Macy Tanner stood there in the nursery she owned with her father, John.

        “Are you sure you can handle this on your own while I’m gone, I can get Maggie, Elizabeth, Kayla, or Melissa to come help you, they said they would,” Macy said.

        “I’ll be fine, Macy, you go have a good time,” John said. Macy sighed.

        “Yeah, hopping across the country to check out Rory’s other stores, I don’t know why I have to go,” Macy said.

        “Maybe he wants your opinion on the stores to see if any changes need to be made, the store here in Tanner Crossing is booming because of the job you did with the landscaping and the window display, I’ve heard compliments about those jobs,” John said.

        “Yeah, but I’m worried that something will happen while I’m gone,” Macy said.

        “Don’t worry, if I need help, I will call Ace, Woodrow, Ry, or Whit,” John said. Macy hugged her father.

        “I better get going, Rory is getting everything ready,” Macy said. She got into her Jeep and went out to the house and she saw Woodrow’s truck and Whit’s truck. She got out and went in and saw Rory at the table with Woodrow, Elizabeth, Whit, Melissa, and Grady.

        “Hi everyone,” Macy said.

        “Hey Macy,” Woodrow said.

        “Your dad all set,” Rory said.

        “Yeah, he said if he needs any help or has any problems, he’ll call one of you guys,” Macy said.

        “We’ll be ready,” Whit said.

        “We better get going if we are going to make Houston before nightfall,” Rory said. Macy hugged everyone. Rory hugged Melissa and Elizabeth and slapped hands with Woodrow and Whit and gave Grady a high five and they all left. Rory and Macy drove to Houston. Rory held Macy’s hand and squeezed it.

        “I love you,” Rory said.

        “I love you, too,” Macy said. They arrived in Houston and went to his apartment. They got to his apartment and he got out the keys when a door opened next door and Andrea came out and saw him.

        “Rory!” Andrea said. Rory groaned under his breath.

        “Hello Andrea,” Rory said. She came over to them.

        “What brings you back to Houston,” Andrea said.

        “Checking up on my store, Andrea, this is my wife, Macy,” Rory said. Macy smiled.

        “Your wife?” Andrea asked.

        “Yeah, my wife, oh by the way, where is my cell phone you took,” Rory said.

        “In my apartment, want to come get it,” Andrea said.

        “How about you bring it to him, you are not luring him to your apartment,” Macy said.

        “Don’t tell me what to do,” Andrea said.

        “Rory is mine, Andrea, he is my husband, got the rings and marriage license to prove it, get the damn cell phone before I go get it myself,” Macy said. Andrea gave her a dirty look and went to her apartment and got the cell phone and handed it to Rory.

        “Thank you,” Rory said.

        “Now go back to your apartment, leave my husband alone,” Macy said. She pushed Rory into the apartment and locked the door. Rory pulled her close to him.

        “I love it when you’re mad, that turns me on,” Rory said kissing her neck. She melted against him. He picked her up and carried her to the bed and removed her clothes and his and laid on top of her and he made love to her.

        “Rory,” Macy said as they laid there holding each other. Rory kissed her forehead.  

        “Yeah,” Rory said.

        “How would you feel about having kids?” Macy asked. Rory looked at her.

        “Macy, are we?” Rory asked. Macy nodded. Rory grinned and kissed her deeply and kissed her face and hugged her.

        “We’re having a baby!” Rory said. He kissed her again and grabbed his phone.

        “Rory,” Macy said.

        “I got to call everyone, I can’t wait,” Rory said. He dialed Ace’s number.

        “Hello,” Ace said.

        “Ace, it’s Rory, I have great news!” Rory said.

        “What,” Ace said.

        “Macy’s pregnant, I’m going to be a father!” Rory said. Ace cheered.

        “Awesome, congrats bro, I’m happy for you and give Macy a hug and kiss for me, I’ll tell Maggie and let us know when you are coming back so we can have a family get together to celebrate,” Ace said.

        “Will do, bye!” Rory said. He hung up and called Ry.

        “Hello,” Kayla said.

        “Kayla, where’s Ry?” Rory said.

        “Out checking the horses with Luke,” Kayla said.

        “Okay, can you tell him my news,” Rory said.

        “What news,” Kayla said.

        “Macy’s pregnant!” Rory said.

        “Oh my gosh, congratulations!” Kayla said.

