Elizabeth pulled up outside Colleen's home after following her and Nathan home from the hospital. Colleen's face had been pale but determined when she and Nathan had returned to the waiting area. Detective Wells had taken one look at Colleen and asked only the necessary questions, recognising it wasn't a suitable time. He left them in the parking lot after offering to give her time to process everything, suggesting he reach out the following day.
Nathan, Elizabeth, and Colleen left the hospital shortly after Detective Wells. Colleen had insisted she come home with them, and Elizabeth accepted, appreciating the kindness given everything Colleen was going through. Nathan asked for Elizabeth to travel with them, but she had declined, not wanting to intrude too much on Colleen and so Nathan wouldn't need to leave Colleen to drive her home.
Elizabeth gathered her things from the car and walked into the yard. She had almost reached Nathan's car when she felt a thud against her back. Spinning around, Elizabeth glanced around wildly, looking for the cause.
Spotting Allie running toward her from a hiding space behind a tree, Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh. Allie was grinning widely and held a second snowball in her hand. Elizabeth ducked to the side of Nathan's car, using it to shield herself from Allie.
"Watch out!" she called as Nathan exited the car. "It's an ambush."
Elizabeth watched as Nathan realised what Allie was about to do, and he ducked down beside her. The snowball missed Nathan, splattering harmlessly against the side of the car. A man Elizabeth didn't recognise was following behind Allie with two snowballs. While Elizabeth didn't recognise the man, she assumed he was Nathan's friend, Gabriel Kinslow.
"Don't do it, Gabe," Nathan called out, scooping a pile of snow together to form a snowball. Elizabeth frowned at him as he indicated that she should do the same. Was a snowball fight appropriate right now? And could she really throw a snowball at a little girl and a stranger?
"Allie! Don't you dare!" Colleen called, and Elizabeth heard the laughter in her voice as she hurried around the side of the car and joined them in their hiding spot. Elizabeth watched as Colleen followed Nathan's lead and began forming snowballs. Apparently, neither of them had concerns about a snowball fight with Allie and Gabriel.
"Come on out, you three," Gabe called. "We just want to say hi. Isn't that right, Allie?"
"With a snowball to the face?" Nathan called back as the sound of Allie's giggles floated toward them. "I saw what you were holding."
"I already threw one of mine," Allie offered, not helping their cause.
Elizabeth laughed along with Colleen and Nathan at Allie's innocent comment. Elizabeth heard Gabe chuckle, too and risked peeking through the car window to see what they were doing. Elizabeth smiled as she watched Gabriel hand his snowballs to Allie, and he squatted down to make some more.
"It's a trap," Elizabeth whispered. "I think we can take them."
"Gabe will try and protect Allie; he won't be able to help himself," Nathan said as Colleen nodded. "Let's go after her."
"We aren't really going after her," Elizabeth asked, horrified.
"Of course not. But we need Gabe to think we are."
"I'll chase after Allie; you two go for Gabriel," Colleen said, her hands full of small snowballs. "These are pretty soft if I have to throw them at her, which I shouldn't if you two manage to control him."
Nathan looked at Colleen and then Elizabeth, "We go on my three."
After the count, Elizabeth and Nathan leapt up and headed around the back of Nathan's vehicle while Colleen ran around the front, calling her daughter's name. Elizabeth focused her attention on Gabriel. The dark-haired man stood frozen in Colleen's yard, staring at Colleen as she raced after Allie, who was heading toward the house. Elizabeth laughed as the first of Nathan's snowballs made contact, hitting Gabriel squarely in the middle of his chest.
Gabriel snapped his head around and gripped his snowball tighter. Elizabeth watched as he took a pitching pose before releasing the snowball at Nathan. Nathan had plenty of time to avoid the snowball, launching another of his own. Elizabeth gripped a snowball, wondering how best to help Nathan. Colleen didn't need her help; she and Allie had forgotten the snowball fight after throwing their initial ones and were making snow angels instead.
Nathan glanced around as he dodged Gabe's attack. He wanted to ensure Elizabeth was all right and out of range of Gabe. His friend pelted him with snowball after snowball, but luckily, few were finding their targets. Nathan hadn't realised the amount of snowballs Gabe had made. Gabe turned away from him, lobbing a snowball toward Elizabeth. Nathan watched as Elizabeth easily dodged the soft projectile. He threw a snowball at Gabe, drawing his attention while Elizabeth prepared her return shot.
