by B C Yancey
Kitty shook her head but stayed silent. Not knowing if that was a 'yes' or 'no' to her question, she waited.
Lillian swallowed the lump of emotion in her throat and kissed Kitty's cheek, "I'd love to be your Mama, sweet girl."
The smile that beamed from Paul and Kitty at her words nearly made Lillian break down in tears. She hugged Kitty tightly to her chest, silently thanking Maggie for having such beautiful, wonderful children that she could now raise and love on.
Maybe one day she would be able to tell them the truth, that she and their mother had been as close as sisters when they were little, and that they genuinely were family in every way.
Gazing with adoration at Lillian, Sawyer's heart swelled near to bursting. Lillian was so sweet and kind and utterly wonderful, even after the less than ideal life she had lived before they found her.
He'd seen the insecurity in her eyes when she'd thought he hadn't been watching. After what she'd revealed last night about her previous marriage, he understood just how deeply her imbecilic husband had wounded her.
If he ever met Richard on the other side of the pearly gates, he would promptly introduce the idiot to his fist. Sawyer thumbed away a tear from his eye, and asked, "Do I get a hug and kiss, honey bear? I'm feeling lonely over here."
Kitty giggled and climbed over Lily, wrapping her arms snuggly around Sawyer's neck as she kissed his cheek loudly and sighed, "I got a new Mama, Papa!"
Sawyer smiled at Lillian as he hugged Kitty. "You sure did, sweetie."
"Would you mind if I called you Mama too?" Paul asked shyly, shuffling his feet as he stood by the bed. "I knew our Mama longer than Kitty, and I still miss her," he rushed to explain, "but since I've got a new Papa now, and you married him-" he shrugged.
His heart hammered in anxiety. He hoped they couldn't tell he was using Kitty as a cover of his own need to be able to claim them.
Lillian wiped the tears from her cheeks, smiling happily at Paul, "Of course you can." She pulled him into her arms. "I'm so happy you asked." Placing a kiss to his forehead, she brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes. "This has been one of the best moments of my life, because of you two."
Chapter Fifteen
"He won't shoot me, will he?" Freddie teased, helping Charlie down from their wagon after pulling in front of the house.
She was a fiery slender woman. Her flaming red hair gave fair warning to surrender to her quick temper when she had her mind set to getting something she wanted.
The top of her head reached his chin while they stood there with his hands still grasping her trim waist. Her blue eyes saucily sparkled up at him, causing his heart to trip happily in his chest.
Charlie ran a hand through his curly dark brown hair and sighed, "He might. You can never tell with Sawyer lately," She smiled and kissed him, "but I'll protect you if you're so scared about it." He was so handsome, this husband of hers.
He made her knees go weak and turned her brain to mush. To get him to stop acting like a sissy and propose to her, she'd about had to bean him over the head with a frying pan so that he'd admit he loved her.
Freddie had been in her heart since before she could even remember; in fact, she couldn't remember what it was like without him in it. But she'd been prepared to give it a try if he didn't come to his senses and confess he wanted to marry her.
Having told Sawyer that there was some unfinished business she needed to attend to in California, she'd left. He had no idea who she knew in California other than Freddie, let alone what type of 'business' finished or otherwise she'd be attending there.
They'd all grown up together; Freddie and Sawyer had nearly been inseparable, and she'd happily tagged along.
She'd thought they'd always be together until Freddie decided to go to California to try to make his fortune, which she had to give him credit for because he'd done an admirable job at attaining it.
When his parents had died suddenly two years ago, Freddie came home to bury them and informed them he was thinking of selling their land now that there was no reason to return to the area.
Charlie had run into him in town one day before the funeral and had nearly fainted on the spot. Goodness, the years had been kind since he'd been away, and success certainly suited him.
His brown eyes had met hers from across the muddy street as she'd exited the general mercantile, and she'd known he'd completely ruined her heart for any other man.
Before he'd headed back to California, she persuaded him to have dinner with them; she'd even made his favorite cherry pie for dessert. Later that evening, Sawyer had made some cock-eyed excuse and abruptly left the two alone.