        “Thanks, Kayla,” Rory said.

        “Ry just came in, I’ll let you tell him,” Kayla said. Rory kissed Macy on the forehead.

        “Rory, what’s the news,” Ry said.

        “I’m going to be a dad, Ry, Macy’s pregnant!” Rory said. Ry cheered.

        “Congrats, bro!” Ry said.

        “Thanks, I called Ace first, he said to call when we are coming back so we can have a party,” Rory said.

        “We’ll have it here at the ranch, that is great news, well, other news, Lauren and Luke are expecting a baby also,” Ry said.

        “That is awesome news, I better go, got more calls to make, bye,” Rory said. He called Woodrow and Whit and told them the news. He hung up and looked at Macy.

        “Luke and Lauren are expecting a baby also,” Rory said. Macy smiled.

        “I love you, Rory,” Macy said.

        “I love you, too,” Rory said. He kissed her and made love to her again before falling asleep in each other’s arms. The next day, Rory went to the store to check out everything while Macy stayed at the apartment. An hour later, she heard moaning and thumping from next door. She ignored it but then she heard Andrea cry out Rory’s name. She couldn’t believe it. She got her stuff together and went out the door and got a cab and went to the airport and got on a flight to Dallas and sat at the airport. She looked up and saw Woodrow and Elizabeth coming towards her.

        “Macy,” Elizabeth said. Macy stood up and hugged Elizabeth.

        “I swear I’m going to kill him,” Woodrow said.

        “Honey, we haven’t heard his side of the story,” Elizabeth said.

        “He cheated on Macy, that’s his side,” Woodrow said.

        “We haven’t talked to him, so we don’t know, we know about this Andrea girl, she might have been with another guy and cried out Rory’s name on purpose, I don’t think Rory would cheat on you,” Elizabeth said.

        “It doesn’t matter, I’m better off alone,” Macy said.

        “Macy, you are the best thing that has ever happened to Rory, I have never seen him as happy as he is with you,” Elizabeth said.

        “That is true, he has been happier ever since you two got hitched,” Woodrow said.

        “I don’t care, I know what I heard,” Macy said.

        “Let’s go,” Woodrow said. They went back to Tanner’s Crossing and Macy stayed with them. She laid on the bed. Woodrow called Rory. He made another call. Elizabeth sat down as he hung up.

        “Well?” Elizabeth said.

        “Macy was wrong, Rory just got home from the store, I called the store and talked to Heather, a family friend who manages the store, she said Rory got there at eight this morning and left at five this afternoon, he wasn’t with Andrea, he’s on his way back to Tanner’s Crossing,” Woodrow said. Elizabeth got Macy and pulled her out to the living room and sat her down.

        “Woodrow made some calls,” Elizabeth said.

        “I talked to Rory, he just got back to the apartment from the store, I called the store and talked to the manager, she said that Rory was there from eight this morning until five this afternoon and she said he never left, Macy, he wasn’t with Andrea, she might have wanted you to think that but it wasn’t Rory with her,” Woodrow said.

        “Woodrow,” Macy said.

        “Macy, we all love you, okay, and we all love Rory, we wouldn’t lie to you, that is the truth, the manager at the store is a close family friend of the Tanners, she grew up with the boys, they treat her like a sister,” Elizabeth said.

        “She’s our honorary sister, she’s honest, she wouldn’t cover for Rory,” Woodrow said. Macy looked at her hands.

        “Where is he?” Macy asked.

        “He’s on his way back here,” Elizabeth said.

        “Can you take me home to the house so I can wait for him,” Macy said.

        “Sure,” Elizabeth said. They got into Woodrow’s truck and went out to the ranch and drove up to Rory’s house. They got out and walked up to the house and Macy unlocked the door and went in.

        “You guys don’t have to wait with me,” Macy said.

        “And have Rory yell at us, no way, we will wait with you so you won’t be alone,” Elizabeth said.

        “You guys think I’m going to take off,” Macy said.

