Chapter 77- Good News
*Thank you all for the very kind words/reviews that were expressed with the last chapter. I know Nan's letter was lengthy, but it felt a bit like a letter from me personally, to Nathan as he moves onto S9 of the actual WCTH. Since we all know it will not be Charlotte on our tv screens, I hope the woman Nan described is exactly the type of woman the writers create for him. I think he deserves it.
As I finished up my season 10 finale, I realized I had far too many sweet "moments" playing out in my head between where I had pictured ending my season finale with Nathan and Charlotte's engagement last chapter and my corresponding Christmas special. So here is the first of a few finale "bonus" chapters.
I hope you don't mind...
A light knock at the door, pried Charlotte and Nathan from the blissful haven they had created together.
Nathan groaned. "I guess I should be thankful it lasted as long as it did."
"Given how good our timing has been in the past, I think you're right," Charlotte chuckled. Placing a peck on Nathan's forehead, she regretfully rose from his bed and walked across the room, cracking open the door slightly to reveal Allie and Maise in the hallway.
"How is he?" Maise asked, concern laced her voice.
"Is dad awake?" Allie questioned.
Charlotte smiled, opening the door completely, and stepping out of the way to reveal Nathan sitting up in the bed behind her.
"Nathan," Maise gasped.
"Dad!" cried Allie as she ran across the room and leapt onto the bed, wrapping her arms tightly around Nathan's neck.
"Allie, be careful!" Maise chided, as she brushed past Charlotte to also be by Nathan's side.
"Oh!" Allie leaned back slightly to look at Nathan. "Sorry."
"I'm fine. No better medicine than having you all here," Nathan ran his hand along Allie's cheek.
"How long have you been awake? I told Charlotte to send word if anything changed with your condition," Maise commented, glancing back at Charlotte who stood in the corner of the room watching the loving scene unfold in front of her.
"I'm sorry, Maise," Charlotte began.
"It was my fault, mom," Nathan interrupted. "Charlotte wanted to send someone over, but I selfishly asked for a few more moments with just the two of us."
His eyes shifted to Charlotte's as he held out his hand to her. She took hold and Nathan pulled her closer to the side of his bed.
"Wait…" Maise noted the change between the two.
"Wait, what?" Allie questioned, looking back and forth between her grandmother and Charlotte and Nathan.
"Are you two?" Maise's voice rose an octave, accompanied by a squeal of delight before her hands flew to her mouth in surprise. "You are! Aren't you?"
Nathan and Charlotte shared a glance between themselves. Smiling, they turned back to face Maise and Allie, nodding in sync as Charlotte raised her left hand, showing off the silver band now encircling her finger.
"We are!" Charlotte exclaimed, the happiness inside her bursting forth into uncontrollable giggles and joyful tears.
"You asked her! You finally asked her!" Allie jumped back into Nathan's arms and gave him another big squeeze around the neck as Maise made her way to hug Charlotte in congratulations.
"I'm so happy for you both," Maise whispered in Charlotte's ear. "We are so blessed to officially have you as part of this family."
"Does this mean…" Allie pulled back slightly from Nathan's embrace to look at him.
"I think so, but why don't you ask her, just to be sure," Nathan winked at Allie, before directing his attention to Charlotte.
"Ask me what?" Charlotte questioned.
"The other day when dad and I went riding, we talked about him proposing."
"Oh, you did?"
"Yeah. I had asked what was taking him so long. I mean it shouldn't be that hard."
Charlotte and Nathan laughed at Allie's bluntness, squeezing each other's hands where they were still connected. They knew. It was all a part of God's perfect timing.
"Anyway, I was just wondering, since you two are getting married…" Allie dipped her head slightly. Exhibiting a bit of shyness that was so very uncharacteristic of the normally bold young woman. "If I can start calling you mom?"
"Oh, Allie," Charlotte's breath caught. She wasn't sure how much more her heart could take this morning. It was already overflowing. "Nothing, and I mean nothing, would make me happier than being your mom. But only if you are sure that is what you want as well."
