Granting a Family - Chapter 32: Seeking Permission

Church bells chimed, signifying the start of Sunday services and jarring Nathan awake on the uncomfortable bed in one of the jail cells. Kate was occupying his comfortable bed at home, fighting off a migraine she had been suffering with. He had spent time playing chess and reading to Allie to catch up on the week he was away. Once both she and Kate were peacefully sleeping, he decided for propriety's sake to sleep at the jail. It had been a very restless night as he re-lived Friday’s run-in with the Rutherford Gang, and worried about the health of the woman he loved. Nathan rubbed his eyes and sat up, feeling the need for coffee to help wake him up. He longed for some breakfast to stop the rumbling in his stomach, most likely worsened by not eating much the day before.

Nathan stood and stretched, trying to suppress a yawn as he pulled up his suspenders and tucked in his mostly unbuttoned shirt. While he was pulling on his boots, Thomas rushed into the office. “Oh hey, you’re up.”

“Did you actually do morning rounds today?” Nathan asked, surprised. I thought Bill was going to cover for you while Anne recovered and you helped her with the baby.”

“I volunteered to start going out again, because as much as I love my girls, there are times I need a little peace and quiet to actually hear myself think.” Thomas slumped into the chair behind the desk and groaned. “I think maybe I’ll spend a night in the jail so I can get some sleep.”

Nathan chuckled and sat down on the other side of the desk across from Thomas. “You are a lucky man to have such a beautiful family,” he admitted. “I’m glad you came in, because I wanted to talk to you about something regarding your sister.”

Thomas sat up in his chair and straightened his serge. “You still remember what will happen if you hurt her, right?” he asserted in a serious tone.

Running his fingers through his bed hair, Nathan felt nerves bubbling up inside of him. He tried to tell himself this was his underling, but this discussion was not about work. It was man to man...brother to potential brother. “Look, I would have this discussion with your father, but I know he’s in poor health living with some of your older brothers on the farm. I see you as Kate’s closest family and protector, so I want to do things in the proper way.” His hands suddenly felt clammy and even with his shirt partially unbuttoned, he felt hot and sweaty.

A big smile formed on his face, but Thomas tried to stay serious. “Are you going to ask what I think you are going to ask?”

Giving an annoyed little grunt, Nathan answered, “Just let me say this before I lose my nerve, ok?” He took a deep breath and just blurted it out. “Thomas, I’m in love with your sister Kathryn and plan to ask her to be my wife. I would like your blessing before I move forward with my plans.”

Tears were forming in the eyes of the usually composed and self-assured Constable, and he stood up with his arm extended to shake the hand of the man who had been a boss, mentor, friend, and now would become a real brother to him. Nathan let out a sigh of relief as he stood and accepted his hand, shaking it and then embracing in a hug. “Of course you have my blessing. I could see you two matched up the moment she came to town and I saw the two of you together. Having you and Allie be a part of the Bradshaw family is a dream come true, and I know Anne and Elsie will be overjoyed as well.”

“Thank you, Thomas. I just don’t want to keep waiting for a real family, and I found the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. Why shouldn’t we be together?” Nathan’s eyes grew distant, and his mind suddenly took him back to Friday’s confrontation. He shook his head and tried to remove the memory from his mind.

I’ve seen that look before, Thomas thought. “What really happened on that capture mission, Nathan? I heard the Rutherford Gang was brutal and have killed multiple Mounties who tried to nab them in other territories. You know this is just between us as brothers in arms and I won’t tell anyone, including my wife or sister. I just think you’ll feel better if you talk about it and get it off your chest.”

Nathan’s jaw was clenched and his entire body went tense. “I don’t really want to, but I’ve learned that it can help to talk it through. I really didn’t have time to discuss what happened with Gabe before he helped transfer the prisoners to Union City. I filled out the paperwork and gave them my statement, but I still may be called to testify in their trial. But for now I’m home, following up on the loose ends of the case and watching out for more trouble throughout the territory and near Hope Valley.”

