"Mommy! Daddy!"
Justin quickly pulled out of his very heated 386Please respect copyright.PENANArr4gHQEuN7
kiss with Mary. Pulling the sheets up, he went to cover both of their 386Please respect copyright.PENANA6JiWLnyPV5
naked bodies. After which, he laughed as he rolled off of Mary and 386Please respect copyright.PENANAB6YILvNVwF
turned towards their door. "Come on in, girls!" He called.
Two 386Please respect copyright.PENANA6nlaFqyQGp
small girls ran in with the biggest smiles reaching their face. One was a386Please respect copyright.PENANAahqdxN36kk
red-haired girl with blue eyes, the other a brown-haired girl with 386Please respect copyright.PENANAAlFd0moYWU
violet eyes. The red-haired girl, Ida, was the oldest, at six years old,386Please respect copyright.PENANAylnPZ8Yzhm
and the blonde, Ethel, was three. In her arms, Ida carried a baby girl,386Please respect copyright.PENANAqIAAzWDoTe
Sallie. Sallie was six months old and had black hair and green eyes.
Sitting386Please respect copyright.PENANALvANYEu7CN
up a little on the bed, not letting the sheets fall past his hips, 386Please respect copyright.PENANABn0zcJlyWb
Justin held his arms out and helped Ethel into the bed. Then he helped 386Please respect copyright.PENANAKpUPMgCv41
Ida, and took Sallie into his arms. "Good morning, sweethearts." He 386Please respect copyright.PENANARltxi4OI6n
greeted them as he gave a kiss to the top of each of their heads. 386Please respect copyright.PENANATY7rnump2H
Wrapping an arm around Mary, he held all four of his girls close and 386Please respect copyright.PENANAtL75LSuXZl
sighed in content.
"Are you going to take me riding today, daddy? 386Please respect copyright.PENANA2kDucJ5MXM
You promised me, last night, that you would." Ida asked excitedly. She 386Please respect copyright.PENANAApHiXzQbZn
was a beautiful girl, and had even been deemed a much beautiful baby, as386Please respect copyright.PENANAcvSuukuw02
an infant. They had no clue where she got her red hair and blue eyes; 386Please respect copyright.PENANAqjISizFyoS
it was one mystery that they figured made her that much more unique. And386Please respect copyright.PENANAu6onW2MZfM
they loved her for her uniqueness.
He beamed over at his oldest 386Please respect copyright.PENANACVQ5ZJM6hn
and poked her nose playfully. "Well if I promised, don't you think I'd 386Please respect copyright.PENANAAK5mLj5THO
take you riding? Since when has your daddy ever made a promise he can't 386Please respect copyright.PENANAhMEiqPBhqH
keep?"
Mary chuckled and stroked Ida's hair with loving fingers. 386Please respect copyright.PENANAsCKVZP5S7s
"One of the many wonderful qualities about your father, Ida, is that he 386Please respect copyright.PENANAqWSYSrqeCf
has never made a promise that he cannot keep. He's a smart man, not a 386Please respect copyright.PENANAdbiqLIk5Mu
dumb one." She told the girl.
Justin scoffed teasingly. "Wow, 386Please respect copyright.PENANATbdMMf8fZB
thank you for that backhanded compliment, love. Girls, I love your 386Please respect copyright.PENANAZRxNufHFBb
mother with all my heart, but she is very good with giving compliments 386Please respect copyright.PENANAxEEUuAN4bn
in backhanded ways." He saw the look on his wife's face and gulped 386Please respect copyright.PENANA58BFp9a89h
slightly. "I-I mean…uh…thank you very much, dear?" He suggested with a 386Please respect copyright.PENANAUP3D5BZfAo
crooked smile as though saying, please, just don't hurt me.
She 386Please respect copyright.PENANAE0o3ffb6gL
laughed outright and shook her head. "I wasn't going to punch you, Jus. 386Please respect copyright.PENANAnMROS9i9EI
And even if I wanted to, I still wouldn't; not while you have the baby."386Please respect copyright.PENANAK9Bdw4oKTE
She reminded him.
He sighed in relief and pressed his lips to 386Please respect copyright.PENANA4iqS5ndGRd
Sallie's head. "You saved your old man's hide, Sal." He said gratefully.386Please respect copyright.PENANAbFoDBsNmxm
Then he looked back toward Ida, remembering their conversation before. 386Please respect copyright.PENANAa8JmQ5QAP9
"We'll go out riding, after breakfast, Ida. Speaking of, whatcha say we 386Please respect copyright.PENANA1Kck6PRPkw
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."386Please respect copyright.PENANASPEqOrB5hp
He agreed. He was just about to get up, when he remembered the state he386Please respect copyright.PENANAI5j5IB4ZmZ
and Mary were in. He blushed lightly, glaring at his wife's sly smile. 386Please respect copyright.PENANAAgFTHw6hYa
"Ida, Ethel, why don't you two go get dressed while mommy and daddy get 386Please respect copyright.PENANAigE8y8fAzA
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.
After386Please respect copyright.PENANAz4DCJ793PY
they were gone, Mary barked a laugh, while Juatin glared playfully at 386Please respect copyright.PENANALG3MImGEgT
her. "Oh shut up." He mumbled while leaning in and kissing her 386Please respect copyright.PENANAsZRZ2B1xPh
collarbone softly.
