Mayor Hickam scored with the upbeat and town-affirming Hope Valley Days.

With five holidays celebrated at once, it set quite the precedent for a lengthy festival bringing everyone together for some much-needed merriment.

Even with the celebration's success, some people were still left needing more of a pick-me-up on When Calls the Heart Season 9 Episode 7.

Things in Hope Valley have been tense of late.

Walden and his cohorts are kicking up dust with their foundry, for which there still isn't a lot of information.

A man once associated with the mining disaster was flirting with another business opportunity in town, which Fiona unwittingly secured before all of the facts were available.

There's utter chaos in the streets with the emergence of the automobile, even leaving a beloved Mountie and his horse injured.

Follow all of that with a changing of the guard for Hope Valley when Hickam was surprisingly elected to Mayor, and it's not difficult to see why tensions have risen.

Carson also moved out of town, leaving Faith to hang her shingle, moving away from the town infirmary to private practice.

Hope Valley got its first pharmacy and soda fountain. Hey, that's not bad news at all. And neither is it worrisome for the community that Faith is succeeding with her medical practice.

But it's change. And whether it's welcome or not, change makes people nervous.

So Hickam's idea to bring joy to town by celebrating five holidays was perfectly timed. Beloved town council members made up the majority of holidays celebrated.

Elizabeth had Thanksgiving, Lee and Rosemary had Halloween, Ned and Florence had Hanukkah, and Bill's unofficial holiday was April Fool's Day because, of course, it was!

Mei brought Valentine's Day to Hope Valley Days, and as the only non-council member with a holiday and one spot open after Carter's departure, it could mean she's being considered. Or, her idea may have just trumped other ideas.

It's exciting to imagine who might take the other council seat, especially since Elizabeth is the sole female. In addition to Mei, Faith, and Fiona would also be fine possibilities. All three of them come with some semblance of risk.

First, Mei, the newest resident, has been keeping a secret.

We knew upon her arrival that she was running from something and had hidden under her husband's name, but there is a lot more going on left to uncover.

Said husband, Jeffrey, rode into town with demands and a chip on his shoulder. He wasn't making any friends, that's for sure. But when he saw Mei, he wasn't angry. He wanted her back.

The strange part of this is that Mei claims that they were never married and that the actual fraud comes not from taking Jeffrey's identity to secure a position in her field but because Jeffrey forged her name on a fraudulent marriage license.

That's the stuff of a 20/20 investigation, so it's no wonder Mei kept it hidden. How would anybody in Hope Valley have believed that tale out of context when it's hard to believe even with context?

Faith, also quite successful, needs supplies to serve the community better. She desperately wanted an X-Ray machine and hoped that Mayor Hickam could help since that's the arrangement Carson had with the town when running the infirmary.

But Faith isn't operating an infirmary any longer. She was crestfallen when Hickam gently let her down, but he had faith that she would find a way to get what she needed and feel better for doing it herself.

That led to a dramatic moment at the bonfire when Faith burned the sign in a ritual of affirmation, renewal, and confidence.

Despite what she brings to the table, Fiona is the least likely candidate for town council, mainly because she's gone so much of the time.

Things with the oil business have gotten so confusing that I can't even keep up. Residents of Hope Valley would be similarly confused if they caught wind of what's been happening.

Oh, I understand Henry's concerns and believe them to be valid. But what's his plan? Even Lucas looked a little fuzzy regarding what Henry wanted to do.

Although nobody in town is in on the details, they surely caught sight of Jerome wandering about, which would be enough to cause concern given his egregious connection to the mining disaster.

Even tweens and teens are feeling the pressure of change.

Allie hasn't been comfortable since returning to Hope Valley. She can't find her place. And once she thought it was settled, she wondered if others didn't like her choices.

Attraction is filled with uncertainty at that age, and Allie and Robert shared theirs about each other with adults, looking for guidance.

Their issues were simple compared to Elizabeth's former student's desire to stay in Hope Valley when her mother moved elsewhere.

Elizabeth's initial thought about Anna remaining behind was that she was frightened of change. That wasn't it at all. She had a genuine fondness for town and working at the cafe. She wanted the freedom to forge her path without her mother.

With all of the advice that Elizabeth has been sharing with her female students, it sure would be nice if she and Lucas had a daughter one day.

Marriage was on their minds again. Every time the topic emerges, it's filled with the longing for love and family.

Elizabeth: There's just enough chill in the air to remind us that autumn is at the door.
Lucas: Have you ever considered a fall wedding? I'm just curious, that's all.
Elizabeth: I can't say that I have. Have you ever considered a spring wedding?

• Permalink: I can't say that I have. Have you ever considered a spring wedding?

Lucas is envious of Elizabeth's passion for her work. Still, when he revealed his childhood dreams of finding roots and lasting connections with a family he loves in a town like Hope Valley, he knew he was right where he was supposed to be, and his passion for work didn't matter.

Lee is trying to provide that kind of experience for the Canfields, but he's overstepping, and it's hard not to be worried about where that storyline might be heading.

If you don't watch When Calls the Heart online, everything is going very well for Minnie and Joseph in Hope Valley, but they are still fearful of what lies ahead of them outside of town, particularly regarding a loan.

Sadly, they were right to be concerned. Now, we don't know if they didn't receive a loan because of their skin color, but that we have to consider it is bad enough.

Lee and Rosemary are very well off, and Lee wanted desperately to share what they have with their friends. That's a noble gesture, for sure, but it should be at the Canfield's discretion.

Rosemary did her best to help Lee understand it, but his takeaway was that he'd go behind their backs and make it look like the bank loaned them money while it would actually be Lee funding the loan.

There are so many things wrong with that, and there will be genuinely hurt feelings when it's discovered. And it will be discovered. Something like this is always discovered.

It made what should have been a joyous scene as Minnie and Joseph shared their happy news anything but. It hurt watching Lee and Rosemary with their plastered-on smiles, trying to act thrilled.

Of course, they are thrilled, but secrets are not thrilling. They're hurtful, and you could see on their faces that it weighed on them already.

Everything Lee said about how much they deserved it and how he thanked Joseph for stepping in while he worked at the paper should have been their argument to their friends for why they wanted to give them a loan out of their own pockets.

I have no idea what's going to come of it, but, at least initially, it won't be good.

It was a beautiful night, and for the first time in a while, everything that seemed to need our attention, that had occupied all our days, was set to the side, and in their place instead were those things that were surely more precious. Simple pleasures such as hot cocoa, toasted marshmallows, and a roaring bonfire. That night, we realized our town could shine brighter than ever. And, for now. Hope Valley Days were still here, helping remind us.

Elizabeth [internal]

• Permalink: It was a beautiful night, and for the first time in a while, everything that seemed to need...

Hope Valley Days got off to a beautiful start, but there is a lot more to come with "Hope Valley Days Part 2" on the way.

What do you think is hiding around the corner?

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She's a member of the Critic's Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on X and email her here at TV Fanatic.