Emma's Dream

by M. Lee Prescott

Maggie nuzzled his neck, not caring about the thick layer of trail grit and sweat that covered his skin.

  Later, all four of them sat in the shade and sipped cold beers, laughing as Ben and Harley recounted highlights of the week’s trip. None of the group had ever ridden a horse. Apparently, matinee cowboy Boyd used a stunt double in all his Westerns, and Julie discovered on day one that she was allergic to horses. She hated practically everything about the trip, including most of the food. On day five, Boyd had fallen off his horse and twisted his ankle. He insisted his leg was broken, so they had splinted it, but Harley said he’d bet a month’s wages it was nothing but a slight sprain. On the way back, Julie’s horse had veered sharply, and she had slipped off into a minor stream. “Funniest damn thing you ever saw,” Harley said, grabbing another beer. “Would’ve left her there if we could, she was screamin’ so hard. That’s when Mr. Morgan had to step in and fire my ass.”

  Later, after the horses had been cooled down, fed, and watered, Harley and Jeb headed home. “I’ve gotta go, too,” Maggie said as she and Ben walked arm in arm toward their vehicles. “Dad’s got something tonight, so I’ve gotta get back and relieve him.”

  “I wish I could come take you to dinner, but I fear I’ll be tied up with this lot today and tomorrow until we can get rid of them.”

  “No problem. I’m beat. Ben, are you free Monday morning?”

  “Far as I know. Why?”

  “Dr. Heavers wants to see Emma and us.”

  “For?”

  “A checkup, I guess. If you’re busy, that’s okay, but I’d like it if you could—”

  “Of course, sweetheart. I’ll pick you up. What time?”

  Maggie reached up, her arms circling his neck as she kissed him, loving his scent, trail sweat and all. “Nine, okay?”

  He nodded.

  “It’s good to have you home.”

  * * *

  Chapter 61

  Monday morning, there was bumper-to-bumper traffic on their way into Tucson. They had lots of opportunity to talk about Maggie’s upcoming trip. Ben assured her that he between himself, Ned, and the team, Emma would be well taken care of. Maggie was sick with worry, but she had agreed to go, so she was going.

  Dr. Heavers and Rose spent a great deal of time with Emma, talking with her, moving her legs, and testing reflexes and muscle tone. Ben and Maggie observed quietly as their brave little girl endured yet another round of poking, prodding, and sometimes painful manipulations. Afterward, they returned to Dr. Heavers’s office and Sadie appeared, no longer pregnant but still plump with baby weight.

  “Hi, Emma. How are you? Wanta go to the cafeteria for ice cream?” Emma nodded, and off they went.

  Once the door closed, Dr. Heavers turned to Maggie and Ben, who sat side by side, holding hands on the love seat opposite him.

  “Folks, thanks for coming on such short notice. I have to be back east for the next few months, maybe longer, so I wanted to check on Emma before I took off.”

  “No problem,” Ben said. “How’s she doing?”

  “Everything looks good. Her spine has healed. The MRIs she had two weeks ago show no lesions, no breaks. The surgery was successful.”

  “But, she’s not going to walk, is she?” Maggie asked quietly.

  Dr. Heavers’s eyes met hers, and he paused before replying. “I honestly don’t know, my dear. All indications say she should be capable of walking, but she has not made the progress I would have hoped. One never knows what the future will hold, but it would be my recommendation to scale back her therapy to twice a week and let her return to school and her normal activities.”

  “Won’t that hinder her progress?” Ben asked.

  “No, at this point, I don’t believe so. In fact, it will be good for Emma to rejoin her friends and get back into life away from the clinic.”

  They talked for a while longer. Then Ben and Maggie rose. They could hear Emma in the hallway, so Maggie went out to her and left Ben with Dr. Heavers and Rose, who had said little throughout their conversation.

  He turned back to Dr. Heavers. “One question, Doctor. Emma really wants to ride. Months ago I had a special saddle made for her, but wanted to make sure it would be safe. Would it be dangerous for her spine?”

