by Terri Marie
She instructed Daniel and Katherine to close their eyes and then led them out the front door. “Are you two ready?”
“Yes, but it’s chilly out here!” Daniel laughed. It really wasn’t too bitter and there wasn’t a wind. After being told to close their eyes again, she led them around the side of the house to the barn.
Rosie and Francesco were both holding back excitement. She walked them over to the fence.
“Okay, open your eyes!”
“Merry Christmas! The solid black horse is for you, Daniel. She's five years old and her name is Lola. Katherine, the one with the white star is yours. She's seven, and her name is Clementine. There are saddles in the barn and we've arranged for riding lessons for the both of you. I'll teach you how to take care of them."
“You guys got me a horse!” Daniel was absolutely elated.
"I've wanted a horse since I was a little girl!" Katherine was beside herself.
Daniel and Katherine hadn’t even noticed that they’d been standing outside for an hour in the cold.
“Can we ride them?” asked an excited Katherine.
Daniel, having never ridden a horse before, just stared.
“Kids, let’s get back inside. I’m old!” Francesco laughed and hugged them both as they headed back in the house.
They gathered around the Christmas tree, and just when Katherine was getting ready to give her gifts, she was stopped. Daniel looked at her beautiful face and gently lifted her chin with his hand. He kissed her softly on her forehead, then her lips.
“Katherine, I love you beyond words. I have no doubt in my mind that you’re the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. Your Uncle Andy was right when he said we shouldn’t waste time with the one we love. I know what it was like not to have you, and I never want to experience that again. The day you opened your heart up to me was the happiest day of my life.” Daniel stood up, smiled at Katherine, then got down on one knee. He pulled the box out of his pocket and opened it up. It was a beautiful three carat diamond with a special golden band, which Daniel had worked with the jeweler to design. It had two gold strands woven together that wrapped around the beautiful band, to represent each other. Daniel slid the ring on her finger. “Katherine, will you marry me?”
Katherine couldn’t speak for a moment. She just sobbed and didn’t even think about who was there. “Daniel, there is no one else for me. Yes, I would be honored to marry you!”
He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. He smiled at the ring’s perfect fit. Daniel wanted to wait and let her find the engraving on her own. The cheers from Rosie and Francesco made the moment a true celebration. After lots of hugs and kisses, she knew her turn had come.
“I’ll admit that there wasn’t any way I could afford to match any of the gifts you all have given to me. Daniel, this is for you.” She handed Daniel the wrapped box. Inside was a CD case with a picture of her standing in between Daisy and Patches.
Daniel’s breath caught in his throat. He read the title, smiled, and looked into her eyes. “Yes, Katherine, I will marry you.” He carefully opened up the case and, with a huge smile on his face, walked over to the sound system. He knew she had purchased him a collection of love songs and probably spent her last dime on the CD. He put the disc in and turned it on. He certainly didn't expect to hear Katherine’s sweet voice flow through the room. She sang for me. Daniel closed his eyes when they threatened to spill over with emotion. He slowly walked over to Katherine, held her close to him, and danced with her through the entire song. Francesco and Rosie, caught up in the beautiful moment, stood up to dance too.
“Do you like it?” Katherine whispered in Daniel’s ear.
“Besides you, this is the best gift I’ve ever received. You will have my heart forever, Katherine.”
When the song ended, she turned off the CD and then handed a package to Rosie and Francesco. She picked out two beautiful songs for them from Italy, and two from the south. All were love songs, as a tribute to them both. Then she pushed the button and in walked Carl. She handed him a package. He looked puzzled, as Francesco had celebrated Christmas with the staff two days ago. He opened it and saw the beautiful young lady on the front. The CD was titled “For All You Do,” and she sang three songs from Broadway productions that he’d mentioned he liked.
“Thank you so much, Miss Katherine.” Carl stood there with the biggest smile. Finally she gave him a kiss on the cheek and wished him Merry Christmas.
“Rosie, look at this!” Francesco turned the CD case to face her. “For My Family.”
“Katherine! You can call us that anytime!” Rosie chimed.
Francesco was speechless. His wide smile spoke a thousand words.
After breakfast was over, Daniel led Katherine up the stairs. “You sang for me.” He put his arms around her and held her close to him. He never would have believed, in a million years, that he'd be this loved and happy. This was the best Christmas of his life.
Andy had called in the afternoon to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and to thank Katherine for the beautiful songs. She’d made him a collection of Irish classics that he loved and express mailed it.
The bar was planning another large celebration with good food and friends. Andy thanked Francesco for all the specialties that were catered in from Nashville. They were getting ready to sit down in a few minutes. Everything looked and smelled delicious, he’d said. Andy informed Katherine and Francesco that he was feeling much better, and then proceeded to talk nonstop about Maryann, the new woman who just moved into town. She was a year younger than him and was ‘a real knockout.’
