"Mommy! Daddy!"
Justin quickly pulled out of his very heated 308Please respect copyright.PENANABDIvIYIXkQ
kiss with Mary. Pulling the sheets up, he went to cover both of their 308Please respect copyright.PENANAQj5nIV6cwS
naked bodies. After which, he laughed as he rolled off of Mary and 308Please respect copyright.PENANADMuDbuJm04
turned towards their door. "Come on in, girls!" He called.
Two 308Please respect copyright.PENANA8lSy69BPU5
small girls ran in with the biggest smiles reaching their face. One was a308Please respect copyright.PENANAxDjuJ4q497
red-haired girl with blue eyes, the other a brown-haired girl with 308Please respect copyright.PENANAziDB68Txx4
violet eyes. The red-haired girl, Ida, was the oldest, at six years old,308Please respect copyright.PENANADgWffzEsPN
and the blonde, Ethel, was three. In her arms, Ida carried a baby girl,308Please respect copyright.PENANA06Au6fFjWZ
Sallie. Sallie was six months old and had black hair and green eyes.
Sitting308Please respect copyright.PENANAOxS95x0yw0
up a little on the bed, not letting the sheets fall past his hips, 308Please respect copyright.PENANAMeajMALTkf
Justin held his arms out and helped Ethel into the bed. Then he helped 308Please respect copyright.PENANAK2FD3wJy4G
Ida, and took Sallie into his arms. "Good morning, sweethearts." He 308Please respect copyright.PENANAeeboyFT4W9
greeted them as he gave a kiss to the top of each of their heads. 308Please respect copyright.PENANAvJQfnc8J7N
Wrapping an arm around Mary, he held all four of his girls close and 308Please respect copyright.PENANAYHP6ALZLV9
sighed in content.
"Are you going to take me riding today, daddy? 308Please respect copyright.PENANA5clvfXCMOq
You promised me, last night, that you would." Ida asked excitedly. She 308Please respect copyright.PENANAcaG9V0v6tz
was a beautiful girl, and had even been deemed a much beautiful baby, as308Please respect copyright.PENANAQE2o1H5Idt
an infant. They had no clue where she got her red hair and blue eyes; 308Please respect copyright.PENANAj4nRrLyR9n
it was one mystery that they figured made her that much more unique. And308Please respect copyright.PENANATcXizMZ4w5
they loved her for her uniqueness.
He beamed over at his oldest 308Please respect copyright.PENANANRJZREzjoo
and poked her nose playfully. "Well if I promised, don't you think I'd 308Please respect copyright.PENANAnyPfFU3acm
take you riding? Since when has your daddy ever made a promise he can't 308Please respect copyright.PENANAvZpJfx02e9
keep?"
Mary chuckled and stroked Ida's hair with loving fingers. 308Please respect copyright.PENANAKktfDhoC33
"One of the many wonderful qualities about your father, Ida, is that he 308Please respect copyright.PENANAl0vLAT3TyK
has never made a promise that he cannot keep. He's a smart man, not a 308Please respect copyright.PENANAVjiaults3j
dumb one." She told the girl.
Justin scoffed teasingly. "Wow, 308Please respect copyright.PENANAO87nQ7VAnS
thank you for that backhanded compliment, love. Girls, I love your 308Please respect copyright.PENANA0Cl36S9tdM
mother with all my heart, but she is very good with giving compliments 308Please respect copyright.PENANA26lQhVnTPu
in backhanded ways." He saw the look on his wife's face and gulped 308Please respect copyright.PENANACUgtp3LNSv
slightly. "I-I mean…uh…thank you very much, dear?" He suggested with a 308Please respect copyright.PENANAxK9i0rorhz
crooked smile as though saying, please, just don't hurt me.
She 308Please respect copyright.PENANAc2v8XnFNTb
laughed outright and shook her head. "I wasn't going to punch you, Jus. 308Please respect copyright.PENANA9l4nvFEAjO
And even if I wanted to, I still wouldn't; not while you have the baby."308Please respect copyright.PENANAZBpU8C6vKS
She reminded him.
He sighed in relief and pressed his lips to 308Please respect copyright.PENANAr0zXivjeqN
Sallie's head. "You saved your old man's hide, Sal." He said gratefully.308Please respect copyright.PENANAPx8OGkGMfh
Then he looked back toward Ida, remembering their conversation before. 308Please respect copyright.PENANANQShvgmm7t
"We'll go out riding, after breakfast, Ida. Speaking of, whatcha say we 308Please respect copyright.PENANAxWt1SX6HYt
get up and make something for these munchkins, dear?" He said to Mary.
She hummed. "I suppose we should. How bout you get it started, and I'll feed Sal?"
"Sure."308Please respect copyright.PENANAVzNmZe8P7H
He agreed. He was just about to get up, when he remembered the state he308Please respect copyright.PENANAnHKbMA5QuD
and Mary were in. He blushed lightly, glaring at his wife's sly smile. 308Please respect copyright.PENANA8mZHn0FmQf
"Ida, Ethel, why don't you two go get dressed while mommy and daddy get 308Please respect copyright.PENANAA73SkVmF9Z
ready?" He suggested to his daughters.
The girls ran out eagerly, their messy hair swooshing around them. Then they closed the bedroom door as they ran out.
