“Mama?”

“Yes Ike?”

“Bo Lauffer said his mama had another baby. Can we go visit them again soon?”

Madeline smiled at her son. She already knew of Jonathon and Pauletta’s third child, a daughter, and thought of her own little girl who was now sleeping peacefully in her room. She glanced at her son, not surprised that he wanted to go visit the Lauffer’s again now that he knew of the newest addition to their family.

“I know about their little Annie,” she said as she wiped her hands on the dishtowel before turning to where her son stood. “You’d like to meet her?”

“Yeah. But ma…are you and pa goin’ to have more little ones too?”

She laughed as she picked him up and headed toward his room. It was incredible that he seriously wanted more siblings…amazing that he’d even asked. Her son’s heart was as big as the land that surrounded their home, but she knew that such a loving heart as Ike’s was bound to be hurt ten times as much as any other heart if something bad was to happen. She prayed that he would never have to go through that sort of pain. So she answered him quietly.

“I don’t know little man, but if the Lord sees fit to bless us with more than you and Amanda…we would gladly welcome them.”

“Good,” he replied with a yawn. “Cause I’d like to have another brother…or sister.”

Two days later they were on their way to visit with the Reverend and his family. Ike couldn’t wait to see his friend’s baby sister. It was almost like he had another sister since he considered Bo and Cole to be like brothers to him. Bo was seven years old and Cole was just barely one. Now they had a baby sister.  As he lay on his back in the wagon staring up into the sky, gazing at the clouds that floated against the vast blue heavens, he wished sometimes he could walk among the clouds or just fly with the angels he knew were up there watching over those who lived down on the earth.

“Lucky angels,” he thought as he closed his eyes.

“Isaac, were here.”

Isaac…Ike as he was often called, snapped his eyes open at the sound of his father’s voice and sat up. They were there all right and Bo was already sitting astride Jupiter. Jupiter was so named because he was the biggest horse that the Lauffer’s had. Then there was Venus, Mars, Moondust and Sunshine…all named for the planets because Bo was planning on someday becoming a scientist and already had the brains for it. Ike jumped from the wagon, ran to take a look at Annie, who was being cuddled in her mother’s arms then did an about face after giving her one of his ‘welcome-to-the-world’ kisses and ran towards Bo.

Halfway there, he spun back around and asked if he could take Venus out for a ride. Both sets of parents smiled and nodded then laughed as he whooped with happiness and ran to saddle up the docile young mare. When he was finished, he swung up into the saddle, nudging her into a trot so that they could catch up with Bo.

“Don’t go beyond the river,” the Reverend said as the boys headed out.

“And be back for supper before it gets dark,” Mrs. Lauffer added.

Bo and Ike waved their hands, said ‘yes sir’ and ‘yes ma’am’ then raced along the open prairie with the wind at their heels.

They were breathless and the horses winded by the time they reached the river’s edge. They slid from the saddles, tethered Venus and Jupiter to a low hanging branch then discarded their clothes and jumped in the cool flowing water.

“Ahhh, this is the life,” Bo said as he swam.

“Yeah,” agreed Ike. Then they did what any normal boy would do…they raced, they caught fish or tried to catch the fish, they dried themselves on the warm rocks and they laughed like it was no one else’s business.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Ike was sick…terribly sick. In all of his five and a half years of life, he’d never been this ill and he thought he was surely going to die. His chest felt like there were a zillion horses sitting on him, his throat felt as if he’d swallowed the sun; heck, his entire body hurt so bad that his hair didn’t want to stay on his head. He hated feeling this way, hated being so sick that no one came. But then again, a lot of people in town had come down with the sickness, so he knew he couldn’t blame them for not visiting. Only the doctor came. Ike wished he would come again soon so that he could be free of his room, free to run and play like he’d done before…before he’d gotten so sick. He slowly rolled onto his back and blurrily stared at the ceiling till the door creaked open.

It was just the doctor…finally.

Ike sat up very carefully so as not to lose his lunch like he’d lost his breakfast and just looked at Mason City‘s doctor. He hoped to hear some good news about his illness. He hoped to hear anything that would get him out of his stuffy room.

“So how is our young patient feeling today?” the doctor asked as he reached into his bag for the stethoscope.

Ike started to answer, but no words came from his lips…not a single sound. He placed a small hand over his throat and, with teary eyes, looked at the doctor again for an answer.

