Chapter 2

Fast forward June of 2007

"Mom where back "Ethan said as he came in an slammed the door,

Emma came in right behind him "We are starving and before you ask we did our chores, We mucked the stalls and fed the animal." "

Good go get washed up." She looked lovingly at her children It always amazed her how much they looked like their father she had seen pictures of Matt at their age and Ethan was identical and Emma looked exactly like Ruthie Lisa yelled to the twins,"Are your uncles going to be in for supper or are they heading home, I know Becky and Kelley and Hannah, will all have dinner?" Lisa asked "

"Well Uncle Brian and Uncle Crane are staying Uncle Brian will probably stay overnight in the bunk house. They are worried about that injured bear is still in the area according to the sheriff, Emma said.

"I think uncle Adam and every one else are heading back home to the McFadden ranch" Ethan told her

"Oh Ok Thanks" Lisa replied

The men she called their Uncles were actually her first cousins. They were her family now She had moved to Truckee CA in northern CA when she found out she was pregnant her grandfather had owned a ranch that hadn't been used in years and when he died he left it to her. It was now called the Forester Camden Ranch she had given her children Matt's last name her ranch was adjacent to her Aunt and Uncle Bill and Peggy McFadden, Aunt Peggy was her father's sister they had 7 sons Adam, Brian, Crane, Daniel, Evan, Ford, and Guthrie Her own parents didn't want anything to do with her and told her to have an abortion so she had no contact with them and Aunt Peggy had called and told them when she delivered her twins on December 20th 1997 But they wanted nothing to do with her and her parents had never told her brothers and sister what had happened to her. Lisa had tried to call Matt the night she went into labor she desperately wanted him with her but his mother Annie didn't want Lisa to speak with him after she had "ripped his heart out" is the way she put it and wouldn't let her talk to him Annie hung up on her before she could ever tell her about the babies she was in labor with. All Lisa had were her aunt and uncle and her cousins. Unfortunately Her aunt and uncle were killed in a plane crash a few years ago which left the older McFadden boys to look after the younger ones She missed her aunt and uncle a lot they helped her so much with her children and even watched them when she went back to college at southern Nevada university and she finished her nursing degree and started another major which she would need to run the ranch. she needed a degree in agriculture and animal graduated with honors and had managed with their help and her cousins help to make a real successful and profitable ranch " Lisa was lost in thought when Brian and Crane came in and the screen door slammed be hind them the door slamming brought Lisa back to the present

"Something sure smells good"" Brian and Crane both said I am staying in the Bunk house. Brian said " I know there have been wolves in the area and there is that issue of the injured bear"

" I can handle a shot gun Brian" Lisa said "and so can the kids," She hated to impose all the time

"What you need to do is find a man" Crane said "if we weren't related I would marry you myself" he said has he kissed her on the cheek

"Well I think your wife Becky ah wouldn't like that to much" she replied.

Then Brian said" You know you are considered the catch of the County Lisa"

She just waved him off oh "Knock it off you know I am not interested. I fell in love once I have always told you their could never be anyone else for me. Matt was and still is and always will be the love of my life"

"Are you talking about are daddy" Emma asked as she walked into the room with Ethan

"Yes baby I am" Lisa

"Mom you told us before he never knew about us do you think he would love us if he knew about us." Ethan asked.

"I am sure he would but its complicated you know that, He is married to someone else now from what I heard he married her 5 years ago plus he lives all the way in New York"

"Me and Ethan really want to meet him mom" Emma said

"I know I have to think about it ok" She hugged them both.

New York Columbia University Medical Center

Sarah entered the Doctors lounge to plead one more time with her soon to be ex husband.

"Matt, Doctor Anderson told me you would be in here can't we please talk?"

"What else is there to say" He said angrily "Its just about over by this time next week we will have been before the judge and our divorce will be final if you will only sign the documents."

"I want us to work on our marriage more" Sarah said,

He swung around to her angry eyes met her pleading eyes, "Maybe we could have worked on it before you did what you did, I know I never totally gave our marriage a shot because I always had a place in my heart for my first love who to this day I still strong feelings for her, But you ended our marriage when you did what you did."

"Matt I am sorry but given the state of our marriage was so volatile anyway how could we bring a baby into this relationship?" Sarah asked

"I will never forgive you for having an abortion, you killed our baby, just sign the damn papers so we can be done with it already."

He stormed passed her and out of the lounge. He ran into Dr. Anderson

"Hey Matt, did Sarah find you?"

"Yeah" he said angrily

"Hey don't bite my head off its not me you are angry at"

"Sorry I just wish she would sign the papers so I can get on with my life."He replied.

