The Widowed Rancher’s Wanted Bride – Extended Epilogue

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Two Years Later

“Is everything going to be ready in time?”

Olivia glanced down at Emma, wearing her Sunday dress as she emerged from her bedroom. Oh my goodness, Olivia thought, she’s growing so fast. Not only that, but she could already tell that Emma was going to blossom into a very lovely woman. Over the past couple of years, the child had grown nearly four inches, and by her tenth birthday in a few months, she might even grow several more. She was a bit gangly and still rambunctious, but her features were smoothing, some of the childhood padding evaporating, exposing bone structure that promised beauty as she reached adulthood. She grinned. Sam was going to have his hands full trying to discourage suitors.

“Mama?”

“Yes, Emma, everything is going to be ready. Your father, George, and a few of the other ranch hands are going to set up all the tables. You can help Mabel put tablecloths on each one of them, and then we’ll stack the plates and silverware on top. All right?”

“All right,” Emma agreed. She walked down the hall and into the kitchen, Jasper following at her heels. The dog was a little slower now, but still the same, loyal dog that he’d always been to Emma. Behind him traipsed a smaller, hairier dog of indeterminate breed that Emma had found along the road not three months ago. Emma called him ‘Mop’ because he looked just like one, even though both Olivia and Sam had told her that she might want to come up with something a little more dignified and endearing.

“But he looks like one, don’t you think?” Emma had replied, to which both her parents had agreed and given up.

She heard footsteps behind her and glanced over her shoulder as Sam emerged from their bedroom, wearing a pair of dark slacks, a long-sleeved white shirt, and a black string tie. He walked with the slightest limp, but nothing that slowed him down. In the crook of one arm, he held nearly one-year-old Meredith, and in the other, her twin sister Rebecca. Each had grasped part of his shirt in a chubby little fist. When the twins saw her, they wiggled, and he laughed, causing them to giggle. She smiled, her heart nearly bursting with joy and amazement. Look at what she had made. Look what she and Sam had made with their love and devotion to one another.

“They’re hungry,” he said, grinning. “I sure hope Mabel has made plenty of oatmeal.”

Olivia laughed softly and reached out her arms for Rebecca. “Doesn’t she always?”

He followed her down the hall into the kitchen, where Emma already sat at the table, lifting her spoon from her own bowl of oatmeal, the other hand reaching for a piece of toast.

“Morning, Papa,” she said. Putting down the spoon and toast, she reached for Meredith as he handed the child to her. She helped situate her little sister in one of the two highchairs at the table, one between her and Olivia, the other between Mabel and Sam. She smiled at the baby, swiping her finger down the baby’s cheek, prompting yet another giggle. “And how are you doing this morning, Rebecca?”

A gurgle and a yelp of ‘Emma’ was her reply. She turned to offer a good morning greeting to Meredith as her father tucked the child into her own highchair. “What about you, Meredith? Merry as ever?”

The baby giggled, and Emma laughed again. Olivia had seen a huge difference in Emma since the morning after her capture by Thomas two years ago. The change had come as different as night and day, for which she was grateful. Not only that, but when they announced that Olivia was in the family way, Emma had become even more helpful around the house, and outside with daily chores. She was still plenty rambunctious, outspoken, and occasionally stubborn, but she was diligent about her duties and chores. Olivia couldn’t be prouder.

“George should be coming by soon with the sawhorses from town, and Michael from the hardware store is bringing plenty of planks to set them up,” Sam remarked. “Should be a good day for a get-together.”

Olivia blasted him with a smile. “A get-together?” She laughed. “I think everyone in town has responded to our invitation, not to mention several ranchers and farmers throughout the county. You sure we’re going to have enough food?”

“I’ve got a whole side of beef roasting in the pit I dug, and George is also bringing two ham hocks, and—”

“And I’m ready to put four chickens into the oven,” Mabel said, gesturing over her shoulder toward her workstation. “And the ladies from church are bringing pies, biscuits, rolls, and fresh bread, and we’ll have fresh vegetables from the fall harvest. Believe me, there will be plenty of food. I’m probably going to be sending a lot home with some of these folks.”

Sam grinned. “That’s good. And I also have a little surprise. I talked with Benjamin, Frank, and Samuel, and they’ll be bringing their guitar, their banjo, and their fiddle, so there’ll be plenty of time for dancing after supper as well.”

Emma practically bounced up and down in her seat, laughing when the babies tried to mimic her behavior. “It’s going to be so much fun, Papa! We’ve never had a party like that here before.”

“Nope, we haven’t, but we’ve had a good year. A very good year.” He glanced at Olivia and gave her a wink.

For herself, Olivia couldn’t be happier. Over the past couple of years, she and Sam had grown so close together it amazed her. She thanked God every day for her blessings, so very grateful for the life she lived now, the life for which she had always yearned. Sam was happy too, rarely growing upset over anything, unless one counted the loss of a few cows through jimson weed poisoning. After they realized what was going on, every member of the ranch, including Emma, the ranch hands, and even several neighbors, had come over and ridden over their property, destroying every bit of jimson weed they could find. Then Sam and the others had returned the favor on George’s property, and so on and so on.