After308Please respect copyright.PENANAhYkhBizcGp
they were gone, Mary barked a laugh, while Juatin glared playfully at 308Please respect copyright.PENANAIItmmB0P7s
her. "Oh shut up." He mumbled while leaning in and kissing her 308Please respect copyright.PENANAY18IGnCsUz
collarbone softly.
But she swatted his head, making him pull back 308Please respect copyright.PENANAL7z9wUsOHz
and give her a confused look. "I have to feed the baby, and you need to 308Please respect copyright.PENANAeCWoXKz2CX
start breakfast for our other two girls." She reminded him with a 308Please respect copyright.PENANAhdaaMzI144
smiled. At his despondent face, she kissed him softly and ruffled his 308Please respect copyright.PENANAUolpLhDoOr
hair. "Later, lover boy."
He grinned slyly, stroking her arm with 308Please respect copyright.PENANAqL5fhqn5Y6
such softness. "I'll hold you to that, sweetheart." Then he rolled out 308Please respect copyright.PENANAhdrHjfGQsM
of bed, albeit reluctantly, and went to dress. After which, he left to 308Please respect copyright.PENANAf0wg3uTWnf
head for the kitchen to make breakfast.
As he stood at the old 308Please respect copyright.PENANABdOXZ8iosk
stove, his two oldest daughter came bounding in, their long hair still a308Please respect copyright.PENANAYYgnHD7LQa
mess and in need of help. He laughed as he put the spoon with which he 308Please respect copyright.PENANAt9QZ4t8UBP
was using to make porridge down and knelt in front of them. "You girls 308Please respect copyright.PENANArsVTOHtJsN
need me to do your hair?" He asked as he stroked each of their heads.
Justin308Please respect copyright.PENANAxOu2WcKG29
and Mary had gotten married when they were fourteen and nineteen. There308Please respect copyright.PENANA8V2fRrVziD
was no doubt in Justin's parents' mind that their son was in love, and 308Please respect copyright.PENANAw9bl8KRvtz
that Mary was in love with him. Mary had fallen in love with him for 308Please respect copyright.PENANAMByDtk4k3B
more than just his looks though. She'd found out, early on, that he was 308Please respect copyright.PENANANGX6DPDDeg
able to cook and clean, unlike many of the suitors that had begged her 308Please respect copyright.PENANAEAKkQw9cbY
for her hand since her father's death, when she was twelve. Justin was 308Please respect copyright.PENANADjP2uP04pQ
different though.
His ability to cook and clean made her one happy308Please respect copyright.PENANA0VLPNtFbI8
woman, when they married. And a year later they had Ida. As she began 308Please respect copyright.PENANA1xlaSjRfSp
to grow hair, and it grew longer, Mary was pleased to discover more of 308Please respect copyright.PENANAfjlHOeEtO0
her husband's hidden talents. He could do hair. He had offered to do 308Please respect copyright.PENANAYLyKl5986Y
hers on numerous occasions, but she had always insisted on doing it 308Please respect copyright.PENANAeRijiMwita
herself. But as Ida grew, and she was left tired, Justin had stepped in 308Please respect copyright.PENANAf6Oc13tEhS
to do whatever his daughter needed. He could dress her, change her 308Please respect copyright.PENANAcEzAqfpWVu
diapers, do her hair, everything. And now, he had two daughters to do 308Please respect copyright.PENANAWH2MRkzfr2
that with; which they both loved when he did their hair.
Ida 308Please respect copyright.PENANAiPvwp0pgAO
nodded and held out two leather bands for him. Turning them around, he 308Please respect copyright.PENANArHPkTQf8m0
used the wooden hair brush to gently pry out the nasty knots in their 308Please respect copyright.PENANA8zuirIKQFE
beautiful hair. Then he but them into loose braids. After that, he 308Please respect copyright.PENANA3fAcZ5HFYo
grabbed some flowers that Mary always kept on the table, and put them 308Please respect copyright.PENANAYQq4nmn3Wr
into random spots of the braids. "There we go. There's my beautiful 308Please respect copyright.PENANAIuHyll9qvj
girls." He said pridefully as he touched each of their cheeks and placed308Please respect copyright.PENANAIBOvdKLTWv
light kisses on their foreheads.
The girls each giggled and 308Please respect copyright.PENANASo5NKK45Qh
kissed his cheek. "Thanks, daddy." They said unanimously. Picking up the308Please respect copyright.PENANAKjq3ArQCrA
ends of their dresses, they raced to the table and climbed up on the 308Please respect copyright.PENANAQPNDIzIKCu
chairs that were still to big for them. Justin helped them up and then 308Please respect copyright.PENANA6e5UOp4jQ4
went back to making breakfast.
Mary came in, not long later, 308Please respect copyright.PENANAhNMwKPHn5Y
Sallie in her arms, dressed in a thick dress to keep her from the bitter308Please respect copyright.PENANAdaaFllh1iW
cold that threatened them during the winter months. Mary herself wore a308Please respect copyright.PENANAfkPi5mXG1p
simple, beat up, blue dress with an apron over top. Her hair was loose,308Please respect copyright.PENANAruFx0Icaow
with only parts of the front being pulled back into a small braid.