"So have you figured out where you are going to be working. I know you and she were at one point going to move to Glen Oak and open a practice together, I know she still is so where does that leave you, I mean we love having you here and we have asked you to stay but you still haven't given us a decision yet?" Dr. Anderson said

"I am still trying to figure that out but I will stay until I figure out what is next I just need more time."

Glen Oak

"Hey Kevin I just got off the phone with Richard Anderson the mayor of a small rural community in a place Called Truckee way up north in Northern California Ranch country about 30 miles from Reno" Said Lucy

"Oh" said Kevin " What were you doing talking to him?"

"Well you know how at one point we were going to move to Crossroads but that fell through, well seems the mayor of Crossroads is Friends with the Mayor of Truckee" She replied "and they are with out a minister, he retired a few months ago and they are also looking for more law enforcement officers in the sheriff department, He wants us to come and visit and he wants me to do Sunday sermon next Sunday to get the feel of the place, There is a small parsonage attached to the Church which would be fine for the time being for the 4 of us."

Kevin got up and handed their newest addition their son Nathanial to Lucy and kissed her "I think that would be a terrific idea call him back and tell him we want to visit".

She called the mayor back "Hi Mayor Anderson this is Lucy Kinkirk, I was talking to Kevin and he thinks visiting Truckee is a wonderful idea we just have to make the appropriate travel plans but we hope to be there either Wednesday or Thursday."

" Great I will look forward to meeting you and your family"

"Well it will probably be just Kevin and me I will see if My parents can watch our 2 children at least for the first visit"

"Then I can't wait to meet you and Kevin. See you soon."

She hung up and called her mother He mother agreed to watch Savannah and Nathaniel while they went to Truckee She made the appropriate travel plans and she and Kevin packed They arrived at the Truckee lake Tahoe airport early Thursday morning and rented a car that would take them to Truckee.

Truckee

"Mom What are we doing today we already did our chores for the morning and we are bored" Emma whined

It was Thursday June 14th, "Only the first week of summer vacation and you are both bored already, well you can go into town with me I have to pick up some things at the general store and somethings at the Agway." Lisa told them

"If we go into help will you take us to Marie's shop to get an ice cream soda Ethan asked.

"Yes if you are good I will take you" Lisa replied

They headed from their ranch into town. Kevin and Lucy had just arrived at city hall and mayor Anderson was outside waiting for them he gave them small tour and took them to the church they met several of the parishioners After they were done

The mayor asked, "Would you like to get something to eat or how about coffee?, We can go to Marie's then Later Kevin can talk to Sheriff McKinney"

"Sure that would be great" Lucy replied. "You know I really Like it here I think Kevin and I would fit in really well here,"

" Now I wish we could fill one more position that will soon be vacant you wouldn't happen to know of a doctor looking for work Our Old Doc Hansen has been wanting to retire but hasn't yet because he needs someone to take his place. The mayor told them as they walked over to Marie's

Lisa and the twins were done with their errands and headed to Marie's as promised, they walked in and got a booth near the Jukebox. Can we have some quarters to play some music?" Emma asked

"Sure here are 2 dollars one for you and one for Ethan no fighting on who gets to pick the songs first Now go get quarters from the cashier."

Lisa sat back in the booth and the waitress poured her a cup of coffee She sat back and closed her eyes for a minute She thought about her children's request to see their father, "How am I ever going to do that" she thought to herself The Cashier was near the entrance as Emma and Ethan were waiting for their quarters Kevin and Lucy entered with the mayor

Lisa and the kids were well know because of how active she was in the community and because of the size both her and her cousins ranches When The mayor walked in he immediately saw the Camden kids and they saw him Lucy and Kevin saw them too and couldn't help but see the resemblance of the kids to Matt and Ruthie it was as if they were clones,

"Hi Ya mayor" said the twins in Unison

He gave them a hug "Hi Emma Hi Ethan Your not in here by yourselves are you?" asked the Mayor,

"Nah we are here with mama" Ethan said "She is over there"Emma pointed to the booth she was sitting at. Her back was to them and she was looking at the menu.

"Well I would like you to meet Lucy and Kevin Kinkirk if they like our town both they and their two children will be moving here she will be the minister and he will work for the sheriff Lucy and Kevin I would like you to meet Emma and Ethan Camden I will take you to meet their mother Lisa in a minute,"

"Did you say Camden?" Lucy asked

"Yup that's our last name but our mom's is Forester she and our dad never married but we have his last name" Ethan said Matter of factly.

The waitress handed the kids the change "Come on Emma lets go put money in the Juke box then go back to mama to order out Ice cream soda's"

With that they were off, "Something wrong Rev Kinkirk?" the mayor asked

Kevin saw her expression too he knew why

"Can we meet the kids mother would you introduce her to us?"Lucy said with a shaky voice"

"Yes sure , We can sit in the booth next to theirs" replied the mayor

Lucy put her purse in the chair Lisa looked up," Hi mayor how are you today?"

