Cassidy (Big Sky Dreams 1) (12 page)

Cassidy had continued to come each Wednesday, and each time the women did less sewing as Cassidy worked to make Meg comfortable, doing small jobs for her so she could relax and always making supper that evening.

Right after the Fourth, Cassidy had come with a meal already prepared. Patience Dorn had sent everything with her for that evening's meal and then some. They had enjoyed the food for days.

100

"Hey, Brad," Cassidy called, suddenly spotting him.

"Hello," he said quietly as Meg had dropped off, nearly sitting upright. "How's she doing?"

"She says she's just too warm."

Brad looked down on his wife, remembering the speech he'd given himself many times. Babies were born all the time. Women did this all the time. That didn't change the facts, however. This was new for them-every bit of it. Meg's growing stomach, her pains, the movement of the baby-all of it. Not to mention the days and weeks that would follow. They would be parents. A wonderful thing, certainly, but serious too.

"Are you all right?" Cassidy asked.

"Yes, thanks, Cass. And thanks for taking care of so many little things."

Cassidy only smiled at him as it seemed very small to her. Meg was her friend, the sister she'd never had, and there was nothing she wouldn't do for her.

Knowing that Cassidy would be there for Meg until he came into supper, Brad went back to the barn door he and Trace were working on. It was time to admit to himself that he was ready for this baby to come. At the moment he didn't think he'd ever been readier for anything in his life.

"Some folks gave me some money for you, Cassidy," Rylan told that woman when he came into her shop the next day. Cassidy had turned from her sewing machine. Now both she and Jeanette stood and stared at their pastor.

"Money for me?" Cassidy clarified.

"Yes."

Cassidy looked at Jeanette, who shook her head no, able to honestly do so. She had not been able to think of a way to give anonymously and had never pursued it.

101"Why?" Cassidy asked next.

"They didn't say. They only said you had been heavy on their hearts, and they wanted you to have twenty dollars."

"Was it Chandler?" Cassidy asked next, a bit suspicious.

"As a matter of fact, no. It was one of our church families, and that's all the more I can tell you."

While Cassidy stared at the big man in their presence, he grinned and looked around. "This is a very feminine place, isn't it?"

Both women smiled and learned in a hurry that Rylan was just getting warmed up.

"I know you must have men customers, Cassie, but you haven't decorated for them at all." Rylan shook his head, wandering around a bit and taking everything in. "I know! What about some boots- dusty ones? You could put them right by this little velvet chair. That would make a man feel at home.

"Or!" Rylan exclaimed, still prowling around, the women laughing together. "Instead of these little silk ties on the curtains, you could go with leather straps. Maybe something from an old horse's bridle."

Rylan looked expectantly at the women now, his eyes innocent, while they tried to control themselves.

"Well?" he questioned. "Are my ideas welcome or not? I'm sure I could come up with more."

"I don't know if we can take more," Jeanette said, gasping for

air.

'Here you go, Cassie," Rylan approached, holding out the money to her.

Cassidy looked at it and then up at him.

"Please tell this family how much this means right now. I-" Cassidy began, but couldn't find the words.

"I'll tell them," Rylan spoke gently, his kind smile making Cassidy want to cry.

Jeanette walked the pastor outside, and when she came back, Cassidy was standing right where she left her.

102

"That was wonderful," the older woman said.

"Yes, it was. I asked God to send me more work. I asked Him to give me the strength to work harder if He sent more work. My imagination didn't include anything like this."

"Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think," Jeanette quoted from Ephesians.

Cassidy could only nod. Her heart was so blessed, and the reminder that God was watching her was sweet indeed. She went back to work, praying for the family who had shared with her and asking God to bless them in every possible way.

Meg had made it through another day, her due date just a week down the road. She tired easily, her back huffing all the time, but she got done what she could. And if the evening meals were a little less varied than usual and her part in the conversation a little lacking, the men she lived with never uttered a word of complaint.

On Thursday Brad and Trace had been working fairly close to home and were indoors a bit early that evening. They helped put the food on the table, and then all three sat down to eat. Both Trace and Meg bowed their heads so Brad could pray, but the room stayed silent. Not until they both looked up did Brad speak, and it was to Trace alone.

"I'm not going to ask God to provide a wife for you any longer." Trace looked at his brother but didn't reply.

"I can't do that when I think He's already provided one."

Trace nodded a bit before saying, "I assume you're talking about Cass?"

"Yes. You need to marry that girl."

"I think she has feelings for Chandler."

Brad had not expected this. He stared at Trace, thinking that it wasn't supposed to be like that. In his mind all Trace needed was a push from him.. All he needed was his older brother to point out

103to him that Token Creek's seamstress was the perfect wife for him. Before he could find words, Meg spoke.

"She hasn't said anything to me about having feelings for Chandler."

Trace did not look convinced. Little things he'd witnessed in the past-at church, and even as recently as the Fourth of July picnic- lingered in his mind.

"I can't take that chance," he said at last. "If I throw my hat into the ring and she's in love with Chandler, I lose Any friendship with Cassidy Norton."

Neither Brad nor Meg needed to ask Trace if he wanted their help. His answer would have been a resounding no. The three sat in silence for a few more minutes before Brad bowed his head to pray. Trace found out during the prayer that Brad had changed his mind: He asked God again for a wife for his brother.

4,e)

Trace ran some errands in town before picking up Cassidy on Saturday evening. He hit the bank, Wheeler's, and the livery, and even managed a stop at the Dorns'. Meg was looking for something she thought her Aunt Patience might have. Trace did all of this in record time, and he thought he might have time to stop and ask Rylan a question. Abi Pfister had other ideas. She caught him just as he was leaving the Dorn house, paper in hand.

