Daisy screamed and ran from Jorge’s falling body into Henry’s arms. Her mind was swarming, and she had to get out everything. “I told Rhett to let me out of the wagon. I wanted to come back to you. But then… They grabbed me. They…” Daisy trailed off into loud sob.
Henry held her close to him. Daisy rested her head on his bare chest. He shushed her. “It’s okay.”
“I don’t care about the money. I don’t care if we don’t have any. Please. You don’t have to do this again for me… or anyone.”
Henry felt something unfurl in his chest. The constant demand to be a bandit, an intrepid desperado, a feared outlaw, all roles that rooted in violence and aggression, wore heavy on Henry. Since his days as a fierce soldier, all Henry wanted to do was live a peaceful life. Dinah marveled at the bandit lifestyle, the rush and adrenaline of taking. She pushed that on Henry. He accepted her prodding to please her. Daisy had no demands on him. She could be happy if Henry was who he wanted to be.
Henry kissed Daisy quieting her. “It’s okay. I won’t ever do it again,” he said, and he truly meant it. He led her back inside. They found Silas, Sally, and the girls huddled near the back door.
“We were on our way out,” Silas said. “But, then we heard the shots.”
Lilah and Tallulah ran up to Henry and Daisy, tears streaking their small faces. “Papa, who were those men?” Lilah cried.
“We thought you left us!” Tallulah whimpered to Daisy.
“I’m not leaving you. I’m staying right here,” Daisy assured her.
“It’s okay now. Nothing to worry about now,” Henry soothed her. To Silas he said, “Go get the Judge and the Sherriff. Pretty sure those boys outside are wanted men.”
Silas nodded and headed out. “I’ll go with you!” Sally said to him not wanting him to leave her side. Silas stopped and turned back to her. He held out his hand. Sally took it with a firm hand. Silas smiled as he led her outside.
Silas mounted his horse and helped Sally climb up behind him. She clasped her hands around his solid waist. “Life out here isn’t usually so eventful. I’m afraid that this isn’t very romantic either.” Silas said.
Sally held onto him firmly. “This is the most romantic day of my life.”
“Really?” Silas asked.
Sally nodded. “Arriving to meet the man of my dreams before a shoot-out between outlaws. It’s the most romantic Wild West story ever.” She laughed, her eyes mischievous with mirth.
The Sherriff and Judge came to Henry’s and identified the bodies of the men, Jorge and Jose Espinosa.
“Nice work,” Judge Conner said.
“Do you know that these brothers were wanted in four states: California, Nevada, Colorado, and Montana?” the sheriff asked. “You’re in for a handsome reward.”
The sheriff and Judge asked Henry no further questions because the severity of the brothers’ brutal crimes outweighed anything that Henry had ever done. Both the sheriff and judge felt it was better to not know in what capacity Henry had known the Espinosa Brothers. Henry was lauded a hero for taking down the brothers.
Later that night, Sally and Silas laid together on Silas’s bed. She allowed Silas to slowly undress her. Sally, so used to ripping clothes off and getting to the dirty bits of sex, let Silas take his time with her. She pressed her hands into his muscled back as they kissed. Silas kissed Sally all over her body and found that charming freckles on her nose where also dotted sparingly on her chest and stomach. He covered the freckled with light kisses.
He made his way down to her soft lips that were covered with red fiery hair. His tongue nestled between her hot slit and licked. Sally writhed with the touch of his wet tongue. Silas sucked her hardened nub making Sally moan intensely. She squirted her juice out between her legs. Silas licked up her liquid.
Sally’s passion took over. She pushed Silas’s face from between her legs. “Lie down,” she ordered. Silas did as he was told. Sally climbed on top of him grabbing his thick cock with her hands. She rubbed the tip on her wet slit teasing Silas. Then she plunged down on top of him with force.
Silas moaned, “It’s so wet.”
“You made me wet,” Sally hissed with pleasure.
She shimmied herself up making Silas’s cock almost slip out before slamming back down on him. Sally rotated her hips in a delicious motion hitting that beautiful spot inside her. When she felt she would burst, she slammed down harder on Silas until she came with violent force. Silas watched as Sally came; a look of delicate bliss flooding her face.
