Beyond the Heart by Jeanie P Johnson

Author:Jeanie P Johnson [Johnson, Jeanie P]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-11-20T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“I know what we should do today,” Callie said to Connor and the girls, to cheer herself up. “We shall choose a place to build the house! How would you like that?”

All the children cheered, and Callie put Joey in the cradleboard, placing it on Connor’s back, and lifted Shanny into her arms.

Connor felt proud to be carrying Joey on his back. Chayton made him promise to help his mother take care of Chayton’s son. He had grown to like Chayton and thought about how perhaps, he may have enjoyed becoming a member of Chayton’s tribe. However, the ranch was much too important for him to give up, in order to live the life of an Indian.

Connor and the girls, paraded outside behind Callie, following her into the center of the yard, as they all looked around to discover the best place to put the long, awaited house.

“It has to be where it will stand out and be seen as soon as someone turns into the drive,” Callie insisted.

“There is a rise beyond the barn,” Connor pointed out.

“Yes. It would stand above everything else if we built it there,” Callie agreed. “It would be closer to the spring, as well. Let’s walk out and see how it feels up on the rise,” she suggested.

The group trooped up the rise together, swishing through the grass and wildflowers. There was a lone tree near the top, which looked aged and gnarled, making Callie believe it had stood there for eternity. She decided it would fit in well beside the house.

Callie stood beneath the tree, looking down at her adopted family. She had made all the girls dresses, and Connor a nice looking shirt. They appeared so different now, from the first time she had entered Chet’s depressing cabin, and he had introduced them to her. She vowed she would make them proud in a way she believed Chet never could. She was wearing one of her original dresses, from her trunks, having brought the other into the house and putting her gowns in her clothes press, pushing all of Rolletta’s clothes, which weren’t many, to one side. Afterwards, she threw out everything that Chet owned and burned it.

She and the children had all stood around the fire-pit, on the other side of the barn, where Cooper had helped Chet brand the cattle, as she let the children throw each item into the flames. She was determined to erase him from her life and memory. It was one more thing to keep her thoughts off of Chayton. Callie had to fill her days, to keep from thinking of Chayton. It had been over a week since he rode away on his horse, and she wondered how long it would be before he ever returned.

The children made a ring, around Callie, holding hands, and dancing in a circle, when they all agreed, it would be the perfect place to build their house. Earlier, she had allowed the children to choose, from the plans, which bedroom they preferred, and she wrote their names in the rooms which they had decided on.

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