Trusting Her Innocent Heart – Extended Epilogue

The day was new and exciting. Everything was as it should have been.

The sun was shining down on Anise, Charlie, and their two children. Bo and Adelaide were ages six and three, but the two of them had enough energy to keep their mother and father going around and around and around.

Over the previous eight years, so much had taken place. Things had been good and relatively calm. That is, they were calm in comparison to the way that everything had begun.

At times, when Anise would look at Charlie, she would think back to those early days, and she would imagine that things could have been entirely different.

But God had been merciful to them.
He had spared them the terrible things that could have taken place instead. He had provided for them every step of the way.

More often than not, the two would fall to their knees and thank God at the beginning and the end of every single day. They would look to the blessings that he had given to them, and they would marvel that things had come to such a peaceful place.

On the ranch, they had built a new home. The home that had originally been on the property when Charlie had purchased it now belonged to the family of one of the men that they employed.
But their own home was large and inviting.

For Anise, it had been important that they have a large dining area. Frequently, they would have people over. Whether they were hosting friends or family, she was thrilled to be able to provide hospitality for others.

Charlie, on the other hand, had been surprised at how much he enjoyed working at the ranch.
Although he had ensured that Lawrence was still the one in charge of everything, he had learned how to do his fair share.

Now and then, he would still be asked by Jeremiah or other sheriffs surrounding Sheridan to hunt someone down for them.

These jobs he took sparingly. It was difficult for him to be away from his wife for that long.
But when he did go on a hunt, he enjoyed every moment. It felt good to be back doing what he was used to.

In many ways, that had been something he had learned early on with Judy. It was always comfortable to go back to what a person knows.

But as he sat there, looking at his wife, he knew that this was where he belonged.

The kids were running around, trying to play with a frog that was hopping in front of them.
But soon, they would have to go inside. There was going to be quite a party taking place.

“Are you getting everything ready?” Charlie asked Anise when she came out to check on them.
“Yes, and it is all coming together perfectly. I think that the meat is going to be a bit tough, but otherwise, it’s perfect,” she said.

“The meat is tough?” Charlie asked.

“Don’t worry, I think it was my own fault,” she said.

“Well, I’m sure your mother isn’t going to mind. It’s her first meal outside of jail in eight years,” Charlie said.

“I know. She’s going to be happy no matter what we have to feed her. Still, I want this to be a great party. I want everyone to have a nice time and for her to feel truly celebrated,” Anise said.

“And Lila and Jeremiah are still planning to come, right?” Charlie asked.

“Of course! They wouldn’t miss it. You know, since Lila and my mother started talking a lot again, Lila said that she feels closer to our mother than she ever did even before Mama disappeared,” Anise said.

“Really?” Charlie asked.

“That’s what she said. And if she meant it, I’m really happy. She deserves to be able to know the good sides of our mother and to be really, truly happy. I would have hated it if they never did get along again,” Anise said.

“I would too. But your mother had been away for such a long time. It’s good that she’s finally going to be free, and nothing can stop our happiness about that,” Charlie said.

“Agreed. Everything is what it should have always been,” Anise said.

“And what about in the town? Are people all right with the fact that she’s going to be released?” Charlie asked.

“They are. Everyone has been surprisingly supportive. But since everything that she stole has been repaid, people are starting to let go. I mean, I’m sure that there are those who will always be suspicious of her, but at least she has started to earn her good name back,” Anise said.

“You mean with all the things that she has been doing while in jail?” Charlie asked.

“Mhmm. After she knit all of those sweaters for folk, I think they started to believe that she really is back to who they always thought her to be. What they didn’t realize is the fact that my mother was never a ‘different person’ or anything. She has always had both in her,” Anise said.

“What do you mean?” Charlie asked.

“She always had the bank robber in there. But she has also always had the good woman. My Mama is always going to be both of those things. She’s just choosing not to enact the first one anymore,” Anise said.

Charlie was still thrilled by the fact that Judy was free. He could hardly believe it, but he was so excited for his wife and her family.

Knowing that Judy and Lawrence were going to be back together was a thrill. Not only that, but he imagined that Jeremiah was quite excited as well.

That evening, there was going to be a joyous occasion in which they were all reunited.

Lila had been doing much better in terms of forgiveness. Lawrence, on the other hand, had forgiven Judy long before.

