"Mommy! Daddy!"
Justin quickly pulled out of his very heated 393Please respect copyright.PENANAVWi8aZQ8gl
kiss with Mary. Pulling the sheets up, he went to cover both of their 393Please respect copyright.PENANAU8y9vsN6s3
naked bodies. After which, he laughed as he rolled off of Mary and 393Please respect copyright.PENANAnUQt5KTkqc
turned towards their door. "Come on in, girls!" He called.
Two 393Please respect copyright.PENANA89DphuDoDe
small girls ran in with the biggest smiles reaching their face. One was a393Please respect copyright.PENANAqmVI7vXel8
red-haired girl with blue eyes, the other a brown-haired girl with 393Please respect copyright.PENANAyp8zIRukps
violet eyes. The red-haired girl, Ida, was the oldest, at six years old,393Please respect copyright.PENANAnkBXLrQduJ
and the blonde, Ethel, was three. In her arms, Ida carried a baby girl,393Please respect copyright.PENANA4zAXdfHiD2
Sallie. Sallie was six months old and had black hair and green eyes.
Sitting393Please respect copyright.PENANA9cxrG85GGK
up a little on the bed, not letting the sheets fall past his hips, 393Please respect copyright.PENANAzZBDoM0g6J
Justin held his arms out and helped Ethel into the bed. Then he helped 393Please respect copyright.PENANAgFRU7r7Xo2
Ida, and took Sallie into his arms. "Good morning, sweethearts." He 393Please respect copyright.PENANAURDCNFuhbR
greeted them as he gave a kiss to the top of each of their heads. 393Please respect copyright.PENANA3oGXKowrnH
Wrapping an arm around Mary, he held all four of his girls close and 393Please respect copyright.PENANAuiejr7eXf2
sighed in content.
"Are you going to take me riding today, daddy? 393Please respect copyright.PENANA0BwGkIIBYE
You promised me, last night, that you would." Ida asked excitedly. She 393Please respect copyright.PENANAeZCNQupjv7
was a beautiful girl, and had even been deemed a much beautiful baby, as393Please respect copyright.PENANACy5IweBAKz
an infant. They had no clue where she got her red hair and blue eyes; 393Please respect copyright.PENANAjYIiiUt59d
it was one mystery that they figured made her that much more unique. And393Please respect copyright.PENANAgwmY60PV0q
they loved her for her uniqueness.
He beamed over at his oldest 393Please respect copyright.PENANAqIYGcxV4Yk
and poked her nose playfully. "Well if I promised, don't you think I'd 393Please respect copyright.PENANAFIoTdUqBQe
take you riding? Since when has your daddy ever made a promise he can't 393Please respect copyright.PENANAJMqLf1Fb6W
keep?"
Mary chuckled and stroked Ida's hair with loving fingers. 393Please respect copyright.PENANAQxXwgTIV8C
"One of the many wonderful qualities about your father, Ida, is that he 393Please respect copyright.PENANAZb43e5g5Z7
has never made a promise that he cannot keep. He's a smart man, not a 393Please respect copyright.PENANAn3XIWcqian
dumb one." She told the girl.
Justin scoffed teasingly. "Wow, 393Please respect copyright.PENANAhgAH7ZmZIM
thank you for that backhanded compliment, love. Girls, I love your 393Please respect copyright.PENANAf17dlMBAJ6
mother with all my heart, but she is very good with giving compliments 393Please respect copyright.PENANAsQXqzGN46C
in backhanded ways." He saw the look on his wife's face and gulped 393Please respect copyright.PENANARCGg9AGbgQ
slightly. "I-I mean…uh…thank you very much, dear?" He suggested with a 393Please respect copyright.PENANAKRFFGauFJ2
crooked smile as though saying, please, just don't hurt me.
She 393Please respect copyright.PENANAh5de6qtrmb
laughed outright and shook her head. "I wasn't going to punch you, Jus. 393Please respect copyright.PENANAw6RAnItSSk
And even if I wanted to, I still wouldn't; not while you have the baby."393Please respect copyright.PENANABkEDwvrYLC
She reminded him.
He sighed in relief and pressed his lips to 393Please respect copyright.PENANAvnrHVwn8sY
Sallie's head. "You saved your old man's hide, Sal." He said gratefully.393Please respect copyright.PENANAtVrQlCTOip
Then he looked back toward Ida, remembering their conversation before. 393Please respect copyright.PENANAqjbRz38QXZ
"We'll go out riding, after breakfast, Ida. Speaking of, whatcha say we 393Please respect copyright.PENANAokBUH1UR1T
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."393Please respect copyright.PENANA2UdIQE6x03
He agreed. He was just about to get up, when he remembered the state he393Please respect copyright.PENANAc9aGC62Vn3
and Mary were in. He blushed lightly, glaring at his wife's sly smile. 393Please respect copyright.PENANAfqQzrDvg0a
"Ida, Ethel, why don't you two go get dressed while mommy and daddy get 393Please respect copyright.PENANAcGNxxt4vZd
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.
After393Please respect copyright.PENANAoOtIKnb5sG
they were gone, Mary barked a laugh, while Juatin glared playfully at 393Please respect copyright.PENANAbtuNZGEkN1
her. "Oh shut up." He mumbled while leaning in and kissing her 393Please respect copyright.PENANAibSd67OvV2
collarbone softly.
