"Mommy! Daddy!"
Justin quickly pulled out of his very heated 395Please respect copyright.PENANAblmuQm29pB
kiss with Mary. Pulling the sheets up, he went to cover both of their 395Please respect copyright.PENANAbTIqcNGxkR
naked bodies. After which, he laughed as he rolled off of Mary and 395Please respect copyright.PENANAXMjQbcq6A7
turned towards their door. "Come on in, girls!" He called.
Two 395Please respect copyright.PENANA0IhTrvnQ6Q
small girls ran in with the biggest smiles reaching their face. One was a395Please respect copyright.PENANARQZtFy4RUw
red-haired girl with blue eyes, the other a brown-haired girl with 395Please respect copyright.PENANA34fCr5uAb5
violet eyes. The red-haired girl, Ida, was the oldest, at six years old,395Please respect copyright.PENANAqf11ksfWl3
and the blonde, Ethel, was three. In her arms, Ida carried a baby girl,395Please respect copyright.PENANA3M5KrOLgoR
Sallie. Sallie was six months old and had black hair and green eyes.
Sitting395Please respect copyright.PENANAtmYocESlpS
up a little on the bed, not letting the sheets fall past his hips, 395Please respect copyright.PENANADc2snbcZ4k
Justin held his arms out and helped Ethel into the bed. Then he helped 395Please respect copyright.PENANATtuu0AKthQ
Ida, and took Sallie into his arms. "Good morning, sweethearts." He 395Please respect copyright.PENANAhpokGsYvou
greeted them as he gave a kiss to the top of each of their heads. 395Please respect copyright.PENANAlxfDldbbAm
Wrapping an arm around Mary, he held all four of his girls close and 395Please respect copyright.PENANA2n60sssINW
sighed in content.
"Are you going to take me riding today, daddy? 395Please respect copyright.PENANAPPJAp5H2Ew
You promised me, last night, that you would." Ida asked excitedly. She 395Please respect copyright.PENANAIIzUrzHvdc
was a beautiful girl, and had even been deemed a much beautiful baby, as395Please respect copyright.PENANAa9IMuwNbi1
an infant. They had no clue where she got her red hair and blue eyes; 395Please respect copyright.PENANA3vX8fpmz0D
it was one mystery that they figured made her that much more unique. And395Please respect copyright.PENANA11mQQ6fUIp
they loved her for her uniqueness.
He beamed over at his oldest 395Please respect copyright.PENANAqefRkrbCKn
and poked her nose playfully. "Well if I promised, don't you think I'd 395Please respect copyright.PENANAmXdZGZm1Bh
take you riding? Since when has your daddy ever made a promise he can't 395Please respect copyright.PENANAS4HOc03o3O
keep?"
Mary chuckled and stroked Ida's hair with loving fingers. 395Please respect copyright.PENANAfrqV23SOdw
"One of the many wonderful qualities about your father, Ida, is that he 395Please respect copyright.PENANADPatH3B1vB
has never made a promise that he cannot keep. He's a smart man, not a 395Please respect copyright.PENANAOxkbgaI9Ez
dumb one." She told the girl.
Justin scoffed teasingly. "Wow, 395Please respect copyright.PENANAhiHGqXLDxX
thank you for that backhanded compliment, love. Girls, I love your 395Please respect copyright.PENANApTazUg1PAZ
mother with all my heart, but she is very good with giving compliments 395Please respect copyright.PENANA6wb6j0do02
in backhanded ways." He saw the look on his wife's face and gulped 395Please respect copyright.PENANANMEGyRp5Yd
slightly. "I-I mean…uh…thank you very much, dear?" He suggested with a 395Please respect copyright.PENANAKv6zO4NetY
crooked smile as though saying, please, just don't hurt me.
She 395Please respect copyright.PENANAhZxwPcE6dY
laughed outright and shook her head. "I wasn't going to punch you, Jus. 395Please respect copyright.PENANA2iGGiHAtkp
And even if I wanted to, I still wouldn't; not while you have the baby."395Please respect copyright.PENANAPiDHg2cuO7
She reminded him.
He sighed in relief and pressed his lips to 395Please respect copyright.PENANAlJh5PQTr3x
Sallie's head. "You saved your old man's hide, Sal." He said gratefully.395Please respect copyright.PENANA6WxkDIGBm7
Then he looked back toward Ida, remembering their conversation before. 395Please respect copyright.PENANAZmWhaZRPiT
"We'll go out riding, after breakfast, Ida. Speaking of, whatcha say we 395Please respect copyright.PENANA4pZLzcTtHe
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."395Please respect copyright.PENANAiaERbGHUqk
He agreed. He was just about to get up, when he remembered the state he395Please respect copyright.PENANAZpIKiVWDyt
and Mary were in. He blushed lightly, glaring at his wife's sly smile. 395Please respect copyright.PENANAxy4s2qegjI
"Ida, Ethel, why don't you two go get dressed while mommy and daddy get 395Please respect copyright.PENANA6hnTbcPPaY
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.
After395Please respect copyright.PENANAWPScWJIh78
they were gone, Mary barked a laugh, while Juatin glared playfully at 395Please respect copyright.PENANACWqRqhyQtP
her. "Oh shut up." He mumbled while leaning in and kissing her 395Please respect copyright.PENANAoXISNFPWY8
collarbone softly.
