The Cowboy's Package Love with Faith (COMPLETED)

Chapter 18

As Jedediah trots up to the trailer along side Traven he feels as though there is something his friend wants to say. So when he begins to speak it is no surprise.

"I heard you and Aubrey are official?"

Jedediah spares a glance up at his good friend. He feels guilty for not telling the one friend that has put up with him since they have met. "Sorry, we just didn't want it to be all over."

Traven smiles and nods. "I understand. Does Cole know?"

This earns a chuckle from Jedediah. "Well if you consider him giving us each a play-dough ring, yes he knows."

This sends Traven into fits of laughter. "You are kidding me? Sounds like he has your future planned out regardless of what y'all think."

Jedediah smiles and shakes his head. He wants to say that Cole is right on track with what he himself is thinking, but he doesn't think that information needs to be shared. "I'm suppose to be keeping him on Saturday so she can go pick up some food so we'll see how things turn out."

Traven waves his hand as if it nothing. Which for him it is nothing, he keeps his twin boys by himself quite often. "It will be fine. Just take the kid to the barn and let him brush the horses and you'll be good. He might even talk you into letting him ride for a couple hours and then when you get done your feet will be tired and you will want a nap-"

"It's not him that I'm worried about," Jedediah admits cutting Traven off.

A frown creases the slightly older man's face and he cocks his head to the side. "Then what are you worried about?"

"Cole. He- he called me daddy last night."

The frown disappears and is replaced with a look as if an unarmed man just pulled a gun out. For a long moment Traven just stares at Jedediah with the same surprised face until finally he starts to stutter, "Does- does sh- she know?"

Jedediah shakes his head and runs his hand across his face. "No, she had gone into the kitchen for something," he pauses, "I just don't know how to tell her or if I should. I almost think it would better if he just said it in font of her than me to tell her. I just don't know how she will take it with all that she has been through."

Traven nods. "Yeah. I'm not sure I can help you out with that one. All the advice I have for you right now is don't worry about Saturday too much. As long as there hasn't been any trips to the ER and nobody died the lady will be happy."

Jedediah smiles and nods. "I'm sure that's easier said than done, but I'll give a try."

Traven smiles and nods. "What do you say we haul these two run aways to Ken's and call it a day?"

Jedediah smiles widely and claps Traven's shoulder. "You're pretty good at reading minds."
***

With a smile Aubrey gently lifts Jakeston from the couch and carries him to his toddler bed in the twins room. She gently removes the toy gun from Markus' hand being careful not to disturb the sleeping monster. As she leaves the room she tiptoes past her pride and joy that sleeps curled up in the middle of the twins room. At the door she turns back and smiles at the three little ones that lay peacefully their chests rising and falling as if they are in another world.

Back in the living room she picks up the book, she just began to read that morning, and flips to the page she had last been on. She herself slips into another world as she imagines the great places and people the author describes in the romance novel. Time waltzes by at a rapid pace until she is surprised to find it five o'clock. Gasping she shuts the book and jumps from the couch.

Just as she steps into the twin's room the back door is swung open and the familiar sound of spur clad boots on the hard tile floor floats to her ears. She smiles and steps back so that she can greet which ever half of the Long  couple it happens to be.

"Afternoon," she greets in a soft voice as not to startle Traven.

He turns around with a smile and takes a drink from his tea glance he had retrieved from the fridge. "Afternoon, MJ sleeping?"

She nods and a smile slips to her face thinking about how Raely is usually home before he is, but she is usually gone in the mornings.

A tug at her leg draws her from her thoughts and back to reality. She looks down into the sleep filled eyes of her two-year-old son. Smiling she picks him up and kisses the top of his head as he lays it on her shoulder. She tells Raely about how the day went before gathering their things and heading towards town.

When she arrives at the small house they call home a smile spreads across her face and she thanks the Lord for putting it in their lives. She glances in the rear view mirror at Cole as he sleepily fiddles with a toy tractor. With a smile she cuts the engine and gets out. After getting Cole out and allowing him to stumble into the house holding tight to his toys she closes the front door with a happy sigh.

A couple hours later supper was finished and Cole was snuggled into his covers. Aubrey settles onto the couch with her sewing project. About halfway through one side of the dress she is making for Ken's daughter her phone buzzes. Her heart skips several beats as she reads the text. And who it is from. She frowns at her phone as she reads the text again.

Aubrey, I know we haven't spoken in two and a half years but I thought you might like to know that mom and dad were in a car accident yesterday. Dad didn't want you knowing about it but I figured you needed to know that they- they both passed away this morning in their sleep.

Tears fill her eyes as she reads it again.

A/N
So sorry this isn't soon but hope you enjoy!