Chapter 6-Courage to Hope
Many things were changing in Hope Valley. Fiona found courage to address her avoidance to romantic interest and found herself feeling a certain way about a certain someone unexpectedly. Her meddling days weren't quite over, but maybe she would be making schemes to improve her own love life this time. At least that's what she hoped. Seeing Faith and Carter having dinner at the cafe a few weeks ago was certainly an inspiration to her heart. If those two were able to figure out the jumbled mess they had made of their love; then maybe just maybe love was worth a little tinkering on her part. Not to mention the courtship between a certain ex-mayor and the town's pharmacist. Love was certainly in the air in Hope Valley and Fiona found herself wanting to get swept up in the current. Lucas watched her face from across the saloon and wondered what thoughts had put such a dreamy look on that no nonsense face of hers. She was a confident and direct type of woman. Fiona Miller was… Lucas felt an odd stirring in the pit of his stomach. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. So when Fiona said "Hi" in that way of hers he was completely caught off guard. This was completely unusual for him. He was Lucas Bouchard–Governor Lucas Bouchard; but just the same he found himself stumbling over his words as if this was his first time speaking to a woman. He suddenly understood why a certain constable always looked so uncomfortable around a certain school teacher. All his charm and bravado were rendered useless as for the first time he noticed just how lovely Fiona Miller looked when she let her guard down. "Hi," he replied nervously. That was the beginning of a love story that no romance novel could ever capture.
Speaking of Faith and Carson. A certain Doctor found herself wondering how long a certain other doctor intended on staying in Hope Valley. She was also thinking that if he asked again she just might join him when he returned to Baltimore. As of late she began to realize that she had been terrified of leaving Hope Valley. It was easier to be a big fish in a small pond than to risk being a small fish in a big pond. She had feared that leaving Hope Valley would mean the end of her new found career as a doctor. She did not want to just be Dr. Carson Shepherd's wife. That fear had made her unable to move forward with the man she loved. She had to admit her life, particularly her love life, had become stagnant because she was still in love with Carson. She understood how difficult it must have been for Elizabeth when Constable Nathan Grant declared that he was in love with her. Faith no longer wanted to live in paralyzing fear. She was ready to move on with the man she never stopped loving. That is why she had spent a few days contacting doctors she felt would make a suitable replacement when she left Hope Valley. When she ran across the name Dr. Bo Grady she was intrigued. She was told that he was a former resident of Hope Valley and looking to return to his hometown soon. When she spoke with him he was more than happy to be her replacement. Faith took a deep breath as she walked into the cafe to meet with Carson. Things were going to end differently this time. No lost ring and no Carson leaving without her.
Allie danced about entertaining Little Jack outside of the rowhouses. Elizabeth had to go into town to run a few errands and he had wanted to stay home and play. When Allie had happened to pass by she volunteered to stay with him until Elizabeth returned. She had been thinking a lot about a quote from a poem by Emily Dickinson she had recently read "hope is the thing with feathers" She could not help but hope now. She hoped that forgiveness would heal hearts, joy would return to Hope Valley, and the people she loved would find happiness. She had not hoped much for a while but when she looked around at her family, friends, and those she held dear in her heart she saw little miracles happening. There was light again and when it rained there were rainbows. So Allie held hope in her heart that the darkness of grief was loosening its grip and allowing the radiance of loving memories to guide them into the future. Watching Little Jack without a care in the world as he played with his toys Allie felt the warmth of that hope and embraced it with an open and welcoming heart. She understood what her dad had meant when he told her that when you love someone for real you want them to be happy. Regardless of what happened now she knew more than anything she wanted the people she loved to be happy.
Lucas and Nathan sat looking a bit uncertain. Lucas had wanted to meet and Nathan had obliged. After all they had become friends despite the whole vying for Elizabeth fiasco. "I wanted to apologize," Lucas began. "I should have never continued pursuing Elizabeth after I saw how deeply she cared for you. Deep down I knew I was the safe choice. The least painful choice for her." Nathan straightened up and looked Lucas in the eye, "We were both wrong, neither of us should have pursued her. I think we wanted to believe she was ready but our vying for her affection just made her feel like she had to choose. She chose you and you made her happy." "For a while." Lucas interceded "but I think if I had bowed out gracefully for real she would have…" Nathan interrupted this time, "had no one to make her feel safe until she was ready. She loved you Lucas and she wanted it to work out…" "But we both wanted different things. I wanted to keep up the fairytale and she wanted to live happily ever after, I suppose. But happily ever after is always the end of a good story. Nothing happens after that." "Unless they make a sequel." Nathan added with a quiet smile. Lucas laughed humorlessly at that and said, "The sequels are rarely as good as the originals." Then Nathan returned the gesture with his own rueful laugh. "I hope that you find whatever it is that you're looking for Lucas and it brings you all the happiness you deserve." "You too Nathan." The two men stood and shook hands. As they parted ways Nathan out of the Saloon doors and Lucas over to the bar to speak with Mike Hickam, it seemed hope was taking flight and touching hearts all over Hope Valley.