"Giddy," she breathed, clutching the back of his shirt as though she feared he'd disappear again. "Oh my sweet boy, you're home. My baby's home."
He held her close, face pressed into her hair, and for a moment I saw him not as the strong, unstoppable dragon who could level a building… but as someone's son. Someone deeply loved. Cherished.
Gideon's mother's eyes moved. Past Gideon. Past the truck. Straight tome?—
and the three children clinging to the hem of my coat. Her hand covered her heart. Her eyes filled instantly, as if her heart recognized us before her mind did. "Gideon…" she whispered. "Is that… is that your girl?"
Gideon glanced at me, then back at her, smiling softly. "Mama… this is Inga."
I swallowed hard, nerves fluttering everywhere at once. "Mrs. Griffin," I whispered. "It's an honor."
She did not hesitate. Not even a heartbeat. "Oh, sweetheart," she said, and swept me into the warmest, fullest embrace I had felt in a long time. Not since my mother… she smelled like fresh bread and pine cleaner and sunshine. "Call me Maggie."
"Oh dear Lord," she murmured into my hair. "My Giddy's gone and got himself married. I can't believe it. I thought he'd fly forever and never land long enough to give me a daughter."
I flushed. "We're… not married yet."
Gideon cleared his throat sheepishly behind us. "Well… technically, Mama, we were hoping you'd help plan the wedding."
"Gideon!" I squeaked, pulling back to look at him. "You can't just—your mother has?—"
"Oh, honey," Maggie said, gripping my arms, eyes sparkling with delighted tears, "I wouldloveto. I have been waiting my whole adult life to throw a proper Montana ranch wedding."
Gideon winced playfully. "Brace yourself."
"Oh, hush," she swatted him. Then she looked down, smiling gently at the three little forms half-hiding behind my legs. "And who are these beautiful babies?"
Klaus peeked out. Axel tried to bow. Hilde clung to my skirt, staring with huge eyes.
"These are… my brother Klaus," I said softly, pushing him gently forward, "and Axel and Hilde. They're… orphans. Trümmerkinder."
Maggie's face broke wide open. "Oh dear," she whispered, already bending down, arms widening. "Come here, all of you. Come here to me."
Klaus hesitated only a moment before he allowed her to fold him to her chest. Axel followed, then Hilde, who whimpered at first but melted the second Maggie stroked her hair.
"You poor little ones," she soothed. "You must be starving, tired to your bones. Well, you're safe now. All of you." She pressed kisses to three dusty heads.
"My goodness, children! Finally, children! I've been waiting decades for grandchildren. Your sister—Lord love her—she won't settle down, stubborn girl."
Gideon snorted. "Molly'll love this."
Maggie looked up at me, eyes shining. "You came bringing me four blessings," she whispered. "Four. I don't know how to thank you."
I opened my mouth to correct her—that the blessings had come from Gideon, not me—but emotion clogged my throat. She smiled softly, wiping at her eyes. "Welcome home, Inga. Welcome home, all of you."
Two riders appeared on the ridge before the house, horses kicking up dust as they galloped closer. The sun hit them just right, and for a moment they looked like silhouettes from a moving picture, tall, sure, powerful. One rider wore a wide-brimmed hat and swung it in a wide arc as they turned into the yard.
The kids gasped.
Hilde's eyes nearly popped out of her head. "Eine Kuh… kuh… Kuhfrau?" she whispered, stumbling over the word.
I couldn't blame her. A cowgirlwas something none of us had imagined outside of picture books. As they got closer, the dust cleared enough to reveal faces.
"Molly?" Gideon breathed beside me.
The woman on the left pulled her horse to a stop, grinning so wildly she looked half-feral. She had a long black braid, sun-browned skin, and the kind of confidence that radiated off her like heat.
"Gideon?" she hollered. "Is that you, big bro?"
