This was one of the best episodes of the series. It made me smile and cry.
When Calls the Heart Season 11 Episode 10 invoked all kinds of emotions as Nathan and Elizabeth rushed to rescue Allie, and Faith intervened to keep Lily in her life.
It was an old-school episode where family love and true friendships took center stage. It felt like Hallmark because you were tearing up and needed wine and chocolate to accompany this installment.
It's difficult for teens to give up when they crave the answers about where they came from. That's something most adoptees want more than anything.
It's more complex for Allie because she was adopted by another family member, so she's grown up believing Nathan or her grandmother would fill in the blanks.
Nathan never wanted to hurt her with the truth about Dylan, and Allie wouldn't listen to reason, so she tried to meet him herself.
The prison wasn't the place for young girls, and Nathan was terrified when he learned she asked to meet Dylan from the prison.
When Nathan and Elizabeth heard where she went, they rallied together. These two are so good in a crisis.
Elizabeth kept Nathan calm while reminding him that Allie was strong.
Allie may have turned out fearless, strong, and able to conquer anything, but she inherited those skills from Nathan. Nature vs. nature.
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She's his daughter more than Dylan's, which she finally learned when Dylan rejected her. She was so relieved to see Nathan when he arrived for her.
Allie: I should have listened to you. Dylan didn’t want to see me.
Nathan: You’re okay. You’re safe. That’s all that matters.
Allie: Can we go home now?
Nathan: Yeah, we can go home now. That’s the best idea I’ve heard all day.
This experience bonded Nathan and Allie and strengthened them. She finally realized that Nathan was the dad who mattered.
Sometimes, that's a hard lesson because adoptees often think the grass is greener on the other side.
Nathan: Allie, I didn’t know Dylan that well, but he was a fool for throwing away his chance at being your dad because his loss is my gain. I don’t want to imagine what my life would be like without you in it. Watching you grow up has been the greatest joy of my life. I’m so proud of you for how thoughtful andf fearless you are. You get that from your mother.
Allie. I don’t know. That sounds a lot like my dad.
Nathan: Forever.
Elizabeth also realized how much she needed Nathan in her life.
This episode was a huge step forward in bonding Nathan, Elizabeth, and their children.
Lily has become so ingrained in everyone's lives that we knew Faith would miss her, but no one expected Lily to react so strongly about leaving Hope Valley.
I'm unsure why. I mentioned in the When Calls the Heart Season 11 Episode 9 Spoilers that young children find massive changes challenging, and Lily has adapted to living there and making new friends.
Lily wanted to spend her last day with Faith instead of attending daycare. She was afraid of letting Faith out of her sight.
Lily: I want to come to the infirmary.
Faith: But today’s the last day to be with your friends.
Lily: I want to be with you.
Joseph: Cherish today. It’s God’s gift.
Faith: In that case, that is exactly what we’ll do.
As the day passed, it became more evident that while Lily was excited to see her grandmother, she was anxious about leaving Faith.
No one realized how much this affected Lily until she sobbed that she wanted to live with Faith.
That had to hurt Mrs. Watson since she had just reunited with her, but she put her granddaughter's needs first and realized she wasn't as energetic to raise a young child.
In a few minutes, she had noticed how happy Lily was with Faith, and she couldn't take that away. I love how they agreed to Sunday visits together.
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Seeing Faith's maternal side has been my favorite storyline this season. It has softened her and given her a purpose. Not everyone needs a romance for their storyline to thrive.
Initially, it seemed like Lucas's storyline did not mesh with the others as he persisted in how vital the resort was to their town and that Jeanette was their last hope.
Lucas has been easily triggered when anyone insinuates that he's made poor decisions, primarily when the Valley Voice has published them.
Lee: Lucas, my friend, nothing good is going to come from this. I’m so sorry.
Lucas: If that’s the way you feel, go home. I have a resort to get built.
That all changed when his memories finally returned.
After everything else Jeanette has done to Lucas, it wasn't that surprising that she was there the night he was attacked.
Thankfully, Lucas's ethics returned as he confronted her. He knew he couldn't have a dangerous criminal and gangster backing Jeanette's bid, and they would have to find another way to protect her.
You have to cooperate with him. If you don’t, I’m as good as dead. And so are you.
Jeanette
I loved that Lucas realized that Lee and Rosemary had his best interests at heart and were true friends. This was the most like the old Lucas he seemed when he informed them he was canceling the resort.
Could Edwin still be involved, or is he merely greedy? He looked so upset at that news.
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I also noticed that Lucas did not include him when he and Henry informed Nathan and Bill about Casimir Shaw's involvement, so he's wised up about who to trust.
We're only two weeks away from the season finale, and we still don't know who will be getting married.
I suspected it might have been Mike and Mei when Ben Rosenbaum teased on Facebook Live that this episode be "Meet the Hickams."
It didn't have that overwhelming humor. The dinner party only lasted a few minutes, and Mike and Mei had barely been in the last few episodes.
If we're going to become invested in them, they need to show their romance more often.
While the series has focused more on Nathan and Elizabeth, they haven't had many one-on-one moments.
They've spent more time assisting each other through crises, which has strengthened their bond.
It's been lovely to see a few intimate moments like Elizabeth resting her head on his shoulder or holding his hand in support.
But they need more romantic moments, too. It also seems like the wedding planning will be rushed from the proposal to the wedding with so little time.
That's not what the fans deserve.
Over to you, Hearties. What was your favorite part of "What Goes Around?" Did you enjoy the family emphasis?
Are you relieved Lily is staying in Hope Valley? Who do you think will tie the knot in two weeks?
We love hearing your thoughts, so please share them with us below.