New Beginings

After Emily went into the house that night, after kissing Ethan Stabler goodnight for the first time in the almost eighteen years that she had known him. She went in to a joyous celebration of her parents, brother, sister and Louise and Jesse. It sank in then, Jesse was going to be her nephew, she already loved the little boy, and Louise who was already like a sister to her, was really going to be her sister. Her family was all talking at once and Emily went over and hugged her friend, "Congratulations, Lou." she said into her ear.

"Thanks Em. Hey that Ethan is a fine looking fella too."

"Thanks Lou. You should see him when he's in good health." Emily said and laughed.

Then she went over and hugged and congratulated her baby brother.

Once the family calmed down some, Emily announced to them all that she planned on planning Louise and Oliver's wedding. "I don't want Lou to have to think about anything other than decorating her new house and picking out china patterns."

That evening after Oliver left after kissing his soon to be wife and son, Lou came into Emily's room. "Thank you for saying that you would plan my wedding for me Em. It means a lot. I guess I thought you would be busy with Ethan. You've waited so long to be together, I would think that you would want to spend as much time together as possible."

"Oh I don't plan on letting him get lost again. I can gurantee that. I want to do this for you Lou. A wedding is a special thing, and I want yours to be extra special."

The girls hugged and then Louise went back to her room. Emily lay down and thought of all the things that had happened that day. Ethan had finally come around and asked her to be his, then she comes home to find out that Oliver and Louise are getting married. What a wonderful day. Odd in some ways but still wonderful.

Emily nestled into the covers and closed her eyes. She couldn't wait until tomorrow.

Ethan went to bed after talking to his parents. He wished that it was a year or so down the road. He didn't want to ask Emily to marry him so soon after asking to call on her on Sundays, it wouldn't be right. Wouldn't be right at all, would it?

Ethan laid back, his hands folded under his head. He supposed there were a lot of things that he and Emily could do before he took that big step into marriage and that he was just thinking about because of Oliver and Louise. He was happy for them but he was sure that Emily would go out of her way to make sure that Louise's day was special for her. He was sure she was laying awake right now making plans. Or the girls were still up, he smiled at that idea, making plans. He knew from talking to Oliver that he would like to see them married in a couple of weeks and that he had already talked to the pastor at the church. He had also asked Ethan to be his best man while the girls had been crying and hugging in the barn. Ethan knew that he would be honored to do the job.

The next morning Ethan went over to his own place after helping his Pa do the chores. He had a barn and sheds and corrals to build since his Pa has so nicely finished his house for him. He went over and looked around the place. By the time his Pa showed up he had the barn plan figured out and the wood shed/buggy house half built. "Looks like you've been busy son." Elliot said, looking around. "Just take it easy though ok. Those ribs are wrapped I know but they aren't healed and neither is that cut on the back of your head."

"Yes Pa." Ethan said and went back to work.

Emily and Louise were both up early the next morning and their first thoughts instantly went to Louise's wedding. "Lou how soon are you and Oliver planning on getting married?" Emily asked.

"In a couple of weeks, Oliver has already talked to the Pastor at the church." Louise said, looking up from where she was feeding Jesse. "Emily, I have to ask you a question."

"What dear?" Emily asked. She was looking in her friends closet for something that would work as a wedding dress.

"Would you be the maid of honor?"

"Of course! Of course Lou! I also think we are going to have to convince Oliver and Ethan to take us to Dodge City for a day or two. You need an appropriate dress and so do I. I'm sure that Oliver can use a new suit and if Ethan is still wearing that one that I last seen him in he needs one as well."

"Emily, stop bossing everyone around." Alexandra said as she passed.

"I'm not." Emily said. "I am merely suggesting."

"Oh Alexandra." Louise said, stopping the girl.

"Would you like to be in Oliver and I's wedding as well?"

"Could I? I was just hoping that I would get to sit in the front and hold Jesse." Alexandra said.

"Well if you would like to do that, it would be fine as well." Louise said.

"Ok. I would much rather hold Jesse while you and Oliver get married." Alexandra said. Then she skipped out of the room.

"Now back to the matter of dresses." Emily said. "If I see Ethan today I'll ask him about taking us to Dodge City."

"I'll ask Oliver as well when I take him lunch today at noon." Louise said.

"You take Oliver lunch?" Emily asked. "What a wonderful idea! I'll do the same for Ethan today then too."

Later that day Emily and Louise both fixed lunches for their men and then went their separate ways. Louise up the street to the bank and Oliver and Emily took the buggy and drove out to Ethan's place. She was sure that he was there and when she got there she was right. So was his father and two younger brothers.

"Hi Emily!" they yelled when they saw her driving up.

"Hello Will and Caleb."

Ethan his shirt soaked through with sweat stopped hammering and climbed down his ladder. "Hey Em, I didn't think I would see you today."

"I brought you lunch but it seems that I didn't bring enough."

"No, Pa and the boys will either go home or Ma and Katie will be coming with theirs." He helped her down and then said, "I have to go wash off in the creek, want to come?"

"Of course." Emily said.

She followed him down to the creek where he tossed off his hat and laid down on the bank and washed his face and hands. "Ahh, that feels better." Ethan said as he raised himself back up.

Emily was looking at the tight bandage around his middle. "Ethan what did you do?"

"Bruised my ribs, I thought you knew that?"

"No. I guess I didn't." Emily said. She handed him his hat.

Ethan shoved it back down on his head and offered Emily his hand. "So what did you bring me for lunch?"

"Well Lou and I fried a chicken and so you get half and Oliver gets the other, uhm some potato salad and lemonade."

Ethan pulled her behind the tree and kissed her, "Thank you."

"You haven't tasted it yet." Emily said.

"I know. I just wanted to do the other."

Emily just smiled at him and they went to her buggy where she let Ethan lift out the basket. "Where do you want to go with it?" he asked. He looked around and saw that his Pa and the boy's horses were gone.

"Under that tree."

"Alright." Ethan said. He packed the basket over to the tree and sat down. Emily sat next to him and spread her skirts out around her.

"Ethan can we take a trip this weekend?" she asked.

"I suppose. Where to?"

"Dodge City."

"Dodge City? For what?" Ethan asked.

"Wedding supplies." Emily replied.

"You need me to go with you to get wedding supplies?"

"Well I would like for you to go with me and Oliver and Louise will be going as well." Emily said.

"Ok. Yes, you get the train passes and I'll go with you." Ethan said. He knew that he shouldn't, he knew that he had a lot of work to do on this place if he was ever going to get out of his parents house but for Emily he would do anything.

They finished lunch and Ethan went back to work and Emily went back to town. She arrived home at the same time as Louise. "Oh Lou! Did you talk to Oliver about going to Dodge City this weekend?"

"Yes. He said that we would be able to do that. What did Ethan say?" Louise asked, putting Jesse on her shoulder.

"He said yes. Oh Lou, I'm so excited! We are going to have a wonderful time!" Emily said.

She unloaded her basket and then walked down to the train depot and bought four fares to Dodge City. She couldn't wait until this weekend, they were going to have a wonderful time and Lou would find a beautiful dress to wear to her wedding and Emily would find a beautiful dress that would work for both Louise and Oliver's wedding and the fourth of July dance as well. She couldn't wait!

Ok kind of a cheesy chapter I know, but I had to write it. I thought that it would be fun after all the sadness I inflicted right? Please R&R! I miss seeing all the e-mails! Next chapter our four love birds go to Dodge City to shop and well things get exciting. Now that's all I'm saying……..