Chapter 166- A Community of Hope
A little over a week later, Charlotte stood leaning against the door frame between their kitchen and backyard. Nathan and Allie had returned from their camping trip in the mountains the day before. Elizabeth and Laura both agreed, Allie could miss a few days of school to spend this time with her father, and with Nathan's sudden change in employment status, there was nothing stopping the two from making the hike up into the Whitehorse Wildland.
Charlotte prayed for their safe return every day and night they were away. Thankfully the weather held and, even in the higher altitudes, Nathan and Allie came across little snow this late in the season. More so, their time together in nature seemed to bring a little needed peace to her daughter and husband.
Charlotte was awakened that morning to a cold bed and the sound of Nathan chopping wood in their backyard. She hoped he would be able to sleep in, finding comfort and warmth in their bed and her arms, but with each 'thwack' that sounded, her dream faded further and further away. Charlotte quickly dressed, checked on her children who both seemed to be sleeping through the cacophony outside their windows, before making her way downstairs.
It was an unseasonably warm fall morning, but Charlotte was surprised when she opened the kitchen door to find Nathan hadn't even put on a shirt before going to chop wood. Instead of disrupting, she stood silently watching him work. His broad back was tanned from the summer sun, and hard muscles moved beneath the golden skin. He was handsome and powerful as he swung the ax in a wide arc, bringing it down hard, splitting the log clean through. The two halves banged off the block. As he bent to set up another, he saw her.
"Morning," he said, smiling. Her stomach fluttered. He looked pleased and surprised to see her watching him.
"Mornin'," Charlotte felt herself blush under his careful inspection. "I was hopin' that you'd be able to sleep in today…"
"Couldn't." He shrugged, setting aside the ax, and stacking the wood he'd chopped. "Figured I'd get up and get something accomplished." Nathan took a bandana from his back pocket and wiped the sweat from his face. When he looked at her, her heart sped.
Charlotte felt emboldened in that moment. "Well, what about other activities to accomplish that are far more enjoyable than chopping wood?"
Nathan came closer with a roguish, confident swagger. "What sort of other activities did you have in mind, Mrs. Nathan?"
She put her hands on both of his arms, feeling the tautness under her touch. "Maybe a little of this." She kissed him, her hands trailing over his biceps, up to his strong shoulders, to crisscross her arms around his neck and draw him closer. Savoring the way he responded, holding her waist and hips in return with calm possession. "I've missed you these past few days." Charlotte murmured against his lips.
"I've missed you too. And Liam. But it was good for Allie and me to spend some time together."
Charlotte nodded her head in agreement. "Are you planning on chopping wood all day?" Her left eyebrow peaked in that flirtatious way of hers.
Nathan drew back slightly, running a hand through his hair. "It's not like I have anywhere else to be, or any other job to be doing."
Charlotte's heart sank. She didn't mean to stir up these troubles with her question. After delivering the news of Nathan's termination, Superintendent Hargraves spent very little time in Hope Valley, just long enough to line up the specifics surrounding Nathan's severance from the Force.
Given Andrew's past with Bill, he asked Avery to fill in as acting Mountie until a new constable could be assigned to the region. Bill was reluctant. He was angry about how unfairly Nathan was being treated, but in the end, he thought it was better that he was the one taking over instead of some outsider. Bill also hoped that with him working for the RCMP again in this capacity, he would be able to clear Nathan's name and find a way to get him reinstated sooner rather than later.
Nathan and Charlotte had little time before he left with Allie on their camping trip to talk about some of the particulars of this change. The biggest being their income. While the couple was always pragmatic about their money, things were different now that neither was employed and for the time being they were leaning heavily into their savings. Thankfully with the very generous advancement Nathan received for his book, they had some time to think before making any decisions of what they wanted to do next. There were no shortages of offers from Lee, Archie, Joseph, Henry, and even Lucas for positions Nathan could have with their various companies. None of them quite seemed right though, and Charlotte suggested that Nathan not make any rash decision while he was still processing everything. They would manage for the time being with just the money they saved over the past few years.
