By Lisa
Chapter XXI
The following night the group dressed in their Sunday best, and traveled the four miles to the old Peterson place, Kid, Jimmy and Buck on horseback and Teaspoon with Rachel, Lou and the baby in their wagon. The sight that greeted them left the group speechless. Standing before them, the drive that led to the house was lit by torches, and there was an arched entrance with a sign that proclaimed the land as the Lazy M Ranch.
"Damn!" Jimmy muttered.
"Jimmy watch your language." Rachel commanded.
"Well you have to admit this is something." Kid said.
"I think we're out of our league, are you sure that invitation was supposed to come to us?" Jimmy asked Teaspoon.
"Yes Jimmy. Well now let's go."
The group made their way to the front of the house where they were greeted by several young men who offered to hitch their horses for them. Teaspoon nodded to his boys, and each reluctantly gave their horses to the boys. Teaspoon and Kid each took their wives arms and headed into the large house. They were greeted at the door by a pleasant older woman with an Irish brogue, who led them into the parlor. Sitting in the parlor waiting for their host was Sam, Emma, their children, and Cody.
"What is going on?" Jimmy asked to no one in particular.
Buck had suspected, and seeing Sam and the others just made his suspicions stronger, but it was the voice that answered Hickok that confirmed them.
"I believe I can answer that Jimmy." The group turned to find Sarah and Garrett standing in the doorway.
"Wow." Cody said, and Sarah blushed as she looked at Buck, who had been struck speechless.
Sarah was dressed fashionably in a forest green taffeta dress. Her auburn hair was upswept and had ringlets that framed her face, she was the epitome of wealth and good upbringing. Buck looked her over thinking that had they met tonight he would never have thought to have a chance with her. His gaze traveled to her neck, where her locket shone in the lamplight. Not seeing the ring on the necklace, he looked at her left hand. Her fourth finger was bare. Sarah noticed this and walked to Buck with Garret moving off to the side.
"Are you looking for this?" She asked as she opened her right hand. The ring stood in her palm. Buck looked into her eyes, not quite understanding what was happening. Sarah smiled at him.
"I know you said that you expected me to be wearing it when I came back but I thought it would be best if you placed it on my finger." She held out her hand and Buck took it with shaky fingers. He took her left hand and slipped the ring on her finger.
"Will you marry me?" He asked her quietly.
"No man should have to ask three times-" Sarah began.
"Kid did." Cody said and was quickly shushed by Jimmy who elbowed him in the ribs. "Sorry."
Sarah laughed at the chastened look on Cody's face then turned back to Buck. She took one hand in hers and looked into his face, "As I was saying. It isn't fair that you should ask three times so, I've decided to ask you." Sarah bent on to one knee, her dress billowing out around her.
"Buck Cross, will you marry me?"
Buck was unsure of what to do, he had never heard of a woman proposing before. He finally decided to follow what his heart instructed. He slowly bent down onto his knees and cupped her face in his hands. "I asked you first. You answer me then I'll answer you."
"After you've asked three times, who could say no." Sarah answered with laughter in her eyes. "Yes Buck Cross, I would love to marry you, if you'll have me."
Buck's eyes became slits as he smiled widely, "Then I accept your proposal too." He winked at her as he quickly added, "And always remember you only had to propose one time."
"Hallelujah!!" Cody yelled as the group in the room clapped and the newly engaged couple kissed.
Later, Sarah explained that as the sole living member of Ryan's family she inherited his vast fortune. With the money that was left to her she decided to build a ranch so she had sold her grandfather's home in Boston and come back to Rock Creek.
"My grandfather left me more money than I knew what to do with and my parents left me their love of horses, so I thought it was just the natural thing to do and combine the two."
"Your grandfather would be so proud of you Sarah." Rachel said.
"You really think so?"
"Yes. So will you two have a long engagement?"
Buck and Sarah glanced at each other, "No." They said simultaneously. The group laughed. Buck looked over at Cody, who had a confused look on his face.
"What's the matter Cody?" Buck asked.
"You're gonna be stinkin' rich! I thought I'd be the one who'd be rich and famous."
Sarah smiled at the blond man, "There's still hope for you yet Cody, you're a young man."
Jimmy rolled his eyes, "Please don't encourage him."
The celebration continued into the late hours, and Buck stayed on long after everyone left.
"I was going crazy with worry about you." He said as he held her in his arms on the couch in the small parlor.
Sarah leaned back and put her head on Buck's shoulder as he played with a stray curl, "That makes two of us." Suddenly Sarah became quiet. "I saw them."
Buck barely heard her. "Who?"
"Jeremy and Michael, I saw when they were hanged."
Buck felt Sarah's body stiffen, "Why would you do that?"
"I don't know."
Buck stayed with her as she grieved first for her family and then for the men who had caused her so much pain, he stood with her as she told him that she once thought she loved Franklin, and how she didn't really know what love was until she'd met him. As the sun came up they made plans for their wedding.
When Buck left at dawn, Sarah saw him gaze out onto her land.
"This will all be yours too." She said as she wrapped her arms around his waist.
