“I’d like to choose you!” he said, giving a whoop. “How about you join me for the picnic lunch?”
Emma handed him his change and smiled. “I’m already spoken for, sorry.”
The next man in line was a younger cowboy. He pushed the firefighter to the side. “It’s my turn, old man!”
Emma wondered if he meant for cookies or sweet talk as the man began telling her how he’d always been partial to brown-eyed women.
Thankfully, by eleven o’clock the goods had all been sold and the tables emptied. Rosie had been put in charge of the children, and she seemed to have had the best time helping to replenish the tables since she wasn’t yet very good at making change. She had laughed and talked with everyone, and Emma had occasionally noted her showing off her engagement ring to some eager, would-be suitor.
Once the tables were wiped down and the money handed over to Reverend Bright, the ladies rejoined their families and enjoyed the day of festivities. Emma found her stepmother and father, while Rob claimed Rosie and headed off to where tables of food had been set up for the citywide picnic.
“Everyone was certainly enthusiastic about the goodies,” Lucille declared as they made their way to the food. “Some of those fellas acted like they’d been denied sweets all their lives and were making up for lost time.”
Emma’s father looped his arm through Lucille’s. “Seemed to me they were more interested in the pretty girls waiting on them.”
“I had several proposals and dozens of invitations to dance and watch fireworks,” Emma admitted. Of course, the entire time she couldn’t help but think of Colton and wonder how he was doing in Dallas. She worried that his brothers would try to convince him that he’d made a big mistake anddemand he come back to Cheyenne to force her to give him her share of the UP money.
But she had the utmost confidence that Colton would tell them to mind their own business. Seeing him leave had served to make her all the more certain of his intentions toward her. She could only believe that God was the one responsible for eliminating her fears where Colton was concerned. God and Rosie. Rosie spoke of her brother in a most positive way, assuring Emma that he was being completely honest now. That he really did love Emma. Rosie’s nightly reflections on Colton brought to mind Tommy’s shared stories as well. Both had spoken of Colton in high regard and had always added their concerns that he was a lonely man.
“Father used to tell him that a wife and family would only serve to divide his attention, though having an heir to train up was equally important, and a man in his position needed to learn to handle both.”This had come from Tommy, but Rosie had said something equally focused.
“Father said families were a bother and told Colton to think a long time before getting involved with a woman. He even used to say that Colton should let him pick the woman—someone not too fussy or fancy, someone who could take orders.”The latter had made Emma smile. Colton knew she wasn’t very good at that, and yet he still wanted her.
After the picnic lunch, they watched a couple of the firemen races. It was nearly three when Emma suggested her father and stepmother adjourn to her house, where they could rest until evening when the celebration would include more food, a dance, and fireworks.
“Thanks for letting us stay the night with you,” her father said, putting his arm around Emma as they made their way up the walk to the house. “We’re getting kind of old to make the trip here, spend the day partying, and then drive back to the ranch.”
“That’s for sure,” Lucille said, rubbing her shoulders. “Sometimes I think good times are almost more work than regular days on the ranch.”
Emma paused on the front porch. “You make a good point. In my wilder days, I’m sure I expended more energy racing around to have a good time than just staying on the ranch and performing chores.” She frowned as memories came to mind. “I wish someone could have convinced me of the truth back then.”
“What do you mean?” her father asked.
Emma smiled, but inside her heart was burdened. “I guess I mean that I wish I could have appreciated what I had. I regret the time I lost with you and Mama. I wish I had known how important that time would be ... how short.”
“That’s often the way it goes,” Lucille replied. “I didn’t know my son’s life would end so soon, nor my husband’s. Just as your father didn’t know that your mother would die so unexpectedly. None of us knows the number of our days. That’s why we need to cherish each and every one of them. Treat each other well and show love at every opportunity.”
“I can certainly see that now.” Emma leaned against the brick column. “I have so many regrets.”
“I’ll let you two have some time alone. Seems you’ve been wanting to speak to your father for a while now,” Lucille said, heading to the front door. “I’ll just go rest.”
Emma gave her a nod, grateful that her stepmother always seemed to understand her needs. She had told Lucille of her desire to have a long talk with her father when they’d gone out to help with the roundup. There simply hadn’t been a good time.
Once Lucille was gone, Emma motioned her father to take a seat. “Do you mind delaying your nap a bit?”
He shook his head and took the seat closest to her. “Not a bit. What’s on your mind?”
“Mama. I miss her so much. I have such regrets for how I treated her and the pain I caused her. Caused you both. The other day, Mr. Vogel said he and the other lawmen in town used to joke about what antics I might try next. Sounds like some even bet on my foolishness.”
Her father smiled. “I had heard that. Of course, you were just a child.”
“Was I still a child at eighteen when I left town to go live with Clara? Because I was still acting as one.”
“You were a handful, that’s for sure. I’m not saying you shouldn’t be sorry for any bad behavior in the past, but you certainly can’t live a productive life in regret. What purpose would that serve? You’ve grown up. You’ve seen the error of your ways and changed.”
“But it took nearly being killed at my own wedding to do so. And, Papa, that was just a few months back.”
“Half a year, or nearly so. The important thing is that you realized that you weren’t getting anywhere and changed your route. Your ma would be proud of you, Emma. You’ve put the Lord first, and that’s all she ever wanted for you and your brother and sister.”