But she swatted his head, making him pull back 393Please respect copyright.PENANAOGt8RU4dnj
and give her a confused look. "I have to feed the baby, and you need to 393Please respect copyright.PENANADZMSJvDIzZ
start breakfast for our other two girls." She reminded him with a 393Please respect copyright.PENANAHX1NGK5hQx
smiled. At his despondent face, she kissed him softly and ruffled his 393Please respect copyright.PENANAeE7QfJwg4L
hair. "Later, lover boy."
He grinned slyly, stroking her arm with 393Please respect copyright.PENANALOUMkk0qoD
such softness. "I'll hold you to that, sweetheart." Then he rolled out 393Please respect copyright.PENANAK9O4bY9bP1
of bed, albeit reluctantly, and went to dress. After which, he left to 393Please respect copyright.PENANAr10Qq83XRf
head for the kitchen to make breakfast.
As he stood at the old 393Please respect copyright.PENANAHad1lgtd1A
stove, his two oldest daughter came bounding in, their long hair still a393Please respect copyright.PENANAS4YnHSh4BH
mess and in need of help. He laughed as he put the spoon with which he 393Please respect copyright.PENANA5pe4LMPtkh
was using to make porridge down and knelt in front of them. "You girls 393Please respect copyright.PENANA9BZpUrXsb2
need me to do your hair?" He asked as he stroked each of their heads.
Justin393Please respect copyright.PENANARqU587RtHN
and Mary had gotten married when they were fourteen and nineteen. There393Please respect copyright.PENANAe0zUdpYpoe
was no doubt in Justin's parents' mind that their son was in love, and 393Please respect copyright.PENANAqoSEvuIjzt
that Mary was in love with him. Mary had fallen in love with him for 393Please respect copyright.PENANAHaRDOAX8kf
more than just his looks though. She'd found out, early on, that he was 393Please respect copyright.PENANAyAnOyj6014
able to cook and clean, unlike many of the suitors that had begged her 393Please respect copyright.PENANA0STjSbkVbI
for her hand since her father's death, when she was twelve. Justin was 393Please respect copyright.PENANAzhfCySRKjB
different though.
His ability to cook and clean made her one happy393Please respect copyright.PENANA8y4JpUh4SC
woman, when they married. And a year later they had Ida. As she began 393Please respect copyright.PENANA8rgyvjzlWx
to grow hair, and it grew longer, Mary was pleased to discover more of 393Please respect copyright.PENANApuNDcoJCXb
her husband's hidden talents. He could do hair. He had offered to do 393Please respect copyright.PENANAKhThCwPtTE
hers on numerous occasions, but she had always insisted on doing it 393Please respect copyright.PENANAtwoGyAk9DP
herself. But as Ida grew, and she was left tired, Justin had stepped in 393Please respect copyright.PENANA1mrlbQjGnS
to do whatever his daughter needed. He could dress her, change her 393Please respect copyright.PENANAURgJVF7qc9
diapers, do her hair, everything. And now, he had two daughters to do 393Please respect copyright.PENANAGon7nqXPgJ
that with; which they both loved when he did their hair.
Ida 393Please respect copyright.PENANAAg4JjpzPdv
nodded and held out two leather bands for him. Turning them around, he 393Please respect copyright.PENANAiqAFOv4hJs
used the wooden hair brush to gently pry out the nasty knots in their 393Please respect copyright.PENANApE3q46Woeo
beautiful hair. Then he but them into loose braids. After that, he 393Please respect copyright.PENANAkggtFthJOB
grabbed some flowers that Mary always kept on the table, and put them 393Please respect copyright.PENANA0ZA10JCH3G
into random spots of the braids. "There we go. There's my beautiful 393Please respect copyright.PENANAyCa6NNIt6C
girls." He said pridefully as he touched each of their cheeks and placed393Please respect copyright.PENANAGZ6C2aYRCV
light kisses on their foreheads.
The girls each giggled and 393Please respect copyright.PENANAyZdkpHFVvl
kissed his cheek. "Thanks, daddy." They said unanimously. Picking up the393Please respect copyright.PENANAb4lU3x93M4
ends of their dresses, they raced to the table and climbed up on the 393Please respect copyright.PENANATObQbVx1BL
chairs that were still to big for them. Justin helped them up and then 393Please respect copyright.PENANAGtvS6MMJB3
went back to making breakfast.
Mary came in, not long later, 393Please respect copyright.PENANAqHQzbsKO0Z
Sallie in her arms, dressed in a thick dress to keep her from the bitter393Please respect copyright.PENANAtozzrA996Y
cold that threatened them during the winter months. Mary herself wore a393Please respect copyright.PENANAqKofVcTgsp
simple, beat up, blue dress with an apron over top. Her hair was loose,393Please respect copyright.PENANAbDRIBqxGpy
with only parts of the front being pulled back into a small braid.
That's393Please respect copyright.PENANACueDZcONXG
when Justin set breakfast in front of everyone. They'd had nothing but 393Please respect copyright.PENANAJdM2lIQ7m5
porridge for the past few weeks, but, unfortunately, that was all they 393Please respect copyright.PENANAVFv88z0RnP
could afford at the moment. Justin had lost his job at the sawmill 393Please respect copyright.PENANAW6bT5jCM6N
several months ago, because of the impact of the war that had just 393Please respect copyright.PENANAgkCNDutcF0
started not even half a year ago. The Civil War, as they called it. They393Please respect copyright.PENANAm5VoKmWIyR
were at war with their own countrymen. It was sad to see it come to 393Please respect copyright.PENANAK175tgSpjr
this, and see the effects it cause. Because of it, Justin had lost his 393Please respect copyright.PENANAtxI8H9Yf4a
job, and they had been reduced to nothing more than rations of food.
