Chapter 28

So, this will be my last chapter of this story.. It wont end here though, I will continue the series, picking up a few days after where this one ends.. In the mean time, check out Holiday Hopes!

I hope you've enjoyed this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it. As always, drop me a review please! I've had over 9,000 views, and only 33 reviews... Please send them in! It only takes a few minutes, and it means a lot to me!

Thankyou to all who have left me a review, its greatly appreciated, and thank you Susie Thornton for your continued support, and to my friend, Mic. You know who you are lol.


It was just a bit after dark when the family sat down to eat. When Josh saw what was being served, he squealed with delight. "Fried chicken, my favourite." He said as he sat down and went to grab a bite out of his piece.

"Manners, Josh. Wait until the blessing has been said." Emily gently reprimanded.

"If you're that egar to eat." Colin joked. "I'll say the blessing now, that's if you don't mind, Josie."

"No," Josie reassured. "Its fine by me."

Colin waited until everyone had bowed their heads, then he gave the blessing. "Lord, we thankyou for this food, may it nourish us and bless the hands that prepared it. Amen"

A series of agreeing "Amens" came from around the table, then they all began to eat their meals.

"What's the plan for tomorrow, Josie?" Jay asked as he passed the plate of potatoes to her.

"Tomorrow is Sunday." Josie said in a mocking tone. "You do realize that, or did you forget?" She gave a little chuckle as she saw his face. "Sorry. I can be a bit sassy at sometimes, I get that from my father. Tomorrow most of the town go to Mrs. Montgomery's gathering out in the forest, or you could go to the Reverends service, held in the saloon."

"Church is held in the saloon?" Kathleen asked, a little surprised.

"Yes, it has been since the church burnt down a few months before Christmas. The school is also held in the saloon, since the church served as the school as well before it burnt."

"What did you do for Christmas, Josie?" Josh asked as he helped himself to another piece of chicken.

"Nothing, Josh. Christmas was forgotten last year. And anyway, I was to busy to miss it." Josie lied, then she decided to change the subject. "I was planning on staying with Abigail tomorrow, so what ever you decided to do, I won't be able to join you."

"I can come with you, if you like." Emily volunteered.

"No, you should spend time with your husband and children. But thank you for offering. I was hoping that maybe Danni might like to come with me though."

"Sure" Danni agreed. "I don't mind. We can get better acquainted. Is it alright if I go with her, Pa?"

Matt nodded. "Its fine with me, Danni. But you'll need to behave yourself. I know you can get into mischief if you don't watch yourself."

"Yes, dad." Danni said mischievously.

"Danni?"

"Yes Dad!"

Josie began to laugh at their little argument, then they both looked at her, asking unspokenly what was so funny. "Sorry. You two can be a little sarcastic as well, I see. Well, now that we've sorted out what's happening, I have another little thing that needs to be sorted. This ranch has never had a name while I've lived here, and I think it needs one now that we're going to be working it. Does anyone have any suggestions?"

"Willow Creek?" Rob gave his opinion.

"Mmm, no. There's a willow creek ranch already a town over, and if I called this place that, I'd get painted with the reputation they have, and its not a good one."

"Sunny Glade?" Danni put her two bobs worth in.

"Not bad. I do like that one." Josie agreed. "Any more?"

"How about Langara?" Josh asked, wide-eyed as he saw Emily walk in with the cake for desert.

"Langara." Josie said the word to see how she liked it. "Where did you hear that?"

"It was the name of Matt's station back in Australia."

"Well, in that case, is it okay for me to name this place that, Matt?"

"Its fine by me." Matt replied as he cut a piece of cake for himself.

"Great, Langara it is then." Josie wiped her face with a serviette. "If you'll excuse me, I have things I need to go do. Night all." She said as she got up and walked out of the room.

"Night, Josie." Colin replied as he passed a piece of cake to Josh.


The rest of the McGregor's sat at the table quietly, finishing off their supper, when Emily noticed Josh playing with a little metal horse. "Where did you get that, Josh?"

"I found it I our room. There's a huge big box of toys in the cupboard. Michael and I found it." Josh replied, quite proud of himself.

"I did tell him to ask Josie about it first." Michael spoke up.

"Yes, you should have asked her first, Josh. It's the polite thing to do. Maybe there was a reason it was in the cupboard in the first place."

"Alright, I'll ask her in the morning. May I go play now?"

"Yes, you may. But take your plate to the kitchen first please."

"Thanks." Josh got up, put his plate on the kitchen bench, then ran out the back door.

"If everyone is finished, I'll clear the table now." Kathleen said as she stood up and collected Josie's empty plate, then the family handed her their dirty dishes. Emily and Danni stood up to help her. "Its fine, Danni." She acknowledged as Danni picked up an empty bowl. "Emily and I can handle it. You can have the night off. I thought you might want to go and have a look around."

"Great, thanks." Danni said as she put the dish back down. "Come on Colin"

"Coming, coming, sis." He said as Danni started to pull him out of his chair. "We should probably out some wood on the fire first before we go out."