He looked out and saw several stables and corrals, and several bunkhouses. "How did you do all of this?"
"Well as soon as I was freed, I remembered Kid and Lou talked about this land, and I had my lawyer put everything together. The workers all used to work for my father they respect me and I trust them." As she was speaking a middle aged Mexican man approached with Buck's horse.
"Manuel, this is my fiancé, Buck Cross." Sarah said as she motioned to Buck, "Buck, this is Manuel. He was my father's best friend."
Buck stiffened as the man looked him over as a father would his prospective son-in-law. Manuel reached over and offered Buck his hand. "It is a pleasure to meet you Senor Cross, the men and I look forward to working for you. Senorita Sarah has told us that you are Indian like her father." Buck nodded. "Good, it means you have much knowledge of horses."
Buck smiled as he shook his hand, "And I look forward to working with you Manuel. Side by side."
Manuel smiled and nodded. He handed the reins to Buck and walked back towards the bunkhouses. Sarah again hugged Buck tightly.
"What's this for?"
"You have just gained a friend in Manuel. It meant a lot to him when you said you would work with him. It means you think of yourself as equals, Manuel and the men who work here don't get a lot of respect from people they don't know."
"For a long time neither did I." Buck sighed and changed the subject, "It's gonna raise some eyebrows you know."
"What is?"
"This. . . Our ranch."
Sarah loved the sound of his voice as he said the words "our ranch", it held a lot of pride. "Why would it bother anyone?"
"Well considering the owners are a half breed and a woman who was almost hanged. . ."
"Well, so what." She looked up into Buck's eyes. "If they have any problems then they don't have to do business with the Lazy M Cross Ranch. We'll manage."
"The Lazy M 'Cross' Ranch?"
"It is ours. So the name should reflect that. Do you mind?" She asked.
"No. I love it."
"And I love you."
Buck knew he would never grow tired of hearing her say those words to him. He kissed her deeply, reluctantly let her go and mounted his horse and left.
Two weeks later, Buck and Sarah were married in a private ceremony that combined each of their heritage's. Sarah was dressed in a beautiful white wedding dress which was all satin, lace and beading that she had bought while in Boston, and Buck was dressed in white buckskins, his ebony hair tied in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. Teaspoon gave the bride away, Rachel stood as Sarah's matron of honor and true to his word Buck had Jimmy standing in as his best man.
They were first married by a priest and were then blessed by a Shaman from Red Bear's tribe. Sarah had insisted Buck invite his brother to celebrate with them. When she first met him, she told Red Bear that he was welcome on their ranch anytime he wanted to come, because they were going to be family and once she had said that, she cleverly asked if it were possible to have a shaman at their wedding. Sarah knew it would mean a lot to Buck, and Red Bear had agreed, instantly taken with the girl who had hair the color of a sunset. At the ceremony, Red Bear brought many gifts for his brother and his bride and as was tradition in Red Bear's tribe, Sarah and Buck presented gifts to their guests. After the ceremony, Buck and Sarah went to the cemetery where Sarah placed flowers from her bouquet on the grave of her grandfather and at Ike's headstone.
Rock Creek had never seen a reception such as the one thrown for Sarah and Buck, who wanted to combine their party to include the celebration of Teaspoon and Rachel's wedding too. There were Indians celebrating with White men and Mexicans, young people and old, and in the middle of it all the newly married pair tried to find a place where they could be alone.
"How long before everyone leaves?" Buck asked as her nibbled on Sarah's earlobe and kissed her neck.
"Too long." She turned her face to his, "I love you Mr. Cross."
"I love you, Mrs. Cross."
Epilogue
A year later, Buck paced the length of the room as another scream pierced the air. He glanced up and winced; the baby was early.
Buck thought back to the day Sarah had told him they were expecting. He was out on the range, riding the fence with Manuel and Sarah had been waiting for him in front of the bunkhouse. She was dressed in breeches and one of his shirts and held her Stetson in her hands. When he saw her, he dismounted and handed the reins to Manuel. Sarah grabbed his arm and practically dragged him into the house, up the stairs and into their bedroom.
"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly as she shut the door.
Sarah turned to him with a bright grin that lit her eyes. "We're gonna have a baby." That's all she said, no warnings just the one statement.
Buck was shocked. In two strides he had her in his arms and lifted. While he kissed her, he laid her on the bed, opened her trousers and pushed the two sides apart. Buck then unbuttoned the shirt, kissed then laid his head on her belly and closed his eyes. It was the most tender experience either of them had ever experienced. There were no words spoken just the few actions were needed to tell each other exactly how they felt.
"Boy if you don't stop that pacing I'm gonna tie you down." Teaspoon said. Buck's pacing was making him more nervous than Sarah's screams were. "Sarah's gonna be fine, she's with Rachel and Doc Evans."
Teaspoon's command brought Buck back to the present, "It's been seventeen hours, how much longer?"
"I don't know, it takes time to birth a baby, don't it Lou?" Teaspoon, Kid, Jimmy and Buck looked over at the petite woman who was chasing her son around and just beginning to show signs of her own pregnancy.
