Chapter 130

Family Dinner

. . .

"There you have it, Allie. It will feel more natural to you when you actually have some food to pick up with those chopsticks," explained Millicent.

"Momma, I'm starved and I'm never gonna get enough to eat with these things!"

"We promise we won't let you starve, Sweetheart!"

"They're called chopsticks, Allie," grinned her Dad, having stoked the fire as he sat down to join them. "Well, let's pray first. Everyone join hands. Who would like to lead us?"

"Me," begged Jackson.

"Thank you, Jackson. Let's all bow our heads."

"Dear God, thank You for letting Maggie and me come to stay with Allie and our Auntie Millicent and Uncle Nathan for the night. But right now, we need to thank You for giving us all this food. It's a lot! And we want to eat it all. Please, help Allie to eat too because she's never used chopsticks before and she's really hungry, and we don't want her to starve to death."

At this point, Nathan and Millicent both snuck a sideward glance at each other but quickly shut their eyes again.

"Thank You, also, that Christmas is coming soon, and thank you most of all for our new cousin and new uncle. We love them lots and lots and lots already. Amen!"

"Amen," resounded everyone around their makeshift table. The children were sitting on the floor on big cushions, with Nathan and Millicent sitting higher on the plush sofa.

Millicent had left the little 'pails' closed to keep the food warm.

"Back to the chopsticks, Allie. It all started about 5000 years ago in China. The earliest versions were probably twigs the women used to get the food out of their cooking pots of hot water or hot oil, so they wouldn't burn their fingers. But as early as 400 BC, chefs realized they needed to cut their food into small bites in order to use less fuel to cook it, so that did away with having knives at the table. By 500 AD, the use of chopsticks to eat spread from China to Japan, Vietnam, and even Korea. In Chinese dynastic times, silver chopsticks were used instead of wooden ones because they believed the silver would turn black if it came in contact with poison in their food and they felt that protected them." *141

"Wow, I never knew that, Uncle Nathan! That's really neat!" bragged Jackson.

"But Dad, what is all this food, and why is it in these little paper things?"

"They're called oyster pails because they once were used to hold oysters, but now we call them paper pails because we use them as takeout for all Chinese foods. They're easy to carry with the little metal handle, but they also unfold to form a makeshift plate if needed!" *142

"I didn't know that, Uncle Nathan. Can we make plates, too?" asked Maggie.

"Wait, they gave me a few extras. Let me run and get them. We'll test your theory, Chief Inspector Grant," teased Millicent as she left to retrieve the extra pails.

"This is going to be so much fun!" shrieked Jackson. "I've eaten Chinese lots of times before, but never like this! Wait till I show Papa!"

Nathan showed Allie and her cousins the food pails Millicent had already opened to let them guess what the food was, giving them tiny bites using multiple pairs of chopsticks.

"You're pretty good, Maggie. You too, Jackson. You two will have to teach Allie about the foods as you go."

"Here we go, extra pails to make plates. And while you show how to do that, let me open the rest of the pails," smiled Millicent. "I think I'm as starved as Allie now!"

Nathan fixed the makeshift plates for the children while he and Millicent opted to use their glass plates sitting on rattan mats.

"Oh, Allie, don't put that in your mouth like that, Sweetheart," warned Millicent. "That green paste is called Wasabi, and it's very hot. It needs to be diluted with your soy sauce until you get used to it."

"How do I do it, Momma?"

"Just take this tiny dish and first pour some soy sauce into it. Then take the tips of your chopsticks and get a little pinch of the wasabi. Now stir it into the soy sauce until it's well mixed, then dip your food into the mixed sauce as you wish. It's called a condiment like we use ketchup and mustard. But Chinese mustard is very hot too, so just be careful!"

"I'll help her, Auntie Millicent," offered Maggie.

"I will too, Auntie Millicent," agreed Jackson.

"Thank you, both! You'll get the hang of it, Allie."

"What a spread, Babe! You've gotten everything," marveled Nathan.

And she had!

From vegetarian egg rolls to pork egg rolls, to Nathan's favorite Crab Rangoon, to every kind of Potsticker, to Hot and Sour Soup, Egg Drop Soup, and Won-ton Soup, to Nathan's favorite Peking Duck and Mongolian Beef, to General Tso's Chicken, to Sweet and Sour Shrimp, to Chow Mein, Lo Mein, and just about every kind of Fried Rice, to the Eight Treasure Vegetables. In addition, there was an assortment of delectable Dim Sum.

"This is the best feast ever," declared Jackson. "I love it all!"

