Rosie pulled up the hem of her calico dress and came at a run. She laughed all the way and gave a little twirl when she reached Emma and Lucille.
“I know ladies aren’t supposed to run,” she told them rather breathlessly, “but today I don’t want to be a lady. I want to have fun.”
Emma laughed. “Then that’s exactly what we’ll do. Besides, today is my birthday.”
“It is,” Lucille said, nodding. “We have a cake now that you’ve brought one, and we can celebrate in grand order.”
“How old are you, Emma?” Rosie asked, still panting from her run.
“Twenty-eight.” She didn’t bother to add that she felt Tommy’s death had added a decade or two on to her years. She had spent the first twenty-seven years of her life being a child at heart, but now she felt suddenly old. It was hard to think about most of her friends being married now with several children.
12
On April the nineteenth, the entire neighborhood and half of Cheyenne was invited to come and celebrate the birthday of Robert Vogel and Michael Decker at the Vogel residence. April had been unseasonably warm and perfectly suited for the party to be held outdoors, so multiple tables were set up to accommodate all of the food, and friends and family turned out en masse.
To Emma’s surprise, her stepmother and father had driven in for the party, bringing with them one of her father’s longtime workers. Gary Price was nearly sixty and lame in one leg. Papa had kept him on out of sympathy for the man. Old cowboys had nowhere to go once they were no longer able to do the hard work required of them. Gary, however, continued to earn his keep in whatever way he could and was more family than employee.
“I was thinking about your desire for chickens,” her father told her as they climbed down from their wagon. “Tomorrow, Gary and I are going to build you a proper coop and chicken yard. We even brought a passel of hens for you to get started with.”
“I don’t know what to say. That’s wonderful. Thank you.”Emma gave him a hug and kissed his cheek. “I do have the shed out back with its small apartment attached. The previous owners used it for the gardener. As you can see, I’m going to need to hire one soon.”
Her father drew her aside. “That’s another reason I brought Gary. He’s a hard worker, but ranch life is agreeing less and less with him. I think he’d be good for you to have around here as a gardener. I trust him with my life, and it might put Colton’s mind at ease when he heads back to Texas to know the two of you gals have someone watching over you.”
“Do you think Gary would be willing to help with the yard and shrubs?” Emma knew old cowboys could be quite prideful. It might be beneath the old man to help with gardening work.
“I think if you were the one to ask him, maybe emphasize that having him around would make you feel safer, then he would say yes and save himself embarrassment. He’s always had a soft spot for you.”
“Then I’ll do it.”
Gary came to join them just then, and Emma surprised the older man by giving him a hearty embrace and kiss on the cheek. “Gary, I haven’t seen you in such a long time. You were on a trip for Papa when I came back last September, and the other day you were busy elsewhere.”
“I was indeed, but it’s mighty good to be here now. You’re all grown up.”
She laughed and patted his shoulder. “I was all grown up nine years ago when I left for Texas. Oh, but it’s good to see you. I remember all those wonderful stories you used to tell me.”
“I’ve got a bunch more, right up here,” he said, thumping his head.
“I will certainly look forward to that.” She looked back to her father. “Where are you staying?”
“We put Gary up at the hotel, and we figured to stay with you, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course. I would have Gary, too, but I’ve only got one extra bed.” Emma looked apologetically at the man.
“Now, that’s not a problem. I even told Rich that I could sleep outside in a bedroll, but he said no. Civilized neighborhoods might frown on that.”
Emma laughed. “It wasn’t that long ago that many of these folks were living in tents. I don’t see that they should have room to criticize, but I’m glad Papa chose a nice place for you.”
“It’s good to spoil a man now and then,” her father declared. “We’re gonna unload the things we brought, including the chickens. Then Gary’s gonna take the wagon to the livery and himself to the hotel. He’ll join us tomorrow to work on settling the chickens.”
“That sounds wonderful. We can just put the chickens in the garden shed for now.” Emma looked around for Rosie, then remembered she’d gone to the Vogels’ to help Marybeth with setting up for the party. “Rosie will be beside herself with delight.”
When Emma and her folks were finally ready to head to the party, the Vogels’ yard was already full of people. They even found that Colton had gone there first rather than come to the house.
“I figured you and Rosie would already be here,” he told her, looking around at all the people. “Where is Rosie?”
“She wanted to help Mrs. Vogel set things up for the party.”
Colton frowned. “Do you think it was wise to let her go alone?”
