A Bond Of Scarred Hearts – Extended Epilogue

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A year had passed since Bella and Pace married in the back courtyard of her father’s ranch. She was now helping Jenny prepare for her wedding, which was taking place at – of all places – Big Mike’s ranch. 

The place had become familiar to both Jenny and Bella over the past year because of his courtship with her mother. It was likely if Jenny threw her bouquet at the single ladies in the crowd, her mother Maxine just might catch it, signifying she would be the next one to marry. They were currently in one of the upper rooms, and Bella was pulling her best friend’s hair back in a braid. 

“I cannot believe how much things have changed in the last year,” Bella said. “Here we are, Pace and I, getting ready to celebrate our first wedding anniversary, and you are getting married. The new sheriff is a lucky man, Jenny. He better know that.”

“I’ll tell you something, dearie,” Jenny said enthusiastically. “He knows it. You want to know how I know he knows?”

Bella laughed. “Yes. I want to know how you know he knows.”

“Because I remind him all the time!”

Jenny joined Bella in laughter.

“Did you two plan to get married so close to our first anniversary? I’m surprised you didn’t get married on the same day as us.”

Jenny looked at Bella in the reflection of the mirror she was sitting in. Bella returned her gaze.

“I’ll be completely honest with you, Bella. I asked if we could have it either a week or two before or after. I wanted to give you your special day and have one of our own but have it close enough we can celebrate together, too.”

“How nice,” Bella said. “I should have known you’d be that thoughtful.”

“And how has it been for you? Tell me, Bella, are you truly and honestly happy?”

Bella grinned at her friend. “I can tell you I really am,” she said, nodding. She tied off the braid with a pretty ribbon and stepped back. “Done. Sheriff Johnson is going to love the way you look. You are beautiful!” 

Jenny stood up, looking down at herself. She crossed the room to a large mirror that showed her entire reflection. She turned this way and that, scanning the long dress. “This is really so… so pretty, Bella. Thank you for making it for me.”

“It was my pleasure. So much beauty packed into a very small package. He’s going to lose his wits.”

Jenny laughed again, catching Bella’s eye in the reflection of the mirror.

A tap at the door made both young women turn their heads. Bella had no idea who it might be. It could be anyone, really. As long as it wasn’t the groom. It was bad luck to see the bride in her wedding dress before the ceremony. Bella wasn’t taking any chances.

“Who is it?” she called out. 

“It’s me. Much obliged if ya’d let me in.”

They heard Pace’s voice, and Bella jogged to the door, pulling it open and stepping back so Pace could enter. He leaned to her and touched his lips on hers before crossing to hand a large bouquet of flowers to the new bride.

“These are for you to carry, Jenny. Maureen and your mother got together in the woods behind our house and picked them for you. They’ve been in her care ever since for the last twelve hours at least. There are no bugs on them to speak of.”

“Thank you, Pace!” Jenny said enthusiastically, taking the flowers from him and gazing at them in awe. “They are so pretty! Thank you.”

He shook his head. “Like I said, that was all Maxine and Maureen.”

“Thank them for me, then.”

“Better yet, thank them yourself at the reception. They will be there, of course.”

“I will, I will!” Jenny gazed at herself in the full-length mirror again, holding the flowers in front of her the way she would when she went down the aisle. “Is this right?” she asked, her voice a little worried and nervous. 

Bella and Pace glanced at each other with amused looks. “There is no right way or wrong way,” Bella replied. “Hold it, however, makes you comfortable. No one is going to look at you and judge you harshly. You look far too beautiful for such things.”

Jenny tilted her head to the side and swept her dress around the way she would when she was dancing with her new husband. “You are so sweet to me,” she said in a sing-song voice.

Pace grabbed Bella by the arm and gestured with his head. “It’s almost time. You want to go for a quick walk with me and talk?”

“Of course, Pace.” Bella knew he was actually asking her to go around the property with him and make sure everyone was happy and where they needed to be. The pastor was sitting in the front row of the chairs that had been set up in Big Mike’s back yard. The altar was in front of the grouping of chairs, which stretched back ten rows. There were a lot of guests expected for the wedding, as Maxine and Jenny were well-known in Hoofprint Gulch. It wasn’t often a woman, and her daughter ran a saloon, so they’d made a name for themselves. They were respectable and responsible, well-liked by the people in their little town.

In the last year, Pace and Mike had become good friends. Bella still remembered the first time Pace came back after going hunting with the older man. He was full of energy, speaking faster than Bella had ever heard him, his face glowing with excitement. Bella liked seeing him that way. She encouraged their friendship every chance she got. 

Pace had told her on that day he couldn’t ever remember really having any friends. He’d taken on all the responsibilities for his mother after the death of his father, foregoing all childish things to become a man. So now he had a good friend. It felt so different. But so nice.