"This is good, but I'm not sure about this Mein stuff," and Allie scrunched up her face.

"Just think soft noodles, Allie, with veggies cut on a slant and little chunks of meat. Maybe you just haven't found the one you like yet. Why don't you sample this one? It's my favorite," suggested her Dad.

"Oh, I like that one a lot. It's really good! I think this sauce is better."

Allie was always game to try something new, and it didn't hurt at all that her cousins were chowing down on everything as they were used to eating Chinese food from a very early age.

"Well, I know one thing for sure: this is the best Ginger Ale I've ever had!" declared Allie.

"Chang's makes their own, Sweetheart. It's my favorite too!" winked her Dad. "Just one of the many things I crave when we're in Hope Valley."

Nathan and Millicent noticed the more Allie tried things, the more she seemed to like them, and it delighted them she seemed happy as a lark trying whatever Jackson and Maggie suggested.

The party of five ate until they couldn't eat another bite!

At least until Millicent brought out the fortune cookies. Then everyone had a heyday reaching for their chosen one. Jackson proudly demonstrated how to break them and then he read his own fortune.

"Mine says: the next game you play, you will win! Oh goody, I'm going to play chess with Grandpapa and finally beat him!"

Nathan and Millicent laughed with Jackson but quickly advised him that he might want to choose another simpler game for his next 'win!'

"Mine's a nice one. It says: you will always be surrounded by true friends," grinned Maggie. "It's true, too, because I have lots of friends."

"That's wonderful, Mags!" smiled Millicent proudly. "What does yours say, Allie."

"Something special will happen in five days. Hmmm, wonder what that could be, Dad?"

Nathan mentally calculated ahead and realized that particular day was indeed going to be a most special day for Allie, the day her Momma was going to officially adopt her. But mum was the word, as the couple exchanged a knowing glance.

"Just suffice it to say, Allie, I think this one is right," proclaimed her Dad. "But we'll just have to wait and see!"

"What does yours say, Momma?"

"You all aren't going to believe this one! It says: Wedding Bells are in your near future. And I think eight days count!"

Nathan reached to kiss his bride.

"Eight days definitely count," he winked.

"What does yours say, Uncle Nathan," asked Maggie.

"Mine says: you will soon be leaving on a most happy trip! And I believe our Honeymoon counts."

"Does it really say that?" asked Millicent, trying to grab his tiny piece of paper.

"It does, Love!" and after playfully holding it too high for her to reach, he finally proved it by holding out the paper for her to read.

She stretched up to kiss him.

"It really does say that, and that's pretty exciting!"

"You better believe it is!" and Nathan kissed his soon-to-be Bride, although rather chastely since the children were there.

"Are you two always going to be so mushy?" asked Jackson.

"Absolutely, Jackson! Absolutely," grinned Nathan grabbing Millicent's hand and kissing it.

"Well, that's enough fortune cookies! You three have another half hour to play with the kittens, then it's up to bed you go!" warned Millicent.

"I think they're all hungry, even little Cosmo and he's never hungry. Do you think they could eat Chinese food too, Momma?"

"Oh no, Sweetheart, it's much too spicy for the kittens, but you can crumble up some of the fortune cookies into tiny bits and try giving them some crumbs."

The children took Millicent's suggestion, first taking turns reading the kittens' fortunes as Nathan and Millicent got comfortable on the sofa.

"I'd better get the leftovers packed away, Love."

"Here, I'll help, Mil. That way we'll have it done in no time."

"There's so much food, but it was so, so very good!"

"Talk about hitting the spot? I loved my surprise! You can surprise me anytime with Chang's, Babe," and Nathan kissed her forehead.

"Love, do you think Bill has talked with Adeline yet?"

"I hope so. I was hoping we would hear from him by now," admitted Nathan. "But maybe that just means he's still visiting her. And that should be a good sign. Right?"

"Definitely. We need to send them both all of our good thoughts!"

The two carried their trays into the kitchen and snuck a private kiss before they put the food away in the icebox.

"I love you, Millicent Bradford, and I'm the luckiest man alive!"

"Well, I just happen to love you, Nathan Grant, and I'm the luckiest woman in the whole wide world!"

He pulled her closer and breathed in her exotic scent, just as she breathed in his leathery, woodsy scent.

"Just seven more days after today," whispered Nathan.

"By the way, that sweater is coming on our honeymoon!"

"This old thing?"

