got up extra early on Christmas morning so they could spend as much time with each other as possible before Bill and Addie had to leave to catch their train from Union City to Hope Valley.
"Merry Christmas, Catherine! I don't think I've ever been hungrier for breakfast than I am right now. This looks delicious!"
"It sure does, Mother! In addition to your wonderful breakfast spreads I'm going to desperately miss our morning chats together even more," noted Addie, sadly.
"I'll have none of that sadness, now! You two are starting a happy new life together, and I won't be the one to ruin any of it. Which also means I won't have you worrying about me. I'm not going anywhere! And I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Besides, I'm only a phone call away from the both of you, and there will be lots of back-and-forth trips!"
"You promise?" asked Addie.
"I promise, Child," smiled Catherine as she wiped her hands on her kitchen towel and embraced her daughter. "I love you so, Adeline Foster. You too, Bill. There's nothing that could keep me away! Now, enough of this. Breakfast is ready and we are not about to start this day having a cold meal!"
"I can't argue with that, Catherine. This looks like a feast!" reiterated Bill.
"Mother always starts the day with a humongous breakfast," grinned Adeline.
"Well, with a little of everything, I like to say. It's my grandmother's fault. She never served breakfast without three meats, eggs, potatoes of some sort, creamed peas, biscuits, and gravy! Not to mention a side of waffles with homemade syrup, and some stout coffee plus every single kind of juice you could imagine!"
"Hmm, you don't say! That's odd, my Mom always made creamed peas for breakfast too! I didn't think anyone else did that. Where was your grandmother from?"
"Right here in Saskatchewan, a little village a couple hundred miles away, though!"
"Mine was Alberta. But kind of nice both our families eat similar breakfasts. I like that! That means no fussin' over how to start our day, Darlin'."
"I like that too, Sweetheart!" grinned Addie. "There will be no breakfast conflict between us, whatsoever. Except, fair warning, there is no way I can cook all this by myself. I'm not the pro in the kitchen Mother is."
"Well, I am! Which means the two of us can throw any meal together we want, without any conflict between us, whatsoever," and Bill reached to kiss his fiancé.
Catherine smiled and cleared her throat.
"Okay you two lovebirds, sit! It's time to eat."
"Yes, Ma'am," laughed Bill as he seated Catherine, and then Addie. After he did as he had been ordered, taking the seat at the head of the table.
"Bill, will you please lead us in this special Christmas day prayer?"
"Of course. My privilege!"
As the three took each other's hands, they took a moment before closing their eyes, to feel the love around their bountiful table, and to remember this precious moment of being together as family.
Suddenly they all sighed, and Bill began his prayer.
"Let us pray!"
"Dear Father, we thank you most of all for the gift of your Son, on this Christmas Day, our first we are blessed to be celebrating together. We thank you next for Catherine and Adeline, as well as the delicious food Catherine has fixed for us. We ask your blessing on us as we form a new family of three, as well as my newly extended family including Aunt Rosalyn and Uncle Thomas. If it be your will, we ask that you help Thomas to become stronger and healthier in the coming days. We also hope you'll bring Catherine to us in Hope Valley at some point. But for now, let us just enjoy this time we have together and bask in our newfound love for each other. We ask your blessing on the food we are about to receive, and your safe passage for our coming trips. We also ask for your healing to this most special mother and daughter who will miss each other terribly in the coming days. Please guide us and direct us to always show your perfect love to each other in everything we do. Amen!"
"Amen," chorused Adeline and Catherine.
"Thank you, Son! That was beautiful. Now let's pass the food…"
As Albert drove the bundled-up Grant family to the Bradfords so that they would arrive promptly by seven AM, Nathan, Millicent, Hendrix, Estella, and Albert's wife, Grace sat in the back seats as Allie sat up front informing Albert of all she had received for Christmas. The adults smiled as she even sang the chorus of her Lullaby to him, the only words she had been able to memorize so far.
"Aw, Grace, it was a most wonderful Christmas we had last night," smiled Essie. "The house was alive with love!"
"That it was, Dear Estella!" agreed Hendrix. "There's nothing like the wonder of Christmas seen through the eyes of a child!"
"Especially a child with twelve kittens and Persia," grinned Nathan turning to wink at a glowing Millicent. "By the way! I love that my radiant Bride is back!"
"I'm afraid I had nothing to do with it. It's all of Essie's iron-rich food, Love!" declared a blushing Millicent.
"Well I've said it before, but we simply can't have our Bride entering the Church looking like a ghost, now, can we?" harrumphed Essie.
"Under no circumstances," agreed Grace as she reached to pat Millicent's arm with an understanding smile.
"No, Essie and Grace, we cannot! I'll admit, though," agreed Nathan. "I was worried there for a while, but under the doctor's and your watchful eyes, Essie, thankfully, Millicent's natural complexion is back. And although you, my Love, are still very thin, you look as lovely as ever, if not more so!"
"Take note, Hendrix," warned Grace. "Spoken like a man truly in love, covering all his bases! But in this case all true!"
Nathan winked at Grace, then looked lovingly at Millicent, squeezing their intertwined fingers even tighter.
There was a newfound elation and peace after last night as the reality had finally set in for both that it truly was just mere days till their Wedding. And the couple's giving of their time to each other while apart, making two intimate, similar gifts for each other, somehow made their honeymoon seem more real as well, with tangible evidence to take with them that it was going to occur and soon! Neither could wait to go through their handmade gifts in detail.
Also, as parents, both Nathan and Millicent were thrilled for Allie's happiness over the adoption, getting her ears pierced, and having the words to her mother's lullaby.
All their daughter's presents of art supplies, books, games, and clothing paled in comparison, just as they should have.
