Months had passed and the Lay's were settled in a normal routine...Drew and Graham were going to school, Cage was working at the saw mill...and Arrah was into her normal routine of a young housewife...Mrs. Hosek offered to watch Leslie in the afternoons, so Arrah could get some much-needed work done. Arrah was so greatful for that...because sometimes, Leslie could be a lot to handle!...Almost every day, Arrah liked to go for a walk into town to have a little time to herself and to get shopping done at the mercantile...whatever she needed to do that day...She had just come from the mercantile...and she bought Cage a little something...for their first wedding anniversary was nearing.
Arrah was singing a hymn softly to herself when she heard someone call her.
"Mrs. Lay!...A letter for you!" The post-mistress called out.
Arrah made her way over to the post office..."Good afternoon, Cherith...How's your day been?" She smiled...
" Its been all right so far...Who's your letter from?" The girl asked, craning her neck to see better...
Arrah read the address, smiled and her eyes lit up..."Its from my folks!..."
"Oh, I hope its good news..."
Arrah's brown eyes skimmed over the letter..."Wonderful news! They're coming here next month!...I'll get to see my parents and my two younger sisters!...My older brother, Bennet, the one I've told you of...He's finally married off now!...Well, its about time!" Arrah laughed. "I thought I'd have to write in my next letter and tell that boy to stop beatin' the Devil around the stump and marry that girl!" Arrah and Cherith laughed a moment and Arrah went on..."He and his new bride are living in Arizona...They say they wished I could've been there and sorry that they didn't get word to me sooner..."
"Maybe you'll get to see them soon...And look on the bright side...you'll get to see your sisters." Cherith smiled.
"True..." Arrah smiled...then she laughed..."I hope I'll still recognize them. Last I saw of them was at our wedding,...its been a whole year!...Callah's 13 now...and Pearl's 11...My goodness! I feel old!...I'm 20 and I feel old!" She laughed, jokingly. "Well, I'll see you later, Cherith...I'm gonna head on over to the mill and tell Cage... See you!"
"Bye, Mrs. Lay..." Cherith smiled and went back to her work.
Arrah strolled on over to the mill. "CAGE!...Cage!" She tried to yell over all the noise...He looked up and saw her and smiled and stopped working.
"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes!...How's the prettiest woman in Mansfield this afternoon?" Cage smiled, and leaned forward to kiss her lips.
"Cage..." Arrah smiled, her cheeks turning red.
"What's that you've got there?" He asked, noticing the letter...
"A letter from Ma and Pa...They and the girls are coming for a visit next month!..." Arrah said excitedly.
Cage laughed. "No Bennet?..."
"No...He's married now and living in Arizona...He and Lydia appoligized for not getting word to us sooner. They knew we'd want to have been there..."
"Well, what can ya do?..." Cage shrugged his shoulders..."Mail only travels so fast..."
"I know...Well, I'm gonna go over to Kitty's and pick up Leslie...and head home and start on supper...Bye!" She said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek and started off.
"What's the menu tonight?" Cage called to her.
"You'll find out!" She looked back and hollered. Arrah laughed to herself and set out for Mrs. Hosek's place...She made it to Kitty's place and she let her inside. "Thank you for watching him today! Was he a good boy, Kitty?"
"He was...Sweetest little thing you ever did meet...I'd say he could put angels to shame."
Arrah laughed. "On a good day, I'm sure...on a bad day...now that I won't say!..."
Kitty chuckled..."You seem extra cheerful today..."
"I am...My folks are coming to visit!"
"Oh, how wonderful!...When?"
"Next month..." Arrah smiled.
"Well, I hope you enjoy them while they're here...Who's all coming?"
"My Ma and Pa...and my two little sisters...Callah, who's 13 and Pearl, who's 11..."
"Oh, two precious young girls, I'm sure..."
"Sweetest little things you ever did meet!" Arrah smiled, and winked at Kitty..."Well, I'll see you later Kitty...We have to be getting home..."
"See you, young one..." Kitty smiled, giving her a friendly hug...
"Remember...We are picking you up on Sunday morning, bright and early." Arrah said, smiling and pointing a finger at her.
"I'll be here..." Kitty smiled. "And you all better come over after services and have Sunday dinner with me!..."