She393Please respect copyright.PENANAD6UOa1Tk8g
looked over at Justin with a soft, hopefully encouraging smile. She 393Please respect copyright.PENANAJkmsLQIrXd
knew that losing his job had struck him right in the gut. His pride was,393Please respect copyright.PENANAwhZo2WvVuC
without a doubt, damaged. With great struggle, she had managed to get 393Please respect copyright.PENANApLc6LM3NdY
him to admit that he felt like a failure as a husband and a father, 393Please respect copyright.PENANAxjWrBd0Hfw
because he lost his job. He felt unable to provide for his own family; 393Please respect copyright.PENANAa2AEoX074l
to him, that was something worse than death. All he wanted was to give 393Please respect copyright.PENANAJ2pvtBgnjT
his wife and young daughters a good home, good clothes, and good food. 393Please respect copyright.PENANA85f5ETJLIY
Now, he couldn't even do that. It took its toll on him, and she could 393Please respect copyright.PENANAIw3uiMPu02
see it in the way he had started to age from the stress of the last few 393Please respect copyright.PENANAdVVbvfFDOK
months.
They were doing all they could for the time being. She 393Please respect copyright.PENANAVfATIWpjEj
would eat little, but still a substantial amount so that she could 393Please respect copyright.PENANAdXfBS9qIgd
provide milk for Sallie, and he would hardly eat anything. He had 393Please respect copyright.PENANAog8DIE4VFm
started losing a significant amount of weight, which he and Mary could 393Please respect copyright.PENANAyVJIcxVp7q
only hope the girls hadn't noticed. She had also lost a great deal 393Please respect copyright.PENANAxW7CHRYbyC
amount of weight, but still not quite as much as him. Even their 393Please respect copyright.PENANAQYd5DzsTiI
daughter, Ida and Ethel, had begun losing weight because of the food 393Please respect copyright.PENANAJX61DpQXGq
shortage.
He looked around at his family, as he always did at 393Please respect copyright.PENANAwiLYPRBGra
breakfast and dinner, and felt his heart break once more. His wife's 393Please respect copyright.PENANAwWjm8a93bj
face, while beautiful as he would always find her and know her to be, 393Please respect copyright.PENANAg1uTtr26jM
was shallow, and dark bags lined under her eyes. She looked so…empty. 393Please respect copyright.PENANARPVuKBIypM
His daughters looked weaker than they once were. They used to be so 393Please respect copyright.PENANAVsurqwp97X
lively; and while they would still run around and play, they couldn't 393Please respect copyright.PENANAwmsPbRPlII
last as long as they once did. One of his favorite things to do, had 393Please respect copyright.PENANAjKoDdQBcvm
been to watch his little girls run and play. They were like fairies, 393Please respect copyright.PENANAzp5ZDvjnBd
when they ran through the tall, summer grass. So beautiful. So 393Please respect copyright.PENANAC8nyqHLXMp
enchanting. Now it seemed there was only a sliver of those girls left in393Please respect copyright.PENANAkDWwihukgK
the daughters he'd raised.
Then there was Sallie. She was smaller393Please respect copyright.PENANAs8JflU55x0
than most six month old babies. She'd been born at nine months, she 393Please respect copyright.PENANAWYN69M08Xi
just wasn't getting the necessary nourishing most babies needed. She was393Please respect copyright.PENANAwwYNwz6ppa
healthy, but looked so torn down compared to most, healthier, six month393Please respect copyright.PENANAkx53ILAM7U
olds.
He hated seeing his family so broken up. As a man 393Please respect copyright.PENANAOjp78U94OJ
especially, it hit him right where it hurts. His girls were the most 393Please respect copyright.PENANA1bHotGdeAU
important treasures in his world, and taking care of them felt more like393Please respect copyright.PENANAgmk4vPf2AI
an honor than a duty. To have that honor suddenly taken, and to not be 393Please respect copyright.PENANAsK5QTOt6Rr
able to give his girls anything more than grits and moldy bread as 393Please respect copyright.PENANAFSKgZfHR6v
meals, was about the cruelest thing for him. Now they were suffering, 393Please respect copyright.PENANAv5WcnLgAxr
and there was nothing her, or anyone else, could do about it.
Mary,393Please respect copyright.PENANAiDlpfpWAi0
seeing the heartbreak that was all but written on his face, reached 393Please respect copyright.PENANABRKCSAsg53
across the table to take his hand in her own smaller one. With her eyes,393Please respect copyright.PENANAPukNab9LjZ
she told him that it was alright. They were together. They had each 393Please respect copyright.PENANADXUDCYN90O
other. That was all that mattered. And she was right; he knew that. but 393Please respect copyright.PENANA6w7KpGd2K3
deep in his heart, he couldn't help that feeling of letting them all 393Please respect copyright.PENANA94BiAIUBkY
down, even though it hadn't been his fault that he was fired.