But she swatted his head, making him pull back 386Please respect copyright.PENANACVd7XBdZlt
and give her a confused look. "I have to feed the baby, and you need to 386Please respect copyright.PENANArJaWKXz8EQ
start breakfast for our other two girls." She reminded him with a 386Please respect copyright.PENANAnL0CexVuMd
smiled. At his despondent face, she kissed him softly and ruffled his 386Please respect copyright.PENANAvVuNUpdGoy
hair. "Later, lover boy."
He grinned slyly, stroking her arm with 386Please respect copyright.PENANAEo1eo3scrg
such softness. "I'll hold you to that, sweetheart." Then he rolled out 386Please respect copyright.PENANA0lWT90jGvT
of bed, albeit reluctantly, and went to dress. After which, he left to 386Please respect copyright.PENANAQ2x7mBU891
head for the kitchen to make breakfast.
As he stood at the old 386Please respect copyright.PENANASJb6X7oxff
stove, his two oldest daughter came bounding in, their long hair still a386Please respect copyright.PENANAVESskUrwCq
mess and in need of help. He laughed as he put the spoon with which he 386Please respect copyright.PENANArQD9qunlpR
was using to make porridge down and knelt in front of them. "You girls 386Please respect copyright.PENANAgPwjV2wMIs
need me to do your hair?" He asked as he stroked each of their heads.
Justin386Please respect copyright.PENANAafrDnY5kBo
and Mary had gotten married when they were fourteen and nineteen. There386Please respect copyright.PENANAMuUM86jlnI
was no doubt in Justin's parents' mind that their son was in love, and 386Please respect copyright.PENANA3ajOXecpf3
that Mary was in love with him. Mary had fallen in love with him for 386Please respect copyright.PENANAc33ITYf4Vz
more than just his looks though. She'd found out, early on, that he was 386Please respect copyright.PENANAijKCgiBvYR
able to cook and clean, unlike many of the suitors that had begged her 386Please respect copyright.PENANAVo86JItlMU
for her hand since her father's death, when she was twelve. Justin was 386Please respect copyright.PENANAdrECFuHDJc
different though.
His ability to cook and clean made her one happy386Please respect copyright.PENANAjiGwa6v881
woman, when they married. And a year later they had Ida. As she began 386Please respect copyright.PENANAsNRxEpi3HL
to grow hair, and it grew longer, Mary was pleased to discover more of 386Please respect copyright.PENANAFX7fvWxWik
her husband's hidden talents. He could do hair. He had offered to do 386Please respect copyright.PENANAgKNu12Se5p
hers on numerous occasions, but she had always insisted on doing it 386Please respect copyright.PENANAvtzqQ7cwRD
herself. But as Ida grew, and she was left tired, Justin had stepped in 386Please respect copyright.PENANAZBoPsJ4DWB
to do whatever his daughter needed. He could dress her, change her 386Please respect copyright.PENANA0jAS82AGak
diapers, do her hair, everything. And now, he had two daughters to do 386Please respect copyright.PENANAjAGOQOoM7p
that with; which they both loved when he did their hair.
Ida 386Please respect copyright.PENANA9Qa5UlTFdV
nodded and held out two leather bands for him. Turning them around, he 386Please respect copyright.PENANAuZLMiHRib4
used the wooden hair brush to gently pry out the nasty knots in their 386Please respect copyright.PENANAj8U9Yiirvg
beautiful hair. Then he but them into loose braids. After that, he 386Please respect copyright.PENANA2rEpOlST4q
grabbed some flowers that Mary always kept on the table, and put them 386Please respect copyright.PENANA3n5Y96U5D6
into random spots of the braids. "There we go. There's my beautiful 386Please respect copyright.PENANArd8Smc58nU
girls." He said pridefully as he touched each of their cheeks and placed386Please respect copyright.PENANA44sqebrjyv
light kisses on their foreheads.
The girls each giggled and 386Please respect copyright.PENANA6XrTQAzOjk
kissed his cheek. "Thanks, daddy." They said unanimously. Picking up the386Please respect copyright.PENANATzU6bbxNBe
ends of their dresses, they raced to the table and climbed up on the 386Please respect copyright.PENANACEyZYg0eCK
chairs that were still to big for them. Justin helped them up and then 386Please respect copyright.PENANA12dJyiSDrf
went back to making breakfast.
Mary came in, not long later, 386Please respect copyright.PENANAvjdDDzIOuO
Sallie in her arms, dressed in a thick dress to keep her from the bitter386Please respect copyright.PENANAN1aanikwwT
cold that threatened them during the winter months. Mary herself wore a386Please respect copyright.PENANAFhkC8MKVXP
simple, beat up, blue dress with an apron over top. Her hair was loose,386Please respect copyright.PENANAV4O97kuqRM
with only parts of the front being pulled back into a small braid.
That's386Please respect copyright.PENANAmGU7mUB46R
when Justin set breakfast in front of everyone. They'd had nothing but 386Please respect copyright.PENANAsZz3AjTtFE
porridge for the past few weeks, but, unfortunately, that was all they 386Please respect copyright.PENANAEtaxi3rPg2
could afford at the moment. Justin had lost his job at the sawmill 386Please respect copyright.PENANANyLsNgMSYU
several months ago, because of the impact of the war that had just 386Please respect copyright.PENANACzCWUvLLDU
started not even half a year ago. The Civil War, as they called it. They386Please respect copyright.PENANAJ7o2w6MDl8
were at war with their own countrymen. It was sad to see it come to 386Please respect copyright.PENANAs9ojANJ0vt
this, and see the effects it cause. Because of it, Justin had lost his 386Please respect copyright.PENANAhihfnNAUoY
job, and they had been reduced to nothing more than rations of food.