"This warm wonderful old thing that makes you look so handsome and rugged, I could cry…"


Upstairs in Allie's bedroom, Nathan and Millicent tucked all three in. Maggie was sleeping in the bed with Allie, and Jackson was sleeping on the sofa.

"Don't forget Persia and all the kittens are here with you," reminded Millicent. "I just replaced their papers, so everything is fresh. But if they cry, they might need some milk from the back kitchen. That will give their poor mother a rest, too!"

"We won't forget, Momma!"

"Good night, Angel," smiled Millicent as she kissed Allie goodnight.

"Good night, Princess," and her Dad beamed as he bent to also kiss her. "I'm so proud of how you handled yourself today, Allie."

"Thanks, Dad. It was a great, great day!"

"Yes, it certainly was!"

Millicent and Nathan then kissed Maggie good night, followed by Jackson.

"Good night, my beautiful, sweet niece!" smiled Millicent.

'And you too, my handsome, game-winning nephew!"

Both reached up and hugged their aunt, thrilled to be spending the night.

"Thanks for our dinner, Auntie Millicent. It was the bomb!"

"You're most welcome, Jackson. Glad you all enjoyed it!"

"I know I sure did!" winked Nathan as he bent to kiss his new niece and nephew goodnight.

"That's because you kissed Auntie Millicent," laughed Jackson.

"You've got that right, Son, but the food was pretty good too!" grinned Nathan as Millicent swatted his arm.

"Love you, Momma! Love you, Dad!"

"We love you, too, Auntie Millicent and Uncle Nathan!" added Maggie for both she and her brother.

After a flurry of final goodnights and a silly joke or two between Nathan and Jackson, the couple finally reached the door to the hallway, where they turned out the lights, but not before one last reminder from Nathan.

"Try to get some sleep, you three. Santa will be here before you know it, and you know how he likes little boys and girls to sleep…"


As Nathan and Millicent walked down the staircase, she turned to her fiancé.

"Did you just play the Santa card?" she teased.

"I most certainly did. You'll soon see you have to use every trick in your arsenal just to survive!"

They both chuckled together.

"Want to see what we got done today?"

"I'd love to see what you accomplished today!"

She led him to the living area of the Guest house, opening the huge double doors with a flourish.

Nathan let out a low whistle.

"Wow, you've been busy! This is amazing."

Instead of piles and piles of wrapped packages, there were tables all around the room full of opened gifts.

But as many gifts had been opened, there were that many more stashed still wrapped under each table.

"It was the only place we could find to put them. All of these arrived today, I'm afraid," explained Millicent.

"What are we going to do with all this?"

"You'll be surprised how much it takes to fill three houses, Love! We'll scatter it among the three places, and it won't seem so overwhelming. I promise."

"Everything is so, so extraordinary. These aren't the types of Wedding gifts I'm used to seeing, Millie. I suppose we give more practical items in Hope Valley."

"I'm afraid Montreal goes all out when it comes to Wedding gifts. Part of me thinks they view it as a competition! But there's nothing wrong at all with practical, Nathan. I suppose we're going to just have to go shopping for our own towels unless our Hope Valley friends pull through!"

Nathan chuckled, amazed as he walked around the room looking at each gift, picking some up for a closer look.

"You know all this is truly wonderful, but nothing I see here holds a candle to you, my Darling!"

She giggled and wrapped her arm around his waist.

"Want some real dessert?"

"Do you even have to ask…"


On their way into the kitchen, Millicent glanced at Allie's calendar the children had marked on their way up to bed.

"Our Wedding is really, really happening, my Love!"

"Yes, it most certainly is!"

"Are you nervous, Nathan?"

"Not at all, just anxious for you and me to be alone on our Honeymoon," and he reached down to offer a sweet kiss.

Then arm in arm they walked into the kitchen.

"Oh, Sarah called today and was quite upset. Apparently, Scottie has been very down, insisting that all he wants for Christmas is to see his father. She has explained to him children aren't allowed to visit the prison. But he remains insistent. Sarah's quite worried, Nathan. You haven't heard anything, have you?"

"Oh, glad you asked! I had forgotten, but I called Headquarters from your father's office today and spoke with the Superintendent there. Everything has been cleared. So, it's all a go!"

"Oh, that's wonderful!"

"We still have to find a dress suit for him, though. Mine definitely won't fit."

"Do you have the size?"

"Yes, I jotted it down and slipped it into my jacket. Do you think we can find something that would be suitable tomorrow?"

"Father's tailor would do it for us, but we'll need to call first thing in the morning. I believe they open at nine."