But she swatted his head, making him pull back 395Please respect copyright.PENANAFx36avEMT5
and give her a confused look. "I have to feed the baby, and you need to 395Please respect copyright.PENANAbEGTXPPVPE
start breakfast for our other two girls." She reminded him with a 395Please respect copyright.PENANAWYywthLVKD
smiled. At his despondent face, she kissed him softly and ruffled his 395Please respect copyright.PENANAQi2FxAlnTo
hair. "Later, lover boy."
He grinned slyly, stroking her arm with 395Please respect copyright.PENANAUxgqGymVB6
such softness. "I'll hold you to that, sweetheart." Then he rolled out 395Please respect copyright.PENANA0Undw20thK
of bed, albeit reluctantly, and went to dress. After which, he left to 395Please respect copyright.PENANA7xmAvUHKpT
head for the kitchen to make breakfast.
As he stood at the old 395Please respect copyright.PENANAP03xKLV7ar
stove, his two oldest daughter came bounding in, their long hair still a395Please respect copyright.PENANAKoaTfGgnSF
mess and in need of help. He laughed as he put the spoon with which he 395Please respect copyright.PENANACSOxpiV3hc
was using to make porridge down and knelt in front of them. "You girls 395Please respect copyright.PENANA7UnQq1AVpr
need me to do your hair?" He asked as he stroked each of their heads.
Justin395Please respect copyright.PENANAXCCLxbFoLs
and Mary had gotten married when they were fourteen and nineteen. There395Please respect copyright.PENANAM7oLRF2QZF
was no doubt in Justin's parents' mind that their son was in love, and 395Please respect copyright.PENANADEPp4Nzn3D
that Mary was in love with him. Mary had fallen in love with him for 395Please respect copyright.PENANAnrW0ezCpjF
more than just his looks though. She'd found out, early on, that he was 395Please respect copyright.PENANACFla7G2iaG
able to cook and clean, unlike many of the suitors that had begged her 395Please respect copyright.PENANAha7hQdy9HN
for her hand since her father's death, when she was twelve. Justin was 395Please respect copyright.PENANALsLZVxKeKB
different though.
His ability to cook and clean made her one happy395Please respect copyright.PENANA4RVzbsgduH
woman, when they married. And a year later they had Ida. As she began 395Please respect copyright.PENANACQO95v0eo7
to grow hair, and it grew longer, Mary was pleased to discover more of 395Please respect copyright.PENANApuU0LdUB1h
her husband's hidden talents. He could do hair. He had offered to do 395Please respect copyright.PENANAPkg2uaMMTy
hers on numerous occasions, but she had always insisted on doing it 395Please respect copyright.PENANAuCRsDrOFtK
herself. But as Ida grew, and she was left tired, Justin had stepped in 395Please respect copyright.PENANAiXd0fIDvDn
to do whatever his daughter needed. He could dress her, change her 395Please respect copyright.PENANAW83yiyYAlN
diapers, do her hair, everything. And now, he had two daughters to do 395Please respect copyright.PENANA31TQhUdS3D
that with; which they both loved when he did their hair.
Ida 395Please respect copyright.PENANAcxboRdca9Z
nodded and held out two leather bands for him. Turning them around, he 395Please respect copyright.PENANAjEOrd9wAuJ
used the wooden hair brush to gently pry out the nasty knots in their 395Please respect copyright.PENANAQNxpEe1Szp
beautiful hair. Then he but them into loose braids. After that, he 395Please respect copyright.PENANASG5cTOtzWd
grabbed some flowers that Mary always kept on the table, and put them 395Please respect copyright.PENANA7eJaOjEkaV
into random spots of the braids. "There we go. There's my beautiful 395Please respect copyright.PENANA3xuJTo93Yb
girls." He said pridefully as he touched each of their cheeks and placed395Please respect copyright.PENANAUkwDqho7rg
light kisses on their foreheads.
The girls each giggled and 395Please respect copyright.PENANAtyiJAcqMzs
kissed his cheek. "Thanks, daddy." They said unanimously. Picking up the395Please respect copyright.PENANArzHRodpqrZ
ends of their dresses, they raced to the table and climbed up on the 395Please respect copyright.PENANAVgZEmTOi86
chairs that were still to big for them. Justin helped them up and then 395Please respect copyright.PENANATuSleGBRe2
went back to making breakfast.
Mary came in, not long later, 395Please respect copyright.PENANA2XgTNPmLDv
Sallie in her arms, dressed in a thick dress to keep her from the bitter395Please respect copyright.PENANAjcLXd25Zbp
cold that threatened them during the winter months. Mary herself wore a395Please respect copyright.PENANAbCP6J5Sfzc
simple, beat up, blue dress with an apron over top. Her hair was loose,395Please respect copyright.PENANA3DjnVHSgGu
with only parts of the front being pulled back into a small braid.
That's395Please respect copyright.PENANAxavvaYB7eZ
when Justin set breakfast in front of everyone. They'd had nothing but 395Please respect copyright.PENANAon9mCRk55b
porridge for the past few weeks, but, unfortunately, that was all they 395Please respect copyright.PENANA18aDVmsfPU
could afford at the moment. Justin had lost his job at the sawmill 395Please respect copyright.PENANAgSWOZcVIbz
several months ago, because of the impact of the war that had just 395Please respect copyright.PENANAthpcIhrWwD
started not even half a year ago. The Civil War, as they called it. They395Please respect copyright.PENANABmHpKO8pzn
were at war with their own countrymen. It was sad to see it come to 395Please respect copyright.PENANAxgjU442xoM
this, and see the effects it cause. Because of it, Justin had lost his 395Please respect copyright.PENANAPS7dPa7t8t
job, and they had been reduced to nothing more than rations of food.