"Of course, it's what I want!" Allie jumped up from Nathan's side and wrapped her arms around Charlotte's waist. "It's all I've ever wanted. A dad and mom like everyone else and I get the best ones in the world!"
Charlotte pulled Allie tighter to her, but her eyes gazed over the girl's head to connect with Nathan's. His eyes were filled with tears, but he gave a gentle and reassuring smile before mouthing the words "I love you" in Charlotte's direction to which she returned.
"Is everything alright in here? I heard screaming and I rushed down as quickly as I could," Faith questioned from the doorway, taking in the scene in front of her before her eyes landed on Nathan. "Oh, Nathan! You're awake! You had us so worried. How are you feeling?"
"Honestly, Faith? I'm not sure I've ever been better."
Faith's eyes searched everyone's face in the room, trying to comprehend what was happening. "I don't understand…"
"I asked Charlotte to marry me," Nathan answered. "And she said yes."
"What?!" Faith pranced around excitedly before coming to hug Charlotte. "You're kidding me! I leave you two unsupervised for a few hours and this is what occurs?"
"Amazing what can happen when we're not interrupted," Charlotte winked at Nathan, before giggling.
More rushed footsteps sounded from down the hall, producing Carson, Bill, Gabe, Rosemary, Lee, Minnie, and Joseph all in the doorway to Nathan's room.
"What is going on in here? We heard screaming when we were on our way to the church and…" Carson stated before stopping in his tracks seeing Nathan upright in the bed.
"See why I wanted you, all to myself, for a little while longer?" Nathan quietly joked to Charlotte, before turning back to the rest of the group who had just arrived. "I'm glad you are all here. Charlotte and I have some good news to share."
"We can see that!" Bill stated, pushing his way past the masses to stand by Nathan's side. "You are awake and on the mend!"
"Well, that is good news, but..." Nathan looked over to Charlotte and squeezed her hand. "We have better news to share."
"What can be better than you making a full recovery?" Bill questioned, glancing back and forth between Nathan and Charlotte.
"Do you want to tell them or should I?" Nathan asked Charlotte.
"Dad and mom are engaged!" Allie burst forth, unable to hold her happiness in any longer. "They're getting married!"
"What?!" Rosemary's eyes grew large as she shrieked and ran towards Charlotte, knocking her off balance when she enveloped them into a hug.
"Oh my goodness!" Minnie added, also coming to be by Charlotte's side, giving her own warm embrace. "This is wonderful news!"
Both women reached down to Charlotte's left hand to inspect the ring.
"It was Nathan's grandmothers. Isn't it perfect?" Charlotte beamed. The pride she had for that skinny, silver band was palpable.
"It is," Rosemary agreed, running her hand up and down Charlotte's back. "It is perfect for you both."
Nathan was also being congratulated, while Carson and Faith worked at inspecting his wound and checking his vitals.
"Such blessed news," Joseph said, coming to shake Nathan's hand, before turning to Charlotte giving her his own well wishes. "God is so good."
"About time you join the ranks of us married men," Lee joked, before leaning forward and whispering to Nathan. "And you chose the perfect woman for you. Congratulations."
"It's a brotherhood, I'm happy to be joining," Nathan smiled and winked at Charlotte.
"Hey!" Gabe scoffed. "What about the bachelor brotherhood you had with Bill and I? What are we, chopped liver?"
"You are certainly not chopped liver!" Charlotte commented, walking over to place an appreciative peck on each man's cheek. "Nathan and I owe you both so much."
"She's right," Nathan's face turned slightly stoic. "Thank you for yesterday. If it wasn't for you…"
Nathan's voice broke. He didn't even want to think about it. Not now. Not when this morning had been so perfect. Both Gabe and Bill nodded their heads in understanding.
"Well, when's the big day?" Rosemary asked, sensing the need to shift the subject back to happier things.
Charlotte came to sit on the bed beside Nathan again, taking his hand into hers. "I'm not quite sure. We didn't get that far before everyone started showing up this morning."