Before Silas knew what was happening, Sally was off of him and throwing his giant cock down her throat. She gagged at his length and girth but persisted in her deep throat ministrations. Silas squirmed and tensed as Sally sucked his cock. Then, he blew his load right down Sally’s throat. He felt his entire body empty into her mouth. Sally swallowed Silas’s cum savoring every drop.
Sally collapsed into Silas’s arms and kissed his neck. Their lovemaking satisfied her. The nagging urge to stuff herself with more cocks was absent. She felt happily spent after just Silas and she drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 20
A woman with long blonde hair arrived at the ranch. Her face looked ghostly and ashen. She seemed to be floating about with a blankness in her eyes. She stopped in front of the house quietly thinking about the life she once had there.
Daisy was on the porch mending one of Henry's shirts, but she had fallen asleep. She was in her first trimester of pregnancy. She was constantly exhausted and fighting to keep her eyes open. When the woman ascended the steps quietly, her steps were so quiet that Daisy didn't stir. The woman looked at her successor with gratefulness. This was the woman that accomplished what she couldn’t. She was immensely grateful.
“Bonjour. Bonne après-midi,” Dinah said. Dinah spoke louder, “Bonjour!”
Daisy startled awake. Heavens! I didn't know anyone was here!" She smoothed down her hair and collected herself readjusting her back on the cushions of the chair.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," the woman said. The woman only made brief eye contact before fixing her gaze to the ground.
"That's all right. Can I help you?" Daisy asked trying to shake her exhaustion off. She was unfathomably tired.
"I'm Dinah. I wanted to meet you and thank you," the woman answered. Daisy examined the woman closely. She was the woman in the photograph in the girls' trunk, but her dress was disheveled and her eyes were blank and empty. It was most definitely her, but then it wasn’t her in some intangible way that Daisy couldn’t quite put her finger on.
Daisy stood. "Dinah." Daisy said her name in confirmation and because she was unsure what she should say. She was uncertain what Dinah wanted and why she was here after so long.
"I'm going to be leaving for a long while indefinitely," Dinah uttered not looking at Daisy.
The front door opened and Henry appeared on the porch walking out steadily. He said, "You've been gone already for a long time, Dinah."
Dinah cut her eyes to Henry quickly. "Henry.” She paused on his name before continuing, “Yes, I have, but I am going to an asylum." Dinah's eyes fell to Daisy's feet. "I tried to run, you see. I left France to get away from it." She opened the palm of her hand and then thwacked the side of her head softly. "But, I can't outrun it, myself. It's here no matter what I do or where I go."
Dinah turned to go but angled her head to Daisy without looking at her. "I want to thank you for taking care of my girls when I could not."
Daisy answered, "They are wonderful children. They look just like you.”
Dinah self-consciously ran a hand through her loose hair. "Thank you.”
Daisy added, “I’m not taking your place, Dinah. Your girls love you."
“Thank you,” Dinah said again as she walked down the steps.
"Say goodbye to them," Henry said with wet eyes.
"I can't," Dinah turned back around and said quietly looking at the father of her children. “I’m so sorry, Henry. I’m sor
ry for everything.”
Dinah continued to walk away. Henry hesitates, but then said, "Say goodbye to them please. Let them know that you are at least okay. Please," Henry pleaded. “It would be good for them so see you. They have missed you, Dinah. You left without saying anything to them. It’s been hard on them. They have waited for you every single day to come back. You have to let them know where you are going and why.” Dinah couldn’t keep listening. She kept walking.
Henry called out to her, “You owe them that. They are your daughters. They love you. You left, and they’ve been hurt ever since. They think it’s something they’ve done!”
Dinah turned to look at Henry. She clenched her jaw. Finally, looking resigned, she said, "D’accord. Okay."
Henry called for the girls who were in the stables with Silas. "Lilah! Tallulah!" The girls emerged from the stables and saw their mother.
The two girls both broke out in a sprint towards their mother. Dinah descended down the steps and ran to them. They crashed into an embrace, the three of them all in tears.