This made Katherine very happy. “Remember what you told me. Don’t waste time! Daniel and I are engaged and couldn’t be happier. Merry Christmas, Uncle Andy. I miss you.”
For the next week, Katherine couldn’t walk anywhere in the mansion without hearing herself sing. On New Year's, she approached Daniel with a business card.
“Do you know who this is?”
Daniel stared at the card. “Yes, he’s a big music producer.”
“He introduced himself to me at the studio. I didn’t know he was in there listening. He wants to sign me.”
“Are you serious?” Daniel’s eyes grew large.
“I don’t think I should do this though.”
“Katherine, you could be famous, love. Why wouldn’t you want to jump on this offer?”
“I can make you as many CD’s as you’d like. But I know what I want to do for the rest of my life.”
“You get to start school in the spring. It’ll be so exciting!”
“Daniel, you came to Tennessee because you needed to change some things. I too was running. I want to be a wife and I want to be a mom. I would love to design and sew a dress for our daughter. I would love to learn to make quilts with Rosie. Maybe later I would like to go back, but the reason I went to school in the first place was to get out of Prairie, and I knew it would make me more money than minimum wage. Everything that I ever believed in or didn't believe has changed. There's more to Katherine O'Brian than what I even knew existed. I just want to learn as much as I can about myself.”
“I'm perfectly content with any decision you make. I wouldn't complain one bit if you just wanted to stay home."
"You wouldn't mind if I didn't have a career or a job?"
"Katherine, just like Rosie, your money isn't any good here. All I want to do is spoil you and make you as happy as I can. You can take all the time you want to make decisions for yourself. When you're a mom, that'll be the most important and impressive job you'll ever have."
"I can take all the time that I want to set a date for the wedding?"
"No!" Daniel said playfully. "Your input means everything, of course, but I want to be married in the spring.”
“It’s my favorite time of year. Remember the first time you held me? It was in the meadow on the farm. You ran around and picked me flowers. I still have them in a scrap book."
“Katherine, would you
be willing to marry me in the meadow? You have no idea how many times I was drawn to that place because of you.”
“I would love that, Daniel. I only have one concern though. I know that you and your father know a lot of people, but I wouldn’t mind having a small, intimate ceremony.”
“Katherine, I look at you and wonder how did I get so lucky?” Daniel kissed her tenderly.
"You're okay with nothing fancy?"
"Katherine, the only guests we need are my father, Rosie, and your uncle."
Katherine took Daniel’s phone out of his pocket and opened the calendar. “How about April the fifteenth? That’s a Saturday, so maybe you won’t have to work.”
“Like I would put something in front of marrying you…”
Katherine sealed it with a kiss and even put a reminder on his phone. Daniel saw it and laughed.
Near the end of March, Francesco, Rosie, Daniel, and Katherine boarded the jet to fly to Prairie. Francesco was doing last minute confirmations with officials and finishing up the agenda. He and Andy were hosting the first public meeting to hear opinions, ideas, and concerns from the people in Prairie.
Rosie would be going to the farm for the first time since leaving. She didn’t know how she would handle it, but now she had a good reason to go back.
The first stop was the meadow. Katherine and Daniel walked around, each holding one of Rosie’s hands, until they found the perfect spot. They would be surrounded by the beautiful rolling hills, wildflowers, and clean air. Daniel had called the week prior and had the barn remnants removed. He didn’t want Rosie to see that.
Rosie stared at her house, but she had no desire to enter it. It felt foreign to her, tainted. The only time there was love under that roof was the first year of her marriage to Albert and for the entire duration that Daniel was with her. She let her eyes wander over to the land where the crops used to grow, and the worn path that her horses had walked. She tried to make herself feel numb, but the pain wouldn't completely escape her. It was another life, a wasted life. Rosie saw the house and land as her prison.
Daniel came up behind her and wrapped his arms around this little older woman. “You know, Rosie, we’re all family now. Don’t be sad at the memories here. They made you the strong woman that you are. Look upon this land as the beginning of your life. You taught me so much, and you gave me unconditional love, respect, and your trust. We had some fond memories here, Rosie. Both of our new lives started on this farm. If it wasn’t for you I wouldn’t have pursued finding Katherine. If it wasn’t for me, you’d have never met my father. We were brought together for a reason. Our new beginnings happened here. So smile upon this day and hang onto the memories that started it all.”
“Thank you, Daniel. Your words just removed a truckload of pain. And you’re right. It’s time for new memories. I can’t run from my past, but I can enjoy the walk to my future with your father, you, and Katherine. Just imagine, I always wanted children, and now I have a son and a daughter. You mean the world to me, Daniel, you always will.”