She395Please respect copyright.PENANATaX1VbH2f5
looked over at Justin with a soft, hopefully encouraging smile. She 395Please respect copyright.PENANAgHMsRz6oXo
knew that losing his job had struck him right in the gut. His pride was,395Please respect copyright.PENANAJAf1TLdWN3
without a doubt, damaged. With great struggle, she had managed to get 395Please respect copyright.PENANAnTjA8HVHte
him to admit that he felt like a failure as a husband and a father, 395Please respect copyright.PENANAf0OuWukmrJ
because he lost his job. He felt unable to provide for his own family; 395Please respect copyright.PENANAFwL2lxYbP3
to him, that was something worse than death. All he wanted was to give 395Please respect copyright.PENANAC7HDR7VCAx
his wife and young daughters a good home, good clothes, and good food. 395Please respect copyright.PENANAiBUkWlf6xH
Now, he couldn't even do that. It took its toll on him, and she could 395Please respect copyright.PENANAsemoSCOcVC
see it in the way he had started to age from the stress of the last few 395Please respect copyright.PENANAlPvZXkOPpK
months.
They were doing all they could for the time being. She 395Please respect copyright.PENANAuHUyU4Gq90
would eat little, but still a substantial amount so that she could 395Please respect copyright.PENANAQVmllJPy8d
provide milk for Sallie, and he would hardly eat anything. He had 395Please respect copyright.PENANAatgf0zYGV6
started losing a significant amount of weight, which he and Mary could 395Please respect copyright.PENANA4DbicytK4x
only hope the girls hadn't noticed. She had also lost a great deal 395Please respect copyright.PENANA1yBrCDDnhM
amount of weight, but still not quite as much as him. Even their 395Please respect copyright.PENANAW6yRygQFUw
daughter, Ida and Ethel, had begun losing weight because of the food 395Please respect copyright.PENANAQ3mZTKnvix
shortage.
He looked around at his family, as he always did at 395Please respect copyright.PENANAjoO1vsXt2g
breakfast and dinner, and felt his heart break once more. His wife's 395Please respect copyright.PENANAf2Yh1jYhvd
face, while beautiful as he would always find her and know her to be, 395Please respect copyright.PENANAzn2CVGOEpu
was shallow, and dark bags lined under her eyes. She looked so…empty. 395Please respect copyright.PENANAVi6OwiZwZ4
His daughters looked weaker than they once were. They used to be so 395Please respect copyright.PENANAtK9KqcR9qX
lively; and while they would still run around and play, they couldn't 395Please respect copyright.PENANAFekf0mYm9V
last as long as they once did. One of his favorite things to do, had 395Please respect copyright.PENANAeKbLYCdPyU
been to watch his little girls run and play. They were like fairies, 395Please respect copyright.PENANAS6jkmZOU1q
when they ran through the tall, summer grass. So beautiful. So 395Please respect copyright.PENANABxk7KNWGrR
enchanting. Now it seemed there was only a sliver of those girls left in395Please respect copyright.PENANAMxiIDNhB7n
the daughters he'd raised.
Then there was Sallie. She was smaller395Please respect copyright.PENANABQN8hfndyL
than most six month old babies. She'd been born at nine months, she 395Please respect copyright.PENANAFSKP4FS5vo
just wasn't getting the necessary nourishing most babies needed. She was395Please respect copyright.PENANAUPYUWNsftZ
healthy, but looked so torn down compared to most, healthier, six month395Please respect copyright.PENANAaPasATmQ69
olds.
He hated seeing his family so broken up. As a man 395Please respect copyright.PENANAgaA1FGe0eY
especially, it hit him right where it hurts. His girls were the most 395Please respect copyright.PENANAEWshvXVM2y
important treasures in his world, and taking care of them felt more like395Please respect copyright.PENANAARJP15i22Y
an honor than a duty. To have that honor suddenly taken, and to not be 395Please respect copyright.PENANAT6pzIK7tu9
able to give his girls anything more than grits and moldy bread as 395Please respect copyright.PENANAbUbiLYw2gt
meals, was about the cruelest thing for him. Now they were suffering, 395Please respect copyright.PENANAOY9jriSb8J
and there was nothing her, or anyone else, could do about it.
Mary,395Please respect copyright.PENANAqToulVETYE
seeing the heartbreak that was all but written on his face, reached 395Please respect copyright.PENANA6pp0GyJ7H0
across the table to take his hand in her own smaller one. With her eyes,395Please respect copyright.PENANA5zKHEc4JOC
she told him that it was alright. They were together. They had each 395Please respect copyright.PENANA0Nii27Kzmt
other. That was all that mattered. And she was right; he knew that. but 395Please respect copyright.PENANAmW6Kud7pCs
deep in his heart, he couldn't help that feeling of letting them all 395Please respect copyright.PENANAjmf5gzWaYO
down, even though it hadn't been his fault that he was fired.
