“Sounds good to me. It’s so hot today, anyway.” Rosie took a handkerchief and dabbed it to her neck.
At home, Lucille and Papa immediately went inside to seek out something cold to drink, while Emma and Rosie went to see if Mrs. Olson needed help out in the summer kitchen.
“Everything is going just fine,” she reported. “I have a large roast of beef in the oven. I started it before we left this morning and just added potatoes and carrots and lot of onions. I know your father and Rob both like onions.”
Emma laughed. “They do. I’m partial to them with a roast myself.”
Rosie shook her head. “I like them raw, but not all cooked. They get all soggy and feel funny in my mouth.”
Mrs. Olson stirred a pot on top of the stove. “I’m with Rosie. Never could abide a slimy vegetable.”
After making sure everything was under control, Rosiewent to check on the chickens’ water, and Emma went inside to the surprising coolness of the house. She pulled off her bonnet and went to the icebox for the pitcher of lemonade and saw that Mrs. Olson had smartly made two.
The drink was nice and cold, and Emma thanked God for such luxuries. She remembered times as a child when there were no such things to be had. She’d longed for shaved ice with lemon juice and sugar when they’d come to town.
“You look mighty deep in thought,” her father said as he came into the kitchen.
Emma reached for the pitcher. “Are you back for more?” She nodded at the empty glass in his hand.
“You know it. I was parched.”
She poured him more lemonade, then put the half-empty pitcher back in the icebox. “I was just remembering how we had nothing like this on the ranch when I was little. We’d have ice sometimes until the end of May, but after that we went without cold drinks.”
“It’s true. I know it will be a mess of worldly imposition and cost, but I think I’ll be glad when we get electricity on the ranch. Doubt I’ll live to see it, though.”
Emma shrugged. “You can never tell. Folks used to say that about Cheyenne as a whole. Twenty years ago, they said we were too far from the rest of the settled world to have any modern conveniences.”
“True enough. Now here we are with electricity and water running through pipes to each house.”
“It’s a great city that I have a feeling will only get greater. I heard them say in the cornerstone speech that the Union Pacific intends to add a thousand jobs, which could bring more than three times that many people to the area. We’re definitely going to be able to reach the sixty thousand people that they say they need for the territory in order to achieve statehood.”
“And they chose all their delegates on Monday for the constitutional convention in September,” her father added. “I’d say we’ll get the federal government to recognize us as a state soon enough.”
“I suppose the governing officials are thinking they have Montana, Washington, and North and South Dakota coming in this year, and they don’t need to add any other states. But I figured since we were just next door to other states, they’d include us.” Emma shrugged. “I guess they’ll get around to us when it’s time.”
“All things come in God’s timing and no one else’s,” her father said, smiling. “That includes finding the right mate.”
“I just want to make sure it’s God’s choice. I didn’t choose so well for myself the first time around.”
“Colton’s completely different from his brother, Em. I never felt right about you marrying Tommy Benton, but everything is different with Colton.”
“Maybe the fact that you approve of him should be proof enough for me. I know you’re a very wise man, Papa.”
“Well, whether I am or not, I think you’d best be making up your mind about that fella. He’s soon going to be back here, and I think it’s very possible he’ll come with a proposal and maybe even a ring.”
Emma didn’t want to pretend she didn’t think the same thing. “I think you’re right.” She chuckled. “Maybe I will be married before Wyoming becomes a state.”
“I’m glad you decided to come back to the ranch with us,” Lucille said as Rosie and Emma rode alongside the wagon Friday morning.
“Rosie wanted a good long ride to prove she could handle herself, and I couldn’t think of a better way for her than totake one out here to the ranch. And with you and Papa along, I knew we’d be safer than coming out alone. I know it bothers Colton, and probably Rob as well, when we make trips out here without a man along.”
“We can all ride back in on Sunday for church.”
“Gary said he’d manage the chickens and yard. I think he’s sweet on Mrs. Olson,” Emma said, glancing at Rosie. “Don’t you think so?”
“I do. I think he likes her cooking a lot.”
They laughed at this, but Emma couldn’t help but wonder if there might be more than just Rosie’s wedding in the near future. Papa thought her own would be held, but Emma seriously wondered about the wisdom of marrying twice in the same year. A part of her figured it might be wise to wait a full year. Another part declared it silly to wait when one knew what their heart truly desired.