The doctor shook his head as he sat at the edge of the bed before saying, “Sorry son, but I think the Scarlet Fever has done irreparable damage to your vocal cords; that even I can’t say if you’ll ever talk again.”

The small boy vehemently shook his head while smacking his throat with the palm of his hand, demanding the doctor do something…anything that could bring his speech back.

“I don’t know of anything that would help you Ike,” he replied. “I honestly don’t know.”

Sunday(Several Weeks Later)

“Good morning Leon, Madeline,” Reverend Lauffer said as they walked up the Church steps. “Glad to see that you could make it today.” Then he knelt down to eye level with Ike and softly added, “I’m especially glad to see that you’re feeling better. I know you liked to sing, but don’t worry about not being able to…our Heavenly Father has powerful ears. He’ll hear the songs in your heart.”

Ike would’ve come back with a sarcastic comment or two if he could’ve, but he just rolled his eyes and went to join several other children who were sitting in the front pew.

“You’ll have to forgive him Reverend,” Leon said. “He’s still mighty upset about not being able to talk, let alone sing.”

“I’m sure the Lord understands.”

“I’m sure he does,” agreed Madaline as they headed into the building. “But he’s having a harder time with some of the older children. Sometimes I think he just wants to stay home now.”

“We’ll have to figure a way to teach the children so that they can still talk with Ike and not leave him out of anything important,” Reverend Lauffer replied. “But don’t forget that the Lord works in mysterious ways and that everything is as it is for a reason.”

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Spring 1845

Ike watched 3-year old Annie toddling around his nearly bare family room. Most of the stuff had been packed and crated the night before and now, with the help of Annie’s family and some other friends, they were getting the remaining items loaded into the wagon.

He didn’t want to move and had thrown a bit of a temper when his parents had told him of their decision to move to the town of Chadron in the Nebraska Territory. Now he was sitting in a corner sulking about the move and didn’t notice when Annie had sat down next to him, placing her baby hand over his.

“Ike,” she whispered in her soft sweet voice.

He looked at her. Her baby eyes were big and round and laced with a hint of sadness. He was going to miss this tiny girl very much, but he was leaving…so he’d just have to deal with it.

“I miss you mushc,” she said. Then she crawled onto his lap and wrapped her small arms around his waist saying, “Miss you vewy mushc.”

He smiled…just a bit. Then he noticed Mrs. Lauffer standing in the doorway and stood himself, with Annie still in his arms. He walked over, handed the little girl to her mother and stepped out of the place he’d called home for the past seven years without looking back. If he had, he would’ve noticed the tears that flowed freely from Annie’s eyes even as he furiously blinked back the ones that threatened to spill over onto his cheeks.

16 Years Later - Sweet Water Station, Nebraska Territory

Ike stood staring at the endless horizon of the prairie that surrounded the Pony Express Station where he was one of six riders. Besides himself, there was Buck, Cody, Jimmy, Lou and Kid. There also was Miss Emma and Teaspoon.

His friend Buck was half Kiowa. They’d formed a close friendship since their days at the mission school for orphans…drawn to each other because the other children made them feel like outcasts, unwanted and unloved. It was during Buck’s first week at the mission that a tentative friendship was formed, but they became the best of friends the day they ended up on the losing side of a fight. They weren’t supposed to have even been in town that day, but they had wanted to see more of it other than the mission. Several rough looking men had cornered Buck and started hassling him about his heritage that Ike couldn’t idly stand by and watch these men pick on someone just because he looked different. A few days and many ‘Hail Mary’s’ later, they became blood brothers and now they worked together.

Next was Cody. He was what you would call a ‘Ladies Man’. He had so many women flocking around him that had his ego growing to the size of a mountain and gave chase every time he saw a pretty face. He was also a good friend to have and brought unstoppable laughter to the station.

Jimmy was another story. His father was an abolitionist and abusive to his mother. So even though he wore his guns the way a gunslinger would and faked a tough exterior, he really had a soft heart. He was always looking out for the safety of women. Not just Miss Emma mind you, but also Lou and any other woman he felt was in some sort of trouble.

Now about Lou…or Louise as they had found out the day they rescued her siblings from a man named Boggs. That was the shocker for the day. He’d had a feeling that ‘Lou’ wasn’t what she’d seemed to be from the beginning. She was a tiny little thing and reminded him sometimes of a certain toddler back when he was just seven.