"Perfect, but Mil, could you go with me to select it? If you don't mind, I'd also like you to look at a few things they're holding for me."

"Of course! I'd be delighted. I'm just thrilled this is working out. Sarah was quite distraught. I know we can't share the details, but we do need to tell her no more worries for certain. But for now, you, my Love, go tend to the fire in the keeping room, and I'll get our dessert. I'll be there in just a few minutes."

"Just so you know, Babe, I'm only leaving you because we need the warmth!"

"That's good to know, Baby," she smiled radiantly, so perfectly content.

She felt the exact same about him. A moment apart was a wasted moment, one that could have been spent together!

But sometimes life intervened with the daily chores of living…


Although Nathan hated to leave her even for just a few moments, he blew her a kiss and made his way into the keeping room, where he quickly rekindled the fire into a blazing one emanating great warmth.

Still, he couldn't forget Allie's momentary lapse into tears at lunch over forgetting the Lullaby her Mom used to sing to her. Why couldn't he remember the words? Or had he really ever known them?

He could only remember hearing Colleen sing the Lullaby to Allie once or twice. And then there had been no need to remember the words, thinking Colleen would always be there to sing them to Allie.

But that hadn't been the case at all.

He had never really understood the importance of remembering those words to Allie before today.

But what could he do? The lullaby was one his sister had made up. To his knowledge, it wasn't even written anywhere.

Lost in his thoughts, he startled as Millicent opened the door with their dessert.

"Essie and I baked a chocolate cake when we finished unwrapping. Well, I should say when we stopped unwrapping."

He chuckled along with her, yet she could tell something was wrong. He was smiling, but his eyes clearly weren't, and it felt as though he was hundreds of miles away.

It was extra concerning because chocolate cake was a favorite of his. Especially Essie's Hershey's Chocolate Five-Layered Cake with Sweet Buttercream Icing and Thin Chocolate Ganache spread on top of each other between the layers.

She motioned to the spot where she had just sat.

When he moved there, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"What's bothering you, Nate?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"To me," she answered her eyes full of love.

"Today at lunch, Allie broke down because she couldn't remember the words to the Lullaby Colleen used to sing to her. I had no idea it meant so much to her to remember those words. I don't know them either. I only remember hearing Colleen sing it to her a couple to three times at best. I just never dreamed it would be important for me to remember the song. I thought my sister would always be there to sing that lullaby through Allie's entire childhood, and then to Allie's children, and after that their children."

He placed his head in his hands with his elbows propped up on his knees, sighing heavily.

She knew that was a habit of his when he was thinking something through.

"I just never knew it bothered her so much, Mil. Today, it was like she was frantically searching her memory for just a word or two if that was all that would come. Though I could tell she desperately wanted to know the entire song!"

"We can research Lullaby's at the University and see if any one of them helps her to remember."

"That's a lovely thought, but we won't find it anywhere, I'm sure it's the one Colleen wrote!"

"Are you talking about the one she wrote when we were teenagers?"

"Yes, I remember her saying the two of you wrote it together. Millicent, I know this is crazy, but do you happen to remember any of it?"

Millicent racked her brain but couldn't recall a single word.

Then suddenly, it dawned on her.

"Nathan, I don't remember the words, but if that's the lullaby we wrote together when we were teens, I might still have a copy of it in my class records. You know Mother, she kept everything! From the first grade on!"

"You really think you might have it?"

"I'm fairly certain! Perhaps Hendrix and I can go up into the attic tomorrow and take a look through all my old papers. They're stored away in a couple of huge trunks. I remember I kept all of our writing, my own as well as the ones Collie and I collaborated on. She did the same, but I don't know where she kept hers."

"Perhaps Mother might know."

"No need to bother Sophia until we check here first, especially since she and your father are here in Montreal. If Hendrix and I aren't successful, then your mother can check when they return to the ranch after our Wedding!"

"You're right. I even hate to stir up the memories if we don't have to, especially so close to the Holidays, as they're especially difficult for all of us, anyway."

"Don't give it another thought, Love! Not until after I've had a chance to look through my own papers. And hopefully, from now on, we'll have our Wedding memories to brighten the Holidays for both you and your parents."

He drew her close to him.

Oh, how he loved her, needing her like the air he breathed.

"Milli, Darling, you always know the exact words I need to hear. I've never had that till you. But truly, if we could find the words to Colleen's lullaby, it would mean the world to our daughter…"

. . .

141. The History of Chopsticks, Public Information, Public Domain

142. The History of the Oyster Pail, Public Information, Public Domain