As 393Please respect copyright.PENANAx5eMt0Okzc
the family finished their breakfast in silence, Mary got up and cleared 393Please respect copyright.PENANAScikcbbucb
their pans. Meanwhile, Justin grabbed his hat and rifle and ruffled 393Please respect copyright.PENANAgDpKgNALLe
little Ida's red hair. "You ready to go, half pint?" He asked with a 393Please respect copyright.PENANAncYbRoaPvW
broad, loving smile.
Ida jumped up excitedly and bounced on the 393Please respect copyright.PENANAtBiRGQDXMM
balls of her feet. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" She squealed. A laugh slipped past 393Please respect copyright.PENANApOAzfWuV2R
her lips when he placed another hat on her head as well. It was a bit 393Please respect copyright.PENANAthqYnofBQH
too big, and fell slightly over her forehead. But she smiled wider and 393Please respect copyright.PENANA9uD3155jzL
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.
She393Please respect copyright.PENANAeFRU3V0YUD
pouted, crossing her arms. And he couldn't get over how much she looked393Please respect copyright.PENANA6Vw1coG7RU
like Mary when she pouted. Other than those violet eyes, of course, she393Please respect copyright.PENANANKp9OpZqsf
was her mother's spitting image. "Why does Ida get to do everything?"
"She's393Please respect copyright.PENANAS76jbWb4JE
older, Ethel. I know it ain't fair, hon, but I promise that we'll go 393Please respect copyright.PENANAyeHwy3xJU6
riding together when you're a little bit older. Alright?" He didn't like393Please respect copyright.PENANAFjI9rTeWhL
disappointing either of his older daughters – Sallie of course being 393Please respect copyright.PENANAdCMgB11p0U
hard to displease because she was only six months old – but he also 393Please respect copyright.PENANA1oXrv4mL9B
couldn't take major risks. He hadn't taken Ida out riding when she was 393Please respect copyright.PENANAIohpXAaczl
three, and he wouldn't do that with Ethel or Sallie either. And she 393Please respect copyright.PENANAaUOAggwDva
might not have found it fair at the time, but he knew Ethel would 393Please respect copyright.PENANAsgNVPumyOG
understand one day.
She was still pouting, but nodded anyway. "Ok,393Please respect copyright.PENANAUPzyCcFNov
daddy." Kissing his cheek, she wiggled out of his arms and went to play393Please respect copyright.PENANAqZbeHQ74KB
in the small family room.
Mary came forward then and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Be careful?" She whispered.
He393Please respect copyright.PENANAH4JhuJRSmI
smiled and nodded. "Of course, darlin'. And I'll bring our daughter 393Please respect copyright.PENANAmNRyFgLk97
back in one piece." He promised, making them both laugh. Then he leaned 393Please respect copyright.PENANAOvALRiju8E
in and kissed her lips chastely. "I love you." He mumbled against her 393Please respect copyright.PENANAgJlAl7F5ci
lips. Then pulling away, he stooped down to scoop Ida up into his strong393Please respect copyright.PENANAaQWqsoY6FS
arms. "You ready to go, baby?" He asked, nudging his nose against her 393Please respect copyright.PENANAqqurVezlnm
soft cheek.
She giggled and kissed his cheek. That was answer 393Please respect copyright.PENANAvDg7JFGunB
enough for her father, as he turned for the door. A last look back, and 393Please respect copyright.PENANA1z3rwIAUQ3
he left with Ida snug against him. Within minutes, he had his horse, 393Please respect copyright.PENANA2PnMLPhhtZ
Bobbie, ready and saddled. Then he saddled Mary's horse, Mosey. Picking 393Please respect copyright.PENANAdhxGGIiKtw
Ida back up, under her arms, he lifted her up and set her in Mosey's 393Please respect copyright.PENANAvWbRaXtbAn
saddle.
Father and daughter spent hours riding the deserted plains393Please respect copyright.PENANA2I7GRTWhxW
of Braiden, which was part of the Dakota Territory. For miles, there 393Please respect copyright.PENANAvNMIcLLAd5
was nothing but sage brush and wild grass. The air was fresh, and clean.393Please respect copyright.PENANA52PLEkYDM2
To Justin, that was the best thing about living in the Dakota 393Please respect copyright.PENANAyiyahzXW1v
Territory, rather than the big cities. And he couldn't be any happier to393Please respect copyright.PENANAoo1I5DCtlH
be raising his own family in such a beautiful land.
As they rose 393Please respect copyright.PENANAdXiT9SodeK
through the plain, over the hills, and through the tufts of rolling 393Please respect copyright.PENANATvAxG2Gjv0
grass that danced with the wind, he watched his daughter with a proud 393Please respect copyright.PENANAFtgLU0YgeN
smile. While she looked like no one in their family, he couldn't help 393Please respect copyright.PENANAEx40A6Q2Rf
but admire all of their qualities that fit into her. She was as close to393Please respect copyright.PENANAIVZPaPQQO2
perfect as one could ever be. While she made mistakes, she was quick to393Please respect copyright.PENANA5qfgA1bHfs
try and make up and apologize for those mistakes. And she was quick to 393Please respect copyright.PENANA2NSgGxcOuI
forgive too. She never once held a grudge, and for that, everyone was 393Please respect copyright.PENANAoh1EhzyP6t
grateful. Being on her bad side was never fun.
