Marty Claridge had just moved out to the West of America with her loving husband Aaron Claridge, who sadly passed away shortly after they moved.
Without any other option, she accepts the slightly strange arrangement that was offered to her by a widower by the name of Clark Davis.
He offered to give her a warm and safe place to stay for her and her unborn child. She was expecting her late husband's child shortly before her departure to the East. Clark later on promised to provide her with the fare for the wagon train which was due to head back East in the spring, but in exchange they agreed to marry each other, and for her to become a mother to his daughter; Missie.
The couple live together under the same roof, but in seperate rooms, a married couple in a simple sense with the only aim for her to be a mother to his motherless child.
Marty, while expecting her late husband's baby, is even more in need of a warm place to stay. Still, it is not an ideal arrangement for any of them, and at first Marty and Missie did not get along. Marty learnt more about "Clark's God" than she ever dreamed whilst under his roof and as the Winter season passed, they all begun to feel more like a family than ever before.
Today is the day that Marty is due to leave for the East, Missie sat on the steps of the house as she watched her new and now leaving mother, she was about to become motherless for the second time in her tiny little life. Nine years since the day the curly blonde haired child had been born, two different mothers and nine seconds since the first tear slid down her face at the loss of her second mother. She didn't want Marty to leave, or 'Mommy' as she now called her. She felt safe when she called her that, she didn't quite understand why but she wanted her to stay, she needed her. She needed a mother. She was also rather fond of the idea of having a little baby brother or sister, the idea of a little sister did seem more appealing though.
Marty put her case down on the dusty ground and grinned at her 'daughter', "I am going to miss you so much my darling princess" she whispered softly into the little girl's ear
Missie burst into tears and clung to the older woman, "Don't leave me Mommy, please don't go" she begged her, trying to stop her leaving, "You can stay here forever, you know that right?"
Clark stood in the doorway watching as the woman he secretly loved was leaving, he walked forward and wrapped his arms around his daughter, pulling her from the beautiful woman, "Marty has to go princess, she wants to go home" he said softly to his daughter, trying not to cry.
Missie tried desperately to reach her mother, "This is your home Mommy, please stay?" the child begged sobbing her heart out.
Marty looked down and cupped her cheek, "I'm going to miss you my Princess" she said softly, and moved her soft hand to the man's face, "I will miss you too" she said simply with an emotion tainted voice.
The stunning woman walked towards the wagon, aware of the four eyes watching her, but unaware of the tears brimming in the man's eyes, and the sounds of the gradual breaking of his heart.
Marty lifted her case onto the wagon, and went to climb on. The man driving nodded to her and tipped his hat to her.
The sun was high in the sky, and the the sky was painted light blue with mis-shaped clouds in the spring sky.
Suddenly the skies were filled with the sounds of a gut-wrenching scream as labour pains hit her with force... Would she ever make it back to the East?