A Love Foretold by Kimberly Wright Conclusion

As Rachel, Louise and Breanna set the plates for the afternoon meal two days later Breanna wondered where everyone had gone. She glanced at the other two women, who just shrugged their shoulders then she blew a puff of air to get her stubborn hair away from her face.

“Rachel,” she sighed. “Where do you think the boys took off to?”

“Not sure. You and Louise stay here. Oh and Breanna…you stay calm for the baby. I’m going to saddle up a horse and ride in the direction they went.”

“Yes ma’am.”

Meanwhile, southwest of Rock Creek, the boys were giving chase to a herd of wild mustangs. One of which was a pure golden-white stallion that Buck had spotted the last time he headed south to deliver mail to a nearby town. He smiled as he raced after the stubborn horse, but he was determined to catch him for his bride.

“Hey Buck,” Cody yelled. “You got any idea how we’re supposed to catch this fellow?”

“Yep.”

“So, enlighten me.”

“We have to circle the heard, move in close…that means between him and his harem, then we’ll lasso a couple of ropes around his neck and…” he wiggled his brow, “and I’ll talk him into coming with us peacefully.”

Cody laughed then stopped when he saw the seriousness glittering in his friend’s eyes. He cleared his throat and said, “Well, uhm…ok. If that’s how it’s done.”

“That is.”

Back at the stationhouse, Breanna had started to pace in front of the corral, worrying about Rachel. She’d been gone for at least an hour and there was still no sign of the boys either. Then she saw a dust cloud on the horizon and stepped onto the bottom rung of the corral to get a better look. It was Rachel.

“Oh thank God,” she sighed as Rachel came to a stop directly in front of her. “I was getting a little worried here Rachel. Did you find them?”

“Close your eyes Breanna.”

“I will not. Not till I…Rachel! Take your hands away from my eyes.”

“Not yet,” she replied. “Here’s Buck. He’ll explain everything.”

Then as Buck’s hands slid across her eyes, she stomped her foot saying, “Buck, I swear…”

“Hush Little Fire,” he softly replied before he slowly turned her around and then removed his hands. “Ok, now you can open your eyes.”

Breanna’s mouth fell open too, along with her eyes, at what stood before her. She glanced at Buck, tears swimming in her eyes and then back to the beautiful golden-white stallion that stood before her. Cody, Noah and Jimmy each had their hands holding ropes that had been thrown around the stallion’s neck, but she didn’t think they needed to be there because the horse stood so quietly. He didn’t even twitch an eyelash at having been captured.
“He’s mine?” she whispered.

“Yes.”

“You shouldn’t have Buck,” she said as she hesitantly took a step towards the mustang. “You really shouldn’t have.”

Then she slowly reached out her hand so that the horse could get a whiff of her skin and she was surprised when he gently nudged her palm. The tears dropped onto her cheeks. She was in complete awe that such a magnificent creature would allow himself to be lead away from his herd.

“Alright people,” Rachel interrupted, “lunch is probably cold by now. Buck, you put the horse in the corral and Breanna…Breanna?”

“Huh?”

“Come on,” Rachel laughed as she took the young woman gently by the hand and led her back to the house. “Let’s see about re-heating lunch before Cody faints.”

“I don’t faint,” Cody complained to Rachel’s back. Then he turned to the others and said, “Well I don’t…right?”

“Not yet,” Jimmy chuckled, “but it sure looks like you’re…I’m kidding Cody,” he added when Cody’s eyes narrowed.

Noah decided to step between the two friends before they came to blows and said, “Enough you two. Seems we’re going to have to take care the big fellow ourselves being that Buck is still staring after Miss Breanna.”

Sure enough, Buck was still staring at the door that Breanna and Rachel had entered. He was smiling that goofy smile he got every time he saw Breanna’s hips sway and his eyes were smoldering. Then he was jolted away from his thoughts when Noah shook his shoulder.

“Wha-at?”

“You were staring again.”

He glanced back at the house then to his friend and smiled, “Yeah…guess I was. You guys don’t think I over did it this time…I mean the horse.”

“No way,” Cody replied. “If it was me, I would’ve never thought about giving a horse to my girl.”

“That’s cause you always seem to have more than one lady to worry about.”

“And that’s supposed to mean what Jimmy?”

As the boys continued to tease Cody and his many women friends, Breanna was letting Rachel know that she intended to let the stallion go after the wedding.

“I think it would only be fair to return him to his group. I just don’t want Buck to get upset with me.”