She386Please respect copyright.PENANAFKoqEFLeSl
looked over at Justin with a soft, hopefully encouraging smile. She 386Please respect copyright.PENANAekzA04pOIL
knew that losing his job had struck him right in the gut. His pride was,386Please respect copyright.PENANAwbpNJZzDGq
without a doubt, damaged. With great struggle, she had managed to get 386Please respect copyright.PENANAje30yqXgyV
him to admit that he felt like a failure as a husband and a father, 386Please respect copyright.PENANADmaODhgK8s
because he lost his job. He felt unable to provide for his own family; 386Please respect copyright.PENANAVYS5ga0dWP
to him, that was something worse than death. All he wanted was to give 386Please respect copyright.PENANAjzoBYKQvcB
his wife and young daughters a good home, good clothes, and good food. 386Please respect copyright.PENANAyGriGWDxK1
Now, he couldn't even do that. It took its toll on him, and she could 386Please respect copyright.PENANAwz2ruSAPer
see it in the way he had started to age from the stress of the last few 386Please respect copyright.PENANASMrWiRmAuz
months.
They were doing all they could for the time being. She 386Please respect copyright.PENANAX1bal2GAzv
would eat little, but still a substantial amount so that she could 386Please respect copyright.PENANArq3e8kdQOB
provide milk for Sallie, and he would hardly eat anything. He had 386Please respect copyright.PENANAoOxfyTRKes
started losing a significant amount of weight, which he and Mary could 386Please respect copyright.PENANA5FsyhYtZqP
only hope the girls hadn't noticed. She had also lost a great deal 386Please respect copyright.PENANAD6qmbyXqvu
amount of weight, but still not quite as much as him. Even their 386Please respect copyright.PENANASu89nfnOZ0
daughter, Ida and Ethel, had begun losing weight because of the food 386Please respect copyright.PENANA5EW5vsmp9B
shortage.
He looked around at his family, as he always did at 386Please respect copyright.PENANAZIF7aDQ2iP
breakfast and dinner, and felt his heart break once more. His wife's 386Please respect copyright.PENANAsbzA49QOFT
face, while beautiful as he would always find her and know her to be, 386Please respect copyright.PENANAhDFTxP8esB
was shallow, and dark bags lined under her eyes. She looked so…empty. 386Please respect copyright.PENANA51kat7Mkr6
His daughters looked weaker than they once were. They used to be so 386Please respect copyright.PENANAofQ2AigpWX
lively; and while they would still run around and play, they couldn't 386Please respect copyright.PENANAS1jKdepqO1
last as long as they once did. One of his favorite things to do, had 386Please respect copyright.PENANAsnVzWc02ll
been to watch his little girls run and play. They were like fairies, 386Please respect copyright.PENANAydqRyxhEJV
when they ran through the tall, summer grass. So beautiful. So 386Please respect copyright.PENANAA97dtEcX61
enchanting. Now it seemed there was only a sliver of those girls left in386Please respect copyright.PENANAV1bRg1Vv4Y
the daughters he'd raised.
Then there was Sallie. She was smaller386Please respect copyright.PENANAgzyKeu5kUi
than most six month old babies. She'd been born at nine months, she 386Please respect copyright.PENANAuoh94EeoBy
just wasn't getting the necessary nourishing most babies needed. She was386Please respect copyright.PENANAdywgHiorPI
healthy, but looked so torn down compared to most, healthier, six month386Please respect copyright.PENANA03P4EhmuJk
olds.
He hated seeing his family so broken up. As a man 386Please respect copyright.PENANAv4NeQ85h1F
especially, it hit him right where it hurts. His girls were the most 386Please respect copyright.PENANAxpGCQdw8fF
important treasures in his world, and taking care of them felt more like386Please respect copyright.PENANA0Ny4r3x9k8
an honor than a duty. To have that honor suddenly taken, and to not be 386Please respect copyright.PENANAZLjAwYVN4a
able to give his girls anything more than grits and moldy bread as 386Please respect copyright.PENANAAY1ErIJC6q
meals, was about the cruelest thing for him. Now they were suffering, 386Please respect copyright.PENANAOybdXqSTBS
and there was nothing her, or anyone else, could do about it.
Mary,386Please respect copyright.PENANASHKWn3Jzcu
seeing the heartbreak that was all but written on his face, reached 386Please respect copyright.PENANAt2ojiM2PEA
across the table to take his hand in her own smaller one. With her eyes,386Please respect copyright.PENANAtYtziCUgoS
she told him that it was alright. They were together. They had each 386Please respect copyright.PENANANSXK1VxTty
other. That was all that mattered. And she was right; he knew that. but 386Please respect copyright.PENANAntiEQUkdHR
deep in his heart, he couldn't help that feeling of letting them all 386Please respect copyright.PENANABOZQxOLW3g
down, even though it hadn't been his fault that he was fired.
