Small-Town Moms

by Tronstad, Janet

  “Gabe!”

  “Olivia, where are you?” Olivia’s cry from up ahead relieved and scared him at the same time.

  “Here,” she called, coming into view through the shadows of the trees. Trudy raced toward him and threw herself into his arms. Tears streaked down her face.

  “We c-can’t find him,” she cried. “He’s not answering us and it’s all m-my fault.”

  Olivia looked pale and shaken as she reached him. “We’ve been going in circles,” she said in disgust. “I’m useless out here. Thank goodness all of you have arrived.”

  Holding Trudy close, he felt his heart crack open for the girl’s pain. It hit him that Wes had lost his mother before he knew her, and though he longed for a mother, he hadn’t known the loss that Trudy had experienced. He’d felt it losing his dad, but time had helped heal the wound. Trudy had loved and lost, and the scars of that loss were still fresh and etched in her life forever. He’d been there and lived it. From the start he’d felt connected to her pain, and he’d wanted to help. “We’re going to find him, Trudy. We’ve got the whole town practically combing the ranch. You hang in there, little girl—we’re going to find him. Even App and Stanley gave up checkers to come find him. And Sam—see them through the trees?” App’s voice boomed like a sonic blast as he yelled for Wes, and the sound of it caused her to hiccup a small laugh through her tears.

  Olivia looked as if she was about to fall apart, too. Holding open his free arm, she came to him and buried her face against his neck.

  “We’re going to find him,” she said.

  Her breath was warm against his skin, and Trudy’s tears were hot against his shoulder. Two weeks earlier he’d tried to send these two away, and now all he wanted to do was calm their fears and find his son. All he wanted to do was bring them all together…and his world would be complete.

  The thought echoed through him like the sound of so many calling Wes’s name.

  “Let’s go find our boy.”

  Olivia took his hand, and Trudy jumped out of his arms and ran ahead calling Wes’s name at the top of her lungs. The sun was setting and the shadows were growing.

  “Soon it will be dark. What are we going to do?” Olivia asked when Trudy was out of hearing range.

  “We’ll keep on looking. As they hear about this, every man and woman will be here. If they can bring their horses or ATVs, they’ll bring them.”

  “Okay,” she said, relieved. “You live in a wonderful place.”

  “Yes, I’ve loved it from the start when we moved here.” They were walking fast, and his heart was heavy. Yet he felt peace. “You could be a part of this. Olivia.” He tightened his grip on her hand. “You could marry me.”

  Olivia stumbled, and he jumped in front of her to catch her. “Hang on, I’ve gotcha,” he said, steadying her.

  “Thanks,” she gasped, looking up at him.

  “Now’s not the time to talk about this, but just so you know, that’s how I feel. And I know that’s how Wes feels.”

  She touched his face. “This is so complicated. We’ll need to talk.”

  “We will.” He glanced toward the trees down the incline where they were standing. “What is that?” he asked, seeing a shadow in the bushes.

  “What?” Olivia asked, but he was already moving.

  “Wes,” he called. “Son.” He made it to the bushes and pushed them aside and there, curled into a tight ball, was Wes, fast asleep. Tears stained his little cheeks and Gabe’s heart broke, but relief and thanksgiving flooded in as he sank to his knees and scooped his son into his arms.

  “I was scart,” Wes said, from where he was snuggled up in his daddy’s lap. The living room was crowded with everyone who’d helped look for him, though many of them had already gone home to be with their families. Olivia and Georgetta had been rushing around serving coffee and tea and cake. Leave it to Georgetta to whip up two cakes while she held her position at the house in case Wes had showed up there. Now they stood beside each other at the kitchen’s edge and took in the scene before them. Gabe held Wes, and Trudy sat on the foot-stool beside them. Already, Olivia knew her daughter was better, but she knew she was going to send her back to counseling for a while. She was just going to have to find a good Christian counselor who could help Trudy understand the worries and fears that she’d been trying to cope with since Justin’s death. Hopefully, this time she would be receptive to it. Olivia felt like she would be.