But hearing that the people of Sheridan were starting to thaw and were ready and willing to forgive Judy was something that he had not necessarily expected. In fact, Charlie had been anxious that they might never be willing to do so.

Yet, here they were. It was not only because of the fact that Charlie and Lawrence had managed to pay back the thefts, and it was certainly not only the result of a bunch of knitted sweaters.

No, Judy had been spending a whole lot of time with the different ministers in town who would come and visit her. She would talk to them about the things that the Lord was doing in her life and the changes that her heart was experiencing.

Charlie had been wowed by her sincerity and by the devotion with which she read her Bible while she had been under lock and key.

It appeared that others in town had felt the same, and he was delighted that his wife’s mother was receiving the understanding and forgiveness that she really deserved after everything. He also knew that most of those people would have been more than happy to steal for their own families had they been given a chance.

But as evening fell, Anise and Charlie readied Bo and Adelaide for the gathering, and they were all ready when Jeremiah and Lila showed up, their five-year-old daughter Jill in tow.

Jill and Bo started playing right away, with Adelaide stealing the toys from them now and then and banging them on the floor until someone would take them away from her and give the toys back to Jill and Bo with an admonition to be nice and to share.

“When are they coming?” Lila asked, her nerves evident on her face.

“Any minute now. I’m sure of it. Oh! I was right. There they are. See? Just outside,” Anise said, pointing out the window.

Sure enough, there were her mother and father coming up to the open door.

“Who have we here?” her father asked as they entered, looking at the little ones who were playing. He quickly greeted everyone and then made his way to the children to play his role of grandpa, which had become a clear favorite hobby of his.

“Mama,” Anise said, rushing to her mother and embracing her in a hug.

Lila came up and did the same, the three of them in a tight embrace, not letting one another go. The tears fell freely from each of their eyes, and they all stood in their huddle far longer than anyone might have thought necessary.

“Oh, it is so wonderful to be back here with my daughters,” her mother said.

“And it is so good to have you back with us,” Anise said.

Finally, they pulled themselves apart, and all went to sit in the large room. Anise brought out tea for everyone to enjoy, and the conversation was quick and fun and everyone was enjoying themselves.

But Anise was distracted by the look upon her father’s face.

When he looked at Judy, when his eyes found her as she spoke, there was something deep and intent in his own eyes. It was as though he was looking upon a marvel. Like she was an incredible, magnificent, and rare creature.

Anise could see it clearly. It was not simply interest or curiosity. It was love.

Her father was still deeply in love with Judy, and Anise could see that her mother was in love with him as well. There was nothing that was going to keep the two of them apart.

They had not been torn apart by a fake disappearance. They had not been torn apart by assumed death. They had not been torn apart by crime. They had not been torn apart by jail.

Nothing was going to separate them; not even a lack of forgiveness.

To see that in them was a thrill for Anise, who had worried that things might not be the same once her mother was released. She had tried to think about what things were going to be like, and she had not imagined that there would be this level of peace or happiness between them all.
But things had been wonderful and, that night, it was as though everything was returning to normal.

There was love in the air. It was between Lila and Jeremiah as they looked at one another as if in conspiracy. It was between Lawrence and Judy as they smiled with relief that they were finally together again.

And it was between Charlie and Anise, whose gazes found one another at every turn. Two people who had once been separated by a secret and a love for the road. Two people who had not imagined they could ever find happiness with another person.

For Charlie, settling down in Sheridan had been a fear that had become a dream. And for Anise, accepting that she was able to be loyal to someone of her own choosing was a freedom that she had not known before.

Yes, things were different, but they were good. The Lord had blessed them all immensely, and from the ranch to the people inside of it, there was ample evidence of his gifts of grace upon them.

“Everyone, would you mind giving us your attention for just a moment?” Anise asked as they all sat down to dinner.

“Yes, of course,” her mother said.

“Well, we are so happy that you are all here with us. And as we are all together, Charlie and I thought it was the perfect time to share a bit of our own good news,” she said.

Charlie squeezed her hand, and she took a deep breath.

“I know it’s hardly something new when you look at Bo and Adelaide, but we are so excited to tell you all that we are expecting another baby to join our family in six months,” Anise announced.

“Oh!” her mother exclaimed, clasping her hands together.

