by Annie Boone
“I know what you need to do, Marcus. I’m not sitting near his heart. You’re a good shot. Do what you must, but I won’t leave him.” Gillian looked at her husband with determination. He nodded, and raised his rifle.
“How did we get so lucky to have you? You are the most beautiful horse out of all the ranches in California. You’ve been a daddy to so many foals, and the envy of all the other horses.” She stroked Sam’s nose, and he looked at her intently. It’s almost as if he knew that Gillian was trying to say goodbye. She leaned over and kissed his nose, and whispered, “Goodbye, Sam. Thank you for being such a good boy. And thank you for being my friend.”
The shot was louder than Gillian expected, and the horse immediately slumped down to the ground limply. She turned to face her husband through heartbroken tears. He placed his rifle on the ground, and rubbed his beard. He was crying too.
She knew no matter how much pain she felt, he was feeling it tenfold. This was his prized blue-ribbon horse, and he’d had to take away his last breath. Gillian bowed her head, folded her hands and said a little prayer. Then she got up and did something that had never come naturally to her. She wrapped her arms around Marcus’s neck, and wept into his shoulder.
She felt his arms pull her into a tight embrace. His hands stroked her hair and she squeezed him harder. “I’ll help you bury him.” She sniffed.
He kissed the top of her head. “No darling, you’ve done more than enough. That’s too much to ask of you.”
***
The little family ate dinner in silence, all saddened by the loss of Sam. When it was time for bed, Gillian asked Marcus if he would sit beside her so they could talk. He nodded, his eyes still filled with grief and loss.
“My parents asked me to come home. To New York. They insist that we divorce.”
“I see.” Marcus’s lips were pressed together so tight the pink had faded to white. “I wanted to ask you what their letter said, but I didn’t want to pry. I hoped you’d tell me when you were ready.”
Gillian took his hand. “I was really tempted to go back. I’m not going to lie.”
“Gillian, I know you haven’t been happy out here. I’ve seen it and haven’t known what to do about it.”
“Why haven’t you even tried? If you’ve known, why haven’t you asked me about how I was feeling?” Gillian was crying again. She seemed to be crying often lately.
“I don’t know. Well, I guess being raised without a mother hasn’t helped. After my mother died, we were missing a woman’s touch. I bottle everything up, because I don’t know how to show my emotions. My father didn’t fill that gap very well,” Marcus smiled slightly.
“I know it must have been difficult, Marcus. You’re a man with a wife now. I need you to learn how to love me.” Gillian’s bold statement took her by surprise.
“I know I don’t have the finest manners or the best clothes but I am very interested in your happiness. If going back to New York makes you happy, well, I won’t deny you that. But to be honest, I want you to stay. I lost Sam today and I don’t know if my heart can withstand losing you, too. I do love you and I want to learn how to show you.”
Gillian was stunned by the magnitude of his words. Today, in the midst of their sadness, she had broken through to him. He had held her, cried with her, and finally professed his love to her.
“Our union is still new, and given the chance, I think it could blossom into something magnificent. I have deep roots in this land, and after today, I think your roots can run just as deep. I guess what I’m trying to say is—”
“Oh, stop talking you silly man.” The tears were falling fast down her cheeks, but she was smiling. “I’m not going anywhere.” Gillian wrapped her arms around Marcus’s neck and drew him close.
This time when they kissed, she felt sparks.
Epilogue
Watching the birth of the new foal was the most miraculous thing Gillian had ever seen. She had wanted to be there when it happened, so she and Marcus had slept in the stables the last few nights. The moment had finally arrived.
The baby stood up on it’s thin shaky legs and took it’s first steps. She squeezed Marcus’s hand. “Look at her! She’s a natural, she’ll be a strong runner just like her daddy.”
They didn’t discover the pregnant horse until a few weeks after Sam had died. He had left one gift behind, and what a beautiful and comforting gift it was.
“She is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen,” Gillian said, her hand over her mouth to control her excited squeals. She didn’t want to scare the baby in it’s first few moments of life.
Marcus tugged on Gillian’s braid, and slipped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. “She’s the second most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he said sweetly. Gillian turned her head and kissed her husband, loving him more and more with each passing day. The night Sam died was the turning point in their marriage and they had never looked back.
“Well, darling, she’s yours. What are you going to name her?”
“Really? Mine?”
“Of course.”
Gillian leaned back against her husband, and melted into his touch. She looked at the little foal as it wobbled around in the hay. It was still slick from it’s birth, but the bold chestnut coloring was clearly prominent.
“Well, I think she needs a name that shows us where she came from, don’t you think?”
Marcus smiled. “And what name is that?”
Gillian smiled warmly. “Samantha.”
Marcus laughed out loud. “That’s a fine name. A fine name, indeed. Her daddy would be very proud of her. She’s magnificent.”
They stood together holding hands watching Samantha start her new life. Gillian felt thankfulness and joy that she was able to share this experience with Marcus. Their marriage continued to flourish. She felt a sense of purpose and belonging that she’d never felt in her old life.
The leap of faith had a difficult beginning, but it was turning out to be exactly what she’d hoped for.
The End
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for taking the time to read A Leap of Faith. I hope it gave you an enjoyable interlude to slip into the past for just a while.
If you’d like to read more of my stories, you can find a list of them here:
http://annieboone.com/books
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Annie
Other Western Romance Authors I Recommend
I enjoy reading Western Romance books and I read often. I thought you might like to see some of my favorite authors so that you can check them out to see if they’re a fit for the kind of reading you love.
Jenny Creek Tanner – Jenny is a country girl who writes about cowboys and heroines who tame them. She’s one of my favorites.
http://annieboone.com/JennyCreekTanner
Lorena Dove – Lorena is a relatively new author who is writing a different kind of Mail Order Bride story. Her heroines are immigrants in her Sweet Land of Liberty series.
http://annieboone.com/Lorena-Dove
Indiana Wake – Indiana is a prolific writer. She has published many books and most of them deal with difficulties faced by the heroines. Her main characters face and overcome the same issues many of us face every day. I love her honest approach.
http://annieboone.com/IndianaWake
Katie Wyatt – Katie is an inspiring writer and I love how she pulls this series together.
http://annieboone.com/KatieCollection
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Check these other Western Romance writers out if you have a chance. I’m sure you’ll enjoy reading them!