A Baby at the Horse Tamer’s Door – Extended Epilogue

Three Years Later

Eliza had never been one to journal. She had never really seen the benefit of it, but now she opened her journal every day. There was always something new and exciting to put down in the pages. What she had struggled to understand for so long in others, she had come recognize in herself. Perhaps it was the sense of motherhood, or perhaps it was simply that life was far less simple now than it had been.

So much had changed in her life.

She had gone from being a one-woman show running the entire operation by herself to having four full-time employees and likely more on the way.

“Eliza? You up here?”

She looked out the side window of the farmhouse, the expansive barn rebuilt by the townspeople stretching before her watching eyes.

She recognized Sam’s voice and heavy footfalls.

Smiling, Eliza thought it was sweet that he was always checking on her.

It didn’t do any good to argue with him that she was more than capable of holding her own; he was still going to do it. So, she figured, why fight it?

“Yes.”

Eliza turned to face the open doorway, and Sam made his appearance, his smile wide, his face and shirt smudged with dirt.

“What did you get into now?”

“Hey, I love you, too,” Sam said, kissing her on the neck, nuzzling her, his stubble rough against her skin.

“Now, you’re going to get me all dirty,” Eliza said in mock exasperation. She didn’t mind the dirt. She was a farm girl, not a city girl. Dirt was in her blood.

“Where are the twins?” Sam asked, a slight frown on his face.

“Oh, no. You mean, you don’t have them?” Eliza stood up quickly, looking this way and that, before putting her hands on her hips and smiling. “Where could those darling twins of ours have gotten to? You don’t suppose they went to town again, do you?”

“You’re mean.”

“You’re just now realizing that?” Eliza cackled like a crazy witch.

“You must’ve blinded me with your womanly wiles.”

“Oh, that’s what I did?” Eliza asked, letting Sam twirl her around the room with a few dance steps.

She had never been happier than when she was with Sam. And though she had heard of that wearing off, there was no sign of it between them. And she was more than all right with that.

“Definitely what you did. It’s clear to see you’re wicked to the core, Miss Eliza.”

“Well, Mr. Sam, what do you propose we do about it?”

“I read somewhere that a dozen kisses would cure the evil in any woman’s heart.”

Eliza chuckled. “Oh, I don’t believe that.”

Sam scoffed, putting his hands on his hips. “Which part?”

“The part where you said you read it. The farm reports are all you read anymore.”

“No argument there. There’s no time,” Sam said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don’t know how you did this all on your own.”

“It’s because you’re just a weak-willed man, and I have some Calamity Jane running through my veins.”

“Must be. How did I get so lucky to find you?”

“As I recall, it was all just dumb luck because you got lost in a storm,” Eliza said, frowning and nodding.

“Oh, that’s right. Well, here’s to dumb luck.”

They kissed longer this time, drawing each other closer. She relished his touch, his scent, the feeling he evoked in her heart. The only thing dearer was how she felt holding her twin daughters.

Sam’s hand moved to her lower back and pressed her firmer against his body.

She put her hand against his chest and pushed, breaking the kiss.

“Now, Sam, you know we can’t do that here.”

“Oh, right. Sorry.”

Eliza tiptoed a few feet away and opened her arms to him. “But, right here.” She smiled. “This spot right here is just fine.”

Sam shook his head, chuckling as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply, the pair enjoying the quiet moment a bit longer before breaking their kiss.

“Did you really lose both of our two-year-old daughters?” Sam asked, not letting go of her hand.

“I did. Well, not exactly lost them. There was a traveling circus that was looking for twin girls for a new attraction. They seemed impressed with their energy and fearlessness.”

“Sounds about right. You know, when we talked about having children, I was hoping at least a little bit of me would show up somewhere.”

Eliza offered a sly smile. “I’m sure it will when we have our boys.”

His eyes snapped back to her, surprise on his face. “You’re ready to have more children?”

“It wouldn’t be fair to unleash Ruby and Amethyst on the world without some brothers to keep them out of trouble.”

Sam laughed hard, a big belly laugh, the one she loved the most, wrinkles feathering out from the corners of his eyes. It was these moments, the little details, that touched her heart the deepest. Yes, he was flat-out handsome and made her heart flutter anytime he surprised her with his smile, but she was just as aroused by the little things.

“Well, as long as we’re doing it for world peace.”

The sound of a wagon pulling up came to them, prompting them to head down the stairs and out onto the porch.
They waved as Richard and Mary pulled their wagon to a stop. Lily sat between them, growing like a weed, their newborn boy, Matthew, in Mary’s arms.

“Hi, Aunt Eliza!” Lily said, offering a quick wave before launching herself off the wagon seat and into her arms.

“Lily, ladies don’t do that!” Mary admonished, shaking her head, letting Sam help her down from the wagon.

“I’m not a lady. I’m a feral cat.” Lily made a growling sound, curling her fingers into a cat claw.

Eliza gave her a big kiss on her cheek.

“What? Who told you that?”

“Uncle James!”

“Oh, I just bet he did.” Mary chuckled.