        “No, Macy, you are a part of this family and this family looks out for each other,” Elizabeth said. Macy smiled and nodded. She laid down on the couch while Elizabeth and Woodrow sat on the loveseat. Three hours later, Macy was asleep on the couch. Rory came in and saw them. Elizabeth and Woodrow hugged him and left. Rory gently picked Macy up and carried her to the bedroom and laid her gently on the bed and stripped her to her underwear and put her nightclothes on and he stripped to his boxers and got in and pulled her close and held her. He rested a hand on her stomach. The next morning, Macy woke up and saw she was in the bedroom and figured Woodrow probably carried her in here. She looked and saw she was in her nightclothes and realized that Woodrow wouldn’t have done that. She looked and saw Rory lying there watching her. He kissed her forehead.

        “Morning, honey,” Rory said. She turned towards him and kissed him deeply.

        “Morning, I’m sorry,” Macy said.

        “It’s okay, sweetheart, you didn’t know, now you do, I could never ever cheat on you, ever, you are the only one for me,” Rory said. Macy kissed him and hugged him. The phone rang. Rory picked it up.

        “Hello, hey Ace, what, he did what, oh my god, how she doing, okay, we’ll be there, bye,” Rory said. He hung up and laid back.

        “What happened,” Macy said.

        “Stupid ass of a brother of mine,” Rory said.

        “Which one,” Macy said.

        “Ry, Kayla found him at the office, he was making out with his ex-wife, he couldn’t explain it, she left him, she’s staying at Woodrow’s, Ry knows better than to try to get to her there,” Rory said.

        “Let’s go,” Macy said. They got up and got dressed and drove out to Woodrow’s. They saw Ace’s truck, along with Whit’s. They got up and went in and saw Elizabeth and Maggie huddled around Kayla. Macy went to join them. Rory went over to where Woodrow, Ace, and Whit were talking.

        “Why did he do this?” Rory asked.

        “We don’t know, we are getting ready to head over there, we were waiting for you,” Ace said.

        “Let’s go,” Rory said. They went to the family home and went in and saw Ry lying on the couch staring at the ceiling. They walked closer and saw his eyes were puffy and his eyes were red.

        “I already know what I am,” Ry said.

        “Ry, why did you do it,” Ace said.

        “I don’t know, I’m a screw up, I’m always screwing up something in my life,” Ry said. He covered his face with his hands.

        “Ry,” Woodrow said.

        “I hate her, I hate her!” Ry said.

        “Lana?” Rory asked.

        “Yes, who else, she always messes up everything!” Ry said. Ace sat down.

        “What did she want,” Ace said.

        “Me, she wanted me back since I got back into business as a doctor, I was making the money again,” Ry said.

        “Did you tell her you were married,” Ace said.

        “Yeah, about fifteen million times, but she wouldn’t hear it, she said she would make a better doctor’s wife,” Ry said. He held his head in his hands.

        “Ry,” Whit said.

        “I love Kayla more than anything in the world, I would give my life for her,” Ry said.

        “Who made the first move?” Whit asked.

        “She did, she kissed me and before I could do anything to push her away, Kayla came in,” Ry said.

        “You didn’t want the kiss?” Rory asked.

        “Hell no, I wanted her gone, I was shocked when she kissed me, I didn’t react fast enough,” Ry said. Rory called Macy and told her the story and told her to get the girls and bring Kayla home. He hung up and they gathered around Ry. The girls came in with Kayla and they sat down and Ry told them everything. After he was done, Kayla moved over to him and got into his lap and kissed him.

        “I love you so much,” Ry said.

        “I love you, too,” Kayla said.

        “Well, we are all here and I believe we have something to celebrate,” Ace said looking at Rory and Macy. They smiled.

        “I’ll get the food ready,” Kayla said. She, Maggie, Melissa, and Elizabeth went into the kitchen.  The guys patted Rory on the back and gave Macy a kiss.

        “Congratulations, you two,” Ace said.

        “Thanks,” Rory said grinning. Macy kissed him and went into the kitchen. Rory sat there smiling.

        “Well, I never thought I would see the day that our youngest brother would be a father,” Ace said.

        “Hey, I wasn’t the first one,” Rory said.

        “I was,” Whit said.

        “Yeah, that’s right, Whit was the first of us to be a father,” Ace said.  They heard pounding on the door. Ace got up and went to the door and opened it and saw Mike Grady standing there.

        “Where’s my daughter!” Mike said.

        “Why do you want to know, she’s not your concern anymore,” Ace said.

        “Melissa!” Mike yelled. Melissa came to the door along with Whit, Rory, Woodrow and Ry.

        “Melissa is a Tanner now, Mike,” Ace said.

