Chapter 273 – Dee and Cody's Day Out
Dee and Cody left the hotel and their first stop was back at headquarters. Dee picked up additional paperwork and Cody was able to return the borrowed ball and gloves. After they left headquarters, Dee headed to the art supply store. Not only was he getting stuff to send back to Hope Valley, but he needed a few new sketchbooks so he had them to use on the trip back. He had noticed his last one only had a few pages left the day before. He got the items on the list for Jack and Doug. He got himself three new sketchbooks as well as a dozen charcoal pencils and two packs of the colored pencils. Cody saw a book about drawing horses, so Dee got it for him along with a sketchbook and some pencils to begin with. The two had fun looking at all the different things.
"How are you doing?" Dee asked as they got back in the car.
"I am okay." Cody said. "What is next?"
"I need to go to the building supply store." Dee said. "Mountie Jack asked me to look for a few things. But you can't tell Mrs Thornton, as they might be part of the surprise that he is working on for her."
"I promise." Cody said. "So what are we looking for?"
"The things that are not part of the secret." Dee said. "A couple of books. Mountie Jack wanted me to look for a couple of books. One is on pocket doors and the other is on bi-fold doors. The secret part is getting some information on custom paint colors as well as some information on brass lettering. So you think you can help me?"
"Sure." Cody said.
They easily found the books, as well as two others that Dee thought might be helpful. Then they went and talked to the paint guy. He explained they could do custom colors, but would need four to six weeks to get it, maybe even longer. Dee did some math and didn't like that it was cutting it too close. He described what he was looking for and the guy showed him a few different colors. None of them were what Jack was looking for and Dee knew it. Dee was going to just give up and see if he could find something in Hamilton and have it sent when Cody tugged on his shirt.
"Look at that one." Cody said.
Dee looked where Cody was pointing. It took a minute, but then he saw the can and smiled.
"What color is that?" Dee asked.
The man looked where Dee was pointing and sighed. Dee missed it, but Cody didn't.
"That is a special blend of paint that my boss carries for this pompous rich …." The guys said.
Dee cut the man off with a sharp glare and glance toward Cody.
"I asked what the color was called." Dee said, using his Mountie voice.
"French Blue Cottage." The man said, with a sigh.
"Thank you." Dee said. "I will take it."
"I can't." The man said. "If I sell it and the rich guy comes wanting it and we don't have it, he yells at my boss and then the boss yells at me for not stocking the rich guy's paint."
"Dee." Cody said, tugging on his shirt again.
"Yes." Dee said, looking at Cody.
Cody shook his head and motioned to leave.
"Okay." Dee said.
Dee then looked at the guy.
"Since you don't want our business." Dee said. "We will go somewhere else."
Dee and Cody walked away from the paint area. Dee then stopped Cody, knelt down to his level and looked him in the eye.
"The guy was lying." Cody said.
"What do you mean?" Dee asked.
"Custom colors and special orders cost more money, right?" Cody said.
"Yes." Dee said.
"Our entire block of houses in Fort Garry had French Blue Cottage color on them." Cody said. "It is a normal color, not a special order. I bet it is his way of scamming people who don't know better."
"So you are sure I can get that color somewhere else?" Dee asked.
Cody nodded.
"Is there another paint place?" Cody asked.
Dee nodded.
"Then let's go." Cody said.
They got to the second paint place and Cody walked right up to the guy working.
"Excuse me, Sir." Cody said. "Can you help me?"
"I can try." The man said.
"My mother loves the French Blue Cottage color of paint." Cody said. "I was wondering if you carry it so I can get a small can to make something for her."
"We actually carry it by two different companies." The man said. "Bo you know which one that is going to be the right one?"
"Yes, Sir." Cody said.
"Right this way." The man said.
The man took Cody off to show him the colors. Dee followed but stayed back. The man grabbed two different cans and showed them to Cody. Even though he knew right away, Cody looked at both colors.
"That one." Cody said. "The darker one."
"Good choice." The man said. "Anything else I can help you with?"
"My brother was looking for a different color." Cody said
Cody turned and waved Dee over.
"So tell me what color you were looking for." The man said.
"My friend is looking for this color to please his pregnant wife." Dee said. "When I asked him, he told me to think about a blue flame and then add a smokey undertone to it. He doesn't want it too bright, nor too dark."
"Here." The man said, grabbed three cans. "Light, medium and darker blue flame."
"Wow." Dee said. "This darker one is pretty close to what I thought when he described it. I will take a small can of it and if it is right, I will have him order more."
"Sounds good." The man said. "I aim to please. I can also ship to any of the surrounding towns as long as they have a mercantile."
"Thank you." Dee said. "Come along, Cody."
They paid for the two cans of pain and went to the car.
"How did you do that?" Dee asked.
"I don't know." Cody said. "I remember Mom saying I was always good at colors and could tell the smallest difference between them."
"Then you go with Frank to talk to Mountie Jack about these two colors." Dee said.
"Okay." Cody said. "I can do that. And I know, don't tell Mrs Thornton."
"Very good." Dee said. "Let's go get a treat before we make one last stop."
"Okay." Cody said.
Dee pulled up in front of the large sweets shop. Cody looked between Dee and the shop.
"There are a few rules." Dee said.
Cody nodded.
"You have to get something for your sister." Dee said. "You can't have more than her. No taking the sweets to school on Monday and no eating until after lunch. Understood?"
"Yes." Cody said, smiling.