As the months passed, so too did the awful memories of Olivia’s past. She rarely thought of those days spent in cold caves, running with outlaws, going hungry, and being treated like nothing more than a servant. No, those memories were fading. Everyone in town now knew about her past. After the auction at George’s place and her kidnapping by the outlaw, the truth had come out, and Sam was right. No one blamed her for her father’s own choices.

As for Thomas, he was still in jail and would probably spend the rest of his life there. He was imprisoned in Missouri, where most of his crimes had occurred. About a year ago, just after she learned she was carrying a child, she had received a letter from him. In it, his handwriting, that of a child’s, and the spelling atrocious, he nevertheless apologized for nearly ruining her life, for her kidnapping, and for so many of his other sins and guilt he carried in his heart. He had written that a preacher had led him to God, and though he knew he would likely never see freedom again in his lifetime, he tried to help others in prison. At the close of his letter, he had asked if she would mind him sending her a letter once in a while.

After careful consideration, she had written him back, telling him that he could, and that she had forgiven him his sins against her as a good Christian should. She would never forget her past, but she no longer felt bitterness or anger because her heart was now filled with nothing but love and joy. Sam had seen to that. She had found her place in life, and she made sure that she made the most of every day, never taking anything for granted, no matter how little.

“Mama, do you think I can have two pieces of cake after supper tonight?”

Olivia was pulled from her thoughts as she gazed at her daughter, amazed and how fast time was flying, and smiled. “You can, but don’t come complaining to me if you end up with an upset stomach.” It wasn’t like that hadn’t happened before.

Emma grinned. “Maybe I’ll stick with just one.”

“Good choice,” Sam said.

Conversation around the table continued, the babies being slowly, if messily, fed, their little hands occasionally banging on the table. Once, Meredith ended up slamming her hand into the bowl of oatmeal, making a splash that spattered Emma’s frock. She laughed as she wiped the baby’s hands off on her napkin.

“You’re very lucky I’m not dressed for the party yet, Meredith,” she gently scolded.

Olivia watched the gentle gesture, and again her heart warmed. She lifted her eyes to Sam. Sometimes they didn’t need words to communicate. A look in the eye, a hint of a grin, or the slightest shrug of the shoulder was sometimes all she needed to know what her husband was thinking.

The sound of a wagon and the clop of hooves entering the yard interrupted the wave of laughter from around the table. Olivia stood, waving Sam back down into his chair as she scooted from her chair, stepped out of the kitchen, and went to the front door. She called over her shoulder.

“It’s George and Mary!”

She stepped outside as George hopped down from the wagon, walked around the horses, and held up a hand for Mary. He carefully helped her down with his hands tucked under her arms as he lowered her the last foot or so until her feet ever so gently touched the ground. As she came around the horses toward the front porch, Olivia stepped down to welcome her dear friend. Her friend held out one hand toward her, the other resting gently on her rounded stomach.

“Good to see you, Mary, how have you been feeling?”

Mary laughed. “Big and ungainly!”

“Not at all,” George said, reaching her side and draping a hand gently over her shoulder, his hand resting on Mary’s stomach as well, his eyes caressing her face. “She’s never looked so beautiful.”

Olivia couldn’t be happier at the good fortune that her dear friends had experienced in the past couple of years. Their ranch was thriving, he and Sam were talking about merging their herds for a cattle drive the next spring, and soon, her own babies would have a playmate.

Moments later, Sam came outside, carrying one of the twins. Emma followed, carrying the other, some bits of oatmeal still smearing the baby’s cheeks. Mary laughed softly and glanced up at her husband. “What are we going to do if we have twins?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” he replied, grinning while Mabel emerged from the house as well, wiping her hands on her apron. “Maybe we’ll just steal Mabel away and have her come live with us!”

Sam laughed. “Not on your life. She’s an invaluable member of our family, and I will never, ever, part with her.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Unless you want to leave, Mabel, you know that, right?”

“I do know that, Sam, and no, I don’t want to leave. This is my home now.”

Mabel still lived in the cottage behind the house. Just before the babies were born, Sam, George, and a number of men from the church congregation had helped him build an extra room onto the house. Maybe someday, they would have to build another, but for now, Olivia was more than content.

“Why don’t you give me a hand with the stuff I brought in my wagon, Sam, and we’ll leave the women to their visiting for a little while until they have to get everything set up for the party.”

“Sounds good to me,” Sam said. Just before he turned to follow his friend, he paused by Olivia’s side, placed a hand gently on her shoulder, and bent down to kiss her.

“I love you, you know,” he said.

“And I love you, too, Sam. Forever and always.”

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OFFER: A BRAND NEW SERIES AND 2 FREEBIES FOR YOU!

Grab my new series, " Faith and Love on the Frontier", and get 2 FREE novels as a gift! Have a look here!

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