"Ha!" Nathan laughed as Elizabeth's snowball landed squarely in Gabe's face. He watched as his friend spluttered and gasped, dropping his snowballs onto the ground so he could wipe his face clean.
"I am so sorry, that wasn't where I was aiming it," Elizabeth called, dropping her remaining snowballs, and hurrying toward him. "Are you okay?"
"I am fine," Gabriel said, laughing too. "It surprised me, is all; I expected that from Nathan."
"She has better aim than I do," Nathan said as the three came together. "Gabe, let me introduce you to Elizabeth Thatcher."
"It's nice to meet you, Elizabeth," Gabriel said, holding out his hand to shake hers. "Are you a friend of Colleen's?"
Nathan grinned as Elizabeth's cheeks reddened; she must hate her creamy complexion at times like this.
"Elizabeth is a friend of mine, Gabe," Nathan said, stepping closer and taking her hand. "My girlfriend."
Nathan felt Elizabeth squeeze his hand, and he wasn't sure if it was shock or happiness. He shouldn't have said anything to Gabe or anyone without talking to her first. There hadn't been time to finish their conversation after the kiss this morning. Had that only been this morning? So much had happened since then, and it felt like long ago.
"Well, this is news." Gabe smiled broadly at Elizabeth. "Lillian will be glad she agreed to join me in Crystal Haven for the weekend."
Nathan exclaimed happily at Gabe's news, and as they walked to the house, he asked for the details. He insisted they cancel their plans at the local hotel and stay with him, but Gabe declined. Lillian's birthday was the following week, and they had planned a private dinner in the restaurant at their hotel that evening, so the weekend was free to spend with Nathan and the others. They would have time both alone and with Nathan and the others.
"Is it wrong that I don't feel guilty?" Colleen asked as she looked at Nathan, Gabe and then Elizabeth, seated at the table sipping hot chocolate. "Should I have stayed at the hospital? Should I be sitting by his bedside, not here at home?"
"Don't beat yourself up, Colleen. Dylan is the one who made the choices that put him in this position. He knew the risks, and he chose to take them."
"I agree with Nathan," Gabe said. "You need to prioritise yourself and Allie."
Elizabeth chose to remain silent. She knew nothing about Colleen and Dylan's marriage or what had gone wrong.
"What will people think?" Colleen asked. "Won't everyone think I should be by his side?"
"Those people don't matter, Colleen. If they want to judge, let them; they aren't people you need to worry about."
"Everything will come out now, won't it? People will find out what Dylan has done."
"Probably," Gabe acknowledged. They all knew how it worked. People at the hospital would talk about the John Doe. People would talk about Detective Wells being there. A reporter would pick up the story and run it. Anything to do with organised crime made headlines, even if Dylan's part of the story was minimal.
"If there is anyone you want to share the story with so they hear it from you, I would do that soon," Nathan said.
"I would like to share it with Rosemary," Colleen said, looking at Elizabeth. "Our matchmaking efforts brought us together; I consider her a friend now, not just a work colleague."
Elizabeth grinned as Nathan snorted his disgust.
"This sounds like a story I want to hear, but maybe I should wait until Lillian is here; she would hate to miss out," Gabe commented, looking at the three of them.
"Bring her to lunch tomorrow," Colleen said, laughing. "She can hear all about Nathan and Elizabeth's plan to trick us."
"And meet Elizabeth." Nathan agreed. "And hear why we had to."
"Speaking of Lillian," Gabe said as his phone chimed, alerting him to a new text message. "She is almost here."
Gabe had explained that Lillian had taken some personal time so she could leave work early and head to Crystal Haven. Gabe was going to meet her at the hotel so they could check in together before dinner. He and Lillian would come over the following day to spend time with the family. Nathan and Elizabeth had tried to cancel their plans for dinner with Rosemary, but Colleen insisted they go. She couldn't wait to hear Rosemary's reaction to them being together.
"I only wish I could see her face when she finds out," Colleen said.
"Yours was priceless!" Nathan teased her. "Her mouth was open for at least a minute."
"It was not!" Colleen insisted. "But can I say for the record, we knew the two of you would be perfect for each other, and I am glad you realise it too."
Colleen walked the three of them to the door, insisting she wanted Nathan and Elizabeth to enjoy dinner at Rosemary's. As she kissed Gabriel goodbye, she asked him to pass on her best to Lillian. Colleen offered to cook lunch the next day, and they spent a few minutes confirming plans before Colleen could finally wave goodbye and close the door.