Chapter 18
The ceremony was simple and intimate. Katherine had worn a beautiful white dress that Rosie made. It was layered in lace and flowed so elegantly in the soft breeze. She smiled at her new family as she was escorted through the field by her uncle. Daniel was unable to take his eyes off of his perfect bride. The flowers and their fresh scent surrounded them, the sun warmed their faces. When he was told he could kiss his bride, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled his beautiful wife toward him. The memories of their first kiss, in this same meadow, didn’t escape either one of them. There wasn’t a dry eye amongst them. It was the proudest day of Francesco’s life.
Katherine had always dreamed of going to Hawaii, so Daniel booked them in a beautiful suite that had their own terrace and a perfect view of the ocean.
“Sweetheart,” began Daniel as they walked along the beach at sunset, “I feel like I should thank you every single day of my life.”
“Daniel, I should do the same. I’m so in love with you.”
“I love you, Mrs. Katherine Giordano. Thank you for loving me, for marrying me, for being the piece that I’d been missing.”
Daniel removed her ring and asked her to marry him again.
She smiled and said “Yes!”
“Now, let’s go see about taking off that sexy white bikini.”
“Since you brought it up…” Katherine smiled seductively and led Daniel towards their room.
Katherine had worked hard on designing Rosie's wedding gown. The two women kept themselves locked up in the craft room while they worked, and the men weren't allowed inside. Katherine's dress had to be altered twice due to her growing belly.
Francesco and Rosie were married in the mansion. Her gown, made of cream-colored satin with matching lace, fit her perfectly. When Francesco saw her walking slowly down the stairs to become his wife, a big lump rose in his throat.
They honeymooned in the Virgin Islands. Rosie didn't have any concerns about being away from the horses. Daniel and Katherine had become quite proficient at caring for them.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place at the end of May. Rosie was the one whose face was in the paper, along with Andy, who plunged the shovel in the ground where Rosie's house once stood. She was happy that Francesco had followed her desire to have it destroyed. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't rid herself of the bad memories that the house reminded her of.
Most of the town had shown up at the farm; it was a much anticipated event. The huge celebration was attended by many people, including news crews.
Francesco and Andy had hired all the local men and women that they could, then reached out to the surrounding counties. Francesco was happy that more and more businesses were reaching out to the small community. Some companies donated machinery, money, and supplies.
Katherine and Rosie met with some of the local women who had voiced concerns regarding daycare. Affordable facilities to watch their children weren't in abundance, let alone close by. After bringing these concerns to Francesco, he decided that a temporary daycare would be put up to assist the families, so the workers wouldn't have that added expense and worry. The women would take turns running the facility, and Francesco had hired two childcare professionals to help organize it.
At one of the public meetings, Rosie ran into an old friend named Emma Shelding. She used to run the local restaurant in town called The Happy Rooster. People couldn’t afford to eat out much, so slowly but surely, Emma had to close her doors. Rosie learned that Emma had wanted to open up a bakery. As quickly as she could, Rosie informed Francesco, who met with Emma that same day.
The following week, Emma and Francesco sat down with the builder to help design the kitchen. Emma was even asked to name the bakery herself. She wanted to call it "Sweet Prairie."
"Emma, that's a perfect name! But you better learn how to make a good cannoli.” Francesco laughed and tried to make some jokes when he saw Emma’s eyes water.
Three years later, most of the new businesses were open, some new ones were being planned, and the morale in the small town had lifted. Rosie smiled as the sign was hung that bared her name, where the restaurant would be built.
Andy was in his glory with his new bar. His new love, Maryann, a petite blonde from Kentucky, was just as taken with Andy.
The large barn that was erected attracted lots of visitors who attended the craft shows that were held once a month, as well as barn dances and livestock auctions. Some people even rented the barn for private functions. Things got so busy that Andy had to hire someone just to plan and handle the barn events.
Francesco had one of the empty buildings converted into a pharmacy so people wouldn’t have to travel so far if they were sick. With the governor’s encouragement, a family physician contacted Francesco about opening up a practice. The other empty building was quickly put on the top of the list.
The farms were filling up with more livestock, and people had renewed pride
in Prairie. Several people who held jobs in the small, but prosperous town moved into the apartments.
Beatrice agreed to fix up her block of apartments and convert the building into an economy motel. Francesco helped with some of the cost. People traveled good distances to attend many of the functions in the new barn, and some of the workers traveled from neighboring areas for building projects. Beatrice was making a steady income and was even thinking about putting in a pool.
Daniel helped Katherine out of the limo, then took a hold of their two year old’s hand. Little Frankie looked so much like his father did when he was a toddler. He instantly became excited when he saw his grandparents and ran to them with outstretched arms.