"Mama, we missed you so," Tallulah said.
“I’ve missed you girls so much,” Dinah sobbed.
"Where have you been, Mama?" Lilah cried.
Daisy and Henry looked on at the mother and daughters. Henry saw the woman he once loved, the mother of his children, finally coming to terms with her illness. Likewise, Daisy saw a woman who loved her children so much she committed to facing her inner demons because of that love. Daisy patted her belly thinking of her own child. She was a stepmother, but soon she would be a mother. Her belly was not yet fully swollen and round, but she felt her child inside her and couldn't ever imagine being away from him as Dinah had done out of necessity, fear, or love. The reasons for Dinah's long disappearance was varied and complex that even Dinah herself could not come up with a plausible reason aside from her mind was cracking around its edges making it difficult to stay grounded in her daughters’ lives.
"I've been away," Dinah said.
“Are you back?” Lilah asked. “Are you staying?”
“No. I'm going away again, but I’m not sure when I’ll be back.”
The girls cried, “No! Please!”
“I have to go because I'm sick,” Dinah explained.
“Are you sick with a cold?” Tallulah asked.
“No. My mind is sick. I need help,” Dinah replied.
Tallulah kissed her mother's forehead. "A boo boo?"
Dinah touched her forehead where her daughter had kissed her. "Yes. Kind of like a boo boo."
The girls hugged their mother fiercer. Their little limbs squeezing tightly. “We missed you so much,” Lilah said. “We will be better. We will be so so good if you stay.”
“This has nothing to do with you,” Dinah assured her.
“Papa? Is it Papa?” Lilah probed.
“No. It has nothing to do with your papa. Your papa is a wonderful father. He has done so much for us. This is me. I have to get better.” The girls wailed with sadness; their hopes that their mother was finally home were crushed.
“I'm sorry for everything, my sweet girls. I'm sorry I couldn't be here for you. I love you both with all my heart.”
“I love you, Mama,” Lilah and Tallulah cried.
Dinah stood tearing herself away from her daughters. She remembered when she left for good long ago. She slipped out without seeing them to avoid the heartbreak of watching their faces as she went away. She was a coward to leave without confronting them. She realized how hurt they must have felt all this time without an explanation.
"Will you be back?" Lilah said urgently.
Dinah looked at her eldest daughter and said, "Yes. When I am better, I will be back."
Dinah mounted her horse and rode away. Henry and Daisy walked to the girls and held them as they all watched Dinah ride away. In her heart, she hoped Dinah would get better and would be back. They could all be a family: Daisy, Henry, Lilah, Tallulah, Silas, Sally, and Dinah. It was unconventional, but everything about Daisy’s life she found out West was.
Later when the girls were asleep, Henry and Daisy made love tenderly. Daisy laid on her side as Henry spooned her from behind. Naked, Henry found Daisy lovely. Her breasts swelled slightly from the pregnancy. He gently caressed Daisy’s rounded belly while kissing the back of her neck.
“Thank you,” Henry whispered into her hear.
“For what?” Daisy whispered back.
“For loving me and my family.” Henry said. He entered her cupping her breasts with his hands. Daisy gasped softly enjoying his tight entrance. She turned her head to face him. They looked into each other’s eyes as they pressed into each other. Henry reached for her mouth with his. They kissed eyes closed and mesmerized with the love for one another growing and taking form. The felt their emotions strongly holding onto each other tightly and pushing into each other’s bodies forming into one breathing entity.
Daisy shuddered with pleasure. Her body trembled with such passion. Tears sprung to her eyes. She cried out of happiness. Henry groaned and deposited his warm liquid inside her. He buried his head into Daisy’s shoulder crying into her hair. He loved this woman and would do anything for her. He learned from his mistakes with Dinah and vowed to not make the same ones with Daisy.
Epilogue
Life on the ranch slowed down considerably. Sally and Silas took up with one another quickly. While Silas claimed it was love at first sight, Sally persisted that she fell in love with him even before she’d laid eyes on him. When she read the words he wrote to Beechtree, that was the moment she fell in love.