That's308Please respect copyright.PENANA24VxZnqBwm
when Justin set breakfast in front of everyone. They'd had nothing but 308Please respect copyright.PENANA21mUaoJKGA
porridge for the past few weeks, but, unfortunately, that was all they 308Please respect copyright.PENANA1RDMC43Wtk
could afford at the moment. Justin had lost his job at the sawmill 308Please respect copyright.PENANABLRz717ZqX
several months ago, because of the impact of the war that had just 308Please respect copyright.PENANAsbyfZkMwib
started not even half a year ago. The Civil War, as they called it. They308Please respect copyright.PENANA4GxrrzRxPv
were at war with their own countrymen. It was sad to see it come to 308Please respect copyright.PENANAeemrnjpMgi
this, and see the effects it cause. Because of it, Justin had lost his 308Please respect copyright.PENANAMvvBt3RDVU
job, and they had been reduced to nothing more than rations of food.
She308Please respect copyright.PENANAicdIM5I9TO
looked over at Justin with a soft, hopefully encouraging smile. She 308Please respect copyright.PENANA5vvVsZflVA
knew that losing his job had struck him right in the gut. His pride was,308Please respect copyright.PENANAj0dEz1HZCH
without a doubt, damaged. With great struggle, she had managed to get 308Please respect copyright.PENANAxKGfj9oixo
him to admit that he felt like a failure as a husband and a father, 308Please respect copyright.PENANAlECMYYydFj
because he lost his job. He felt unable to provide for his own family; 308Please respect copyright.PENANAIBWKUepsop
to him, that was something worse than death. All he wanted was to give 308Please respect copyright.PENANAsbJzOhUEJF
his wife and young daughters a good home, good clothes, and good food. 308Please respect copyright.PENANAQfkwCS2u1q
Now, he couldn't even do that. It took its toll on him, and she could 308Please respect copyright.PENANAtygutCUyxN
see it in the way he had started to age from the stress of the last few 308Please respect copyright.PENANAxesRPVlXAj
months.
They were doing all they could for the time being. She 308Please respect copyright.PENANA2x84ta6fxp
would eat little, but still a substantial amount so that she could 308Please respect copyright.PENANAlivwG2ZqkX
provide milk for Sallie, and he would hardly eat anything. He had 308Please respect copyright.PENANAgWL3buhiDh
started losing a significant amount of weight, which he and Mary could 308Please respect copyright.PENANArGUPbAViaH
only hope the girls hadn't noticed. She had also lost a great deal 308Please respect copyright.PENANAtSKj4fCIo4
amount of weight, but still not quite as much as him. Even their 308Please respect copyright.PENANACO9tF24C5r
daughter, Ida and Ethel, had begun losing weight because of the food 308Please respect copyright.PENANAMLH4APt7vJ
shortage.
He looked around at his family, as he always did at 308Please respect copyright.PENANALe8BDUYOCB
breakfast and dinner, and felt his heart break once more. His wife's 308Please respect copyright.PENANAEYRJVwNFUP
face, while beautiful as he would always find her and know her to be, 308Please respect copyright.PENANApC0HhsL6jR
was shallow, and dark bags lined under her eyes. She looked so…empty. 308Please respect copyright.PENANAJHofe9r2cp
His daughters looked weaker than they once were. They used to be so 308Please respect copyright.PENANAsg6Sjzz0B3
lively; and while they would still run around and play, they couldn't 308Please respect copyright.PENANAUmxEj9b0hQ
last as long as they once did. One of his favorite things to do, had 308Please respect copyright.PENANA7KaahLYIne
been to watch his little girls run and play. They were like fairies, 308Please respect copyright.PENANAP4ToJArCT1
when they ran through the tall, summer grass. So beautiful. So 308Please respect copyright.PENANAx9Gnqg2f0d
enchanting. Now it seemed there was only a sliver of those girls left in308Please respect copyright.PENANAzUmaRveTe1
the daughters he'd raised.
Then there was Sallie. She was smaller308Please respect copyright.PENANAosmuHGy3q9
than most six month old babies. She'd been born at nine months, she 308Please respect copyright.PENANAdduDiLBHce
just wasn't getting the necessary nourishing most babies needed. She was308Please respect copyright.PENANAa8ZgBhgJG3
healthy, but looked so torn down compared to most, healthier, six month308Please respect copyright.PENANAhXQu5nJQ54
olds.
He hated seeing his family so broken up. As a man 308Please respect copyright.PENANAiisPLd9VME
especially, it hit him right where it hurts. His girls were the most 308Please respect copyright.PENANAOXLgoKXewY
important treasures in his world, and taking care of them felt more like308Please respect copyright.PENANAyD0u7LbnF0
an honor than a duty. To have that honor suddenly taken, and to not be 308Please respect copyright.PENANA9luZl30oOv
able to give his girls anything more than grits and moldy bread as 308Please respect copyright.PENANA5SgWmsVwAi
meals, was about the cruelest thing for him. Now they were suffering, 308Please respect copyright.PENANAhmHSZiKfKn
and there was nothing her, or anyone else, could do about it.
Mary,308Please respect copyright.PENANAy8rXpU41dh
seeing the heartbreak that was all but written on his face, reached 308Please respect copyright.PENANAEt5J1czfGj
across the table to take his hand in her own smaller one. With her eyes,308Please respect copyright.PENANA8assCh9iVO
she told him that it was alright. They were together. They had each 308Please respect copyright.PENANAKyM2aZgQxN
other. That was all that mattered. And she was right; he knew that. but 308Please respect copyright.PENANAZGTjKmyUe3
deep in his heart, he couldn't help that feeling of letting them all 308Please respect copyright.PENANAaaga0pD68u
down, even though it hadn't been his fault that he was fired.