“I am glad you’re back home for a while. Bill has been helping when he can, but he’s also been swamped with his own work. Between the new baby, trying to keep up with all the new residents, and making sure no one is making trouble with the new pipeline...let’s just say I’ve really missed you around here. I think there are some other people who have missed you even more than I have.” Thomas gave him a wink, and continued: “I checked on Katie this morning. Allie is being a great little nurse to her. Her energy is completely drained, but the headache is mostly gone. She’s been getting those on and off for years, and it always seems to hit when she is worried or stressed about something. This time my guess is she was concerned about you.”

Apprehension filled Nathan’s mind and heart. What if Kate doesn’t want this life of constant stress that comes with being a Mountie’s wife? He couldn’t stop the nagging thoughts from running wild through his brain. It made sense why many Mounties never did marry and have a family, or why a lot of women kept their distance when they found out what he did for a living. Even though he was more than just the serge he wore, a life in law enforcement affected the entire family.

Almost as if he could read his supervisor’s thoughts, Thomas tried to ease his fears. “Nathan, I have talked to Kathryn about this many times. She knows exactly what she’s getting herself into. She told me she’s in love with you, and love is strong enough to overcome any feeling of uneasiness that may come with your profession. Anne had trepidation when she first met me. She came from a well-to-do family, and they were not happy about her marrying a lowly Mountie at first. But of course I won them over with my good looks and charm.”  He flashed his most confident smile, which broke the tension and caused both men to snicker. “You don’t have to tell her about the scary parts of the arrest. In fact, you probably should keep most details to yourself. She can accept confidentiality and respect what you feel comfortable and are able to share.”

With his eyes closed, Nathan began recounting the dangerous mission with Gabe on Friday afternoon. “Our investigation led us to a cabin on the outskirts of the Brookfield area, but the rain kept us from going right away. I studied the maps closer and got some important information about the surroundings. I knew if we were wearing red serge we would be a target, knowing this group of gangsters have no qualms about killing officers of the law.” Nathan opened his eyes and saw Thomas intently listening, so he continued. “I was already in civilian clothes, as instructed by my superiors for investigating most cases. But I really felt like Gabe would be a target if he didn’t look like a civilian as well.”

“Smart idea,” Thomas affirmed. “I was going to tell you Superintendent Lewis called here raving about Nathan Grant being the best inspector he has seen in a really long time. Those evil men were on the wanted list for a very long time and eluded many Mounties and Sheriffs across the country.”

“We did get very lucky that they were shot by that farmer who was defending his family, but even then they were extremely skilled at hiding and paying off people to keep the law away. I give Gabe a lot of credit for combing the area during rounds and even in his free time, then putting every cabin and landmark on his map. We left our horses out of sight, then approached the cabin as lost fisherman who got caught in the storm since there was a fishing hole nearby. Their alibi was that they had been in a hunting accident. Things were going according to plan until the horses got spooked by something and left their hiding place. Once they saw the horses, they put it all together and knew we were Mounties. They were quick to grab their guns, but luckily the leader of the gang was the one most badly wounded. As he tried to shoot at us, his wound opened and began bleeding pretty bad and he fell over in pain. His partner decided to make a run for it, and was able to leave on Gabe’s horse. I called Newton over and went after him, while Constable Kinslow cuffed the ring leader and attended to his medical needs. Gabe’s horse did not like the way he was being handled, so Newton was easily able to catch up with them. We both dismounted, and luckily I overtook the guy and after a little hand-to-hand combat. I led him back to the cabin, we saddled up the men’s horses, and then took them back to town where we jailed them and called Union City for transport that came Saturday morning right before I left to come home.”

Silence ensued as Nathan finished giving an account of what transpired near Brookfield. After several minutes of silence and processing what he had just been told, Thomas finally spoke. “Bill told me something about you that I feel like sometimes causes you a lot of sleepless nights. He said ‘Nathan always wonders if he might have done better’. You have to know that when you are in dangerous situations, your training and instincts take over and that’s what has kept you safe all these years. My advice, for what it’s worth, is to talk it out if you need to, but then let it go. Remind yourself that you did your best, and try to move on as much as possible.” 

