They still hadn't heard anything from George, but an anonymous envelope of cash arrived several months after he left with the initials G.L. signed on the paper wrapping it, so at least he was alive.
And trying to make amends in his own way.
Julia's little hands reached out to him, and unable to resist the pull of his little girl, Noah swept her into his other arm.
Arms full. That was how his heart felt too.
Julia joined the sweet farewells by offering a sloppy kiss to his other cheek.
“Gracious sakes, you're gonna have enough sugar to last you a whole week.” Kizzie tugged Charlie free and placed him back on the ground, but the little boy only ended up grabbing Noah's leg.
“I can't imagine having enough kisses to keep me away that long, my dear Mrs. Lewis.”
“I going too, Daddy.” Charlie looked up.
“Not this time, little man.” Noah ruffled the little boy's head.
“Me go.” Julia added.
“Look at all this fuss you're causing, Noah Lewis.” Kizzie shot him a wink. “If you're gonna catch your train, you need to be off.” She took Julia from him, but not before he'd placed a kiss on his daughter's head and another, slightly longer one, on his wife's lips.
Oh, how he loved her!
“Right.” He took the sandwich bag in one hand and tossed the duffel over his shoulder.
Charlie and Julia followed behind as Kizzie walked Noah to the carriage, with Marty at the helm to drive him to The Hollows train depot.
“Two days,” he said, more for himself than her. He'd not been apart from them since the day she'd agreed to marry him while they danced in the storefront of Carters Mercantile, now Lewis Mercantile. And though they'd had their own bits of adjusting to do as newlyweds and an instant family, he knew he wouldn't have changed a thing about his choice. The woman loved with such open and generous affection, he couldn't imagine ever receiving anything better on this earth. “If Mr. Laws is serious about selling his store's inventory to us at low cost, it will be a worthwhile trip all around.”
“Then the faster you set off, the quicker you'll get back.”
He pulled her to him for one last embrace as the children hugged his legs, and then he joined Marty on the wagon seat.
If his plan worked out as he hoped, perhaps he'd come home with much more than just new inventory for the store.
The meeting with Mr. Laws went well, and they made arrangements to have the inventory shipped to Lewis Mercantile within the next few weeks. Noah paid the first half for the inventory with plans to pay the other half upon delivery. The entire business deal was finished by supper, as Noah had hoped, so he took the last train west to a small town at the edge of the mountains called Flat Creek.
Once Noah took supper in the hotel's restaurant downstairs, he climbed the stairs and readied for bed. All he knew about Kizzie's family was a list of names, descriptions, some of Kizzie's memories, and the knowledge that her father had cast her out two and a half years ago.
Otherwise, he had no idea what the journey looked like, how her family would receive him, or if he could even find the McAdams’ home.
But he had to try. For Kizzie.
If nothing else, to know they were alive.
First thing the next morning, with directions from the hotel owner, Noah hired a horse and took a well-worn path up the mountainside. Early spring buds sprinkled the evergreen forest with hints of color and mingled blooms with the scents of pine. Birdsong greeted him through the cool morning air as he climbed higher up the mountainside, the natural wonders attempting to loosen the tension in his body. As if to completely shock his nervousness away, the trees on his left gave way to reveal an endless horizon of blue mountains upon blue mountains, swathed in morning fog and sunlight.
He'd never seen the world so vast and beautiful.
Their busy home inside a crowded town must have been such an adjustment for her, but he'd never have known it. She hummed and smiled and radiated joy in it all.
Even when she'd been used to … this.
He brought the horse to a stop and gazed out over the waiting world, wondering how far he could see from this lofty height. How he wished he'd brought a camera to capture the view for her, but the grandeur wouldn't transfer in black and white.
But why was he surprised at his wife's personality? Whatever strength God forged inside Kizzie through her past and hurts, He'd bloomed into an impenetrable joy she poured into those she loved, and he was a happy benefactor.
Joy, love, laughter, wit, and the constant supply of Kizzie's daily cookies.
