"Thank you," she said turning to the doctor with a grateful smile.
Once the doctor left the room and she was left alone with Joseph she held out a hand to him. Slowly he edged towards her and sat next to her on the bed.
She took his hand and pulled him to her where he buried his face in her chest. The dampness and the way his body shook let her know he was crying. Tears stung her eyes to see such a man brought to tears.
"It's alright, I'm alright." she tried to assure him while gently stroking his hair.
Miranda turned when the door opened. She was happy to see her mother and father entering the room.
"Oh my sweet baby girl." her mother said dabbing at her eyes.
She gave Miranda a hug as soon as Joseph stepped away and gave them room.
She hugged her mother and kissed her soft cheeks.
"Thank you." Miranda turned to see her father holding Joseph's face, setting about the manly show of gratitude made her smile.
Joseph tried to look away but her father wasn't having it. "You save my little girl's life. Thank you for that." her father's voice trembled.
Obviously, her close encounter with death had taken a toll on everyone in the room. When Joseph nodded at her father and was then pulled into a manly hug with a lot of back thumping, a few years slipped past Miranda's lids and washed her cheeks.
Her mother gave her hand a squeeze.
"Where are you going?" Miranda asked as Joseph opened the door.
"Just outside to get our son," he replied then walked out.
"Why is he being so distant," Miranda asked quietly.
"He blames himself for you getting hurt. Everyone has been trying to tell him it's not his fault but he won't hear it. He's been beating himself up for as long as you've been in here." her mother told her.
"But he saved my life, he shot that man and saved me," Miranda argued.
"Sick bastard died before I got here. The shot hit a major artery and bled out before they even left to field he had you in. He's darn lucky because my fist would have rearranged his darn face." her father grumbled.
"He's dead?" Miranda whispered. The fear suddenly lifted and a certain peace swept over her.
"Right well he did, his friend sang like a canary too once they had him in lockup. The city police round up the whole lot of the gang the next morning." her mother said with a smile.
"I'm safe." Miranda breathed out.
"Mom!" Zeke raced into the room and threw his hands around her. His small body shook with his sobs.
"I'm happy to see you, honey, have you been good for your dad?" she asked wiping his tears away with the tissue her mother handed her.
"Yes ma'am." Zeke nodded "dad saved you, mom, he shot the man who hurt you. I would have protected you but I don't know how to use a gun. Dad and uncle Jordan are going to teach me." Zeke said proudly. His little chest puffed out.
Miranda's wide eyes flew to Joseph's face. He had the good sense to flush and look away.
"Every boy should know how," he told her without meeting her eyes.
"We'll discuss that later," she told him to which he answered it a smirk.
"Zeke, why don't you go with grandma and grandpa? I want to talk to your dad for a few minutes." Miranda told her son.
Zeke looked from his mother to his father. "Are you two going to kiss?" he asked with narrowed eyes.
"Probably," Miranda answered holding back her laughter when their son sprung from the bed and raced out the door with her parents.
She turned to Joseph who was still standing by the foot of her bed waiting.
"Come here," she told him. He walked to her side and sat next to her. "Climb in," she told him as she moved the covers back for him to climb in next to her.
As soon as he was laying next to her, careful not to touch the wires, she cuddled up to him.
"I am so grateful to you for finding me when you did. If I hadn't gone out to see if the animals were alright maybe none of this would have happened." she began.
"If I hadn't brought you here..." he began to object.
"If you hadn't taken us here, we would probably still be playing hardheaded and stubborn. I probably wouldn't be telling you how much I love you, how much I always have and always will." she whispered. "when I thought they were going to rape me or kill me all I could think about is, I wish I had a chance to tell you I love you. To tell you and Zeke, it's not your fault."
Joseph sighed and hugged her.
"I thought I was going to lose you," he said against her neck.
"I'm right here. I won't leave you again," she told him.
"Is that a promise?" he asked her.
"Yes," she replied smiling when he gently kissed her neck.
"Does that mean you'll marry me?" he asked her.
Her hand stopped stroking his hair. "Are you asking me?"
She wanted to object when he climbed out of the bed but when she saw him go down on one knee and pull a red jewelry box from his pocket she smiled at him.
"Miranda Tate, my love, my heart, my soulmate, mother of my children..."
"Children?" she interrupted.
"Be quiet woman I'm trying to propose here." he joked.
She playfully zipped her lips.
"Will you marry me?" he asked
"Wild horses couldn't stop me, yes I'll marry you."
He planted a heated kiss on her lips, so heated her heart monitor sped up and alerted the doctor.
The clearing of a throat pulled them apart to see their family and the doctor grinning at them.
"She said yes!" Joseph announced
Everyone joined in congratulations and loud cheers.
"May I have my ring now please?" she asked him.
He grinned at her and slipped it on her finger.