"We will...Bye Kitty!" She looked back and waved as she and Leslie headed for home...Kitty leaned in the doorframe and watched them go..."Such a lively, spirited young thing, isn't she?" She said to herself. "Reminds you of someone doesn't it?..." Mrs. Hosek smiled and went back inside...
The month had passed and Arrah, Cage and the boys were waiting for the stagecoach to get into town...
"There's the stage, Arrah." Drew said.
"They're here!" Leslie shouted, running up to the stagecoach as it stopped. Leslie always liked to meet new people, and he only met them once before...Two young girls with reddish-brown hair, just like Arrah's, got off the stage and immediately saw their older sister and ran to her.
"Callah...Pearly!" She said, wrapping her arms around her little sisters. "You girls are so grown up! So pretty!...Look at you both!...I just can't believe it!"
"We've missed you, Arrah..." Callah said.
"I've missed you too..." She said, hugging them and went to her parents...
"Ma!" Arrah said, enveloping her mother in a hug. "I've missed you..."
"Oh, I've missed you too...How are you, my daughter?"
"Just grand, Ma...Hi Pa..." Arrah said...hugging her father...
"Looks like you've been taking care of my little girl all right, Cage." Harrison said, shaking his hand. "I'd say she's been taking good care of you too...Put on some weight since we last saw you, have you?" He joked.
"And muscle..." Cage laughed...
"Good for you, boy. You always were a lanky young thing...Amazing what hard work'll do for you!" He teased his son-in-law.
"Well, lets get to the house and y'all can rest awhile..."
"So how are Micah and Amos and their little families?" Arrah wondered, setting out snacks and cups of tea.
"Micah and Claire are doing just fine...Little Owen's growing like a weed! He's almost a year old now!...and Amos and Stella are getting into parenthood...They had their little girl last month... Sarah Faith, they named her...such a precious little thing..." Josephine beamed.
"Glad to be a grandmother again, Ma?" Arrah smiled.
"Yes...and I must ask you when you'll make me a grandmother once again...What's taking you so long, daughter!...You haven't forgotten how, now have you?" She smirked.
Arrah almost choked on what she was eating..."Ma!...Of course not!..." She hesisted. "I'm sure my time will come...Sooner or later..."
"Well its been a year already...How often have you two tried?"
"I don't think this is the type of thing to talking about in front of everyone, mother!"
"Tried what?" Graham asked curiously.
Arrah turned as red as a cherry...Drew covered for her. "Cage and Arrah will tell you when you're a bit older, Graham...Say, 13 or so...That's when Ma and Pa told me..."
"You know what they're talking about!...That's not fair! Why'd they tell you and not me?"
"Because I'm older..."
"That's not fair, you're always older!...And I don't turn 13 for three years yet!"
"Be quiet and stop your arguing, Graham..." Cage ordered.
"Yes sir..." Graham said, but with a slight rebellious tone...
"Cut the attitude, Graham!..." Drew said.
"Shut up, Drew."
"Don't say that to your brother!" Cage scolded him..."Go to you room, now...I'll be there in a minute..."
Graham got up from his seat and stomped his way to him and his brothers' room...
"I'm sorry...I don't know what's gotten into him, he's never like this..." Cage appoligized to his inlaws and followed his younger brother into his room...
"Oh, I can't believe my own mother!...'You haven't forgotten how, now have you?'" Arrah mocked. She was laying in bed with her husband that night, the boys in their room, her parents and sisters staying in a hotel.
Cage laughed..."She was just teasing you!"
"I love my mother...but sometimes she can be...difficult...hard to stand..." Arrah sighed.
"Don't let her get you down..." Cage said, rolling over, and his hand found her back and embraced her. His lips found the crook of her neck and he covered her with kisses...He went lower and even placed his hands up her nightgown and sweetly carressed the rest of her body...
Arrah rolled over and glared at him. "Cage...Not tonight..."
"And why not..." He grumbled, as his attempt was rejected.
"I have a headache..." She said, rolling back over on her side...
"...I don't like this a couple of times a week, thing...I have urges, Arrah! Right powerful ones!"
"Control them, why don't you..." She said, closing her eyes...