Kaydie patted her stomach. “We’ll find out soon enough the answers to these questions, little one,” she whispered. Thankfully, only a couple of other passengers had occupied the stagecoach for a small portion of the four-day journey; it had relieved Kaydie of having to answer too many questions. She was also relieved that the succession of mornings spent vomiting seemed to have ended. Kaydie knew for certain that she would not have been able to endure the bumpy ride on the uneven roads had she still been experiencing nausea.
One of the stagecoach drivers, Ethel’s son, Amos, had informed her that, unless something went wrong, they had less than two hours of travel time left. To Kaydie, that meant less than three hours until she would be reunited with McKenzie. Thank You, Lord, she silently prayed, thinking of the eloquent examples Ethel had set for her. Thank You for rescuing me and my baby. Thank You, too, Lord, that Abe and Amos have been so charitable toward me. And please bless their mother, Ethel. Had it not been for her, I might not be traveling to see McKenzie.
***
“I’ll be back in time for supper,” Jonah said, pulling his hat over his head. Zach needed some supplies in town, and Jonah had offered to make the trip.
“Would you please ask Mr. Victor if he has received any news on Kaydie’s whereabouts?” McKenzie asked.
“Will do, ma’am,” Jonah said. He walked to the barn, hitched the horses to the wagon, and set off toward Pine Haven.
During the trip, Jonah marveled at how the trees were already preparing for the coming season of autumn. He rather liked the changes in seasons, even if the winters here were longer than the winters he had known growing up in Mississippi. Given his choice, he’d much rather be where he was now. It was the simple fact that Mississippi held too many memories—memories that Jonah was better off forgetting. The best choice Jonah had ever made had been to leave his father miles behind. After all, the man had cursed the day Jonah was born. While he never gave much thought to his father, Jonah did think often of his mother, who left when he was very young. Was she still alive? Did she ever think of him? Why hadn’t she taken him with her? Jonah knew firsthand that his father was not an easy man to live with, but why had she turned her back on her young son, as well? To his knowledge, Jonah hadn’t done anything to prompt her to leave her family. Still, such memories made him wary of ever starting a family of his own. He would be content merely to watch as other families grew around him.
Of course, Jonah was pleased that Zach and McKenzie had reconciled. He had wanted so badly for their marriage to work. He wouldn’t have wanted to watch as McKenzie left behind not only Zach, but also Davey, for it would have been like reliving a painful episode from his own past.
Jonah mused that it had been of great benefit when McKenzie’s mother had returned to Boston last week. Although he could tell Mrs. Worthington was trying to resolve her differences with her daughter, he also thought that it would be a long time before complete peace prevailed between mother and daughter. As a spectator, he’d detected some lasting irritation on the parts of both women. Still, as he’d overheard McKenzie say to Zach, “It was a start in the right direction.”
In Pine Haven, Jonah whistled as he loaded the supplies for Zach into the back of the wagon. Then, he went to the post office to see Mr. Victor.
He was surprised to see an unfamiliar woman standing there, facing the wall. A faded, blue bonnet hung down her back, and stands of wavy, blonde hair had escaped the confines of her braid. The profile of her face, while thin, was more beautiful than any Jonah had ever seen. When the woman turned around, her eyes met Jonah’s, and she immediately turned back to face the wall, hunching her shoulders slightly.
Chastising himself for apparently having made the woman uncomfortable, Jonah strode up to the counter and cleared his throat. “Uh, Mr. Victor?”
“Yes?” Mr. Victor’s voice carried from among the rows of shelves behind the counter.
“Uh, you have a customer.”
“Well, hello there, Jonah,” said Mr. Victor, coming to stand at the counter. “What brings you to town today?”
“Zach needed some supplies, and I offered to pick them up.”
“Very well. What can I do for you?”
Jonah glanced over his shoulder in the direction of the woman. “She was here first,” he said.
“Pardon?”
“That woman over there—she was here first. I reckon she might need some help.”
Mr. Victor craned his neck to see where Jonah had indicated. “Oh! I apologize, miss. I didn’t notice you come in. Can I help you with something?”
The woman shuffled warily up to the counter, her eyes darting back and forth between the two men. “I—I’m looking for the Sawyer Ranch,” she said.
Jonah sucked in his breath. What were the odds of finding this beautiful woman in the post office and then learning that she was seeking the very place where he lived and worked?
