Chapter 95: A Name & A Few Surprises

As soon as Albert brought the limousine to a gradual stop on the powdery drive of their Townhouse, Allie hurriedly kissed both her Momma and Dad, then deftly scrambled over her Dad's tall frame, gave the Chauffeur a quick hug, and raced toward the back door.

"Be careful, Allie! The walk may still be slick," warned Nathan, calling after her, even though Hendrix had just cleared the bulk of snow in preparation for their arrival.

"Yes, Sir, I am," she answered, without turning around.

Nathan just shook his head.

"At least she's watching where she's going!"

"Boy, she's quick, Sir!" chuckled her newly minted Uncle Albert.

"A little too quick at times, if you ask me, Albert!"

"Looks like she's on a mission, Sir!"

"It seems Allie's always on a mission of some sort, and believe me, she lets nothing stand in her way! Right now, she's ready to move heaven and earth to get to the cat and kittens we dropped off earlier," explained Nathan as he helped Millicent out of the car.

"Our girl's caring, determined, and industrious, Darling! Since she's only twelve, that's an incredible accomplishment. Oh, and you've also taught her to be responsible, which is particularly important since the Mama and baby kittens are in large part hers to care for. Besides she gets her exuberance honestly. She's Colleen made over!"

"Well, I've certainly tried to steer her right, although I'm not really sure how much of that influence was actually mine," chuckled Nathan as he bent to kiss his fiancee's forehead. "But you're right. She is her mother made over. That precocious, take-charge enthusiasm totally comes from Colleen, doesn't it?"

"Completely, Love!" answered Millicent with sparkling eyes. "It stands to reason Allie would be a dynamo just like her! Inevitable really. How could our girl not be?"

"Mil, sometimes I think I've been so busy trying to stay a step or two ahead of her the last eight years, which appears to be impossible, I might add, that I miss the most wonderful things about her growing up!"

"I think it's easier for two to see the details, Love! Child rearing is a lot for two people, much less one. All this time you've been both father and mother to Allie. And you've been wonderful at both. But now, thankfully, come what may for our Allie, the three of us will make it through, together!"

She placed her hand on his weather-beaten cheek.

Nathan's eyes filled with gratitude once again.

Millicent not only loved him just as he was, she ferociously loved Allie every bit as much in the same doting maternal way he had always experienced from his own mother.

Millicent's intense love for Allie was a blessed gift to him. And he knew one to Colleen, as well. One he had often prayed for but dared not hope for. Not to this extent, as Millicent, although not yet married, was already Allie's mother in every way, and that warmed his heart as nothing else could.

"All this time it was you, Darling Milli, who's been the missing piece for both of us," he marveled as without realizing it, he reverted back to his childhood name for her.

She smiled pondering the drops of snow splattering his dark hair.

Lovingly, she ran her hand through his unruly curls to scatter the flecks away, causing her to remember back all those years ago when her child's heart lurched every single time this young handsome boy had spoken his private version of her name.

Richard had called her Em, and Colleen had called her Milsie, but Nathan had always called her Milli when they were younger, and it was that name that made her feel most special, most alive, most like herself, most loved.

While deep in her childhood memories, Nathan wrapped his long arms protectively around her tiny waist, drawing her closer to his chest in order to warm her from the cold, kissing the flecks of white from her long lashes.

It was at that point, the old familiar heart lurch came back full circle within her, full force too, easily making the long passage from childhood to adulthood. Standing there, she knew, without doubt, that feeling would never go away, not while in the strong arms of this wonderful man. Not even if the two of them lived to be a hundred.

Of that she was certain.

She had melted then; she was melting now, even with the cold around her.

He would always have that invisible power over her, and that mere thought filled her with happiness!

As she looked up at him with all the love in her heart, the light flurry of snow around them left playful iridescent flakes on her lovely, innocent face, reflecting even more beauty than ever, Nathan thought, if that were even possible.

He wanted to devour her, kiss them all away. But that wouldn't be at all proper with Albert steps away. Besides all they had was this single stolen moment.