Freddie hadn't wasted any time and quickly seized her in a passionate embrace as he kissed her soundly.
However, when she learned he'd left before dawn the following morning, surprise had been one of many emotions bombarding her. Desolation, anger, and hurt swiftly joined in and carried her through the first few weeks after he'd left. Until she'd discovered he hadn't sold his parents property.
That was the moment hope bloomed within her heart, but she wasn't satisfied until she'd written a letter and thoroughly chastised him for his poor treatment of her.
After all, what kind of feeble-minded, half-baked, ninnyhammer was he? What was a girl to think, kissing her in such a fashion and then leaving so abruptly? Especially when they'd grown up together, and he knew very well just who he was dealing with?
It only took two years and a bucket full of love letters for her to realize she'd have to drag his miserable hide to the altar. Clearly, he was more dimwitted than she'd thought.
But he was her dimwit, and all that remained was to convince him he'd never be happier with any other woman.
Pulling her snugly against him, Freddie growled, "I have half a mind to take you back into town and postpone this visit for a few more weeks."
"You do, do you?" she grinned.
He nodded and pressed an eager kiss to her waiting mouth.
How he loved this woman! It was too bad they'd already made the trip over to visit Sawyer, instead of waiting as he'd tried to persuade Charlie to do. He could kiss her all day long and still never tire of her.
He'd run scared after that first kiss they'd shared a couple of years ago. He should have known that giving in to the desire to press his lips to hers as he'd always wanted to do, would get him in trouble.
Leaving had been the only thing he could think of, the need to get as far away from her as he could. However, he'd thought of nothing and no one except Charlie since riding away that night after dinner.
He'd hoped all it would take would be distance and he could go back to doing what he'd found he had a gift for with his job at the railroad. He wanted to forget the all the tangled and delicious emotions she'd stirred up like a twister in his gut.
It was laughable now that he thought about it. How completely wrong he'd been to leave. Fear, he'd later come to realize, had a way of making people do irrational things, whether it was in action or words.
Going back to California had been one of the worst things he could have done. The distance he'd put between them instantaneously made sleeping, eating, even breathing become nothing but fond memories of past activities he'd once enjoyed.
When Charlie's first letter arrived a month after he left, he'd taken every harsh word she'd written, several of which had questioned his sanity and masculinity, and shouted for joy. He then decided to make a game of it and make her as miserable as he had unknowingly made himself.
Charlie liked thinking she was in charge. Therefore, Freddie would allow her to continue to believe she was dictating the whole exchange. He'd lead her along while he got everything in place to leave California for good and prepared to marry her.
However, it took longer than he'd thought it would. Due to contractual obligations with the company, the whole situation drew out longer than he wanted, which made him even more irritable, now that his goal to return to the woman he loved remained out of reach.
Needless to say, Charlie had shocked him by showing up unexpectedly, declaring him 'a complete and utter imbecile lacking in common sense bestowed upon an ant.' Even though his ears rang from her rant, Freddie couldn't stop from grinning like an idiot.
Immediately after her thunderous rebuke, Charlie pulled his mouth to hers and kissed him so soundly he found himself dragging her smiling and happy to the preacher two hours later.
Freddie was shocked out of his pleasant reverie when Sawyer shouted, "GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY SISTER."
Obeying the threatening demand, Freddie raised his hands away from his wife's body and met Sawyers gaze where he stood on the front porch, leveling his rifle at him.
Charlie refused to relinquish her hold around Freddie's neck, glaring at her brother as she snapped, "I'm not finished kissin' him yet! So, you put that gun away, you angry old bear! What type of birdbrain are you anyway? Waving that gun around! Now, go back inside. We'll be in shortly!"
Sawyer lowered the barrel of the rifle to the ground. "It's not even loaded!" he grumbled, "You always were mouthy, Charlie! Good to see you again, Freddie," he turned around, grinning, and strode back inside the house to wait for his older sister.
"I told you I'd protect you, darlin," she giggled, tugging his mouth back to hers.
