Chapter 271 – Dee's Surprises

When Dee returned to the hotel later that afternoon, he had three very special pieces of jewelry tucked into the pocket of his messenger bag. He was happy that he had been able to get Becky's mother's ring back for her. But he was even more excited to get home and give Annie her grandmother's ring. He felt it was worth every penny that he had spent to get it back for her. He then thought about the other ring that was in his bag and wondered if he would ever get to give that to her as well. He wanted nothing more than to be with Annie, but he didn't want her to feel like she was cheated if they couldn't have the type of relationship she deserved. Dee was hopeful after what Frank and Doug had told him, but he was still worried about Annie's reaction.

Then as Dee stopped in the hotel lobby to see if there were any messages, a thought struck him. Annie had a phone. The hotel had phones, he wondered if he should call her, just to hear her voice. A smile came to his face and he went over to the phone for guests to use since his room didn't have one. He knew he could probably have called from his parents room, but he didn't want to do that. He was getting nervous as he waited for the call to connect.

("Hello." Annie said.)

"Hello." Dee said. "Sorry to call out of the blue. But I needed to hear your voice."

("Where are you?" Annie asked. "I thought Hope Valley didn't have a phones yet.")

"I am in Union City." Dee said. "We are on our way home, but had some business that needed to be dealt with here. We will board an Eastbound train Sunday night. I don't know when we will be back, might have to spend a night in Regina and Fort Garry. I can call you and let you know."

("I would like that." Annie said. "I got your letter.")

"Okay." Dee said, swallowing hard.

("We will figure it out." Annie said. "Just come home and we can talk in person.")

"Thank you." Dee said. "I wanted to surprise you, but I have to tell you."

("You know I don't like surprises." Annie said.)

"You will like this." Dee said. "I was working a case today and I happened to come across your grandmother's ring. It is currently in my hand. I am looking at it as I speak."

("Really!?" Annie exclaimed.)

"Really." Dee said. "I bought it back for you. I will give it to you when I return. It is not an engagement ring or anything, but just returning it to its rightful owner. I don't know if you can even wear it. It is very delicate and doesn't look like it has been all that cared for over the years. The band has worn thin, but the point is that you have it."

("Thank you." Annie said. "I can't tell you how much that means to me. I don't care if I can't wear it. I have it. I have a piece of my grandparents from the old country.")

"I am so glad you are happy." Dee said. "I should go. I need to check in with Mom and Dad. I have been gone all day. We are here with friends from Hope Valley, because their daughter was in the regional science fair today. I want to see how she did and what the plan is for the rest of the weekend."

("Thank you for calling." Annie said. "I have missed you. Please call and let me know when you will be home. I will meet you at the station if I can.")

"As soon as I know." Dee said. "I will call. I have missed you as well."

("See you soon." Annie said.)

"See you soon." Dee said. "We should be home sometime this week, I just am not sure when."

("See you then." Annie said.)

She hung up the phone and Dee felt better than he had in a long time. At least she was still speaking to him and sounded open to a relationship. He took a deep breath, put the ring back in his bag and went up to his parents room.

Wynn opened the door when Dee knocked.

"How is Mom?" Dee asked.

"Feeling better." Wynn said. "But she is laying down. We were just figuring out what to do for supper. Frank and Abigail are getting some time."

Dee nodded in understanding.

"Then maybe I should wait for this." Dee said.

"You have it?" Wynn asked.

Dee patted his pocket. He had moved two bags from his messenger bag to his serge pocket on the way up to the room.

"I don't think that they would mind." Wynn said.

"Hey, Becky." Dee said, coming further into the room. "How did you do today?"

"I won." Becky said, excited.

"Good job." Dee said. "I told you that you could do it."

"Mr Landis was not happy I beat the boys." Becky said. "I was only one of two girls in the entire competition."

"Good for you." Dee said. "They probably needed to be humbled a bit."

Becky giggled.

"I have something for you." Dee said, coming over and taking a seat next to Becky.

She just looked at him.

"It is why I had to miss the science fair." Dee said. "But when you see this, I hope you understand."

"Uncle Wynn said you had to work." Becky said. "I am old enough to understand that work comes first at times. You didn't have to get me anything, but thank you anyway."

"Well." Dee said. "This is something you have really wanted. Close your eyes and hold out your hand."

Becky did as she was asked. Dee then pulled the small velvet bag from his pocket and put it in Becky's hand.

"Open your eyes." Dee said.

She saw the small blue bag and gasped.

"Is this what I think it is?" Becky asked, shaking.