She fit into this 393Please respect copyright.PENANA2ZaOyInw5b
life, better than most. This was the life she wanted. So many times, 393Please respect copyright.PENANAXH0KKBIfUl
since she was old enough to speak, she had crawled up into his lap and 393Please respect copyright.PENANA8uVDs6geuV
told him that she loved the life of the prairie. It's like living in a 393Please respect copyright.PENANAFakUB8oFCL
fairy-tale, she would tell him. And she knew not only the magical parts 393Please respect copyright.PENANAXrxEBrVDna
of the prairie, but also the dangers of it. She knew the harshness the 393Please respect copyright.PENANAOvyhdYHy9U
winters could bring. She knew to watch for mountain lions, and rattle 393Please respect copyright.PENANAsj3OQZUeqk
snakes, and scorpions. She knew how to test whether a berry was safe to 393Please respect copyright.PENANA0W7GFkfoQh
eat, or deadly poisonous. She knew it all, and still, she loved it. She 393Please respect copyright.PENANA7nq16MpjBz
loved all te harsh realities that came with a beautiful land.
She 393Please respect copyright.PENANA31vUUCm89O
wasn't like all the other girls, he well knew. While other girls loved 393Please respect copyright.PENANAEvMe162fkX
dresses, or butterflies, she preferred to spend her time learning how to393Please respect copyright.PENANAYVvTSU32ub
survive the rough life of the prairie. Justin and Mary had agreed, 393Please respect copyright.PENANAkSuzilXG26
before they even had children, that any daughters they had needed to be 393Please respect copyright.PENANAPckMbBgqOd
taught how to handle themselves. They couldn't always depend on a man. 393Please respect copyright.PENANA1XFTX2416R
Mary already knew what that was like.
Her father had been a drunk 393Please respect copyright.PENANAwNpAiqw3JI
her whole life. Her mother was meek, and never spoke for herself. Being 393Please respect copyright.PENANAFvWzGqPNY9
raised mainly by her mother, Mary had been much the same, for years. 393Please respect copyright.PENANAYlAF5AmYy0
When her mother died, when she was seven, nothing changed. She remained 393Please respect copyright.PENANA1ClYCJB4oy
the quiet girl that never spoke up to her father. She could hardly take 393Please respect copyright.PENANAnPsitWOIi9
care of herself, and knew little to nothing about the wilderness.
Her393Please respect copyright.PENANAeb3ZoEDODb
father had never cared, though. He turned a blind eye as to Mary's 393Please respect copyright.PENANAwtq9ukCF4p
well-being. The only times he would acknowledge her was to tell her to 393Please respect copyright.PENANAw01UuKAS08
cook, or clean, or to mend his clothes. She was more of a slave to him, 393Please respect copyright.PENANAscEo2vmvlG
than a daughter. And when he finally drank himself to death, he left 393Please respect copyright.PENANAummkRIjOQK
nothing behind for Mary to live a good life from. She didn't know how to393Please respect copyright.PENANABJsuXJazBa
work the small farm she lived on; her father didn't believe in women 393Please respect copyright.PENANAJCXlRSVqq6
working anywhere else but in the house.
Being thrown, so suddenly,393Please respect copyright.PENANADEpwiI0lbK
into the cruel world that she'd never had to think of before had a big 393Please respect copyright.PENANAyHlsCGcPgj
impact on Mary. Being only twelve years of age, she was nothing more 393Please respect copyright.PENANAmqAuflKey9
than a scared orphan that was terrified by the sudden new world. she had393Please respect copyright.PENANArCoZILEs0q
to teach herself the ropes. No one was there to guide her. And when she393Please respect copyright.PENANADZ2o99L2TA
met and married Justin, she vehemently told him that she didn't want 393Please respect copyright.PENANAtqBsibMnhr
her own daughters to go through that, should anything happen to one, or 393Please respect copyright.PENANA5n2BLvMxS3
both of them.
He was quick to agree, telling her that he believed 393Please respect copyright.PENANA8vWKt35w4m
women should know the rules of the wild. He didn't think it fair to see 393Please respect copyright.PENANABcFfaPKzgd
women suddenly left on their own, when their husband, father or brother 393Please respect copyright.PENANAuGluPwFlA6
died, and having little to no clue on how to handle themselves. That was393Please respect copyright.PENANALx36NLjFhk
no life, for any woman. And he couldn't, as a father and a husband, 393Please respect copyright.PENANANZ0aAdpAmF
live himself in knowing that if he didn't leave behind those rules with 393Please respect copyright.PENANA61sg71TmPt
his women, something much worse could happen to them than if they did 393Please respect copyright.PENANAPL6GGtOPea
know. And as a man that loved his family more than anything, he'd be 393Please respect copyright.PENANAoA4ww8xBJU
damned if he let anything happen to them because he didn't give them the393Please respect copyright.PENANAPXCZPqHPNt
tools necessary to survive.
He had just started teaching Ethel, 393Please respect copyright.PENANAhCufmVwg3r
as well. While she was a bit confused by the lessons, she knew that when393Please respect copyright.PENANA30fghnhm3b
her father was trying to teach her something important, it was for a 393Please respect copyright.PENANAyIZ4wjZU2v
good reason. She paid very close attention to him, as she often did with393Please respect copyright.PENANA4rMlVW1GVz
a lot of things.