"My hero," Freddie murmured with a grin before he delivered a demanding kiss to her lips.
Several moments' later, Charlie and Freddie entered the home, their cheeks flushed, with broad grins splitting their faces.
"Hello!" Charlie exclaimed, "We made it at last! My goodness wasn't that the worst storm we've seen in ages? Why we worried we'd have to spend the rest of the winter at the hotel in town!" she gushed, hugging Sawyer.
Giving the couple a knowing look, he teased, "From what I saw outside just a few minutes ago, that would have been a complete tragedy."
Grinning widely, Freddie stepped forward and grasped Sawyer's hand in a tight handshake, "Nice to see you again, Sawyer, it's been a while."
"Yes, it has," Sawyer agreed, "I'm assuming you're the unfinished business my sister wrote me about?"
"Yep," Freddie chuckled, "I finally gave up the fight and married her." He leaned in close and murmured, "What she doesn't realize is she played right into the little trap I set all those years ago, back when I dipped her braids in the inkwell in school."
Sawyer gave him a knowing look, "More likely, she got tired of waitin' for you to come to your senses and ask her, and decided to do the asking herself." He grinned, "What'd she do? Hold you at gunpoint till you admitted you loved her?"
"Just about," Freddie beamed, gazing at her across the room.
"This is Lillian, my wife," Sawyer announced, stepping towards the women.
Charlie turned to her brother in shock, a sly smile creeping across her pretty face as she purred, "Why Sawyer Weston if that don't beat all! Freddie, did you hear that? Sawyer went and found himself a woman! Oh, goodness, and she's a pretty one too."
Charlie stood two inches shorter than Lillian as she took her by the hand and introduced herself, "I'm Charlotte, Sawyer's older, much wiser sister. You can call me Charlie if you'd like; it's actually what I prefer. Charlotte can be such a mouthful sometimes; don't you think so?"
She pulled Lillian to her and wrapped her arms around her in a hug, "Oh, we're going to be such good friends, I can just feel it!"
Lillian stood in shocked surprise as the bubbly woman clasped her in a tight embrace. "I'm glad to meet you." Once Charlie released her, Lillian smiled awkwardly and gave Sawyer a beseeching look.
Freddie choked on his laughter behind them as Charlie teased, "Where'd you find her, Sawyer, and what'd you have to promise her to make her want to settle down with an old man like you?"
"All I had to do was kiss her, and she didn't want any other old dog but me, isn't that right darlin'?" he squeezed Lillian's hand and grinned.
Lillian nodded, trying to return his smile and ignore the sudden, overwhelming desire to lock herself in her room. She'd been enjoying the peaceful happiness they'd been having, just the four of them as they'd sat in the front parlor and teased and laughed with one another.
She wasn't ready for company to intrude on her new life just yet, even if the company was family.
"When did you two get married?" Charlie asked expectantly, glancing from Sawyer to Lillian.
Paul puffed his chest out in importance and said, "Yesterday! And I walked her down the aisle, Charlie."
"Did you now? She said as she turned to him. At his nod, she took him into her arms and hugged him close, "Why that's one of the most important jobs in the wedding, Paulie! My goodness, how you've grown up..." Charlie kissed his cheek affectionately.
She'd known these two kids since they were born, had even managed to sneak candy to them on occasion with the provisions Sawyer would give them. She was glad to see them but waited to find out just what they were doing here with her brother and his new wife. Sawyer had quite a bit of explaining to do.
"And I helped!" Kitty chirped.
"Well, goodness gracious, that is something special, now isn't it Kitty? I wish I'd been there to see it," she hugged the little girl.
"When did you get back to town?" Sawyer asked.
Charlie stood and turned back to Sawyer, "We got into town late last night. The roads were so bad we broke an axle thirty miles from here and then had horse troubles. But we finally limped into town, and now we're here at last, obviously!"
"What's your plan now, Freddie?" Sawyer asked, wrapping his arm around Lillian's waist and hugging her close, "You setting up at your folks' old place?"
