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Epilogue

Epilogue

Days passed and became weeks which turned into months. The weather began to turn colder as late fall approached.

Allie stepped into the hotel and walked over to the fireplace in the entryway. She stood in front of the roaring flames while pulling off her shawl and wiping a few snowflakes from her hair.

Michael and Amelia came bursting in behind her, laughing at the sight of Jacob stumbling behind them. Jacob had slipped and fallen in the mud and his backside was thoroughly caked in brown.

"Don't laugh at me," Jacob insisted. "My backside hurts."

"Well you should have thought about that before you took off running in the mud!" Amelia insisted.

Jacob smiled at her, "I had to take off running to save your hat. That wagon nearly ran it over."

Amelia blushed and clutched her hat tightly, "Well, thank you," she muttered before flashing a grin, "But I'll still laugh at your mud butt."

Peter came into the entryway and held out his arm, "I'll take everyone's coats. Grandmother is waiting for you in the café. She saved a table."

Allie smiled at the boys who were the very opposite of what they had been months before. The influence that Martha, Michael and Pete had had on their lives was truly amazing. It had taken a long while before they would speak to Allie, having heard Theodore repeat over and over that she was responsible for their parents being gone but now they were becoming more comfortable and warm even with her.

Allie laid her shawl over Peter's arm and it was quickly covered by Michael's, Amelia's, Jacob's and even Pete's as he came through the door.

"Amelia, I'll race you to the table," Jacob teased.

Amelia snickered, "Alright then, I'll be happy to beat you again." Before Allie could tell them no the two were rushing off toward the café.

Allie shook her head while Pete's laughter boomed, "That's why I never wanted kids. Ya can't do a darn thing with the little mongrels."

"Hey!" Peter called as he hung up the coats on hooks behind the counter. "I'm not running around and being a mongrel."

Pete chuckled, "You want to though, don't ya?"

Peter grinned, "Yeah."

"Well then go on!" Pete urged with a wave of his hand and then he followed after Peter as the boy dashed away.

"Are you feeling okay?" Michael questioned as he walked up to Allie and laid his hand over her stomach which was just starting to grow round and show the evidence of the life growing within her.

Allie nodded and laid her hand over his, "I'm feeling good, Michael. I haven't been nauseous for awhile now."

"I still worry," Michael stated.

Allie kissed his lips gently, "I know you do," she replied after pulling away. "Now lets go get something to eat. I feel as if I'm starving to death."

***

Michael watched his wife sleeping against his chest and wrapped the blankets tighter around them to ward off the chill in the air. He had been awake all night and now it was nearing dawn. Thoughts and worries had plagued his mind and kept him from finding sleep.

He shouldn't be so conflicted at a time like this. Life was good. Peter and Jacob were turning out to be good children and Michael was learning about being a big brother. Martha was happier than she had ever been now that more of her family was back in her life, Amelia was doing great in school and not a word had been heard from Theodore since he'd written to Martha to let her know he was settling in back east. And the best part of life now was the life growing inside of Allie.