They way he was standing Lisa didn't get a view of Lucy just Kevin,

"I just saw the twins, boy they have so much energy, Well anyway I want you to meet possibly, hopefully our new minister and her husband Lucy and Kevin Kinkirk they currently live in Glen Oak."

Lisa looked at Lucy even though she was a little girl the last time she saw her Lisa immediately knew who she was. "Nice to see you again Lucy and Nice to meet you Kevin" Lisa said in a shaky voice

"Nice to see you too" Lucy said

"So you too know each other". the mayor asked

"Yes I used to live in Glen Oak before I moved here" Lisa replied There was Garth Brooks music playing from the Juke box and the twins came back to the table

" I already ordered you both your Ice cream soda's they should be right up."

"Thanks mom" They both said

"Can you wait here a minute I have to use the rest room I will be right back" Lisa said

"Yeah I think I need to use it too" Lucy added, they both got up and went there once they got in the rest room

Lucy said to her "the Mayor Introduced your kids as Emma and Ethan Camden? and given the family resemblance , My God he looks like Matt and she looks like Ruthie I am safe to assume they are Matt's"

"Yes they are Lucy" Lisa replied

"So that's why you took off that summer, You know he was devastated. Why didn't you just tell him or tell the family when you tried all those times to get in touch with him?"

"I was scared Luce and I didn't want to saddle him with Kids at such a young age, he was still in high school, and then when I finally realized I had made a mistake and he needed to know I tried to call, but every time I tried to call over the years your parents wouldn't let me get anywhere near him the last time I tried I got Ruthie who had informed me had just left on his honey moon with his new wife Sarah. How could I tell him then I didn't want to wreck his marriage Lucy"

Lucy hugged her "I am so sorry things happened the way they did but Matt needs to know about his kids. Especially now, He is in the middle of a divorce actually they go to court next week, to be honest he never got over you we all knew it. He knew it too but he married Sarah anyway." Lucy said

"Oh Lucy, He will hate me for not telling him" Lisa said with tears in her eyes "But I suppose he will have to be told I know I can't expect you to keep this kind of secret. To be honest I have been asking God for a way to tell him. Recently the kids have been asking me to contact him. They know that their father doesn't know about them but they have been asking me a lot about him. I haven't known how to handle it. They want to meet him so much. I haven't been able to know how to or had the courage to contact him, Maybe you and Kevin coming here was an answer to a prayer." Lisa said

" Do you want me to tell him I ran in to you and you need to talk with him? Who knows maybe he would move here to He has been trying to make his mind up on what his next move would be He and Sarah were suppose to open a practice in Glen Oak together. Sarah is still going but for Obvious reasons he isn't Your mayor said Dr. Hanson is retiring who knows Maybe Matt could take over to be close to his kids" Lucy said

"Lucy you are getting way ahead of your self we can't live in fantasy land He doesn't even know anything yet. Well we better get out there they probably think we flushed ourselves down the toilet we have been gone for so long" Lisa laughed

They went back to the booths. "What took you so long" Ethan asked as he sipped on his Ice cream soda

"You better drink yours mama or it will melt" Emma said

Lisa and Lucy sat down

"Well since you are back I wonder if I could take a walk with Kevin and have him meet the sheriff. I saw his jeep pull up." the mayor asked

"No go ahead we will be in here for a while" Lucy said they headed out the door,

"Listen kids I have something I have to tell you," Lisa said as she looked at Lucy... "Lucy is actually your Aunt Lucy before she married Kevin her last name was Camden too. She is your daddy's younger sister"

Their Eyes went wide in amazement,

" Your are daddy's sister?" Emma said

"Will he want to meet us will you tell him" Ethan asked

"yes to both of your questions" Lucy answered" I will call him tonight although telling him right away about you isn't my job But I will tell him I saw your mother and that they need to talk. Then if he hesitates too much or puts off wanting to see her I will then tell him about you both" Lucy told them. "Your uncle Kevin and I will be staying at the parsonage tonight I will call him from there and let you know tomorrow."

They spent the rest of the day together Lucy took Kevin aside when he got back and told him who Lisa and the twins were although he sort of suspected already with their last name being Camden. They Left the mayor and headed over to the parsonage and Lisa and the twins headed back to the ranch before they parted ways for the evening they exchanged cell phone Numbers and Lisa gave her the number to the Ranch. They got into the parsonage ate some dinner they brought back from Marie's Kevin went into the Living room and Lucy sat at the table and dialed Matt's cell phone.