"Funny thing," she teased before she got profoundly serious. "It's been you and Allie who has been missing from my life, all this time, too, Love! At least physically, because you both were always right here in my heart."

He swallowed hard as he brought her gloved hands to his cold lips, consumed with love for her.

As shimmering puffs of white continued to dance their way to the ground around them, Albert smiled and discreetly turned his head.

Nathan quickly bent to warm his lips against his beautiful fiancée's.

"I've got…to get you…in out of this cold snow," he rasped, unable to do anything but continue their kiss, knowing they'd have an audience inside.

"There is no cold, no snow…just you…and in your arms, all the warmth in the world, my Love," she whispered.

In a matter of seconds, adoring, loving affirmations flowed between them, some spoken, some unspoken, but all there nevertheless.

Their look into each other's eyes enfolded them into the depths of a singular breath as well as not to be forgotten annals of their memory, each memorizing these treasured kisses in the snow.

All with the inherent giddy promise, that in just two short weeks, they would be joined together as one, forever…


"Dad! Momma! Come quick," enthused Allie calling from the doorway.

Allie giggled as her parents reached her and enveloped her in their sweet, but cold, embrace.

Then the three passed from the brisk, blowing temperatures of the doorway into the much warmer Sun Porch.

"Come! Uncle Hendrix and Auntie Essie are with them in the Laundry Room," explained an elated Allie as she grabbed both parents' hands and forcefully pulled them into the aforementioned room.

"Uncle Hendrix built a bigger fire in the stove, so now it's even warmer for the babies…"


Inside the toasty Laundry Room, they found Essie and Hendrix bent over a large wicker basket, both with smiles, happily whispering away.

Nathan and Millicent shared a knowing grin.

Hendrix cleared his throat when he realized the rest of his family was there.

"Er…a…we found this old basket, Miss! Seems to be just perfect for the mother and her wee ones," interjected Hendrix, most formally.

"Hendrix has been keeping me in warm towels to cover them with," explained a blushing Estella. "The little ones are still so chilled from the cold. But I can tell the mother doesn't want me to get too close to them, quite yet."

"Is she still fearful of the new surroundings," asked a concerned Millicent.

"I don't think it's that, Miss, but…" and then Essie's words faded away unsure whether or not her concern was a valid one, and she most certainly didn't want to get a little girl's hopes up.

Hendrix jumped up and made himself busy by getting more warm towels from the top of the stove, then replacing them with fresh ones to warm.

"Hendrix, Old Chap, have you already gone over to the dark side," whispered Nathan, seeing immediately that he was completely outnumbered on this feline issue.

Hendrix was as doting as Estella, and every bit as much in love with those little things that had already stolen everyone's heart except perhaps Nathan's own!

Or was it his love for Essie, instead?

Nathan's comment and befuddled demeanor elicited a huge chuckle from Hendrix, who was promptly shushed by the very much in-charge Estella from across the room.

"I see the Ladies talked you into this, Sir?" whispered Hendrix under his breath, still standing by Nathan holding the warmed towels.

Nathan guiltily nodded.

"I could hardly say no, Hendrix!" answered Nathan in a low voice. "With the four eyes I love most in the world looking up at me so pitifully, what else could I have done? And in my defense, it WAS freezing cold. How could I possibly have left those little ones there?"

"I believe it was meant to be, Sir!"

Allie was going on and on a mile a minute, oblivious of all but her new living treasures, full of excitement, and over the moon with her discovery of the most wonderful 'contingencies!'

"Auntie Essie, you'll never believe this! I found them right under our huge Christmas Tree! It's the biggest one in the whole forest, too. Well at least for Christmas Trees. I'm pretty sure our tree saved our baby kittens' lives and probably the Mama too. It was watching over them. They're our Christmas Miracle, you know! Right before our eyes, there in the icy cold, the mother and all her babies just lay there, waiting for us to come to get them. We don't even know how many there are yet, just that there are lots. Because in the sleigh, the Mama laid down over them so she could keep them all warm, and that meant we couldn't see anything!"