As 386Please respect copyright.PENANAUM5cQqoSlE
the family finished their breakfast in silence, Mary got up and cleared 386Please respect copyright.PENANAg7oKOVrBI5
their pans. Meanwhile, Justin grabbed his hat and rifle and ruffled 386Please respect copyright.PENANAe2Pp1Kje7F
little Ida's red hair. "You ready to go, half pint?" He asked with a 386Please respect copyright.PENANAQp0ioEKSz4
broad, loving smile.
Ida jumped up excitedly and bounced on the 386Please respect copyright.PENANABhDhYm3CsW
balls of her feet. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" She squealed. A laugh slipped past 386Please respect copyright.PENANAfVWUzPsdTC
her lips when he placed another hat on her head as well. It was a bit 386Please respect copyright.PENANAIYg0Nu74kV
too big, and fell slightly over her forehead. But she smiled wider and 386Please respect copyright.PENANAsiU6l4XK0u
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.
She386Please respect copyright.PENANAdkYW5dKpPv
pouted, crossing her arms. And he couldn't get over how much she looked386Please respect copyright.PENANAf5ItccjDtz
like Mary when she pouted. Other than those violet eyes, of course, she386Please respect copyright.PENANAmdoYQP4ARj
was her mother's spitting image. "Why does Ida get to do everything?"
"She's386Please respect copyright.PENANAUlr8XEDuuZ
older, Ethel. I know it ain't fair, hon, but I promise that we'll go 386Please respect copyright.PENANAUiKzqenWNH
riding together when you're a little bit older. Alright?" He didn't like386Please respect copyright.PENANAlOIqvEcHDi
disappointing either of his older daughters – Sallie of course being 386Please respect copyright.PENANAR6O4UD8UC7
hard to displease because she was only six months old – but he also 386Please respect copyright.PENANAg6F3c2g9zL
couldn't take major risks. He hadn't taken Ida out riding when she was 386Please respect copyright.PENANAaYYath9Zf8
three, and he wouldn't do that with Ethel or Sallie either. And she 386Please respect copyright.PENANAgb1t6qVRxW
might not have found it fair at the time, but he knew Ethel would 386Please respect copyright.PENANAhWKPjW7R1h
understand one day.
She was still pouting, but nodded anyway. "Ok,386Please respect copyright.PENANAVKg5kJoknT
daddy." Kissing his cheek, she wiggled out of his arms and went to play386Please respect copyright.PENANAJjUdqNxgK5
in the small family room.
Mary came forward then and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Be careful?" She whispered.
He386Please respect copyright.PENANA4AiEMZFKx5
smiled and nodded. "Of course, darlin'. And I'll bring our daughter 386Please respect copyright.PENANAlzHYUkb2Iq
back in one piece." He promised, making them both laugh. Then he leaned 386Please respect copyright.PENANA1iYCH76YZV
in and kissed her lips chastely. "I love you." He mumbled against her 386Please respect copyright.PENANAKP81t4O60U
lips. Then pulling away, he stooped down to scoop Ida up into his strong386Please respect copyright.PENANA7HLfbDLmhs
arms. "You ready to go, baby?" He asked, nudging his nose against her 386Please respect copyright.PENANAfmfVoaH2IV
soft cheek.
She giggled and kissed his cheek. That was answer 386Please respect copyright.PENANAK7ErIM96kX
enough for her father, as he turned for the door. A last look back, and 386Please respect copyright.PENANAHPNwaHvTYp
he left with Ida snug against him. Within minutes, he had his horse, 386Please respect copyright.PENANAx2H7GtCJRB
Bobbie, ready and saddled. Then he saddled Mary's horse, Mosey. Picking 386Please respect copyright.PENANAIspzNYKfCO
Ida back up, under her arms, he lifted her up and set her in Mosey's 386Please respect copyright.PENANA29qht1JaLX
saddle.
Father and daughter spent hours riding the deserted plains386Please respect copyright.PENANABcHg3vo33i
of Braiden, which was part of the Dakota Territory. For miles, there 386Please respect copyright.PENANADkZIMwyCt5
was nothing but sage brush and wild grass. The air was fresh, and clean.386Please respect copyright.PENANA9A5L04pDg9
To Justin, that was the best thing about living in the Dakota 386Please respect copyright.PENANA4lbj9esvnU
Territory, rather than the big cities. And he couldn't be any happier to386Please respect copyright.PENANATxgW4Vq4fN
be raising his own family in such a beautiful land.
As they rose 386Please respect copyright.PENANAE1eaqB9Bcf
through the plain, over the hills, and through the tufts of rolling 386Please respect copyright.PENANAH9PP2iBx4x
grass that danced with the wind, he watched his daughter with a proud 386Please respect copyright.PENANAwPCxPbonem
smile. While she looked like no one in their family, he couldn't help 386Please respect copyright.PENANAcXtDsH6GTF
but admire all of their qualities that fit into her. She was as close to386Please respect copyright.PENANAQhGQ97Kj3c
perfect as one could ever be. While she made mistakes, she was quick to386Please respect copyright.PENANAZHz93weMr2
try and make up and apologize for those mistakes. And she was quick to 386Please respect copyright.PENANAA22WtcYk0O
forgive too. She never once held a grudge, and for that, everyone was 386Please respect copyright.PENANAfYWgMGbIbd
grateful. Being on her bad side was never fun.
