Chapter 20
Two weeks passed without further incident.
Ella and Cody healed from their injuries, and Cody went back to the range three days after his fever broke.
Ella jumped at every little sound while her husband was away.
Her consolation lay in the fact that Travis rode by a few times each day.
Cody had given her another shooting lesson, though he said if she could shoot a snake, her aim was excellent.
They’d come up with a signal for trouble—if Ella needed him, she’d fire two shots in rapid succession.
The reverberation should be enough for at least one of the ranch hands to hear and come running.
She tried not to focus on should.
Travis brought news that no one had seen a stranger in town beyond the usual arrivals from the train station. No out-of-towner stayed at the hotel or frequented the restaurant or mercantile. The lack of answers strengthened the perpetual knot in Ella’s gut.
She tried to keep her mind on the fact that Cody loved her. That brought her joy, an airy lightness that broke through the dark surrounding the unknown. At least they had each other.
One morning in early May, as she made her way to the water pump, Addie on her hip and the boys playing nearby, she prayed for strength and peace. Positioning the watering can under the pump, she reached for the handle.
“Aunt Ella!”
She straightened and searched for Isaiah. He waved. Ella made her way to the blanket where the boys had scattered their playthings. “Yes?”
“Jonah wants you to play with us.”
Ella smiled. Watering the garden could wait. “What do you want to play?”
“Dunno.”
“Why don’t we all lay on our backs and see what shapes the clouds are making?”
Interest gleamed in Isaiah’s eyes. “Okay.”
Jonah echoed the enthusiasm. Ella set Addie down beside her, then lay down. The boys quickly copied her. “All right, what do we see?”
“Twain!” Jonah exclaimed, pointing up.
“Very good, Jonah. What about you, Isaiah?”
“I see a dog.”
Addie babbled and crawled onto Ella’s stomach.
Isaiah bolted up with a sharp gasp. “Addie, you can’t sit on Aunt Ella’s tummy. You’ll squish the baby.”
Ella blinked. “What baby?”
“The one Uncle Cody gave you.”
She put a hand on her stomach. “I don’t have a baby.” At least not that she knew of. It was possible. The thought sent warmth through her veins.
Isaiah huffed, planting his hands on his hips. “Aunt Cassie said Uncle Travis gave her their baby. Why hasn’t Uncle Cody given you one?”
She coughed. “Isaiah, these things take time.” An idea came to mind, one she hoped would help him understand. “Do you remember when we planted seeds in this garden?”
He nodded.
“Did the vegetables start growing right away?”
“No.”
“That’s what it’s like with a baby. A seed has to be planted in my tummy before one can start growing. It has to be the right time too. If we planted seeds in the garden during the winter, they wouldn’t grow. It’s the same for a baby. The right conditions have to be there before it can be planted.”
He tilted his head. “Do you have to water the baby and give it lots of sun and make sure no weeds choke it?”
She laughed. “Not exactly. But I will have to drink lots of water and eat good food so the baby can grow.”
Isaiah sighed, plopping onto the blanket. “Does this mean I have to be patient?”
“I’m afraid so.”
The boy wrinkled his nose. “I’m not good at being patient.”
Ella chuckled, running a hand through his soft hair. “You’ll manage.”
He fell silent. Various emotions ran across his young face.
Jonah asked her about a cloud, so Ella turned her attention to her middle child.
She darted occasional looks at Isaiah. He remained in deep thought.
Jonah eventually started playing peek-a-boo with Addie.
Ella’s lips turned up in a smile as she watched, their sweet innocence a balm to her heart.
“Will a baby call you Mama?”
Isaiah’s question brought Ella’s eyes back to him. “Yes.”
“And Uncle Cody would be its papa?”
“Yes.”
Isaiah frowned. “Then I’ll still be the only one not saying ‘mama’ and ‘papa.’”
Ella reached out, tugging her son close. He allowed it, though his little body stiffened. “We love you, Isaiah, no matter what you call us.”
His lip pushed out in a pout. “But I don’t want to be different from my brothers and sisters.”
She took note of the fact that he would claim her children as his siblings. Ella hugged him. “What about a compromise?”
“What’s a compromise?”
“It means meeting in the middle. What if you called me Mama Ella instead of Aunt Ella?”
Isaiah bit his lip and searched her eyes. When he spoke, his voice was small. “Do you think my mama would be okay with that?”
She pressed a kiss to his soft cheek. “I didn’t know her, but Uncle Cody tells me she loved you very much. I think she’d be happy if you’re happy.”
Isaiah relaxed. He chewed on his lip. “Mama Ella. Papa Cody.”