Allie stopped just long enough to sigh.

"And I don't know how we'll ever figure out how many are boys and how many are girls. Can you teach me?"

"Yes, Love," chuckled Essie. "But that comes much later. Right now, we've got to tend to this Mama and her babies."

"Momma says the mother is Persian. Look at her shiny long gray hair. It's almost silver, it's so shiny, and she's so beautiful! She has green eyes just like Momma. But she has to be really, really tired. And I know she needs milk, and some food, too! I don't think she's had much of anything to eat."

"No, she hasn't, but don't you worry, Allie! Uncle Hendrix and I have already given her warm milk. She scarfed it down like she was starved, poor thing!" assured Essie. "We'll give her some food in a bit."

Millicent, smiled at her daughter's rapid words, while at the same time wriggling Allie out of her coat, hat, scarf, mittens, and wet boots the whole time she was talking.

However, Allie was much too excited about her kittens to show outwardly that she was even aware of what was happening.

"Socks next please, Allie," instructed her Momma. "I'm afraid they might be damp from all the snow that got into your boots."

Millicent grabbed a warm towel from Hendrix, as Allie peeled off her socks, then she quickly warmed Allie's cold feet with it.

"Sit here, while I go get you my old slippers from the hall closet. It will just take me a minute or two."

"Yes, Ma'am!"

"Allie," nudged Nathan gently.

"Oh, thanks, Momma," and Allie threw her arms around her Momma's waist before she could leave to retrieve the slippers, inwardly loving being mothered, in spite of her concerted focus on the kittens.

Although a novice, Nathan noticed that without even thinking, Millicent had done the same thing experienced mothers do everywhere.

In fact, the exact same thing he had always done with Allie.

Nathan smiled as he saw in this small nondescript moment, a passing of the torch so to speak.

Not that he would never help Allie out of her outerwear again. It was just that now he had someone to share this parental responsibility and pleasure with.

As for Allie, on a subconscious level, she had been acutely aware of this new everyday maternal love surrounding her from the moment her Dad had announced his and Millicent's engagement at the Hope Valley Train Station. Especially while in her Momma's presence. But even when they were apart, she still felt it because the love was so great between them, it was her new constant.

She also knew her Momma was only a phone call away, no matter where she happened to be, and Allie had no doubt she would drop everything in a second if she needed her! In fact, Millicent had already done that very thing several different times when Allie had called her from Hope Valley about various concerns.

The love they already shared was that ever-present kind of love, that mother-daughter love that is singular and truly invincible.

That profound innate love where betrayal by either is impossible.

And Allie was already blossoming under it. Happier, more confident, more self-assured, and totally contented.

Her Momma's love and care for her filled a void this little girl had experienced all those years since her own mother had passed, causing Allie to now inwardly bask in the glow of being loved by both a father and a mother, even when outwardly she was about to burst with excitement for her newly expanded family in the form of a Persian cat and who knows how many kittens!

It seemed that no matter what was going on about her, Allie still felt warm inside. And although she couldn't possibly realize it yet, that 'warmth' was only going to grow into permanence over time, completely filling that empty place in her heart with two female loves, both Millicent's and her Mother's, till no void remained at all.

This feeling of complete love overwhelmed her in the best of ways especially when she was with both parents.

'They' were the 'place' she had always longed to be. To see her Dad so ecstatically happy for the very first time in her young life truly amazed her. It left her free of adult worries, as he was now experiencing happiness far beyond what she had ever wished for him.

That alone told Allie that no matter where the three of them were in the world, they were finally home together.

They were a family.

But at this moment, she was so excited about her new kittens, she started up again with words at a speed of what seemed like a hundred miles a minute as Millicent slipped her own slippers onto Allie's feet.

"This is like the best Christmas present I could ever want! I'm so excited! But once before Dad brought home…"

"Allie, please slow your words so your Auntie and Uncle can understand what you're saying," urged her father. "And that's a long story you can share another time since everyone appears to be busy with the kittens now."