“Why would he?”

“Custom states that when a brave wants to marry a maiden, he is to provide her family with the number of horses that he feels she’s worth. I know I’m worth more than this one, but I also know it would’ve taken a heck of a lot longer to round up the entire herd or even five of the best of them. So that’s why I hope he won’t be upset.”

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Wedding Day

“Ok Bre…the boys have left for the meadow.”

Breanna slowly descended the stairs while saying a small prayer for all to go according to the plan that she had mapped out with the girls. Then as she reached the last step, she stood quietly while Rachel and Louise ‘oo’d and ah’d’ over her.

“Oh Rachel, isn’t she just…just…” Louise stated before sniffling back the tears.

“Yes she is.”

The three women then gathered everything needed to take with them for the short ride to the meadow. As they arrived, a hush settled over the people who had gathered there. Breanna carefully stepped from the wagon, so as not to reveal anything of her gown yet. She then gave a final hug and instructions to Rachel and Louise, then took hold of the golden stallion’s mane and waited for her cue to walk down the pathway made of flower petals.

“You ready boy?” she asked the horse when she received her cue from Teaspoon.

The horse bobbed his head and followed right behind her.

Halfway down the path she stopped, undid the cape that covered her from head to toe and dropped it to the ground. A very audible gasp echoed through the crowd and Buck’s jaw seemed to have dropped a mile before Teaspoon reached over and gently closed it again. Breanna smiled widely as she and the horse continued down the path toward her husband to be.

“Ahem, ladies and gentlemen,” Teaspoon said with a teasing smile. “We might as well get started before Buck’s jaw drops again.”

Buck arched his brow then hissed, “Just marry us Teaspoon.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here this evening to witness the union between Buck Cross and Breanna O’Neill. Now Miss Breanna, do you…”

After their vows were said and Teaspoon pronounced them husband and wife, they were suddenly surrounded by the people of Rock Creek, wishing them a long happy marriage. Then as the crowd slowly began to disperse, Buck and Breanna stayed behind for a little longer, wanting to have a few moments of quiet time to each other before returning home.

“You think he was here?” she asked.

“He would’ve never missed this Breanna. I just wish he could’ve…”

“I know love…me too.”

They rode in silence back to their very own home and after taking care of the horses; Buck scooped Breanna into his arms with the intention of carrying her into the house.

“Put me down you oaf.”

“Not till we’re inside.”

“I can walk you know.”

“I know, but I wanted you in my arms again,” he whispered in her ear as he kicked open then shut the door with his booted foot and continued on into the house till they were in their bedroom. Then he gently laid her on the bed and asked, “Do you know how beautiful you looked in that dress under all those stars?”

“N-noo,” she managed to gasp as he began to rain tiny kisses across her face and neck.

The next morning as Breanna woke up; she started to stretch her arms and legs only to stop by the gentle pressure of her husband’s body lying next to her. She smiled when he gave her his ‘barely there’ kiss.

“Morning love,” he said as he leaned on his elbow and gazed down at her lovely face. “I trust you slept well.”

“Mhmm…when you let me. Now let me up so we can get things done that need doing and so I can start on breakfast.”

“I’m already looking at my breakfast,” he replied with a twinkle in his eyes and a wiggle of his brow.

“B-u-c-k,” she gasped as her face flamed. Then she giggled when he tried to tickle her. “You are such a bad boy, husband of mine. But I suppose breakfast can wait a while longer.”
 

Chapter Twenty-Three

June 1861

“Buck. Oh Buuuuck, sleepyhead…wake up.” 

Buck didn’t budge even when he mumbled something about marrying a bossy woman, he just rolled over and went back to sleep.

Now that was the wrong thing for him to do. Breanna was in a precocious mood that morning and an idea of how to wake him up was flitting through her mind. She pivoted on her bare feet and went to the kitchen for a pitcher of water then headed back to the room she shared with her sleeping handsome husband.

“Buck, if you don’t wake up…I’ll not fix breakfast,” she said before she proceeded to dump the water on his head.

Well that woke him up lickity split. He sputtered as he jumped from the bed, his eyebrow flying skywards and in his best warning tone of voice he said, “Wait till I get…my hands…on you, you…” he stepped toward her “infuriating…bossy, sweet, love…” he smiled as she did an about face and ran out of the house with her own laughter echoing behind her. 

