“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I really didn’t think about having children so quickly. What if something goes wrong?” he demanded, rising and walking to the front door. He stood with his back to the room and stared out at the night sky.
“Morgan,” she began, “women do sometimes die in childbirth. It’s a fact of life, a risk we’re willing to take in order to fulfill our destinies and God’s plan. Where is your faith, boy?” she scolded gently.
“I don’t know, Ma. I guess I left it in Doc Brubaker’s office,” he said with a sigh.
“Well, you’d better find it. Son, the Lord does answer prayers. It’s not always the answer we want, but sometimes it is. When I asked the Lord to bring you home to us, He did. I prayed for your Pa to pass gently in his sleep, and He answered that one too. I don’t think He’s likely to turn his back on us now, do you?”
“No, I guess not,” Morgan admitted, shamefaced, as he turned to look at her. He’d prayed too, thanking God for giving him Emma Whittaker. He’d prayed for Mead’s treatment and safe return. He prayed for Callie Mae to want him as much as he wanted her, and prayed Cara would understand when he didn’t come home. Going to Emma’s rocker, he got down on one knee and took her gnarled hand in his.
“I’m sorry, Ma. Seems I’ve let worry overcome my good sense. If Callie Mae is going to have a baby, I’m sure it will be a fine one, strong and healthy. Besides, Callie Mae is too cussed at times for the Lord to want her. He’d be better off to give her some time to settle down and grow up,” he said with a laugh. “I figure He’ll let me do all the hard work.”
“You have a point, brother,” Mead chimed in, getting to his feet. “Guess I’d better be heading to town. You coming, Morg?” Leaning down, he kissed his mother’s cheek.
“I’m right behind you,” Morgan said, kissing the other.
“Guess I’ll walk out with you two,” Matt said. “I need to check the barn.”
Outside, he stood at the hitching post and watched his brothers saddle up.
“Sorry if I’ve been an ass today,” he said. “It will take me a while to sort through what you’ve told me.”
“So you believe us?” Mead asked.
“I’m trying too, but it’s a little far-fetched if you ask me.”
“Agreed. Mead didn’t truly believe me either, not until he actually went back. I think he was trying to humor me,” Morgan laughed.
“I was. I wanted to believe you. It was my only chance to really be a man again, so I trusted you. There weren’t many other options,” he admitted ruefully. “It seemed insane and wonderful all at the same time. Cara and Micah are amazing people. We really need to discuss what we can do to help them.”
“You want me to get married,” Matt sighed. “I can’t. I just can’t marry Fancy when it’s Laurie I love!”
“Who said anything about Fancy?” Morgan almost shouted in surprise.
“Shut up before Ma hears you,” Mead warned. “But he’s right, Matt. We never meant for you to marry Fancy. Where did you get that idea?” he whispered.
“I thought that’s what you were trying to get me to do. Whose wedding is going to fix all the problems you told me about?”
“Yours, when you marry Laurie Dixon,” Morgan insisted with an eye roll. “Hell, do you think we’d marry you off to a woman who could never make you happy?”
“Well, why the blazes didn’t you say so?” Matt barked back. “I’d be happy to marry Laurie if she’ll have me, which she won’t!”
“She will. She has to if we’re gonna fix what we screwed up. We’ll help you convince her.”
“How?” he demanded.
“We don’t exactly know yet,” Mead replied, “but we’ll think of something.”
Matthew laughed.
“Seems to me you two have a stronger record for messing things up than you do for fixing them. Pardon me if I don’t see your reasoning.”
“Don’t worry, little brother. We’ll come up with a plan,” Morgan assured him.
“When you do, you be sure to let me know. I’m getting mighty sick of surprises, especially the kind cooked up by you two. I’m still not sure if you’re joshing me.”
“We will. See you tomorrow, Matt.”
Mead and Morganrode toward town easy in the saddle. When they were a couple of miles down the road, Mead asked something that had been on his mind all evening.
