Shopping was going well as far as Heather could determine. She had gone to Tompkins' store with Rachel and Jimmy was brought along just to be safe. Heather was sure that Jimmy could have thought of better ways to spend his time but it was agreed that Heather should not be going anywhere without someone to protect her and Rachel had insisted that Billy not be privy to what they were buying. So there Heather stood in the store looking at material while Rachel had a conversation with Mr. Tompkins about how much of each sort she needed. Jimmy stuck close and tried to pretend he cared anything about dresses. It was then that her eyes landed on the bolt of light green cloth.

There was a yellow cast to this green and although it was a pastel shade it seemed brighter somehow. Heather could not help walking over to it and even daring to touch it. She gasped and pulled her hand back. It was so soft it almost felt as if she had touched only air. Slowly she dared touch it again. This was nothing like the simple calico and gingham material picked out for her day dresses. Those were pretty and she liked them but this was like nothing else she had ever even laid eyes on.

"You like that one?" Jimmy asked startling her as he came up behind, "I don't know much about this sort of thing but I have to admit it's kind of pretty."

"It's beautiful," Heather said in wonder.

"Better tell Rachel we need some of that then too."

"No," she said turning quickly, "I could never ask such a thing. It's so, so…"

She looked at Jimmy helplessly as if imploring him to find the right word. He just gave her a half a smile and went to get Rachel who came right over.

"Oh Heather, that is perfect. How did I miss this before?" Rachel gushed, "You need something to wear to that dance and I expect this will make Cody's eyes pop right out of his head."

"Rachel, it's far too fancy for me."

"I happen to think it is perfect. And I think the young man here would agree. Wouldn't you, Jimmy?"

He smiled at them, "I ain't any expert but I expect that Rachel's right."

Heather looked at her feet and blushed. She offered no further protests about the material and voiced no more thoughts as Rachel finished collecting the things she needed to make the dresses. The three of them made their way back to the station with Jimmy carrying their bundles. Heather tried to take them but he insisted that a lady shouldn't have to.

Cody was just leaving the barn when they arrived back at the station. He had only just finished chores since he was doing his own and Jimmy's as well.

"How was shopping?" he asked Heather with his most winning smile.

Heather looked lost for words so Rachel spoke up.

"I think it went very well but we have a lot of work to do now, don't we?"

Heather just nodded and began to follow the other woman to the house but Cody walked up next to her.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Heather insisted, "I just don't think I needed quite all of what we bought."

"I'm sure Rachel knows what she's doing," he assured her kissing her lightly on the cheek, "I'll see you later and I promise I won't still smell like the inside of the barn when I do."

She couldn't help the smile that overtook her at that remark. Nor could she help herself from tilting her head up and planting a soft kiss on his mouth.

"Thank you," she said, "I love you, Billy."

He stood there looking after her with a smile on his face until Jimmy walked up and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"If that's the look she gets for a kiss wearing her everyday dress, I can't wait to see what you look like when you see what Rachel's cooking up."

"You've got to tell me!" Cody pleaded.

"No I don't and I wouldn't do that to Heather," Jimmy said, "She deserves the look on your face when you see her. I doubt she's ever had such a thing. And I don't know much about those things anyway. I think Lou's going to be making it. She'll only shoot you if you pester her too much."

Heather sat on the porch steps sewing contentedly. She had actually never minded sewing and especially had enjoyed making dresses. Whenever she was able to get cloth for them she would make Addie the sweetest little dresses and actually had gone through after Aunt Etheline passed and used her old dresses to make new ones for Addie. It felt good to give that little girl something that Heather, herself, had never had. It was almost as good as having had them herself. Suddenly Heather was having trouble seeing the needle and thread through the tears. Poor Addie! No one was making her dresses now or braiding her hair in the morning or helping her with her reading.

Buck saw Heather on the porch and was keeping an eye on her. Rachel had gone to school once they were back from getting the supplies for the dresses. Lou was inside working on the special dress for the dance and Cody said he had an errand to run. For a while Heather seemed content and almost happy about sitting and working. Buck understood a little of that. She was used to working for her keep but beyond that, being useful felt good and having something to do, something productive felt even better. She not only had something to occupy her time but something to show for her work as well. This time when he looked up to check on her though he could see her good spirits were gone and even from his distance across the yard he could see her shoulders shake. He headed toward her reaching her just as her head bowed only to be caught by her hand.

"Heather," he began with a questioning tone, "Are you okay?"

He knew that was kind of a dumb question because if she was okay she would not be crying but still that seemed the way to start things.

Heather's head shot up to see who was speaking and immediately she felt guilty for her emotional outburst. She had no real reason to be sad after all. She was safe and she had something to do and Billy still loved her. Her tears were very much out of line.

"I'm fine, Buck," she said hastily drying her eyes, "Thank you for asking."

He sat on the next step down from where Heather was sitting with her sewing.

"I know you're not fine," he said, "People don't cry like that when they're fine. What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," she told him, "Really. I'm being silly I think."