        “You married that lowlife scum!” Mike said.

        “Back off, Mike, Whit is a Tanner, he got a share of the estate along with the money he has made over the years, he is all set for the rest of his life, he has enough money to buy you out, he may not have been a Tanner by birth but he was adopted by a Tanner, he is a Tanner, he was raised under this roof and I don’t know how you think he is a lowlife when he is a Tanner and rich, he loves your daughter and makes her happy and Grady is his son and Grady loves him too,” Ace said. Mike looked at Melissa and Whit.

        “I’m sorry, for all I said, Buck was a good friend of mine and I didn’t see the truth, Whit, you are a good man, and I can see my daughter loves you, and my grandson, where is he?” Mike said.

        “He’s at a friend’s house for a sleepover,” Melissa said. Mike nodded and shook Whit’s hand and hugged Melissa and left.

A week went by. Macy and John were busy with the nursery. Rory was at his store when Ace and Maggie came in. Rory saw them and smiled.

        “Hey you two, where’s the little princess,” Rory said.

        “Ry and Kayla are watching her, we need to talk to you,” Ace said.

        “What’s up,” Rory said.

        “Elizabeth left Tanner’s Crossing and Woodrow, he won’t talk,” Ace said.

        “Oh my god,” Rory said.

        “All he told us was she took off with her stuff, she left while he was getting feed,” Maggie said.

        “Oh man, what should we do,” Rory said.

        “We need to find her, I called Whit, he and Melissa are meeting us at the ranch,” Ace said. They went to the ranch. They went in and saw Whit, Melissa, Grady, Ry, Kayla, and Laura. Grady was playing with Laura.

        “Melissa, can you take Grady and Laura out back to play,” Ace said. She nodded and took the kids.

        “How can we help Woodrow,” Ry said.

        “We find Elizabeth,” Ace said.

        “Where should we look?” Ry asked.

        “Dallas, her old house, she kept it,” Ace said.

        “Why would she keep the house if she was with Woodrow,” Whit said.

        “In case she needed to go to Dallas for work,” Maggie said. Ace nodded.

        “She still checks into the office she had in Dallas,” Ace said.

        “We should go,” Whit said.

        “Maggie, you stay here, and tell Macy,” Rory said.

        “I will,” Maggie said. Ace, Ry, Rory, and Whit got into Ace’s truck and they drove to Dallas. They pulled up in front of Elizabeth’s house. They went to the door and rang the doorbell. Elizabeth opened the door and saw them.

        “Hi guys,” Elizabeth said.

        “Can we come in?” Ace asked.

        “Yeah,” Elizabeth said. They went in and she closed the door.

        “Elizabeth, why did you leave Woodrow?” Ace asked.

        “You wouldn’t understand,” Elizabeth said

        “Did he cheat on you?” Whit asked.

        “No,” Elizabeth said.

        “Talk to us because he won’t,” Rory said.

        “I miss Dallas, I loved it here,” Elizabeth said.

        “But you didn’t love being in Tanner’s Crossing,” Ry said. Elizabeth sat down.

        “I got homesick, I thought being with Woodrow would be enough to make it go away but it didn’t, every day I missed Dallas and I couldn’t stand it anymore,” Elizabeth said.

        “Does Woodrow know this?” Ry asked.

        “No, I know he hates big cities, he prefers the house away from town,” Elizabeth said.

        “Do you remember what happened to him the last time he was here, he got beat up by some kids while teaching them a lesson, you had to bandage his cuts, he loves you, Elizabeth,” Rory said.

        “I know, and I love him, but I can’t go back,” Elizabeth said.

        “Elizabeth, please, come home, he needs you,” Ace said. Elizabeth looked at them.

        “I can’t, I’m sorry, I can’t!” Elizabeth said.

        “Then file for a divorce,” a voice said. They looked and saw Woodrow standing there.

        “Woodrow,” Whit said.

        “If you don’t like it at Tanner’s Crossing with me, then file for a stinking divorce because there is no way in hell that I’m living here in this stinking city,” Woodrow said. He walked out the door. Ace looked at Elizabeth. She sat there crying.

        “What’s it going to be,” Ace said. Elizabeth shook her head and cried. Ace stood up.