Bella’s heart warmed as she remembered his words. The two left the room, noting when Maxine came rushing in behind them. Before the door slammed shut, Bella and Pace heard Maxine exclaim how beautiful her daughter was and that all other brides were thus forth shamed. 

The remark made them both look at each other and laugh. 

The day was perfect for the wedding. Pace and Bella walked around the property, making small talk waiting for the wedding to start. Bella was a bit anxious for the reception, as she had not had much breakfast and was getting hungry.

Fortunately, the ceremony only lasted thirty minutes. Before she knew it, Bella was heading to the game room to play cards with the new couple. Jenny and Grady Johnson, the man she had married, played with them, as Bella had been her matron of honor and Pace was a good friend and respected doctor. 

A small child ran past Bella as she walked to the game room. She lifted her head and sniffed the air, smelling a roasting chicken, fresh biscuits, and a variety of other delicious scents. Her stomach growled, and she put one hand over it, blushing. Looking around, it appeared only Pace had heard, and he was giving her an amused smile.

Just as they entered the game room and looked to see Jenny and Grady were already at the table where they would play cards, Pace took her by the elbow and leaned to whisper in her ear.

Even after a year of marriage, his simple touch and the feeling of his breath on her skin gave her tingles. Love flooded her heart every single time. She hoped that feeling would never go away.

“I’m going to get you something to eat,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”

“Thank you, my love,” she said softly as he retreated from the room. 

Bella went to the table where her friends were sitting. Grady jumped up when she approached and went around the table to pull out her chair. She smiled at him as she sat down, and he scooted it closer to the table.

“Thank you, Grady. Pace would have done that, but he’s gone to get something for me to snack on. I’m so terribly hungry. I don’t know why I skipped breakfast this morning. I should never do that.”

Jenny pulled her eyebrows together. “Yes, that’s right. Why would you do that?”

“I really thought that….” Bella moved her eyes to Grady’s face. His eyebrows shot up, and she continued, regardless of what the man might think of her words. “I thought I was going to be sick if I ate something. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to mention things like that on a special day like today. Especially not to you two.”

Jenny laughed, bringing some solace to Bella’s heart. “Don’t be silly, my dear. We are happy you came, and if you’re hungry, you must eat. Do you think there’s a reason why you thought you might be sick?”

Bella could only smile. She hadn’t been to see the doctor and could not confirm if she was going to have a child. She hadn’t mentioned it to anyone. Not even Pace.

Jenny grinned. “So it’s a possibility then?”

Bella shrugged.

Jenny clapped her hands together and squealed softly. “Oh my, oh my! What wonderful news!”

“You keep quiet now, dear,” Grady said, admonishing his new wife in the gentlest of tones. Bella already liked him, as he was efficient at maintaining law and order and demanded respect from the citizens. His soft touch with Jenny just endeared him more to Bella. “You don’t want to be the one making that announcement to everyone, do you? Steal your friend’s thunder?”

“I won’t do that,” Jenny said firmly. “I promise I’ll keep your secret, Bella.”

Bella had to laugh. It wasn’t really a secret because she hadn’t thought about it until that very morning. She hadn’t been getting nauseous often. It was more than normal, though. Whatever it was, it had only occurred three times in the last ten days, always in the morning. 

“You know what’s funny about the whole thing?” Jenny asked, a big grin on her face. “You have to see a doctor. Your husband hasn’t even noticed, has he? And he’s the doctor!”

The three of them laughed briefly. Bella wasn’t planning on getting Pace to diagnose her. Instead, she was going to see Ethel, who also worked as a midwife. She wanted Pace to be able to take part in the pregnancy – if that’s what was happening – as a father might, instead of a doctor. There was little doubt he would still approach the whole thing from a doctor’s point of view, though. She’d noticed since they married that he had a tendency to take a cold approach to health issues. He felt that assessing the situation and starting treatment was too important to let emotions override logic. 

Bella couldn’t help wondering how Pace would take this news. Talking about it made her want to find Ethel right that moment and see what tests could be done to make a diagnosis.

Jenny leaned toward her and whispered loudly in a dramatic way, “Have you noticed any other signs? You getting any bigger? Feeling different in there? I want to know what it’s like. I want to know what to expect.”

Bella grinned this time. “You better be by my side through this, Jenny. With Annie off at the girls’ academy, I’m going to need you.” She turned her eyes to Grady, saying, “Except for the next couple weeks to a month. You can have her until then, Grady. All to yourself if you need to. As long as you promise to return her to me after so I can lean on her through it.”