Colleen rested her head against the door and turned the lock. She was so grateful for Nathan, Gabriel, and Elizabeth but wanted to be alone with Allie. She needed to tell her daughter what was happening and wanted to do it while they were alone. Allie loved her father and, maybe because of his frequent absences, adored it when he was home. Dylan had tried to be a good father, but he didn't have the patience for a little girl and her millions of questions. Colleen and Dylan often fought about his lack of genuine involvement with his child, and now, whatever happened, he was out of her life.
Allie sighed deeply before walking down the hall to find her daughter. She would break the news of Dylan's accident to her as gently as she could. There was no need for her to know anything else right now. She was too young to understand, and it would serve no purpose to discuss it with her. If Allie heard anything more, they could talk about it then. Hopefully, the people around them would protect Allie from any nasty gossip or insinuation about Dylan. She trusted Allie's carers at daycare and knew they would do everything possible to stop ugly talk. Children can be cruel, especially when repeating what they overhear from adults.
"Allie, sweetheart, can you come here please?" Colleen called gently, happy when Allie dropped her colouring pencil and hurried toward her. Taking Allie's hand, she led her to the lounge and sat, wrapping her arm around her and pulling her onto her lap.
"Are you alright, Mama?"
"I am fine, but I do have something I need to tell you."
Colleen explained to Allie that Dylan had been involved in a car accident and was in hospital. She told Allie her father was asleep because he hurt his head, and the doctors weren't sure when he was going to wake up.
Colleen let Allie ask as many questions as needed, including whether her father was in pain, whether he would be out of the hospital for Christmas and if not if she should get a Christmas tree for him. Colleen was as honest as she felt she could be she didn't want to give Allie false hope. Colleen was beginning to distance the two of them from Dylan, hoping it would be easier for her to accept as time passed.
Colleen was pleased that Allie didn't ask outright if she could see her father. She would have hated to deny her a visit with Dylan, but she didn't want Allie to see him as he was. It was better if she remembered him as he was now, healthy, and whole. Allie would probably have more questions as she processed what Colleen had told her, but for now, she was happy with her mother's suggestion they watch an episode of Bluey.
Elizabeth invited Nathan inside while she changed and he waited downstairs flipping through a hiking magazine. He had followed her home so they could travel together to Rosemary's. She smiled as she hurried to change into a dress and boots, imagining Rosemary's face when they arrived together. Her friend wouldn't be happy at being tricked, but she would be satisfied Elizabeth was pursuing a relationship with Nathan.
A relationship with Nathan. Elizabeth paused as she tidied her hair. Nathan had called her his girlfriend when he introduced her to Gabriel. They hadn't had a chance to discuss that before or after he had said it. She liked it, she decided, being referred to as his girlfriend. It was all happening so fast, but she didn't care. It felt like she had known Nathan for much longer than she had and looked forward to discovering everything there was to know about him.
"Are you ready for this?" Elizabeth asked as Nathan stopped the car in Rosemary and Lee's driveway. No other vehicles were in the driveway, so they were the first to arrive. Elizabeth had been so busy that day that she hadn't contacted Rosemary to see who else was coming for dinner. Maybe she and Nathan had gotten off easily and would be the only guests.
"I sure am," Nathan said, making no move to exit the car. "Should we talk about what I said to Gabe about us?"
"About me being your girlfriend? Do you want to take it back?" Elizabeth teased.
"Absolutely not," Nathan said, reaching for her hand. "It's what I want, but I should have talked to you about it first."
"Yes." Elizabeth agreed, chuckling. "I want that too. I know we haven't known each other long, but this feels different."
"It feels like this is what I have been waiting for, why every other relationship didn't work out. "This," Nathan said, gesturing between the two of them. "It's why I stopped dating. I was waiting for you, for us."
"Me too," Elizabeth said, leaning toward him and placing a kiss on his lips. "I was waiting to find you, too."
"Speaking of finding things, I think we have been found out," Nathan said, tipping his head toward the house.
Elizabeth followed his gaze and saw Rosemary standing in the doorway, hands on her hips, mouth gaping open at the sight of the two of them. Elizabeth hadn't noticed her open the door; from her expression, she had clearly witnessed their kiss.
"Exactly the same as Colleen's face," Nathan said laughing.
"Let's go face the music," Elizabeth said, dropping his hand and reaching for her handbag.