After quickly pulling on his pants and grabbing his shirt, he headed after her. He stepped out onto the porch, still trying to button his shirt and sighed. Not only had his little spit fire run out of the house this time, but she was standing as close to Promise as she could without being inside the corral. That mischievous grin was still on her face and she was clutching the water pitcher close to her chest. He shook his head as he took the several steps to stand in front of her.

“Breanna Nicole,” he whispered huskily. “You don’t play fair sometimes.”

“Yeah…well…if you…if,” she clutched the pitcher closer when his hands came up to frame her face. She knew he was going to give her his famous toe-curling kiss and she turned into jelly every time he did that.

He quickly glanced at the horse and softly said, “All right Promise, you can go back to the other side of the corral. I just want to kiss my wife. She owes me one for the dunking she gave me.” Then his eyes bored into hers and he added, “She owes me a long…slow one,” before placing his lips to hers.

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Breanna and Rachel were sitting on the small front stoop of the station house discussing Louise and Kid’s upcoming wedding. Then they looked up when they heard loud laughter coming from the bunkhouse.

“Do want to see what the boys are up to Rachel?” Breanna asked a moment later after hearing another round of laughter. When Rachel nodded, they quietly made their way over to the bunkhouse and sat on the stairs to listen in on the conversation.

“You know Kid,” Buck was saying. “I hope Louise dumps cold water in your face one morning while you’re trying to sleep.”

“Don’t think that…then again, she just might,” he said when Buck raised an eyebrow.

As Breanna sat outside, listening to her husband and Kid talk about her and Louise, she began to fume. She then got up, walked to the water trough and filled a bucket with water then walked back to stand in front of the bunkhouse door to wait for her husband to walk out.

Rachel, in the meantime, had decided to stand out of the way.

“Does this mean ‘war’ Breanna?” she asked in a hushed voice, trying not to laugh.

Breanna just nodded once then focused on the door in front of her. As she waited patiently for Buck to emerge, she started to tap her foot. Then the door slowly began to open and she prepared to toss the water. Then she gasped.

Standing before her were Noah and Kid, water running down their faces and soaking their shirts. She dropped the bucket and began to back away while Rachel and Buck almost fell down in a fit of uncontrollable laughter. Noah and Kid just glared at everybody and Breanna continued to back away, whispering her apologies.

“I am…so…sorry. Just wanted to douse…my…my,” she spun around and began to run across the street to the station house.

“Breanna Nicole Cross!!”

She stopped at the sound of Buck’s voice, glancing over her shoulder at him then back to the space that was still between her and the safety of Rachel’s home. With her eyes downcast, she sighed and turned to face the others, knowing that Buck was going to lecture her some more.

Long tortuous minutes pass before she sees his booted feet and with another sigh, she slowly brought her eyes up to his. He was scowling at her, his arms crossed upon his chest and his brow arched again.

“I am sorry,” she whispered. “I just wan…Buck, what are you…put me back down you big oaf.” When he didn’t answer her, she took a chance and glanced up into his face. “Buck?” His eyes had that teasing twinkle in them and she knew he was definitely up to something. Then she saw what he was looking at and she began to struggle in his arms. “Buck, honey, you wouldn’t…”

He would.

He dropped her into the water trough, quickly stepping back as he did. Then he just stood there, arms across his chest and smiled as she sputtered while trying to manage a dignified way of getting out without tearing her dress.

When she was able to get to her feet, she pushed her hair away from her face and glared at him. She huffed and puffed for a few minutes before finally saying, “Ok Mr. Cross. That was not necessary and futhmfmph…”

She melted against him as his lips came down on hers, to stop her tirade. Then she muttered a single word.

“Home.”

So once again, he was scooping her up into his arms and turning to the others he said, “Guess I’d better take her home and out of these wet things before she catches cold.”

A Few Days Later

“What are you thinking about?” Breanna asked as she looked over her shoulder while stirring the soup.

“Nothing much.”

“Yeah? Well it better not be about dunking me again.”

“Nope, not that…but that’s not a bad idea,” he replied with a laugh.
“Buuuck…”

“Hold on sweetheart, before you go and start tossing lunch at me again…I was just thinking about how much longer we had to wait till I could hold my son.”

“Oh,” she said in relief as she placed the bowl of steaming vegetable soup in front of him. “But what if our son is a daughter?”

Buck gently pulled Breanna onto his lap and placed his hand softly on the gentle swell of her growing belly. It was an amazing thing to see. Just only a few weeks ago her belly was still flat as a pancake then, boom, it started to round out with the presence of their baby.