Last, but not least was Kid. He had known from day one that Lou was a girl, but had kept it a secret from the rest of them. He was also the quiet thinker of the group, always coming up with a good plan or two to make things better around the place or to get them out of the trouble they sometimes got themselves into.

Then there was Miss Emma, mistress of the weigh station and Teaspoon, the station’s foreman and the riders’ boss.

Miss Emma treated them as if they were her own children, made sure that they had a full belly everyday and made sure their clothes were mended and cleaned. Teaspoon on the other hand, was a former Texas Ranger. He taught them all that he knew of riding horses, how to duck and run if anyone shot at them and most of all…he taught them that if they were in any trouble or had any problems, they could go to him for advice, day or night.

Ike sighed as he lifted his face toward the dwindling rays of the afternoon sun and thought about all that had transpired in his life that brought him to where he was now. He thought of his family…how they had been gunned down a year after they’d moved to Chadron. He thought of the ‘what ifs’ and then he thought of the hazel-eyed toddler who’d told him that she’d miss him.

“Wonder if she still misses me?” he mused. “If she even remembers me.”

He shrugged his shoulders, turned toward the station and headed for the barn where Samson was waiting…braying for his evening meal.  Just as he reached the edge of the corral, he heard a voice calling out to him and glanced over to see Buck coming from the bunkhouse.

“You ok buddy?”

~ Yeah. Just needed to do some thinking ~

“Your family?”

~ Yeah ~

Buck nodded. He understood more than the others since, he too, had lost family members at the hands of murdering thieves. He placed a hand gently on Ike’s shoulder and spoke softly.

“Let me know if you’d like to go to the Sweat Lodge. I think I’m going to need to spend some time there myself.”

~ I’ll think about it ~

Buck nodded again then turned to head back to the bunkhouse, only to stop when he felt Ike’s hand touch his shoulder. He glanced back, eyebrow raised.

~ Thanks ~

“Not a problem,” he replied. “Maybe we could talk more later after supper…that is, if you want.”

Ike smiled. Then the boys headed their separate ways…Ike, heading for the barn and Buck back to the bunkhouse.

Later that evening after a most delicious meal of steak, mashed potatoes, carrots and apple pie, the boys lay quietly on their bunks discussing the newest business to come to Sweet Water.

“So, you think maybe I could write to some of them women that want to be mail-order brides?” Cody questioned with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Now Cody,” Kid admonished, a teasing smile curling his lips. “Don’t you think you got enough women around here to handle, not to mention any others that we don’t know about?”

“Nah, don’t think I could have enough. Besides, most of the women in town haven’t given me a chance to know them.”

Lou sat up on her bunk, watching the boys banter back and forth about Cody being the “ladies man” of the group then she caught Jimmy staring at her and ducked her head. A moment later she slowly lifted her chin, noticed Jimmy staring at the ceiling and sighed. If only…

“Lou?”

“Huh?”

“You think I’m too young for a serious relationship?”

“No…I think you’re just not ready.”

Cody put on his pouting face and asked if she were sure, but before she could answer, Jimmy spoke up.

“Not only are you not ready,” he said, “but some of them might think that you’re too pretty for them.”

“Don’t see none of them lookin’ at you Hickok.”

“That’s because I ain’t good for them.”

“Of course you’re good enough Jimmy,” Kid said. “They’re just probably scared by the way you wear your guns.”

“Whatever,” he mumbled as he turned his back to the others while thinking about the only woman he’d ever want to be with. “Yeah, right,” he thought as he wished that Lou would catch Kid lurking around the Mail Order Bride business then maybe, just maybe he would have the courage to let her know what she does to his heart. And maybe, she would love him instead of Kid.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Emma looked at the faces of the young men…and woman who sat around the bunkhouse table as they chatted about the usual goings on in town. She hid a smile before clearing her throat then started listing the chores to be done for that day.

“Boys…Lou,” she began, waiting as each youngster focused his or her eyes on her. “Lou, I’d like you, Ike and Buck to go into town for supplies. Jim…”

“Aw Emma,” Cody cut in with his complaint. “There’s a stagecoach full of them mail-order brides comin’ in today and I…”

“I know what you want William, but you can’t go…you got first ride this morning remember.”

