It was a beautiful day outside. The sky was clear blue, the air was cool and crisp and the sun was shinning brightly. Marita decided to go pick flowers and enjoy another day the LORD had made. Alice, Lexy and Emma, Jeremy's Ma, were sitting on the bench also enjoying the beautiful day. Lexy volunteers to make lemonade.

"Marita, come have some lemonade with us." Lexy invites as she goes to the house.

"That sounds good." Marita agrees as she gathers her flowers.

"Hi Sean." Lexy says.

"Hi Angel." Sean replies.

Marita turns instantly when she hears the name "Sean" and gets up to greet him.
"There he is" MH

"This look like anything to you?" Sean asks as he shows Marita three tobacco leaves that are diseased.

"Could be too much water. Where was it?" she says.

"Low end of the field." Sean says.

"Well, how many like it?" says Marita

"Just these three." he responds.

"Well, it doesn't seem like enough to worry about." Marita says.

"I'm gonna have Phil Smith come down and look at the plants for me. He's been growing tobacco for five years. Maybe he's come across this." Sean is concerned.

"Ask him to come in for some lemonade so you can spend some time together" MH
"Stop flirting with that man and let him go back to his crops" MM
"Lexy's making lemonade. Do you think, maybe, you have time for a break?" Marita asks.

"For Lexy's lemonade?" he asks.

"Umm Umm" she says.

"Plenty of time." Sean says.
"Plenty of time for you, beautiful" SH

"Yeppie!!!" MH
Marita smiles and gathers her freshly picked flowers. They lock arms and head for the house.

The following day, Lexy and Emma are missing. Sean rides furiously up to meet Ned in front of the house.

"They haven't been seen in town. There is no sign of them on the road. The sheriff is organizing a search party. They're going out on the Cumberland Rd east." Sean says.

"I want you to stay here." Ned tells Sean.

"No sir." Sean objects as unshed tears threaten to fall.

"I need to know everything is going to be alright" Ned chokes, "when I bring your sister home."

Sean nods.

"Pa. I don't know what Lexy took with her, but when you find her it might be cold" Alice says as she hands Ned a blanket and holds back tears.

"You take care of each other 'til we get back" Ned says to Sean, Marita and Alice.

They watch as Ned, Isaac, Clay and Jeremy head off to find Lexy and Emma.

Sean looks at Marita with unshed tears. He looks to Alice then back to Marita. Marita understands that he wants her to take care of Alice. Marita smiles to reassure him that she will and puts her arm around Alice. Knowing his sister is in good hands, Sean heads for the fields.

Marita stays with Alice and listens to her and comforts her. Alice knows she needs to keep busy so she goes back to her daily duties. Marita sits on the steps and looks up to heaven.

"Dear Lord, I come giving you thanks for being a GOD who protects. Father, I ask that you give your angels charge over Lexy to keep her in all her ways. Touch Emma and give her a sound mind. Lord, you are the GOD of all comfort and I ask that you comfort the Logans. I thank you for hearing me as I have prayed according to your will and I thank you that I have the petitions that I have asked. In Jesus Christ name. Amen."

After talking to her Lord, Marita sets out to find Sean. She knows he needs her now. She finds him in the fields giving instructions to his workers.

"Everyone understand?" Sean asks.

"Yes sir" they reply.

"Alright. Tell the other crews I want 'em assembled every ten yards. Let's go." Sean instructs.

The crew disassembles to put out the smudge pots.

"I'm glad Marita is here" SM
"We've got probably one day, two at most" he says to her.

"Before..." Marita questions.

"Before my fellow tobacco growers take care of my problem for me. I'm puttin' out smugg pots. Maybe the smoke will kill the fungus" Sean says.

"Alright, well, I'll help you" Marita says.

Sean can only stare at Marita as he falls deeper in love with her.
"She is behind me and supports what I'm doing. Vivian would never in a million years be out here in the fields helping me put out smudge pots" SM
"That is why I love her. I still can't believe she's real" SH.

He gladly accepts her offer.
"Alright" Sean says as he hands her a smudge pot.
"She is AMAZING. I wonder if she knows what she is doing to me" SH

Marita smiles as she takes the smudge pot.
"If you don't love him, why are you doing this?" MH
"He's my friend and friends help each other" MM
"He has enough help. Only love would be out here in this HOT sun putting out smudge pots when there are enough hands already doing it" MH
"Friends, just friends" MM
"Stop fooling yourself" MH

They work hard all afternoon putting out the smudge pots. During the course of the afternoon, Marita passes Sean and sees that he looks discouraged. She wants to reach out to him and encourage him but she knows it's not the right time.

The day was long and tiring. As the sun went down, everyone heads home. Sean and Alice head home to get washed up for dinner.

"Marita, why don't you join us for supper, since Isaac is gone with Pa" Alice says.

"OK. I'll go home and wash up. I'll see you in a bit." Marita answers.

Sean is glad Alice invited Marita to dinner. He needs her near. He had been busy all day, but now his mind would settle on Lexy and he needs Marita's strength. Marita arrives thirty minutes later and they sit down to dinner. There is not much conversation and everyone eats very little. Alice is the first to finish and she begins clearing the table. Marita and Sean help and within minutes, the table is cleared. Alice says good night and heads for her bedroom.

