Chapter Seven: Thanksgiving Plans

Allie had said her Goodbyes to Millicent early this morning before they left for school, sobbing.

"But, I'm going to miss you so very much, Auntie Millicent. I've loved our time together! You're just the best!"

"Oh, Sweet Baby, I have to, but I promise to write and send you lots of goodies in the mail, so you just keep a lookout, okay?"

Allie shook her head yes, still crying.

"And Allie, don't forget to write me, too. I promise I'll write you back each and every time. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes, deal!" and Allie kissed her cheek.

Nathan and Millicent then walked Allie to School and Elizabeth watched from the Front Stoop, as Allie ran back to Millicent for one last hug and kiss, fighting to keep back her tears, as was Millicent, and even Elizabeth in the distance, as she watched the tender scene.

Elizabeth embraced the Child as soon as she ran up on the Porch, and at the same time, smiled and waved at Millicent and Nathan behind Allie's back, calling "We'll miss you! Safe Travels" to Millicent, with Millicent waving back, and Nathan tipping his Campaign Hat.

And then they were gone.


The Stage was due after lunch, thankfully, which gave both Nathan and Millicent a chance to say a proper goodbye to each other.

"I can't thank you enough Millicent. For how you've helped Allie, and for how you've helped me. Also, for just bringing us fun and joy as only you can do. We needed that so badly! We, both just needed you so desperately, in so many ways. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. And I know, from Allie's too!"

He pulled out a tiny present and a larger one from his satchel.

"Nathan, you didn't have to do this!"

He just smiled, "Aren't you going to open them? Small one first!"

Her face was full of excitement, just like that of a child on Christmas Morning, one of the many things he loved about her.

"Oh, Nathan, I love it! The only reason I didn't bring my Charm Bracelet with me was that I've been so absent-minded lately, I was afraid I'd lose it. This goes on as soon I reach Home!"

"The three gold hearts are to remind you of the three of us together and your stay in Hope Valley with us!" he explained.

"Nathan, you even had our names and the dates of my visit engraved. I will love this forever, just as you know, I will love you and Allie forever!"

"Hurry, you've got another one we're going to have to box back up before you leave!"

She opened the gorgeous package, and was speechless, reaching to kiss him instead.

"Nathan, I can't tell you how much I was hoping for this. I wanted a picture of the two of you so badly, but I hated to ask. I will treasure this. Thank you!"

It was an Oval Sterling Silver Frame holding a Photo of Nathan with Allie sitting on his lap, and it was perfect of the two of them. You could actually feel their love fly off the paper!

"This is the part I don't like. If I had my way, we'd never have to say Goodbye!" said Nathan hoarsely.

"I feel exactly the same, Nathan," she agreed, wiping her eyes. "I've had so much fun being with you! Even though we had some serious things to discuss. You've got this, Nathan. I'm praying constantly, and remember the questions. It all boils down to those questions, and what's in your heart! I know you'll do the right thing, and I do know she loves you very much."

They walked out to meet the Stagecoach which was just driving up.

Nathan held her in his arms one last time, as half of the entire town gathered around them to see Millicent off. They loved her just that much. What an impact she had made in just two weeks!

"Come back" "Don't be a Stranger" "Safe Travels" "We love you" "You're Wonderful"

"Millicent, be careful and call soon. I want to hear all about how the big date goes!" Nathan winked and they kissed each other and squeezed in one more embrace, then he helped her into the Stagecoach, tipping his Campaign Hat to the Pinkertons inside.

He and Millicent waved Goodbye to each other along with most of Hope Valley by now, clapping and waving her out of sight!

"You okay?" came a gruff voice.

"Yep," but Bill noticed Nathan's eyes were glistening.

"She's quite something, Nathan!"

"She most certainly is, Bill! She most certainly is!"

"Nathan, I need you to ride out to the old Stilton Place with me."

"Are we bonding, Bill?"

"Yep, somethin' like that!"

"When is this bonding taking place, Bill?"

"I'd say about now. Let's get the Horses!"

Nathan just shook his head, but was actually grateful for the diversion!

Then he laughed, "You know, Bill, once in a long while, you actually get it right!"

Bill just grinned and mounted his Horse waiting on him across the Road.

"Race you…" and he was off on his Steed before Nathan even had a chance to mount Newton, who Bill conveniently knew had been secured back in front of the Mountie Office, quite a few yards away!


After Bill and Nathan had finished their ride out to the Old Stilton Place, Nathan still wasn't sure why they had gone.

Bill had mumbled something about checking something, and he had done a little digging through some junk.

But that was about it, and just after that, Bill proudly announced, they were done.

"Time to go back home!" he announced.

Nathan just widened his eyes and shook his head as he turned Newton around.

When the two finally made it back into Town, Nathan turned to the Judge.

"Bill, it's been nice, but I've got real work to do. See you later!"

"Well, that wasn't very nice," mumbled Bill as he headed back to his Judge's Chambers, which everybody in town knew he detested, but none more so than Nathan, as he appeared to be the Judge's preferred Babysitter.


Nathan was going through a stack of papers when Lee came in.

"Oh, Hello, Lee. What can I do for you? You look nervous!"

"That's because I am nervous," Lee retorted.

"What's up?"

"Rosemary insists I come to invite you and Allie to Thanksgiving Dinner."

"That sounds nice," but then he looked at Lee's twitching face. "Out with it, Lee, what is it?"

"Rosemary's going to kill me for telling you this, but she's inviting Elizabeth, too."

"Not a good idea, Lee, afraid I have to decline."

"See, I knew this would happen. Now, how am I gonna go back and tell her this?"

"Sorry, Lee, not my problem. But, I bet we both have work to do, right?"

"Er…right, Nathan," he edged toward the Door. "If you change your mind, you know where to find me. I'm the one with the bruises!"

Nathan couldn't help but chuckle, although poor Lee probably wasn't far from the truth, knowing Rosemary.

Nathan kept on with his work, knocking out two reports and a detailed summary before a quarter past three when he realized he needed to be leaving soon to pick up Allie.

But it was also the exact same moment Rosemary came barging in, apparently unhappy with Lee's report!

"Nathan Grant, it's a sad day in Hope Valley when one can't even extend a Holiday invitation to Friends!"

"Rosemary, you extended the invitation, and both Allie and I are very grateful."

"Without getting said invitation accepted, Nathan!" she emphasized. "That simply won't do!"

"Rosemary, have a seat," which she already had.

"Rosemary, you of all people know why this is not a good idea."

"I don't see why not."

"For one, what if Little Jack calls me Daddy?"

"Oh, he won't. You won't have your Serge on!"

"What if that doesn't make any difference?"

"We'll just be sure to call you Nathan loudly so he hears!"

"And what's Elizabeth going to think?"

"She's going to think Friends are getting together to celebrate Thanksgiving!"

"Don't you think that's going to be a little awkward, not only for the two of us, to say nothing about the Children, but for everyone there? By the way, who all's coming?"

"Lee and me, Bill, Elizabeth, Little Jack, Allie and you! The perfect number - seven!"

"I thought it was supposed to be an even number at the Table like six or eight."

"Nathan, if you and Allie don't come, that will still leave an odd number, five to be precise. So, your theory doesn't work. Besides, I'm the Hostess and I get to determine not only who I invite, but how many, and I say this year, seven is the perfect number. It's not a big deal, just say yes."

She continued.

"You know you don't want to cook a big Turkey and make the Dressing, and the Oyster Pudding and so on and so on. To say nothing of the Pecan and Pumpkin Pies. And my Pies beat Clara's any day of the week if I do say so myself."

"I have no doubt. But, Rosemary, have you talked to Elizabeth about this?"

"I have, and she said if you were okay with it, she'd be fine with it!"

He looked at her through narrowed eyes.

"Rosemary, I appreciate the invitation. I really do. But, can I think on it and let you know?"

"I suppose, but not too long, Nathan. Time is passing fast!" and off she went.

Nathan gathered his holster, put it on, and locked the door, heading straight to the school to get Allie, hopefully without being too late.


But, because of Rosemary, he was quite a few minutes later than he liked and saw Allie nervously waiting with Elizabeth. He waited at the end of the Road, as was now their Custom, but Allie just stood there like she didn't even see him.

"This is utterly ridiculous,"

He decided to just take the Bull by the Horns, so to speak, walking straight up to Allie and Elizabeth.

"Allie, could you please give Mrs. Thornton and me a few minutes alone?"

"Sure, Dad, I'll go play Hopscotch!" and she was off. "Opal and Emily are still over there!"

"Elizabeth, I hope this isn't inappropriate, but we need to talk."

"Of course, it isn't inappropriate. What do we need to talk about?" she asked.

She could think of about a thousand things off the top of her head, although per their agreement she wasn't allowed to talk about any of them.

"In a word, Rosemary," he answered, exasperated.

"Oh! I told her it was up to you."

"But how do you feel about it? It seems she's not taking no for an answer."

"Nathan, truthfully, I think we need time together, time with no pressure, time with other people. But it's totally up to you."

He wasn't expecting that answer.

"Are we being crazy about this?" he asked.

"Maybe a little," she grinned. "Maybe a lot?"

They both started laughing at the same time.

The first laugh they had shared in over six months, and it felt good.

"Elizabeth, can we sit a moment, inside?"

"Of course," and she motioned to the door.

"I don't want Allie to hear…" he explained.