“But…”

“No buts Mr. Cody,” she replied firmly. When he said nothing further, she turned to Jimmy.

“I know, I know,” he answered before she could say anything. “I got to break in that new paint. Though I wouldn’t mind takin’ a peek at the new women myself.”

Emma laughed. Jimmy was still a bit jealous that Kid found out Lou was a girl before he did and his feelings for the young woman was clearly evident in his eyes. She just wished he and Lou would talk about it, but then it was kind of impossible when Kid was around. Someday, she didn’t know when, but someday Jimmy was going to spirit Lou off to a private spot and “discuss” all the emotions he’s got bottled up.

After breakfast was finished; Cody was off on his run, Jimmy and Kid were doing their other chores before tackling the job of breaking in the mare that now stood within the diameter of the corral and the other three were on their way into town for the supplies.

As Lou and the boys pulled up in front of Thompkins’ general store, Ike glanced over to where the Bridal business was and noticed the proprietor standing just outside the door glancing at his pocket watch every so often. Then he felt a tap and turned to look at the smiling faces of his friends.

~ What? ~

“You thinkin’ about checking out the ladies when they arrive?”
~ Maybe ~

“But right now we got to get the things on this list,” Lou said as she waved the piece of paper in front of his face. “Now come along boys, let’s get this done so we can head home.” Then she pivoted on her heel and walked into the store.

“Guess she’s right my friend. We don’t want Emma to get mad at us for dallying around town too long.”

Ike nodded.

Then they did as Lou did and walked into the store.

When they’d gotten all the supplies needed and stepped back outside to place them in the back of the buckboard, Ike nearly tripped over his feet. He stood staring at the last young lady that was just stepping down from the stagecoach. Then he practically dropped the box of canned goods into the wagon and started to walk over to where a crowd had already formed around the Mail Order Brides.

“Hey Ike…she’s already spoken for,” Lou reminded him before he got too far away. He wasn’t listening. His mind was too focused on the lovely face with the big hazel eyes. Lou shook her head as she turned toward Buck and teasingly said, “Guess we’d better stay close just in case he grabs her and makes a run for it.”

“Don’t think he’d make it,” Buck replied as a chuckle escaped his lips.

“Why not?”

“Too many people.”

Seconds later, they heard the booming voice of the proprietor as he announced the names of each woman and her prospective husband. They watched as Ike took a couple more steps closer when the last one was being announced.

“…And last, but certainly not the least of our beautiful bouquet of flowers, may I present Miss Annie Lauffer…”

“Annie,” Ike thought as the man droned on. Then his fogged filled brain registered the woman’s surname. “Lauffer? Did he say Lauffer?” 

He still couldn’t quite get his brain to function past the possibility that the pretty young lady could be the Annie Lauffer he knew in Mason City. Then he noticed a shadow flashing across his face and focused his eyes on the object that was creating it. 

It was just Lou’s small hand.

~ What? ~

“He didn’t show up,” Buck quietly said.

~ Who? ~

“Her intended silly,” Lou replied, “that’s who.”

Ike’s lips curled into a slow smile as he re-focused his attention to where the woman now stood. She was talking with the solicitor of the Bridal business and seemed a bit upset about something. So he decided to get a little closer to find out what was wrong.

“What am I supposed to do now?” she was saying.  

“Here, this’ll pay for the stage back to Iowa,” the man replied. “I’ll see to it that there’s a room for you at the hotel till it arrives.”

“Thank you,” she answered as the man began to walk towards the hotel. She stood there for just a moment, gathering her thoughts together, then she squared her shoulders, pulled into her reserves of stubbornness and bent to pick up her bags. Before she could even reach them, she felt a subtle tap on her shoulder and glanced up. Standing before her was the same man she’d made eye contact with the moment she’d stepped from the stage.

“Yes?”

He made some motioning with his hands, but it just made her confused and maybe a little scared because she thought that he might be crazy or something.

“I’m sorry. I don’t quite understand.”

“He just wants to help you with your bags,” Buck explained as he stepped forward.

“Oh. Well thank you…”

“Ike. His name is Ike.”

She smiled before replying, “Thank you Ike. You’re most kind.”

Ike was floating. He escorted Miss Lauffer to the hotel and made sure there was a room waiting for her then he offered to take her bags to her room for her.