        “Fine, let’s go, boys, we will be dealing with devastated brother going through a divorce,” Ace said. They left and headed back to Tanner’s Crossing. They walked into the house and saw Kayla, Melissa, Maggie, and Macy in the kitchen.

        “Well?” Maggie said.

        “They will be getting divorce, I think, we talked to her, she missed Dallas so much, she wouldn’t come home, Woodrow showed up and said that if she didn’t like it here, file for a divorce, he wasn’t going to live in the city, he left, she cried, she refused to come back with us,” Ace said.

        “It’s our turn,” Maggie said. She and the girls left. Ace sat down.

        “I hope they can get through to her,” Ace said.

        “Yeah,” Ry said. Grady came in and sat on Whit’s lap.

        “Daddy, where’s Mommy?” Grady asked.

        “She went with Aunt Macy, Aunt Maggie, and Aunt Kayla to go see Aunt Elizabeth,” Whit said.

        “Where’s Aunt Elizabeth?” Grady asked.

        “At her old house in Dallas where she used to live before she married Uncle Woodrow,” Whit said.

        “Oh, okay,” Grady said. He went to play.

Five hours later, the girls returned.

        “Well?” Ace asked.

        “No dice, she’s not coming back,” Maggie said.

        “We have to be there for Woodrow, he’ll need us,” Ace said.

        “Mace and I will go check on him,” Rory said. They left and went to Woodrow’s. They knocked on the door. He opened it and saw them.

        “What,” Woodrow said.

        “You okay, bro,” Rory said.

        “Just peachy,” Woodrow said. They went in and closed the door. He sat down on the couch. Macy sat down next to him.

        “The girls and I went to see her, she wouldn’t come back,” Macy said.

        “I don’t deserve anything anymore, everyone leaves me, Mama, Momma Lee, and now my wife,” Woodrow said. Rory sat down.

        “Woodrow, you still have us, me, Ace, Ry, Whit, Melissa, Maggie, Kayla and Macy, you have your brothers and sisters-in-law, we will help you through this, don’t forget you are an uncle to Grady and you are an uncle and half brother to Laura, and an uncle to the baby Macy is carrying,” Rory said.

        “I know,” Woodrow said.

Two days later, Woodrow received divorce papers. He sat there reading them. He put them on the table and held his head in his hands. There was a knock on the door. He got up and opened the door and saw Maggie standing there.

        “Hey sis,” Woodrow said kissing her cheek.

        “Hey, I brought you some food, I got cinnamon rolls, well, got all your faves,” Maggie said.

        “Thanks,” Woodrow said. He took the bag. She saw the papers and read them.

        “I guess she’s serious about not coming back,” Maggie said. Woodrow nodded.

        “I’m better off alone,” Woodrow said.

        “Will you be at dinner tomorrow night,” Maggie said.

        “Yeah, I’m still a Tanner, got to eat and be there for family,” Woodrow said. Maggie hugged him.

        “See you then,” Maggie said. She left. Woodrow sat down and stared at the divorce papers.

The next night after dinner, Woodrow went out to the family cemetery and looked at the graves of his mother and stepmother. He sat down on the bench by his stepmother’s grave.

        “Well, I’m alone again, my wife left me and filed for a divorce because I won’t live in the big city, I love her, Momma Lee, I love her and would do anything for her, but I can’t live in the city, that isn’t me, I wouldn’t survive, I love ranching, I love being in the country, looking at the stars, all the noises, there is where I grew up, most people escape this life in the country, but I can’t, I won’t, I love it, I love her, but I can’t handle the big city, I’m better off alone, I wish you were here,” Woodrow said.

        “I miss her, too,” Whit said sitting down next to him.

        “What do you think your mom would have done in this situation,” Woodrow said.

        “She would have gone and dragged Elizabeth back by the arm,” Whit said.

That night, Woodrow went home and walked in and sat down at the table. He looked at the divorce papers and signed the papers. He put them back in the envelope and laid them on the table. He went to bed.

The next day he went to town and mailed off the papers and came home and fed the goats and got all the chores done. He sat out on the porch and started wilting.  He saw a car come down the driveway.  It was Elizabeth’s car. She pulled to a stop and got out. She walked up to the porch where he sat.

        “What do you want,” Woodrow said coldly.

        “Woodrow,” Elizabeth said.

        “Come for the rest of your stuff, go for it, I’ll stay out of the way,” Woodrow said.