Sally and Silas fit each other like jigsaw pieces. Sally was easily impressionable, feeling her emotions strongly and displaying them broadly while Silas, still quiet and reserved, was her steady rock. With the money she had saved, Sally opened a boardinghouse for women and children. It was nothing like Beechtree’s. Sally was conscious to not run her establishment in any way similar. The boardinghouse was for women who came out West to find new lives for themselves and their children, a safe space for these women to find their way without the pressure to marry immediately or turn to working in a brothel.
On the first floor, Sally ran a full service restaurant for men who wanted a home cooked meal, but had not yet found a wife to supply them with that luxury. The women who stayed in the boardinghouse had the option of paying for room and board up front or working in the restaurant to pay for their stay. The set up proved to be profitable and beneficial for everyone. Single men were able to interact with these women in a casual atmosphere, which led to many courtships and subsequent marriages.
The town of Sonora was growing. There were more children living in the town now that it only made sense to build a schoolhouse. Henry donated money and built a sturdy one room schoolhouse. It made perfect sense for Silas to be the town’s schoolteacher since he was the most well read and worked brilliantly with children.
He taught his classes using techniques that differed greatly from what his teacher in Mexico had utilized. He sought to bring out each child’s individuality and independence. Classes were often held outside in nature. His students, some of whom had never been in a classroom environment before, thrived under his instruction.
Sally became pregnant with Silas’s child. He welcomed the news happily. Silas asked Sally to marry him months before, but Sally refused. He continued to ask her every single day. It became a habit of his every morning they woke together. It wasn’t until her seventh month of pregnancy when her belly ballooned in front of her, did she finally agree.
“Will you marry me, my sweet Sally?” Silas whispered in her ear while she laid in his arms.
“Yes,” Sally murmured.
Accustomed to Sally’s habitual denial, Silas was uncertain if he’d heard her correctly. “What?”
“Yes,” Sally said turning over to face him maneuvering her large belly.
Silas jumped up on the bed screaming, “Yes! She said yes!” Sally laughed at his excitement.
The Judge married them in a ceremony similar to the one Daisy and Henry had. Sally beamed and glowed in her white lace dress while Silas stood proudly with his very pregnant wife. Their love was official. Silas’s dreams had all come true. He stopped dreaming in the past about the girl Anjelica he once knew, finally understanding the woman he was meant for was finally here.
After the dust had cleared with the Espinosa brothers, Buster and Bellamy returned to Sonora. Henry held a small memorial for Wiley at the ranch. Buster and Bellamy took Wiley’s death hard and reexamined their lives as bandits. From the money from the train and the reward money for capturing the Espinosas, Henry, Buster, and Bellamy could live normal lives. The train robbery was the heist of a lifetime. They successfully pulled it off, and if it wasn’t for the Espinosas greed, Wiley would have still been there with them.
Buster and Bellamy found two nice girls staying at Sally’s boardinghouse: Jenny and Laura. They were genteel girls like Daisy, who were looking for a calm peaceful home to build with kind men. Wiley’s death softened Buster and Bellamy. The violent turgor that ran beneath their skin quieted. They wanted simplicity just like the girls.
Rhett returned to Charleston to find his wife, Nelly pregnant. Rhett wondered how that could be possible since their lovemaking was mechanical and bland. Children can be made out of any kind of conditions: even if the parents were not particular in love with each other. Rhett was ill-prepared for the arrival of his daughter. He spent Nelly’s pregnancy in denial that he was to be a father. His lethargy grew. He roused in the evenings and caroused all night in saloons.
When Nelly gave birth to his daughter Rhett’s conviction to have very little to do with his daughter changed. He fell in love with his daughter, Celia, instantly at the sight of her little round face. The joy of his child ignited his respect for Nelly that gradually grew into love. Celia was like her mother, kind and quiet, with large blue eyes. He realized that to Nelly their pairing hadn’t been ideal for her either. Both of their parents had orchestrated their marital contract to better their own lives.
Daddy Plus One: A Single Dad Secret Baby Billionaire Romance Page 21