“Thank you, but I’ll be fine,” she answered.

He tipped his hat, watched as she climbed the stairs and slowly stepped back towards the front door till he ran into a wall. With his cheeks burning, he quickly left the hotel and joined his friends at the wagon. He didn’t look at them…couldn’t look at them because of the riot of emotions that were twirling through him like a prairie twister. So he just swung up on his horse and headed for the station.

Buck and Lou exchanged a knowing look as they each got onto their respective rides…Buck at the helm of the wagon and Lou astride her horse Lightning. Ike was definitely in the first stages of love and Buck did his best to keep his smile in check, before it grew into an all out grin. He had to keep his laughter in check too because it just wouldn’t be right to laugh out loud, even though Ike was swaying from one side of the saddle to the other like a pendulum from a grandfather clock.

“Man, he’s got it bad,” he thought.
 
“Buck,” Lou whispered as she brought Lightning a little closer to the buckboard.

He quickly glanced at her with a raised brow then just as quickly glanced back to Ike’s position.

“You think he’ll be ok? I mean Annie’s fiancé could show up anyway.”

“I know,” he replied. “But for Ike’s sake…I hope not.”

“Why Buck, I do believe you’re playing matchmaker yourself,” she said with a smile.

He arched his brow again.

“Maybe.”

Several minutes later as they arrived back at the station and stopped in front of the bunkhouse, Ike continued to go south. Buck gave an exasperated sigh while shaking his head as he jumped from the wagon to unload the supplies. He wished he could be in love like that. He didn’t think he’d ever have a chance at true love, but he would never begrudge any of his friends at a chance of the happiness that someone special could bring to their lives. He sighed again and looked up at Lou, who was still sitting astride Lightning’s back.

“Guess I should go after him, huh?”

“Yeah,” he simply stated as he began to off-load some of the supplies. As he reached for a heavy bag of feed he thought about heading out to the Sweat Lodge for some much-needed quiet thinking time. Then he nearly dropped the bag on his toes as he turned and saw Jimmy standing there.

“What’s up with Ike?”

“He met a woman.”

“From the…”

“Yep.”

Jimmy’s smile nearly cracked his face. He shook his head and held out his arms for the feedbag that Buck still held. Then he said, “He does understand that she’s someone else’s woman, right?”

“He didn’t show up.”

“Oh…cold feet huh?” When Buck shook his head, Jimmy added, “What happened?”

“Word is that he was lost in a mining accident down in Salt Lake.”

“So Ike’s plannin’ to help the lady?”

Buck shrugged his shoulders, replying, “Not sure what kind of help he’s thinkin’ about, but I could guess.”

“Not marriage. Surely he wouldn’t be thinkin’ that?”

“Maybe,” he answered. “You should’ve seen the way they were lookin’ at each other.” 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Ike slowly walked over to the Church a week later, just as services were letting out. He watched Annie as she came down the stairs…watched, as her face seemed to light up with just the beacon of her smile. Then she was walking towards him.

“Morning Ike,” she said as she approached him. “I didn’t see you inside.”

~ I didn’t go ~ he signed as he pointed to the Church and shook his head.

“Well I find it comforting for he soul. Besides, my father is a preacher.”

Ike felt his heart speed up. Somehow, with that admission from her, he knew that she was definitely the toddler he’d known so many years ago. Then he hesitantly handed her a note.

“What’s this?” she asked as she unfolded the paper. As she read it, she smiled. She looked into Ike’s eyes and replied, “A ride out on the prairie sounds nice.”

A moment later he was helping her onto the seat of the buckboard then sat next to her and lightly flicked the reigns to set the horses in motion. As they headed out of town he took a quick glance at her, remembering her as she had been the last time he’d seen her.

“Ike…Ike. My Ike,” the toddler bellowed as she struggled from her mother’s arms. Her mother had set her on the floor in the middle of a big room and she stood there for a moment staring at the emptiness that surrounded her. There was no couch to bounce on, no table to climb…even the chairs were gone. She didn’t understand what was happening or why her Ike was sitting in a corner by himself. So she toddled over to him, sat next to him and covered his hand with her tiny one. Then she whispered his name. He glanced at her. She crawled into his lap, wrapped her small arms around his waist and said, “I miss you.”

