Sister Ruth didn't go to freak shows for the same reason most people did. Instead of going to gawk at them, she went to tell them they were loved by their Creator.

There was a presenter introducing the group of unusual people. He started with a teenage boy of about 17. "He's a total idiot. You can't carry a normal conversation with him. He doesn't even understand what I'm saying to you."

Ruth's anger burned at the unkind words and she was about to say something, but the next part intrigued her. "But he can quote the entire Bible from memory. Frank, 1 Chronicles 1:18."

"And Arphaxad begat Shelah, and Shelah begat Eber."

"How do we know this ain't rigged?" shouted a gentleman from somewhere in the crowd.

"Give him any verse and he can recite it for you. Why I'm sure this fine lady here can verify it with the Bible in her hands," he said, having seen Sister Ruth since she was in the front row.

"Isaiah 11:3"

"And shall make Him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:"

Ruth flipped to verify, not for the crowd's benefit, but because she was so amazed.

"What a talent. Wasted on a dummy like him," said the man standing directly behind her.

Her anger returned and memory of the reason for being there in the first place resurfaced. She flipped to Exodus, having a rough idea of where the verse she was looking for was and when she found it, called out Exodus 4:11.

The boy recited back. "And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?"

November 1843

Kid Cole, Sister Ruth, and their 2 children were spending the winter months at the fort called El Pueblo. It sat along the Arkansas river. It was full of trappers and traders of various races along with families and settlers. The folks there mostly traded with one another for their needs, but there was a small store to get the most basic of supplies. They entered into said store, needing to restock their supplies.

"So ya'll did get married after all," said a voice that was still familiar to them after these many years.

15 years had aged the two people running the store as it had aged the Coles, but Ruth would have known them anywhere since it was the first couple she had ever married, Loren and Maude Bray.

Ruth grinned at Loren. "I think you'd be safe in making that assumption." She referenced her rounded middle that announced there would soon be a new Cole. "And ya'll finally opened up a store."

"Yeah. Left Olive and her husband running the ranch. They like that sort of stuff better than me. This is our daughter, Abigail."

Abigail was a dark-haired, blue-eyed girl blessed with good looks even at 4. She smiled at the strangers and curtseyed. "How do you do?"

"Cute as a button, ain't she?" said the proud papa. "I think sometimes the customers come just to visit with our Abigail. She draws them in left and right."

Kid introduced their children to the Brays though Mercy only smiled and said a soft hello and Isaiah didn't respond at all. If their son had heard Loren saying hello, he pretended not to.

"Why don't you show Mercy your dolls?" Loren asked his daughter.

Abigail took Mercy by the hand and led her over to her toys.

Loren didn't forget Isaiah. He handed him a wooden box full of tin soldiers. "Here you go, son. To play with, and for Kid Cole's boy, I might even let you keep one."

With the pleasantries over, Kid said to Loren, "I could use some new bullets. You got any?"

"I think he wanted a boy," Maude quietly confided to Ruth when the men were on the opposite side of the small store, "but he dotes on her like she was a princess or an angel or something."

"She is cute," Ruth said with a smile.

"And spoiled by her father." The child in question had abandoned the dolls and was now reaching into one of the candy jars. "With a terrible sweet tooth. Abigail, your pa already let you have one. You're going to spoil your supper."

Maude spoke gently, but there was a fist of iron behind her velvet glove. Abigail heard it because she compiled.

"Speaking of supper," Maude said, "Why don't you and your family come eat with us?"

"We'd like that."

"Two children and one on the way. How fortunate you are. I'd like for Abigail to have a sister or brother, but I had a rough time with Abigail and Loren refuses to try again." She was working on folding a piece of fabric as she talked.

Ruth grabbed the other ends and helped. "I think that's very sweet. It shows his love and concern for you. Some men wouldn't care if it endangered their wife or not." She thought of her own husband's love and concern when she'd told him of their latest addition to the family.

It was a beautiful, star-studded night, the kind of night that shouted the majesty and splendor of God's creation. The kids were in bed, leaving them free to cuddle and star-gaze.

"Hold my hand," Ruth requested.

She didn't have to ask twice. In fact, if she had just lifted her hand up he would have taken it.

She placed their clasped hands on her still flat stomach. Communicating the news without words. She looked back and gave him a special smile.

"Do you mean-" he began hopefully.

She nodded and he kissed her joyfully, the tangible proof of their love and God's love between them.

"I'm thankful we'll be wintering when the baby's time comes, for once," Kid said when he broke the kiss. "You'll have plenty of time to rest up."

Their active 2-year-old was obviously awake and getting into things from the clatter in the wagon.

She chuckled. "Yeah, I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to rest."

The girls were playing nicely together despite their 3 years age difference.

Isaiah sat in the floor. He didn't play with them so much as he arranged them. He spent an inordinate amount of time lining up the soldiers into a perfect line, moving them so exactingly that it was in terms of millimeters rather than inches.

"That's kind of strange," Loren remarked, noticing the boy's unusual play.

"Loren," Maude chided.

"Well, ain't it?"

Kid straightened to his full height and moved closer to Loren. "I don't like it when folks make unkind remarks about children. I like it even less when it's my child."

Loren had always been a little in awe of Kid Cole and a little intimidated when he got to talking like that and he immediately clamped his mouth shut.

"Come on, Mercy, Isaiah. We can go shopping another time," Kid said, leading them out.

"He didn't mean no offense by it," Maude said fretfully, giving Ruth the things they'd done picked out. "Please say ya'll will still come for supper."

"I'm sure we will. He just needs some time to simmer down," she said, laying a reassuring hand on Maude's shoulder.