by Jolene Faye
~*~ ~*~
"Let me talk to her first, I'll get all this mess straightened out," his old voice was strong and sure as he stepped up onto the board walkway in front of the law office. "No Jed," Cole commanded as he wrapped his fingers around the feisty old man's arm and pulled him back. "I need to talk to her myself. If I had told her of my plans in the first place, none of this would be happening," he sighed heavily as he stepped up to the door. As the two stood there gathering their wits, the old man cleared his throat, "Robert is my son and I love him, but he has to know this is wrong. I'll talk to him while you talk to Honeybee." With a decided nod, Cole opened the door to the law office and stepped inside. Narrowing his eyes against the changing of the light, Cole huffed loudly as a solid force slammed into his side forcing him back against a couple of hardwood chairs before thudding into the wall. "You," a loud deep voice rung in Cole's ears as he struggled for breath, looking up recognizing Robert's face just as his fist connected solidly with Cole's cheek. "Will NOT," came the sharp tone again as a hard thud of knuckles vibrated Cole's ribs. "Take Rose from Sybil," the scream punctuated with another blow of fist landing in Cole's stomach. "Holy Hell Robert, stop that! Shut up and stop that," the excited voice of the old man echoed in the law office as Cole inhaled and exhaled deeply trying to get his lungs to work again. The deep drawn breaths seemed to take hours to refill his lungs as he watched Robert stand and back way slowly with Jed pulling on his arms. Reaching out and pulling on the closest upright chair, Cole heaved himself from the corner of the room staggering slightly as he stood and readied himself for another attack. Both men stood for long minutes, breathing heavily and staring each other down. Jed pushed Robert behind the reception desk in the small law office and fussed quietly as Cole's head rang with the words. Taking a slow step forward into the heated hate filled gaze, Cole approached Robert slowly. "I would never take Rose from Sybil," his hoarse pain filled gasps of breath whispered out. Confusion clouded Robert as he stood heaving, staring at Cole. As he retained his composure, Robert sighed, "Then why the hell did you sneak off and have her paternity legalized?" Cole crossed the room to the front of the desk and rubbed his reddened cheek as he narrowed his eyes at Robert. Leaning over the desk, Cole lingered for minutes before opening his mouth, "Because I want to marry Sybil. I want to raise Rose together with her as a family," his drawn whispered words ending as Robert leaned forward. Swinging out wide Cole punched Robert's face over the top of the desk and snorted as the lawyer slumped to the floor. "Damn it! Would you two stop it," the old man shrieked as she stepped around the desk and bent down to help Robert up. Deep hoarse laughter filled the room as Jed helped Robert to his feet. Holding his fingers over the blood gushing from his nose, Robert chuckled as he righted himself and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. "So, you do love her," he laughed pressing the stark white handkerchief to his nose. "That's good, because she loves you too," Robert shook his head as he looked at the blood-soaked rag and motioned for Cole to sit down.
"Are you sure you and the girls don't want any peach cobbler Sybil," Mabel Jenkins called from the kitchen. An elderly widowed woman, she'd arrived in town last winter and quickly made her way into the heart of the townsfolk. "No thank you Mabel. It's a bit too early to fill these girls with all that sweetness," she laughed as the elder lady joined them at their table. "Uncle Eagle," Elizabeth hollered as she took her last bite of pancake and stood dancing in her chair. Sybil smiled as she turned and watched one of her dearest friends walk into the hotel's dining room. Standing to give him a hug, Sybil offered the Indian a seat. "No thank you. I just came to bring Elizabeth home. My sister and Daniel are back and want to see her," his soft deep voice half whispered. "Aw, well, ok. I'll go get her bag for you then," Sybil started slowly as she set her coffee cup back on the table. "No need, I got it," he assured her as he picked up his niece and turned toward the door. Sybil watched as he walked away with the child and stopped short of the door. She wrinkled her forehead as she watched a smile stretch over his lips before he stepped through the door. She didn't think she'd ever seen White Eagle smile. Shrugging her shoulders, Sybil sat back down and turned to Rose. "Finish your pancakes sweetheart. Uncle Robert should be here soon, then we are going to get you a new dress," she smiled and ran her fingers softly through her daughter's long coal black curls. Mabel fussed and played with the little girl as she snuck a few pieces of smothered peaches onto the child's plate. Dipping the pancake piece into the thick syrup of the peaches, Mable lifted the fork to Rose's lips and smiled. "Don't spoil her," Sybil laughed as she sipped from her coffee cup. "There's my Honeybee and my little Texas Rose," the softness of his voice rang out from over her shoulder. Sybil stood turning, quickly wrapping him in a hug as her voice squealed, "Jed! You're home!" The softness in his laughter filled her heart. "Well Honeybee, I was home but when you weren't I had to come find my girls," he chuckled as he pinched Rose's nose playfully. "Yea," she muttered lowly, "about that. We-." "Yes, yes, I know all about it now," he interrupted as Mabel delivered his cup of coffee. "Robert wanted to see you by the way. I'll sit with our little Texas Rose while you go see what he wants," he dismissed her with a wave of his hand as he sat in her chair, forked a piece of Rose's pancake and held it to her lips. Sybil sighed and shook her head as she leaned down and kissed the old man's cheek. She knew he'd be upset with her for leaving the farm without talking to him first, but his weird, non-concerned tone was something she'd never expected. Jed had always wanted her and Robert to marry, but after their talk this morning, Sybil wondered if it were the right time to tell Jed of their decision.