She fit into this 386Please respect copyright.PENANA5gQ4Gqb7LJ
life, better than most. This was the life she wanted. So many times, 386Please respect copyright.PENANAAh4xN5wL1C
since she was old enough to speak, she had crawled up into his lap and 386Please respect copyright.PENANAWCoE7bFtvb
told him that she loved the life of the prairie. It's like living in a 386Please respect copyright.PENANAWyr5ASuU0N
fairy-tale, she would tell him. And she knew not only the magical parts 386Please respect copyright.PENANA4eRyCwGRDW
of the prairie, but also the dangers of it. She knew the harshness the 386Please respect copyright.PENANAKa1VTbiTpe
winters could bring. She knew to watch for mountain lions, and rattle 386Please respect copyright.PENANACvIAwtuQ0O
snakes, and scorpions. She knew how to test whether a berry was safe to 386Please respect copyright.PENANA5l9RxJiAEH
eat, or deadly poisonous. She knew it all, and still, she loved it. She 386Please respect copyright.PENANAjbGzLu7kP8
loved all te harsh realities that came with a beautiful land.
She 386Please respect copyright.PENANAJ5AEnFXTC0
wasn't like all the other girls, he well knew. While other girls loved 386Please respect copyright.PENANAUhbMScAm08
dresses, or butterflies, she preferred to spend her time learning how to386Please respect copyright.PENANAJlWwTkVARJ
survive the rough life of the prairie. Justin and Mary had agreed, 386Please respect copyright.PENANAa7o0x6WUfH
before they even had children, that any daughters they had needed to be 386Please respect copyright.PENANAC5iLs09vF5
taught how to handle themselves. They couldn't always depend on a man. 386Please respect copyright.PENANAFOJCeEh4Ow
Mary already knew what that was like.
Her father had been a drunk 386Please respect copyright.PENANAo1xE85qOpN
her whole life. Her mother was meek, and never spoke for herself. Being 386Please respect copyright.PENANAaU1ZBiQp64
raised mainly by her mother, Mary had been much the same, for years. 386Please respect copyright.PENANAku4GuoGNvF
When her mother died, when she was seven, nothing changed. She remained 386Please respect copyright.PENANAVM1LFd3KXE
the quiet girl that never spoke up to her father. She could hardly take 386Please respect copyright.PENANAGIowMGB5RY
care of herself, and knew little to nothing about the wilderness.
Her386Please respect copyright.PENANADJFtbzCSXB
father had never cared, though. He turned a blind eye as to Mary's 386Please respect copyright.PENANAvSHA0SvBXS
well-being. The only times he would acknowledge her was to tell her to 386Please respect copyright.PENANAwgXBcRE6Hh
cook, or clean, or to mend his clothes. She was more of a slave to him, 386Please respect copyright.PENANAaFqBql4b8X
than a daughter. And when he finally drank himself to death, he left 386Please respect copyright.PENANAs6TFRtbkrg
nothing behind for Mary to live a good life from. She didn't know how to386Please respect copyright.PENANAJzTuoNLmeG
work the small farm she lived on; her father didn't believe in women 386Please respect copyright.PENANAGcLrhixy4E
working anywhere else but in the house.
Being thrown, so suddenly,386Please respect copyright.PENANANDTFxS14mj
into the cruel world that she'd never had to think of before had a big 386Please respect copyright.PENANAKBC1p5q0jk
impact on Mary. Being only twelve years of age, she was nothing more 386Please respect copyright.PENANAMaewssWcFi
than a scared orphan that was terrified by the sudden new world. she had386Please respect copyright.PENANA4M9RPfCQst
to teach herself the ropes. No one was there to guide her. And when she386Please respect copyright.PENANAaFLgvulc86
met and married Justin, she vehemently told him that she didn't want 386Please respect copyright.PENANADMagEZrxPL
her own daughters to go through that, should anything happen to one, or 386Please respect copyright.PENANAkK8mD4nGwI
both of them.
He was quick to agree, telling her that he believed 386Please respect copyright.PENANAnRbCuyoHZw
women should know the rules of the wild. He didn't think it fair to see 386Please respect copyright.PENANA5NgJRo1RP3
women suddenly left on their own, when their husband, father or brother 386Please respect copyright.PENANAfIZCW6AvFF
died, and having little to no clue on how to handle themselves. That was386Please respect copyright.PENANAzbYeCMMhol
no life, for any woman. And he couldn't, as a father and a husband, 386Please respect copyright.PENANAwxczbp3dpu
live himself in knowing that if he didn't leave behind those rules with 386Please respect copyright.PENANAYn5DEkLrC2
his women, something much worse could happen to them than if they did 386Please respect copyright.PENANA9tFcitAo6t
know. And as a man that loved his family more than anything, he'd be 386Please respect copyright.PENANAyHvqzYdBPx
damned if he let anything happen to them because he didn't give them the386Please respect copyright.PENANAhPPKZTzZ0I
tools necessary to survive.
He had just started teaching Ethel, 386Please respect copyright.PENANADjZZBs92c9
as well. While she was a bit confused by the lessons, she knew that when386Please respect copyright.PENANAbzlEheTOH5
her father was trying to teach her something important, it was for a 386Please respect copyright.PENANAFDIVdq0kcv
good reason. She paid very close attention to him, as she often did with386Please respect copyright.PENANAa9s7HVuRAL
a lot of things.
