Chapter 9
"Well," Mort said, raising his glass, "here's to a happy and healthy New Year."
Everyone at the table raised their glass in unison.
"Yes," Eliza Jane added, "And all's well that ends well."
The Wilders had been invited to stay at the Johnson's ranch in Mountain Grove by Amy Johnson, Mort's sister, after Eliza relayed what had happened at Rocky Ridge. There was plenty of room at the ranch and they really wanted to meet the Wilder family after hearing so much about them through Eliza and her brother.
"Well," Asa said to Almanzo after they all sat down. "How are you enjoying your stay?"
Almanzo looked over at Laura and smiled. "Can't exactly say; we've only been here since yesterday."
"It's a lovely home," Laura said, looking at her husband. "and such a beautiful garden. You certainly do make someone feel as if they are home. It's no wonder Mort speaks highly of you, Amy."
Amy blushed as she turned to her husband, who was sitting next to her. "Why, thank you, Laura."
"So, tell me," Laura asked, as they both excused themselves from the table to serve the dessert and coffee. How do you manage to do it all?"
Amy smiled as she reached for the apple and pumpkin pie. "We do have ranch hands, only I really should apologize for what's happened. I hope that in some small way this makes up for it."
Laura smiled, as she reached for the Johnson's china teacups. "Don't you worry about anything, as Eliza Jane said, 'All's well that ends well.'"
Eliza, who was pouring the coffee, "At least no one was hurt; who knows what could have happened out there with those men shooting at everything in the middle of the night."
She turned to Laura. "At least Rose is alright. I suppose she's been punished appropriately."
Laura looked up at her sister in law, trying to control her temper. "Yes, Eliza Jane, Almanzo and I have already spoken to Rose about what happened and she understands a little more about …."
Amy smiled, scooping up two filled cups from the table. "Eliza, would you grab the pies while Laura and I bring in the coffee?" and as the two exited out the swinging kitchen door, Amy and Laura looked at each other and smiled.
"Thank you," Laura said, quietly.
"You're very welcome," Amy said, as they placed the filled cups on the table. "Now who wants coffee or tea?"
xxxxxx
The children had already eaten and were playing quietly in the big playroom upstairs. Rose had situated herself by the window, looking out over the rolling fields.
"So," eight year old Elijah Johnson said as he sat down next to Rose, "You looking for your little white deer? You really did see him, didn't you?"
"Leave her alone, Eli," twelve year old Maddie Johnson sat down next to her. She looked down at her own carved white deer. "Your father sure is good at woodworking."
Rose turned from the window and smiled. "Yes, he is, Maddie. I'm sure that you, Eli, Adam and Asa will be by our house to see what else he's done."
"You still haven't answered Eli's question," ten year old Asa said, looking straight at Rose. "
"You know I did, Asa Johnson," Rose said, "I'm not lying. Your father looked in on him while he was still in our barn."
"Has he been back?" Eli asked.
Rose shook her head. "I never saw him again." She turned back toward the window. "I know he's out there because he showed up by our barn the next morning, but he ran away again."
"I'm sure he'll be back," Maddie said, putting her arm around Rose, staring out the window. "Just give it some time. He's probably frightened at what happened. Now why don't we all…."
Maddie stopped mid-sentence. "Asa, Eli, get over here, quick. There's something out there."
Eli and Asa ran to the playroom window. "Look at that, Asa, there he is."
Sure enough a pure white deer stood outside between the house and Amy Johnson's fenced in garden, but it didn't seem interested in that. It stood looking up at the window as if it knew that Rose had been inside the house, waiting for it.
"It's Magic," Rose said to herself. "I'm sure it is."
"What did he do Rose," Asa asked, "follow you here?"
Maddie turned to look at Asa, then back to Rose. "Don't pay any attention to him, he doesn't know anything." She turned back to the window. "He certainly is beautiful."
"Come on, children," Amy called upstairs. "Time for bed. You too, Rose."
Asa, Eli and Maddie all turned from the window. "Yes, Mama," they all called at once, then turned back to the window, but the deer was gone. Rose was still by the window, looking out.
"Come on, Rose, time for bed," Maddie said, leading her away from the window.
"I'll be there in a second," Rose said, as the other children left. She turned back to the window.
"Rose?"
She didn't recognize the voice and turned in the direction of it. A tall, brown haired, brown eyed boy stood looking down at her.
"You must be Adam," Rose said, staring up at him. "You look just like your brothers."
The fifteen year old smiled and nodded. "You're a pretty smart little girl," he said, bending down.
"I just wanted to apologize to you for everything that's happened to your family."
Rose smiled. "Nothing to be sorry for, Adam. It's not really your fault. Everything did turn out alright, after all. My parents are making me do extra chores to keep me busy."
Adam laughed. "Keeping an eye on you, are they?"
Rose nodded. "They lock up the barn at night now. I'm not allowed to go there on my own; I have to see one of them first." She smiled. "Well, I gotta go to bed now, before Mama and Papa come up here to check on me."
And Rose ran out of the playroom toward the room she shared with Maddie.
Adam stood up and walked over to the window. He scanned the outside quickly, but couldn't see a thing. He shook his head and was about to turn away when he noticed something white staring up at him.
"Magic," he said, "I'm sorry about what happened. Will you forgive me?"
The deer just continued to look up at him and then, with a little flick of his white tail, he was gone.