They both sat, both nervous, as though they were breaking their own self-imposed rules.

"I think you've fulfilled every single item on your list of Vows, and I think it's time we start acting like normal Adults with each other. What do you think?"

"I agree. Am I allowed to say nothing would please me more?"

"You're allowed to say anything you want. No more agreements. The truth is I miss you."

"I miss you, too, Nathan."

"But, I am worried about the Children. Elizabeth, they are the reason I'm not sure if we should go to Rosemary's."

He looked nervous.

"Why, Nathan?"

"I don't want them to get the wrong idea."

Her heart plummeted, but she knew she had no right.

He continued, "I don't want them to get their hopes up again and have them dashed."

"Would that happen just with a Dinner?"

"I'm afraid so. I hate telling you this Elizabeth, but you need to know. I walked into the Café a few weeks ago, and Little Jack was there with Lee and Rosemary, over in the corner, playing with Bill and Lee."

"He does that all the time," she couldn't see what the problem was.

"Elizabeth, as soon as I walked in the door, he came running to me, crying Daddy, Daddy!"

"Oh, Nathan, I'm so sorry! I had no idea."

"It's happened several times, and it's not that I mind it at all. In fact, it's adorable, and every time I pick him up and remind him, 'I'm Nathan' out of respect for both you and Jack. But, I will admit, I can't tell the Little Guy I'm not his Father, especially when for three years that's exactly what I wanted as much as him."

A pang cut through the very center of her heart at just the thought of yet another hurt she had caused to both the Man she loved and her own Son.

'Is there no end to the damage I've caused? Does this ever stop?' she thought.

And then the second pang hit when she realized that Nathan had used the past tense.

"But Elizabeth, I'm worried how disappointed Jack's going to be if we don't find our way back to each other and I'm worried about Allie getting hurt all over again. How do we navigate to what you and I need, whatever that is, without hurting them?"

"First, I think you and I need to have a discussion much longer than two minutes sitting in the back of the Schoolhouse. And I think first we need to think about you and me for a change, then the Children. I don't mean to sound callous, but we can't guide them either way, till we know for ourselves what we want. And Nathan, are you serious about all rules and vows being off?"

"Absolutely, we were crazy to try that in the first place," he admitted.

"I don't know. If it's gotten us this far, it's worth it, don't you think?"

He grinned that lop-sided grin.

"Why, Elizabeth, are we making this so hard on ourselves? We've already been through hell and we've survived. Part of me is ready to make a decision and the other part of me isn't. Why is Rosemary doing this?"

"Maybe, she's giving us a nudge…the Holidays are almost here, and I honestly don't think either of us wants to spend them alone. It should be fine with friends there, don't you think?"

And then he shocked her.

"Let's do Thanksgiving at Rosemary's. We'll be careful around the Children. Then the night after, meet me in the Library for Dinner, just the two of us, no date, no expectations. Just a nice dinner between two friends. We deserve that much, don't you think? Say, half-past seven?"

"Yes, we do. Half-past seven it is. The night after Thanksgiving. Looking forward to it, Nathan."

"I am too, but Elizabeth, we've got a lot of serious things to muddle through first, and I can't promise a decision or that you will like it if there is one. I'm just…I'm just..."

He got up and started pacing. She followed him, standing next to the door.

"I just listened to myself and I think I hate myself for saying that when all I really want to do… Sorry, let's forget it. I just don't like this indecision for either of us. And I really don't like it for the Children."

He looked away, then asked softly, "You ready?"

"Nathan, just one more minute. Thank you. Thank you so much for getting us talking again. I've missed it so much. I've missed…you, so much. And I know this is odd because I spend my Schooldays with her, but I truly miss Allie, too."

She quickly looked away too, not wanting to embarrass him.

He reached for her hand.

"I've missed you, too. And I miss the Little Guy! So, I do understand."

He took her other hand and squeezed both, as a Friend would do, as they themselves had done for one various reason or another before. Two examples being at that crazy Wedding Game, and after she absolved him of any wrongdoing in Jack's Death, although that burden had never been his to carry.

And just like both of those times, the spark was still there when they touched. If anything, the intensity of it just seemed to grow bigger!

"What do you say, we walk home together?"

"I'd love that. I've actually missed those walks more than you can imagine."

They smiled at each other, a very real smile, all the way up to their eyes, and he dropped her hands, opening the door to lead her out, but first, as he had usually done in the past, without thinking about it, he reached for the stack of books she had set down on the desk where she had sat, and nestled them into his arm, carrying them for her.

They walked out on the porch, and he called to Allie as Elizabeth locked the door.

"Allie, are you ready?"

"Coming, Dad!"

And just like old times, the three of them started toward the Rowhouses together.

But all three knew everything had changed.