Chapter 3
Alyssa assisted her father carry the supplies to the carriage.
"Are you sure you have everything before you head home?" Alyssa asked her father.
"Yep. I'm pretty sure. I checked everything off the list even," Mark confirmed.
"That's good."
Mark unloaded his arms, the reached for the supplies in Alyssa's grasp to place in the carriage. Alyssa looked up into her father's green eyes and he looked a little distracted and lost in thought.
"Father?"
"Hmm?"
"What's on your mind?"
"Michelle."
"A-HA!," Alyssa exclaimed smiling. "I knew it."
"I just hope I'm not making a big mistake."
Alyssa's smile quickly faded as it had appeared. "Mistake? Why?"
Mark took off his black cowboy hat, running a hand through his short hair. He turned his eyes downward to the dirt street, kicking the dust with his boot. It was then Alyssa understood what was bothering him.
"Oh..." she said after a few seconds. "Mom."
"Yeah," Mark replied still looking down at the street. "Morgan."
Morgan Calaway lost her life to a serious illness just 5 years ago. Alyssa was 21 and Mark was 44. The passing of this beautiful woman took a rather difficult toll on the both of them. Alyssa was so worried and wondered if he would ever find happiness again. She knew his happiness was renewed when he met Michelle McCool.
"Why are yo so worried about mom?"
"I don't..." he began to say before looking up to the heavens, then looked at his daughter. "I don't want my relationship with Michelle to be an issue for you."
"An issue?" she asked confused.
Mark took a deep breath before proceeding to speak. "I don't want you, the only family I have left, to think that Michelle is trying to replace your mother."
"Replace?"
"I don't want you to be angry with me or hate me."
These words cut Alyssa to the core. It broke her heart in two to hear him speak this way. Her eyes glistened with tears as well as his.
"Hate? Angry? Dad, I'm not, nor have I ever thought, that Michelle was going to try to replace Mom. I'm not gonna be angry or hate you either, cause what kind of daughter would I be?" Alyssa walked up and wrapped her arms around her father. Mark wrapped his strong protective arms around her gladly returning the embrace.
"Dad, I'm happy you found Michelle McCool. I love Michelle too. In my opinion, she's the best thing that I've seen happen to you in 5 years."
"I just don't want you to think that I'm betraying Morgan. You know I loved her."
"I know you did, Dad. But..." She pulled back to look at her father. "Remember what Mom said on her death bed to you? She said she wanted you to find someone who would care for you and love you like she did. She wanted you to find happiness again, and that what I wanted for you too. And if Michelle makes you happy, then that's all that matters to Mom and I. Everybody deserves a second chance, even in love."
Mark could only smile at his daughter, and reached up to wipe a single tear which went down her cheek. "Wow. You are so much like your mother." He pulled his daughter close again and kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Dad."
"I love you too, Alyssa." He pulled her away from him. "You had better get back to work before you get in trouble."
"Yeah. Thanks again for the ride. I'll see you later."
"Bye, sweetie." Mark said as Alyssa went back into the store. Mark wiped the tears from his eyes. He went to put his hat back on his head only to see a beautiful monarch butterfly land on the brim of his hat. He glanced at it for a while before it flew away. He chuckled softly to himself.
"Morgan loved butterflies too."