“You know Mrs. Cross,” he whispered as he continued to caress her belly. “You are very, very beautiful when you’re in bloom.”

“Don’t say that.”

“Why?”

“Cause I’m not and soon I’m going to look like a fatted cow.”

“Oh sweetheart,” he laughed. “You are never going to look like a fatted cow. You are going to be the most radiant creature on this land and I love you, pregnant or not.”

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“Breanna…wake up Little Fire. We have a wedding to attend,” Buck whispered in her ear as he shrugged into his vest.

“Hmm? What wedding?” she replied with a sleepy smile. Then she bolted up, her eyes wide. She gasped, “The wedding’s today? Already?”

“Yes my heart. Now hurry and get dressed before Louise sends a posse for us.”

Breanna jumped from the bed, got dressed in half the time it usually took her then went to join Buck in the kitchen for a quick breakfast. Afterwards, they gathered the casserole and gifts for the reception after the ceremony and headed out the door. When they reached the station house, Buck gave her a quick kiss before heading over to the bunkhouse to check in on Kid and the others.

As he was walking away, Rachel said, “You guys didn’t have to bring anything you know.”

“I know Rachel, but I wanted to. Besides, I like to keep busy while Buck’s working and cooking is something that keeps me occupied. Although, we didn’t plan to bring a casserole.”

“You weren’t?”

“No. I started to make my apple pie, but we…we…uhm, well…it sort of ended up all over the kitchen.”

Rachel laughed and was still laughing as Louise came down the stairs and asked what was so funny. When Rachel re-counted what Breanna had just said, Louise began to laugh too.

“You know their marriage won’t ever be boring. They’ll always have an exciting time in making up for their ‘fights’.”

“That’s for sure. They keep this up and…”

“All right you two, just knock it off. It’s just plain hard to get any cooking done when he’s in the kitchen. Besides…it was his fault in the first place.”

“How so?”

“He said he was hungry and I told him supper was in the oven, but then he said he was that kind of hungry and started to…to…well you know.”

Rachel and Louise busted into another round of laughter while Breanna’s face began to heat with embarrassment. Then Rachel placed her hand on the young woman’s arm and said, “He does love you Breanna and apparently he just can’t seem to stop.”

“Well yeah, but geesh…”
 

Epilogue

December 1861
Breanna rolled to her side to give her husband a good morning kiss, only to find his side of the bed empty. Then she smiled when she heard humming echoing from the kitchen. She swung her feet to the floor and reached for her robe. Then she went to the kitchen and sat at the table while watching him cook.

It was something to see. Buck cooking, was a feast for her eyes. His shirtsleeve’s were pushed up to the elbows and was still un-tucked, so she knew he hadn’t even bothered to button it. She sighed when he reached up for the salt and pepper. “Lord, he has such a nice…”

“Breanna?”

“Huh?”

“You hungry?”

“Oh yeah,” she sighed again as she stood and walked toward him then slowly glided her hands up his bare chest. “Not for breakfast though.”

He chuckled, “Sorry dear-heart, but you need sustenance and so does our son.”

“But I’m hungry now,” she complained half-heartedly as she gazed at him with her best child-like face. “And our daughter will be just fine for a few more minutes.”

“Little Fire, you’re…playing with fire,” he said with a low growl as one of her hands gently cupped him.

Breakfast was forgotten.

Buck carefully set the skillet onto the cold side of the stove before scooping up his wife and walking back to their bedroom. She was going to drain him completely if they kept this up and he wondered if it would be like this every time she was pregnant.

Later that afternoon, while visiting with Rachel, Breanna watched her husband as he worked on the corral. She sighed deeply. He had taken off his shirt just minutes ago, even though the air fairly smelled of the coming snows. His back muscles bunched and flexed with the exertion of replacing the old railings to the corral, but she knew of other muscles that flexed with the same movement and she sighed again. Then he glanced her way again, his eyebrow raised, before continuing to work and flexing for her enjoyment.

“Bre?” Rachel said as she waved a hand in front of her friends face. “Breanna.”

“Huh? Oh, hey Rachel. What’s up?”

“You keep staring at him like that and he’ll forget about finishing his work.”

“Yeah?” she sighed once more.

Rachel rolled her eyes then asked, “Would you like to come with me to get a few things needed for the station?”

“Mhmm. No thanks,” Breanna replied as she continued to gaze in the direction of where her husband was. “I think I’ll go see if Buck needs any help.”