Now, watching Ida smiling with rosy cheeks, and 393Please respect copyright.PENANAu1BXHKwWYk
her loose hair drift with the cool winter's breeze, he couldn't help but393Please respect copyright.PENANAFZ4bBo2JKE
imagine her as she grew. He visioned a beautiful young girl, riding 393Please respect copyright.PENANAgnSpSBwr1Q
merrily through the fields. A girl that didn't care what society had to 393Please respect copyright.PENANAh17csAEnlX
say about her unorthodox upbringing. A girl that didn't need to depend 393Please respect copyright.PENANAHHeYmH0ov0
on a man to take care of her. A strong, able-minded girl. It was nothing393Please respect copyright.PENANA40ue9BGok4
short of amazing.
They returned at dusk, having had a most 393Please respect copyright.PENANAXcPc49WT3b
enjoyable time. He was just helping her off of Mosey, when he saw Mary 393Please respect copyright.PENANAy9ER39ewPR
walking towards them, a despondent look on her beautiful face. Frowning,393Please respect copyright.PENANAVar0ShIWmL
he crouched in front of Ida and adjusted her hat slightly. "Why don't 393Please respect copyright.PENANAJtpR9wEYCC
you go on inside, Ida. Mommy and daddy will be in shortly." He told her.393Please respect copyright.PENANAGe4j0Vi1Ab
She obediently did as she was told.
As Mary neared him, he was 393Please respect copyright.PENANABWaUve28LC
troubled to see tears in her red eyes. She'd been crying a while, 393Please respect copyright.PENANAhEAbnmQNXq
already. but why, he wondered? She was the strongest person he knew, and393Please respect copyright.PENANANBJhIopKVd
she hardly ever cried. When she did cry, though, it was usually for 393Please respect copyright.PENANA4XyPyIazRP
something serious. She cried when he lost his job. She cried when they 393Please respect copyright.PENANAWHL6rueEVO
lost their baby boy, William, two years ago. Those were the only times. 393Please respect copyright.PENANAoaikEDSQje
Two times, in their seven years of marriage, and he'd only seen her cry 393Please respect copyright.PENANAPGPiVfgMsY
twice.
As soon as she was close enough, he wrapped her in a loving393Please respect copyright.PENANAnQKD3GseN1
embrace. "Hey. Hey. What's wrong? What's wrong, baby?" He mumbled in 393Please respect copyright.PENANAsmM9yLsO1n
her ear. "Mary?" He pulled away and held her cheeks in his gentle hands.393Please respect copyright.PENANAFRZoSV5CQ9
"What's the matter, dearest?" He rubbed his thumbs under her eyes to 393Please respect copyright.PENANAuNdAl2VHT2
push away the nasty tears that lined her cheekbones.
She didn't say anything, just handed him a crumpled piece of paper.
He393Please respect copyright.PENANAUhYFmXBLfZ
furrowed his brows as he took the paper. Unfolding it, he read over the393Please respect copyright.PENANAvb80bQzKx7
content carefully, and slowly. Neither he, nor Mary had been taught to 393Please respect copyright.PENANAp5qe2bZowz
read or write, as children. They had to teach themselves after they were393Please respect copyright.PENANAiCDizOiFP0
married. Though they were better at it, they still encountered trouble.393Please respect copyright.PENANAcl2Hw1qdop
But understanding what was in the letter was no trouble for him. The 393Please respect copyright.PENANAvq0BQdgxML
words were clear as day.
"I've been called to war. I leave first thing tomorrow."
She393Please respect copyright.PENANAjUrcYuU6An
released a sob when he said it aloud. And once again, she fell into his393Please respect copyright.PENANArcyzYHgg32
arms. He was still in shock, but quickly began to cry along with her. 393Please respect copyright.PENANA6aVTZUXx5I
This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening, he tried to tell393Please respect copyright.PENANAoS6HXyZLkq
himself. But the sound of his wife's cries clearly told him that it was393Please respect copyright.PENANAViXmgeuyzU
happening. He was going to war. He was leaving his wife and three 393Please respect copyright.PENANAygSA0S7lR3
daughters behind. He cried into her shoulder, and held her tighter than 393Please respect copyright.PENANAwV1JQ2ck1u
ever before, stroking her soft hair.
"What are we going to tell the girls?" She whispered into his chest.
He393Please respect copyright.PENANAfhLmLb2GZn
shook his head and kissed her neck. "We're going to tell them the 393Please respect copyright.PENANAIlKSp2CuS7
truth; that I've been called to join the war. There's no avoiding this, 393Please respect copyright.PENANAYmgQzh5ubV
Mary. We can't lie to them." And she agreed.
Going inside, they 393Please respect copyright.PENANA8RrzgZgGw4
both called the girls from their room, and Justin beckoned them to sit 393Please respect copyright.PENANAPSMjYaEYB2
on his lap. He and Mary shared similar glances as they struggled with 393Please respect copyright.PENANAMTQTZdo6fD
just how to tell their daughters that daddy had to go away. They didn't 393Please respect copyright.PENANArP7apIiLCm
sugar-coat it. They told them everything.
"Ida, Ethel…you two know393Please respect copyright.PENANA9v8T5WFGYE
that all I want is to protect you, and make sure you're safe, right? 393Please respect copyright.PENANAX58k4Dv8wY
Because you, and Sallie, and mommy are the most important things to me."393Please respect copyright.PENANAYQx58oYttx
Justin started. When they nodded, he pulled them even closer and 393Please respect copyright.PENANAi1emVi4rRZ
stroked their soft cheeks. "Well that's what I'm going to be doing right393Please respect copyright.PENANANzFWTmrPuN
now. I…I've been asked to join the war. That means I'm going to have to393Please respect copyright.PENANAzhaELC4kqI
go far away, and make sure no bad people can hurt you, your sister, and393Please respect copyright.PENANAAkmKaRMyTe
mommy."