  “At this point, the spine is healed. It’s the nerves that need to get with the program, and they are not cooperating. So, no, it would not be dangerous—unless, of course, she falls off. The stimulation might actually be good for her recovery.”

  They said their good-byes, and Rose walked them out. As they stood in the parking lot, she looked sad. “Everything okay?” Ben asked as Maggie got Emma into her car seat.

  “He’s dying. He’s going east for treatment, but there’s not much hope. Pancreatic cancer, very advanced. I’m not sure he’ll be back at all.”

  Ben embraced his friend. “So sorry, Rosie.”

  Maggie had heard Rose’s words and came around to hug her, too. “If there’s anything we can do, please let us know.” Her words sounded hollow and useless, but she didn’t know what else to say.

  * * *

  Chapter 62

  Maggie’s teary departure over, she was immersed in the work at Nogales, overwhelmed by the situation at the Children’s Center. During the day, she and Jeb ran the mustang training, but every evening they headed to the center to assist with the kids’ meals, baths, and bedtime. Some of the unaccompanied children were as young as four, alone or with an eight-or nine-year-old sibling to watch over them. One week stretched into two. Then, after much hand-wringing and many phone calls back and forth, they decided to stay on for a third week. Ben had given Emma a temporary cell phone, which the child kept in a tiny purse that was never far from her. Mother and daughter talked two or three times a day, Emma always full of chatter about her day’s activities.

  “If she wasn’t so flippin’ happy, I’d be out of here like a shot,” Maggie told Jeb, but Emma was happy with the large extended family they had never had, so the decision to stay longer was easier.

  Ben spent every evening with Emma and Ned, and many days, as well. The stables were quiet, and it was off-season at the Lodge. Two local teenagers were helping Harley with chores so Ben could spend time with his daughter. Every afternoon, he lifted Emma onto Sunny and strapped her into the special saddle. Like the slide months earlier, the first time she had been terrified, but then she took to riding like a duck to water.

  One warm afternoon as Ben led her around the corral, she spied his best friend. “Look at me, Harley! Look at me!”

  “You look pretty great up there, precious,” he called, smiling at his friend, who gazed proudly at his beautiful child. When Emma was astride a horse, one could almost forget about her disability.

  Ben turned and winked at his friend. “She does look great, doesn’t she? Think her mom’ll kill me when she gets back?”

  “You haven’t told her about this?”

  Ben shook his head and gave Sunny freer rein as Emma circled them.

  Harley whistled. “Good luck with that, buddy. Then again, once she sees Em so happy up there, she probably won’t kill you.”

  “Hope so,” Ben said, not wanting to risk Maggie pulling away from him again. He missed her so much and it had only been two weeks. Now they were stretching it to three, maybe even a fourth week.

  “Gotta take off, guys. See you tomorrow.” Harley waved and disappeared into the barn.

  Emma circled a few more times as Ben marveled at how comfortable she was in the saddle. “What do you say, Peanut? Ready to call it a night? I was thinking pizza. Or we can call your grandpa and meet up at Gracie’s.”

  “Okay, Daddy!”

  The child’s intense brown eyes stared at him, waiting for his reaction.

  Dumbfounded, Ben stared at her. “You know?”

  Sunny approached and Emma smiled shyly. “When I waked up, I heard you.”

  “You mean you’ve really known all this time?”

  She nodded. “Are you mad at me?
”

  “Mad?” He unstrapped her and hugged her tiny body to his. “Not on your life, Sweet Pea. I’ve never been happier in my life to hear you say ‘Daddy’ and to be your daddy.”

  She nestled into his arms and sighed.

  “Does your mom know?” She shook her head. “Only Grandpa. I told him, but we decided to keep it a secret.”

  “Why?”

  She shrugged.

  “You little stinker,” he said, tickling her as she howled with laughter. “Won’t Mom be surprised when she hears. Shall we wait and tell her together?” Emma nodded. “We’ll have lots of surprises, won’t we? Wait’ll she sees you riding Sunny.”

  They had already agreed to surprise Maggie with the riding. Ned had gone along with it. Ben had another surprise, as well, but was keeping that one from both mother and daughter.