"I doubt that," he assured her, "I think you showed up here with more reasons to cry than most folks get in a lifetime. I'm just wondering what it is right now. You know if Cody finds out you were crying and I just let you sit here alone without trying to help, he'll have my head."

Heather sighed heavily.

"I was just thinking about Addie," she answered, "She's all alone now and there's no one to see to her. The boys are probably alright. I don't know what they're eating but knowing them they've figured out how not to starve. I just wonder if anyone has even noticed little Addie."

Her tears renewed and Buck reached over to pat her hand.

"I think Teaspoon is trying to find a way to get those children away from your uncle," Buck told her and then decided to change the subject as there was really nothing more he could offer her. "That's really pretty material, Heather. It must be nice to think you're going to get some new clothes here."

"It is nice," she admitted, "Everything is nice here."

Buck thought about that and how much he sometimes began to take for granted the niceness around him. Sure there was hard work to be done but there was nothing wrong with breaking a sweat and earning one's pay. And yes the rest of the world could be cruel to him but this was a safe place. This was a place where people only saw him. They did not see his color or the shame he carried for how he came to be anymore than he saw the shame each of them carried for the way their own lives had unfolded to this point. This was a place of second chances, a place to find the things that were lost or that had never been. It must have seemed a paradise to someone who'd lived as Heather had.

"I'm glad you're here now," he said truthfully, "Cody can get some sleep now instead of sneaking out all the time."

Heather blushed.

"Don't act like that," he chastised gently, "He was tired but he was happy. It's nice to see he can take something seriously."

Buck looked at Heather a moment as she turned her eyes back to her sewing.

"This'll never get done if I spend all my time weeping," she said.

"You know you can talk to any of us, right?" Buck asked as he stood and prepared to head back to the barn.

"Thank you," she said nodding.

The next day went very much the same except that Heather had a new dress to wear. It was simple and for working. She could easily move to hang wash and help Rachel with the cooking and the hem hit at her ankle so she didn't constantly need a hand free to lift her skirts out of the way of her feet. Heather spent most of that day on the porch steps sewing another dress and enjoying the sounds of the boys doing their chores and occasionally lifting her eyes to watch the horses in the corral. She couldn't think of much of anything better until supper rolled around that is.

Rachel hadn't allowed her to help with the meal which felt wrong to Heather since her hands were just fine. But Rachel insisted that Heather find some other way to busy herself while she saw to supper. So Heather had gone to her room. It had taken her a while to think of the comfortable room with the soft bed as hers but she was beginning to. She sat on the bed sewing until she heard the knock on the front door. Her heart pounded all the way to the door not knowing what to expect but she was rewarded with a smiling Billy when she opened the door. He bowed to her eliciting a small giggle.

"Might I escort the guest of honor to supper?"

"Guest of honor?" she asked.

"You'll see," he said still smiling warmly, "Well you will if you'd take my arm and let me bring you over to the bunkhouse."

Heather timidly closed the door behind her and rested her hand on his offered arm and allowed herself to be led to the bunkhouse. She kept looking over to see the same smile on Billy's face and while she loved his smile, it was starting to make her uneasy like there was a joke she wasn't in on. Perhaps a joke that was on her and that was frightening in ways she couldn't understand. She had gotten comfortable with being invisible and the thought of being the center of attention, especially if she was to be made fun of was nothing she relished. About halfway across the yard the tears spilled over her lashes and began running down her cheeks.

Cody glanced over at Heather smiling knowing that what was inside the bunkhouse would make her happy but what he saw when he looked at her made him anything but. She was crying. She did that a lot and he understood to some extent that she had a lot of sadness and hurt to let out. Still he stopped her. He couldn't bring her into the bunkhouse crying like she was. He wanted her to be able to enjoy the surprise they all had cooked up and wanted the others to feel they helped make her happy.

"Heather, what's wrong, honey?" he asked brushing away a tear from her cheek, "Did I do something to upset you? Are you still hurting?"

"I can't go in there," she whispered, "I'm tired. I think I'd rather go to bed early. I'm not all that hungry."

Cody didn't know what to do. Everyone had worked very hard on the surprise and now Heather wouldn't go in and wouldn't tell him why.

"You really can't skip meals," he said concerned. She was putting on weight little by little but it wasn't enough for him and then maybe he could guilt her into going in to eat.

"I really don't want to go in there."

"You aren't afraid of the guys suddenly, are you?" he asked, "Did one of them say something to you? Who was it?"

"Everyone has been very nice to me," she said, "Too nice. Nicer than they ought to be."

"I don't understand. How can they be too nice?"

"Not everyone is treated nice. Not everyone should be."

"Actually everyone should be," he said, "Unless they are bad people who hurt others, like your uncle. At least that's how I was taught. Everyone deserves respect. The people in that bunkhouse aren't nice to you because they're supposed to be. They aren't even nice because I asked them to be. They're nice to you because they want to be. You're a nice person, Heather. Don't you know that?"

"What did you mean 'guest of honor'?"

"Please come see for yourself," he said, "We've been working all day on something we think will make you happy and see how much we all love you. Please don't make me ruin the surprise."