As 308Please respect copyright.PENANAL1UV0M078b
the family finished their breakfast in silence, Mary got up and cleared 308Please respect copyright.PENANAmYZqZNvZzp
their pans. Meanwhile, Justin grabbed his hat and rifle and ruffled 308Please respect copyright.PENANAbSJlB00tom
little Ida's red hair. "You ready to go, half pint?" He asked with a 308Please respect copyright.PENANAK0IDwLsz8C
broad, loving smile.
Ida jumped up excitedly and bounced on the 308Please respect copyright.PENANAT63HymINCo
balls of her feet. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" She squealed. A laugh slipped past 308Please respect copyright.PENANAeXkbZ6gpJJ
her lips when he placed another hat on her head as well. It was a bit 308Please respect copyright.PENANAwnSGHd5HZa
too big, and fell slightly over her forehead. But she smiled wider and 308Please respect copyright.PENANAWUKwRsJl7b
pushed it back up.
"I wanna go, papa!" Ethel said hopefully, lifting her arms toward her father.
He chuckled and picked her up. "When you're a little older, sweetheart." He told her and kissed her brown head.
She308Please respect copyright.PENANA5WkJnzTiJd
pouted, crossing her arms. And he couldn't get over how much she looked308Please respect copyright.PENANAdUUjxFKd7V
like Mary when she pouted. Other than those violet eyes, of course, she308Please respect copyright.PENANAbRPtSNKn58
was her mother's spitting image. "Why does Ida get to do everything?"
"She's308Please respect copyright.PENANAXsD8Xd7085
older, Ethel. I know it ain't fair, hon, but I promise that we'll go 308Please respect copyright.PENANAbjIJK8IEyS
riding together when you're a little bit older. Alright?" He didn't like308Please respect copyright.PENANAqDQJrjSqk0
disappointing either of his older daughters – Sallie of course being 308Please respect copyright.PENANAiymfCuJIXB
hard to displease because she was only six months old – but he also 308Please respect copyright.PENANAtH5yrfdCzK
couldn't take major risks. He hadn't taken Ida out riding when she was 308Please respect copyright.PENANAuZ3rKjfQQr
three, and he wouldn't do that with Ethel or Sallie either. And she 308Please respect copyright.PENANASKMA39y0oJ
might not have found it fair at the time, but he knew Ethel would 308Please respect copyright.PENANAH57dfjqcZ8
understand one day.
She was still pouting, but nodded anyway. "Ok,308Please respect copyright.PENANAVaSLA5P6pv
daddy." Kissing his cheek, she wiggled out of his arms and went to play308Please respect copyright.PENANA37CmyGQkKV
in the small family room.
Mary came forward then and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Be careful?" She whispered.
He308Please respect copyright.PENANAfYc6GHF0Dy
smiled and nodded. "Of course, darlin'. And I'll bring our daughter 308Please respect copyright.PENANATZyhJ70Wlv
back in one piece." He promised, making them both laugh. Then he leaned 308Please respect copyright.PENANAQZBjftI8K1
in and kissed her lips chastely. "I love you." He mumbled against her 308Please respect copyright.PENANAawvsfN96Ql
lips. Then pulling away, he stooped down to scoop Ida up into his strong308Please respect copyright.PENANA3SzRBWCSSW
arms. "You ready to go, baby?" He asked, nudging his nose against her 308Please respect copyright.PENANAdefho594z8
soft cheek.
She giggled and kissed his cheek. That was answer 308Please respect copyright.PENANAUHYOpkeFkO
enough for her father, as he turned for the door. A last look back, and 308Please respect copyright.PENANAvjzjFo8bwS
he left with Ida snug against him. Within minutes, he had his horse, 308Please respect copyright.PENANA5si1BniuOw
Bobbie, ready and saddled. Then he saddled Mary's horse, Mosey. Picking 308Please respect copyright.PENANAweM7kHpFgW
Ida back up, under her arms, he lifted her up and set her in Mosey's 308Please respect copyright.PENANAqbxAWbbjwP
saddle.
Father and daughter spent hours riding the deserted plains308Please respect copyright.PENANA4rmiBQCLpE
of Braiden, which was part of the Dakota Territory. For miles, there 308Please respect copyright.PENANAPFUjzv2uib
was nothing but sage brush and wild grass. The air was fresh, and clean.308Please respect copyright.PENANAI20ujfm6rI
To Justin, that was the best thing about living in the Dakota 308Please respect copyright.PENANAvD3HIFqu1K
Territory, rather than the big cities. And he couldn't be any happier to308Please respect copyright.PENANA5DpujyShIy
be raising his own family in such a beautiful land.
As they rose 308Please respect copyright.PENANAq3Jv8Hb878
through the plain, over the hills, and through the tufts of rolling 308Please respect copyright.PENANAYLvymcYN16
grass that danced with the wind, he watched his daughter with a proud 308Please respect copyright.PENANAeUQ5b6E7oT
smile. While she looked like no one in their family, he couldn't help 308Please respect copyright.PENANAHhXrqxKD0K
but admire all of their qualities that fit into her. She was as close to308Please respect copyright.PENANAWClpgsAm1m
perfect as one could ever be. While she made mistakes, she was quick to308Please respect copyright.PENANA0AHQGIJBkC
try and make up and apologize for those mistakes. And she was quick to 308Please respect copyright.PENANAm4Oy9XQHua
forgive too. She never once held a grudge, and for that, everyone was 308Please respect copyright.PENANA9AZIir8Htk
grateful. Being on her bad side was never fun.