  * * *

  Chapter 63

  Finally, the day came when Maggie and Jeb packed up to head home. It had been an exhausting stretch of round-the-clock work. Both were eager to get home, but they hated to leave the children. The center was so short-staffed, but the feds were sending social services personnel from all over the country within the week, so perhaps things would begin to ease.

  Jeb had driven them down in his jeep. As he let Maggie off at home, they hugged.

  “Take the day off tomorrow, Jeb. You’ve earned it.”

  “You, too, Boss. Take care.”

  As Maggie hoisted her bags on her shoulder, the door burst open and Ned, with Emma in his arms, headed down the steps to greet her. “Hey, stranger,” he called as Maggie dropped her bags and scooped Emma into her arms.

  Maggie looked past her dad toward the house. Ned followed her gaze. “He’s not here, sweetheart. He wanted to be here but got called away.”

  Maggie shrugged. “Humph, don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Mommy, Ben’s picking us up in the morning! We’re going on an adventure!”

  “Is that so?”

  She gazed at her father, eyes questioning.

  “Don’t ask me. Those two have been thick as thieves the past week, planning something. Guess you’ll find out tomorrow.”

  “Well, right now, I’ve got you two! What’s for supper, anyway?”

  They spent a lively evening, with Emma prattling on about her school and Maggie telling them about her time in Nogales. Finally, with Emma settled into bed sleeping, she emerged to find Ned reading in his favorite chair.

  “How you holding up, Dad? You exhausted?”

  “Naw, had lots of help.”

  “Any change?”

  Knowing what she meant, Ned shook his head. “Not that I can see. Her teachers haven’t seen anything, either. Happy at school, though. Some cute new kids and therapy goin’ okay.”

  “Well, that’s what’s important,” she said, bending to kiss his check. “Night, Dad.”

  As Maggie turned to head to bed, her cell phone rang. It was Ben.

  “Hey, sweetheart, you home safe?”

  “Yup.”

  “Sorry I couldn’t be there. Had to go to out of town. Am just coming over the pass now.”

  They had spoken several times a day while Maggie was in Nogales, and Ben had never mentioned having to go away. “Oh?”

  “Business. Will tell you about it tomorrow. Did Em tell you about our adventure?”

  “She did. Do I get to know what it is about?”

  “Nope, it’s a surprise. Pick you up around eleven. Is that okay?”

  “What about work? I’m sure Harley’s chomping at the bit to have us back on the job.”

  “He’s fine. The local kids are still there. You are both ordered to take tomorrow off.”

  “Well, then, I guess I’d better follow orders. Ben, there’s so much I want to say to you, to tell you. In between the long days and nights, I’ve done a lot of thinking.”

  “Me, too. Tomorrow, sweetheart. I love you. See you at eleven.”

  “Is this a fancy adventure?”

  “No, jeans are fine. Have a good night.”

  He hung up before Maggie could tell him she loved him, tell him how foolish she had been and how much she didn’t want to spend another day away from him, ever. How much she wanted them to be a family, how much she wanted to say yes and throw her arms around him and never let go.

  * * *

  Chapter 64

  It was a beautiful fall day. The sun was out, the air crisp and cooler, the skies blue and cloudless. Ben appeared at eleven on the dot and strapped Emma into her car seat, a permanent one he had purchased for the Rover. “Ladies, are we ready?”

  Emma giggled and returned his wink as he strapped her in.

  “Whatever you two are up to, it’d better be good,” Maggie said as she waved to her dad.

  “Have a great time,” Ned called, smiling at the little family as they drove away.Whatever Ben Morgan was up to, Ned Williams was pretty sure it would make both his precious girls happy. His respect for Ben had grown over the past several weeks as he watched the loving care he gave to Emma. He trusted the man and liked him. He was good for his daughter and granddaughter.

  Maggie was in jeans and a light coral sweater. The white V-neck tank under it hugged her curves and the neckline plunged, revealing the swell of her breasts. Dara would call it a ‘boob shirt,’ and Maggie had chosen it because it made her feel wanton and sexy. Ben’s expression and roving eyes when she had opened the door told her she had made the impression she wanted. He looked as if he wanted to devour her on the spot.

