Pains Of The Past

EPILOGUE

“Good morning dear.” I greeted back as I gave them both hugs. “How are you feeling today?” I asked her.

“Better with each day, but you know how it goes.” She gave me a knowing grin and winked.

I grinned at her and blushed. Carter and I wanted to have as many kids as we could, but we ran into a bit of a brick wall of sorts since Lucy was born. I was pregnant and planned on telling Carter that day, his Christmas present if you will.

I made a new ornament for the tree, as I do every year with the year on it and all of our names on it. This one also had ‘Baby Woods’ on it.

We started setting everything out for the large breakfast and called in everyone. It was tradition that we share Christmas breakfast with the ranch hands, then we gave them their holiday bonuses and then they got the rest of the day to do what they wanted.

Everyone came in, cleaned up and sat down. After grace was said, everyone filled up on the wonderful breakfast of pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon.

Carter then handed out the bonuses and all the men headed back out to enjoy their day off. When everything was cleaned from breakfast, we went to the sitting room to open our gifts.

For Hector and Temperance, we got new fine china and a cradle for the baby. Nora and Eddy didn’t want anything, but I couldn’t do that, so we got Eddy new boots, his were falling apart. Nora got some nice fabric that I saw her eyeing up and some other sewing odd n’ ends that I knew she wanted.

CJ got a horse of his very own. I am finally over my fear of horses after much coaxing from Carter. I claimed Hope as my horse and Carter finally caved, letting me have her.

Jenny got a desk to work at, new writing tablets, pens and some books. She was an amazingly bright child and surprised me with some of the things she has read. She was reading Moby Dick, not six year old reading material, but she loved it.

Lucy was all about dolls, but she was starting to get into books like Jenny, so she got a new doll and a plethora of books.

Then Carter gave me my gift. I told him that all I needed was to have everyone I loved here. He definitely took that to heart. He left the room and came back with a beautiful little boy in his arms and a grinning Rebecca behind him, I was floored.

We had been keeping in contact and she had told me that she was excited to be moving away, but did not tell me anything more.

“This is such a wonderful surprise, how, why, when?” I muttered out.

She giggled and pulled me into a heart warming hug. “I needed to see you and I couldn’t impose on my parents anymore. Dad retired and they moved to a smaller house. Carter and I have also been talking and he asked me to come here, to stay. I couldn’t turn it down.”

I started crying and hugged her again. “Welcome to your new home Rebecca and your handsome little man Christopher.” Carter set him down and he instantly clung to Rebecca, but I knew it would not take long for him to warm up to us all.

We talked for a while and suddenly I remembered that I needed to give Carter his gift. Everyone was still seated so I got up and handed him one gift. It was a new saddle, engraved with the name of the ranch on it, ‘Double W Ranch.’

He could not stop looking at the intricate detail on it. “Hold on Carter, I have one more for you.” I handed him the small wrapped box and waited.

“You didn’t even have to get me anything, let alone two gifts.” He said as he carefully opened the box.

He pulled the globe ornament out and looked at it. “It’s beautiful baby, thank you.”

I rolled my eyes and giggled. “Read it Carter.”

He took another look at it and then looked back at me. “You’re kidding right?”

“Why would I kid about something like this?”

He didn’t say anything, just set the ornament onto the tree and scooped me up into a hug. “Again you amaze me.”

“Merry Christmas Mr. Woods.” I whispered and looked around at everyone who seemed confused, except Temperance.

Carter also looked around and smiled. “We’re having another baby!”

Loud cheers erupted and hugs went around to everyone. We were growing our family by leaps and bounds with Rebecca and Christopher, along with Temperance and the soon to be new baby here. I went from losing my dad and only having two people with me to a ranch full of people that loved me and I loved back.

Four months later Temperance and Hector welcomed their beautiful daughter Maricella Rose Gonzalez to the world.

In June, Carter and I had our fourth child and second son, Nathaniel Joseph Woods. I think we are done having kids… for now.

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