Grady laughed. “I don’t think I’ll have much of a choice. Jenny is the kind of woman who takes care of business. I won’t stand in her way. She does what she feels is important, and I’ll support her.” He gave her a friendly grin. “And you, if need be. Though I’m sure Pace will do everything just as he needs to. He will support you. I have no doubt of it.”

Bella saw Jenny’s eyes move to the door just behind Bella to her right. 

“Pace coming back?” she asked, turning at the same time to see her husband coming toward her with a large plate filled with different types of pastries and cookies. 

“We will have dinner in two hours,” Jenny said. “I know you’re hungry now, so go ahead and have your fill. I’m sure in two hours you will be hungry again.”

Pace had reached the table and set the plate of goodies down in the very middle. 

“Brought enough for everyone,” he said. “Enjoy.”

“Oh wonderful, thank you so much!” Jenny said emphatically, taking a pastry from the top of the pile.

The four of them were seated, their cards spread out amongst them, for the next hour. Bella knew she would have a good time with Jenny there. She didn’t expect the sheriff to turn out to be so compatible on a friendly level. By the time they were finished with their card games, Bella was confident Jenny had found the perfect match for her. 

Finally, it was dinner time, and Bella went with her companions to the dining hall. The large table had been pulled out, and the two extra leaves were added, so it was even longer. The dinner was only for some people in town, those who were closest to the newly married couple. 

Once all the festivities were over, Bella and Pace were ready to head home. Bella was exhausted and found herself leaning on her husband while they sat in the parlor for one last night cap. Pace had his arm around her. She was drifting off, but every now and then, Pace would laugh about something, and it would wake her up.

She didn’t mind. She enjoyed his laughter. She liked having his arm around her and his support of her in her tiredness.

It seemed like only moments had passed, and Bella woke to find herself in the passenger seat of the buggy, her body resting against her husband, who was driving the horses. He glanced down at her when she stirred. She sat up and stretched her arms above her head, yawning.

“Oh my. I’m so sorry, Pace. I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you. I’ve just been so tired.”

“I know,” Pace said gently. “It’s okay. I don’t mind. You had a good time, didn’t you?”

Bella nodded, relaxing against him again, this time with her arms folded around his arm and her head resting on his shoulder. “I did. I really did. Did you?”

He chuckled. “Yes. I had a good time.”

“I’m glad you’re finally getting out and meeting people. I mean really meeting people. On a friendly level, instead of just taking care of their health.”

Pace glanced at her again. It was late at night, and the only light came from the two lanterns on poles near the horses’ heads. She could only see him in shadow. Still, she was sure she recognized the light of love in his eyes. 

“Me too,” he replied simply.

They were quiet for a few minutes. Bella thought about what might be happening to her and pondered talking to Pace about it. She couldn’t decide whether it would be prudent to include him in on it now. She was still wondering.

But maybe he could give her an answer. She knew he could, but… did she want him to diagnose her? Or did she want to spring it on him as a surprise. 

She chewed on her bottom lip and made a quick decision. 

“I think… I think there’s something going on with me, Pace.” She was embarrassed that she didn’t know how to put it into words. She just didn’t feel right blurting it out.

True to fashion, Pace did it for her. “You think you are with child?” he asked.

Bella sat up straight, pushing off his shoulder. When he looked at her then, she could see his face better. 

“How… how did you know?” she asked.

He grinned wide. “Bella. I’m a doctor. I notice things. I notice a lot of things. Usually things people don’t notice themselves. You’ve gained a bit of weight. Your skin is looking extraordinarily healthy. You have been having trouble in the mornings. Surely you know I pay attention to you.”

Bella stammered her response. “But… you never… you didn’t say anything… how long have you been thinking this?”

“About a month. Has your cycle been interrupted?”

Bella flushed a deep red, so deep her face felt hot. “I… Yes.”

Pace turned to her, his body jostling gently against her when the buggy went over a patch of rough road. “Then I think we will be having a child in some months. Don’t you?”

Bella sucked in a deep breath. “You think so? Do you really think so?”

The smile on her husband’s face made love pump through her heart and body for him. 

“Yes, Bella. I feel certain of it.”

“Well… well, are you happy?” She honestly couldn’t tell. The smile on his face was big, but… maybe he was worried because he knew what giving birth entailed, or maybe he felt a year into their marriage wasn’t enough…

“Stop.” Pace sounded stern. She gazed at him, adoring the look in his eyes. “I can see your brain turning as you start to worry yourself. Don’t do that. I’m here for you, right here next to you, and I’m absolutely delighted you will be having my child. I love you, Bella, with all my heart. I know sometimes I might not say it outright or show it like I should. But I do. I always will. Don’t ever forget that.”

Bella’s heart was full. She sighed and leaned on her husband’s shoulder again, resting one hand on her soon-to-be enormous tummy. 

“I love you, too, Pace. And I love our little baby. So very much.” 

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