“I’m sure it’s all about keeping things clean and tidy.” Emma folded her hands against her bandaged midsection.
“You are going to live with us, aren’t you?” Rosie asked without prompting.
“I hadn’t really thought about it.” What little she had consideredof the future had been focused more on her decision from the previous night.
“We want you to come and stay with us. You are a Benton, and it was Tommy’s desire that you both live at the house until you found another place.” Colton was most encouraging.
“My father and stepmother want me to move back to Cheyenne and live at their ranch. Clara suggested I come back to live with them.”
“But you said no, right?” Rosie asked. “You said I could live with you.”
Emma knew the arrangement they’d agreed upon, but with Tommy dead, she seriously doubted Colton, as head of the family, would allow his sister to go off with Emma. Besides, she and Tommy had never planned to leave Dallas permanently. They intended to travel plenty and part of the time take Rosie with them, but moving away wasn’t proposed.
Colton cleared his throat. “You can hardly travel to Cheyenne until you’re healed. And even the ranch is too far. I suggest you come and stay in Tommy’s room as you had planned. Your family is welcome to come there and visit you as much as they like.”
“And I can take care of you.” Rosie gave Emma a big smile. “You’ll be my patient.”
Emma chuckled. “I suppose that does sound like the best solution. I just wasn’t sure you’d still want me.”
“We do want her. Don’t we, Colton?”
Emma met Colton’s dark eyes. For a moment he just stared at her. Sometimes she didn’t think he cared much for her. She always feared that he thought she was only marrying Tommy for his money.
“Yes, we want her.” His voice was so low that Emma barely heard him.
“So when can you leave the hospital?” Rosie asked.
“I don’t know. The doctor said it would be a few days, Rosie. We must just wait and see. He wants to make sure my wound doesn’t get infected.”
“It won’t. I prayed that you would get well fast, and you will.”
Emma loved Rosie’s childlike faith in God. “I’m sure if you’ve prayed, then everything will go well.”
Colton frowned, but Emma ignored it. Rosie, however, leaned in to kiss Emma on the cheek once again. “I’m so glad God kept you from dying like Tommy. I miss Tommy. He liked to make me laugh.”
“He did. He liked to make me laugh too. I guess there won’t be quite as much laughter now.”
“Do you think Tommy went to hell?” Rosie asked.
Emma felt a catch in her throat. “I’ve been thinking about that. I had a long talk last night with my stepmother.”
“Last night?” Colton asked.
“Yes, she snuck in after visiting hours. She said she felt compelled to come to me, and it turned out she was right. It gave me a great deal of comfort. She prayed with me.”
“But you don’t believe in that stuff.”
It was hard not to look away, but Emma continued to keep her gaze fixed on Colton. “I walked away from God for a great many years, but after nearly dying, I was forced to revisit my convictions—or lack thereof.”
“So now you’re religious?”
“Not exactly. I did ask God to forgive me. I’m not sure what it will mean for my life. I just felt so alone last night, as well as guilty.”
“Guilty for what? You did nothing wrong.” Colton’s tone was firm and insistent. “This is what I hate about religion.”
“I did plenty wrong, but—”
The room door opened, and Clara gave a light knock justas she spied Colton and Rosie. “Oh, I see you already have visitors.”