Anise had known that it was hard for her mother before, having to watch her grandchildren from afar. And the fact that she had not been there for Anise during her pregnancies and the early days of child-rearing had been something that she was constantly apologizing for whenever Anise was able to go and visit her.

“How dare you?” Lila said, her mood a mild frustration.

Anise looked at her with surprise and a little bit of anger. She had expected her sister to be happy for her.

“What? What is it? Why are you angry at me?” Anise asked.

Lila broke out into a wide grin, and Anise realized that Lila had been teasing her.

“How dare you take away our spotlight?” Lila asked.

“Wait…” Anise said, her smile growing wide as well as she deciphered Lila’s meaning.

“Yes, we are expecting to grow in six months as well,” Lila said.

The cheers that arose were many, and it was amazing to Anise that she and her sister were going to be mothers once more at the same time. She loved how close in age Bo and Jill were, but these two babies were due just a week apart, and that excited her all the more.

“I think we need to say a prayer,” Lawrence said, bowing his head before anyone had a chance to voice their agreement.

They all did the same, following his suit with their heads bowed low.

“Dear Lord,” he began. “We come before you this evening as a family who is humbled by your grace over us. We give you thanks and honor and glory for the good works that you have done in our lives.

“We know that we deserve nothing but what you give us. We know that you do it all because you are kind and merciful to us. And we thank you, this evening. We thank you for the little ones who are currently making a whole lot of noise with their spoons as I pray. We thank you for the two babies who are growing inside their mothers.

“We thank you that Judy has been released and is with us this evening. We thank you that she cares for this family and that she can now be a part of it once more, fully and completely.

“We thank you for the ranch and the fact that it is flourishing. We thank you for the provisions of finances, workers, and customers.

“We thank you for Jeremiah and Charlie, who entered our family by marriage. Although they went through a whole lot of ordeals in order to be a part of us, we know that you ordained them to be the husbands of our daughters from the very beginning of time.

“We thank you for your goodness, Lord. Without it, we have nothing. So, with gratitude, with honor, with all the glory unto you, we pray these things. Amen.”

Everyone echoed their own amens, and they began to eat their dinner. The food was perfect; not too tough as Anise had feared.

By the end of the meal everyone was already tired, but they made their ways to the sitting room again and relaxed for a little while longer before they decided it was time to say goodnight.

Lila and Jeremiah left first, with Jeremiah carrying a sleeping Jill slumped over his shoulder. After them, Judy announced that she was pretty exhausted from being out of the jail and all of the excitement. She apologized, but Anise understood that it was something none of them had ever experienced and her mother needed to rest.

Bo and Adelaide were tired as well and went to sleep very easily.
And so, Anise and Charlie headed to their room where they quickly changed and got ready for bed.

“That was a good night,” Charlie said.

“It really was. I’m so happy that my mother is free and away from the jail,” Anise said.

“Me too. I’m glad that she is able to start fresh with your father, as well. He looked at her as though she hangs the moon,” Charlie said.

“Ha! I think he really believes that. I noticed it as well. They still love each other with a fierce love,” Anise said.

“They do. I think that’s how it should be. After what, thirty years of marriage? And eight of that in a jail cell? There is still nothing that is going to keep them apart,” Charlie said.

“Nope. Not a thing,” Anise replied.

“And nothing will ever keep us apart, either,” Charlie said.

“Absolutely not,” Anise agreed.

“Well then, let us thank God for giving us our happy life,” Charlie said.

Anise nodded, and they readied themselves to pray once more.

“Dear Lord, we thank you for this night. I thank you that my wife’s mother is free from her cell and that she was able to come and see us. Thank you that her husband loves her so much that he took her back into the home without question,” Charlie prayed.

“Thank you for Bo and Adelaide and for this new baby. Thank you for Lila and Jeremiah and Jill and their new baby as well.

“And I thank you for my wife. I thank you for her beauty and her kindness and the ways that she is so patient with me.

“Thank you for this love that you have given us. We pray that it always remains and that we always keep you as the foundation of our love. Amen.”

Charlie opened his eyes, and he and Anise looked at one another and smiled.

“Thank you, my darling husband,” Anise said.

“Of course, my lovely wife,” he replied.

Then Charlie leaned over to Anise and gave her a loving kiss that sealed the promise of love, respect, grace, and honesty that would forever be the vow of their marriage.

THE END

---

Readers who read this book also liked