“Easier said than done,” Nathan lamented. “But I do feel better after talking it all through. I definitely felt God’s protection on this mission, and I will work hard and have faith that I can continue to come home to my loved ones. I just don’t want to waste precious time anymore, especially when I know exactly what I want. I better go check on my girls. Thanks again for everything, Thomas.” Nathan hurried out of the Mountie office and started toward home, feeling hopeful and optimistic about things soon to come in his life.

As Nathan moved down Main Street, he saw that people had dispersed from church services and the bell had begun ringing again. Lucas and Fiona were the first couple he passed, and they seemed startled to see anyone in town after being the first to leave church. They thought no one would catch them holding hands and giggling together as they went to the Saloon to find some food from Gustav for their Sunday picnic together.

“Inspector Grant,” Lucas stammered, quickly pulling his hand away from Fiona’s. He stood up and straightened his tie and suit jacket. “Happy Sunday. I hear you put away some egregious fugitives this weekend. I commend you for your bravery, and thank you for keeping our communities safe.”

Nathan tried not to smirk at catching the new Hope Valley couple together, even though it seemed they were unsuccessfully hiding their relationship from everyone. “Lucas. Fiona. I hope you have a wonderful Sunday. And don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. Although, I’ll let you in on some insider information...everyone already knows you two have something going on.” He gave them a wink, leaving them a little bewildered as he walked away. 

As he neared the row houses, Nathan noticed Elizabeth on her porch genuinely laughing with someone. When he got closer, he saw that it was Mike Hickam holding little Jack, both with smiles on their faces as they enjoyed a happy moment together. Nathan waved to the three of them, and for the first time he didn’t feel pain knowing the Thorntons wouldn’t be his family. Instead, he felt grateful to know that a good man like Hickam was in Elizabeth and little Jack’s future. When Mike saw Nathan he handed Jack over to his mother and walked over.

“Do you have a minute?” Hickam asked Nathan, motioning a little further away so Elizabeth couldn’t hear their conversation. “I wanted to talk to you about something.” He nervously looked down at his clasped hands, trying to work up the nerve to vocalize his feelings. “I know you are with Kathryn, uh, Miss Bradshaw now. But I also know your feelings for Elizabeth and little Jack were pretty strong. Even though you and Elizabeth have both told me things with the two of you are over, I wanted to let you know I’ve started spending time with the Thorntons and want to ask them to officially try out a relationship to see where it goes. I just wanted to make sure you were aware that even though I have had feelings for Elizabeth for a very long time, I respected your interest in her and didn’t make a move until I knew you had ended things. You are one of the people I admire most in this town.”

Nathan took hold of Hickam’s shoulders and looked him in the eye. “Mike, you are one of the most thoughtful and upstanding guys this community has to offer, not to mention smart and becoming more successful every day. Elizabeth and my little buddy Jack would be the luckiest family in the world to get a man like you as a husband and father. My only advice is take it slow and really pay attention to Elizabeth. Move at a pace she is comfortable with. What I saw just barely was the first genuine laugh from her in a really long time, so I think you are on the right track.”

Blushing at the thought of him making Elizabeth laugh, Hickam smiled and held out his hand. Nathan firmly shook Mike’s outstretched hand, then waved one last time to the mother/son duo. He felt the last of the weight of the burden from Jack Thornton’s death that he had been carrying for a long time lifted off his shoulders. It was the lightest he had ever remembered feeling. Life wasn’t perfect, but he felt blessed beyond measure at this moment in time.

Allie was sitting on their porch in her Sunday best when Nathan reached the house. She rushed over to him, letting herself get wrapped up in a huge warm hug that only her Dad could give. “Everyone told me to let you sleep after your busy week in Brookfield, but I went to church with Opal’s family anyway. Miss Bradshaw was still tired from her headache, but she encouraged me to go to the service and pray for you both. Can we make dinner for the Bradshaw’s today? You have to hold Elsie again, and won’t believe how much she’s grown in only a week!”