"Mr. Holden," she said in a commanding voice. "If I may have a moment of your time."

Trace wondered what would happen if he said he didn't want to be in her book but saw no reason to be antagonistic.

"Good evening, Miss Pfister."

"Were you born in Token Creek?"

"No, I was born in Pennsylvania."

"What city?"

"Allentown."

104"What brought you here?"

"My parents bought the ranch."

"What year was that?"

"I can't remember."

"Your father. Where is he now?"

"I don't know," Trace said, and something in his voice actually got through to Abi. With a swift glance at his face, she changed the direction of her questions to Brad and Meg.

"Has the baby been born?"

"No, ma'am," Trace answered, wondering how long this would go on.

"What about-" Abi began, but stopped short. She had spotted someone come from inside the house across the street who was evidently more interesting than Trace. Without so much as a byyour-leave, Abi was away, paper in hand, to assail some other hapless victim. Relieved he'd lost her attention, Trace went on to Cassidy's, the timing just right.

"I can tell you had a good night's sleep," Trace said to Cassidy as soon as he arrived in the kitchen early Sunday morning. That lady was at the table with coffee.

"Why is that?" Cassidy asked, sending Trace's brows up.

"You were not yourself last night. The longer the evening went, the slower your speech got, and when you blinked it looked like your lids were weighted."

Cassidy's mouth opened, and Trace laughed at her.

"I was tired," she tried to argue, "but it wasn't that bad."

The look Trace gave her before pouring himself some coffee was clearly skeptical. Cassidy shook her head at him, and the cowboy smiled.

"How's the work going in the barn?" Cassidy asked.

"Very well. We're almost done."

105"And then you leave for your cattle drive In August?" "September, mid to late."

"How long are you usually gone?"

"At least two weeks."

Cassidy nodded. Meg had told her some of this. She would move into town. She hadn't done that in the past, but with the baby being so young, Brad wanted Meg with her aunt or his own.

"How about some eggs?" Trace offered.

"You're going to cook?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said, readying the pan.

"Should I be afraid?"

Trace just held a smile and said, "I'll have you know I was cooking in this kitchen long before little Meg Dorn came into Brad's life." "And you survived?"

Trace turned from the stove and put his hands on his hips. "Are you hungry or not?"

"I'm hungry." Cassidy's tone and face had become very meek. Trace was not the least bit fooled but turned back to the pan before she could see him smile.

"Why don't you stay home?" Brad suggested to Meg when she groaned a little just getting out of bed.

"It's tempting, but I think I need to get moving. I also hate missing Sunday mornings, and that might be forced upon me after the baby's born." Meg sat for a moment on the side of the bed and suddenly smiled. "And besides, Patience said my cousin came into the world on account of a buggy ride. I'm sure the wagon could be just as effective."

Brad laughed and went to heat water for shaving. Meg told herself that the longer she sat, the worse it would be. With that little reminder to herself, she forced her body to move.

106"Before you leave..." Chas Vick stood and spoke the moment Rylan finished the prayer that dismissed the congregation. Even Rylan stared as Chas made his way to the front.

"I have an announcement to make," Chas continued when he faced the congregation. "In three weeks, on Sunday, August eighth, we'll be giving our pastor a day off. That day is Rylan's five-year anniversary with our church family. We'll be having testimonies, a time of prayer, and a recounting of our church family history, and we'll end it all with a potluck lunch." Chas angled a bit so he could look at Rylan's surprised face. "And no sermon."

Everyone laughed at the look on Rylan's face, and Rylan had no choice but to laugh over his own surprise.

"So please don't miss that time with us," Chas finished. "If you have a testimony to share or a song you would like us to sing that day, see any elder except Rylan by the first Sunday in August. There will be more details in the weeks ahead. Thank you."

There was a good deal of talking when Chas stepped down. Clearly folks were excited, and some still laughed at the way Rylan shook his head in mock pity.

"Five years," Cassidy said to Meg, who was next to her. "It would be wonderful to be here so long."

"I think so too. I mean," Meg clarified, "I was certainly around for part of that time, but not the full five years. I do remember my aunt and uncle being excited about Rylan's coming but sad too because they loved Pastor English and he was dying."

"I didn't know that."

"He didn't die here. He went to be with his family in Denver, but he lived only another year after he left."

"So Rylan came just in time."

"Pastor English brought Rylan here. He was the reason Rylan came."

107

Cassidy had never heard any of this. It made her very excited for the second Sunday in August.

"Are you headed out?" Jeanette asked Cassidy the following Wednesday.

"Yes. I was hoping to hear news on Meg by now, but that didn't happen."

"So was I," Jeanette said almost wistfully. This was going to be the grandchild she would never have. She thought about Theta, and her heart clenched a little. Jeanette would have adopted grandchildren, and Theta would have grandchildren she wouldn't even know.

"Are you all right to stay?" Cassidy asked, having misunderstood her look.

"Yes, I was just thinking about this baby. Give Meg my love and tell her to get going."

"Yes, ma'am."

And Cassidy did give Meg the message, but all Meg did was laugh. In fact, it wasn't until Cassidy went to spend the night there on Saturday that Meg took Jeanette's words to heart. Just after midnight Meg's pains began. Trace was dead asleep when his brother came to his room and asked him to ride for the doctor. Cassidy heard the voices in the upstairs hall and peeked open her door to find Brad holding a lantern.