As 395Please respect copyright.PENANAGo3Eg5FwvI
the family finished their breakfast in silence, Mary got up and cleared 395Please respect copyright.PENANA5zrQMp8d29
their pans. Meanwhile, Justin grabbed his hat and rifle and ruffled 395Please respect copyright.PENANA0VKBAC0U2J
little Ida's red hair. "You ready to go, half pint?" He asked with a 395Please respect copyright.PENANAzJ9Ycn3Trc
broad, loving smile.
Ida jumped up excitedly and bounced on the 395Please respect copyright.PENANAcctg3QpNai
balls of her feet. "Yes! Yes! Yes!" She squealed. A laugh slipped past 395Please respect copyright.PENANAIzUsZm1HS0
her lips when he placed another hat on her head as well. It was a bit 395Please respect copyright.PENANAJJ9CKfYsTT
too big, and fell slightly over her forehead. But she smiled wider and 395Please respect copyright.PENANANWRW4nm5no
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.
She395Please respect copyright.PENANA5fFCNdeZFG
pouted, crossing her arms. And he couldn't get over how much she looked395Please respect copyright.PENANAnGQ0BFFP7S
like Mary when she pouted. Other than those violet eyes, of course, she395Please respect copyright.PENANAWLrotqEVTm
was her mother's spitting image. "Why does Ida get to do everything?"
"She's395Please respect copyright.PENANA7IPgMKwGj5
older, Ethel. I know it ain't fair, hon, but I promise that we'll go 395Please respect copyright.PENANAsnqNDQgYUB
riding together when you're a little bit older. Alright?" He didn't like395Please respect copyright.PENANAbGMRsnfI4d
disappointing either of his older daughters – Sallie of course being 395Please respect copyright.PENANA7vdt7abkM6
hard to displease because she was only six months old – but he also 395Please respect copyright.PENANAgqxthiRJyf
couldn't take major risks. He hadn't taken Ida out riding when she was 395Please respect copyright.PENANA1plTOiKjig
three, and he wouldn't do that with Ethel or Sallie either. And she 395Please respect copyright.PENANAnEhWiR39nl
might not have found it fair at the time, but he knew Ethel would 395Please respect copyright.PENANAztQ7RiHjwW
understand one day.
She was still pouting, but nodded anyway. "Ok,395Please respect copyright.PENANAWAGIMzmHhh
daddy." Kissing his cheek, she wiggled out of his arms and went to play395Please respect copyright.PENANA6U7QYREVCB
in the small family room.
Mary came forward then and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Be careful?" She whispered.
He395Please respect copyright.PENANArgWe0zZy1L
smiled and nodded. "Of course, darlin'. And I'll bring our daughter 395Please respect copyright.PENANA1yJ6lipoNY
back in one piece." He promised, making them both laugh. Then he leaned 395Please respect copyright.PENANAqwRDNDG0gl
in and kissed her lips chastely. "I love you." He mumbled against her 395Please respect copyright.PENANAXICLnl6C1d
lips. Then pulling away, he stooped down to scoop Ida up into his strong395Please respect copyright.PENANAthY2ty0SZ8
arms. "You ready to go, baby?" He asked, nudging his nose against her 395Please respect copyright.PENANAItklJWZfWN
soft cheek.
She giggled and kissed his cheek. That was answer 395Please respect copyright.PENANAzduOfHSOdf
enough for her father, as he turned for the door. A last look back, and 395Please respect copyright.PENANAhgg2O35wYd
he left with Ida snug against him. Within minutes, he had his horse, 395Please respect copyright.PENANAQkiPAvGDF9
Bobbie, ready and saddled. Then he saddled Mary's horse, Mosey. Picking 395Please respect copyright.PENANAfp3M0lk51u
Ida back up, under her arms, he lifted her up and set her in Mosey's 395Please respect copyright.PENANAWyItGpz0Rn
saddle.
Father and daughter spent hours riding the deserted plains395Please respect copyright.PENANAW85cqcqi0r
of Braiden, which was part of the Dakota Territory. For miles, there 395Please respect copyright.PENANAP4vEK1EyvI
was nothing but sage brush and wild grass. The air was fresh, and clean.395Please respect copyright.PENANA0XIJ4LRKF4
To Justin, that was the best thing about living in the Dakota 395Please respect copyright.PENANAFkRgzz8Jrl
Territory, rather than the big cities. And he couldn't be any happier to395Please respect copyright.PENANAPBisBNqVHN
be raising his own family in such a beautiful land.
As they rose 395Please respect copyright.PENANAwA85C4SwT9
through the plain, over the hills, and through the tufts of rolling 395Please respect copyright.PENANArXqNFd8vpM
grass that danced with the wind, he watched his daughter with a proud 395Please respect copyright.PENANANlTeUrD7rE
smile. While she looked like no one in their family, he couldn't help 395Please respect copyright.PENANAzP69DD6ucp
but admire all of their qualities that fit into her. She was as close to395Please respect copyright.PENANAArToAQYJXT
perfect as one could ever be. While she made mistakes, she was quick to395Please respect copyright.PENANAtCRGg2tIEE
try and make up and apologize for those mistakes. And she was quick to 395Please respect copyright.PENANAZRVN8mvjQO
forgive too. She never once held a grudge, and for that, everyone was 395Please respect copyright.PENANAwgnqyYH7de
grateful. Being on her bad side was never fun.