She fit into this 308Please respect copyright.PENANAtQ2KWdnrdN
life, better than most. This was the life she wanted. So many times, 308Please respect copyright.PENANA1xm2vzahXt
since she was old enough to speak, she had crawled up into his lap and 308Please respect copyright.PENANANukmMRq7DM
told him that she loved the life of the prairie. It's like living in a 308Please respect copyright.PENANADjkU7ojDCC
fairy-tale, she would tell him. And she knew not only the magical parts 308Please respect copyright.PENANAgyqT0SLV8B
of the prairie, but also the dangers of it. She knew the harshness the 308Please respect copyright.PENANAMLPA4NyynV
winters could bring. She knew to watch for mountain lions, and rattle 308Please respect copyright.PENANAoH4PcnPAxM
snakes, and scorpions. She knew how to test whether a berry was safe to 308Please respect copyright.PENANABOHyhWR6Xe
eat, or deadly poisonous. She knew it all, and still, she loved it. She 308Please respect copyright.PENANAT2ndtpRAd7
loved all te harsh realities that came with a beautiful land.
She 308Please respect copyright.PENANApTAPqi3sbN
wasn't like all the other girls, he well knew. While other girls loved 308Please respect copyright.PENANAicPw85fVdW
dresses, or butterflies, she preferred to spend her time learning how to308Please respect copyright.PENANA0wqMmQhUPL
survive the rough life of the prairie. Justin and Mary had agreed, 308Please respect copyright.PENANAEvXZkBx5zo
before they even had children, that any daughters they had needed to be 308Please respect copyright.PENANA5Hkz5k9oE7
taught how to handle themselves. They couldn't always depend on a man. 308Please respect copyright.PENANA6ITFmyOzk7
Mary already knew what that was like.
Her father had been a drunk 308Please respect copyright.PENANAgnig0vm4i1
her whole life. Her mother was meek, and never spoke for herself. Being 308Please respect copyright.PENANAdU06Phq8fc
raised mainly by her mother, Mary had been much the same, for years. 308Please respect copyright.PENANAJ3CUHYAnIS
When her mother died, when she was seven, nothing changed. She remained 308Please respect copyright.PENANAvmtvQtONFY
the quiet girl that never spoke up to her father. She could hardly take 308Please respect copyright.PENANAU0LWLS21ZJ
care of herself, and knew little to nothing about the wilderness.
Her308Please respect copyright.PENANAwDQmm3WGY3
father had never cared, though. He turned a blind eye as to Mary's 308Please respect copyright.PENANAdWgPPtKfMf
well-being. The only times he would acknowledge her was to tell her to 308Please respect copyright.PENANA5u5XX7mQZC
cook, or clean, or to mend his clothes. She was more of a slave to him, 308Please respect copyright.PENANAXdmsnIbPdP
than a daughter. And when he finally drank himself to death, he left 308Please respect copyright.PENANAeUU81oRuiq
nothing behind for Mary to live a good life from. She didn't know how to308Please respect copyright.PENANA7CG1DAD54t
work the small farm she lived on; her father didn't believe in women 308Please respect copyright.PENANAMHYl95zhZ4
working anywhere else but in the house.
Being thrown, so suddenly,308Please respect copyright.PENANAH0RT5DA6nf
into the cruel world that she'd never had to think of before had a big 308Please respect copyright.PENANAU00wnlMBnl
impact on Mary. Being only twelve years of age, she was nothing more 308Please respect copyright.PENANAoFXsKQAFvd
than a scared orphan that was terrified by the sudden new world. she had308Please respect copyright.PENANAaKlnlSLcX0
to teach herself the ropes. No one was there to guide her. And when she308Please respect copyright.PENANAz2pVXfdRi8
met and married Justin, she vehemently told him that she didn't want 308Please respect copyright.PENANAob3oirjp8f
her own daughters to go through that, should anything happen to one, or 308Please respect copyright.PENANAK2LULnyPYc
both of them.
He was quick to agree, telling her that he believed 308Please respect copyright.PENANAd3VoZSlzxN
women should know the rules of the wild. He didn't think it fair to see 308Please respect copyright.PENANAc0QT3cwNsV
women suddenly left on their own, when their husband, father or brother 308Please respect copyright.PENANAWCdIgwa1Fg
died, and having little to no clue on how to handle themselves. That was308Please respect copyright.PENANA79671RhMfF
no life, for any woman. And he couldn't, as a father and a husband, 308Please respect copyright.PENANArXE1YyvMr9
live himself in knowing that if he didn't leave behind those rules with 308Please respect copyright.PENANA4VG3Af3tqd
his women, something much worse could happen to them than if they did 308Please respect copyright.PENANAZvlWuW0UI6
know. And as a man that loved his family more than anything, he'd be 308Please respect copyright.PENANAdcCErG64R3
damned if he let anything happen to them because he didn't give them the308Please respect copyright.PENANAiNrheAq250
tools necessary to survive.
He had just started teaching Ethel, 308Please respect copyright.PENANA4qX8yHDS6Y
as well. While she was a bit confused by the lessons, she knew that when308Please respect copyright.PENANAEsKI5OHjHn
her father was trying to teach her something important, it was for a 308Please respect copyright.PENANAZ7licPf5g7
good reason. She paid very close attention to him, as she often did with308Please respect copyright.PENANAOoFNNRb7Kk
a lot of things.