"Yes, Sir! I'll save that story for later. I think the kittens must be one of those contingency things, just like you said, Auntie Essie! God had Scott put them there for us to find them, don't you think? And to find Scott and his Mother, too! All of it's our great big Christmas Miracle!"

"Yes, I believe it is, Allie! No one should have to live the way Scott and his Mother were living. I'm thankful God led us to them so they no longer have to," assured Millicent.

"Me, too, Momma! Boy, this Mother Cat looks like she's exhausted, poor thing," insisted Allie jumping up from her chair to peer over the basket. "Just think. She must have had her babies all alone because I don't think Scott would have known how to help her. I mean he's gonna be a doctor and all, but that's a long, long, way off and well, he's only in the fifth grade."

Nathan cleared his throat.

"Well, she did have them alone, Dad, and that's just awful. What if she needed help? I mean one could have gotten stuck or something. That happens, you know. Well, I think it could."

"Allie, it's not exactly like that, but Persia and her kittens made it through the birthing process just fine."

"Or maybe one of the babies couldn't breathe or something. Wait! Dad, you just named her!"

"No, not really. That's up to you, Sweetie! But for now, we need to call her something other than she or it!"

"No, I love the name Persia! Momma, what do you think?"

"I love that name, too, Allie. It totally suits her!"

"Auntie Estella?"

"She most certainly looks like a 'Persia' to me!"

"Uncle Hendrix?"

"Here, Persia," offered Hendrix softly, trying it out in his English accent.

As soon as he reached his large hand in the basket, Persia licked it, although weakly, as though to pass on her affirmative vote as well!

"Looks like it's unanimous," squealed Allie in delight.

"Allie, it seems Persia is through the birthing process without any problems and her kittens appear to be fine, too. Let's be thankful and not borrow trouble."

Allie nodded to her Dad, then paused with a strange look on her face, her eyes glued, watching Persia intently.

"But something's different," Allie exclaimed in a hushed whisper.

Hendrix caught the child's look, glanced at Persia more closely, and instantly thought he had better prepare her father.

"I'm not so sure about that 'through' thing, Son," suggested an empathetic Hendrix. "Full admission, Persia decided to have another little one while you three were gone."

Essie's slight nod acknowledged it was true.

Allie's face was stricken.

"Oh, no! Really?"

"Yes, Sweetheart, but now that this last little one is here, everything's fine. Just don't make any loud noises that might scare the Mama! She's busy nursing the newest as well as a few others, poor thing!"

'Oh, no, Lord! Please let this be the last,' prayed Nathan silently.

"But I missed everything," cried Allie. "Now I'll never see a kitten be born!"

"Perhaps that's not true, Miss Allie."

"What do you mean, Uncle Hendrix? Wait, why is her tummy rumbling?" asked Allie innocently, then wide-eyed and horrified. "Is she sick? Will she die?"

Millicent and Estella looked at each other, both with shocked looks on their faces.

"No, no, Allie, she isn't going to die. She's having another baby!" explained her Momma as hurriedly as she could.

Alas, Nathan's prayer was being answered, and very quickly too. Just not in the way he had hoped.

"Oops! Here, we go again," cried Essie. "Hendrix, another warm towel, please. This one is much too damp."

Allie let out a low screech, trying her best to curb her enthusiasm.

"Are you sure, Auntie Essie? We're getting another baby?"

Essie smiled and nodded yes at the same time.

"This is the most exciting news ever," cried Allie. "May I watch? Please, Momma?"

Millicent looked up expectantly at Nathan, who was thinking it over. How could he deprive Allie of seeing this little miracle of birth?

"May I get closer to them, please?"

"Just a little," nodded Essie.

A slight giggle escaped from Millicent who was trying her best to hide her amusement, as Nathan moaned.

His crest-fallen face looked as though he might not survive a single more kitten.

"Pretty please," added Millicent on Allie's behalf. "It's just so exciting!"

