When Love Calls

Chapter 18

One month later...

"It's now October and we have no snow which is good for me, it's harder to get back and forth from school when there's snow. Anyways Matthew started his journey back home yesterday, he and I became good friends and enjoyed seeing each other. I'll miss him it was so much fun hanging out with him. Penny also came by last weekend and stayed with me, she and Matthew really seemed to hit it off.  School is school, I enjoy it as always. As for Gabriel and I... well I still haven't decided anything. What I do know is that I love him, but do I love him enough that I could let him go?" I let out a sigh thinking about him.

"Heat makes mercury rise but, because it's sealed in this glass tube, all it can do is go up. So we can tell what the temperature is by seeing just how high the mercury gets." I said explaining our s lesson for the day which the children seem to be enjoying.

"How high is it, Miss Thornton?" Roise asked, "It's colder than any classroom ought be." I said letting out a sigh. The stove in the school was broken leaving it freezing so I just told everyone to leave their coats on.

"I think I can help with that." Gabriel said coming in which surprised me, he's the last person I thought would come to fix it. "You know how to fix a stove, Constable?" I asked him with chuckle. "Well, I may not be an expert, but I think I can manage." Gabriel said with a smile before he hung up his hat. "Mounties can do anything." Johnny said happily which made Gabriel smiled. "Give that young man an A." Gabriel chuckled looking over at me. "I'll see what I can do. Alright everyone please take out your readers, and open to chapter 9. Reading hour starts now." I said before heading back to my desk. That was the most Gabriel and I have talked since our argument, it was good to talk to him and be cruel.

"Class is dismissed! Have a great weekend children, I will see you all Monday." I said as the children took of and ran for the door. "Please be careful!" I said with a chuckle as I watched him.

"Stove is fixed, took longer than I thought but it should be ready for class on Monday." Gabriel said as he grabbed his hat. "Thank you, Gabriel. I appreciate it." I smiled at the Mountie standing a few feet away from him. He tipped his hat and headed for the door. "Gabriel. Are you free tonight?" The words just came out I wasn't thinking before I opened my mouth. "Yeah, I am." Gabriel simply said. "Would you like to come over for dinner tonight and we could talk about our future, if you'd like." I told him with a soft smile, "What time?" Gabriel asked, "Does 6 work?" I asked him. "I'll see you then." Gabriel smiled before talking out the door, leaving me there smiling.

I tidied up the house and started in on dinner I figured I'd make shepherds pie it's been awhile since I've made it. It didn't take long before I put it in the oven, I quickly got charged into a nicer dress. I made up the table for two and sat waiting for him to come, it would be any minute before he'd be here.

The pie was done so I put it on the table so it could cool down, Gabriel was running late but he was must be coming soon. I sat staring at the shepherds pie which was getting cold, it was almost 6:30 and he wasn't here yet I was starting to wonder if he was actually going to come.

6 came and went and he never showed up, he stood me up. To say I was upset was an understatement, I wanted to talk to him and work things out but I guess that's not what he wanted.

I knocked on the door of the orphanage I needed to talk to Grace, I needed my best friend. The door opened to reveal Lillian who clearly saw i was upset, "What's wrong, Adeline?" She asked worried, "Is Grace here?" I asked she nodded her head and let me.

Lillian and Grace sent the children outside to play outside so we could talk, "I invited him over to dinner last night. I walked to talk to him and figured things out, but I guess he didn't want to because he never came. He stood me up." I told them they seemed to be shocked that Gabriel would do such a thing.

"I'm sorry Adeline, that's so unlike him. Are you sure he become busy at last-minute?" Lillian said asking wondering. "If I see him he's going to get an ear full of me." Grace told me, "As much as I would love that, I don't think that would help." I told her as a tear slipped my eye I quickly wiped it.  I stayed here for a few more hours to try and cheer up which worked a little bit but I needed to get home and work on lessons.

As I walked to my house I heard a horse coming up I turned around to see a man in red serge galloping towards I just rolled my eyes and walked faster he's the last man I wanted to see right now. "Good afternoon, Miss Thornton." Constable Kinslow said to me still on his horse who was on besides me, i just ignored him hoping he'd leave. "Adeline, can we talk." He asked getting off his horse to get closer to me. "Yeah, well you should of thought of that before you didn't show up last night. Do you not want us anymore?!" I asked turning around to face him, "Adeline I'm sorry about last night, i-" Gabriel started but I didn't want to hear it. "Gabriel I don't want any excuses, I'm sick of them, I'm sick of being head over heals in love with you and you not wanting the same." I told him getting frustrated with him. "Adeline, will you let explain myself." Gabriel said staying calm, "I don't want to hear it, all I wanted was to talk to you last night. Why didn't you come? Is there someone else? Do you not want to be with-" I was cut off his lips crashing into mine and it felt so right, I missed him so much.

We pulled apart and just hugged I couldn't help but cry I missed this man more then I could ever put in words. "I didn't come last night because I had Mountie business come up completely last minute, I left you a note but you obviously didn't get it. I'm sorry for all of this, I love you Adeline. Please tell me you've made up your mind." Gabriel told me, why didn't I think of that. Oh I feel horrible.

"Oh I'm so stupid. I didn't even think of that, Gabriel I'm so sorry." I told him letting out a sigh, Lillian was right.  "It's okay, I understand. You didn't answer my question." Gabriel told me, we were still in each other's arms. I smiled and kissed him giving him my answer, Gabriel is the one, he's the one I'm head over heals for. I couldn't imagine my life without him.

"I love you, Gabriel. I always will."