Now, watching Ida smiling with rosy cheeks, and 386Please respect copyright.PENANAEyHWNgTDX8
her loose hair drift with the cool winter's breeze, he couldn't help but386Please respect copyright.PENANAiyZEcTqRsD
imagine her as she grew. He visioned a beautiful young girl, riding 386Please respect copyright.PENANAGA4ARM17Pe
merrily through the fields. A girl that didn't care what society had to 386Please respect copyright.PENANAB5YvG4D63C
say about her unorthodox upbringing. A girl that didn't need to depend 386Please respect copyright.PENANAlh1JUPAWOY
on a man to take care of her. A strong, able-minded girl. It was nothing386Please respect copyright.PENANAeFMmMAKJlJ
short of amazing.
They returned at dusk, having had a most 386Please respect copyright.PENANArABDFoW9tx
enjoyable time. He was just helping her off of Mosey, when he saw Mary 386Please respect copyright.PENANAdAccWAnD2r
walking towards them, a despondent look on her beautiful face. Frowning,386Please respect copyright.PENANAd96GjN2UE5
he crouched in front of Ida and adjusted her hat slightly. "Why don't 386Please respect copyright.PENANA0aRZLrthaq
you go on inside, Ida. Mommy and daddy will be in shortly." He told her.386Please respect copyright.PENANAYsxIsjKnJB
She obediently did as she was told.
As Mary neared him, he was 386Please respect copyright.PENANAzwiDLZsBR1
troubled to see tears in her red eyes. She'd been crying a while, 386Please respect copyright.PENANATDtqXzQJYv
already. but why, he wondered? She was the strongest person he knew, and386Please respect copyright.PENANAXX7i2w7EyB
she hardly ever cried. When she did cry, though, it was usually for 386Please respect copyright.PENANAjXsSq7vjPU
something serious. She cried when he lost his job. She cried when they 386Please respect copyright.PENANA9SgAWTf5XM
lost their baby boy, William, two years ago. Those were the only times. 386Please respect copyright.PENANAuAjWizWCj2
Two times, in their seven years of marriage, and he'd only seen her cry 386Please respect copyright.PENANAFnCDv2u3eF
twice.
As soon as she was close enough, he wrapped her in a loving386Please respect copyright.PENANAf3xHiBWAl3
embrace. "Hey. Hey. What's wrong? What's wrong, baby?" He mumbled in 386Please respect copyright.PENANAxpavIe28i4
her ear. "Mary?" He pulled away and held her cheeks in his gentle hands.386Please respect copyright.PENANA6RBfnUR1N3
"What's the matter, dearest?" He rubbed his thumbs under her eyes to 386Please respect copyright.PENANA2K6qosK6tU
push away the nasty tears that lined her cheekbones.
She didn't say anything, just handed him a crumpled piece of paper.
He386Please respect copyright.PENANA5LZit8wj80
furrowed his brows as he took the paper. Unfolding it, he read over the386Please respect copyright.PENANAId2N4tGKwv
content carefully, and slowly. Neither he, nor Mary had been taught to 386Please respect copyright.PENANA9Gr3luxBmN
read or write, as children. They had to teach themselves after they were386Please respect copyright.PENANADSoj4RNIzC
married. Though they were better at it, they still encountered trouble.386Please respect copyright.PENANAXOvhDIrgkd
But understanding what was in the letter was no trouble for him. The 386Please respect copyright.PENANArBmdY7jYS8
words were clear as day.
"I've been called to war. I leave first thing tomorrow."
She386Please respect copyright.PENANAohAWswkjOh
released a sob when he said it aloud. And once again, she fell into his386Please respect copyright.PENANANKD11gbQAw
arms. He was still in shock, but quickly began to cry along with her. 386Please respect copyright.PENANAjsprkaW1P8
This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening, he tried to tell386Please respect copyright.PENANAtbvKEqB7Zg
himself. But the sound of his wife's cries clearly told him that it was386Please respect copyright.PENANAPf9WWubErr
happening. He was going to war. He was leaving his wife and three 386Please respect copyright.PENANAfPvil3gLIP
daughters behind. He cried into her shoulder, and held her tighter than 386Please respect copyright.PENANA3vFmTD8OkB
ever before, stroking her soft hair.
"What are we going to tell the girls?" She whispered into his chest.
He386Please respect copyright.PENANAMeE4ziIV7Y
shook his head and kissed her neck. "We're going to tell them the 386Please respect copyright.PENANAh5BpwFclBG
truth; that I've been called to join the war. There's no avoiding this, 386Please respect copyright.PENANA6FuOrXOjfx
Mary. We can't lie to them." And she agreed.
Going inside, they 386Please respect copyright.PENANAOexhv9VtGL
both called the girls from their room, and Justin beckoned them to sit 386Please respect copyright.PENANAMZnV4nFMOG
on his lap. He and Mary shared similar glances as they struggled with 386Please respect copyright.PENANAHPYzs8NyqN
just how to tell their daughters that daddy had to go away. They didn't 386Please respect copyright.PENANAfQDiM7dKhJ
sugar-coat it. They told them everything.
"Ida, Ethel…you two know386Please respect copyright.PENANAyfctHx9ppm
that all I want is to protect you, and make sure you're safe, right? 386Please respect copyright.PENANAc8XgTUjcv0
Because you, and Sallie, and mommy are the most important things to me."386Please respect copyright.PENANADvd7JOdqCx
Justin started. When they nodded, he pulled them even closer and 386Please respect copyright.PENANA6FPyga4I69
stroked their soft cheeks. "Well that's what I'm going to be doing right386Please respect copyright.PENANATz4rbQxdCb
now. I…I've been asked to join the war. That means I'm going to have to386Please respect copyright.PENANAg2YivokcY5
go far away, and make sure no bad people can hurt you, your sister, and386Please respect copyright.PENANAcB8tEYmV5u
mommy."