        “Woodrow, please,” Elizabeth said.

        “What, Elizabeth,” Woodrow said.

        “Please understand,” Elizabeth said.

        “I understand perfectly, you got homesick, you missed Dallas and hightailed it back there as fast as you can, I wondered if you even loved me,” Woodrow said.

        “I did,” Elizabeth said.

        “Well, hightailing it back to Dallas proves you don’t, you knew it would be over if you went back there, you knew I wouldn’t move to the city,” Woodrow said.

        “I’m sorry,” Elizabeth said.

        “Sorry doesn’t cut it, I mailed off the divorce papers, you are another person on the list who has took my heart and stomped on it, I’m better off alone, just get your stuff and go,” Woodrow said. Elizabeth went into the house. He saw Rory’s truck coming down with Ace behind him. They got out and came up to him.

        “Woodrow,” Rory said.

        “She came to get her stuff,” Woodrow said.

        “You okay,” Ace said.

        “Just peachy,” Woodrow said as he continued wilting. Elizabeth came out with some stuff and put it in her car. She looked at them and went back inside.

        “You sign the papers?” Rory asked.

        “Yeah, mailed them this morning,” Woodrow said.

        “You deserve better,” Rory said quietly. Ace’s cell phone rang.

        “Yeah, Maggie, what, oh my god, okay, we’ll be right there,” Ace said.

        “Ace,” Rory said.

        “It’s Laura, she’s got a really high fever,” Ace said. He ran for the truck. Rory ran to his. Woodrow went inside and saw Elizabeth packing.

        “Maggie called Ace, Laura’s got a really high fever, they are taking her to the hospital,” Woodrow said. Elizabeth looked at him.

        “Oh god,” Elizabeth said. They went to the hospital and found the family.

        “Elizabeth!” Macy said.

        “I was packing up my stuff at the house when Woodrow told me the news,” Elizabeth said.

        “So you definitely are leaving forever,” Macy said. Elizabeth nodded slowly.

        “I can’t believe you,” Macy said.

        “Macy, now is not the time for this,” Rory said.

        “Why are you even here!” Macy said.

        “Laura is my niece,” Elizabeth said.

        “Macy, stop, not now,” Rory said. Macy shook her head and faced away from Elizabeth. Elizabeth sat down on the other side of the waiting room. Woodrow stood against the wall by where Rory and Macy were sitting. Ry came out and looked at them.

        “Ry,” Ace said.

        “I’m afraid there is nothing we can do,” Ry said.

        “What,” Maggie said.

        “She’s gone, Maggie, I’m sorry,” Ry said. Maggie buried her face in Ace’s chest and cried. Ace rested his head on top of hers. Macy fell in Rory’s arms. Melissa in Whit’s. Woodrow stood there watching Elizabeth start crying. He didn’t move to comfort her. He went to Ace and Maggie. He put a hand on Ace’s shoulder. Maggie hugged Woodrow. He held her close. Ace went to talk with Ry. Woodrow sat down with Maggie and held her as she broke down in his arms.

Three days later, they all were at the family cemetery for the funeral. Afterwards they went to the house for a dinner. Woodrow stood outside looking at the stars. He felt someone next to him and saw Elizabeth.

        “I’m sorry, Woodrow,” Elizabeth said.

        “Why it wasn’t my child,” Woodrow said.

        “No, Woodrow, I’m sorry for what I did, I want to come home,” Elizabeth said.

        “Just dandy isn’t it, after losing Laura, you finally want to be here,” Woodrow said.

        “Woodrow, please, this isn’t easy for me, losing Laura, it was like losing Renee all over again, you got me through losing my sister, we can help each other get through losing our half sister, I was stubborn and I thought going back to Dallas was like going home, but the truth is that I’ve always been home, like the saying, home is where the heart is, my heart has always been with you,” Elizabeth said. Woodrow looked at her.

        “I don’t know,” Woodrow said.

        “Woodrow, please, I love you with everything in me, I will do anything to make it up to you,” Elizabeth said.

        “Aw hell,” Woodrow said pulling her into a kiss. She held onto him as the kiss deepened. He pulled back and looked at her.

        “Don’t you dare leave me again,” Woodrow said.

        “Never,” Elizabeth said. He kissed her again and held her close to him. Rory looked out and saw them and motioned everyone. Everyone looked outside and saw them. Ace looked at Maggie.

