Always Dakota (33 page)

“I’ll be right there,” he called back. He refolded the letter and tucked it away. Despite everything, his heart was heavy as he climbed the stairs.

“Are you coming to bed soon?” Merrily asked, meeting him at the top.

“As soon as I shower.”

“There’s a surprise for you in the bathroom.”

“A surprise?” In his present frame of mind, Bob wasn’t especially interested in surprises.

“Don’t you want to know what it is?” Merrily asked as she wrapped her arm around his waist.

“Then it wouldn’t be a surprise, would it?”

“No. I guess you’d better look and then if you want, I’ll explain.”

Deciding to humor his wife, he entered the small bathroom and saw nothing out of the ordinary. “What?” he asked, wondering if this was her clever way of telling him about a blocked drain. Frankly, he could live without a plumbing problem right now. Come morning, he’d deal with it.

“See that stick?” Merrily asked, her eyes twinkling.

“What stick?” he asked, glancing about the room.

“The one on the counter.”

Sure enough, there was a plastic stick on a bed of tissue. “What about it?”

“It’s blue.”

“And what does that mean?”

“That, my darling Buffalo Man, means we’re pregnant.” Her smile was filled with such joy it took Bob’s breath away.

“Pregnant. But—” It was too much. Stunned and delighted by turns, he collapsed on the edge of the bathtub. “You’re sure?”

“Positive, if that test can be trusted. Oh, Bob, Bob, we’re going to have a baby!”

Bob closed his eyes and threw his arms around his wife. The pain they’d suffered over the loss of Axel had been replaced with the joyful promise of a child of their own.

This ebb and flow of life. Grief mingled with pain. The happy with the sad. Lost and then found. Five years earlier, he’d rolled into Buffalo Valley, never suspecting this dead-end town would end up being home. Yet here he was, a business leader, a husband and soon to be a father. Life didn’t get much better than this.

Six months later

“M
om!” Calla burst through the door of Buffalo Valley Quilts, clutching a letter in her gloved hand. Beneath her thick coat and hat, all that was visible were her eyes, nose and mouth.

Sarah looked up from her designing board and was struck by the sheer joy she saw in her daughter. The sullen teenager who’d become a fixture over the past few years was gone, replaced by the daughter she’d desperately missed. Since Josh’s birth six months earlier, a great deal had changed in Sarah’s life. Her son thrived and was growing, making up for lost time. After nearly a month in the hospital, Josh had been released, and they were able to bring him home to a doting older sister and a father intent on spoiling him. Not to mention an adoring grandfather—his namesake—and an uncle, aunt and cousin. Soon afterward Calla graduated from high school and as a surprise Kevin Betts had arrived for the ceremony.

Kevin had become something of a celebrity in town. An inspiration to other young people. He was about to enter his third year of art school and had proved to all of them that it was possible to achieve one’s dreams.

“What are you so excited about?” Sarah asked. Calla was home for the Christmas holidays. After delaying a decision about continuing her education, she’d applied at the last minute to the community college in Grand Forks, with plans to transfer to the University of North Dakota in her Junior year.

“I got a letter from Kevin,” Calla explained.

“You get letters from Kevin all the time.” Sarah was pleased with the budding relationship between her daughter and Leta Betts’s son. He was a positive influence on Calla, and they seemed to understand and appreciate each other.

“First off,” Calla said, sounding breathless, “he sold another sculpture and he’s really excited.”

“Wonderful.”

“You know what else he said?”

Sarah could only imagine.

“He suggested I might apply for law school after graduation.”

Her daughter an attorney. “Well,” Sarah murmured as she mulled over the idea, “you certainly have a gift for arguing any side of an issue.”

“That’s what Kevin said, too. I’ve never thought about being an attorney, but I bet it’d be really interesting work. I’m going to think about it.”

“Good. Buffalo Valley could use a capable attorney.”

“Mother, honestly,” Calla said with a groan, “what makes you think I’d want to practice
here?
The whole world’s just waiting to be explored. If I do take up law, it’ll be a long time before I set up an office in
this
town.”

“You have years before you need to make that decision,” Sarah told her.

“I’m heading back to school now, so I just came to say goodbye.”