“The Sawyer Ranch?” Mr. Victor asked. He looked from Kaydie to Jonah. “Jonah lives there; perhaps he’d be obliged to take you there.”
The woman gulped and looked, wide-eyed, at Jonah.
Suddenly, it hit him. Could this be McKenzie’s sister? Jonah decided not to say anything just yet, for fear that she’d be suspicious of him and run away. “I do live there. I work for Zach Sawyer,” Jonah said, removing his hat and holding out his hand. “Jonah Dickenson. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
***
Kaydie took a step backward and eyed the handsome man with suspicion. His hair was the color of copper, his eyes a deep shade of gray. His deep voice carried the hint of a Southern accent. He was clean-shaven, and he had a stocky build, although he wasn’t tall. The man didn’t appear to be someone untrustworthy. Still, Kaydie had made inaccurate assumptions before, and she no longer trusted her own judgment, especially on first impressions.
“I reckon I could take you to the ranch,” he said. “I just need to ask Mr. Victor a question, and then we can be on our way.”
Kaydie touched her stomach and thought of how she needed to protect not only herself but also her baby. She had always been timid; now, she was even more so.
“Do you…do you know McKenzie?” Kaydie asked Jonah.
Jonah’s eyes widened. “McKenzie? McKenzie Sawyer?” he asked.
“Everyone knows McKenzie,” said Mr. Victor.
“Her maiden name was Worthington,” Kaydie said.
“I believe that was her maiden name. She used to live in Boston?” Jonah asked.
“Yes!” Kaydie covered her mouth with her hand at her outburst of excitement. “Does she have curly, strawberry blonde hair, and is she tall?” she asked in a quieter voice.
“I believe so,” said Jonah. “Yes, yes, she is tall for a woman.”
“I’m Kaydie Kraemer. I believe my sister may be looking for me.” Kaydie’s heart raced within her chest. How many nights had she dreamed about this moment?
“Kaydie? Well, I’ll be!” Jonah scratched his head. “I was just going to ask Mr. Victor if he’d had any news about the posting McKenzie had placed on the wall over there.”
“You’re Kaydie?” Mr. Victor asked.
“Yes—I’m McKenzie’s sister!” Kaydie glanced around at the walls and spied the posting. She read it and gasped. “Please, can you take me to her?”
“I reckon I can do that,” Jonah said, smiling wryly. “Do you have any belongings with you?”
“Only this one bag,” Kaydie said, pointing to the dingy, brown knapsack that held her sole possessions.
Jonah picked up the bag. “Follow me, ma’am,” he said. “Let’s get you to your sister.”
Kaydie thanked Mr. Victor and followed Jonah to the wagon. He helped her into the seat, and it was all she could do to keep from grabbing the reins and whipping the horses into a full-tilt gallop. Her long-awaited reunion with McKenzie was finally here!
***
McKenzie was outside tending the garden when she saw the wagon coming back up the drive. For a second, she thought for certain her eyes were failing her—it looked like there was a petite woman seated next to Jonah. As the wagon grew closer, McKenzie gasped when the two figures came into focus. Could it be? Thank You, Lord! she prayed and ran toward the wagon.
“Kaydie?”
“McKenzie!”
With Jonah’s assistance, Kaydie climbed from the wagon and practically fell into McKenzie’s welcoming arms.
McKenzie clutched her younger sister tightly and felt tears that had been withheld for years begin to fall. “Kaydie, I wasn’t sure if you were….” Her sentence went unfinished at the horrifying thought that Kaydie might not have returned to her alive.
Kaydie pulled back from McKenzie’s embrace and stared through tear-filled eyes at her older sister. “Oh, McKenzie, how I have longed for this. Let me look at you closely now.” Kaydie stood back and gazed at McKenzie. “Oh, I never thought this moment would come! I—I have m-missed missed you—s-so much,” she stammered.
“I have missed you, too, Kaydie. We have so much catching up to do.”
“I would say so,” Kaydie said, beaming. “I never would have pictured you as a ranch wife. That in itself is enough of a surprise to last me the rest of my days.”
McKenzie shrugged. “I never thought I would be a ranch wife, either, but, as my sweet friend Rosemary says, ‘The Lord is the changer of hearts,’ and He sure has changed mine.” She put her arm around her sister. “Come in the house. I’ll make us some tea.”