Sean and Marita head outside without saying a word. They both knew where they were going - the bench. They sat down and just enjoyed the fact that they were with each other. It was another beautiful night. The stars lit up the sky. Ten minutes passed before a word was said.

"I'm scared" Sean admits. Marita understands and knows she just needs to listen.
"I don't know what I'd do if something happens to her" Sean chokes out as tears begin to flow. Marita takes his hand and continues to listen. "She's only ten. She has her whole life to live. She has to be OK!" Sean insists.

"She will be" Marita assures him as she caresses his hand.

Sean turns to Marita, puts his head on her shoulder and begins to cry. The only other time he cried like this was when Libby died. Marita takes him in her arms and gives him her strength. She shares his grief and tears.

"Thank you for being here for me and letting me share everything with you" SH

After Sean could cry no more tears, he faces Marita without any shame. She puts her hands on either side of his face and wipes his tears away with her thumbs. She looks into those beautiful blue eyes and wishes with all her heart that she could take away all the pain and anguish she saw. After she had wipes away his tears, she takes hold of his hands.

"They will bring Lexy home safely" she assures him.

Sean walks Marita home. At the door, they hug good night. Sean is so grateful for her and squeezes her tight. He doesn't want to leave the comfort of her arms but it is getting late and they have to get an early start tomorrow. He reluctantly releases her, watches as she gets safely inside and heads home.

"What would I do without Marita?" SH

The next morning, Sean sees that the smoke had not killed the fungus and is discouraged.

"Maybe Pa was right. We're horsemen, not farmers" Sean says.

"Don't you dare give up on this now Sean" Alice says.

"Alice, you always think I'm gonna come up with another idea" he says, ready to throw in the towel.

"So do I" Marita agrees.

Sean looks at Marita and she nods her head.

"That settles it. If Marita thinks I can do it, I wont give up" SM
"Yet another reason why I love her so much" SH

"Alright. Let's pull up all these plants here, all these diseased plants. Let's get 'em goin'" Sean is still holding onto the towel.

Everyone begins pulling up all the diseased plants. Once again, Sean and Marita are facing and overcoming obstacles together.

Vivian arrives riding high in her carriage. She is helped down by her footman and heads toward Sean.

Sean sees her coming and removes his hat. He is always a gentleman.
"What does she want?" SM

"I was so sorry to hear about Jeremy's mother. And Lexy." Vivian says.
Her concern is superficial. Vivian looks around and sees the diseased plants. "Are you having a problem with your tobacco?" Vivian inquires.

"Yes" Sean answers.

"Oh Sean I know that there have been.... a few misunderstandings between us these last few months" Vivian says.

"No misunderstandings. I just don't love you. You are not Marita" SM

"But that doesn't take away from the fact that I care about you a great deal and what happens to you" Vivian continues.

"I appreciate that" Sean says.

"Come work for me. I'll pay you well. It'll be so much nicer than sweating out in the hot sun day after day. Say you'll accept and I'll, I'll go home and I'll fire John Turner" Vivian begs.

"Vivian.." Sean laughs. Vivian is desperate and it is unbecoming.

"Say you'll do it and I'll go home right now" Vivian insists.

"I don't want to work for anyone else" Sean says.

"You'd rather stay here and fail?" Vivian is incredulous.

"I'm not going to fail" Sean insists.
"Vivian is a downer" SM


Marita sees Vivian and Sean talking. After Vivian leaves, Marita approaches Sean and he looks at her with despair in his eyes.
"What has she said to him" MM

"Why are you just standing here? I'm not out here working my tail off just so you can give up. You are not a failure Sean Logan and besides, you have to get this crop to auction. You don't think I'm working for free do you?" Marita teases.

"She always knows exactly what to say to me" SM
"There's another reason why I love her" SH
"How many reasons are there now?" SM
"I couldn't tell you" SH

Sean smiles and looks at her with so much love in his eyes that it is hard for Marita to deny what she sees, but she gives it a valiant try.

"He's just grateful for my support. After Vivian, anyone would need it" MM
"He's grateful for your love. A love that Vivian could never give him" MH
"Anyway......next subject please!" MM

Sean is instantly positive again and gets back to the grind stone.

Marita goes to talk to her Aunt Eleanor and tells her about the problem with Sean's crop. Aunt Eleanor gives her a remedy.

"Sean, I got to thinking about Auntie Eleanor. You know, she has so many cures for people that the doctors don't even know about. I thought "Why not tobacco?"
Marita says.

They all work hard to prepare the remedy that Auntie Eleanor prescribed - crushed crosanthimum petals and soap. The crew rushes to put the remedy on the plants. By the end of the day, the fungus has stopped spreading. Sean runs to find Marita.

Marita is walking up to the house when she is grabbed from behind, picked up and swirled around. The culprit is Sean. He's laughing and she begins to laugh.

"Put me down you brute!" Marita protests.
"You love being in his arms" MH
"He's making me dizzy" MM
"But you love him all the same" MH
"NO I don't!" MM

Sean puts her down but doesn't release his hold on her. He moves his lips next to her ear. CHILLS go up her spine!

"What is he doing to me" MM
"It's called love" MH

"The remedy worked!" Sean whispers.

"Oh Sean, I'm so glad!" she exclaims.

Sean finally lets her go.
"Where did those strong arms go?" MH

To Be Continued..........