The hardest blow levied against them though was the loss of Newton. After all, the horse, like their car, was property of the Mounties and was handed over to Hargraves before he left town. Because Andrew had no way of transporting Newton or Nathan's cruiser back to headquarters, he left both in the care of Bill until the new constable was placed. Needless to say, that evening's dinner at Archie and Maise's apartment was a sullen affair that ended early. Without their main modes of transportation, Bill leant the Grant's the use of his car to use in case of emergency or the need to travel.
"I thought, maybe later we could go into town," Charlotte suggested. "I offered to help some of the women prepare for tomorrow's ceremony to officially open the new school building and community hall."
While school had been in session for over a month now, the ceremony celebrating its construction was postponed following Warren's death. But Mr. Thatcher's extended stay in Hope Valley was coming to an end. He was being called back to Hamilton to his wife Grace, and to smooth out some business matters that were becoming harder to deal with from his position across the country. Since he and Julie were leaving Monday morning on the train, the pomp and circumstance surrounding the new school was set for Sunday morning with a blessing by Joseph before church services and then a potluck social to follow.
"Yeah," Nathan said. "I told dad that I would help him fix some of the steps to their apartment that need repair. It would probably be good for Allie to spend some time with her friends too since she's been out of school all week."
Opal was such a sweet friend to Allie after Warren's passing. Always being there when she needed someone. Charlotte knew that while Angela was now at school in Regina continuing her education, Matt helped her compose regular letters to her family and Allie in Hope Valley. She also called as often as possible, and the Canfields recently put in a phone to their home so they could communicate more frequently with their daughter while she was away.
Charlotte let her fingers curl into the hair at Nathan's nape. It was unruly from his pillow and the mix of sweat worked up from chopping wood. "Are you planning on making some time for your friend today?"
Nathan grinned. "I have her in my arms already. How much more time do ya need, woman?"
Charlotte laughed at his teasing. "You know who I mean. I think Newton's been missing you as much as you've been missing him. I'm sure the Mounties have better things to be doing than worrying if you take him out for a little exercise."
"If I do that, I think Newt and I could use some company. What do you say, Charlie? Up for a little felonious ride with me?"
"I thought you'd never ask," Charlotte kissed him on the cheek and then directed them back to the kitchen. "But first, how about some coffee." She leaned in close and gave him a playful sniff. "And for you, a bath."
"How are you?"
Nathan raised his head from where he was working on the back steps to his parent's apartment to see Abigail standing just a few feet away. Her hazel eyes were sympathetic and laced with concern. He stood and straightened his shirt, brushing off the wood dust that collected on the fabric.
"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" Nathan answered, glancing up at the sun high overhead.
His change in subject and avoidance of Abigail's investigation brought a small grin to her face. "I was just on my way to the community hall to help and bring some refreshments to the ladies working when I saw you from across the street. Thought you may want one too." She lifted the cloth that covered her basket and extended a muffin to Nathan which he accepted with a slight nod in appreciation. "Now back to my question. How are you?" Her voice softened. "Really?"
"How am I? I'm not really sure." Nathan stalled, drawing out each syllable. "One of my closest friends was murdered and I lost the only job I've ever really known. I can't say I'm great, Abigail." He paused, struggling against the lump that rapidly built in his throat. "What I am sure of- my wife and our family, are my rock. If everything else goes away permanently. As long as I have Charlotte, Allie, and Liam. I know I can still find happiness. It won't matter if it is with the Mounties or not. Actually, right before Superintendent Hargraves handed me my termination, I was questioning if the Force was still something I wanted to be a part of. With the dangers associated with the job, I wasn't sure if that was a risk I was still willing to take. Maybe… Maybe this is just God's way of telling me it's time to take a different path."