"Well open it." Dee said.

Becky slowly opened the small blue velvet bag. She dumped the contents into her hand. When she saw the ring, she gasped.

"Is this real?" Becky asked.

"Look at it." Dee said.

Becky set the small bag down and inspected the ring. When she saw the VLH engraved on the inside of the band, she squealed.

"This is really mom's ring." Becky exclaimed.

"Yes, it is." Dee said. "I have confirmation that it was sold to a jewelry store in Fort Garry by a member of the orphanage administration. It is now yours. I got it released from the Mounties and it is your property now."

"Thank you, thank you." Becky said, hugging Dee.

She then got up and hugged Wynn.

"I can't thank you enough." Becky said. "I am so happy to see this and have this again."

"I am so glad." Wynn said. "But it was Frank who spotted it at the jewelry store and let us know. So I think you need to thank him later as well."

"I will." Becky said. "I still can't believe this. I had almost given up hope of ever seeing this again."

"I am happy for you." Dee said.

Cody came over and looked at the ring as well. He didn't remember it as much as Becky did, but he was still happy for his sister. At the same time it made him wish he had something from his first parents as well.

"That is wonderful, Becky." Cody said.

Both Dee and Wynn could hear the sadness in his voice.

"I found something else at the jewelry store." Dee said.

"What?" Cody asked.

"Come here." Dee said.

Cody went over to Dee and Dee pulled him into his lap. Wynn ever came over and sat in the nearby chair. He wanted to see what his son was up to.

"There was something else that was sold to the shop in Fort Garry from the same administrator from the orphanage." Dee said. "According to the paperwork I found it was sold at the same time as the ring."

"What is it?" Cody asked.

Dee pulled the second velvet bag from his pocket.

"I don't know if this was your dad's, but it appears it was." Dee said.

Cody took the bag and pulled out a silver pocket watch.

"It looks like the one that dad had." Cody said. "I don't remember seeing it much. But I remember him telling me that it would one day be mine."

"Can I see it?" Becky asked.

Cody handed over the watch and Becky looked at it. She opened it and saw the date.

"This was dad's." Becky said. "Look at the date. It is their anniversary."

Cody took the watch back and looked at it closer.

"Cool." Cody said.

"That is very cool." Wynn said. "What do you say?"

"Thank you." Cody said.

"You are welcome." Dee said. "I am glad that you both have something to remember your first parents by. Please take care of them."

"We will." Becky said. "Cody, that means it doesn't go to school. You can take it and show your friends, but I think it should stay home most days."

"I agree with your sister." Wynn said.

"Okay." Cody said. "But it is still really cool."

"It is." Dee said. "Now, I am hungry. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast."

"I was thinking we could order in." Wynn said.

"Sounds good." Dee said.

The group ordered room service. Elizabeth Rose came out and ate with the group. Once they had eaten, Dee went to his own room. Wynn and Elizabeth got the kids settled and they went to bed as well. It had been a long day and they had tentative plans for the next day, once they had a chance to speak to Frank and Abigail in the morning. They wanted to give Frank and Abigail as much time as they could, so the plan was to take the kids out for the day. Wynn said he would take Cody back to the park if he wanted and Dee said that sounded like fun.

Later that night as Abigail laid in Frank's arms, she was tired and knew that Frank was as well. They had spent hours making love and they enjoyed every minute of it. But as Abigail lay there she was suddenly struck with such a vivid vision, that she sat up and moved out of her husband's arms. She looked at her husband who was half asleep, then looked down at her body and back at her husband. She closed her eyes and breathed a harsh breath. She couldn't believe what she had seen. It shook her to the core. She wanted nothing more, but she was forty and didn't think it was possible

"Everything alright?" Frank asked, the sleep apparent in his voice.

"Yeah, yeah." Abigail said. "Just thought of something."

"Come back and lay down." Frank said, still half asleep. "You can't do anything about it now."

"Okay." Abigail said.

She laid back down and snuggled into her husband's embrace.

"Trust God and it will be fine." Frank mumbled, before drifting off to sleep.

Abigail laid there and listened to her husband's even breathing. She couldn't sleep as her thoughts were consumed with the vision she saw and her husband's words. Finally, she gave into the call of slumber as her eyelids grew increasingly heavy listening to her husband's breathing. Just before crossing over into the land of nod, Abigail whispered 'Thy will be done.' Abigail fell asleep dreaming of little ones running around Hope Valley. Little did she know that her husband was dreaming much the same. Only, he wasn't aware he was dreaming of his own hazel eyed little one running around with the Thornton clan.