“Wait a minute, what am I getting blamed for now?” James walked from around the side of the house, Ruby in his arms, Clara close behind with Amethyst. The two had been courting for more than six months.

“Uncle James!” Lily said, squirming free of Eliza.

“Don’t walk too fast with her, James. You’ll make her get sick,” Clara said a little too loudly, so all could hear it.

Eliza stifled a chuckle. James had caught some of the roughest criminals in the region, but he’d never tangled with anything quite like Clara. She ran the roost, that was clear, but the funny thing was, as tough as James was, he seemed more than happy to oblige. She was glad he had found someone.

“Yes, ma’am.” He walked a little closer before handing Ruby to Eliza. “Miss Eliza, young Miss Ruby was asking about the time you wrestled an alligator.” He winked at her.

“Did you do it, Mama?” Ruby asked, her vocabulary growing by the day.

“I certainly did, right after I pulled a cloud out of the sky to make your pillow.”

“My pillow is soft,” Ruby said, her auburn hair a mirror of Eliza’s, though her eyes were a deeper green, thoughtful and alive. “Do it again.”

“You want me to get another cloud for a pillow?” Ruby nodded. “For Ame,” Ruby said, using the nickname she used for her sister.

“Oh, Ame would love one, wouldn’t she?” Eliza said, taking Amethyst from Clara, who smiled, caressing the back of both of their heads. She was enamored with both, and even though Eliza wasn’t a betting person, she thought they’d like have a little one of their own before the twins’ next birthday.

Richard came over and shook Sam’s hand. “Those girls look more and more like their mother every day.”

“I know!” Sam said in mock desperation.

“Well, at least they didn’t get your looks. That would be an awful curse to lay on those girls.”

Sam closed his eyes and chuckled. “Good to see you’re on my side, Richard.”

Richard was counting down the last six months of his term, planning on retiring. Eliza was happy for Mary that he would be home more. They had lived through quite a scare with him being taken by Blackwell.

“Well, look at this. Someone decided to have a picnic, and they didn’t invite me?” The front door of the farmhouse banged closed.

Sam’s mother stood on the porch, surveying everyone.

Sam started toward the steps to help his mother down them, but she held up her hand and shook her head.

“Stop right there, mister. I’m perfectly able to go up and down the porch steps.”

“Gail, it’s so nice to see you up and around,” Richard said, walking toward her and hugging her.

“I feel so much better being involved in helping the ranch. All I was doing at home was counting down the days and feeling sorry for myself. I’m so much happier being included.”

She had become an integral part of the ranch, handling billing and arranging for new customers to bring their horses to the ranch to board. When she had first met Gail, she had been incredibly sickly. Doc Shepard had started her on new tonics he had brought in special from New York City, and they seemed to be doing the trick. While she wasn’t cured, she was doing a heck of a lot better than even Doc Shepard thought she might when he started her on the treatment.

“I made some lemonade if anyone would like any,” Gail said, taking Amethyst from Eliza.

“Gram!” Amethyst said, giving her grandmother a kiss.

That prompted Ruby to reach for Gail, too, calling, “Gram!”

Gail was more than happy to take them both, giving them hugs and sitting down on the porch.

“Say, Richard, do you have any updates on Blackwell and his crew?” James asked, putting his arm around Clara, who looked all too happy to lean into him.

“Well, his last appeal was just denied a few weeks ago, so he’s not going anywhere. He will live out his last days in that cell.”

“Not sorry about that at all,” Mary said, kissing Richard first and then Matthew, who was still fast asleep in her arms.

“I wasn’t expecting so many people, but I have to say, I’m always more than happy to oblige. Would you all like to stay for some chicken and potatoes?”

“Tatoes yuck,” Ruby said, and everyone giggled.

“Okay, so that’s one no. Everyone else?”

“Sounds good to us,” Mary said as Richard nodded in agreement.

“I know I don’t have to ask you two,” Eliza said, motioning to James and Clara. “This man is a bottomless pit.”

“Hey, what can I say? I’m a growing boy,” James said, chuckling.

“Then it’s settled, we’ll get going on dinner!” Gail said, going back inside, clapping her hands.

“It’s so good seeing my mom like this. She’s been sick for so long, I kind of forgot how she used to be,” Sam said, hugging Eliza from behind, nuzzling against her ear.

Eliza hung back a minute, watching everyone climb the porch steps and file into the house, looking up into the sky. She had to think that her grandfather would be especially happy for her. Seeing how the ranch was blossoming into the vision he had decades ago, and watching her become a mother.

Just a hint of sadness tugged at her heart, wishing her daughters could’ve met him, but he lived on in the tales of her youth, and in bedtime stories she shared with both the girls. They delighted in the tales of Eliza Harper, the gun-wielding woman who took on a town and won its heart, becoming part of the community’s fabric, entwined for all time.

Before climbing the steps, she whispered two words to the Lord above. It was quiet, but she was sure he heard it nonetheless.

Those words were, “Thank you.”

Closing her eyes, she let the sun kiss her face before going inside and into the fray that was her family.

THE END