Jerking back to the present when the wagon ran over a good-sized rock, Ike looked at Annie’s face again. When she slanted her eyes towards him, he quickly re-focused his attention to driving the wagon that he missed the slight blush that appeared upon her cheeks.

An hour later Ike turned the wagon toward the station.

“Is this a different way to town?”

He nodded.

Annie smiled, but then she noticed that they were a little further out from the town than she’d realized and began to worry. So she asked Ike where they were going.

He pointed to the gray smoke that filtered out of a smokestack from a house in the distance then rubbed his stomach.

“Oh. I almost forgot about lunch,” she said just as her stomach gave her a little kick. “Is that your place?”

He nodded again.

“I don’t think it would be proper for us to have lunch together without a chaperone.”

Ike stopped the wagon, took out his pencil and paper and wrote a note. Then he handed it to her.

Once again, she was unfolding a piece of paper. It read:

Not just my place. It belongs to the Pony Express and Miss Emma.
She asked me to ask you to join us for lunch. Would you mind?

“Oh Ike,” she whispered. “I’d be more than happy to share lunch with you.”

His heart lifted to the sky.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

“So Miss Annie,” Teaspoon began, after introductions were made. “What did you do back home?”

“I’ve been teaching Sunday School with my mother since I was fourteen.”

He nodded thoughtfully then asked, “Where do you teach?”

“Mason City. It’s a…was a small town, but we’ve nearly doubled in size and are planning to build a bigger church. Father hopes to have it completed before winter comes again.”

“Mason City?”

“Yes sir. It’s in Iowa.”

Teaspoon looked over at Ike, who hadn’t taken his eyes off of Annie through the entire time and noticed the silent rider’s eyes widen more than they’d ever been. Something was up between these two youngsters…he could feel it in his bones.

“How ‘bout you helpin’ Mrs. Lee with her classes till you return home?” asked Emma.

“I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to interfere with her work.”

“Nonsense,” Emma replied. “I’ll talk with Patsy the next time I see her.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Teaspoon added as the others nodded their heads in agreement.

As the afternoon wore on, Annie got to meet Ike’s donkey Samson then she watched as the boys showed her how they separated the stallion from his harem and she got to have an enjoyable woman to woman chat with Emma. She found out that Lou was actually a woman herself, had been a little shocked, but gave Lou credit for doing a tough job. She couldn’t imagine ever doing such a dangerous job like her new friends did…didn’t think her derrière could handle the pounding of such long rides in a saddle. Then she glanced over to where the boys lounged on the porch of the bunkhouse and noticed Ike’s face take on a rosy hue.

“He likes me, doesn’t he?”

“Ike? Yes he does,” Emma replied.

“I’m growing fond of him myself,” Annie said softly as she continued to watch Ike from over the rim of her teacup.

“Ain’t hard to tell, not with the way you two’ve been lookin’ at each other.” Emma paused for a moment before continuing with her words…words that would most likely stun Annie for a moment, but knew that they would sway Annie’s decision to stay in Sweet Water. “Have you realized that you know him already?”

“Who…Ike?”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“Mason City some sixteen years ago.”

Annie thought about what Miss Emma had said then her eyes grew wider and filled with liquid emotion. She glanced at Emma in question, then to Ike and back to the woman sitting next to her. When Emma nodded with a smile, Annie’s eyes drifted back to the boy she’d known so many years ago and smiled at the man he’d become.

“He’s my Ike? He’s truly my Ike?”

“Yes,” Emma replied with a gentle squeeze of Annie’s trembling hand. “Now why don’t I go see if I can ‘rescue’ him from the boys so he can escort you back to the hotel.”

Annie choked out a ‘thank you’ while trying to control the tears that threatened to spill over as she sat on the swing, still a little shocked that her Ike was actually standing across the way from her.

Several Days Later

Annie sat at a table in the dining area of the hotel, surrounded by her friends. Miss Emma and her beau, Marshal Sam Cain, sat at either end of the table. To her left sat Teaspoon and to her right was Ike, while Cody and Lou sat across from them. Something was brewing, she could see it in the faces of those around her and had noticed that Ike was acting nervous. Then Ike turned to face her and looked deeply into her eyes.

“What’s going on?”

His gaze wandered to the faces of their friends for a split second then was once again focused on her. Then she noticed, as he reached into a pocket, his hand trembling, not understanding why he would be so nervous. She found out a moment later when he pulled his hand from the pocket and slowly opened it.