Now, watching Ida smiling with rosy cheeks, and 308Please respect copyright.PENANAFx5GoETHI2
her loose hair drift with the cool winter's breeze, he couldn't help but308Please respect copyright.PENANA37E99HAimW
imagine her as she grew. He visioned a beautiful young girl, riding 308Please respect copyright.PENANAGAx7MJlZhC
merrily through the fields. A girl that didn't care what society had to 308Please respect copyright.PENANA2emgRVbNae
say about her unorthodox upbringing. A girl that didn't need to depend 308Please respect copyright.PENANAlKNyT13lTt
on a man to take care of her. A strong, able-minded girl. It was nothing308Please respect copyright.PENANACEADAwnTk3
short of amazing.
They returned at dusk, having had a most 308Please respect copyright.PENANAtTTFfN2VFM
enjoyable time. He was just helping her off of Mosey, when he saw Mary 308Please respect copyright.PENANAhDQ8Pe5bGE
walking towards them, a despondent look on her beautiful face. Frowning,308Please respect copyright.PENANAQJSKqAcxqX
he crouched in front of Ida and adjusted her hat slightly. "Why don't 308Please respect copyright.PENANAg6Zio0KwrX
you go on inside, Ida. Mommy and daddy will be in shortly." He told her.308Please respect copyright.PENANAboBbl183P6
She obediently did as she was told.
As Mary neared him, he was 308Please respect copyright.PENANASXYtm0IhJb
troubled to see tears in her red eyes. She'd been crying a while, 308Please respect copyright.PENANA0s5EgizwIJ
already. but why, he wondered? She was the strongest person he knew, and308Please respect copyright.PENANA7VvTFg4ZdG
she hardly ever cried. When she did cry, though, it was usually for 308Please respect copyright.PENANAKn37UFa73y
something serious. She cried when he lost his job. She cried when they 308Please respect copyright.PENANAFsk4yXZwXb
lost their baby boy, William, two years ago. Those were the only times. 308Please respect copyright.PENANAl6WwTvlfHD
Two times, in their seven years of marriage, and he'd only seen her cry 308Please respect copyright.PENANA2SkwF2hqn5
twice.
As soon as she was close enough, he wrapped her in a loving308Please respect copyright.PENANAbZrvrGViC2
embrace. "Hey. Hey. What's wrong? What's wrong, baby?" He mumbled in 308Please respect copyright.PENANAUif5MQt7k3
her ear. "Mary?" He pulled away and held her cheeks in his gentle hands.308Please respect copyright.PENANAW0QOnFLBle
"What's the matter, dearest?" He rubbed his thumbs under her eyes to 308Please respect copyright.PENANAGiRwnLRx8f
push away the nasty tears that lined her cheekbones.
She didn't say anything, just handed him a crumpled piece of paper.
He308Please respect copyright.PENANA3fVmBIWhFN
furrowed his brows as he took the paper. Unfolding it, he read over the308Please respect copyright.PENANAAg9coUBVrH
content carefully, and slowly. Neither he, nor Mary had been taught to 308Please respect copyright.PENANAYdsQbAMpDj
read or write, as children. They had to teach themselves after they were308Please respect copyright.PENANAyBcKY0AD2b
married. Though they were better at it, they still encountered trouble.308Please respect copyright.PENANAX3AQY2yhn0
But understanding what was in the letter was no trouble for him. The 308Please respect copyright.PENANAITgiriR8EG
words were clear as day.
"I've been called to war. I leave first thing tomorrow."
She308Please respect copyright.PENANAJOA0UJChpo
released a sob when he said it aloud. And once again, she fell into his308Please respect copyright.PENANAqLCnu6D1oI
arms. He was still in shock, but quickly began to cry along with her. 308Please respect copyright.PENANAMAPHno824U
This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening, he tried to tell308Please respect copyright.PENANAnVqaTsozjQ
himself. But the sound of his wife's cries clearly told him that it was308Please respect copyright.PENANAcKu0MD2Zv7
happening. He was going to war. He was leaving his wife and three 308Please respect copyright.PENANAduJ2BtlN6o
daughters behind. He cried into her shoulder, and held her tighter than 308Please respect copyright.PENANAwMb7UOQx62
ever before, stroking her soft hair.
"What are we going to tell the girls?" She whispered into his chest.
He308Please respect copyright.PENANAOXD5JNHvli
shook his head and kissed her neck. "We're going to tell them the 308Please respect copyright.PENANAUKSU2C2DvL
truth; that I've been called to join the war. There's no avoiding this, 308Please respect copyright.PENANARHTNRecngA
Mary. We can't lie to them." And she agreed.
Going inside, they 308Please respect copyright.PENANAquqygCUuaH
both called the girls from their room, and Justin beckoned them to sit 308Please respect copyright.PENANAerH5dkvuBH
on his lap. He and Mary shared similar glances as they struggled with 308Please respect copyright.PENANA5StoW1wNNj
just how to tell their daughters that daddy had to go away. They didn't 308Please respect copyright.PENANApdyfpuloix
sugar-coat it. They told them everything.
