Unshaken

46

Abigail stood in front of John, a sense of relief obvious in the way she held herself.

"You may kiss your bride." The pastor smiled and stepped aside as the two shared their first kiss as a married couple.

Everybody cheered and Abigail's smile said all she was feeling at that moment.

We celebrated nearly the entire day, singing and dancing, and enjoying one another's company.

Abigail grabbed my arm and pulled me in for a dance that had me giggling like a schoolgirl. We skipped and bounced while Uncle did his best to play the fiddle.

"You're the most beautiful bride ever." I smiled as the song ended. "John's a lucky man."

"Oh hush now. You'll be twice as beautiful on your day, I just know it."

"I wasn't fishin' for compliments, Abigail." I chuckled.

"I know it, but still." She sighed as she watched Jack and Angela dance.

"I do believe Angie's got a crush on your boy." I smiled at the way she was looking at him.

"She's a darling little thing." Abigail grinned. "You did so good raisin' them two on your own."

"Thank you. I did my best. I'm so thankful I don't have to do it alone anymore, though." Arthur stood with John, watching as Artie chased a dog around the yard.

"He was pitiful without you." She smiled. "I don't think he ever truly stopped lookin' for you. Even when he was sure you had left all this mess behind."

"I wish I'd done better, fought harder to get away. I thought he was dead, and I thought the only chance I had at surviving for the kids was to go along with Micah for as long as possible."

"Nobody blames you for stickin' around with him. We all know you did what you had to."

I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could get a word out, I was interrupted.

"Excuse me, Abigail. Mind if I steal her for a while?“ Arthur wrapped an arm around my waist and was already pulling me away before Abigail could answer.

He walked me over to a small bank that overlooked Beecher's Hope and we sat there and looked down on the party.

"Seems too good to be real, don't it?" He chuckled.

"All of this does." I reached out and grabbed his hand.

"You know, I coulda played everything out a million ways in my head, and I don't think I would've once came up with a happy endin' for any of us. Especially after not bein' able to find you for so long, and then lookin' for Micah. I didn't think we'd ever be able to rest. Now everything feels..."

"Too calm?" I smiled.

"But that's what we're supposed to want, right? The calm? Not havin' to run every few weeks. That was the goal all along. Now that we're safe, I just feel like I don't know what to do anymore."

"Well, we're just gonna have to set some new goals then."

"What're you thinkin'?"

"Well, for starters, Mister Morgan, you could marry me."

"If it wouldn't ruin the day for Abigail, I'd take you down there and do it right now."

I smiled. "I know you would. And it's fine to wait a little longer, just as long as you still plan on doin' it."

"Besides a weddin', what else are you wantin'?" He wrapped me up in his arms and held me close.

"A house and some land somewhere safe. Somewhere I don't have to worry about the Del Lobos ridin' through. Somewhere the kids can run free and not have to fear for their lives."