Ethel shook her head, and her bottom lip quivered, as she393Please respect copyright.PENANANsPsOrSMCa
threw her chubby arms around his neck. "No, daddy! No! No! No! I don't 393Please respect copyright.PENANAhz2ZMdWMQT
want them to take you far away!" She cried desperately.
He blinked393Please respect copyright.PENANAyNN13lsr9T
away tear as he wrapped one arm around her to keep her close. "I don't 393Please respect copyright.PENANAGTKquNuBGE
want to leave either, honey; but I need to protect you. Ethel, if there 393Please respect copyright.PENANAhXEF328hz6
was another way, sweetheart, believe me I would take it, in a heart 393Please respect copyright.PENANAx04EkLFCvz
beat. But this is the only way I can protect you, your sisters, and 393Please respect copyright.PENANATh12i0eRnJ
mommy." He hated doing this. He may as well have told her that there was393Please respect copyright.PENANAUN34GM3Mvu
a chance he wouldn't be coming back. Her innocence was already damaged.393Please respect copyright.PENANAn0YTJHF30a
She was to young for this. Ida was to young for this. Ida. "Ida…what 393Please respect copyright.PENANAqE4RBD8dqq
are you thinking, darling?"
She was expressionless. It was like 393Please respect copyright.PENANACelH4UfEKS
she didn't know what to say; and really, she didn't. what could she say?393Please respect copyright.PENANAFF9J547KEw
So instead of replying, she scooted up and buried herself in her 393Please respect copyright.PENANAowryEOYtDo
father's chest. "I love you, daddy." She whispered.
He couldn't 393Please respect copyright.PENANA7ZruMtkN59
hold back the tears that threatened him, not anymore. He let them go as 393Please respect copyright.PENANA2SRL8SfqeZ
he bent to kiss her head softly. "I love you too, little one. Both of 393Please respect copyright.PENANAjociqtL4y1
you." He spoke towards Ethel. After they got down and went to try and 393Please respect copyright.PENANAuuILU8IUCo
distract themselves from the heartbreaking moment, Hiccup took little 393Please respect copyright.PENANApmRzSL4cD4
Sallie. She couldn't know what was going on. All she would know was that393Please respect copyright.PENANASALHJ0qEat
she would be waking up, looking around for her daddy, and realize he's 393Please respect copyright.PENANAFJNH8IPjW4
not there. She would wonder why. And God forbid, if he were to be gone 393Please respect copyright.PENANAxclVa7IOLL
several years, he would come back and she wouldn't even know who he was.393Please respect copyright.PENANAPBU5togppu
His own daughter.
All to suddenly, the Daniels' world was 393Please respect copyright.PENANA3NJ0qxFSqs
crumbling before them. It was all being shaken, taken away from them 393Please respect copyright.PENANA5ZDwwJCmha
within the snap of a finger. He didn't have a choice. It was either 393Please respect copyright.PENANAeOhgNHDCnh
leave and stand a chance of coming home, or stay and undergo trial, 393Please respect copyright.PENANAqVqAuKzPTy
guaranteeing that he would never see his family again. there was no 393Please respect copyright.PENANAmfgGhtZ8CF
choice; he was going.
That night, after all the girls were fed and393Please respect copyright.PENANAN3gGpr5PDg
tucked into bed, Justin shut the door of their room, and was 393Please respect copyright.PENANA5oCt7GBNJr
immediately met by his wife's passionate lips. It took him no time to 393Please respect copyright.PENANAjrPWyF0D6H
respond to her kiss, and wrap his arms around her small frame. Their 393Please respect copyright.PENANAZ8Hs9JdzWY
tears melted against their lips, as he pushed her against the wall, and 393Please respect copyright.PENANA7JhqNCbYPt
slid his hands down to hold her hips.
It didn't take long to strip393Please respect copyright.PENANAj72Pl2JFye
each other of their clothes and for him to lay her on their bed. 393Please respect copyright.PENANAUJeAkAL7ss
Heartbreak filled what little space there was between their bodies. As 393Please respect copyright.PENANAx0tG4f18cn
he buried his hands in her disheveled hair, and kissed down her neck, he393Please respect copyright.PENANAkjyYbw0fmB
mumbled words of absolute love and adoration for her. He told her how 393Please respect copyright.PENANA5FIOZkcILk
much she meant to him, how he loved her, how beautiful she was.
When393Please respect copyright.PENANAkKzhcB8sbK
he finally entered her, she held tight to his back, trying to keep back393Please respect copyright.PENANAWAGdws1qNr
her sobs. But it was all for naught. She dug her fingers into his back,393Please respect copyright.PENANAR55d2sUgEH
and cried softly into the crook of his freckled shoulder.
He 393Please respect copyright.PENANA7V70dT3H6Z
shook his head and shut his eyes tight. "Don't cry. Please don't cry, 393Please respect copyright.PENANAWW2lv2uPyM
darling." He said begged with a strangled voice. But he too couldn't 393Please respect copyright.PENANAGxFa7SVi40
hold back his sobs. And as he made love to her, they shared in more than393Please respect copyright.PENANAdztem40cjt
just passion, but also their fear and heartbreak.