Freddie nodded, "Having the roof repaired. It caved in under the snow last winter, and I didn't have a chance to see the damage till now, but we're planning on making it ours."
"You staying at the hotel then, or do you want your old room back, Charlie? I'm sure the two of you would be mighty comfortable sharing that squeaky old bed of yours," Sawyer teased, waggling his brows at her.
Charlie took Freddie's hand into her own and scolded, "Sawyer Weston, you best get that look off your face before I wipe it off myself! You may be bigger than me now, but I will paddle your behind if I need to."
Freddie grinned at Sawyer and winked, "We've got a room at the hotel till we get the house fixed, but thank you for your concern."
"You're at least staying for super aren't ya?" Sawyer laughed, dodging his sister's weak punch to his arm, "You heard him, Charlie. I'm only concerned for your wellbein'!"
She turned to Lillian, "I don't know what he said to make you agree to marry him-"
"I won her over with my amazing good looks and charm," Sawyer interrupted Charlie and chuckled. Kissing Lillian's cheek, he smiled tenderly, "I'm irresistible to ya, aren't I, darlin?"
Lillian smiled back at him before looking at Charlie and saying honestly, "I think he's wonderful!"
chapter sixteen
Three weeks later, Sawyer sat next to Lillian at the kitchen table. Afternoon sunshine streamed into the room, casting a cheery glow. Doc had come over to look at Lillian's arm, and after a thorough inspection, happily declared her arm healed.
"How does it feel?" Doc asked, watching as Lillian moved her arm freely for the first time in almost two months.
She smiled, scratching carefully where the splints and bandages had been. "I've been dying to scratch this itch for so long," she laughed, "it feels wonderful."
Sawyer grinned, sitting beside her at the table and leaned in to whisper, "I know how that feels."
Lillian blushed, shaking her head as she laughed softly, "Sawyer...honestly."
"Get your mind out of the barn, missy," he kissed her jaw, "I was referring to something altogether different." He winked at her.
"I'm sure you were," she murmured, wishing they were alone.
"Keep giving me that look, and I'm gonna lock you up in our room," he growled huskily.
Doc clucked his tongue and quickly packed up his bag.
Not
icing Doc watching them with a disapproving scowl, Sawyer stood. "I've gotta check something out in the barn; I'll be back in a bit." He gave a pointed look to Lillian that had her blushing redder than a radish before he swaggered over to grab his coat and open the door.
"Sawyer! I almost forgot I've something for you to see." Doc nodded to Lillian, then hurried and grabbed his coat and hat in one arm, his bag in the other, and followed Sawyer out the door.
Lillian chuckled when Sawyer groaned under his breath at having to converse further with Doc.
Deciding to go up to check on the children while Doc talked with Sawyer, Lillian stared amazed when she compared the differences in her arms as she went upstairs, "Paul, Kitty, come look!"
"Lily! Can I see you for a moment?" Sawyer called from the kitchen, gripping the paper Doc had brought to show him in a tight fist. He would stay calm; he reminded himself. He would not jump to conclusions. “LILY," he hollered again.
"I'm coming, Mr. Impatient," she laughed as she came down the stairs, "what is it that has you hollering so?"
Doc had finally left thirty minutes ago, after showing him the paper he now held in his hand and thoroughly upsetting his blissful new world. If he didn't know any better, he'd think Doc had done it on purpose. It took Sawyer nearly the entire time since Doc left for his mind to accept what he stared at. He'd wanted to shove the paper in Doc's gloating face and force the man from his property before he punched him in the throat.
Instead, Sawyer pretended that he'd already known—that Lillian had already told him what the paper said in bold words.
He'd watched the disappointment spread over Doc's face as he'd burst his meddling bubble with his lie, thanked him for fixing Lillian's arm and for helping him with his hand, and then watched the older man climb into his sleigh and leave.
Sawyer had waited until Doc was out of view before heading to the barn. Anger and hurt swelled within, but he refused to jump to conclusions where Lillian was concerned. He'd give her the benefit of the doubt and try to keep a level head about him.