Ethel shook her head, and her bottom lip quivered, as she386Please respect copyright.PENANA1mCTE0W2Ro
threw her chubby arms around his neck. "No, daddy! No! No! No! I don't 386Please respect copyright.PENANAELrPuqn5wG
want them to take you far away!" She cried desperately.
He blinked386Please respect copyright.PENANAgNHlOo8Wrb
away tear as he wrapped one arm around her to keep her close. "I don't 386Please respect copyright.PENANA5IKGNpxexu
want to leave either, honey; but I need to protect you. Ethel, if there 386Please respect copyright.PENANA37J5ZYTg24
was another way, sweetheart, believe me I would take it, in a heart 386Please respect copyright.PENANAnlAnJcMlS5
beat. But this is the only way I can protect you, your sisters, and 386Please respect copyright.PENANAwLF6b6EfFj
mommy." He hated doing this. He may as well have told her that there was386Please respect copyright.PENANAyNGcfbRdzG
a chance he wouldn't be coming back. Her innocence was already damaged.386Please respect copyright.PENANA85WgwDB0rU
She was to young for this. Ida was to young for this. Ida. "Ida…what 386Please respect copyright.PENANAJlWB0wjwmz
are you thinking, darling?"
She was expressionless. It was like 386Please respect copyright.PENANA1xAXhxkv1C
she didn't know what to say; and really, she didn't. what could she say?386Please respect copyright.PENANANGcZYT78Rh
So instead of replying, she scooted up and buried herself in her 386Please respect copyright.PENANAXapzteWfYd
father's chest. "I love you, daddy." She whispered.
He couldn't 386Please respect copyright.PENANA4q5YhRTtX8
hold back the tears that threatened him, not anymore. He let them go as 386Please respect copyright.PENANASYoPHJTcga
he bent to kiss her head softly. "I love you too, little one. Both of 386Please respect copyright.PENANApxqtLWAWQq
you." He spoke towards Ethel. After they got down and went to try and 386Please respect copyright.PENANA9ixFUYyswP
distract themselves from the heartbreaking moment, Hiccup took little 386Please respect copyright.PENANAP735T1kllg
Sallie. She couldn't know what was going on. All she would know was that386Please respect copyright.PENANAv9e5a6hPos
she would be waking up, looking around for her daddy, and realize he's 386Please respect copyright.PENANAzpRu2qmdZe
not there. She would wonder why. And God forbid, if he were to be gone 386Please respect copyright.PENANAdVX3kDZojy
several years, he would come back and she wouldn't even know who he was.386Please respect copyright.PENANAmmBISSMNab
His own daughter.
All to suddenly, the Daniels' world was 386Please respect copyright.PENANAeXZyLCttGe
crumbling before them. It was all being shaken, taken away from them 386Please respect copyright.PENANAh5If6ghVSs
within the snap of a finger. He didn't have a choice. It was either 386Please respect copyright.PENANA7vml8lHga6
leave and stand a chance of coming home, or stay and undergo trial, 386Please respect copyright.PENANASe27u11rfo
guaranteeing that he would never see his family again. there was no 386Please respect copyright.PENANA0K9wdgFceP
choice; he was going.
That night, after all the girls were fed and386Please respect copyright.PENANArE4rT439l1
tucked into bed, Justin shut the door of their room, and was 386Please respect copyright.PENANAg28gP57Mfr
immediately met by his wife's passionate lips. It took him no time to 386Please respect copyright.PENANA8GmcWUjFPY
respond to her kiss, and wrap his arms around her small frame. Their 386Please respect copyright.PENANA59GUPUVoYI
tears melted against their lips, as he pushed her against the wall, and 386Please respect copyright.PENANA7ZZVIBUZmM
slid his hands down to hold her hips.
It didn't take long to strip386Please respect copyright.PENANAoXq6rYFT2q
each other of their clothes and for him to lay her on their bed. 386Please respect copyright.PENANALMQ3Di1zkO
Heartbreak filled what little space there was between their bodies. As 386Please respect copyright.PENANABI8Myoar0k
he buried his hands in her disheveled hair, and kissed down her neck, he386Please respect copyright.PENANASwburKDakW
mumbled words of absolute love and adoration for her. He told her how 386Please respect copyright.PENANANgJE5Qw0pa
much she meant to him, how he loved her, how beautiful she was.
When386Please respect copyright.PENANA5nEw6B3lVL
he finally entered her, she held tight to his back, trying to keep back386Please respect copyright.PENANAB9dbTFIHG2
her sobs. But it was all for naught. She dug her fingers into his back,386Please respect copyright.PENANAZMKdNMpvho
and cried softly into the crook of his freckled shoulder.
He 386Please respect copyright.PENANAnsbrNGGzWc
shook his head and shut his eyes tight. "Don't cry. Please don't cry, 386Please respect copyright.PENANARGYXrSHCwq
darling." He said begged with a strangled voice. But he too couldn't 386Please respect copyright.PENANAKOa3FBqSOO
hold back his sobs. And as he made love to her, they shared in more than386Please respect copyright.PENANAbkg3yuMWlD
just passion, but also their fear and heartbreak.