She fit into this 395Please respect copyright.PENANAt24S4PWzwe
life, better than most. This was the life she wanted. So many times, 395Please respect copyright.PENANAXzDRgso72G
since she was old enough to speak, she had crawled up into his lap and 395Please respect copyright.PENANAB7bu24JbpT
told him that she loved the life of the prairie. It's like living in a 395Please respect copyright.PENANAiXBtMKUhZu
fairy-tale, she would tell him. And she knew not only the magical parts 395Please respect copyright.PENANAeBvaqP8Vsh
of the prairie, but also the dangers of it. She knew the harshness the 395Please respect copyright.PENANAmd4kJLfxsA
winters could bring. She knew to watch for mountain lions, and rattle 395Please respect copyright.PENANA2cFpaa7ijl
snakes, and scorpions. She knew how to test whether a berry was safe to 395Please respect copyright.PENANAjXAvJVd4sK
eat, or deadly poisonous. She knew it all, and still, she loved it. She 395Please respect copyright.PENANAqrZTbjqG0Z
loved all te harsh realities that came with a beautiful land.
She 395Please respect copyright.PENANA7j741Zhdrh
wasn't like all the other girls, he well knew. While other girls loved 395Please respect copyright.PENANAl0QyuPCC3V
dresses, or butterflies, she preferred to spend her time learning how to395Please respect copyright.PENANAxazvJdHkiB
survive the rough life of the prairie. Justin and Mary had agreed, 395Please respect copyright.PENANA9fnpK8u8O7
before they even had children, that any daughters they had needed to be 395Please respect copyright.PENANAoEbOHfSv4Y
taught how to handle themselves. They couldn't always depend on a man. 395Please respect copyright.PENANAheVZaitwyh
Mary already knew what that was like.
Her father had been a drunk 395Please respect copyright.PENANAZRe9qkEIjv
her whole life. Her mother was meek, and never spoke for herself. Being 395Please respect copyright.PENANAyT6d6OFPh6
raised mainly by her mother, Mary had been much the same, for years. 395Please respect copyright.PENANAg7iOLzgBVZ
When her mother died, when she was seven, nothing changed. She remained 395Please respect copyright.PENANAhekmiDQ13s
the quiet girl that never spoke up to her father. She could hardly take 395Please respect copyright.PENANAeTr97RIWZt
care of herself, and knew little to nothing about the wilderness.
Her395Please respect copyright.PENANAn9IQDXoZAu
father had never cared, though. He turned a blind eye as to Mary's 395Please respect copyright.PENANAwycfNCGoe1
well-being. The only times he would acknowledge her was to tell her to 395Please respect copyright.PENANAOwgwjlek6j
cook, or clean, or to mend his clothes. She was more of a slave to him, 395Please respect copyright.PENANALvpyNVcSCX
than a daughter. And when he finally drank himself to death, he left 395Please respect copyright.PENANAaKSjv3Dup1
nothing behind for Mary to live a good life from. She didn't know how to395Please respect copyright.PENANA1iIgfxddLy
work the small farm she lived on; her father didn't believe in women 395Please respect copyright.PENANAzpoPUBtK4k
working anywhere else but in the house.
Being thrown, so suddenly,395Please respect copyright.PENANAXTCaWZ6xpT
into the cruel world that she'd never had to think of before had a big 395Please respect copyright.PENANAanxRTLLrAd
impact on Mary. Being only twelve years of age, she was nothing more 395Please respect copyright.PENANAHuTogM3Vjg
than a scared orphan that was terrified by the sudden new world. she had395Please respect copyright.PENANAeWFFf9y0iq
to teach herself the ropes. No one was there to guide her. And when she395Please respect copyright.PENANAgI880UXeJG
met and married Justin, she vehemently told him that she didn't want 395Please respect copyright.PENANAVPlYes0ZGd
her own daughters to go through that, should anything happen to one, or 395Please respect copyright.PENANAO57bfFSn4O
both of them.
He was quick to agree, telling her that he believed 395Please respect copyright.PENANAuRghDInEsU
women should know the rules of the wild. He didn't think it fair to see 395Please respect copyright.PENANAZ6GTZzRauy
women suddenly left on their own, when their husband, father or brother 395Please respect copyright.PENANA8M9MN4bHNd
died, and having little to no clue on how to handle themselves. That was395Please respect copyright.PENANA59coLDBSF7
no life, for any woman. And he couldn't, as a father and a husband, 395Please respect copyright.PENANAjREjkQ8DBo
live himself in knowing that if he didn't leave behind those rules with 395Please respect copyright.PENANAw4dG5upMzg
his women, something much worse could happen to them than if they did 395Please respect copyright.PENANAutK2LQ2kck
know. And as a man that loved his family more than anything, he'd be 395Please respect copyright.PENANAfHHy8Rbpm7
damned if he let anything happen to them because he didn't give them the395Please respect copyright.PENANAMzIGHqXvaq
tools necessary to survive.
He had just started teaching Ethel, 395Please respect copyright.PENANA4HYYtxuLT7
as well. While she was a bit confused by the lessons, she knew that when395Please respect copyright.PENANAlZdZgdDdXP
her father was trying to teach her something important, it was for a 395Please respect copyright.PENANAyCzF14Xm7z
good reason. She paid very close attention to him, as she often did with395Please respect copyright.PENANA5PmUR6YTB0
a lot of things.