Allie was becoming more settled every day, into her new family and new life. And she was positively thriving! But the considerate, kind little girl her parents had been so concerned about losing was still there, thankfully to never change due to her new circumstances.
"It was a perfect first family Christmas, Love," beamed Millicent.
"Perfect," agreed Nathan, as the couple communicated an entire love letter with their sparkling eyes alone…
With breakfast long done, followed by a leisurely last cup of coffee at the table, Bill, Addie, and Catherine cleared the table, then moved into the parlor and gathered around the Christmas tree.
"Oh, my! Where do we even begin on this mound of presents?" asked Catherine. "I've never seen so many!"
"You know what they say 'bout eatin' an elephant!"
"Bill Avery! Don't even mention eating those beautiful creatures!" cried Addie, close to actual tears.
"It's just a sayin' Darlin'! Here, meanin' we unwrap one gift at a time. You two sit and relax, I'll play Santa!"
"Well, you can't play Santa without my husband Frank's hat he always wore to distribute the gifts!" declared Catherine. "Here, try it on for size, Bill!"
Catherine handed a non-plussed Bill the worn-out velvety Santa hat trimmed in white fur that was a little thinner for the wear, all three realizing it was a rite of passage from father-in-law to the new soon-to-be son-in-law of the family.
"Are you sure, Catherine?"
"Absolutely positive. You are the head of our family now, Bill. But don't get any crazy despotic notions, because I'm still the matriarch and I'm afraid the women tend to pull rank in this family. Don't say you haven't been warned!"
Bill guffawed then got serious.
"I'd expect nothing less! Addie and I wouldn't have it any other way. This is an equal partnership moving forward. We're a team together, aren't we Addie?"
"You bet we are!" she beamed.
As Bill hesitantly put on the hat, Addie covered her mouth, breaking out laughing despite herself as Catherine joined in too.
"What? Do I need a beard?"
"Oh, we have that too!" assured Addie, most seriously.
"And it happens to be right here," suggested Catherine with a melodic laugh. "If we're doing this, we might as well do it up right, Judge!"
"Bring it on! Just don't expect any ho-ho-hoing," glared the man who was rapidly becoming Santa Claus before their very eyes.
But the beard brought more laughter than ever!
"Now, are we ready?" asked the almost Santa.
"Well, Dad did always wear the puffy padded red jacket, with the white fur trim and wide black patent belt!"
"Now, Ladies, I will consent to wearin' the jacket, but don't you dare get any more crazy ideas. I'm drawin' the line at black patent shiny boots! Cause I'm sure they're comin'. But this Santa's wearin' good ole broken-in Western-styled ones, today and every day!"
"That's alright, Darling! We'll add the pants and the boots next year!"
"But, but, Addie, I can't ever swap my boots!"
"Everything will be perfectly fine. You'll see, Love…"
Inside the Bradfords' massive and exquisite glass Conservatory, the party had started early with the staff being formally seated and catered to in every possible way.
This special room, perhaps the most beautiful in the Bradford home, had the uncanny ability to make you feel like you were just sitting outside, even at Christmas time with the mounds of snowdrifts, while still being kept as warm as toast by the massive stone fireplace filling the one non-glass wall of the large space.
It had always been Sophia's favorite room for sure, although she preferred the smaller partitioned-off room portion for the family's private meals.
A massive beribboned and garlanded Christmas Tree containing a specially commissioned annual ornament to be gifted to each employee and decorated in classic red and gold, commanded the room, surrounded by a sea of red poinsettias.
The large round dining tables spread with floor-length white lace tablecloths and strategically spaced throughout the room likewise were overflowing with red poinsettias but in the shape of tall poinsettia towers shaped like trees. And even though it was breakfast or technically brunch due to the vast array of food, Victoria had insisted gold candles flooded the room with that special Christmas glow that only candlelight can do, matching the glistening snow outdoors as far as one could see.
Wreaths with huge red bows also lined the walls of arched windows, and the overall site was both as Christmasy and traditional as could be.
But it was the entire wintry panorama seen through those windows, that was breathtaking, as though nature was doing its part to add the perfect notes to this most special celebration.
For easier access, a gigantic, long gift table lined the stone wall on either side of the huge fireplace and was stacked, running over with the most beautifully wrapped presents spilling out onto the floor – all for the staff. Though each member was appreciated each and every day of the year, this was their special day to be honored, their day to be served and pampered by the Bradford Family.
And as soon as the party wound down, transportation in the form of the family limousines would be provided for them to return home to celebrate the Holidays with their own families!
"Here they are!" welcomed Edward. "Come, seems we've gotten started a bit earlier than planned, which just means more time together. Welcome and please find a seat. Relax and make yourself comfortable, Estella, Grace, Hendrix, and Albert!" Edward kissed the cheek of each of the women and shook hands with the men before he continued addressing his own family.
You, children, come with me, please! We have much work to do."
Edward was of course speaking to his adult children, in this case meaning Nathan and Millicent, preparing to lead them to join Richard, Margaret, William, and Pippa to help with the greeting and serving of their guests.
Auntie Luciana was already holding Court at the central table everyone had to pass by, easily getting all the guests in a Party Mood, not that they weren't excited enough already for what was to come.
"Grappa, Grandpapa, Gramma, Grandmama, Momma's going to adopt me and all us girls get to go pierce my ears tomorrow with Momma's earrings!"
"How lovely! Your mother got her ears pierced when she was twelve, as did your Momma," noted Sophia.
"Did you go with her, Gramma? And did you go with Momma, Grandmama?"
Tori and Sophie glanced at each other and answered in unison.
"We most certainly did!"
"Allie, would you be a dear and run upstairs to make sure Jackson and Margaret are getting ready to come to our party?" asked Margaret, as she moved toward the group. "Tell them we need all three of you to help."
"Sure, Auntie Margaret. I'll be right back with them…"