"Shall I go get my Book of Common Prayer and we make things official right now?" Joseph offered.
Charlotte turned to face Nathan. Her eyes shimmered as she raised her eyebrow and shoulder at the suggestion, as if saying "Why the heck not?"
Nathan was about to agree, especially with the way that shy smirk Charlotte was giving him accentuated the dimple on her cheek, when Rosemary chimed in. "No! You can't do that!"
Lee came to stand beside his wife, "Rosie, if Charlotte and Nathan want to get married today, they can. It's their decision to make, not yours."
"But, what about… things?" Rosemary pointed out.
"Things? What things?" Lee's further questioning earned him a slight jab to his ribs from Rosemary's elbow.
"Oh! Right. Things!" Lee corrected.
"Actually," Carson started to interject. "I'm not going to stop you, but as your surgeon, doctor, and friend I would suggest postponing the nuptials. At least until you're completely out of the woods. It's not an easy thing either of you went through over the past couple days. You both need rest. Not festivities."
"What about Christmas Eve?" Allie suggested. "It's still a few months away, giving time for Dad to heal and for us to plan the most beautiful wedding. Plus, that was the day I remember seeing the change between you two. It was also the day I think we realized we had become more than just neighbors, but now a family. The Grant family."
Allie was right. Christmas Eve did seem like a day when things shifted between them all. It had been a couple days after the dance in town and Nathan had come to Charlotte's door to check on her. To see if they were okay. It was when Charlotte admitted to being scared. Scared that she would one day hurt Nathan and Allie with her past. That she was scared, he would one day see her the way she saw herself.
"Darling," Nathan stepped over and took Charlotte's hands, prepared for her to cower away from his approach and word of endearment, but she didn't. Instead, her tension seemed to dissolve in front of him.
Good. Nathan had thought. This is an improvement.
"Don't you see how much progress you are making?" Nathan questioned. "Six months ago, you couldn't even be within three feet of me while alone. And look at us now."
Nathan paused as Charlotte had taken in their stance. Face to face, inside her house, and hands clasped in a pose remarkably like that of a groom and his bride as they made vows for a lifetime love in front of their family, friends, and most importantly God.
"And this," Nathan gently ran his thumbs over the back of Charlotte's hands, memorizing every peak and valley of their features. "Me being in your home, alone. You are letting me hold you. It is not the only step forward you have taken Charlotte. Think about what you just said. What you just admitted. You are being open with me. You are sharing your hurt, disappointments, and fears. Letting me in. Helping me understand where you are at, so I can help you… us… move forward. Together. I know you're afraid you may never heal completely. That memories of your past will come filtering back into you without warning, like the other night. And I cannot promise that it will ever completely go away and never come back. But Charlotte, I believe if you let me help. If you and Allie and I keep creating these wonderful moments and memories. We can continue to move forward. And as I have said before, I do not care how long it takes for you to see that. You and I… this… what we have. It will always be here."
It was last Christmas Eve, as the children's pure voices sang out the verses to 'O Holy Night', that Charlotte had shifted closer, pressing her side into Nathan's as he took her movement as an invitation to wrap his right arm across the back of the pew, pulling her to him as he gently rubbed her shoulder. Charlotte had reached for Nathan's other hand, turning it over so she could trace the lines of his palm with her fingertips. The low light of the evening kept the pair drawn into the shadows of the little church.
It was that night, while exchanging gifts, that Nathan and Allie had given Charlotte the picture of them from the Christmas dance. Their first picture as a family. It also was when Charlotte gifted a piece of her past to each of them. Giving Nathan her father's guitar and Allie her mother's Claddagh ring.
"What do you say Mr. Grant?" Charlotte asked, a smile seemingly permanently fixed to her face. "Is Christmas Eve the day I become Mrs. Grant?"
"Gosh, I like the sound of that! Mrs. Charlotte Grant has a nice ring to it," Nathan stated. "I think Allie, you are right. Christmas Eve would be the perfect day for a wedding."