Now, watching Ida smiling with rosy cheeks, and 395Please respect copyright.PENANANKE1j7kBrR
her loose hair drift with the cool winter's breeze, he couldn't help but395Please respect copyright.PENANAJIWDAv7TXY
imagine her as she grew. He visioned a beautiful young girl, riding 395Please respect copyright.PENANAcjWemXAbHB
merrily through the fields. A girl that didn't care what society had to 395Please respect copyright.PENANAsJdXlqBWcy
say about her unorthodox upbringing. A girl that didn't need to depend 395Please respect copyright.PENANANzAZ0DSfxv
on a man to take care of her. A strong, able-minded girl. It was nothing395Please respect copyright.PENANADyLkUOx5DD
short of amazing.
They returned at dusk, having had a most 395Please respect copyright.PENANAFJ9GTYcVIc
enjoyable time. He was just helping her off of Mosey, when he saw Mary 395Please respect copyright.PENANAhmXGLpHW1b
walking towards them, a despondent look on her beautiful face. Frowning,395Please respect copyright.PENANApiDZirrcgG
he crouched in front of Ida and adjusted her hat slightly. "Why don't 395Please respect copyright.PENANA8z78px1ULk
you go on inside, Ida. Mommy and daddy will be in shortly." He told her.395Please respect copyright.PENANAkeNvk92mbe
She obediently did as she was told.
As Mary neared him, he was 395Please respect copyright.PENANAckeZrTF6FG
troubled to see tears in her red eyes. She'd been crying a while, 395Please respect copyright.PENANAIAONa7mNZQ
already. but why, he wondered? She was the strongest person he knew, and395Please respect copyright.PENANAr81bHvaSFO
she hardly ever cried. When she did cry, though, it was usually for 395Please respect copyright.PENANAcJPJRkzQbe
something serious. She cried when he lost his job. She cried when they 395Please respect copyright.PENANA6sHE4vVPAV
lost their baby boy, William, two years ago. Those were the only times. 395Please respect copyright.PENANAFXkgnDTwZe
Two times, in their seven years of marriage, and he'd only seen her cry 395Please respect copyright.PENANAq7XX41CiK0
twice.
As soon as she was close enough, he wrapped her in a loving395Please respect copyright.PENANAqOF3CUsCod
embrace. "Hey. Hey. What's wrong? What's wrong, baby?" He mumbled in 395Please respect copyright.PENANAKRl9Nn2oL3
her ear. "Mary?" He pulled away and held her cheeks in his gentle hands.395Please respect copyright.PENANAezpMlfXegl
"What's the matter, dearest?" He rubbed his thumbs under her eyes to 395Please respect copyright.PENANAmcOn1ZGxVI
push away the nasty tears that lined her cheekbones.
She didn't say anything, just handed him a crumpled piece of paper.
He395Please respect copyright.PENANAFnoL44Q7ae
furrowed his brows as he took the paper. Unfolding it, he read over the395Please respect copyright.PENANAvJ6JpianUS
content carefully, and slowly. Neither he, nor Mary had been taught to 395Please respect copyright.PENANAZ9tZkGLUOz
read or write, as children. They had to teach themselves after they were395Please respect copyright.PENANAOnvGG9ly2j
married. Though they were better at it, they still encountered trouble.395Please respect copyright.PENANAQNUCTReWib
But understanding what was in the letter was no trouble for him. The 395Please respect copyright.PENANA0D7YZcL9wb
words were clear as day.
"I've been called to war. I leave first thing tomorrow."
She395Please respect copyright.PENANARIWHMq6arq
released a sob when he said it aloud. And once again, she fell into his395Please respect copyright.PENANASpJAlsnnfX
arms. He was still in shock, but quickly began to cry along with her. 395Please respect copyright.PENANAeQWr3tlQSe
This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be happening, he tried to tell395Please respect copyright.PENANAZ1GxKoFSw4
himself. But the sound of his wife's cries clearly told him that it was395Please respect copyright.PENANAq9nyT7ZNto
happening. He was going to war. He was leaving his wife and three 395Please respect copyright.PENANA3QbGbXeVVU
daughters behind. He cried into her shoulder, and held her tighter than 395Please respect copyright.PENANA79360u0OHZ
ever before, stroking her soft hair.
"What are we going to tell the girls?" She whispered into his chest.
He395Please respect copyright.PENANAc9wTEKzdEj
shook his head and kissed her neck. "We're going to tell them the 395Please respect copyright.PENANAeUEUrJq47O
truth; that I've been called to join the war. There's no avoiding this, 395Please respect copyright.PENANAesw7oour20
Mary. We can't lie to them." And she agreed.
Going inside, they 395Please respect copyright.PENANA06RHWoFTSp
both called the girls from their room, and Justin beckoned them to sit 395Please respect copyright.PENANA7Qx80evViS
on his lap. He and Mary shared similar glances as they struggled with 395Please respect copyright.PENANAPYuMaM5q34
just how to tell their daughters that daddy had to go away. They didn't 395Please respect copyright.PENANAfYmYWhGvJy
sugar-coat it. They told them everything.
"Ida, Ethel…you two know395Please respect copyright.PENANAMr2MdKSV1n
that all I want is to protect you, and make sure you're safe, right? 395Please respect copyright.PENANATICjwLAFJL
Because you, and Sallie, and mommy are the most important things to me."395Please respect copyright.PENANA4n2AyOLYZI
Justin started. When they nodded, he pulled them even closer and 395Please respect copyright.PENANA9GmDVmIgk2
stroked their soft cheeks. "Well that's what I'm going to be doing right395Please respect copyright.PENANAXlFRFoA8gi
now. I…I've been asked to join the war. That means I'm going to have to395Please respect copyright.PENANA4b7KwgIbAt
go far away, and make sure no bad people can hurt you, your sister, and395Please respect copyright.PENANA7aCB9qGtqU
mommy."