  As she slid into the Rover, she spied a picnic basket, no doubt packed full of Carmela’s delicious food. She smiled, looking ahead to a relaxed day with the two people she loved most in the world. Emma giggled in the backseat and Ben said little, aside from asking her about Nogales and her time there. It was small talk since he’d heard most of it before, just a way to pass the time until they reached their destination.

  When he turned into the ranch, she assumed they were headed for the old farmhouse, a perfect spot for a picnic. As they started down the side road leading to the farmhouse, Maggie noticed that the road had been widened and graded, and the brush cut back. There appeared to be cleared land ahead that she did not remember from their last trip. As he turned the corner and pointed the Rover up hill, she gasped at the sight ahead of them.

  There was the farmhouse, newly sided and painted. New windows now replaced the old, and additions on both sides stretched out, crab-like, to hug the hillside as if they had always been there. A brand-new barn stood to the left with a rustic-looking two-car garage beside it. White rockers lined the rebuilt front porch, and a russet front door stood ajar, inviting them in. Flowers bloomed in newly planted gardens on either side of the porch.

  Speechless, Maggie stared straight ahead at the most beautiful house she had ever seen.

  “So? What do you think?”

  “Oh, Ben, it’s beautiful. How did you? When did you?”

  “Sam designed it. We began work right after Emma’s surgery. Took some doing and lots of overtime, but the crew outdid themselves.”

  He carried Emma to the porch, where a wheelchair waited, and she scooted in, every floor surface ramped and wheelchair-accessible. Maggie followed. He took her hand and led her inside. Every room was beautifully furnished, the walls painted soft, muted colors of the desert and fields. The kitchen was state-of-the-art yet designed to look old, in keeping with the rustic farmhouse.

  “Look, Mommy,” Emma called from the end of the hall. “Come see. This is my room! Daddy says I can decorate it any way I want!”

  “Daddy?” Maggie turned to him, tears in her eyes.

  “She’s known since after her operation. I was talking to her, thinking she was asleep, telling her how much I loved being her daddy, and she heard every word. She told me a couple of weeks ago.”

  “Oh, Ben, this is too much to take in.”

  “I left Emma’s room and the master bedroom empty so you could decide what you wanted, bu
t you can change the whole house if you want, get rid of this furniture, and we’ll choose things together that you like. I brought a few things from Santa Barbara, too, but if you don’t like ‘em, they can disappear.

  “But, my darling, I’m getting way ahead of myself. Em, can you give us a minute?”

  Emma wheeled past them and headed for the front porch. Ben led Maggie to the back of the house and out the back door where a small stone terrace and garden area had been added. He pulled her to a stone bench, then knelt beside her. “I love you, Maggie Williams. I’ve tried to show you in every way I know just how much I love you. Please make me the happiest man alive and say you’ll marry me. If you don’t like it here, I’ll go anywhere as long as I’m with you and Emma.

  “I know I’m not always the easiest person. I’m not proud of all of my past exploits either, but I know that I cannot live my life without you. What can I do to convince you, my love?”

  “You can stop talking, for one thing.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Yes, stop talking?”

  “No, just yes. I’ll marry you. I love you, Ben Morgan, and know I cannot live without you, either. That’s what I wanted to tell you last night, but you made me wait. And yes to this house. It’s absolutely perfect. What you’ve done so far is lovely, and I’ll have fun choosing the rest with you.”

  “You said yes! Emma, she said yes!”

  He picked her up and twirled her in his arms as Emma looked out from the back door.

  “Told you she would, Daddy!”

  The three of them twirled together through every room in their beautiful new home.

  * * *

  Chapter 65

  Sated after one of Carmela’s delicious picnic lunches, they lay, all three, on a quilt spread over the grass near the house, the valley and mountains stretched before them. Finally Maggie sat up and smiled at both of them, love shining in her deep azure eyes. “Thank you both for an absolutely perfect day.”