  “I just was sittin’ in the bushes b’cause I was afraid of them ole coyotes. But then I went to sleep and my daddy came and found me. Jesus told me he would.”

  Everyone laughed, but Wes looked at them like they were crazy for laughing. “He did,” he said again. “He came and sat down beside me and told me it was going to be all right.”

  Olivia’s eyes welled with tears as she met Georgetta’s red-rimmed ones. God had been there for Wes, there was no doubt. When she looked back toward Wes, she found Gabe watching her. Her heart stumbled like her foot had on the vine that had just happened to be sticking up out of the ground in exactly the spot where Gabe would see his sleeping child. Like she was certain God had been in charge of them finding Wes, she was certain as she smiled at Gabe that God was in charge of what was happening between them. He smiled back and her heart was a total ball of mush.

  How had this happened? She had never believed she could love someone other than her husband. Never believed that God would be so good as to give her love twice in one lifetime. But here she was, blessed beyond measure. She simply had to figure out what to do about it.

  She’d said earlier, it was complicated, but she knew God was going to lead her…them. He would be faithful and true.

  God would lead them right. She simply had to listen to what He had to say.

  Gabe had asked her to marry him. Sure, it had been in the midst of crisis, but he’d asked. She knew that for him, that was an unbelievably huge step.

  It was late when they got both kids in bed. Georgetta had gone to bed, too, and that left Gabe and Olivia in the living room alone. Taking her hand, he led her over to the couch and sank down with her in the crook of his arm. Weary, she rested her head on his shoulder.

  “What a day. I’m glad it’s come to an end.” He rested his head against the top of hers and hugged her tighter. “I love you, Olivia.”

  Her heart began strumming. Holding his hand in her lap, she smoothed her fingers over his. “I love you, too, Gabe. But we still have issues.”

  “Nothing that can’t be worked out. The kids will be great with us. Trudy is going to be fine. I know Wes is, too.”

  “I believe so. But I’m talking about our own issues. I don’t know what drove my sister to act the way she did, but in my heart of hearts I know that you have to forgive her. I’ve said that so much, but it’s what I know is right— I can’t marry you—if that is really truly what you want—unless you find it in your heart to forgive my sister.”

  He’d stiffened against her, and she wanted to cry. Could he forgive Dawn? And if he couldn’t, what was she going to do? Sitting up, she turned and looked into his dear eyes. There was such strength there. Such character. How had Dawn looked into these eyes and not fallen head over heels in love? How had she just walked away like that?

  “I can’t imagine how my sister could have treated you so badly. I can’t fathom it myself. One look at you and I melt.” She dabbed at a tear that sneaked up on her. “I feel so amazed that God has brought us together like this. I never thought, after Justin’s death, that I would find someone else to love…and then I find you. And it’s all happened so quickly. Too quickly. I’m almost afraid it’s not true.”

  “You said you fell for Justin quickly.”

  “I did. I just can’t believe it could happen like that again.”

  “You know a good thing when you see it.” He grinned and she laughed.

  “I didn’t know you had a big head.”

  He turned her so that she was looking at him. “No big head he
re. I’m as amazed as you that I’ve found you and that I’m blessed enough that you love me. Olivia, we have a lot of plans to make and things to work out. But we can do it. After everything we’ve been through today and everything both of us have been through before, I know that we can do this.”

  “With God’s help and blessing we can.”

  “With God’s help and blessing.” He repeated her words like a vow. “I love you and you’re right, I have to let go of what Dawn did. I don’t want any bitterness marring the life we can have together. I don’t want Wes growing up and sensing that I feel anything negative about his mother. I’ve asked God to help me release the anger and to focus on what she gave me—Wes and also you and Trudy. How can I be angry at that?”

  Olivia felt like she was in a dream. “I feel the same. Dawn led me to you, and I’ll forever be blessed that she did.”