"I don't know, I guess it depends." Another scream and the group glanced up. "I forgot about the pain." Lou smiled at the expectant father, "Don't feel bad Buck if she don't let you anywhere near her for a while though, I reckon she's up there cursing you."
When Sarah let out another scream Buck turned to go upstairs.
"And where do ye think yer goin'?" Buck stared down into the eyes of Mrs. Collins, who had joined Sarah in Rock Creek from Boston.
"My wife needs me, I'm going to help, I've done it before."
"Women have been havin' babes without their husband's help for years before ye and they'll continue on that way. Now go and sit down. It won't be much longer." Defeated Buck turned and began pacing the parlor again.
Sarah let out another scream that was longer than the others, then there was silence. The group all looked towards the stairs, and after seconds that went by like days for Buck, a babies cry pierced the air. Relief flooded the group, a few minutes later Sarah screamed again. Then again silence, and another baby's cry. Everyone turned to Buck, who shrugged. The group waited, and Rachel came down the stairs beaming at Buck.
"You can go up now."
Buck ran past the small woman and went up the stairs two at a time, he flung the door open and saw Sarah lying sweaty and exhausted in the bed. Buck sat by her and caressed her face softly, Sarah smiled, held his hand and suddenly squeezed tightly. She let out a gasp.
"Doc, what's happening?" Buck asked as the panic threatened to overtake him, as Sarah screamed.
"I thought it wasn't over." He said.
"What?!" Buck and Sarah said in unison.
The Doc washed his hands again. "Well I sent Rachel out before I made sure. Alright Sarah, one more time. Push."
"I can't." She said weakly.
"You have to, c'mon push. Buck, help her sit up." Buck did as he was told and as another contraction hit her, he tried to give her the support he thought she needed.
"I hate you for doing this to me!" Sarah said to her husband as she pushed.
Buck watched as the baby emerged from his wife's body it was the most powerful experience he had ever encountered. The two waited as the doctor cleared the passageways and smacked the baby's bottom, the tiny baby cried.
Relieved Buck held on to his wife's tired body in his arms and kissed her face. "You are amazing." He whispered in her ear.
"I know." She answered and laughed weakly. "Is it really over now?" She asked the doctor.
"Yes."
"Good" Sarah leaned back heavily onto Buck.
Doctor Evans turned to the young couple, "They're small, and it's certainly the first set of triplets I've ever delivered. But with proper medical care they should be fine in the weeks to come."
Buck stood and walked over to the small cradle he had built, lying inside the babies looked so small and frail. "They're beautiful." He whispered.
"Of course, they're the very best part of us." Sarah said.
Buck turned and noticed the Doc had left the room. He went back to their bed cradling one of the babies in his arms, he laid it in Sarah's arms while he turned to get the other two. Finally, the five of them sat together in the large bed for the first time as a family. Buck looked at Sarah as she held two of their children and he reached for her and stroked her hair. "Three? What have we gotten ourselves into?"
"What are you complaining about? I'm the one who has to nurse them, pretty soon I'm gonna feel like our cow." Sarah's weak giggle soon became stronger and the two laughed together.
Downstairs the sound of laughter echoed. The group looked at each other. "I think they've gone crazy." Jimmy said. Teaspoon could barely believe what he had heard, he just kept repeating "Three? At one time?"
Six weeks later the babies were gaining weight quickly and were finally able to receive visitors, so the group once again gathered in the parlor of the ranch house, included were Sam, Emma, Cody, Red Bear and his Shaman who came to give the children an Indian blessing. It was decided that when the children were able they would also be baptized, this way they would be exposed to both heritage's and left to choose the path they would walk when they were older. After a short ceremony, the Shaman formally introduced the three newest additions of the Cross family.
The eldest, a son was named for his grandfather and the animal that was heard the night Sarah told Buck she was expecting, was Miguel "Little Wolf" Cross, he had his father's straight black hair but light eyes like his mother.
The second child, also a son whom they called, Isaac "Flying Hawk" Cross, so named for Buck's best friend and the bird Sarah had seen before going into labor was, like his namesake, hairless and had dark eyes and his father's coloring.
And their youngest, a beautiful little girl was named Clara "Morning Star" Cross, for Sarah's mother and the star the couple had seen the morning of the children's birth, their daughter had curly red hair and dark eyes.
The women all went after the babies while the men gathered on the other side of the room.
Jimmy patted Buck on the back, "When you said you wanted a house full of children, I didn't think you'd try to get them all at one time."
The men all laughed heartily and Buck stole a glance at Sarah, who was saying something to Lou. Sarah felt his gaze on her, met his eyes and smiled brightly, that is until Clara began to cry, then she made a face and mouthed Moo.
Buck laughed and turned back to Jimmy. "Hickok, it just proves you should be careful of what you ask for. But I wouldn't change it for anything, with all that's happened in the last year, my children are just what we needed to put the past behind us and end all the heartache."
Teaspoon nodded, "Those children are your legacy Buck, don't think of this as an ending, it's a brand new beginning."
Copyright 1998-This work is not to be reproduced without the permission of the author
The Way Station
Campfire Tales