"You've been handed a lot in the past month or so," Abigail placed a gentle hand on his arm. "It's understandable to not be certain about a few things. Everyone mourns loss, whether that be a friend or a dream, in their own way, and on their own schedule. I know when my husband and son were killed in the mining accident many years ago, I tried to keep myself busy. I really didn't want to be alone with my thoughts. At first, it didn't seem right to burden others with what I was feeling, especially because most of us were all going through the same kind of loss. We found though, that when we all started to share what we were going through, it made things easier."
She looked off in the distance towards the mountain that took her family. The silence lingered, but Nathan didn't push for more until Abigail chose for herself to continue. "Still, so many years later, I find myself occasionally feeling cheated. Cheated out of the life we were supposed to have together. Some days I still think I can hear Peter and Noah's laugh. Them teasing each other about something or other as they went out the front door for the day."
Abigail turned her face back to Nathan and he could see the glisten of tears in the corner of her eyes. "I'll never stop missing them. But I can now think about my husband and my son and smile instead of cry. In the healing, you let yourself hurt when you feel pain, and smile when you feel like smiling. Little by little, you'll find that the smiles eclipse the tears. Grief doesn't have an expiration date. It comes. It goes. It changes to other things. But memories… Hold onto the memories and remember the beautiful things instead of running away from them. In a way, I will mourn Peter and Noah my whole life. But I had to make sure that I didn't quit living while I was still alive."
"You're a strong woman, Abigail. You all are. To go through that mine collapse, I can't even fathom…"
"Well, I didn't feel very strong on the inside. In fact, after losing my family, I thought about leaving… To start a new life someplace where there weren't painful reminders everywhere I turned."
Nathan seemed shocked by her admission. As though the thought crossed his mind too over the past few weeks. "What made you decide to stay?"
"I thought I wanted to get away from their memories, but in the end that was the exact reason I chose to stay. I needed to feel Noah and Peter close at hand. I needed to know their presence at least until the pain was less. Our home, it was a strong reminder of our love. Every scratch in the furniture or nick in the paint reminded me of something Noah, Peter, and I had gone through. I needed that comfort of memories." Her hand came up to rest on her chest. A subconscious action that let Nathan know, her heart was where her late husband and son now rested. "I realized that, even though there will always be sadness in life, there will always be hope too. And I figured there was no better place on this earth to find that hope, then a community that would come to be known as Hope Valley."
She gave Nathan a tender, knowing smile. "And Nathan, I think you know just as well as anyone, that you shouldn't fear sadness." Her eyes held a glisten of unshed tears. "As it tends to sit right next to love."
The next morning, the Grants arrived in town early. Charlotte was now teaching Sunday School classes for the children of Hope Valley. Nathan could see how much his wife was enjoying this time back with her old students, and he could clearly see they enjoyed having Charlotte back as a teacher. Even if it was only once a week. Teaching lessons that not only made them think, but also feel closer to God and the passages from the Bible that Joseph would read during the service.
Following the Sunday School class, but before services were set to begin, was when Joseph was to offer a blessing over the new school and community center for the town. Mr. Thatcher was on the steps with Elizabeth and Jack to officially name the school. With a little prompting from his grandfather, Jack removed the cloth covering revealing the name placard- The Jack Thornton School. Mr. Thatcher's goal for his visit to Hope Valley was now complete. He had found a way- his way- of honoring Jack Sr. and seeing that his late son-in-law's legacy continued for many generations. For his grandson's sake, if no one else's.
Following the applause, everyone began to turn from the school and make their way to the church for Sunday services, when William Thatcher called out to the crowd prompting them to stop. "Please everyone!" He waited for those gathered to turn their attention back to him. "This building is not only a school, but also includes a community center for the town. And I thought it only fitting that it be named as well." There were gasps and shocked murmurs that milled about the group.
William's gaze landed on the Grants', and he gave them a small smile. "Allie. Charlotte. Nathan. Liam. Would you all come with me?"
