Last Bride, Last Man (Book Three of the Red River Valley Brides Series)

by Hestand, Rita

  "But what about the Mayor. Has he given up?"

  Jo Ella nodded. "I don't know. Maybe. I know, she was thinking of marrying him. Still, I remember our last conversation about it and Maggie's eyes didn't sparkle when she talked about him. I could tell she was bored with him even then. But you gotta admit he's not half as interesting. I mean, did you ever see Dakota?"

  "I'm not sure. I don't think I have."

  "Then you haven't, because he's gorgeous. He was tall, and muscled and tan and very quiet. The Mayor on the other hand is rather obnoxious some times. He leads a boring life here in Vada. He really should run for Congress or the Senate, not stay here in the little town. He's way too ambitious. You know he led a scouting party to find Maggie. Twice he went out himself looking for her. Naturally he didn't find a trace of her. And like I've told you before, I'm very worried about her. We don't even know if she is alive."

  "Oh God, I hadn't thought of that." Nadine's eyes widened. "I mean, I had, but I just wouldn't believe something that bad."

  "I really thought we'd have heard something from her by now."

  Nadine laid a hand on Jo Ella's arm. "Maggie is strong, she can take care of herself. And who knows, Jo Ella, if it is real love, I wish her luck. Besides, maybe she has nothing to write on. I mean…they're Indians, right?"

  They both chuckled for a moment.

  "So tell me…how are you and Gabe doing now?" Jo Ella asked lifting her chin and smiling.

  "We're good. Very good. Gabe has been making baby furniture. He built a crib, and he's making a little chest to put the baby's clothes in. He's so excited."

  "And you?"

  "I'm excited too." Nadine answered stiffly.

  "I detect something in that statement. What's wrong?"

  Nadine ran her finger over the rim of her coffee cup. She did it several times. Jo Ella noticed.

  "I'm worried…about losing it." She cried.

  "Oh Nadine…" Jo Ella stood up and grabbed Nadine's shoulders and hugged her. "Don't do this. Every baby is different, and there is no Martina this time. Martina was your problem, not you, or Gabe. You've got a good husband, a strong man. And soon you are gonna fill that new house with lots of children and you'll wonder why you ever worried." Jo Ella assured her.

  "I know…I keep telling myself that, but then memories flood my head and I worry." Nadine admitted.

  "You are worrying about something that is past. This baby is your future. Think about how far we've come since Al's saloon. Look how we've changed. We aren't the same women. You've been through a lot, but the worst is behind you. I just know it. Please, promise me, you won't worry about that baby. You can't be happy if you live in the past."

  "I've reasoned all of that in my head a million times, but it still happens. Gabe is so good to me. He does everything he can to make me happy. And I am…but I'm just worried."

  "I suppose some of that is natural, but it's up to you to change it, Nadine. No one can do that for you. Concentrate on having a happy home." Jo Ella encouraged.

  "I'll try." Nadine finished her coffee. "Oh, I hear Gabe outside, I better go. It's been good talking to you and I will work on it. I promise."

  "Good. It was good seeing you. Oh, and before I forget I got a letter from Trish."

  "Where is she?"

  "San Antonio. She plans to visit soon. I told her to write and let me know when so we can all be here. All but Maggie I suppose."

  "Great, let me know. It will be wonderful to see her again. I've been worried about her too." Nadine said putting her bonnet on before she went out the back door to where Gabe had the buggy.

  "It will be fun…" Jo Ella smiled.

  ~*~

  Gabe helped her up in the wagon and they drove off for home. Nadine was quiet and he looked over at her.

  "Something wrong, honey?"

  "No…it was a nice visit. Trish might come back for a visit."

  "Trish, now which one was she?"

  "You know the pretty red head. I think you met her once." Nadine said grabbing at her stomach.

  "The bumps in the road bothering you?" He asked.

  "No, the baby's doing a lot of kicking around." Nadine chuckled.

  He stopped the wagon and reached his hand over. "Let me feel."

