Chapter 50- Prelude To A...
Fall was starting to make its presence known through the region, especially in the mornings when Nathan and Charlotte shared their coffee on the back steps. The sun was rising later and there was a chill to the breeze as it rushed down from the mountains.
It had been a busy and eventful few weeks for the residents of Hope Valley.
Faith was able to confirm Charlotte's suspicions that Rosemary was now almost three months pregnant. She was also able to prescribe a few remedies that would hopefully help with the nausea that Rosemary had been experiencing. Rosemary could hardly contain her excitement and practically dragged Charlotte across the street to the Coulter's office to immediately tell Lee the good news.
Rosemary's squeal of delight had drawn Nathan to the office to investigate. He and Charlotte stood in the corner of the room, watching the joyful parents embrace at the prospect of expanding their family, yet again, after praying for so long. With tears in his eyes, Nathan didn't say a word, he just reached down to entwine his fingers into Charlotte's. Charlotte's eyes moved from Lee and Rosemary down to her hand in Nathan's and then up to Nathan's gaze.
His eyes were full of emotions. Happiness for the Coulters, but more so longing. Longing that one day in the future this would be them. Charlotte telling him the blessed news that she was with child. Their child. As much as Nathan and Charlotte were already parents to Allie, a part of him longed to know what it would be like to experience raising a baby with Charlie. Seeing her belly grow and expand over nine months. Holding their child. Would he or she have Nathan's blue eyes or Charlotte's smoky grey hue?
Nathan shook his head. He needed to stop getting too far ahead of himself. Otherwise, he risked breaking his own heart if Charlotte didn't see the same future he did.
Also, over the last few weeks, Charlotte had been busy preparing for the new school year that would be starting on Monday. She buzzed with anticipation, and some trepidation, for being Hope Valley's sole teacher for the first months of the school year.
Last Friday, there was an honorary first 'book tour' stop hosted at the Hope Valley library as a going away party for Elizabeth, Lucas, Little Jack, and Laura. The latter of whom had been invited along after a discussion Charlotte and Rosemary had with Elizabeth. Charlotte and Rosemary played their cards so that Elizabeth believed it was her idea to bring Laura along on the tour. In Charlotte's eyes it didn't matter whose idea it was, so long as Jack had the opportunity to be with his mother and not be left behind.
Nathan had also been occupied with work. He was spending countless hours in his office, typing up and pouring through reports to send into Mountie headquarters. He also was called away to aid in the apprehension of an escaped prisoner who had last been seen heading towards Hope Valley from Benson Hills.
Allie was excited to be starting classes soon. She was beginning to talk about her future and what she wanted to be 'when she grew up'. Some days it was a doctor, some days a professional fisherman, others she talked about becoming a teacher like Charlotte, and even occasionally she discussed becoming the first female Mountie in Canada.
As for Maise, she had bared her soul at Charlotte's kitchen table the morning after her dinner party. Maise, Charlotte, Nathan, and Allie, who had decided to join them because she had been so rudely woken up by Uncle Nathan and his wood chopping, sat in their chairs hanging on bated breath as Maise told her story. About how last year Maise started noticing she was having 'spells' of forgetfulness. At first, she just assumed they were a part of getting older, but as time went on the spells became more and more pronounced. It spurred her to go to the doctor who diagnosed Maise with something called early 'dementia'. There was no cure or treatment, just a steady decline of her memories. It was then in the retelling, that tears misted in the corners of Maise's eyes. The idea of slowly losing a sense of who she was, frightened her. Allie had stood up and moved her chair closer to Maise, leaning in to comfort her grandmother.
Charlotte gauged Nathan's reaction out of the corner of her eye. Every muscle seemed to tense in his body, his eyes flitted back and forth between Maise and his clenched fists that sat on his upper thighs, hidden from view by the table. Charlotte could tell he fought back tears as she watched him work to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat. She carefully reached over and placed her hand into his. Squeezing it gently, hoping the action would reaffirm that she was there. That she would always be there for him.
After taking a moment to compose herself, Maise continued. Saying how the thought of forgetting those she loved most was the hardest part of her diagnosis and that is what spurred her to originally reach out to Archie. Maise wanted to write down some of the memories she had from Colleen and Nathan's childhood that she was having trouble remembering and hoped Archie could help fill in the blanks. Allie had forwarded Archie's address to Maise and soon they struck up a friendly correspondence. When Maise finally confided in Archie about the dementia this spring, is when her husband took the initiative to find a job in the city. That way if Maise would ever need anything, Archie would be closer to help. Archie had told Maise he could not make up for all the times he was a lousy husband, but he hoped by being there for her now, Archie could show that he was ready to be a better friend.
When Maise had finished, the room was eerily silent, everyone waiting to see what Nathan would say or do. He sat there for a long moment, staring out the window at the mountains to the west. A million thoughts and emotions playing across his face. The muscles of his jaw clenched and unclenched.
"Nathan," Charlotte broke the silence as she leaned closer and moved one of her hands to rub along his shoulder. Trying to massage the tension and anxiety from his muscles.
Her actions seemed to pull Nathan from his shell. He turned to his mother and daughter who sat across the table, waiting patiently for his reaction to Maise's confession.
"I'm sorry," Nathan's voice was low. "I'm sorry to you both for the way I acted last night."
Allie and Maise released bated breaths.
"Nathan," Maise spoke up. "I shouldn't have tried to hide the truth from you, and I especially shouldn't have put Allie in the position I did."
"I understand why you did, mom. You didn't want to worry us about your sickness. Unfortunately, if I was in your shoes, I probably would have felt the need to do the same thing. Hide my hurt so that it didn't cause anyone else pain as well.
Maise nodded her head. "I think you get that from me, son."
