Reunited
Love Comes Softly inspired fan fiction by Cheryl C. Malandrinos
Disclaimer: This story
follows the television movie characters, not the books. I do not own the Love
Comes Softly television movies, book series, or any of the characters.
Clark sat at the table, reading his Bible and praising God for allowing him to find the note from Marty in time. Early this morning, he had dropped Marty and baby Aaron off in town and paid their fare for the wagon train headed back East. Though he didn’t understand why God had brought Marty into his life, just for her to leave Missie and him all alone, he trusted in God’s plan. And God had shown him that Marty and he were meant to be together… forever.
Aaron lay asleep in his cradle, and Marty stood over the stove working on supper. Missie was outside tending to the horses. This day could have gone totally different without God’s hand in it.
Clark walked up behind Marty and encircled her waist. Never had he thought he would find love again. He certainly didn’t expect it last fall when he asked the newly widowed Marty to marry him for the sake of his daughter.
Marty leaned into him, and he lowered his head to nuzzle her neck. “How do you expect me to cook if you’re distracting me?” she said, even as she raised her hand to run in it through his thick brown hair.
“I was just thinking,” he said, “when you’re ready, I would like to move back into the house.”
Ready? She thought. Then it dawned on her. Was she ready to share her room and her bed with Clark? After Aaron died, she thought that part of her life was over. She knew she was pregnant with his baby, and that kind of love would have to carry her through the lonely days. Little could she imagine how much she would come to care for Clark in the months they lived together in the western mountains. She longed to have that kind of closeness again, to feel the heartbeat of someone against your back as you slept, the warmth of their body letting you know you weren’t alone.
Clark sensed her hesitation and gently turned her to face him. “You take as long as you like.” He smiled. “I’m a patient man.”
Marty cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. “That you are, Clark Davis. Only God knows how you put up with me when I first came here.”
He chuckled. “Even then I knew you were a special woman, Marty, just what Missie and I needed.” He caressed her cheek. “Though I don’t know if I understood how much I needed you.”
Missie burst through the door. When she saw them together, she stopped. She had never seen them so close before. She lowered her gaze to the floor. “I’m done my chores, Pa.”
Clark strode over and knelt down in front of her. “Marty and I were just talkin’ about how grown up you’re gettin’.” Missie’s cheeks turned red. “I was thinking, come summer, I might see if we can build you your own room. Growin’ girls need some privacy.”
My own room! Missie shouted inside her head. She never dreamed of having her own room. “It won’t cost too much, will it, Pa?”
He ran his hand along her blonde hair, clutching the ends loosely between his thumb and pointer finger. “Now, you let God figure out the provision. If it doesn’t happen this summer, it will be done before the snow falls.”
Missie wrapped both arms around his neck. “Thanks, Pa!”
Marty smiled at them. “Could you set the table, Missie?”
“Sure, Mama.” Missie skipped over to the cupboard.
Marty’s eyes widened. She was Missie’s mama now. Within hours, her life had changed in ways she hadn’t thought possible as she waited for the wagon train to pull out this morning. Thank God that Clark had found her note in time.
Clark strode over to her and cupped her elbow. “She loves ya.”
“I love her,” said Marty. Then she leaned over and kissed his cheek. “And I love you, Clark Davis.”
“I love you, too, Marty Davis.”
As they stood there for a moment, gazing into each other’s eyes, they knew sharing the same last name meant more than it did just a day ago.
Copyright Cheryl C. Malandrinos – All Rights Reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment