Dream Of White Wolf
Stories similar to this that you might like too.
The next morning, the ranch house was filled with activity. Men were busy in the barns and corrals. Horses whinnied as they neighed to one another. The smell of fresh hay drifted through the air. A few men rode into town on their horses, but most stayed behind at the ranch. They would have to wait until the last possible moment before heading out for the long ride ahead.
“You’re late,” Ben said when he saw Tom standing in front of him. He didn’t bother asking where his brother had been. “Did you get any sleep?”
Tom shook his head. “I couldn’t.”
Ben nodded. “Well, I’m glad we got here early enough that we can help out today.”
He walked around the wagon and grabbed a pitchfork. It took only minutes for them to finish spreading the hay in the barns. But it felt like an eternity while they worked. Tom stood beside Ben as they watched other hands working hard all over the ranch. When they finished, Ben headed back toward the house.
“Where are you going?” Tom asked.
“To check on my wife.”
Tom followed after him. “Is she okay? She looked pretty bad yesterday.”
“She’s fine now. We’ve both just been worried about her.”
“Are you sure you should be alone with your wife right now?”
“Yes. Why do you ask?”
“Just wondering if maybe she needs some time away from me.”
“What makes you say that?”
“It might not mean anything, but there’s something different between us lately. You know how women can be sometimes. They want to talk things out.”
“We’ll talk later. Right now, let’s go see what we can do to help.”
They found Mary sitting on a chair by the fireplace. Her hair hung down past her shoulders and she wore a simple cotton dress. She smiled when she saw them enter.
“How did you sleep?” Ben asked.
Mary shrugged. “Not well. I kept thinking about those Indians who attacked us.”
“That’s natural,” Ben said. “But you shouldn’t worry too much about it anymore. We’ve taken care of everything.”
“I hope so. I don’t think I could bear losing anyone else again.”
Ben sat down across from her and placed his hand gently on top of hers. “Don’t think like that.”
“Why not? What if we lose someone else?”
“Then we will have lost more than our lives. We will have lost part of ourselves. And no one wants that.”
Mary reached up and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “Thank you for coming home safe.”
“There’s nothing to thank me for. It’s what I’m supposed to do.”
“No, Ben, there is. There always has been.”
“So, you’re saying you love me?”
“Of course I do.”
“And you’re willing to marry me?”
“Absolutely.”
“Good. Then, let’s make this official. Will you marry me?”
“Yes! Yes!” Mary jumped off the chair and wrapped her arms around Ben’s neck. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she pressed herself against him. “Oh, Ben, I’ve waited so long for you to ask me. I thought you never loved me.”
“Love you? How could I ever love anyone else?”
Mary laughed. “Now, that’s funny. Because I knew you loved me since the first day we met.”
Ben chuckled. “Me, too. So, what do you say? Will you marry me?”
“Yes, yes, yes!” Mary cried. “I can hardly believe it’s finally happening.”
“Let’s celebrate. Let’s eat lunch together.”
“Sounds good.”
After lunch, Mary went upstairs to change clothes. She came downstairs wearing a white dress with a black ribbon around the waist. She looked stunning.
“Do you like it?” she asked.
“I love it. You look beautiful.”
“Thank you. Now, let’s go to the church and get married.”
Ben held her hand as they walked outside. “Have you decided on a date?”
“Next week. That way, we won’t have to wait too long before we can start our new life.”
“Okay, then, next week it is.”
The minister arrived shortly after they returned to the ranch house. He greeted Ben and Mary warmly and led them into the parlor. After a short ceremony, they were married. The minister gave Ben and Mary each a small box.
“Open yours now,” he told them.
Ben opened his gift to find a silver ring inside. He slipped it onto his finger. “This is perfect.”
“Mine was the same,” Mary said.
“What’s inside?” Ben asked.
“A gold band with two diamonds.”
“Very nice. Where did you get such a thing?”
“From my mother-in-law.”
“Your mother-in-law? Are you serious?”
“As a heart attack. I couldn’t have done any of this without her. She helped us every step of the way.”
“You’re lucky to have such a woman in your family.”
“Yes, I am.”
Mary turned toward the door. “Come on, Ben, let’s go tell everyone the news.”
***
“Congratulations!”
“Welcome back.”
“We missed you.”
“How did the wedding go?”
“Wonderful! Did you hear?”
“Did you get a chance to meet Mrs. Johnson?”
“I sure did. She’s wonderful.”
“She’s also very generous.”
“That’s great. Maybe someday she’ll give us another wedding present.”
“Maybe.”
“Well, let’s go inside and see what we can do about that.”
“Right here?” Mary asked. “Or should we take the horses out for a ride?”
“Here would be fine,” Ben said. “It’s a beautiful day. Why don’t we just sit on the porch and enjoy it.”
They sat down on the swing. Mary took his hand and leaned against him. They rocked slowly back and forth while watching the sun set over the mountains.
“Tell me something,” Ben asked. “What happened when you left here last time?”
“Nothing much. We found some Indian artifacts. But I didn’t expect anything else. We had already searched everywhere.”
“Was there anything unusual about the trip?”
“Not really. Except that I saw a man on horseback heading toward town. I thought it was strange because he wasn’t wearing a hat or a gun belt.”
“He seemed familiar.”
“Yes, he did. I thought he might be someone from the past.”
“Who?”
“Someone who used to work for us.”
“Which one?”
“None of the others. Just him.”
Ben nodded. “And?”
“And nothing. I never expected to run into him again.”
“Why not?”
“Because I assumed he’d died years ago. And besides, I figured I wouldn’t see him if I stayed away.”
“So, why are you suddenly interested in him?”
“I’m not. I only mentioned it to show you how things can change. It’s amazing what happens when you least expect it.”
“I suppose so.”
“Anyway, I thought you should know about the stranger. I think it’s important for you to remember that people can surprise you.”
“I guess you’re right.”
“Are you ready to go home yet?”
“No, but soon. I want to stay longer, but I need to return to Denver.”
“All right, then, let’s go.”
Mary got up and headed to the front door. “Wait a minute. I forgot something.”
Ben waited patiently as Mary went back inside. When she returned, she handed him a letter.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“Just read it.”
Ben unfolded the paper and began reading. His eyes widened. “Oh my God.”
“What is it?”
“My father wrote a book.”
“Really? What kind of book?”
“A novel. A historical romance.”
“Historical romance? I’ve heard of those books. People write them all the time.”
“Yeah, well, my dad is no ordinary author. He’s written a best seller.”
“Wow! How exciting.”
“I know, isn’t it?”
“But you’re not surprised by this?”
“Of course not. My father has always been good at writing stories. That’s what he does.”
“Do you know where he is?”
“Actually, yes, I do. He’s in New York City.”
“New York City? Wow, that’s a long way away.”
“It is. But it’s worth the trip.”
Mary smiled. “I hope you get to go.”
“Me too. Let’s go tell everyone.”
The End