the last time.
“Forever,” the word fell from his lips now. He would love her forever.
Suddenly, an image of Jillian’s face flashed before his eyes. Had he found her? A woman who could cause his heart to open again—a woman other than Laurellyn that could find residence there?
He ran his fingers through his hair again. He’d stated plainly to Jillian in his letters that he was not looking for love. He chose to advertise for a wife in the first place because he wasn’t interested in an emotional or physical relationship. That’s why, he presumed, she had chosen him also. He pondered on that for a moment.
Why this woman had chosen this path for herself was still a mystery to him. Jillian had never been married. What terrible tragedy had she endured that had made her give up on finding love so young? He knew she was a woman with a great capacity to love. She had taken to his children as if they were her own, almost like she had been waiting for them and finally had them at last. Lisa called her “Ma” right off, and he could see the smile in Jillian’s eyes every time she heard it. Brenn didn’t say much yet, but he had accepted her immediately and always wanted to be in her arms. Jenny stayed out of the way—either in her room, or out visiting her mother’s grave. He could tell when she’d been there by little evidences such as a small bunch of flowers or some little treasure she would find on her way there. Sometimes it was something as simple as an unusually colored stone or a feather she might have found tangled in a bush.
Dalton sighed deeply. Jenny was still hardly speaking to either Jillian or him. Sometimes she would communicate her needs or wants through Lisa. She avoided looking into his eyes at all costs. When, by chance, he was able to catch a glance, his heart always sank at her solemn and lost look.
Jillian always included Jenny and treated her with the same love and kindness as she did the younger children, even though Jenny made it a point to let her know she was still not welcome. In this past week, though, he thought he’d seen her soften somewhat, and it gave him hope.
This slight change started around the time Jillian began working in Laurellyn’s flower garden. He was actually quite surprised that Jillian’s actions were having such a positive effect. Dalton had assumed Jenny would see it as an intrusion and use it to fuel her resentment. Instead, Jenny found a hidden place to sit and watch her new mother as she worked.
Jillian was diligent, and it wasn’t long before the garden began to resemble what it had once been at the hands of Laurellyn. Watching its transformation had actually been a shock to him, however, and it had caused him to remember the day he had presented the garden as his wedding gift to Laurellyn.
“Okay now,” Dalton whispered in his new wife’s ear as he led her from the wagon with his hands over her eyes. “Don’t open them until I say.” It was hard to walk and cover her eyes at the same time, but he insisted. He was excited. He knew his gift would be perfect. He led her to the front of the house and then turned her away from it, so she was facing him, not the house. “Now, keep your eyes shut for a minute while I take my hands away.”
“But Dalton,” Laurellyn protested, but she wore a smile on her face, so he knew she was having fun.
“Just a minute more, now, don’t peek!” He took his hands away from her eyes and waved his right hand in front of her to see if she was cheating. Satisfied she wasn’t, he walked over to the porch and retrieved a large bouquet of wildflowers he had left there in a jar earlier. He came back around and stood in front of her holding the wildflowers against his chest. With a big grin, he announced, “Okay.”
Laurellyn opened her eyes and smiled up at him. “Oh, Dalton, they’re beautiful. I love them!” As he handed the bouquet to her, she lifted it to her face and inhaled the blossoms’
“Forever,” the word fell from his lips now. He would love her forever.
Suddenly, an image of Jillian’s face flashed before his eyes. Had he found her? A woman who could cause his heart to open again—a woman other than Laurellyn that could find residence there?
He ran his fingers through his hair again. He’d stated plainly to Jillian in his letters that he was not looking for love. He chose to advertise for a wife in the first place because he wasn’t interested in an emotional or physical relationship. That’s why, he presumed, she had chosen him also. He pondered on that for a moment.
Why this woman had chosen this path for herself was still a mystery to him. Jillian had never been married. What terrible tragedy had she endured that had made her give up on finding love so young? He knew she was a woman with a great capacity to love. She had taken to his children as if they were her own, almost like she had been waiting for them and finally had them at last. Lisa called her “Ma” right off, and he could see the smile in Jillian’s eyes every time she heard it. Brenn didn’t say much yet, but he had accepted her immediately and always wanted to be in her arms. Jenny stayed out of the way—either in her room, or out visiting her mother’s grave. He could tell when she’d been there by little evidences such as a small bunch of flowers or some little treasure she would find on her way there. Sometimes it was something as simple as an unusually colored stone or a feather she might have found tangled in a bush.
Dalton sighed deeply. Jenny was still hardly speaking to either Jillian or him. Sometimes she would communicate her needs or wants through Lisa. She avoided looking into his eyes at all costs. When, by chance, he was able to catch a glance, his heart always sank at her solemn and lost look.
Jillian always included Jenny and treated her with the same love and kindness as she did the younger children, even though Jenny made it a point to let her know she was still not welcome. In this past week, though, he thought he’d seen her soften somewhat, and it gave him hope.
This slight change started around the time Jillian began working in Laurellyn’s flower garden. He was actually quite surprised that Jillian’s actions were having such a positive effect. Dalton had assumed Jenny would see it as an intrusion and use it to fuel her resentment. Instead, Jenny found a hidden place to sit and watch her new mother as she worked.
Jillian was diligent, and it wasn’t long before the garden began to resemble what it had once been at the hands of Laurellyn. Watching its transformation had actually been a shock to him, however, and it had caused him to remember the day he had presented the garden as his wedding gift to Laurellyn.
“Okay now,” Dalton whispered in his new wife’s ear as he led her from the wagon with his hands over her eyes. “Don’t open them until I say.” It was hard to walk and cover her eyes at the same time, but he insisted. He was excited. He knew his gift would be perfect. He led her to the front of the house and then turned her away from it, so she was facing him, not the house. “Now, keep your eyes shut for a minute while I take my hands away.”
“But Dalton,” Laurellyn protested, but she wore a smile on her face, so he knew she was having fun.
“Just a minute more, now, don’t peek!” He took his hands away from her eyes and waved his right hand in front of her to see if she was cheating. Satisfied she wasn’t, he walked over to the porch and retrieved a large bouquet of wildflowers he had left there in a jar earlier. He came back around and stood in front of her holding the wildflowers against his chest. With a big grin, he announced, “Okay.”
Laurellyn opened her eyes and smiled up at him. “Oh, Dalton, they’re beautiful. I love them!” As he handed the bouquet to her, she lifted it to her face and inhaled the blossoms’
Similar Books