Although Calla was often home on weekends, Sarah always hated it when she had to leave. She stood and hugged her daughter, savoring the renewed closeness they shared. Their relationship wasn’t perfect, and there were still times when Calla tried her patience, but it was infinitely better than it had been.

“I’ll phone next week,” she promised.

“Good.” Sarah enjoyed their long telephone conversations immensely.

“Kiss Josh goodbye for me.”

“I will,” Sarah said, walking her to the front door. The wind roared and the chill factor was well below zero—a typical North Dakota winter.

Calla paused as she rewrapped the muffler. “Love you, Mom.”

“Love you, too.”

Still her daughter hesitated. “I’m really proud of what you’ve done with your quilting business. One day, your quilts will be known all over the world.”

Her daughter’s faith in her did Sarah’s heart good. “Thank you, sweetheart. I hope you’re right.”

“I am, Mom, just wait and see.”

“How’d the knitting lesson go?” Buffalo Bob asked his wife when he returned from the town council meeting.

Merrily, six months pregnant, sat in the rocking chair in their small living room with a pair of knitting needles and a pattern. “This isn’t as easy as it looks, you know.”

Bob had to grin. Once again, Leta Betts had stepped forward and volunteered to give free knitting lessons. Joanie Wyatt had sold Merrily the yarn and other necessary supplies, and before he knew it his wife was busily working on a blanket for the baby. But Merrily wasn’t the only one preparing for the birth of their child.

Bob had completely refurbished the spare bedroom, converting it into a nursery. The ceiling had been repainted, the walls papered, the floor recarpeted. His kid had yet to be born and already he or she was being showered with love. Not a bad start.

Working on the nursery, he’d found it hard to suppress memories of Axel. Merrily’s suggestion about having their own baby had been a good one, although at the time it’d shaken him. His wife’s wisdom was an unexpected blessing, just like her love. These days, thoughts of Axel weren’t as painful as they’d once been. The boy was happy with parents who loved him. He had a new life. Axel was a precious gift he’d been able to have for only a short time and Bob could more easily accept losing him now.

“How’d the council meeting go?” Merrily asked, her feet propped on the ottoman. The knitting needles were close to her face and the tip of her tongue appeared as she slipped a stitch from one needle to the other.

“Long,” Bob said as he took the chair across from her. “There’s a lot going on. It looks like Heath’s going to move the corporate headquarters out of Grand Forks sooner than expected.”

Merrily glanced up from her knitting. “Really?”

“The plan’s in the works.”

“I figured as much when he and Rachel announced they were going to build a home here in town.”

The Quantrills’ two-story brick house was big news. It was the first brand-new home built in Buffalo Valley in nearly thirty years. The first of many to come. It was inevitable with all the growth.

“We talked about the Summer Fest and a parade next July.”

“A parade,” Merrily repeated, sounding delighted. “What a great idea! Whose—no, don’t tell me, let me guess. Hassie’s idea, right?”

“Right. We’ve already chosen a grand marshal for the parade. Want to guess who?”

Merrily stopped knitting and her brow furrowed. “There are several ways that could go. Sarah’s business is thriving, and with all the people she employs now, it would be a small way for the town to thank her.”

“And there’s always Heath, president of the bank and all,” Bob pointed out.

Merrily shook her head. “Nah, Rachel wouldn’t want her husband to get conceited, and as council president she might think that was a conflict of interest. It isn’t, but I think Rachel would rather be on the safe side.”

His wife was right again. Heath’s name had come up and Rachel had mentioned that very thing.

“All right, tell me,” Merrily said.

“Actually, we chose Lindsay Sinclair.”

“The high-school teacher?”

Bob nodded. “You might not remember, but she was the one who started it all. She saved the town when she agreed to step in and take over classes after Eloise Patten died. The entire course of this community changed after her arrival. It seemed only fitting to thank her.”

“Hassie’s idea again?”

“Yeah,” he said with a grin. “But we have a big surprise for Hassie, too. This summer we’re dedicating the park. Kevin’s doing the sculpture, of course—it’s a bronze of rifles stacked against each other, to represent the fallen soldiers. There’s going to be a plaque in memory of all the men from Buffalo Valley who died in the different wars. Hassie’s son is listed there. She doesn’t need to worry about people forgetting him or any of the other men.”