        “Don’t hate me for saying this but Laura’s death served one purpose, getting those two back together,” Ace said. Maggie nodded.

        “Yeah,” Maggie said.

        “Maggie, we will get past this,” Ace said.

        “I know,” Maggie said hugging him.

That night, Woodrow and Elizabeth laid in bed after making love. All the stuff Elizabeth had packed in her car were brought back into the house.

        “I was so stubborn, this is how things should be, okay, I thought I loved living in the city, but nope this is the life, no traffic, no noises at night, just peaceful,” Elizabeth said.

        “Did you call off the divorce?” Woodrow asked.

        “I called my lawyer when we got back here and told her to rip the papers up when she received them, she said she would cancel it,” Elizabeth said.

        “Good,” Woodrow said as he kissed her. They made love again before falling asleep in each other’s arms.

The next day, they went to the family ranch. Ry and Kayla were in the kitchen.

        “Hey you two,” Woodrow said walking in with Elizabeth behind him.

        “Hey, bro, hey sis,” Ry said kissing Elizabeth’s cheek.

        “How’s Ace and Maggie today?” Elizabeth asked.

        “Well, got some news, Maggie’s pregnant, she’s two months along,” Ry said.

        “That’s great,” Elizabeth said. Maggie and Ace came in. Woodrow hugged Ace and Maggie.

        “Ry told us the news, congratulations,” Elizabeth said.

        “Thanks, so are you going back to Dallas?” Ace asked. Elizabeth shook her head.

        “Nope, called off the divorce and I’m headed down there to get the rest of my stuff and I’m putting the house on the market, I will not go back to Dallas, I’m going to stay up here and set up my practice,” Elizabeth said.

        “Good, just don’t leave Woodrow again,” Maggie said. Elizabeth smiled.

        “Never again, nothing will ever make me leave him,” Elizabeth said.

        “I better go rest,” Maggie said. She went upstairs. Elizabeth looked at Ace.

        “How are you two holding up?” Elizabeth asked.

        “We’re okay, we talked about it, we loved Laura like she was our own child, but the truth is that there is only one real mother for a child and Laura is up in heaven with her real mother,” Ace said. Elizabeth smiled.

        “But we all will miss Laura,” Ry said.

        “Yeah, that is true,” Kayla said. Elizabeth sat down.

        “Elizabeth,” Woodrow said.

        “I don’t feel right, Woodrow,” Elizabeth said.

        “Let’s go home,” Woodrow said. They went home and Elizabeth laid down in bed. Woodrow covered her with a blanket and kissed her forehead.

        “I’m going to check the goats, I’ll be back,” Woodrow said. Elizabeth nodded and closed her eyes. Woodrow went outside and checked everything. He headed back to the house. Rory and Macy were waiting for him.

        “Hey guys,” Woodrow said.

        “You guys okay, Ry said that Elizabeth wasn’t feeling good,” Rory said.

        “She’s sleeping, can you guys go down to Dallas and pack up her stuff and bring it home, she was planning to do that and she’s putting the place up for sale,” Woodrow said. He got the keys and told them the address and they left. He went in and locked up and went to the bedroom and sat down on the bed. Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked at him and smiled.

        “Rory and Macy are going down to your place in Dallas to get the rest of your stuff,” Woodrow said.

        “Okay,” Elizabeth said. He kissed her softly. He laid down beside her.

        “How are you feeling?” Woodrow asked.

        “Not good, I think I know what’s wrong with me,” Elizabeth said.

        “What,” Woodrow said.

        “I might be pregnant,” Elizabeth said.

        “Should I call Ry to examine you?” Woodrow asked.

        “Yeah, him and Kayla,” Elizabeth said. Woodrow called them and hung up. Ry and Kayla came in.

        “Hey what’s wrong,” Ry said.

        “Elizabeth wasn’t feeling well, she thinks she might be pregnant,” Woodrow said.  Ry and Kayla examined Elizabeth. Kayla went to town for supplies. Ry and Woodrow sat on the porch and talked while Elizabeth slept.

        “So if she is pregnant, are you ready,” Ry said.

        “I will have to be, won’t I, but as long as she is with me, I’m ready for anything,” Woodrow said.

        “I hope they don’t turn out like you,” Ry said.