Nathan and Charlotte exchanged a quick glance between them. Neither had any idea what this was about, but they followed Mr. Thatcher around the edge of the building towards the main entrance to the community hall. As they came closer, they noticed what seemed to be another plaque hidden behind heavy red fabric.
"Allie," William said, guiding the young woman to stand beside him. "Will you do the honors of revealing the name for the Hope Valley Community Building and Fellowship Hall?"
"Why me?" Allie questioned in a hushed tone.
"I think you'll understand." Mr. Thatcher whispered in return, tipping his head in the direction of the red cloth.
Allie tentatively took the fabric and pulled it from a beautiful metal plaque that matched the one for the Jack Thornton School. Only this time, the name gracing the front of the building was in memory of another fine Mountie.
The Warren Tremblay Fellowship Hall
Charlotte felt her throat instantly tighten and tears spring to her eyes. It was work enough at the moment to just listen and try to absorb. She kept her eyes on the plaque and her daughter, with short glances around them to gauge the reactions of those gathered. Nathan was standing beside her. He caught her eye with a look that seemed to wonder how she was faring. Charlotte returned a weak smile; she was too overcome by the gesture and the emotions of the moment to give more. She felt his shoulder lean gently against hers in complete understanding.
On their camping trip, Nathan and Allie discussed how long it'd been since they went fishing in one of their secret spots, the secluded stream they discovered Charlotte on her second day in town. Now with Allie going back to school the next day, they decided after the community potluck lunch they would take their fishing rods to the stream and spend a few more hours together, before returning to the new normal of their lives.
Charlotte and Liam saw the pair off from the community hall. They were only staying a few minutes longer at the potluck to help clean up and then Rosemary was driving the pair back up to the ranch so Liam could have his afternoon nap- and Charlotte too, she joked.
Once at the stream, Nathan and Allie set right to work at the task of fishing. Being away in the mountains together gave them a chance to think and pray, both individually and together. There were times when they were on their excursion where they hardly talked at all and other times they couldn't stop. Discussing life, love, God, and a myriad of other meaningful conversations.
Nathan was always taken aback by how easily Allie was able to shift and adapt to what was happening around her. Maybe it was the years she spent with him and the Mounties always moving from one place to the next. Maybe it was the loss of a mother at such an early age. And maybe it was because even with all the loss Allie experienced in her life, she always knew she had love too. Whether that was Colleen, Nathan, the Hope Valley community, Charlotte, or Warren. Nathan's daughter was resilient. Still, as a father, he couldn't help but feel the need to protect her from ever feeling hurt of any kind and seeing her still struggle from time-to-time over Warren's death was hard for him.
"Wow! Look! It's another whopper!" A smile beamed across Allie's face as she worked to reel in her third trout of the afternoon. "We haven't been at the stream in so long that I forgot how good the fishin' is here."
Nathan tugged gently on his fishing pole, trying to entice even the slightest nibble on his line. "I guess some people just have all the luck." He tried to sound wounded that Allie was the only one of them catching anything, but she caught the hint of pride in his voice and gave him a flash of her dazzling smile which seemed to come easier to her over the past week or so.
"Being here reminds me of when we all went fishing at the river on Christmas Day with Warren. Seems you weren't too excited that day either that someone was out fishing you." Allie's eyes sparkled when she teased him. Similar to what Charlotte's always did too.
"Like I said, some people just have all the luck."
"Some days I swear I can still hear his laugh. As though it carries to me on the breeze. Warren's laughter was one of the richest sounds I've ever heard. And so full of life-" Allie's voice broke slightly. "I wonder sometimes if it will ever get easier. These reminders of him."