"Nothing bad is going to happen?"

"I wouldn't let it and neither would they."

She searched his eyes for any trace of deception. His face was so earnest, concerned for her. So she placed her hand on his arm once again and allowed herself to be led to the bunkhouse. She walked in to see everyone looking at her and smiling.

"Happy birthday, Heather!"

They yelled it out all together. Heather wasn't sure what to do but everyone was smiling and Billy's arm was tight around her making her feel safe.

"You didn't forget today was your birthday, did you?" Cody asked her.

She shook her head looking at the floor in front of her feet.

"You couldn't really think that I did," he said looking at little hurt.

She only shrugged wishing the focus would be taken off of her soon and her wish was granted sort of when Lou came over and took her hand leading her to the table. Heather only glanced at Rachel as the woman started dishing food onto her plate but looked up almost startled when she saw it was chicken and dumplings.

"It took some doing," Rachel smiled at her, "But I found out that it's your favorite. Something your mama cooked for you."

"It is," Heather replied, "You didn't have to go to such trouble."

"It's not trouble, Heather. Actually it's a fairly simple dish and I try to make a special supper whenever one of the family is celebrating a birthday."

Rachel leaned closer and whispered into Heather's ear softly so no one else could hear it.

"I have to take care of all of my children. You're just as special to me as any of them."

Heather blinked back the tears. Chicken and dumplings was not necessary, neither was anything else. She realized she was with people who loved her for the first time since before her mama had passed and that was the best birthday present she could ever get. But she looked to the end of the table. Teaspoon never missed one of Rachel's meals but he was not there now. She hoped there was no emergency that had kept him and that he was alright. He had been so tender to her, like a father ought to have been.

Cody followed Heather's eyes.

"He's coming," he assured her, "He had an errand to run. Before he gets here though I think we all have some things for you."

Before Heather could even fathom what was happening, packages were being passed to her. She received books and a pretty fan, Lou and Rachel said her present was still being made but she would get it on Friday. Lastly, Billy handed her a small package. In it Heather found a cameo with a pale blue background. It was so beautiful. She had seen such things of course but had never owned such a thing. Nor had anyone she even knew well owned such a lovely thing.

"Billy I can't take this," she said, "It's too beautiful. You shouldn't have."

"It's not nearly as beautiful as you are and I should make sure you are surrounded by things like this."

Heather wanted to protest but Rachel spoke up.

"It really is pretty, Heather," she paused; "Now I hope you all saved room for cake."

The door to the bunkhouse opened to little notice of the others.

"Cake?" Teaspoon called from the door, "Sounds like I came in at the right time."

"There's still some chicken and dumplings left too," Rachel told him, "Did your errand go well?"

"I think it went better than I could even have imagined," he answered, "First of all I want to wish Heather here a happy birthday and then I will tell you all about it."

He crossed over to the table and placed a kiss on Heather's cheek.

"Happy birthday," he said softly, "From here on out, may they all be happy."

Then he straightened himself up and went back to the door.

"Rachel said I had an errand and I did," he began, "I had something to see to concerning our young lady here. I was hoping to just assure her that things was going to be taken care of so's she could let her mind rest easier but I think I did one better."

He opened the door and nodded to someone outside. Soon Addie appeared in the doorway. Heather jumped up and ran to the girl.

"Addie! Are you alright?" she cried.

"Oh Heather, I missed you so much!"

They clung to each other and no one was left unaffected by the reunion. Lou furtively dabbed at her eyes while the others felt a little like they were privy to something they weren't supposed to be in on. After a minute or two Heather straightened up and led Addie to the table where a space was made.

"Everyone," Heather said shyly, "This is Adelaide but we call her Addie."

Introductions were made all around except for Rachel because Addie already knew her teacher.

Later that evening Heather and Cody were showing Addie the horses and Cody was promising that someone would teach Addie to ride as well. Teaspoon and Rachel were sitting on the bunkhouse.

"We need to take her back home, Teaspoon," Rachel said sadly not wanting to at all. Addie was one of her special students. She didn't always get the best marks but she tried harder than anyone else and was so eager to please. Rachel had often wanted to take the girl home with her and raise her with love and attention she knew was lacking from Martin Lepley. When Heather was still in that home Rachel knew someone was paying attention to the girl but this few days Addie had come to school dirty and tired and without a lunch to eat. Besides her own concerns for Addie, she knew that having the girl here was doing wonders for Heather as well.

"If she had one, Rachel," Teaspoon said, "I would. Lepley said to take her and find someone to deal with her. Said he had no use for her and she was too much trouble. Said the boys could at least work in the fields. I didn't know where else to take her. I'm sure someone would be willing to take her in here in town. I thought maybe to ask at the church."

"I'll take her," Rachel said quickly, "If she needs a home and a mama, I'll do it. She's a sweet girl."

"I figured that much in the little time I got to spend with her. Might be good for Heather too."

I just had to get poor Addie away from Uncle Martin! And I don't think Heather'd ever had a birthday party before. Teaspoon is pretty awesome!-J