  Taking her face between his hands, Gabe kissed her forehead and then her lips. “I have to tell you something,” he said, a few long moments later. His eyes shadowed. “You see, I didn’t know it, but Dawn was pregnant with Wes when I married her.”

  “What?” Shock spilled over Olivia.

  “I never knew until after he was born, and she left me a letter telling me that he wasn’t mine.”

  Olivia couldn’t believe it. “Wes isn’t yours? Why would she do that?”

  Gabe touched her lips with his fingertip. “Shh,” he said softly. “Wes may not be my blood. But he is mine. I’ve loved him from the moment I first felt him inside his mother’s womb. I’ve loved him from the first moment that I believed him to be conceived. I was afraid at first that if you found this out, you might challenge me for custody of him. But I couldn’t marry you before revealing this to you.”

  She couldn’t help herself. She threw herself at him and hugged him with all of her heart. “I knew I loved you for a reason.” She leaned back and looked deeply into his eyes. “You, Gabe McKennon, are the most wonderful man.”

  He looked relieved. “I am the most blessed man if you tell me that you’ll be my wife. That we can have a life together.”

  Olivia let all fear and worry go. There was no doubt in her mind that she was where she was supposed to be. “Yes. Yes, and double yes, I’ll marry you.” She laughed. “I can’t wait to marry you.”

  Gabe hugged her tight and buried his face in the crook of her neck. She felt the tension ease from him, and she knew they were going to be all right. “Oh, Gabe. With God all things are possible, aren’t they?”

  “Yes. They are.” He looked at her, smiling. “Do you want to go wake up everyone and break the news?”

  Olivia smiled. Only a few hours earlier she would have been worried about Trudy, but now she felt Trudy was looking forward to this. “Yes. I would love to tell them.”

  Gabe stood, pulled her to her feet and kissed her so tenderly. And then, hand in hand, they went to wake up their family.

  Epilogue

  Six months later

  “Run, Wes! Lilly is going to get you this time,” Trudy yelled, laughing as his sister Lilly swung a rope over her head and tossed it toward him.

  Wes was having a blast pretending to be a steer while his big sisters attempted to rope him. “Girls can’t rope!” he called, as the rope landed beside him and Duke knocked him down and rolled on top of him.

  Lilly and Trudy ran to his rescue. The girls had bonded immediately upon meeting, and both girls were crazy about Wes. Once Trudy had overcome her fear of losing Olivia, she’d been like a different child and loved the idea of having a little brother.

  Watching them playing in the arena, Olivia said a prayer of thanks to God for all of His blessings in their life. Things had been perfect since she and Gabe had fallen in love. But they’d understood that their love for each other had happened quickly, and they’d thought some time before the wedding would be good for everyone. They hadn’t felt like there was a need to feel as if they’d rushed into anything and had decided to wait six months before getting married. Olivia and Trudy had gone home then relocated into a Mule Hollow apartment, and it had been such a sweet time for all of them to spend hanging out together and for Gabe and Olivia to actually date…or court, as App and Stanley down at the diner called it. Olivia liked the idea that they’d courted. She’d also liked the idea of helping Gabe get more comfortable with putting distance between the bitterness he’d felt for her sister and the forgiveness that he’d given Dawn so that he could move forward.

  “Can you believe how our lives turned out?” Maegan asked, drawing her attention. They were standing beside each other on the porch.

  Olivia smiled at her sister, enjoying the time they’d spent together for the last few days since the wedding. “It is still so hard to believe that after all these years we are together again. And that we are now the mothers of Dawn’s children.”

  “God truly does work in mysterious ways,” Maegan said softly, her voice filled with as much awe as Olivia’s.

  “I wish we’d been able to know Dawn—things might have been different for her if we could have all been together as a family.” The ache in Olivia’s heart for her younger sister would never go away. “I’ll never know the answers to the many questions I have about the life she led after our parents died.” It bothered her still, but she’d accepted there was nothing she could have done to change their past.