  His hand lay a long time on her belly. When he felt the strong kick he looked wide-eyed at her. "He can kick."

  "You think it's a boy?" She asked almost sadly.

  Knowing how she was thinking he shrugged. "It could be a little girl. But if it is, she's got her mother's spirit." He smiled at her and kissed her. "And I'm sure I'll spoil her rotten."

  "I don't think so?"

  "I know so. I wouldn't mind a little girl. I can see her pigtails now, bouncing in the wind as she tried to keep up with my big steps. I bet she'd follow me everywhere."

  "I know she would." Nadine stared at him. "I never once considered it being a girl."

  "Well, she'd be a lot of company. You could teach her to be a great cook, and how to sew and I could teach her how to pull corn, or cotton. Whatever we plant."

  Gabe drove the wagon on home.

  But they weren't expecting the basket on their porch as they pulled up.

  "Someone must have come to visit, Gabe said as he helped Nadine down.

  But as they neared the basket, they heard a cry.

  "What in the world?" Nadine cried, running to see what it was.

  When she lifted the cloth cover though, she nearly dropped the basket.

  It was a baby.

  "My God, Gabe…it's a baby!" Nadine almost screamed.

  "I see that. Is there any note. Anything explaining who it is and why it's here?"

  She gently lifted the baby from the basket and looked around for a note. There was none. The blanket the baby was wrapped in was home knitted and blue.

  Nadine's eyes widened. "This baby is part white." She said, turning to look at Gabe.

  Gabe looked at the baby, as it cooed gently. "Pretty baby."

  The baby wiggled in Nadine's arms. "What are we gonna do?"

  Gabe looked at the baby and he took it in his arms.

  "We're gonna feed it, and then we'll ask around and see if we can find out…" Gabe assured her.

  Nadine followed them inside, carrying the basket.

  "Why would anyone leave their baby in a basket on our porch?" She pondered.

  "Honey, I don't know. But first things first. You want to change the diaper."

  "Oh…sure…"

  She took the baby into the bedroom. She grabbed some diapers she had made for the coming baby. She opened the diaper, and smiled, it was a boy.

  When she came back into the kitchen where Gabe was she was smiling. "He's all clean now."

  "He's a cute little thing, isn't he?"

  "Yes, very…."

  "Ours will be too, Nadine." Gabe told her.

  "I know…"

  A knock came at the door. Nadine handed the baby to Gabe and answered it.

  A woman stood on the porch, staring at her. "My daughter and grandbaby ran off. Someone said they saw them come this way. Do you know anything about it?"

  "Well…come in…please." Nadine offered.

  The woman saw the baby and her tears spilled on her cheeks. "Samson…oh my God. I am so happy he is here. Where is my daughter?"

  She grabbed the baby from Gabe.

  "We don't know. The baby was wrapped in a blanket and left on our porch. We just came home a few minutes ago. Won't you sit down and have some coffee." Nadine offered.

  "That sounds good. So my daughter left him!" She snapped, her mouth forming a firm frown. The woman stared at the baby and wiped her eyes dry. "She is so sinful, I don't know if God can ever forgive her."

  Nadine lifted her chin. The woman was judgmental.

  "I don't know why she left him with us." Nadine explained.

  The woman put the baby on her hip and sipped her coffee. "My daughter was pregnant, with no husband. She did not want the baby. I told her I wou
ld raise him. She said no, I was too old."

  Nadine frowned. "You're not too old."

  The woman shrugged. "Does not matter. She just didn't want me to have the child. I ran her man off because he wouldn't marry her when he got her pregnant. And…he was white too. She was ashamed of being pregnant. I knew she would do something crazy. But I didn't expect this."

  "How old is she?" Gabe asked.

  "Sixteen…"

  Nadine's mouth hung open. "I'm sorry for you. But at least you have the child now…" Nadine tried to comfort her.

  "She would leave him with a stranger before she would leave it with me. She's a whore."

  Nadine bolted upright. She'd heard this before. Too often. It rankled.