“Does she know?” Merrily asked.

“She doesn’t have a clue that Kevin’s practically finished the sculpture. But there’s going to be more than that. It’s still a secret, though.”

“Tell me, Bob. I promise I won’t breathe a word.”

He could trust his wife; Merrily was nothing if not discreet. “There’ll be a flower garden in the park dedicated to Hassie. Not once did she lose faith in Buffalo Valley. She’s been a source of inspiration to us all and we love her.” Himself included. Hassie had been both friend and mentor.

“She’ll be so pleased.”

Bob leaned forward and kissed his wife’s cheek. “I’d better get back to work.”

“Yes, dear,” Merrily murmured, and reached for her knitting.

Three-month-old David Bernard Eilers woke with a loud, lusty cry. Margaret automatically moved into the boy’s bedroom and cradled him against her. “I’ll bet you’re hungry, aren’t you?” she cooed softly. Small but strong, David kicked and thrashed about as she quickly changed his diaper. Margaret then sat in the rocking chair and freed her breast to nurse her son.

It wasn’t long before Matt came. He paused when he saw her and his face softened with love.

Margaret smiled up at her husband and marveled at the changes a year had brought into her life. She’d set her sights on Matt Eilers, chosen him as her husband, convinced him to marry her. It wasn’t a perfect marriage, but after a less-than-ideal beginning, she could guarantee it was a strong one. It had to be.

Now Margaret was not only a wife, but a mother twice over. Little Hailey often spent weekends with them. Their contact with Sheryl Decker was limited, which was best all the way around. The waitress was bitter and difficult, despite a determined effort from both Matt and Margaret to make the situation as tolerable as they could.

Matt claimed the chair across from Margaret. She could tell that something was troubling him.

“Problems?” No doubt they involved Sheryl.

“I got a call from her attorney this morning.”

“Again?”

Matt nodded, frowning. “Only this time it isn’t money Sheryl wants.” Margaret knew he worried about his daughter. Margaret did, too, but they were helpless to do anything but love and support little Hailey.

“Sheryl wants to give us custody of Hailey. Apparently, someone called Child Protective Services on her. A neighbor, as far as I know.”

Margaret’s first reaction was to feel elated. Then her practical nature asserted itself. “She doesn’t suspect
us,
does she?”

“Oh, no,” he murmured. “Sheryl says she isn’t cut out for this motherhood business.”

What she really meant, Margaret thought, was that using Hailey as a means of controlling Matt hadn’t worked. All her frustration and bitterness had been directed at the baby. While Margaret had never seen evidence of physical abuse, she feared Sheryl had often left her unattended. That was probably what had motivated her neighbor to call the authorities.

“She says she’s willing to sign over all rights to us,” Matt said.

This was what Matt and Margaret had wanted, what they’d prayed for almost from the first. “Matt, that’s wonderful news!”

“I thought so, too, but I had to be sure two babies wasn’t going to be too much for you.”

“Matthew Eilers, have you ever known me to walk away from a challenge?”

“No,” he admitted.

“I can do this and will do it, with a grateful heart. A year ago, I was alone. Now I’m blessed with a husband and two beautiful children.”

“They’re a handful. It’s like having twins. I’ll help in any way I can, but—”

“I love Hailey,” Margaret insisted, and she did. In the beginning, she’d wondered how she’d feel about Sheryl’s daughter, but soon realized that Hailey was her husband’s daughter, too, and Margaret deeply loved Matt. Besides that, Hailey was simply Hailey. She was a person in her own right, an innocent child not to be held accountable for her parents’ sins.

“Have I mentioned lately how much I love you?”

Margaret had to smile. Not a day passed that Matt didn’t show his love for her in one way or another. A year earlier she’d vowed to love him, faults and all; she’d discovered that the alchemy of marriage had changed both of them, for the better.

Raising two children, less than three months apart in age, wasn’t the way she’d expected to be introduced to motherhood, but she welcomed Hailey into her home and her heart.

“We can do this,” Margaret assured him once more.

“I doubt there’s anything we can’t do,” Matt said with a deep sigh.

“Together,” Margaret added. She reached out her hand to Matt, who took it in his own, linking them.

Hand to hand.

Heart to heart.

Child to child.