  “We won’t have those answers,” Maegan agreed. “It is sad but true that we will never know if we could have helped her…but we know that we can help her children.”

  “Yes,” Olivia said, reaching to squeeze Maegan’s hand. “We will be the best mothers we can be for her children.”

  “Our children.”

  “Yes, we will,” Olivia said, her voice cracking with emotion.

  Maegan’s gaze met hers in love and determination, two sisters locked together on a mission of love. Before they could say more, Clint and Gabe walked out of the house, each coming to stand beside his wife. Maegan and her family were heading home to Colorado the next morning, and so the guys had cooked steaks on the grill, then helped Georgetta prepare the rest of the meal. They’d wanted Maegan and Olivia to spend time together before leaving.

  “You okay?” Gabe asked. Concern etched his eyes as he spotted the emotion bright in Olivia’s.

  Clint asked the same of Maegan, who looked at Olivia once more and smiled as she nodded and hugged her husband.

  One look at these strong, loving men of God, and Olivia and Maegan understood even more clearly how good the Lord had been in bringing them all together. His love was amazing.

  They’d started out the aunts of their long-lost sister’s children, but they’d ended up mothers…. God, as only He can do, and as He promises in the Bible, took their bad situation and gave it a wonderful, beautiful happy ending….

  “We’re fine,” Maegan and Olivia said in unison.

  “Just fine,” Olivia repeated, kissing Gabe on the cheek as Wes, Lilly and Trudy came running up the path, their faces lit with smiles of joy. “Life doesn’t get any better than this,” she said, sweeping Wes into her arms.

  “Better than what, Momma?” he asked. He was hot and sweaty and smelled like the back end of a cattle truck from playing in the arena dirt.

  “Better than having all my family around me and you kids as a part of our lives.”

  “And me bein’ your boy?” he asked, cocking his damp, dirt-streaked face to the side, his bright blue eyes beaming with love.

  Olivia’s heart swelled with love to match. “That’s right, son. Having you as my boy is the best of it all.”

  He giggled at her words. “Even if I smell like a turtle?”

  Everyone laughed.

  Olivia hugged him tight, her heart so full of love. “Even,” she said, “if you smell like a turtle.”

  Dear Reader,

  Both of us (Debra and Janet) are happy to bring you another set of connected novellas. We see these books as special gifts to our readers (sort of two-for-ones), so we hope
you have enjoyed these novellas the way you did the ones in our Small-Town Brides (published in the spring of 2009). This time we’re celebrating family ties rather than brides, but the love is just as strong. Our heroines are sisters who were separated as children when their parents died, and they have only recently found each other again.

  We know that some of our readers are in a similar situation and may not know the whereabouts of one or more of their family members (and maybe don’t know where any of their family is). We hope our novellas ease that pain a little. Like our heroines, we know that God is with you and that He has a big family of fellow believers for you—they may not be your biological family, but they can love you just the same. You’ll find them in churches, Bible study groups and Sunday school classes.

  For the rest of our readers, we hope you take a moment now and then to appreciate your family. Things may not always be easy between all of you, but God can work miracles of forgiveness and restoration. We pray He does, if that is what’s needed in your life.

  We both enjoy hearing from our readers so, if you get a chance, email us through our respective websites: reach Janet at www.janettronstad.com (use contact button on website) and Debra at: www.debraclopton@ymail.com or her website: debraclopton.com.

  Sincerely yours,

  QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

  Olivia had a strong faith even though she’d been through some very hard times—her parents’ death at a young age, being split up from her sisters and placed in foster care and the loss of her dear husband leaving her to raise her daughter on her own. Many people would blame God for the bad things that happen to them. What makes the difference between how people react to the blessings and the trials that happen to them?

  Gabe was eaten up with bitterness at Olivia’s sister. Olivia believed that this was bad for him and Wes’s emotional well-being, and also for their future. Why? What do you think?