Nathan held his daughter a little tighter, trying to shove away the feelings of dread he had experienced this week, knowing how one dangerous mission could have taken him away from this girl who had lost so much already. He shifted his focus to the present and tried to take the advice Thomas gave him. “Allie, I think making dinner for all of the Bradshaws is a really great idea. How is Miss Bradshaw doing today? I’m sorry it took me so long to make it here to check on you both, but I’m glad you were able to attend church with your friends.”

“I just hope you got some sleep, Dad. I was worried about both you and Miss Bradshaw most of the night. She’s feeling a lot better, but she doesn’t have a lot of energy. I’ll get started on the food while you help her get packed up and ready to go back to her house.”

“Thanks, Allie girl. I just can’t believe how grown up you’ve become, and I appreciate what you did to make sure Kate was taken care of while I was gone. Can we sit for a minute and talk?” Nathan led her back to the porch steps where they sat in silence for a minute before he continued. “I know this might seem fast since I’ve only been dating Miss Bradshaw for a month, but very soon I would like to ask her to marry me. But I would never do that without permission from her family and from you. I just talked to Thomas this morning and he gave me his consent. You are my family and this affects you too, so I will only ask her if I have your blessing.”

Shock was the initial response to her Dad’s words, but a feeling of excitement rose and replaced every other emotion inside of her. “Are you serious?” Allie squealed. “I’m going to have a Mom again?” She jumped into Nathan’s arms with tears flowing down her cheeks. “My answer is absolutely, yes!”

Nathan chuckled and put his fingers to his lips. “Keep it down a little so she can’t hear you.”

“Oh, sorry. I just can’t help it,” Allie gushed. “You know, I tried so hard to keep my distance from Miss Bradshaw so I wouldn’t get hurt like I did with Mrs. Thornton. But for some reason I feel a stronger bond with her, and she just seems to get me. It doesn’t feel forced or awkward at all. Not to mention the way you feel about her. I’ve never seen you this happy, Dad. You deserve someone to love you the way you love them...and me.”

A lump had formed in Nathan’s throat, and he could barely squeak out a reply. “Thank you, Allie. All I’ve ever wanted is to give you a family with a mother and a father and…” he stopped before voicing the deepest desire of his heart.

“And a little brother or sister?” Allie finished his thought. “After holding baby Elsie, it makes me excited to be a big sister. Oh, and now I’ll be related to the Bradshaw’s for real and she will be my cousin!”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Nathan cautioned. “I’m not sure when I’ll be asking her. Yes, I do hope to eventually have babies, but that could also take some time. And remember, this is a secret.” If he were being honest with himself, his excitement level matched Allies. He was using all of his Mountie training to suppress his feelings and present a composed exterior. “Let’s get inside and prepare the food, especially since I didn’t even eat breakfast this morning.”

Allie quickly gathered items from the pantry and pulled out pots and pans, enthusiastically working in the kitchen to prepare a big family meal. Nathan made his way up the stairs with butterflies in his stomach at the thought that very soon he just might be sharing his bedroom with the woman who currently occupied it. He tried to calm down his racing heart by taking deep breaths, then quietly knocked. He heard light footsteps move to the door, and Kate stood before him fully dressed and ready for the day, radiant in her casual light blue dress and her golden curls flowing down her back. He couldn’t remember ever seeing a more welcome or beautiful sight.

Kathryn slipped comfortably into Nathan’s welcoming arms and the two of them stood in the doorway just enjoying being near each other. “I’m so glad you’re home,” she murmured, nuzzling even further into his chest and breathing his masculine scent that she faintly enjoyed on items throughout his room. But the real thing was far better than just hints of his smell on pillows or articles of clothing. “I missed you, Nathan.”