Ethel shook her head, and her bottom lip quivered, as she395Please respect copyright.PENANAhlYm7cqSxG
threw her chubby arms around his neck. "No, daddy! No! No! No! I don't 395Please respect copyright.PENANALNw4x1ys4f
want them to take you far away!" She cried desperately.
He blinked395Please respect copyright.PENANAGcRn5zKNbH
away tear as he wrapped one arm around her to keep her close. "I don't 395Please respect copyright.PENANACzTGd2cnn2
want to leave either, honey; but I need to protect you. Ethel, if there 395Please respect copyright.PENANAIPZ7XKA9pU
was another way, sweetheart, believe me I would take it, in a heart 395Please respect copyright.PENANAYQT3KvpURH
beat. But this is the only way I can protect you, your sisters, and 395Please respect copyright.PENANAXB9OuEo6hy
mommy." He hated doing this. He may as well have told her that there was395Please respect copyright.PENANAZEAcsgPvEo
a chance he wouldn't be coming back. Her innocence was already damaged.395Please respect copyright.PENANAfL64szdEfT
She was to young for this. Ida was to young for this. Ida. "Ida…what 395Please respect copyright.PENANAyPzBF8iISc
are you thinking, darling?"
She was expressionless. It was like 395Please respect copyright.PENANATZArsiiVVN
she didn't know what to say; and really, she didn't. what could she say?395Please respect copyright.PENANAce9K1pjZVX
So instead of replying, she scooted up and buried herself in her 395Please respect copyright.PENANA5fdrC3mNce
father's chest. "I love you, daddy." She whispered.
He couldn't 395Please respect copyright.PENANAB56m0Djo3E
hold back the tears that threatened him, not anymore. He let them go as 395Please respect copyright.PENANAMCp1iaDZZI
he bent to kiss her head softly. "I love you too, little one. Both of 395Please respect copyright.PENANAfu2u4DzZpU
you." He spoke towards Ethel. After they got down and went to try and 395Please respect copyright.PENANA6TYH3wEfVX
distract themselves from the heartbreaking moment, Hiccup took little 395Please respect copyright.PENANAgkey1XR1jo
Sallie. She couldn't know what was going on. All she would know was that395Please respect copyright.PENANAycNbJXO0g5
she would be waking up, looking around for her daddy, and realize he's 395Please respect copyright.PENANAnEm8lbck6I
not there. She would wonder why. And God forbid, if he were to be gone 395Please respect copyright.PENANArsmaS7ZEo6
several years, he would come back and she wouldn't even know who he was.395Please respect copyright.PENANAD8ILM6GWy9
His own daughter.
All to suddenly, the Daniels' world was 395Please respect copyright.PENANAJDCyyEvBRX
crumbling before them. It was all being shaken, taken away from them 395Please respect copyright.PENANADMCvLJoZHl
within the snap of a finger. He didn't have a choice. It was either 395Please respect copyright.PENANAhDMG6wA01B
leave and stand a chance of coming home, or stay and undergo trial, 395Please respect copyright.PENANAVhVzoexOFY
guaranteeing that he would never see his family again. there was no 395Please respect copyright.PENANACx3nD1HSRV
choice; he was going.
That night, after all the girls were fed and395Please respect copyright.PENANA9R0UxWCcBk
tucked into bed, Justin shut the door of their room, and was 395Please respect copyright.PENANAIe5OPhox50
immediately met by his wife's passionate lips. It took him no time to 395Please respect copyright.PENANA9JyJ1XsveV
respond to her kiss, and wrap his arms around her small frame. Their 395Please respect copyright.PENANAFNojxRifOc
tears melted against their lips, as he pushed her against the wall, and 395Please respect copyright.PENANAbAJDF6pTbn
slid his hands down to hold her hips.
It didn't take long to strip395Please respect copyright.PENANAZ9rHFfIcwa
each other of their clothes and for him to lay her on their bed. 395Please respect copyright.PENANAwEr4eQc7uN
Heartbreak filled what little space there was between their bodies. As 395Please respect copyright.PENANAu3mHcGFizU
he buried his hands in her disheveled hair, and kissed down her neck, he395Please respect copyright.PENANAFsnlQdgRJS
mumbled words of absolute love and adoration for her. He told her how 395Please respect copyright.PENANAHNKovUeXkj
much she meant to him, how he loved her, how beautiful she was.
When395Please respect copyright.PENANAMOSqM4MHUT
he finally entered her, she held tight to his back, trying to keep back395Please respect copyright.PENANA65u32gSYaJ
her sobs. But it was all for naught. She dug her fingers into his back,395Please respect copyright.PENANAfBEGOUHUUf
and cried softly into the crook of his freckled shoulder.
He 395Please respect copyright.PENANA3E5qRAKDYp
shook his head and shut his eyes tight. "Don't cry. Please don't cry, 395Please respect copyright.PENANAJb77eLw0ce
darling." He said begged with a strangled voice. But he too couldn't 395Please respect copyright.PENANAHhg8JZfhdx
hold back his sobs. And as he made love to her, they shared in more than395Please respect copyright.PENANArNDesPXc80
just passion, but also their fear and heartbreak.