At the center of his palm lay a ring.

Her heart seamed to leap with joy, her soul sang, her eyes filled with tears as she tried to speak and then the dams burst wide open when Ike knelt to one knee. He held the ring up to her and just gazed into her water-filled green orbs.

“A-are you asking me to be…your bride?” she barely asked.

He nodded.

“Are you sure?”

He nodded again.

“Then yes,” she answered as she reached for the hand that held the ring. “I will gladly be your wife Isaac Jacob McSwain.” When his eyes went wide, she added, “I remember telling a certain young boy that I’d miss him when I was just a toddler and,” she gently placed her palm to his cheek, “I did miss him…very much.”

Ike smiled, silently thanking the Lord above that she did remember him and did miss him as he had missed her. Then he placed the ring on her finger and gave her a tender kiss before sitting back in his seat, promising himself that he’d get her the shiniest gold band that he could find for their wedding.

“Well now,” Teaspoon said in a fatherly voice, “this does call for a celebration.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

As Annie and Emma sat on the porch swing watching the other riders finishing their chores, waiting for Ike to return from his run, Annie thought of the letters she’d mailed to her family. Her mother would be most pleased at the man she’d chosen for a husband and her father, being the preacher that he was, would be just as happy.

“Remember dear,” her mother had said a long time ago. “When you chose a man for your husband, make sure he is the one your heart desires.”

Then there were her brothers. The oldest, Bo, was married to Becky Spangler and they already had two children with one soon to be born. Cole, on the other hand, was just getting serious with her best friend Mira. She smiled. Mira had been a very quiet girl, but Cole never gave up and now…

“Rider comin’,” Emma said softly, interrupting Annie’s train of thought.

Annie looked up. Sure enough, there was a rider coming and he was closing in fast on the Weigh Station with the wind at his heels.

“Look like he’s impatient to be back.”

Annie’s cheeks reddened like those of a blushing bride the she stood to go greet her husband to be. As they embraced, she whispered softly in his ear, “I am so lucky to have you in my life again.”

He stepped back a little, gently cupped her chin and smiled before placing a tiny kiss on her pert little nose.

3 Months Later

The citizens of Sweet Water gathered in the small Church to witness a wonderful event. Even Sam and Emma had been able to get away from his busy job as Territorial Marshal to attend the nuptials between Ike and Annie. They had good news of their own, but they were going to wait till after the wedding before they let everyone know about it.

Meanwhile near the pulpit, Ike’s nerves were jumping around like he’d been hit with a million bolts of lightning, but then maybe he had been because he’d never had so many emotions for just one solitary person. He shifted on his feet, one foot first then the other, as he watched the four most important women in the world to him walk down the isle one at a time.

First came Louise. 

The riders made up a story that she was ‘Lou’s’ cousin, that he couldn’t make it to the wedding since he had to ride and that since Louise had been visiting already…well, she would stand in for him. 

Next came Emma. 

She had been, will always be, a second mother to him and reminded him of his own sweet mother. He was extremely happy that she and Sam had been able to make it to his wedding. The couple was still deeply in love that it engulfed the building and surrounded him in its presence.

Then came Rachel.

Rachel was the new housemother, had been not more than a week after Emma and Sam had moved away. But where-as Emma was a mother to all of them; Rachel was more like an older sister, someone who would be in cohorts with their jokes and pranks.

Then there was Annie.

Annie…his sweet Annie. She was still the vision of pure loveliness he’d seen stepping off that first stagecoach of Mail Order Brides all those days ago and he sometimes still couldn’t believe that she was the same Annie he’d known as a young child. He stole a quick glance at his Best Man, his best friend and smiled when Buck’s dark brow arched skyward. Then he faced Annie as she stood in front of him and they turned to her father and Teaspoon, who they’d asked to perform the ceremony. And so began their lives down the matrimonial path as each speaker pronounced them to be husband and wife.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

As Teaspoon and Reverend Lauffer had taken turns in speaking the words that would legally bind Ike and Annie in the eyes of the Lord and of the people, Buck had smiled inwardly. He knew that all the prayer’s he’d been sending Heavenward for this day to come, had finally been answered. Now he’d have to work on the ones for Jimmy and Lou.