Epilogue
“Amos says we’ll be in Oregon in two days,” Ethan announced as he dropped down before the fire.
“I can hardly believe it,” said Grace.
Ethan nodded. After spending months on the Bozeman Trail together, it had sometimes seemed impossible to believe that their journey would ever end.
Stranger still was the realization that he was leaving the Bozeman Trail with far more than he’d anticipated.
He looked around the fire at Grace, Emily, Hannah, Richard, and even Derek.
At the start of this journey, Ethan had only imagined reaching the end of the trail with his sister. He hadn’t anticipated having anyone else with him at the end, much less a wife, daughter, and father-in-law.
“It’ll be good to reach Oregon. I feel like this journey has aged me a hundred years,” said Richard, though not without good humor.
Richard’s recovery had been slow and unpredictable. After being shot, he had spent the following several months lying prone in the wagon, much longer than when he’d broken his ribs. Even when he’d finally been able to move about a little more, he lost his breath easily and had to rest often.
“Father,” Grace said, placing her hand over his.
Richard smiled at her and winked. “I’d do it all again for you, Grace.”
It was strange to remember that Richard hadn’t seemed to like Ethan all that much at the start of the journey.
How things had changed! Ethan and Grace had waited until Richard had somewhat recovered before sharing the news of their engagement, and the man’s face had lit up.
He had seemed rejuvenated, as though the news of Grace’s impending marriage had brought new life to him.
Then Richard had clapped Ethan on the back and said, “I’m glad, son.”
No one had called Ethan ‘son’ since his ma had died, and being claimed as someone’s family had filled a hole inside him that he hadn’t even known was there.
“You were right, Grace,” Richard added. “Oregon will be a good place to start anew.”
“And to expand your business,” Grace said slyly.
“I suppose, but maybe in a slightly different direction than planned.”
Grace raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“Having been on this journey, I think I’d like to try my hand at something new,” Richard said. “I’ve worked hard all my life, Grace, and I think I’d now just like to enjoy life and spend time with my family. I’m thinking I might sell the business entirely.”
Grace’s eyes went wide. Ethan didn’t quite understand the significance of Richard’s decision, but it was clear that it meant something important to Grace.
“I thought you were going to work until you fell over dead one day,” she said. “That was what you always told me.”
“Plans change,” Richard said, shrugging. “Now, I just want to live my life and see you start yours.”
Grace’s face softened, and she pulled her pa in for a gentle hug.
Emily laughed and flung herself at Richard too.
As Ethan watched, his chest stirred with pride.
It hadn’t been easy, but he was making good on his promise to see his family safely to Oregon.
He stifled a laugh, unable to believe that so many people in the wagon train had doubted Grace’s ability to survive the journey.
She had lasted longer than many of the travelers had expected her to!
“That sounds lovely,” Hannah said. “And I’m pleased to finally see my brothers getting along with one another.”
“For now,” Ethan said wryly.
“Forever,” Derek said, grinning.
“And you’ll be a part of our family!” Emily exclaimed, grinning at Ethan. “Right? Since you’re going to be my father, you’ll have to be there too. You’ll have to live with us forever.”
Ethan laughed. Emily sometimes spoke very intensely for a little girl. “Of course,” he assured her. “I want to be with you and your mama for the rest of my life. You won’t be able to get rid of me, no matter how hard you try.”
Emily shook her head. “We’d never want to get rid of you! Any of you!”
Grace smoothed her daughter’s hair. “It will be wonderful, Emily. You’ll have your father and me, and your grandfather. I imagine there will be many visits from Aunt Hannah and Uncle Derek too.”
“You mean it?” asked Derek. He leaned forward and stared at Grace across the fire with an expression that reminded Ethan of an overly eager puppy. “Really?”
“Of course,” Grace said gently. “You’re Ethan’s brother—my brother. Do you think we’d abandon you? I had assumed it was a given that you would stay near us.”
Ethan and Derek still had much to resolve.
A lump lodged in Ethan’s throat. He hadn’t yet forgiven Derek for his role in causing Richard to be hurt or Grace’s kidnapping, but if Grace wanted Derek to be a part of their family, Ethan supposed that he could attempt to forgive and forget.
He nodded, not trusting his voice right now.
In that simple acceptance, it was as if a heavy burden lifted from Ethan’s shoulders.
He no longer had it in himself to blame Derek for their pa’s sins.
At last, Ethan found himself able to look past his bitterness and the scars left by his pa’s abandonment.
Maybe in Oregon, Derek and Ethan could start fresh too.
They could introduce themselves as brothers, and no one would need to know anything else.
Not about their pasts, and not about the anger that had boiled between them for years.
They would be just two brothers and a sister who had traveled across the country in search of a dream.
“What about you, Mama?” Emily asked. “What do you want to have in Oregon?”
Grace pressed her lips together and hummed. Ethan knew her well enough to recognize the expression; it was the one Grace always made when she was trying to think of something really good to tell Emily.
“Well, I already have everything I want,” Grace said. “All of us are together and happy.”
Emily groaned exaggeratedly. “That’s not an answer!”
Grace laughed and kissed the top of her daughter’s head.
“It is an answer. You just expected a better one,” Grace said, her eyes twinkling with mirth.
