The Outlaw's Return

Meetin' the Family

CHAPTER 21 -MEETIN' THE FAMILY

        We were leaving Escalera by the time the sun had risen. My shoulder was sore and when I moved my arm it would hurt. Britt was in his sling cloth and was watching everything. He had Cole's eyes and I loved them. I took in the scenery and decided that Mexico was actually a pretty place. We came up on an open field and I could see a small house on the other side. "Well, we made it!" Seth had excitement all over his voice and his face. I wished we could turn around. When we got closer I could see there was a wagon and two horses out front.

       "That's Maw's wagon." Cole stated and I felt my stomach turn into a knot. He looked at me with a huge smile and said, "I can't wait for you to meet her."

        "I hope Paw ain't here. You gon' have to watch him." Seth said the last part while looking at me. He was smiling, so apparently that was a joke that I didn't get.

        We finally made it to Elizabeth's house and Cole jumped down. He reached up and helped me to the ground, being careful not to hurt me. The men tied their horses and walked onto the porch. I could smell something cooking and realized I was hungry. Seth went inside first and then Cole ushered me inside, like he was scared I was going to run. I really wanted to, but that wouldn't help anything. I looked around and noticed the house was very plain, like mine back in Sunset Ridge. A few dolls were scattered about on the floor and the fire place was burning. I looked up to meet the same blue eyes of the Mason men, except these were on a woman. Elizabeth.

      "Oh, you must be Cassidy." She said with a huge, bright smile that seemed to light the room. She walked past her brothers and stopped in front of me. She looked down to see Britt and she covered her mouth. "Oh my goodness." She looked over at her grinning brother and hugged him. She was holding back tears when she looked at me again. "Welcome to the family, honey."

      Relief washed all over me as she hugged me. I let her hold Britt and she sat with him in the wooden rocking chair by the fireplace. I noticed how similiar she looked to Seth. They had the same color hair and she had one dimple on her left cheek just like Seth. Cole and I were standing in the middle of the room as Seth came walking in from the kitchen. He had a silly look on his face and I rolled my eyes at him, causing him to laugh. He plopped down on the small love seat and turned his gaze to his sister, who was in awe over her nephew.

       "I don't give a damn, Abigail!" The loud voice startled me and I looked up to see an older Cole walking into the living room. His angry expression dissolved when he looked up to see all of us. He let a crooked grin cover his face and I instantly knew which parent Cole looked like. Same hair, same eyes, same smile, same everything. Even their voices were alike.

       "Well you're just gonna have to do it, Zach! 'Cause I can't do-" The woman in front of us stopped in the middle of her sentence when she saw us. She was just a little taller than me and she had brown eyes and dark brown hair. She ran into the living room and grabbed her youngest son. "Cole Mason! I oughta whoop you! It don't take three years to come see your family!"

       "Maw, this is Cassidy." Cole said as he pointed her in my direction. She kept her smile and grabbed me in a tight hug that made my shoulder hurt, but I didn't protest.

      "Finally! My baby boy found him someone!" She squealed. Then she grabbed Seth and squeezed him just as she'd done Cole. She also threatened to whoop him.

       "She's pretty too." Zach added and I smiled at him. "Where's my grandson?"

     Elizabeth stood from the chair and the three's parents hovered over my baby. "Oh heavens, this baby is gorgeous!" Abigail was quick to take him from Elizabeth and she looked at me. "Honey, you have given us a beautiful grandson. What's his name?"

      "His name is Britt." I answered her with my sweetest smile. The day wasn't over yet, I had to keep trying my best.

      "Britt Mason." Zach said as he hovered over Abigail's slender shoulders. He walked over to Cole and they shook hands. "Nice to see you, son."

      "Nice to see you too, Paw." Cole said. I just couldn't get over how much alike they looked. It was weird.

       "Seth, you ain't got no babies yet?" Zach asked. Seth laughed and stood to shake his father's hand.

      "Naw, I ain't found a girl as pretty as Cassidy yet." I blushed a little and Seth gave me that look again. Cole noticed and slung his arm around me, just as he'd done the day I first met Seth.

        "You did good, boy." Zach looked me over and then looked at Cole. "You did real good."

       Cole laughed and smiled at me. "Cassie, don't let this old man fool you. He ain't as charmin' as he likes to make people think he is."

        I smiled and Zach walked over next to us. He pushed Cole's arm away and hugged me. "If I was younger, me and you would-"

        "Zachary Mason! You leave Cole's woman alone!" Abigail interrupted him and I couldn't help but laugh. After that last comment I could see that even though Cole looked the most like their father, Seth was the one that acted like him. "Baby, you just ignore anythin' he says to you." Abigail said with a smile. I now understood Seth's joke when we were coming up to the house.

        "If you don't hurry up and marry this girl, I'm goin' to!" Zach said through his laughter and I heard Seth laughing from behinid us as well.