Nathan gave her a soft smile. "As for you and Archie. I can't help but feel guarded. All I remember from my childhood, when you two were together, was fights and hurt feelings."
"I understand," Maise's gaze dropped to her hands that rested in her lap.
"But" Nathan continued as he squeezed Charlotte's hand. "A very special person pointed out that people make mistakes and it's what we do to fix those mistakes, that's the important part. The love and the courage it takes to mend those fences, to set things right, that is something to be proud of too."
"That person," Nathan looked to Charlotte. "Showed me how blessed I would be to have both of my parents in my life. Not everyone is so lucky."
Maise's eyes drifted back up, flashing between Nathan and Charlotte. She smiled knowingly.
"Mom, whatever makes you, and dad, happy, I will support. I love you both and when you love someone, you wish them nothing but happiness."
That confession did them all in, tears sprung forth and the Grant family gathered into a big group hug in Charlotte's kitchen.
In these final days of summer vacation, Charlotte and Allie were working diligently to complete Maise's family cookbook. Taking the time to help Mrs. Grant make and write down each recipe that the woman had committed to memory. Ensuring that her legacy, at least in the kitchen, would live on for generations of the Grant family.
Today, the three women had been shopping at the mercantile for ingredients to make some of the final recipes for the book. They had just stepped out of the store and onto the porch, baskets laden with their goods, when Nathan came riding from the direction of the livery.
Charlotte could feel her smile grow as he approached. They hadn't chatted long over coffee this morning. Nathan instead said he had to get to the office early to finish a few things he hadn't been able to the day before. So, seeing him again this soon sent a flutter of anticipation through Charlotte's body.
Her mind shifted to a year ago, when she had been in the exact same spot just outside of the mercantile as Nathan came riding down the street in her direction for the first time. That was the day he had called Charlotte 'a beautiful woman'. The day Nathan had literally ridden into her heart like he always belonged there, took down her walls, and lit Charlotte's soul on fire.
And on fire was exactly the way she was feeling at the sight of Nathan riding Newton. He had changed since she saw him this morning. No longer in his serge uniform, but wearing the light grey, thin-striped, plaid shirt she loved so much. The sleeves, rolled just past his elbow, hugged, and molded tightly to his biceps.
Now those buttons!
Charlotte swore Nathan kept unbuttoning more and more just to drive her crazy. She was nearing thirty for goodness' sake, no longer a teenage schoolgirl. This man should not be causing Charlotte this stir of emotions just by riding in her direction.
"Charlotte?" Nathan pulled Newton to a stop at the base of the mercantile stairs. "Take a ride with me?"
"Is there a reason for this ride?" Charlotte questioned, as she gracefully stepped down onto the dirt street beside Newton.
"There is." Nathan's blue eyes bore into Charlotte.
Charlotte pulled her gaze from Nathan's to look over at Allie and Maise who were standing off to the side.
"Allie will help me with the recipes we were planning for this afternoon. Go! Have fun." Maise stated, trying to stop Charlotte from finding any sort of reason to refuse Nathan's invitation.
"You sure?" Charlotte asked.
"We are sure!" Allie dramatically exclaimed, stealing away Charlotte's shopping basket and giving her a playful push forward. "Now go. You're burning daylight."
"Okay… Okay… I'm going," Charlotte giggled as she turned her attention back to Nathan. "Just wait for me here. I'll go saddle Bandit. It shouldn't take me very long."
"I was wondering if you just wanted to…" Nathan's voice broke. His nerves were getting the best of him today. "Ride with me. On Newton. Together."
Charlotte couldn't help but release a small gasp. Her and Nathan had already ridden together. When he had rescued her after the wildfire, Nathan had held her broken body on the ride back down the mountain to the infirmary. Unlike that ride though, this would be different. Charlotte would be fully conscious, present to every movement their bodies made together…
"But if you would feel more comfortable, I can go help you saddle…" Nathan started, sensing Charlotte's thoughts.
"No!" Charlotte blinked, shocked at the words coming out of her mouth with such conviction. "I mean no, we don't need to saddle Bandit. I would love to take a ride with you."
Charlotte watched Nathan release a ragged breath.
"Well, are you going to help me up there?" Charlotte's eyes looked up to Nathan. "This guy is a bit taller than Bandit."
Nathan beamed a smile at Charlotte as he extended his left arm down to her and removed his boot from the stirrup. Charlotte reached up and interwove her forearm with his as she placed her own boot into the now empty stirrup.
"One… Two… Three..." Nathan counted out loud as Charlotte did a couple small hops to gain momentum before swinging her leg and skirt over Newton's back. Nathan lifted gently on her arm at the right time, helping to pull Charlotte into place.
Charlotte shifted her body slightly to settle into the space behind the cantle of the Newton's saddle.
Nathan returned his foot to the stirrup and glanced back to Charlotte over his shoulder, gauging her reaction to his closeness and making sure she would be comfortable with this new intimacy.
"Are you okay?" He whispered so only Charlotte would be able to hear. "It's not too late, if you want, we can saddle Bandit."
Charlotte paused for only a moment to analyze the new situation she found herself in. Pressed against Nathan's strong back. His warm and sensual scent flooded her senses, causing her to feel drunk and unsteady.
Charlotte realized then that Nathan was still waiting for her answer. His eyes searching hers for any sign to proceed or retreat. Instead of speaking, Charlotte chose to press closer, wrapping her arms around Nathan's torso, feeling his solid body in her embrace and the heat from where their legs brushed together. She leaned forward to place a kiss on Nathan's cheek before turning her head shyly away, resting it against Nathan's sculpted shoulders.
"I'll take that as a yes," Nathan chuckled as he ran his left hand over the top of Charlotte's that was at his waist. He lifted Newton's reins in his right hand and gently squeezed his thighs to urge the horse forward and away from town. "Hang on darling."