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Mother and child. Was there anything more beautiful?
As Chris Larabee watched his wife and step-son reading a book together he was inclined to say no.
Mary had taken down her blond hair and left it spilling over her shoulder and now it gleamed in the soft light from the lamp nearby.
Chris let his eyes wander over her beautiful features, suddenly struck by what she meant to him.
Mary and Billy were his second chance at living.
When he'd lost Sarah and Adam his world had come crashing down around his ears. He'd changed. Become something that barely resembled the man he'd been. The man Sarah had loved.
Then he'd stumbled across a little two bit town called Four Corners.
The town that had brought him a beautiful widow named Mary Travis.
His angel of light.
She and Billy had given him a reason to fight back against the darkness. A reason to live rather than survive.
Mary had dispelled some of the darkness that had surrounded his soul. She understood that not all of it would go away. She understood the guilt and agony that come with losing the people you've built your life around.
Mary just plain understood what it was to be him.
Mary felt his eyes on her and glanced up with a warm, loving look in her beautiful blue-green eyes. She held his gaze for a long moment then, when Billy stumbled over a word, she looked back down at her son.
Chris half-smiled. Had he ever even dreamed that a woman would ever look at him with such love in her eyes again?
No. Not in his wildest dreams.
And he certainly never expected to have a woman like Mary.
He watched as Billy's eyelids slowly began to droop. Before long the young boy had his head in her lap.
With an ease born of long practise, Mary eased Billy into her
arms and carried her to his bedroom where the beautiful woman put her son
to bed.
Five minutes later Mary reappeared and moved immediately to the table where Chris sat.
"All right." She said simply. "What was that look about?"
Chris did his best to look confused. "Look?"
"Christopher Larabee!" Mary spoke firmly in what Billy called her ‘mama tone'. " I know that look! You were thinking deep thoughts. Now what were you thinking about?"
Chris hesitated then took the plunge. "You. I was thinking about you and Billy. What you've done for me. What you mean to me." He pushed a hand through his hair and sighed explosively. "If I lost you I think I'd die...I know I'd die because I can't imagine, don't want to imagine a life where you and Billy aren't in it."
Mary's eyes filled with tears and she laid a hand against his face. "I am never ever going to leave you! Trust me, I know how it feels to be the one left behind and I don't ever plan to make you go through that again. I won't!" She whispered fiercely.
Wordlessly Chris pulled her from her chair and onto his lap then held her as tightly as he dared.
Mary rested her head against his shoulder and just enjoyed the moment. Chris didn't know it but she felt the same way he did.
She didn't know how she'd live without Chris either. And she didn't ever plan on finding out.