Ella held her breath.
A grin broke out on Isaiah’s face. “I like it.”
She hugged him again, tears welling in her eyes.
Isaiah pushed back after a moment. “Hey, why’re you crying?”
“I’m happy.”
“People don’t cry when they’re happy.”
“They do sometimes.” She ruffled his hair, then pushed to her feet. “Can you watch your sister while I water the garden?”
“Uh-huh.”
The boys took to their game. Jonah dashed around the blanket, Isaiah giving chase. Addie chomped on her fingers in the middle of them, giggling and waving her free hand.
Ella’s heart seemed to grow in size, and she praised God for bringing her into this beautiful family. Jonah caught her eye. He beamed and waved, then took off again when Isaiah drew near.
Ella laughed. The sound danced around the yard. She picked up the watering can and headed for the garden, smile still in place. Humming softly, she began her task at the end nearest the house.
A few minutes later, Isaiah tugged her skirt. “Mama Ella, Addie’s fussing.”
On the blanket, Addie rubbed her eyes, making little sounds of frustration. Jonah sat beside her, patting her back. Addie slumped against him. As Ella watched, her daughter fell fast asleep.
“It looks as though your brother got her to take a nap.”
Isaiah didn’t respond. Ella turned to see him standing with hands on his hips, brows wrinkled. “Why’s the ground white?”
White? Ella’s gaze fell on the moist earth. Her jaw dropped open. How had she missed the white film covering the dirt? Had she been that distracted watching the children? She plunked the watering can down. “I don’t know. Have you ever seen something like this?”
“Nope.” Isaiah touched the dirt. “It feels funny.”
Ella stooped beside him. Her hands lifted a chunk of warm earth from the ground, and her fingers slid over the surface. They came away grainy. She frowned. Something wasn’t right.
“Isaiah, let’s get your siblings inside. When Papa Cody comes home, we’ll show him the garden.”
“Okay.” Isaiah took off for the blanket, concern apparently forgotten. Ella stared another moment at the ground, as if it could give her answers.
None came.
“Papa Cody! The ground is white!”
Cody paused in unsaddling his horse and looked down just as Isaiah ran into his legs at full speed.
Grunting, Cody steadied himself against the side of the barn.
Interesting welcome to coming home for the evening.
“Easy there, Isaiah. What’s going on?” His mind caught up with the boy’s words. “What did you call me?”
“Mama Ella said I could make a compromise and use papa with your name. So you’re Papa Cody now.”
“That so?” Cody squatted down to Isaiah’s level, joy rising in his chest. “And you don’t mind using those names?”
“Nope. Now come with me.” He grabbed Cody’s hand and made for the door.
So much for processing his new title. “Whoa, buddy. I need to put Preston in his stall first.”
Isaiah crossed his arms. His foot tapped against the ground as Cody set about bedding his horse down for the night.
He hid a grin, knowing that would do nothing to improve the five-year-old’s waning patience.
His heart warmed at the fact that his son now acknowledged him in some way as his father and Ella as his mother.
How had she reacted to the christening? Giving Preston a final pat, he turned to Isaiah. “All right, you can show me.”
The boy latched onto Cody’s hand and hauled him toward the garden. “It’s white!”
“Like frost?”
“Kinda.”
They made it to the garden in record time. Isaiah dropped his hand and pointed. “See?”
Cody surveyed the ground. He frowned, crouching down to touch the dirt. “Was it like this in the morning?”
“Uh-huh. Mama Ella didn’t know what to do.”
He rubbed some soil beneath his fingers. Curls of dread pricked his gut. Careful to keep his expression neutral, he held out a hand to Isaiah. “I’ll have Mr. Hank take a look, see what he thinks. He knows soil better than me.”
The sinking feeling in his chest told him he knew exactly what the white film was.
Isaiah slipped his hand into Cody’s, hopping along as they went to the house. “When’re you gonna see Mr. Hank?”
“As soon as I let Aunt—I mean, Mama—Ella know.”
Thankfully, Hank and the twins lived in a cabin on the west side of the ranch. It would only take five minutes to get there at a gallop. He’d have to take Carter instead of Preston. His horse deserved a break after a long day.
Delicious aromas filled Cody’s nose the moment he walked through the door. He detected earthy vegetables, savory gravy, and succulent chicken. Mouth watering, he followed the smell into the kitchen. Isaiah let go of Cody’s hand and headed for the parlor.
Ella bent over the oven, pulling out a pan. She set it on the stove.
Cody went to her and kissed her cheek. “Hey, darlin’.”
“Cody!”