Taking her face into his hands, Nathan stared into her eyes both to check the condition of her head and trying to read her emotions. “How is your head feeling, my love?”

Shivers went down her spine at his use of those two words to acknowledge her. “My head is much better today, thank you. I’m just a little fatigued, but that always happens to me after a migraine. I’ll be fine in a day or two. I apologize for yesterday and any behavior that may have been influenced by the medication Faith gave me. I never do well with medicine, and sometimes it makes me not act like myself.”

Nathan flushed at first, remembering the kiss they shared as she was in his bed. “I’m just glad you have improved. Can I help you get your things together? Allie is cooking, then we plan to take the meal to your house. We better get your things moved back home as well.”

They walked together inside the room holding hands, and Nathan noticed the bed was made and her bag was packed. He walked over and picked up the book on the nightstand. “Were you able to read The Circular Staircase while I was gone? I hoped it wouldn’t be too intense for you to read when you were staying in an unfamiliar place, but I knew it was one of your favorites. I had just finished, and it wasn’t due back at the library until this coming week.”

“I did,” she admitted, moving over to join him next to the bed. “Nathan, your woodworking skills are so impressive. And for some reason I felt safe here, even with you out of town.” She delicately touched the carved roses on the headboard, then turned to touch the hands that created all of the furniture she had admired all week long. She let her hands wander up his arms to appreciate the muscular build that was so strong, yet could be so gentle at the same time. “Your bed is the most comfortable one I’ve ever slept in,” she disclosed, then realized it probably wasn’t an appropriate comment and she couldn’t blame the drugs this time. She timidly looked up at Nathan to see his reaction, and he didn’t seem phased by the forward nature of the conversation. If anything, he seemed more comfortable with her than he had ever been, which both excited and terrified her at the same time.

His hormones racing again made showing restraint and maintaining self-control more difficult than ever, but Nathan was determined to not let Kate see him squirm. He leaned down and his lips went next to ear where he whispered, “I think it would be best for us to move downstairs, so I can continue to be a gentleman.” He picked her bag up off the bed, and took her hand to lead her out of the room. 

Once in the hallway, Nathan stopped briefly and turned toward Kate. He dropped the bag and took her in his arms, kissing her gently and deeply at the same time. She responded in kind, until they heard Allie bound up the stairs and stop in her tracks with a loud, “Oh!” They both turned around to face the startled teen, and all three with red faces looked around at one another and then burst into a fit of boisterous laughter. 

Kathryn grabbed her throbbing head, unable to contain the giggles still coming out of her. “Ok, ok. We have to stop or my head might just explode.”

“Sorry,” Allie apologized. “I was going to change out of my nice church dress before I finished cooking. If you both want to help me, we can get it finished a lot faster. I’ll be back down in a few minutes.” As Nathan tried to hold back his own laughter, he smiled at Allie then grabbed Kate with one hand and her bag with the other hand before heading downstairs to the kitchen. 

Once the food was ready, they walked everything over to the Bradshaw’s house. Thomas had just come down the stairs to get his wife a drink when they arrived, but he decided to have Anne and the baby come downstairs to enjoy the meal together. When Anne slowly came down and sat at the kitchen table, she gave Nathan a knowing look and he was sure Thomas had told her of their conversation at the Mountie office. Everyone in the room knew Nathan’s intentions, except for Kate. He knew it had to happen soon, or she might be tipped off by someone.

Thomas brought down Elsie from sleeping in her cradle, and handed her over to Nathan. Allie had been right that the baby had grown and changed in just one week. He snuggled her close, and breathed in the sweet new baby smell. He placed a little kiss into her locks of fine, dark hair that covered her adorable little head. Allie rushed over and put her finger near the baby’s hand, and Elsie gripped onto it like it was the most natural thing in the world. Kate joined them and put one arm around Nathan and the other around Allie as they surrounded the baby, speaking sweetly to her. Both Thomas and Anne looked on and smiled at each other with a look they both understood. They were witnessing the forming of The Grant Family, and it was beautiful to behold.