Together, the two women walked across the yard and into the house. There would scarcely be enough daylight hours to share all that had transpired during their years apart. What was more, there would be no way to offer near enough praises to the One who had brought them together.
Kaydie sat down at the dinner table, taking care to keep some distance between herself and Jonah Dickenson, who was seated on her left. She tried to subtly scoot her chair closer to Davey, seated on her right. Kaydie still knew very little about Jonah since her arrival in Pine Haven three days ago, but his closeness made her nervous. Even his attempts to make polite conversation with her made her uneasy, although she had no facts on which to base her judgment of him.
McKenzie placed a basket of bread on the table and then took her seat next to Zach. “I’ll lead us in a word of prayer,” said Zach, folding his hands.
“Dear heavenly Father, we thank You for this day, and for bringing Kaydie to us. We pray for her healing, and for the health and safety of her baby. Thank You for the food we are about to eat, and bless the hands that prepared it. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
“Amen,” Kaydie said, then breathed a sigh of relief. She had explained what had happened to Darius and told McKenzie about her condition, and she was thankful not to feel any shame, even among people she’d met just recently.
***
That evening, McKenzie joined Zach for what would be their last evening on the front porch for several months to come. Beginning the next day, their evenings of reading their Bibles would be spent inside the house, by the fireplace. McKenzie shuddered to think how she had almost put a permanent end to their evening ritual—and to their marriage. She had come dangerously close to tossing aside the love that had grown between them, but, thankfully, God had opened her eyes, convicted her conscience, and reconciled her to Zach.
“What are you thinking, my sweet McKenzie?” Zach asked, reaching for her hand.
“I was just thinking about reading our Bibles together in front of the fireplace during the winter months, and how grateful I am that I’ll have the opportunity to do just that.”
Zach smiled. “These past several months have been interesting, haven’t they?”
“That they have,” McKenzie agreed. “Speaking of interesting happenings, I’m concerned about Kaydie. Did you see her this evening at dinner? Zach, I can tell she has changed so much. Not that such changes aren’t to be expected, in light of what Kaydie has been through, but I do hope she’ll be all right.”
“I did notice that she seemed a bit withdrawn and also that she seemed uncomfortable sitting next to Jonah,” Zach said.
“I noticed that, as well. I’ll have to reassure her that Jonah is a kind man of unquestionable integrity.”
Zach nodded. “It’s going to be rough for her for a while, McKenzie, but the Lord has brought her this far, and I know that He will continue to guide her away from all those past hurts and into the life He has planned for her.” Zach paused. “Let’s pray for Kaydie.”
They bowed their heads, and Zach began, “Dear Lord, You know the pain Kaydie has in her heart. We look to You, Lord, our Healer and Comforter, to mend the hurts Kaydie has experienced. Please use us, Lord, to accomplish Your purposes in her life. Help us to see when she needs us and to be there for her. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
“Thank you, Zach. You always have a way of reassuring me,” McKenzie said.
“It’s part of my job as your dutiful husband,” Zach teased. “By the way, how would you like to go riding tomorrow? The leaves are beginning to change color, and they are quite a sight to see, especially up toward the mountains.”
“I’ll have to think about that,” said McKenzie, winking. “I’m only now becoming accustomed to riding horses.”
“Actually, you’re adjusting quite well. Before you know it, you’ll be entering the horse race at the Founder’s Day Celebration next year.”
“I’ll have you know, Zachary Joseph Sawyer, that I don’t intend to enter any horse races—not now, and not ever,” McKenzie scoffed.
“Not even if Starlight is ready to ride by then?” Zach asked.
“Not even if Starlight is ready to ride,” McKenzie confirmed. “However, I might be convinced to join you on many a ride through the mountains next year on my beautiful new horse.”
“And to think you didn’t much care for Starlight when I first gave her to you as a foal,” Zach teased.
“Things have changed—for the better, I might add,” said McKenzie. She leaned over and planted a kiss on her husband’s lips. “I love you, Zach.”
“And I love you, McKenzie,” Zach answered, drawing her close.
McKenzie thought of how she had come to Pine Haven with the hopes of rescuing Kaydie and how, thankfully, God had made that a reality.
She also thought of how she’d met Zach with the intention of changing and molding him into the man she was supposed to marry. Instead, she was the one whose heart was changed. For that, she would be forever grateful.