Nathan put a supportive hand on her shoulder. He was silent for a while, collecting his thoughts when he remembered his conversation with Abigail from the day before. "I don't think we'll ever stop missing him, Al. And I don't know if we will ever want to. He was too special for that to happen. The same way we will never stop missing your mom. But there will come a time when we can think about Warren and smile instead of cry." By this time, they were both sitting on the fallen log nearby, their catch and supplies laying to the side. "And a wise woman once told me that even though there will always be sadness in life, there will always be hope too. And there is no better place to find that hope than the community of Hope Valley. I think that fact has been proven time and again, especially on days like today."
It was late afternoon when Nathan and Allie arrived back at the house. They could see Charlotte working away in the garden, collecting some of the final summer produce. Fall was in the air as the leaves went tumbling on the wind with wild geese honking as they passed overhead. She straightened from her task and waved at them over the remnants of plants surrounding her.
"Looks like it was a successful afternoon," Charlotte said, as Nathan and Allie came closer with their poles and fish.
"For one of us it was successful at least." Nathan gave a lopsided grin and rested his arms on the fence to the garden.
"Is Liam still sleeping?" Allie questioned.
"He woke up maybe an hour ago and has been helping me out here ever since." Charlotte's gaze shifted to her son crawling around at her feet. A development he just started. Hearing his sister say his name, Liam sat back on his behind and babbled to Allie in his high baby voice. "I'm not sure how much of a help he is though as I have to watch him carefully to make sure he's just playing in the dirt and not trying to eat it."
They all laughed, and Liam joined in, gurgling, and blowing bubbles before continuing to scoot around the enclosed garden area. Charlotte loved seeing his abilities and personality develop with each day that passed as he discovered the world around him.
Charlotte showed her husband and daughter the baskets of produce she'd collected- carrots, onions, parsnips, and some of the final potatoes that needed to be dug. When she went to point out the pumpkins and gourds that were almost ready to be picked, they all stopped in their tracks. Liam appeared to have taken advantage of his family's distraction and found a pile of loose soil to play in. Letting it trickle through his fingers as he brought it up to taste. His chin and clothes were covered with mud from the mixture of dirt and dribble. He grinned at them happily as though to say, "Don't be alarmed. No baby has died from eating dirt. Yet."
"Oh, my goodness, Liam!" Charlotte dropped her basket and swept down to pick up her son, who continued to blow happy bubbles of mud with his spit, clapping his hands together, seemingly quite pleased with himself.
"I swear we can't take our eyes off you for a minute, can we partner?" Nathan chuckled. "Not now that you're moving about on your own."
Liam wiggled and giggled, making all sorts of shrill noises to answer his father. He waved his arms about and leaned his chubby cheek into Charlotte's chest. In the process, smearing her blouse and neck with mud and slobber. Nathan's boisterous laugh thundered from beside Charlotte at the scene.
"I'm glad you find this funny, Sarge." She leaned over, handing their son to his father. "You just earned yourself bath duty tonight."
After tucking Allie into bed for the evening, Charlotte walked to the end of the hallway to see how Nathan was getting along with Liam's bath. Before she reached the doorway though, she heard Nathan talking to his son.
"Oh, look at your cute little toes. I'm going to tickle those toes." His voice was unusually high and singsongy. "Look at that belly, I'm going to get it too."
The sweet ringing of baby laughter made its way to her ears. Without even seeing her husband, Charlotte knew Nathan was smiling just from the tone of his voice. Proud of himself for eliciting such joy from their baby. She sent up a silent prayer to God thanking him for the blessing of Liam who, along with his sister, was able to bring such happiness to Nathan even in these bleak and uncertain times.
There was more baby talk, more giggles. Charlotte didn't enter the room, instead she pressed her shoulder into the doorframe and watched the joy unfolding in front of her from a distance. She was silent, not wanting to disturb their fun.
Nathan sat on a stool, much too small for his long legs, and leaned over the tub. Liam was old enough now and strong enough to sit up by himself with his father's large hands only an inch away but not touching him. Nathan swirled the water around Liam in exciting ripples and splashes that made their son gasp and gabble in that unknown tongue of his. He was a plump, healthy baby who kicked his legs out, wiggling and giggling to match his father's splashes.