Sybil breathed deeply as she stepped out of the hotel dining room and pulled her shawl tightly around her shoulders. Shivering once at the coolness of the early winter air, she combed her fingers through her hair and looked down the road to the law office. She didn't think she could keep living in town, but Robert had been right. If she stayed through the winter, she'd be closer to the doctor and to him if something were to happen to Rose, herself or the baby. The short walk down the street was filled with fleeting thoughts. She thought the animals would be taken care of by the Kiowa, but now that Jed was home again, she knew they would be fine. Rose had gotten sick both the past winters and while it wasn't anything horrible, it did settle her mind that the doctor would only be three doors away. The baby, her mind tumbled over thoughts of her pregnancy. While she wasn't due until early spring, the thoughts of anything going wrong helped Robert's plea for her to stay in town with him. She was only four months along but she would also be turning thirty-two in three weeks, a fact that seemed to cause worry when she'd visited the doctor two days ago. Sybil exhaled slowly as she turned the handle to the law office door and stepped inside. "Hey sweetheart, how was breakfast," his gentle voice greeted her as she blinked adjusting her eyes to the difference in light. "It was good. I thought you were going to join us though," she said as Robert stepped behind her and pulled the shawl from her shoulders. "I was going to," he assured her as he guided her to the upholstered chair in front of the desk, "but something came up. I've learned some news." Sybil searched his face as he knelt beside her. The strange look gave her breathing a hitch. The conversation they had this morning had eased her mind so much, but now this look she could not give a name to, began to worry her. "Robert, what news," she half whispered as he held her hand tight, resting them in her lap as he smiled up to her. "News that no matter what kind of legal documents he might have," he paused and shifted his weight to his other foot," Cole will not take Rose from you." Tears flooded the darkness of her brown eyes as she bit down on her lip, "Really, he can't take Rose away from me?" Robert pressed his thumb against her cheek catching the tears that escaped over her lashes as he smiled softly. "Oh I didn't say he couldn't," he paused as he stood up and let her fingers slide from his hands. "Robert, I don't understand," her voice trembled with the threat of more tears as she stood up with him.
The low creak of his office door pulled her attention away from Robert
as the stream of tears trickled over her cheeks. Sybil pressed her fingers to her lips, her eyes widened, and her breath caught in her chest as she watched him step around the door. "I would never take Rose away from you Sybil," his voice started low as he walked toward her. "Cole," the tear soaked whisper escaped her lips as she watched him lower in front of her to one knee. "I would never take her away from you because I love you and I want you to marry me Sybil Delacroix. Please, will you marry me," the shimmer of his own tears flashed in the deep green seas of his eyes as he reached for her hand and held his breath. "I.. I don't understand," she muttered as she looked back and forth between Robert and Cole. She'd dreamed of him like this so many times, wished with all her heart that someday he would ask her to marry him. "What about the papers? Cole, why did you leave and what about the paternal ruling papers," she barely managed to whisper as her knees began to shake. Watching the color drain from her face and feeling the trembling of her body through her hands, Cole stood and guided her back into the upholstered seat. Pressing his forehead to her knees as he knelt in front of her, Cole exhaled deeply. "I don't know what I was thinking Sybil. I thought if I could prove I was Rose's father that you might marry me. I'd planned to ask you that afternoon on the riverbank, before we ma..," he stopped and glanced up at Robert, swallowing the words quickly before continuing. "I told you how much I loved you but when you didn't say anything in return, then brought me to the burrow-," his voice trailed as he swallowed hard against the tears threatening to drain every ounce of his will from him. With a deep sigh, Cole raised his eyes to hers again, "I'd thought I'd lost her after a year. When I found her and found you, I knew we were meant to be together. I just didn't know if you had felt the same way." Sybil sat motionless as Robert's hand pressed against her shoulder. "I think I better leave you two alone," he whispered as he sniffled and pressed a kiss against the top of her head. She turned at the rush of chilled air as he opened the door and stepped outside. Her heart pounded against her chest as the trickle of tears turned into a river. Wringing her hands inside the warmth of Cole's grip, Sybil wet her lips with a soft pass of her tongue and whispered, "Yes."
Cole's eyes blazed with surprise and confusion as he stared up at her trembling lips. His voice cracked as he whispered, "what?" Sybil sniffled back against the tears and curled her lips into a soft smile. Lifting her hand to his cheek, she brushed lightly over his skin pushing her fingers into the softness of his coal black curls. "Yes, I'll marry you," she smiled again as she scooted forward in the chair, "I have loved you since the moment I found you on my doorstep Cole Marshal. I took you to the burrow to tell you about Rose, tell you how much I loved you, and my hopes that one day you would want to be her father." As quickly as he had caught her so many times before in the strength, protection and love of his arms, Cole leaned forward, pulling her tight against him and lowered his mouth to hers. Pressing soft kisses to her lips, Cole laughed and lifted her from the chair as he pulled her into a long, slow passionate kiss. "Cole," she muttered in a whisper as his lips left hers and he squeezed his arms tighter around her waist, "you have to be careful." Setting her back to her feet slowly, Cole lightened the grip of his arms and held her out away from his chest. "I.. I," he stuttered as he looked her up and down slowly, "I didn't hurt you did I my love?" Sybil pressed her hands against his chest and sighed. Wiping her fingers over her cheeks to push away the tears she laughed softly as she untangled his arms and took his hand. "No," she started as she moved his hand around her waist and held it tight over her stomach, "but you don't want to squash your child do you?"