  "No, she's just a dumb little girl." Nadine corrected.

  "I am sorry to burden you with this. It isn't your fault." The woman said. "I am Francis Holcomb. I live about two miles down the way." She pointed.

  "I'm Nadine, and this is my husband, Gabe."

  Gabe nodded to the woman.

  "Well, I won't trouble you no more…me and Samson will be on our way. Like it or not, I'm all he's got." She explained. "You see we came with a wagon train. My husband died and we stopped here. We were going west, but this is as far as we got. I'm staying in the widow Perkins place. I pay her rent. Josephine she was messing around with the wagon master's scout. That's how it all began. I ran him off when we moved here.

  Nadine watched the woman, how she gently combed his hair with her fingers and how she held him close. The woman obviously loved the baby very much.

  "Well now we know each other and if you ever need help with him. Let me know. I'll be glad to." Nadine smiled at her.

  "You mean that?"

  "I certainly do." Nadine smiled and opened the door for her.

  "Thank you," She turned to look at Gabe. "Both of you."

  "Yes ma'am." Nadine closed the door behind her.

  "Well, that was interesting." Nadine looked at Gabe.

  Gabe motioned for her to come sit on his lap.

  "Nadine, you are a fine woman. And I love you dearly."

  "I love you too. Don't you find that rather strange?" Nadine asked.

  "After all that's happened here, no!"

  She chuckled. "I guess you are right."

  "And I want you to understand once and for all, that this baby is going to be alright. We are going to fill this house full of babies. Our babies."

  Nadine looked into his eyes.

  "I know you been worried about losing this one too. But that's behind us. God don't send more than we can bear. Remember that. Now, let's rustle some of that fried chicken you brought home with us."

  Nadine stared at Gabe and came to hold Gabe to her.

  "I love you…" She whispered in his ear.

  "I know you do. And I love you, and as soon as you have that baby I'm bound and determined to show you how much."

  She giggled.

  He smiled. "Now that's what I want to hear from now on."

  "What?"

  "Giggles, of course." And then he kissed her and all her fears and worries began to melt away.

  Later that evening, as she watched Gabe go to sleep, she thought about her life here in Vada. It was a good life, and she was at last a very happy woman.

  She had friends, she had loved ones, and they had a chance to make something of their lives.

  Thinking about the past, she realized she had come a long way since Al's. She'd been through a lot of trials and tribulations. She had learned so much since she'd been here. She learned how to give of herself. She learned how to trust. And she learned to mourn. But best of all, she was finally putting the bad to rest and looking forward to her future with Gabe. She loved him, and he her. God was blessing them with another chance for a family.

  She rubbed her belly, and the baby kicked hard and strong. She smiled. They would soon have their first baby. She would never forget Michael, but she knew he was in good hands too. There was no fear now. And she could live her life and be happy, for she'd always have her memories.

  What was more important now, she had found the man of her dreams and they were weathering all the storms together. Their marriage was strong and lasting and he was right. They would fill the house with lots of children.

  Gabe hadn't been asleep. He reached a hand over to feel the baby kick, and smiled at her.

  And then he kissed her neck in that special place that made her giggle. The house echoed those giggles like a promise.

  The End

  About the Author

  Rita Hestand is a multi-published author in several genre's. She's published in contemporary romance, historical romance, western romance, western mysteries, children's books, short stories and poetry. She's been writing for over fifty years and honing her craft.

  Like many others, she is a widow, a mother, and a grandmother. She puts her family and God first and figures everything else will follow.

  Rita's Other Books

  Series Books:

  The Travers Brothers

  The Amory's

  The McKay's

  The Armstrong's

  The Connor's

  The Western Serial Killer Series

  The Red River Valley Brides Series

  Brides of the West Series

  The Dream Catcher Series

  Her Singles:

  Nick's Bab, Pretend Mom, Strictly Business, Suspicions of the Heart, Wandering Heart, Runaway Bride, Always Remember, Jodi's Journey,