Rebecca sat in a chair on the front porch. Daniel had carried her there and set her down gently. Most of the bruises were gone, and her ribs were nearly healed. The only reminders of her ordeal, were her badly damaged feet, and the fact that all of her dresses still hung on her. They constantly fed her, but she still hadn't put nearly enough weight back on - at least to Daniel's satisfaction. She sat churning the butter and watching her children. Israel and Katie were chasing Rose through the grass. She tumbled on unsteady feet, laughing. Mima came out from inside the cabin and stood beside her.
"You want some tea, Ma? Or how about a glass of milk?"
"I'm fine Mima, stop fussing. Are you packed?" She asked.
"Ma, I think maybe I should wait. You can't really walk, yet. You need me here." Mima said softly.
Rebecca studied Jemima thoughtfully. She had grown into a tall, beautiful young woman with wide blue eyes. She sighed trying somehow to picture each day without Mima at her side. "It's alright to be scared, Mima. Its a new adventure. But its time for you to go. You can't stay here. Your Pa and I, would keep you close to us forever, but that's not the way of things." She reached out and squeezed her daughter's hand.
"I want to go, but I want to stay too." Mima looked at her mother thoughtfully. "Were you scared when you left home?"
"That was different." Rebecca said remembering. "I had no choice, and I wasn't sure what kind of future awaited me. I had no home to go back to or anyone missing me either. Some girls who were bound suffered horribly. I was very lucky."
"You're the bravest person I know, Ma." Jemima said looking at her mother. "Sometimes I think you might be stronger even than Pa."
"She is." Her Pa said, coming out on the porch. He smiled at his wife. "I don't know anyone stronger." Then he pulled Jemima close and into his arms. He was struggling with letting her go, but Rebecca and he both knew, she had outgrown the tiny confines of Boonesborough.
Rose climbed the steps of the porch holding onto the fingers of Israel and Katie. Rebecca smiled at her smallest child and she toddled towards her mother climbing up into her lap. She rested her small red head against Rebecca's shoulder.
Katie crossed over to her aunt and stood near her too. Rebecca reached out stroking the small girl's reddish-golden hair. In a whisper she said, "Do you need anything Ma?"
Rebecca smiled and shook her head. Since her return, Katie had begun to speak again, and she called the two of them Ma and Pa. She looked up at Daniel and he smiled down at her. They were both pleased that she had at last been able to find some peace.
"Well," Daniel said cheerfully. "Seeing how Jemima is leaving us all in just a week. And seeing how your Ma, here is feeling a mite better, what do you say Israel and I go out and see if we can't bring back a turkey? You women-folk can whip up something tasty. Mingo's coming this afternoon and we'll have us a fine Boone Family dinner."
Israel ran to get his rifle, pausing only to kiss his mother and say, "I'll bring you back the biggest turkey in Kentucky."
Jemima said to Katie, "I guess I better teach you the secret to a perfect apple crisp. You'll have to take over making them from now on." She smiled at her parents and led Katie inside by the hand.
"You think you can manage without me, for a few hours?" Daniel said tickling Rose under her chin. She giggled and lifted her arms up to him. "Pa!" She said clapping her hands together. "Pa!"
"I'll muddle through." She said.
"Should I carry you inside?" He asked her lifting Rose out of her arms.
"I can walk. Stop babying me." He reached over and pushed her hair off her forehead and gave her a kiss before handing Rose back to her.
"Can you take that pie into the fort?" She asked him. "I promised Yadkin, I'd bring him a pie." Daniel nodded. Yad had healed enough to become downright difficult. Cincinnatus still wouldn't let him leave the confines of the fort, and Yad, who had never been comfortable with taking orders, was a miserable patient.
"Make sure you watch Ma, carefully," They heard Jemima telling Katie inside. "She shouldn't be standing or walking much, but she forgets. Remind her for me, alright."
"I can't imagine our days and nights without her here." Daniel said wistfully.
"Me either." Rebecca sighed.
"You were even younger than her when you were bound?" He asked her again. He often looked at their own daughter and tried to imagine Rebecca's life before him. He knew she had a made a peace with her father, but a part of him remained troubled and bitter that he had abandoned his daughter - an idea he couldn't begin to understand.
"Two years younger." She said.
He smiled down at her, "If I had been your Pa. . .". He said.
Her eyes grew wide, "That would create some complications." She laughed, "Although, I appreciate the sentiment." She reached out and squeezed his hand as he blushed.
Israel came flying out of the house.
"C'mon on Pa. Let's go." Israel ran down the steps. "See you later, Ma!" Daniel winked at her, and giving her one last kiss, he followed his young son into the woods beyond their cabin.