Alone on the Oregon Trail by Vanessa Carvo

traded blackberry pies and baked breads for, and they were edged with lace and darling faux pearls.
    There was plenty left that would take care of her bedroom window and would also be enough for a satin backing upon her blanket that she could spread clear across her bed. Her eyes lit up and I could tell that she was overjoyed.
    Little Mattie was growing up after all and although she would never admit it, she had a touch of girl in her.
    When I finished tidying up Mattie’s room, I then led her in blindfolded so she could not peek. I did not want her to see bits and pieces, but to open those big beautiful eyes and see the contrast of the entire room.
    I twirled her around in circles a couple times for fun and then set her free. As she stood there taking the folds from her eyes slowly, she began screaming in delight as she looked around the room.
    Her curtains were a rose pink, covered with lace, pearls and strips of satin running along the tiny edges. They were frilly, maybe more than she might have expected, but her actions spoke much louder than words as her little face lit up.
    Her bed covering was so preciously pink and I had outlined it with remnants of some of her and her sister’s dresses, making it a little more personal. The lace hung over each side giving it such a plush puffy look, and it was encircled with pearls and jewels in dazzling pinks and precious blues.
    Around the edges where she would be covering her little face was pure satin strips that would feel so soft and sleek against her. Grayson also had his own surprises for both girls and he went to the barn and brought back two beautiful handmade cedar chests that he had made himself.
    He had carved their names into the lid so carefully and carved pictures as well on the front of each one. On the outside of Mattie’s he had drawn a picture of Mattie with her golden locks falling all around her face and he transferred it to the cedar chest. It was so lovely and I was so proud of Grayson for his hard work.
    Meredith’s was a beautiful cedar chest and he had left it original and stained it. On the outside of hers was a beautiful young girl, holding an umbrella fully opened. It was precious and she was so happy when she too saw what her daddy had been working on so hard.
    He made me one as well and as he led me into my bedroom, he presented me with a solid oak chest, representing my favorite oak tree and on the lid he had inscribed ‘Brooklyn’s Bridges at Loves’ Landing’.
    He and I both knew exactly what he meant by the many bridges I had to cross as I worked with the girls. He whispered into my ear and said, “With each bridge passed, you can add a memory in this chest to mark how far you have come.”
    It was stunning and the oak was so smooth. What a wonderful idea for the words inscribed on top of the lid and I kindly ran over to him, giving him the first hug since that day that Bailey brought me into their home. It was a blessed day at the Love home and we still had a surprise for Grayson that he knew nothing about.
    The girls squirmed with delight as they waited patiently for me to give them the permission to run and fetch what we had for their father. As Grayson stood there looking at me as we stood alone in my bedroom, it was the first time that we took that long of a look at each other and he walked over towards me and reached out his arm and took my hand in his.
    I stood with my hand encircled with his and it felt so warm to be touched by someone again. He had just leaned over and was about to kiss my cheek when Mattie came running into the room, so he pulled back with surprise. To his amazement, the girls lifted from behind their backs what they had toiled away at for a couple months.
    His eyes closed waiting to hear “Open your eyes daddy”, and he managed to sneak a peek at me and I winked at him assuring him that he would like what it was. Meredith carefully handed it to Mattie and she lifted it in the air as far as she could, which