Her hand quivered in his as she took careful steps, her fingers cold. When Miss Callahan’s muddied shoes hit the ground, Travis’s pulse raced. Her eyes intensely studied the homestead and children with a cautious look on her face. There wasn’t much to see if she grew up on a plantation. The farm consisted of a modest-sized cabin, a two-story barn with rusting hinges on its doors, and a fenced area behind the barn that held their horses and dairy cow. Beside the cabin stood a chicken coop large enough for twenty chickens, while twenty acres of sprouted wheat stretched beyond it.
Travis removed his hat and raked a hand through his hair. He blew out a breath, saying a fervent prayer. In truth, a part of him longed to see Miss Callahan beg to go home. But looking down at his children, guilt panged at his heart. After everything he put them through, he owed them a new mother.
Travis stood awkwardly by Miss Callahan’s side and cleared his throat, ready to introduce her. “Aunt Polly, children, this is Miss Josephine Callahan.”
Aunt Polly put out her free hand, offering a friendly smile. “It’s so nice to finally meet you, my dear.”
Miss Callahan smiled lightly, shaking her hand. “It’s nice to meet you Mrs . . .”
Aunt Polly chuckled, adjusting the squealing Gideon on her hip. “Polly Blythe, but you may call me Aunt Polly. That’s who the town refers to me as.”
Travis moved Miss Callahan’s attention to the children. He pointed to Ivy first. “Miss Callahan, this is Ivy. She is my eldest of eight years.”
Miss Callahan smiled, putting out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Ivy deliberately avoided Miss Callahan’s gaze and hand by staring at the ground, kicking stones with her boots. Normally, if Ivy had been meeting a relative or welcoming a new settler, Travis would have reprimanded her for such behavior, but he understood his daughter well. She was cautious, her heart guarded after everything she had been through.
Travis pointed to Jonas, who stared up at them with a grin. “This is my eldest son, Jonas. He is six.”
Josie put out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Jonas.”
While shaking her hand, Jonas used the other to pull a piece of paper from his pocket and hand it to her. Travis looked over Miss Callahan’s shoulder out of curiosity, his brows high. The picture was a square with lines and circles, presumably doors and windows.
Miss Callahan gasped, her grin widening. “Thank you, Jonas. This is beautiful.”
Jonas’s eyes lit up. “It is?”
“I would love another one if you don’t mind.”
Jonas looked up at Travis. “Can I, Pa?”
“If you ask your sister first,” Travis answered. “You know how picky she is about her pencils.”
Jonas turned to Ivy. “Can I, Ivy? Please?”
A long pause lingered between the children. Travis hoped Ivy would be considerate of her brother drawing for Josephine.
Ivy shrugged. “Sure.”
Travis exhaled. The tense moment had caused his shoulders to stiffen. He stood behind Lillian and patted her head. “This is Lillian.”
Miss Callahan squatted to her level. “And how old are you, Lillian?”
Lillian held up four fingers, making Travis swell with pride. Aunt Polly’s schooling was paying off.
Miss Callahan gasped. “You are so smart.”
Lillian grinned, bouncing on her toes. “How old are you?”
The group grew quiet. Travis would have told Lillian to hold her tongue, but like Aunt Polly, he remained silent, eager to hear the answer.
“Twenty-three,” she answered.
The words were like a lightning bolt of shock.Twenty-three?His eyes rounded.Travis had thought her to be twenty-six or slightly older, but twenty-three? His palms grew clammy as the reality of it settled in. How could someone so young be ready for the responsibilities that awaited her? He had hoped for a homemaker, someone with a bit more life experience, someone who could stand strong beside him and his children in the challenges they’d face out west. But now, the image he had built in his mind crumbled. Could Josephine Callahan handle this life? Could she handlehim?
Miss Callahan stood and turned to Gideon, her expression softening as she took in the sight of the little boy. A gentle glow spread across her face. For a moment, the worries that had weighed so heavily on Travis’s mind began to lift. Her eyes beheld something tender and genuine in the way she gazed at Gideon—a way Travis longed to do. The woman knew nothing about the family nor about Gideon’s existence until now, and she gave him more affection than Travis ever had.
Gideon’s first interaction with his new mother was almost too perfect, as though the match had been sealed. The boy, curiousand innocent, reached out towards her with a small, chubby hand.