Afterwards, 386Please respect copyright.PENANAFqHkLD2IdZ
they laid silently in each other's arms. Nothing needed to be said, to 386Please respect copyright.PENANAijtO4ZkYwt
know what the other was thinking. It all spilled out in the way they 386Please respect copyright.PENANAoMPRbH0hSR
made love, and the way they held each other. Nothing could make this 386Please respect copyright.PENANAww6GnGhtjs
better. But for now, being with each other, was all they really needed.
The386Please respect copyright.PENANAOWHEyAfr8l
next morning, they woke the girls up at the crack of dawn. It was time.386Please respect copyright.PENANAcTzMz95EtI
Mary packed him supplies, enough to last him through several weeks, and386Please respect copyright.PENANAtixMcg4fCV
they all sat and ate one last meal together. After which, they all 386Please respect copyright.PENANAd7YcSmdVX4
bundled up and went out to see him off.
It didn't take him long to386Please respect copyright.PENANAKB8mafAlUK
prepare a saddle bag, and then to saddle Bobbie. Though he wanted to 386Please respect copyright.PENANAvHUcecgREq
prolong the time for as long as he could, he knew that it would just 386Please respect copyright.PENANAOkEliwWgZQ
make it harder to leave. And he'd never seen a shame in crying, but he 386Please respect copyright.PENANAFQ03TXtZLb
also didn't like crying in front of his daughters. But today, he 386Please respect copyright.PENANAobnCCrNMHt
couldn't help it. he was leaving them, potentially to never come back; 386Please respect copyright.PENANACwTf3I6KO4
how was he not to cry?
When all was ready, he turned to his small,386Please respect copyright.PENANAl0iMbm9syi
but beautiful family. His daughters were quieter than he'd ever seen 386Please respect copyright.PENANAVsZDhzsol4
them. His wife couldn't stop her flow of tear. His youngest daughter was386Please respect copyright.PENANAZWr9L4w3O2
looking at them all curiously, confused to what was going on.
Licking386Please respect copyright.PENANAiR9cxwcchF
his lips, he knelt down and held out a hand. Ida was quick to come 386Please respect copyright.PENANAl7VZu6EOug
forward and take it. "Ethel, come here, little one." He beckoned gently.386Please respect copyright.PENANAgduXdajMw5
She finally came forward, and he pulled her, with Ida, into his 386Please respect copyright.PENANA8zOwoUfSvz
embrace. "Now, you two listen; I'm going to be home real soon, ok? I 386Please respect copyright.PENANAKFvzk4fNIH
love you. I love you two, so much." He told them over again. Giving them386Please respect copyright.PENANAFX6zwY9Dy4
each one last kiss, he stood to take Sallie int his arms. "Oh, Sallie, 386Please respect copyright.PENANAxLD5MBBjrT
please remember me, sweet girl. Remember, how much daddy loved you." He 386Please respect copyright.PENANAxI2Y7HLHRf
kissed her softly then handed her to Ida.
His heart melted when he386Please respect copyright.PENANAE09FYxpjtT
gazed at his wife, as it always did. But this time was different. He 386Please respect copyright.PENANAIougYV9Zw8
could be saying goodbye to her, forever. He didn't want to lose her, and386Please respect copyright.PENANAZ3Q9xHZ4ok
he knew she didn't want to lose him either. It was an unimaginable 386Please respect copyright.PENANAPjENuTZAea
thought, for both of them. It was hard to believe, seven years ago, they386Please respect copyright.PENANADUvL5HV0Qr
were fourteen and nineteen and just getting married. Six years ago, 386Please respect copyright.PENANAsenyVNPh4u
they became the parents of a darling daughter. Now they were saying 386Please respect copyright.PENANA05iHqGenQx
goodbye for an unknown amount of time.
He took a sharp breath when386Please respect copyright.PENANAOTs43vt8Cy
she threw herself into his arms, and he rested his head in the crevice 386Please respect copyright.PENANAHYqpfb0mNW
of her neck and shoulder. "I love you, so damn much. Always remember 386Please respect copyright.PENANAQ4CmWCOFbs
that, Mary." He whispered against her flushed skin.
She nodded 386Please respect copyright.PENANAlZd8BQqVHJ
wordlessly. "I will. Just, remember that I'm always with you. The girls 386Please respect copyright.PENANAltsShHr78Q
are always with you. We'll be right here, waiting. I promise."
He 386Please respect copyright.PENANA3XRJ9tEpHs
sobbed and placed a single kiss on her neck. "One last time. Just one 386Please respect copyright.PENANA8D6lvKkD22
last time. I want to make love to you. I want to ride out with Ida. I 386Please respect copyright.PENANAcMYUMAZ2G6
want to walk in and watch Ethel playing. I want to see Sallie laugh. One386Please respect copyright.PENANApcMXqPQKbs
last time. I want to see my family happy together."
All too soon,386Please respect copyright.PENANAR0ZGaRFsKQ
he was gone. Just like that. And Mary was left holding her crying 386Please respect copyright.PENANAFmX8FlJWzS
daughters, as they watched their father ride off into the gloomy 386Please respect copyright.PENANA1G84hohHdE
sunrise. It would never be the same again, they all knew. Everything, in386Please respect copyright.PENANAAZOTbdYPlL
that moment, had changed.