“I suppose I’m looking forward to having animals.
Now that I’m no longer afraid of the oxen, I find that I quite like them. They’re gentler than I first thought.”
Ethan hummed, amused by the thought of Grace wandering into the fields simply to enjoy the company of the oxen. “What other animals would you like, dear?”
Calling her ‘dear’ sent a cozy warmth through him. This marvelous woman was really going to be his wife. What had he done to deserve anything so wonderful?
“I suppose we will have horses and sheep,” Grace said thoughtfully, “and chickens.”
Ethan nodded, his lips twitching in amusement. Grace was a capable woman, and he had no doubts she’d manage well on a ranch. Sometimes he forgot that they came from entirely different worlds, though. It occurred to him that she might have never even set foot on a ranch before.
“I want a cat!” Emily piped up. “A black one with golden eyes!”
“We can have a cat,” said Ethan. “More than one, even.”
A few barn cats were a good addition to any ranch, after all. He would, however, have to keep Emily from spoiling them so much they refused to hunt any mice.
“We’ll still have to cook together,” Hannah said, “even though you don’t need me anymore.”
Grace grinned. “Of course. If you like, I’ll even make a few mistakes here and there for old times’ sake.”
Hannah laughed. “Perfect.”
“What else?” Emily asked, bumping the side of her head against her mother’s arm. “What else do you want?”
“A garden,” Grace said, “with all the herbs I’ll need for cooking, and some flowers. I do so love them.”
Ethan said nothing, content to bask in the melody of Grace’s voice as she described to Emily all the flowers they could have in Oregon.
There would be peonies and pansies and roses and larkspur.
Grace would show Emily how to cut and arrange the flowers so they could have color and life all around the house.
The vision Grace painted with her words was so lovely and enticing that Ethan thought he might burst with pride because of this woman.
She seemed to think of everything, and to have so many ideas for how to make their future ranch a home.
“I may have to borrow some of your flowers,” Hannah said wryly. “I’ve never been good with plants. I either kill them with neglect or an overabundance of water.”
Grace winked. “You taught me to cook. Maybe I can introduce you to the art of botany.”
Ethan had never thought Grace would be experienced in botany. Even after spending months together, it seemed that he still found new facets to her each day. He wondered if he would always discover new things about her, or if eventually he would learn the sum of all Grace’s parts.
It didn’t really matter, he supposed. He wanted her, whether he could know all of her or not. More than anything, he enjoyed the anticipation of simply trying.
“I haven’t given as much thought to my start as I probably should,” Derek said sheepishly.
“I suppose a man my age ought to be starting a family, but I don’t think it’s my time to do that yet.
I’d rather… Well, I reckon I’d rather get my land and start earning my keep first. I want to be able to give a wife a good, hard-working husband who can take care of her. ”
Ethan’s brows rose despite his best efforts to keep his surprise off his face. “That is…rather mature of you.”
“I know.” If Derek noticed Ethan’s surprise or was offended by it, he didn’t show it. “However, I still have a lot to learn before I can look after a family of my own.”
Ethan nodded slowly, thinking of their pa. Ethan had often thought that Derek was just like their pa, but now the young man seemed as if he might be becoming something better after all. “You’ll make a great family man one day, Derek.”
Derek nodded. “Well, I suppose I should give some credit to my older brother for that. I had a good example to follow. You were always so strong and dependable. I spent a large chunk of my life wanting to be just like you.”
Ethan didn’t know what to say. For most of his life, Ethan had assumed that Derek was just oblivious to Ethan’s low tolerance for him, but Ethan now wondered if Derek had just admired him. Maybe Ethan had misinterpreted flattery and hope for something malicious at worst and ignorant at best.
“You’re a good man,” Hannah said, squeezing Derek’s shoulder. “You always have been.”
Derek was a man who’d made mistakes, just as Ethan himself had. Logan’s memory burned like a flame inside his mind.
“Yes,” Ethan said. “You are a good man. Young, with a lot to learn—but you are on your way to becoming a fine man.”
Derek beamed at him. “Thanks. That means a lot coming from you.”
Ethan shrugged, trying to conceal his embarrassment at being thanked for what were only simple words, words that he’d never thought he’d share with Derek.
Grace squeezed Ethan’s hand. “And we will all be together in Oregon,” she said. “I can’t think of a better end to our journey than this.”
“Agreed,” said Richard.
“I found a father!” exclaimed Emily, casting Ethan a winning smile.
Ethan chuckled. “And I found a daughter.”
He’d never imagined children in his life at all.
Now the thought of living without Emily was unbearable.
Ethan looked around the fire at his loved ones: his beautiful wife with her sly wit and sparkling eyes.
His daughter, with her boundless curiosity and bright smiles.
His father-in-law, who was as stubborn as a mule, and as strong as one too.
His beloved sister, who had been there for him as often as he’d been there for her.
And his half-brother, who wanted so desperately to have Ethan’s approval and was working towards it earnestly.
Ethan, the man who’d never thought he’d have a family of his own, had found one in the least expected of places.
He gazed at all of them, just two days away from Oregon, and he was so happy that it seemed impossible for one mere man to contain such joy.
For the first time in so very long, Ethan was truly at peace.
THE END?
(turn the page)