         "I'm plannin' on it, Paw. Real soon." Cole looked at me and then looked at his mother, who was still holding our baby. "I just need Maw to help with the arrangements." After he said that Abigail's face lit up even more and she looked so excited.

       "You realy want me to help?" Cole and I both nodded. "I can't wait! Cassidy, honey, we gon' have to sit down after dinner and discuss the whole thing!"

        "Yes ma'am, we will." I said, still wearing my smile. I thought things were calming down a bit until the door swung open and a little girl came running in. She looked like a mini-me to Elizabeth and I instantly knew that she was her daughter.

        "Autumn! Come here." Elizabeth called and she did as she was told. Elizabeth turned her around to look at me and Autumn's cute little face lit up and she smiled.

         "Mommy, who is that lady?" She asked in a high pitched voice.

        Elizabeth smiled and said, "That's your new Aunt Cassidy." Autumn ran to me and hugged me. She was light enough for me to pick her up, so I did.

        "Nice to meet you, Aunt Cassidyyyyy." She drug out the last part of my name and I giggled.

        "Nice to meet you, Autumn."

         "Uncle Cole!!" She screamed when she saw him standing next to me and reached for him. He took her from me and threw her in the air. She screamed and laughed when he caught her. Elizabeth gasped and placed her small hand over her chest.

         "Cole! Don't give me a heart attack!"

        Cole threw Autumn into the air again and she screamed so loud I thought the windows would crack. Cole was so good with Autumn it made me think he would be that way with Britt. It warmed my heart a little and I now had good prospects for the day.

          "Alright little one, you wanna see your cousin?" Cole asked her and she nodded quickly. Cole carried her over to Abigail and held her while she looked at Britt.

        "That's a real baby!" She screamed. I thought Britt might cry, but he didn't. Abigail popped Autumn on her leg.

         "Will you please stop all that screamin'? You're as bad as your mama was." She said the last part with a back wards glance at Elizabeth, who just rolled her eyes. I mentally laughed at them and looked at Cole, who was lowering Autumn to the floor. He came over to me right after and hugged me.

       "You wanna step outside a minute?"

       "Yes."

       Cole led me outside. He grabbed my hand we walked away from the house. "Well, how's it goin' so far?"

        "They're nice. I like your parents.. and Elizabeth. She's so pretty."

      "Yeah, she always had callers when we were still living on the ranch. She spent Sunday's with a different boy every week." I laughed at that and then thought about who Cole had been calling on, but I didn't ask. "They like you, Cassie."

      "I'm so relieved." I let myself relax and just take it all in. Cole's family was great so far and we would be getting married soon. Everything I wanted was here. I was happy to say the least.

     Cole and I went back to the house and he and Zach made plans to go hunting. Jack was going with them, but Seth preffered to stay at the house. He was complaining of his back and Cole said he didn't want to hear him gripe the whole time. Cole kissed me goodbye and slung his rifle over his shoulder before walking out the back door. Abigail announced she was going to bathe Britt and Elizabeth was going to get started on dinner. I asked if she needed help, but she refused that I do anything while I was there. She told me to relax in the living room or go outside and sit on the porch.

      I walked out the door and sat in one of  the chairs on the porch. A few minutes later, I was joined by Seth. He pulled the other chair next to mine and sat in it. He propped his elbow on the arm of the chair and rested his face in his hand while looking at me. "What?" I asked after a few seconds.

     "Nothin'." He simply answered. I rolled my eyes.

    "Why are you starin' at me?"

      "I don't know, just a little jealous I guess." I turned my eyes to the field in front of the house and ignored his existance. He laughed and it irritated me. There was something I wanted to ask him, but I wasn't sure if I should. I thought I might as well, Cole wasn't here right now.

      "Seth? Can I ask you somethin'?" I asked while turning my eyes back to his.

      "Mmmhmm."

     "First of all, what are you jealous of?"

     Seth shifted in the chair and put both of his arms on the arms of the chair. He leaned his head against the back of the chair and looked at me for a few seconds before answering. "'Cause I don't have you."

     His answer caught me off guard. I looked away, but asked the other question. "Why did you kiss me the day you and Cole left me in West Wood?" I didn't look at him, but I felt his eyes burning into me.

     "'Cause I wanted to."

     "You've been secretly lookin' out for me since I met you. When we were in the basin, you covered me with a blanket one night when it was cold. When we were in West Wood you tried to comfort me when I realized I was pregnant. You kept it a secret like I asked, and then when the Marshal shot me you tried to shoot him. Why?" I looked at him this time and his eyes were so intense, I thought I was going to melt into a puddle right there on the porch.

        Seth leaned forward and was dangerously close to my face. He shifted his eyes to my lips and then looked me dead in my eyes when he said, "Because I love you."