"Ida, Ethel…you two know308Please respect copyright.PENANAuaN5sbpjW7
that all I want is to protect you, and make sure you're safe, right? 308Please respect copyright.PENANAhsYKmUuSbD
Because you, and Sallie, and mommy are the most important things to me."308Please respect copyright.PENANAsmVFKuGADA
Justin started. When they nodded, he pulled them even closer and 308Please respect copyright.PENANAFEN0rRr4Ld
stroked their soft cheeks. "Well that's what I'm going to be doing right308Please respect copyright.PENANARibgWnM71W
now. I…I've been asked to join the war. That means I'm going to have to308Please respect copyright.PENANARPETStfR6S
go far away, and make sure no bad people can hurt you, your sister, and308Please respect copyright.PENANASO4vdXkGRu
mommy."
Ethel shook her head, and her bottom lip quivered, as she308Please respect copyright.PENANAM3vWNorl5r
threw her chubby arms around his neck. "No, daddy! No! No! No! I don't 308Please respect copyright.PENANAvu1ykO5NS2
want them to take you far away!" She cried desperately.
He blinked308Please respect copyright.PENANAxJVRmN1HJG
away tear as he wrapped one arm around her to keep her close. "I don't 308Please respect copyright.PENANAIWT4ou9PFB
want to leave either, honey; but I need to protect you. Ethel, if there 308Please respect copyright.PENANA8tUtXNQ8tC
was another way, sweetheart, believe me I would take it, in a heart 308Please respect copyright.PENANAr4W4ACmte2
beat. But this is the only way I can protect you, your sisters, and 308Please respect copyright.PENANAWjBxFx74Hm
mommy." He hated doing this. He may as well have told her that there was308Please respect copyright.PENANAJjVQGTa6y9
a chance he wouldn't be coming back. Her innocence was already damaged.308Please respect copyright.PENANAwYga6c65Z5
She was to young for this. Ida was to young for this. Ida. "Ida…what 308Please respect copyright.PENANAGdUcePR0Pe
are you thinking, darling?"
She was expressionless. It was like 308Please respect copyright.PENANAnfPekN6dlx
she didn't know what to say; and really, she didn't. what could she say?308Please respect copyright.PENANAvXJ7ZRR91K
So instead of replying, she scooted up and buried herself in her 308Please respect copyright.PENANALzepWhShkd
father's chest. "I love you, daddy." She whispered.
He couldn't 308Please respect copyright.PENANA0il1HonRhn
hold back the tears that threatened him, not anymore. He let them go as 308Please respect copyright.PENANAliUNcm0w9H
he bent to kiss her head softly. "I love you too, little one. Both of 308Please respect copyright.PENANAdbfIL3cvKu
you." He spoke towards Ethel. After they got down and went to try and 308Please respect copyright.PENANAGvlpWIsW0I
distract themselves from the heartbreaking moment, Hiccup took little 308Please respect copyright.PENANARnCArlYDGy
Sallie. She couldn't know what was going on. All she would know was that308Please respect copyright.PENANA7Jp2jjA3sn
she would be waking up, looking around for her daddy, and realize he's 308Please respect copyright.PENANAz3y4ADdBaU
not there. She would wonder why. And God forbid, if he were to be gone 308Please respect copyright.PENANACeaNdR2UD2
several years, he would come back and she wouldn't even know who he was.308Please respect copyright.PENANAhCC1f7vqOm
His own daughter.
All to suddenly, the Daniels' world was 308Please respect copyright.PENANADeH4CrkIYM
crumbling before them. It was all being shaken, taken away from them 308Please respect copyright.PENANAKPMHSUIDpE
within the snap of a finger. He didn't have a choice. It was either 308Please respect copyright.PENANAPFVj1pjAar
leave and stand a chance of coming home, or stay and undergo trial, 308Please respect copyright.PENANAwXxftAV8DQ
guaranteeing that he would never see his family again. there was no 308Please respect copyright.PENANAsfXPlYHcYd
choice; he was going.
That night, after all the girls were fed and308Please respect copyright.PENANAsfStKvfyQv
tucked into bed, Justin shut the door of their room, and was 308Please respect copyright.PENANAnAdyNiYov1
immediately met by his wife's passionate lips. It took him no time to 308Please respect copyright.PENANAXjoTekHDTv
respond to her kiss, and wrap his arms around her small frame. Their 308Please respect copyright.PENANAjsCftvA7Pi
tears melted against their lips, as he pushed her against the wall, and 308Please respect copyright.PENANAEQQ5tCKyS2
slid his hands down to hold her hips.
It didn't take long to strip308Please respect copyright.PENANAdxzXpQ7m4T
each other of their clothes and for him to lay her on their bed. 308Please respect copyright.PENANAuh8tuSJl9M
Heartbreak filled what little space there was between their bodies. As 308Please respect copyright.PENANAJsMk1QQVy6
he buried his hands in her disheveled hair, and kissed down her neck, he308Please respect copyright.PENANAEHLzy3xkA5
mumbled words of absolute love and adoration for her. He told her how 308Please respect copyright.PENANAKOwhGYEj5f
much she meant to him, how he loved her, how beautiful she was.
When308Please respect copyright.PENANAg89R8fAbcA
he finally entered her, she held tight to his back, trying to keep back308Please respect copyright.PENANA0ai05ATMGp
her sobs. But it was all for naught. She dug her fingers into his back,308Please respect copyright.PENANAQDpw3iAPS5
and cried softly into the crook of his freckled shoulder.
He 308Please respect copyright.PENANA3B4hZ9Rcfa
shook his head and shut his eyes tight. "Don't cry. Please don't cry, 308Please respect copyright.PENANA7WCGPLBxsc
darling." He said begged with a strangled voice. But he too couldn't 308Please respect copyright.PENANAjiOPadlDjR
hold back his sobs. And as he made love to her, they shared in more than308Please respect copyright.PENANAoccgnqzBRV
just passion, but also their fear and heartbreak.
