The biggest surprise to his three daughters was yet to come. When Ed had flown to Calgary the week previous to settle some business matters, he had managed to coax his mother to come earlier than she had planned. It had taken some persuasion, but she finally had agreed.
A month back, Ed had taken Adi into his confidence, telling her that he was working on a special secret project over at the Thornton's, and that he would be out late each evening. "I want you to make sure Annie is kept so busy with her school assignments that she won't notice my absence." Ed had not told Adi what his project was. "You'll just have to wait and see," he had said to her when she asked. "It's a surprise for all of you."
Ever since September, when Annie would have otherwise enrolled in Junior High, Adi and her dad, to Annie's great delight, had arranged for her to take her school by correspondence. Because the family lived so far out in the country, and because Annie had achieved top grades in her exams, their request had been granted. So each evening Annie sat in front of her computer, fully absorbed in her on-line school.
Sunday dawned crisp and clear, with frost crystals glistening like stars on the snow, and the frost on the trees sparkling like diamonds. "Dress in your warmest outdoor clothes, children, "Ed said, swallowing his last drop of coffee. As he went out the door, he shouted, "Be back before you know it."
"What's that I hear? It sounds like sleigh bells." Annie rushed to the window, pulling back the curtain and looking out.
Ed's face was red with excitement and cold as he burst through the door. Seeing that the girls were ready, dressed for outdoors, he grabbed Lily in his arms, saying to Annie and Adi, "Follow me."
Too amazed to speak, the girls followed their dad outside. Two patient horses, with Tom holding the reins, stood waiting for the family to board the shiny red sleigh that stood by the door. This was part of Dad's BIG SURPRISE.
"We're going into town to meet the train," Ed said, as he snuggled Lily into her seat by Buffy. Her smile said it all. While Annie and Adi speechlessly climbed into the seat next to their dog, Ed jumped into the front seat by Tom.
"Won't Granny be surprised!" chirped Annie, hardly able to contain her giggles.
"Surprised, all right!" said Adi, suppressing a grin. "Do you think she will lower herself to climb into a sleigh?" Under her breath she said, "She'll probably be expecting a limousine. "Then she rebuked herself for the thought. She heard that STILL SMALL VOICE, her conscience, reminding her that her bitterness toward Granny she had put under the blood.
As the sleigh slithered silently through the soft snow, the happy group sang "Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells," then continued with all the Christmas songs they could remember.
The train arrived at the station on time. The group sat patiently in the sleigh, their breath on hold, so to speak, waiting, waiting.
Then there she was, Granny. With their dad carrying Granny's suitcase in one hand, while holding on to her with the other, the two gingerly walked down the station platform toward the waiting "carriage."
Annie jumped out and ran up to her, throwing her arms around her. "Oh Granny," she squealed," I'm so happy you've come."
After loud protests from Granny about the family's mode of transportation, Ed settled his mother into the seat bebetween Buffy and Lily. During the trip to the station, Dad had told the girls this plan. Annie and Adi happily climbed unto the bench behind, not caring that it wasn't as comfortable as the seat they had vacated.
Lily gave Granny one of her angelic smiles, and with flailing arms, reached over Buffy, to touch Granny. The girls couldn't see Granny's expression, but they could feel her tension, as she tried hard to avoid those flailing arms, and the welcoming lick from Buffy.
To welcome Granny to the neighbourhood, the Thompsons and the Thorntons had planned a neighbourhood barbeque on Thornton's well-protected and heated patio. It was to there the family went, before going home to settle Granny in.
Strongly protesting that she didn't want to stop to visit, Granny, with the help of her son, climbed out of the sleigh, glad that the ride was over. The neighbours, warned ahead of time not to expect a warm greeting from her, casually greeted Granny. As was expected, her response was curt but polite. All Granny wanted to do was to get to Ed's home and get settled. But in spite of herself, during the evening, Granny warmed to the neighbours, even allowing Thornton's cat to rub against her legs. She'd never had a cat, and had paid no attention to pets of any sort previously. But she did a surprising thing. She reached down and rubbed "Meow" behind her ears. And of course, Buffy extended his shepherding to include Granny. He sat at her feet the whole time they were at the barbeque. Ed breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his mother doing her best to be cordial.
For the next week, the family's schedule was as usual. Adi's daycare children came, and Granny spent her time resting and settling in to the rooms in the basement that Ed had fixed for her comfort.
c. 2010 - 2011
ADELAIDE SERIES:
Story 1 - An Abrupt Landing
Story 2 - Out of the Shadows
Story 3 - Heavenly Sunshine
Story 4 - Reflections
Story 5 - Mists From The Past -I
Story 6 - Mists From The Past -II
Story 7 - The Birthday Surprise
Story 8 - Dad's Big Surprise
Story 9 - Further Surprises
Story 10 -
Into The Light
Watch for further stories in the ADELAIDE SERIES at a later date. hmd