Afterwards, 395Please respect copyright.PENANAqQDJunVVdy
they laid silently in each other's arms. Nothing needed to be said, to 395Please respect copyright.PENANAWHBkAgCPzo
know what the other was thinking. It all spilled out in the way they 395Please respect copyright.PENANAnoNcMgRI4j
made love, and the way they held each other. Nothing could make this 395Please respect copyright.PENANAnqsB2YtmCj
better. But for now, being with each other, was all they really needed.
The395Please respect copyright.PENANAbstpl1NTOq
next morning, they woke the girls up at the crack of dawn. It was time.395Please respect copyright.PENANAiwPI3pCmQ0
Mary packed him supplies, enough to last him through several weeks, and395Please respect copyright.PENANAh0urTFGspx
they all sat and ate one last meal together. After which, they all 395Please respect copyright.PENANAER2alHxa5g
bundled up and went out to see him off.
It didn't take him long to395Please respect copyright.PENANA660iarRDaX
prepare a saddle bag, and then to saddle Bobbie. Though he wanted to 395Please respect copyright.PENANArYf09MCc4W
prolong the time for as long as he could, he knew that it would just 395Please respect copyright.PENANAbUVqf2EGMX
make it harder to leave. And he'd never seen a shame in crying, but he 395Please respect copyright.PENANApAY4XEF0Zy
also didn't like crying in front of his daughters. But today, he 395Please respect copyright.PENANAj74YOKvKep
couldn't help it. he was leaving them, potentially to never come back; 395Please respect copyright.PENANA72Za8q10ws
how was he not to cry?
When all was ready, he turned to his small,395Please respect copyright.PENANAgRKr2j2dcn
but beautiful family. His daughters were quieter than he'd ever seen 395Please respect copyright.PENANA9UNKWAKybK
them. His wife couldn't stop her flow of tear. His youngest daughter was395Please respect copyright.PENANA59bd3YV7OC
looking at them all curiously, confused to what was going on.
Licking395Please respect copyright.PENANAfHL6H77O0R
his lips, he knelt down and held out a hand. Ida was quick to come 395Please respect copyright.PENANAZw6aa4i7ee
forward and take it. "Ethel, come here, little one." He beckoned gently.395Please respect copyright.PENANA6sqxoMfm9s
She finally came forward, and he pulled her, with Ida, into his 395Please respect copyright.PENANAgSwjDS2lnN
embrace. "Now, you two listen; I'm going to be home real soon, ok? I 395Please respect copyright.PENANA2BepFqOmAC
love you. I love you two, so much." He told them over again. Giving them395Please respect copyright.PENANAzXx2wDHsJQ
each one last kiss, he stood to take Sallie int his arms. "Oh, Sallie, 395Please respect copyright.PENANAoFfhbj2CTb
please remember me, sweet girl. Remember, how much daddy loved you." He 395Please respect copyright.PENANAFMprbpsEbb
kissed her softly then handed her to Ida.
His heart melted when he395Please respect copyright.PENANAAP4TSfc5ff
gazed at his wife, as it always did. But this time was different. He 395Please respect copyright.PENANACpTVjb7VHY
could be saying goodbye to her, forever. He didn't want to lose her, and395Please respect copyright.PENANABYExhzbg0P
he knew she didn't want to lose him either. It was an unimaginable 395Please respect copyright.PENANA3Y1DNZyfw2
thought, for both of them. It was hard to believe, seven years ago, they395Please respect copyright.PENANAIZx59fSqWW
were fourteen and nineteen and just getting married. Six years ago, 395Please respect copyright.PENANA0goDfnHIeh
they became the parents of a darling daughter. Now they were saying 395Please respect copyright.PENANA6no97RBDmY
goodbye for an unknown amount of time.
He took a sharp breath when395Please respect copyright.PENANA7FehsIiLHH
she threw herself into his arms, and he rested his head in the crevice 395Please respect copyright.PENANAvXPzppHFco
of her neck and shoulder. "I love you, so damn much. Always remember 395Please respect copyright.PENANAoFsR0SijcU
that, Mary." He whispered against her flushed skin.
She nodded 395Please respect copyright.PENANAxmEnaXhNpi
wordlessly. "I will. Just, remember that I'm always with you. The girls 395Please respect copyright.PENANAGdZzNH3zmg
are always with you. We'll be right here, waiting. I promise."
He 395Please respect copyright.PENANA5WgSlkZoqW
sobbed and placed a single kiss on her neck. "One last time. Just one 395Please respect copyright.PENANArard8NPjvu
last time. I want to make love to you. I want to ride out with Ida. I 395Please respect copyright.PENANAMuD109vrVc
want to walk in and watch Ethel playing. I want to see Sallie laugh. One395Please respect copyright.PENANAt7eBm6dYVT
last time. I want to see my family happy together."
All too soon,395Please respect copyright.PENANAzFvwQqIAyV
he was gone. Just like that. And Mary was left holding her crying 395Please respect copyright.PENANAEAieRB1zsQ
daughters, as they watched their father ride off into the gloomy 395Please respect copyright.PENANAFHEzmXl5sD
sunrise. It would never be the same again, they all knew. Everything, in395Please respect copyright.PENANADunrmpyKzN
that moment, had changed.