The Cowboy's Package Love with Faith (COMPLETED)

Chapter 23

Aubrey smiles at Jedediah as she  swings the front door of her home open. "Hey very handsome man."

He too smiles. "Hello beautiful sweetheart." He kisses her forehead as he wraps his arms around her. "I have a surprise."

"Oh really? What's that?"

He smirks. "Yes well that is the greatness of a surprise you don't know."

She shakes her head and follows him out the door as he gently tugs at her arm. "What about Cole?"

"We will pick him up from Rae's on the way. Come on I can't wait to show you!"

She giggles. "You're such a boy! Where are we going anyway?"

He laughs and puts his pickup in drive. "Sur-prise."

She rolls her eyes as she sinks down into the seat, but the smile and happiness never leaves her. The worries and doubts weighing on her mind didn't dare to show their face against the millions of smiles and happiness. For that she thanks the Lord.

When they pull up to Raely and Traven's house Cole excitedly waits for the pickup to roll to a stop. He jumps up and down as Jedediah opens the back door for him. "Where are we going? What's the surprise?"

Aubrey looks at Jedediah with raised eyebrows and laughs. "I have no idea big boy."

Jedediah jumps in before either of them can say anymore, "We will arrive at the destination shortly. Until then no more curious questions."

Cole continues to try and guess where they are going and what the surprise is. Jedediah never answers his questions directly only a simple 'maybe' or 'wait and see'. He looks over at Aubrey and sees the very confused look on her face. He can't help but chuckle, the plan is working! She catches his eye and sends a pleading look his way, but he only shrugs.

When they pull across the cattle guard leading to his house Cole goes crazy with excitement but Aubrey only bores her gaze at Jedediah. "What is this very secret surprise?" She taunts.

He laughs as he opens her door and helps her out. "Just follow me and you will see."

She rolls her eyes and growls in frustration. "Why can you not just tell me right now?"

He only smiles and swings the barn door open. "I am right now."

Cole runs in the barn before her eyes even adjust to the light. "Mama! Mama! Look at the little calf."

She quickly looks at Jedediah who's face is bright and smiling. Taking his hand in hers she kisses his cheek before going to gaze into the little pen at the black little calf. He stands and bawls. Cole squeals and sticks his fingers into the pen. The calf stretches his neck until the little wet nose touches Cole's fingers. The little boy giggles and jerks his hand back.

Jedediah touches Aubrey's arm. "Sweetheart, come here a minute."

She smiles and nods.

"Would it be okay if Cole had the calf to raise?"

"Yeah, that would be fine, but where would it stay?"

He smiles. "It could stay here. I'll feed it if I need to and he can come over and take care of it when he can. Come on you said the other day he needed a puppy, a calf isn't that different."

She laughs. "A calf is a lot different."

"So yeah?"

While wearing a smile she nods. "Yeah he can help you."

Jedediah picks her up and swings her around in circles before softly kissing her light pink lips.
***
That night Aubrey lay awake in her soft fluffy bed. She smiles recalling the bright happy smile Cole and Jedediah both wore as the little calf sucked the bottle of warm milk down into its hungry little belly. How can she rip the happiness from them just to go a funeral she is sure to be a disaster? It's not fare.

She sighs and climbs from the covers. Slowly she trudges to the kitchen where she pours herself a glass of tea. She jumps slightly when Jedediah stumbles into the kitchen from the couch where he crashed for the night.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, pretty lady," he whispers.

She smiles and hands him a glass too. "It is okay handsome man. Did I wake you up?"

He shakes his head, but can see that she sees right through him. "Okay, you got me. Yes you did."

"I'm really sorry, handsome."

With a kiss on her forehead he shakes his head. "It is perfectly fine. You know I am always here whatever time of the day or night you need me."

She smiles and nods.

"So what's on your mind, sweetheart?"

Shaking her head she takes a gulp of tea to keep from having to talk, but when he gives her a strong yet soft glare she gives in. "You." she pauses before continuing, "And Cole."

He raises an eyebrow as he leads her towards the couch to sit. "Mmhhmm, what about us?"

"It's not fare." Once again she pauses and takes a huge swing of tea. "It isn't fare to take away the happiness and joy y'all have with the calf and everything else that makes you happy. Just because I have the chance to make mends with my family doesn't mean I need to drag you into the middle of it and break the happiness that Cole has-"

Jedediah quickly places a finger over he rapidly moving lips to silence her. "Sweetheart, I am here for you. If that means following you into the deep unknown of your family then I will. It doesn't matter what you need or where it is I am going to be there so you don't have to face things alone anymore. As for Cole he's a kid, no matter what happens there he will bounce back and he will always know that his mama loves him very much."

A soft tear rolls down her check. "You are so sweet, Jedediah Williams."

He smiles. "You are much much tougher than I am, than I ever could be."

She lays her head on his shoulder and smiles softly. "I don't think I could ever riding endlessly through thorns and still laugh and be a soft pillow for you to cry on."

He chuckles slightly. "Maybe not, but that's not the kind of tough I'm talking about. You can walk through emotional fire and still get up and walk on as if it didn't happen. To see how much it actually hurts you, you have to dig way deep into your heart. I know that Cole never sees how hard it is for you."

"Am I really that bad?"

"Bad? Aubrey, sweetheart, you are not bad at all. You are just that sweet and tough."