Nathan sighed heavily as Millicent gave him an excited grin with a slight shrug of her shoulders, and nodded in spite of himself.

"You two look so adorable, how can I say no?"

After all, Millicent was right. This was simply a part of nature, and Allie was twelve.

But he did add a qualifier.

"Yes, Allie, if you're sure you want to see it. But it might be a bit messy," warned Nathan.

"That's okay, Dad," gushed Allie as she jumped up and threw her arms around her dad in gratitude. "Now this is a real Christmas miracle! I get to see a baby be born!"

She then scooted in closer on her slippered feet, next to her Momma, and as close to the basket as she could get.

"Look! The baby's coming, Essie," whispered Millicent.

Essie quickly moved into action.

"Now, Miss, let's scoot the mother over a bit in the basket so she can be more comfortable and completely concentrate on birthing her new little one. But we mustn't touch her babies that are already here while she's delivering."

"Why Auntie Essie?"

"She might get upset and think we're going to take them away, and she needs to concentrate on this new one coming!"

After a few minutes, a tiny head began to appear in full, as Allie breathed in and held her breath to contain her excitement.

With one final contraction, Persia pushed her newest one to completely birth it into the world, then quickly began to rest, as though she was about to nod off.

"Momma, look how adorable! Those little slits for eyes like he's scrunching up his face! But look, are his ears okay?"

"They are perfect, Allie. They are supposed to be folded back like that! See, the others are the same. It's just hard to see them the way they're all lying together."

"I love you," cooed Allie to the little kitten. "You are the cutest thing ever! Do you love me?"

Millicent didn't have the heart to tell her daughter the little one couldn't yet see her or hear her.

But Persia suddenly jerked herself wide awake!

Essie whispered something to Allie and their girl smiled broadly.

"Auntie Essie says it looks like we're having another kitten," announced Allie, grinning from ear to ear.

"How wonderful!" exclaimed Millicent before remembering that her fiancé would be none too happy.

"Surely not," moaned Nathan.

'Please, Dear God, let this be the last,' he prayed again silently.

Millicent covered her mouth to hide her amusement as she saw the love of her life mouth the words of his prayer, which were actually more voiced as a desperate plea!

Allie repositioned herself on the floor between her Auntie Essie and her Momma, who after consoling her fiancé with a kiss on the cheek, couldn't resist re-joining them.

"I suppose it's a female thing, Sir!" whispered Hendrix on his way to get more towels.

"Nothing like the Ladies' maternal instinct."

Nathan looked at Hendrix like he had just committed a crime, after all his little girl was much too young to have a maternal instinct.

Wasn't she?

Nathan was just not at all prepared for that thought.

Although Hendrix seemed quite oblivious to the depth of emotions he had stirred in his favorite son, Millicent could hear Nathan's choked moan behind her.

"We're definitely having another one, Allie!"

"Oh, goodie! This is just the best ever. Another one's coming, Dad! I get to see two being born!"

Millicent jumped up once more because Nathan looked like he needed smelling salts.

"It's alright, Darling," as she quickly put her arm around his waist. It's just a tiny kitten."

"It's just a lot of tiny kittens that grow up to be big cats," he reminded her being the realist he was. "Lots of big cats!"

"Well, yes, but we'll manage! Look how happy our daughter is! Besides, look on the bright side, Darling, we'll never have mice!"

"No, we'll just have an army of very large cats!"

"Ah, there it is. Look how tiny!" exclaimed Estella. "This might be the tiniest one yet, Miss Allie. What a precious little thing! Such a good Mama!"

"Wow, that was quick, Auntie Essie. Persia's almost as good a Mama as my Momma, but not quite," declared Allie proudly.

All at once, Hendrix tried to stifle his snicker and Essie tried to cover her giggles, while Nathan and Millicent, unsure of exactly what their daughter had meant, both blushed a radiant shade of purple…

Note: Huge thank you, Eileen Hunter, for helping me proof this set of chapters! Much appreciated!