Rachel muttered an ‘Oh Lord’ with a smile as she watched the young woman walk over to where Buck still stood. Then she shook her head when he dropped the hammer and gathered Breanna into his arms.

“Do you know how much I love you Mrs. Cross?”

“Yes,” she answered. “But could you show me again?”

“Most definitely…later. Right now I need to finish this then go see if Teaspoon needs any other things done.”

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Christmas Day

“So…have you guys thought about what you’re going to do now that we’ve been officially disbanded?” Jimmy asked as they sat at Rachel’s table for Christmas breakfast.

Six pair of eyes looked at him and each other then Kid spoke up.

“Well…with Cody still scouting for the Army,” he glanced at Louise, “we’ve thought about staying here for a while…to give Jeremiah and Teresa a stable home. Might even think about returning to Sweet Water.”

“Sweet Water?” Buck asked. “You thinking about Miss Shannon’s place?”

“Yeah. We wrote her about it and she said she’d be more than happy about working out a deal with us.”

“That’s a wonderful idea,” Rachel said as she stood to get the coffee pot.

While they discussed plans for the next year the door suddenly swung open, revealing one Mr. William F. Cody. He stood there with a silly grin on his face then sat down next to Kid and said, “I see I’m not too late for breakfast.” Then asked if anyone missed him as he reached for a place.

“So Cody,” Teaspoon spoke, “what’s the update on the war front?”

“Well, let’s see…boy Rachel, I sure have missed your cooking.” 

“The war Cody.”

“Oh yeah…the fighting. Well, there’s been several times when I really wish you were there with me Jimmy…I wish all of you were there, but hey, things change whether we like it or not. Rachel…have I mentioned how much I’m missed your cooking?”

As the others continued to talk, Breanna was counting the time between the contractions she’d been having since the night before and knew that the time was close. Her baby was impatient to be born. She glanced at Buck and saw concern in his eyes.

“Are you ok sweetheart?”

“Yes,” she whispered, “but I think it’s time.”

“Time? Not the…”

“Yes. Baby has decided to…uhm…Rachel?”   

All eyes turned in her direction then Rachel began to calmly give everyone something to do.

“Jimmy, Kid, Cody…you guys go on with Buck to fetch the doctor. Louise, help me get her to my room and Teaspoon…”

“Yeah, yeah…stay out of the way,” he said with a smile as he stepped outside.

When the doctor arrived, he started to shoo everyone out of the room but Breanna would have none of that. She practically begged him to let Rachel stay since she was the closest to a second mother to her and she wanted a woman present for the birth.

“Well…all right,” he finally agreed. Then he sent Louise out of the room.

“Wait,” Breanna called out just before another contraction gripped her belly. “Lou…could you get Buck?”

“Now hold on a minute Miss Bre…”

“I want…my husband here, now and…aarrrgg…baby is not…Lou, get Buck…”

The doctor rolled his eyes then nodded for Louise to tell Buck to come sit by his wife. He knew that if she didn’t have him there for the birth of their first child, he would be getting an earful of her lecturing him…she’d done it before and there was no doubt in his mind that she would do it again. He smiled as he washed his hands then he helped bring another babe into the world.

10 Hours Later

Buck was still in a state of shock. He had, not one, but two healthy children. He gazed at them, so tiny and scrunched together in the cradle that was only meant to hold one then he glanced at his sleeping wife and smiled.

“Well,” he whispered as he picked up their daughter. “Your mother was right about having a girl. I guess we both got what we wanted.” A moment later their son began to fuss. So he carefully picked him up too. “Hush little one or you’ll wake your mother and she really does need her sleep right now.”

With both tiny little beings in his arms, he rocked gently in the rocker as a smile threatened to split his face. Then he glanced over at Breanna again. She was the most precocious woman he’d ever known. She would defy him at the oddest moments, but then she would surprise him at other moments. He recalled the time their children were conceived and thought, “Well my friend…looks like you are Godfather to two babies now…our daughter, Kiana Elizabeth and son, Hunter Isaac. I hope you don’t mind us using your name as Hunter’s middle name.” He gave his children a tender kiss on their tiny foreheads and whispered, “How did I ever get so lucky?”

~ Your love was foretold many years ago my son ~ came the ghostly reply of a voice he’d not heard since he was a young boy.

Buck glanced around and smiled. His mother had been there…he felt her love radiating throughout the room then he glanced over to where Breanna lay. She was gazing back at him with her own smile. She’d heard it too. A mother’s love was a very powerful thing and he knew first hand how it had felt. Now his children would feel the same love. 

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