"I'll do it." Danni walked over to the fire and placed a log on it, then as she stood up, she noticed the photo on the mantel and picked it up.

Colin noticed Danni go quite and he walked over to her. "What is it, Danni?"

Danni handed Colin the photo. "Josie must have a brother too, but I wonder where he is. After all, the room Josh and Michael are sharing is a boy's room and still has everything in it. I wonder what the story behind where this boy is..."

"If Josie wants us to know, in time she'll tell us." He said as he put the photo back on the mantel. "She already has enough to deal with her parents dying and an entire family who are no more than strangers moving into her house. Let's make it easier on her Danni, and not pry shall we?"

"Alright, big brother." Danni teased, then se got serious. "I wont pry. I could never imagine what she's been though, like, we lost our mum, but I was to young to remember her much. Then when dad married Kathleen, it took a bit to adjust to that."

"You know, sometimes we don't need to know what someone has been through to be able to help them. Just be a friend to her, Danni and be there to listen if she ever wants to talk about it."

"Okay, I will. You could help her too, after all, you know what it's like to lose someone you love." Danni quickly realized that she shouldn't have said that about his son as she saw the pain come into his eyes. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought James up."

"Its okay, Danni. Its fine. I just need some time, okay." He turned and left the room, leaving Danni inside so that he could collect his thoughts.


As Colin walked into the stable, he could hear a person talking softly to something. He quietly went into the stall of his horse and began to brush her, trying to collect his thoughts, but still hearing bits and pieces of a conversation going on in the loose box a few stalls down.

"Tomorrow is Ben's birthday, Thowra." Josie said as she put the oats into his manger, sobbing a little. "I wish he was still here, boy."

Thowra brushed Josie's face with his muzzle. "Thanks boy, you always make me feel better. When I see Josh, he reminds me so much of Ben at his age. He has the same hair colour, with the same brown eyes and even the way he talks is the same as Bens. They are so lucky, boy. They have such a big family to watch out for each other. I'll don't belong anywhere now, with no one. They don't know what its like to be lonely, with no one to care about them and make sure your safe. Its not fair that Ben died and I could have stopped it from happening." Josie began to cry again, this time a bit louder.

Colin could hear the pain in Josie's voice, but he knew if he went to comfort her, she would know he'd listened in on her conversation, and it would have been worse for her to know he'd heard it all.

Josie stood for a while, sobbing into Thowra's mane, then she dried her eyes and blew her nose. "At least I have you, Cougar, Wolf and now Abigail. But I don't know what I'd do if I ever any of you now." Thowra whinnied in agreement. "Come on, you've finished your oats now. Let's get you back out with the others."

Colin heard her open the stable door and he saw her leading Thowra out of the stable. When he was sure the coast was clear, he snuck out and went for a walk in the orchid. As he walked down the quite, peaceful path, his thought were in a muddle. How could he help Josie? How could he get over the lose of his son James, and how could he help his wife through it?


It was nearly four in the morning when Josie was woken up by her nightmare. I t was the same one she'd had the night before, being stuck in the coal mine with no way out, but this time Abigail had died in her arms. She rolled over in bed and cried out, not realizing that she was so close to the edge of the bed, she fell out.

It woke her with a start as she sat up and rubbed her head, relived it was only a dream. She yawned, her heart still ponding in her chest as she tried to calm herself down. Then she felt around for the lantern and matches and lit it, it's light flowing around the room, bringing her peace. She looked at the clock and groaned.

"Time to get up anyway." She said as she stood up. "Might as well get dressed." She again whispered her thoughts out loud. She yawned again as she went to the wardrobe and got out a dress.

After she had changed, she went downstairs and left a note on the kitchen table, telling the McGreogrs she'd gone out to do the chores, and go for a ride, then she softly called for Lassie. Lassie ran in from the kitchen, with Wolf and Kichie beside her. "Hello, you lot." Josie said as she gave them all a pat. "You'll have to stay here today, Lass. Come on Wolf." She opened the door and walked out, Wolf following her.


By the time that she'd finished the chores, the sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon, and Josie had an idea. She called Thowra over from the other horses and jumped on his back. No saddle, no bridle. "Come on, boy, lets ride." She said as she nudged him with her heel. "Stay here, Wolf."

Thowra shook his head, then smoothly glided into a canter, his hooves flining up grass as they jumped the paddock fence. Thowra asked to gallop, and Josie let him, throwing her arms out wide, feeling like she was flying. Thowra turned down a little path that led to the creek, then he jumped it in one strong bound.

Josie turned him with her knee towards the mountains, and they started the steep climb up the side of Ramshard Ridge. When they got to the top, Thowra slid to a stop, rearing and whinnying with excitement from his run. Josie sat speechless at the beauty of the rising sun, then gently she slid off his back and walked to the old tree stump she sat on when she needed time to think.

Thowra followed her, then laid down beside her, resting his head on her lap and she gazed at the sunrise. Together they watched the sun rise over a new day, and Josie's new life with a new direction. She was going to give it the best and all she had to make it work.