"I love you, partner."
Charlotte barely caught Nathan's whispered declaration over Liam's laughter that lit up the room, but his words were like an arrow through her heart. Witnessing these small, simple moments of fatherly love and devotion would never get old to Charlotte. They were a soothing balm to her wearied soul from the past weeks and the kindling to stoke the embers of desire she felt for her husband.
"He loves you too."
Nathan pivoted on the stool at the sound of Charlotte's voice, giving her a smile when he saw she'd been watching him. Similar to the morning before when she caught him out chopping wood.
"We all love you, Nate." Charlotte came up behind him wrapping her arms around his neck and tenderly kissed his ear. She nestled her chest into his back and, moving her shoulders, pressed one, then the other into the muscles behind his shoulder blades.
Nathan sighed, bent his head down, and kissed her forearm where it circled him to the side of his jaw. Following the press of his lips he took one of his soapy hands and slowly ran it up and down the length of her exposed skin. The act of simple intimacy caused Charlotte's breath to catch. Nathan knew the effect he had on her as she felt his face lift into a smile. "We love you, too, Charlie. Don't we, Liam?"
At the sound of his name, their son glanced up at them, his wisps of brown hair swirled on top of his head with sudsy remnants of shampoo. Liam's little mouth hung slightly agape, and his big, blue eyes sparkled. Excited to have such a captive audience, Liam laughed and chortled and waved his little fists, causing water to splash up into his own face and onto Nathan's shirt. The boy's actions earned his parents' laughter, to which Little Liam seemed quite pleased with himself.
"Liam," Charlotte said, rinsing the last of the soap from her son before reaching to lift him from the water and into the awaiting warm towel Nathan held open. "I think you, and now your dad, are clean enough."
Nathan wrapped the cloth around his son, rubbing it gently against his body to dry the skin beneath and keep the boy warm. Liam couldn't seem to hold still though; he knew what was next in their bath time routine and his body wiggled in anticipation. Nathan and Charlotte shared a knowing smile.
"Is this what you're waiting for?" Nathan drawled out the question as he leaned in close to his son who was already in fits of giggles.
As he did after every bath, Nathan started blowing raspberries against Liam's cheeks, neck, and any piece of exposed skin. He moved his lips quickly from one spot to the next. The little game they played caused Liam to squeal and squirm as laughter filled the room.
"Alright, partner." Nathan said, finally stopping and drawing the towel more firmly about his son as it shifted out of place during their play. "I think it's time we start settling down for the night. It's been a long and eventful day, wouldn't you say?"
"Oh! That reminds me." Charlotte startled; she placed a hand on Nathan's shoulder to draw his attention to her. "Right after you and Allie left the potluck to go fishing, Ned came looking for you."
"For me? Why?"
"A package arrived through a carrier late yesterday as he was closing the mercantile. It's addressed to you, and he said it all seemed quite urgent." Charlotte brushed pieces of her hair that had fallen out of her braid back off her face in a frustrated gesture. "I can't believe I forgot to tell you about it until now. I'm sorry."
"I'm sure it's fine." Nathan stood with Liam who was already beginning to look sleepy, cocooned in his father's arms. His cheek snuggled into the sweet spot between Nathan's shoulder and neck. "Where is the package now?"
"When I explained that you and Allie left moments before to go fishing, Ned thought it seemed important enough that you have it right away. So, before I left town with Rosemary and Liam, he offered to open the store and retrieve the package. I brought it home with me and it's on a shelf in our room. I put it there while Liam took his afternoon nap, and I changed my clothes to go work in the garden. I was going to bring it back downstairs and place it on the dining room table, so I was sure you opened it as soon as possible, but…"
"Charlie…" Nathan placed a hand on her arm, the action instantly calming her. "It's no trouble. Really. Spending time with our kids was far more important for us both today. Let's get Liam put down for the night and then we will see what's in this all important package."