        “What’s that suppose to mean,” Woodrow said.

        “Mean, cankerous,” Ry said.

        “Stop that,” Woodrow said. Kayla came back and she went in. Forty minutes later, Kayla came out.

        “Woodrow, you are going to be a daddy,” Kayla said. Woodrow went into the house and went to Elizabeth and laid on the bed and kissed her deeply.

        “We’re having a baby,” Woodrow said smiling. Elizabeth grinned and nodded. He kissed her face and her neck and her mouth and hugged her.

The next day, they all were at the family ranch for dinner to celebrate the news of the pregnancies. Woodrow and Elizabeth stood outside and watched the sun go down. Woodrow hugged her from behind and rested his hands on her stomach.

        “I love you,” Woodrow said kissing her neck. She rested her head against him.

        “I love you, too,” Elizabeth said.

        “Hey you two, are you okay,” Ace said coming outside with Maggie.

        “Yup, just watching the sunset,” Woodrow said.

        “Congratulations to your both,” Ace said.

        “You know, me, you, and Rory will have to stick together,” Woodrow said.

        “Why’s that,” Rory said coming out with Macy.

        “Three women, pregnant, hormones triple time, we are in for it,” Woodrow said.

        “That’s right,” Ace said.

        “Men!” Maggie said going into the house.

        “I won’t be that bad,” Elizabeth said.

        “If you get mean, I’ll just have to be mean back,” Woodrow said.

        “He won’t have a problem with being mean,” Rory said. Woodrow glared at him.

        “He’ll be fine,” Elizabeth said hugging him. Luke and Lauren came in.

        “Hey guys,” Lauren said.

        “Hey cuz!” Rory said hugging her.

        “What’s going on,” Luke said.

        “Well, Macy and I are having a baby, Ace and Maggie are having a baby, and Woodrow and Elizabeth are having a baby, so there is four of us having babies,” Rory said.

        “Congrats to you all,” Lauren said.

        “Thanks, Lauren, it means a lot that you are here with us,” Ace said.

        “I should have come around sooner, I let what happened between our folks get in the way,” Lauren said.

        “Speaking of folks, we’ve invited your dad here,” Woodrow said.

        “Is he coming?” Lauren said.

        “No, he said he wasn’t going to step one foot on the ranch, not if his life depended on it,” Ry said.

        “I’ll call him,” Lauren said. She picked up the phone and called her dad.

        “Dad, it’s me, I’m here at the ranch, they invited you and they are family, they had nothing to do with what Buck did and if they had known about it, they would have sided with you, he wasn’t a father to them, Dad, they didn’t know the truth until I told them, they hated Buck as much as you did, Ace, Woodrow, Rory, Ry, Whit, they did not have anything to do with what went on with you and Buck, he is dead, Dad, the boys didn’t know what the story was, all they knew was about the land, not about Mom and Buck, Dad, just come here, please, for me, for your unborn grandchild, please Daddy, bye,” Lauren said.

        “Well?” Ace asked.

        “He’s on his way,” Lauren said.

Two hours later, the doorbell rang. Lauren opened the door and saw her father.

        “Dad, thank you for coming,” Lauren said.

        “It took a lot of courage for me to come here,” Randall said. He came in. She closed the door. Ace, Woodrow, Ry, Rory, and Whit came into the foyer. Randall saw them.

        “You guys can’t be my nephews,” Randall said.

        “They are, Dad, this is Ace, remember, and Woodrow, Ry, Rory, and Whit,” Lauren said.

        “We are glad you came, Uncle Randall, we’ve missed you, I’m sorry that what Buck did kept you away,” Ace said. Randall looked at them.

        “Did you guys seriously hate your father?” Randall asked.

        “Yes, sir, he would rather be chasing women than be a father,” Ace said.

        “We all disliked him, why do you think I hightailed it out of town and stayed away for all those years,” Ry said.

        “Dad, the fight was with Buck, not his kids, they may have inherited his estate, but not his lifestyle or feelings, they were amazing when I opened the lodge, while I was in the hospital, they all were helping out with the hunters,” Lauren said.

        “Uncle Randall, we had nothing to do with what our father did, when Lauren told us, we couldn’t believe he did it, what our father did was wrong, the land you got is yours and only yours, we don’t want to take anything from you, we want our uncle back, and the feud dead and buried with Buck,” Ace said.