Afterwards, 308Please respect copyright.PENANA2ZvcGIbXPf
they laid silently in each other's arms. Nothing needed to be said, to 308Please respect copyright.PENANAxMlkJ13C14
know what the other was thinking. It all spilled out in the way they 308Please respect copyright.PENANAOntHGrUHe7
made love, and the way they held each other. Nothing could make this 308Please respect copyright.PENANAVqZ915CEPn
better. But for now, being with each other, was all they really needed.
The308Please respect copyright.PENANAOGM3D9g8EY
next morning, they woke the girls up at the crack of dawn. It was time.308Please respect copyright.PENANAquPq0gYEdq
Mary packed him supplies, enough to last him through several weeks, and308Please respect copyright.PENANA1UDFyG7YQP
they all sat and ate one last meal together. After which, they all 308Please respect copyright.PENANAB3q7Rb9urM
bundled up and went out to see him off.
It didn't take him long to308Please respect copyright.PENANAjGPc3nT94s
prepare a saddle bag, and then to saddle Bobbie. Though he wanted to 308Please respect copyright.PENANAtBAyQClRqH
prolong the time for as long as he could, he knew that it would just 308Please respect copyright.PENANACYScdRQFe2
make it harder to leave. And he'd never seen a shame in crying, but he 308Please respect copyright.PENANAJ0GyV7uu9O
also didn't like crying in front of his daughters. But today, he 308Please respect copyright.PENANAYp4TIdWbb3
couldn't help it. he was leaving them, potentially to never come back; 308Please respect copyright.PENANA9q1DIF9ORu
how was he not to cry?
When all was ready, he turned to his small,308Please respect copyright.PENANAmC6T1P6OiQ
but beautiful family. His daughters were quieter than he'd ever seen 308Please respect copyright.PENANAIkKEqzDYrT
them. His wife couldn't stop her flow of tear. His youngest daughter was308Please respect copyright.PENANAzDRcP4GsuL
looking at them all curiously, confused to what was going on.
Licking308Please respect copyright.PENANAm6efuieCC0
his lips, he knelt down and held out a hand. Ida was quick to come 308Please respect copyright.PENANAUF45vsvzcz
forward and take it. "Ethel, come here, little one." He beckoned gently.308Please respect copyright.PENANAH4aymxjYrS
She finally came forward, and he pulled her, with Ida, into his 308Please respect copyright.PENANAh7l4xwLn1C
embrace. "Now, you two listen; I'm going to be home real soon, ok? I 308Please respect copyright.PENANAyKyNxTGUns
love you. I love you two, so much." He told them over again. Giving them308Please respect copyright.PENANAraMVtbGdXc
each one last kiss, he stood to take Sallie int his arms. "Oh, Sallie, 308Please respect copyright.PENANAssKmaaLJoW
please remember me, sweet girl. Remember, how much daddy loved you." He 308Please respect copyright.PENANAJ9x4HJiI6K
kissed her softly then handed her to Ida.
His heart melted when he308Please respect copyright.PENANApDHkK3zLQb
gazed at his wife, as it always did. But this time was different. He 308Please respect copyright.PENANApbLz89SJUv
could be saying goodbye to her, forever. He didn't want to lose her, and308Please respect copyright.PENANAJzI5pXRq2K
he knew she didn't want to lose him either. It was an unimaginable 308Please respect copyright.PENANAgLeZCoFii5
thought, for both of them. It was hard to believe, seven years ago, they308Please respect copyright.PENANAFdpBreuLzK
were fourteen and nineteen and just getting married. Six years ago, 308Please respect copyright.PENANAfQzIBGHplq
they became the parents of a darling daughter. Now they were saying 308Please respect copyright.PENANA7AiHD7F1Nd
goodbye for an unknown amount of time.
He took a sharp breath when308Please respect copyright.PENANAQqlcbDfY58
she threw herself into his arms, and he rested his head in the crevice 308Please respect copyright.PENANAXD8ZkIlcpd
of her neck and shoulder. "I love you, so damn much. Always remember 308Please respect copyright.PENANA7C4bsAmygL
that, Mary." He whispered against her flushed skin.
She nodded 308Please respect copyright.PENANAKokaRF6nYt
wordlessly. "I will. Just, remember that I'm always with you. The girls 308Please respect copyright.PENANAZGavrKD2Mq
are always with you. We'll be right here, waiting. I promise."
He 308Please respect copyright.PENANAUqfs6dueET
sobbed and placed a single kiss on her neck. "One last time. Just one 308Please respect copyright.PENANAXKhkTzaKp4
last time. I want to make love to you. I want to ride out with Ida. I 308Please respect copyright.PENANAZXpUz90kPc
want to walk in and watch Ethel playing. I want to see Sallie laugh. One308Please respect copyright.PENANASuE77btYFo
last time. I want to see my family happy together."
All too soon,308Please respect copyright.PENANAqLGXlrmMdo
he was gone. Just like that. And Mary was left holding her crying 308Please respect copyright.PENANAuQgMqacV83
daughters, as they watched their father ride off into the gloomy 308Please respect copyright.PENANAEnfiKTuH9J
sunrise. It would never be the same again, they all knew. Everything, in308Please respect copyright.PENANAKi04UtnoKf
that moment, had changed.