Afterwards, 393Please respect copyright.PENANARP4Vbvz29X
they laid silently in each other's arms. Nothing needed to be said, to 393Please respect copyright.PENANAg03AFreiuO
know what the other was thinking. It all spilled out in the way they 393Please respect copyright.PENANAN356rtEYSI
made love, and the way they held each other. Nothing could make this 393Please respect copyright.PENANADS5zu4g8EB
better. But for now, being with each other, was all they really needed.
The393Please respect copyright.PENANAtOU0kFpNsp
next morning, they woke the girls up at the crack of dawn. It was time.393Please respect copyright.PENANAjZbxILfaTQ
Mary packed him supplies, enough to last him through several weeks, and393Please respect copyright.PENANAnAqPN0Bn9U
they all sat and ate one last meal together. After which, they all 393Please respect copyright.PENANA3ZaWsPVMNk
bundled up and went out to see him off.
It didn't take him long to393Please respect copyright.PENANAdl14umymdX
prepare a saddle bag, and then to saddle Bobbie. Though he wanted to 393Please respect copyright.PENANAujbHN23wS3
prolong the time for as long as he could, he knew that it would just 393Please respect copyright.PENANAoCPVSK4B4G
make it harder to leave. And he'd never seen a shame in crying, but he 393Please respect copyright.PENANAqFH7cisTvh
also didn't like crying in front of his daughters. But today, he 393Please respect copyright.PENANAVjL0XnvqDl
couldn't help it. he was leaving them, potentially to never come back; 393Please respect copyright.PENANAFBnl9Rio3J
how was he not to cry?
When all was ready, he turned to his small,393Please respect copyright.PENANAlUsOa5NhDB
but beautiful family. His daughters were quieter than he'd ever seen 393Please respect copyright.PENANAbrV3GQtzpP
them. His wife couldn't stop her flow of tear. His youngest daughter was393Please respect copyright.PENANAQ4Jbob4oul
looking at them all curiously, confused to what was going on.
Licking393Please respect copyright.PENANA6saXjBCz71
his lips, he knelt down and held out a hand. Ida was quick to come 393Please respect copyright.PENANAEfIW9GiUjG
forward and take it. "Ethel, come here, little one." He beckoned gently.393Please respect copyright.PENANAD5af3I7iiJ
She finally came forward, and he pulled her, with Ida, into his 393Please respect copyright.PENANADoihICYFRS
embrace. "Now, you two listen; I'm going to be home real soon, ok? I 393Please respect copyright.PENANAICOx4R7AL3
love you. I love you two, so much." He told them over again. Giving them393Please respect copyright.PENANAWCLJwKLBAM
each one last kiss, he stood to take Sallie int his arms. "Oh, Sallie, 393Please respect copyright.PENANAZRdA2ZO5jq
please remember me, sweet girl. Remember, how much daddy loved you." He 393Please respect copyright.PENANALqLQTdIMXX
kissed her softly then handed her to Ida.
His heart melted when he393Please respect copyright.PENANA3IgWhN6b5g
gazed at his wife, as it always did. But this time was different. He 393Please respect copyright.PENANABmeq7oJcl2
could be saying goodbye to her, forever. He didn't want to lose her, and393Please respect copyright.PENANA44vvPbKxUo
he knew she didn't want to lose him either. It was an unimaginable 393Please respect copyright.PENANAE7Qq4Scesz
thought, for both of them. It was hard to believe, seven years ago, they393Please respect copyright.PENANAGGmxCdTykS
were fourteen and nineteen and just getting married. Six years ago, 393Please respect copyright.PENANAtObjWl8ljT
they became the parents of a darling daughter. Now they were saying 393Please respect copyright.PENANAV1tI3JItik
goodbye for an unknown amount of time.
He took a sharp breath when393Please respect copyright.PENANA9ROwPzYzFZ
she threw herself into his arms, and he rested his head in the crevice 393Please respect copyright.PENANABwiIQU0O5G
of her neck and shoulder. "I love you, so damn much. Always remember 393Please respect copyright.PENANAy14e9Y5O8p
that, Mary." He whispered against her flushed skin.
She nodded 393Please respect copyright.PENANAM8LnnovQQp
wordlessly. "I will. Just, remember that I'm always with you. The girls 393Please respect copyright.PENANAD7C8nZIyxW
are always with you. We'll be right here, waiting. I promise."
He 393Please respect copyright.PENANAiG163pxIuA
sobbed and placed a single kiss on her neck. "One last time. Just one 393Please respect copyright.PENANA6iVtmFX1Ry
last time. I want to make love to you. I want to ride out with Ida. I 393Please respect copyright.PENANA3xBmQ2jSkl
want to walk in and watch Ethel playing. I want to see Sallie laugh. One393Please respect copyright.PENANAxcnSfdejOf
last time. I want to see my family happy together."
All too soon,393Please respect copyright.PENANAmL46zWOSl0
he was gone. Just like that. And Mary was left holding her crying 393Please respect copyright.PENANA2iQB0iTn3Y
daughters, as they watched their father ride off into the gloomy 393Please respect copyright.PENANA7t42QiKfUc
sunrise. It would never be the same again, they all knew. Everything, in393Please respect copyright.PENANAf09J29kywe
that moment, had changed.