Falling in the Rain

"I'm sorry, I can't get down on one knee," Josh almost laughed at Jess's exasperated expression. "But Jess, will you marry me?" He didn't mean to hold his breath.

"I don't know. . . " Jess smiled and leaped at Josh. "Yes, of course."

Jim watched the two kiss and hug each other and had to wipe away a tear that fell from his tired eyes. His baby was getting married to a man they all believed was dead. Shouting with laughter, Jim picked up Josh's crutches and handed them to him.

"Come on, let's go see your dad."

Epilogue

Jess and Josh were married nine months later in her father's house. Maria supervised the decoration of the house in a beautiful floral arrangement. Jess sneezed for the first fifteen minutes she was in the house. "Is that city woman back? Chelsea?" She asked when she began to sneeze.

Jim merrily laughed and said it was the floral arrangements.

Jess wore white, and Josh thought she had to be the only bride in Montana worthy of it. She hadn't let him touch her in any sexual way beyond kissing before their wedding night. She said she wanted to save the fireworks for a special occasion. The dress was ivory satin, a classic simple style. No frill or lace or anything more than plain satin. Simple, like the woman who wore it.

In the middle of the reception, Josh had raised a glass of champagne in honor of his deceased mother-in-law, making a short but all too lovely speech that brought tears to Jess's eyes. Jess reciprocated in kind, toasting her mother-in-law as well.

Two years later, Jess gave birth to their first child. At six pound, five ounces, Danielle Bennett was a picture of her father, and had her mother's screaming personality. She didn't have any hair, but quickly grew in dark brown curls.

Josh stayed on as a ranch hand on the Mills' ranch until he had enough money to buy some land not far from Jim and Roger. Josh had discovered he like cattle ranching and horse breeding. Maybe manual labor wasn't as hick related as he thought.

Two and a half years after the birth of Danielle, or Danni, as Roger affectionately called her, Lucius Braxton was born at nine pounds two ounces. He wasn't the squalor that Danni was, but Lucius wasn't a quiet baby either. Simply normal, as Jess blissfully put it.

As Jess rested after the birthing, Josh held his son in his arms. Smiling down at him, he lightly touched his soft baby cheek. When Lucius. opened his eyes, Josh inhaled sharply, before letting out a choked laugh.

He had his mother's blue eyes.