Together they went in and Dee loved watching Cody's eyes light up. Dee picked up some ginger and peppermint candies for his mother to help her on the train. He then got some licorice for him and his dad. He watched Cody look over things and choose carefully. Cody was so happy and wanted to eat it, but knew he couldn't. They left with several little bags of candy to share with those back at the hotel.
After the sweet shop, they stopped and got lunch at a little cafe that Dee knew about. The last stop before going back to the hotel was the newspaper office to request copies of some articles.
"Did you have fun?" Dee asked as they headed back.
"I had lots of fun." Cody said. "I am going to miss you tomorrow when we go back to Hope Valley."
"I will be back before you know it." Dee said. "I will be back in the fall when Mrs Thornton had her baby. We are making plans to spend Christmas in Hope Valley again. We might even get my sister, Andrew and their little guy to come with."
"Okay." Cody said. "And you will still play checkers with me when you come back?"
"I promise." Dee said. "Maybe we can even play tonight."
They got back to the hotel and Cody helped carry the stuff upstairs. Dee decided to just go to his parent's room and then he could separate out the stuff going back to Hope Valley.
"Here you go, Becky." Cody said, handing her the bag of candy.
"Cody." Becky said. "What have I said about spending all of your pocket money on candy."
"He didn't." Dee said. "It was my idea and I spent the money. It was because he had been so good and helped me this morning."
"Sorry." Becky said. "Thank you for getting something for me."
"You are welcome." Dee said. "I felt we all deserved a treat. I told him he had to pick out the same amount for you. I also said he wasn't allowed to take the sweets to school on Monday."
"Again." Becky said. "I am sorry I got mad."
"Understood." Dee said. "Now, Cody. Homework?"
"Yes, Sir." Cody said.
At a quarter past six, the entire group including Elizabeth Rose left for the Irish pub to have supper. Elizabeth Rose looked and was starting to feel better. She was actually starting to get hungry. They had a nice supper and Cody shared about his day with Dee. Wynn saw that Frank looked relaxed and very happy. He noticed that Abigail seemed much happier as well. Wynn wasn't the only one to notice, Elizabeth Rose noticed how much happier Abigail appeared. She also noticed that Frank seemed to have a permanent smile affixed to his face. When Bridget overheard that Frank and Abigail had just gotten married a few days before, she insisted on offering a traditional Irish toast. She brought everyone a drink, whisky for the adults and ginger ale for Elizabeth Rose and the children.
"Go raibh Dia leat agus go mbeannaí Dia thú. Go bhfeicfidh sibh clann bhur gclann. Go mbeirthear bocht an truaighe thú, saidhbhir i mbeannacht. Go mbeadh a fhios agat rud ar bith ach sonas ón lá seo ar aghaidh." Bridget said. "May God be with you and bless you. May you see your children's children. May you be poor in misfortune, rich in blessing. May you know nothing but happiness from this day forward."
"Thank you." Wynn said.
After she said the traditional toast in both Irish and English, Bridget added something in Irish, not knowing that the Delaney's understood Irish.
"Don dá lánúin, go raibh do shliocht ar nós na réaltaí." Bridget said, before downing her drink. ("To both couples, may your descendants number like the stars.")
Bridget then smiled at the group and walked away. Becky looked at Wynn and Dee.
"What did she say?" Becky asked.
Dee looked at his parents, who both had a slightly shocked expression on their face.
"I think it was something about safe travel and good fortune." Dee quickly said.
He then started pointing things out to Cody.
"Can I go look at the swords?" Cody asked.
"I will go with you." Becky said.
As soon as the children were out of earshot, Abigail turned and glared at the three Delaneys.
"What did she really say?" Abigail asked. "Per my conversations with Elizabeth, I know you three understand Irish. Not sure if you could speak it fluently, but I know you understand."
Dee ducked his head, but Wynn just took a deep breath.
"She said 'To both couples, may your descendants number like the stars.'" Wynn said.
"That was sweet." Abigail said. "But I doubt that for us. Neither of us have any biological children."
"I hear you." Elizabeth Rose said. "But it it was a sweet thing to say to a newlywed couple."
"She said it to all of us." Frank said.
"And I doubt that my daughter is going to have more then one more child." Elizabeth Rose said. "And at this point, I don't even know if my son will ever settled down."
Elizabeth sent Dee a look, but he just closed his eyes and ducked his head. Frank reached over and patted Dee's shoulder, knowing that the young man was struggling. The adults dropped the conversation as Cody and Becky were headed back. Frank, however, tucked the information away. He knew words spoken aloud in a blessing could be powerful. Between that, his wife's dream and the conversation with Wynn the day before, Frank had a feeling that the blessing might be closer to reality then anyone realized.
After desert, they headed back to the hotel as they all knew it would be a long with them traveling the following day. Frank and Abigail, hugged and kissed the children before going to their own room. They were looking forward to enjoying one more night of complete privacy. Dee thanked his parents and quickly hurried off to his room. Wynn watched him awkwardly walk away. He wondered what had happened and once again was worried about his son and that he wouldn't talk to him. He wanted to go after his son, but his wife grabbed his arm and shook her head. She didn't know what was going on, but knew that it wasn't the time to talk about it.
Wynn and Elizabeth Rose got the children settled. They made sure everything was packed and ready to go. Then Wynn held his wife for a long time. He wanted to love her more, but he also didn't want to push it if she wasn't feeling good. Elizabeth Rose laid there in her husband's arms and was thinking about the conversation that her and Abigail had had. Abigail had told her about the dream about the various babies. Elizabeth Rose agreed that it was going to be a fun year in Hope Valley and was looking forward to visiting and holding those new babies.