Faithful to Her Heart’s Wish – Extended Epilogue

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The land where Tent City used to be looked so barren. Imogen turned around after getting down from the wagon, memories flooding her mind. It had been a year since she and Manny had married. Mr. McClintock had asked them to check the area and see if it was ready to be turned into an expansion of Bryantsville.

Some of the grass had started to come back, but it was still mostly dirt, areas that were still flattened, and there was some debris left over from the people who’d been living there, signs that at one time, it had been occupied by active people.

“What do you think?” Manny asked, coming up behind her. 

She glanced over her shoulder, crossing her arms over her chest. It was a bit chilly, a cold breeze blowing past her, reminding her that it was still wintertime. “I think there’s plenty of potential here,” she responded. “That’s why there were people here to begin with. Hospitable land, river close by. It’s lovely property, even though it was used the way it was.”

Manny nodded. “I believe the people that lived here took good care of it. When Tito and I did the survey, everyone in Tent City was pleased. They were happy living here.”

Imogen nodded. She stepped over a log that had probably been used at one point for a seat that could occupy several people. To further prove that it had been, there was a large circle of ashes in front of it. Imogen was surprised the winter hadn’t gotten rid of those signs, but it hadn’t snowed. It usually didn’t snow. “You didn’t seem to have trouble with it,” she remarked. “You seemed very happy here.”

Manny turned his head and scanned the area. She imagined he was looking for the plot he’d used for his tent. 

“When I left and had to go hide up in the mountain by the mine,” he said in a thoughtful tone, “I missed my tent. I missed you, too, coming in and cleaning my tent. Making me move from my bed so you could clean it.” He chuckled. “You were very cute when you ordered me around.”

“I don’t order you around,” Imogen replied, grinning back at him. 

He gave her a look like she knew she was lying, and she just laughed. “I don’t. Only if I’m trying to clean around you. And I’m not cleaning anymore since we have people to do that for us.”

“Don’t tell me you made Josie clean up after you.”

Imogen laughed softly. “No, no. I did my own cleaning there. But when we married, and now I’m at the ranch to stay, I don’t have to do any cleaning. Unless I want to.”

“And why would you want to?”

They both laughed at that.

Imogen pointed. “I think that is where you were, isn’t it? That looks like the tree I had to go around when I came from the back.”

Manny squinted as if the tree was a hundred yards away, and he couldn’t quite see it. He moved his eyes from left to right and then nodded. “I do think this is the plot, sí,” he replied. They both walked toward the squared-off area. Imogen hadn’t realized how small the tent had actually been. 

“It looks smaller than the tent did,” she remarked. “Maybe this isn’t the right one.”

Manny surveyed it again and shook his head. “I believe this is the one. You are right about that tree. And this looks about the right size. The tent may have just looked larger. Or maybe you weren’t paying attention to the tent at all.”

Imogen had to laugh again. “You’re right,” she said. “I think I might have been distracted by something … or someone … else.”

He put his arm around her shoulders and pressed her to step with him onto the large square as if they had just reentered his tent. “Imagine the tent walls around us,” he said, holding up one hand and motioning around them with his palm straight out in front of him as he made a circle with her. When they were facing what would have been the entrance, he pulled his hand back, so it was almost right in front of them. “We are very close to the door,” he quipped. “We should step back.”

Imogen took a step back with him, tittering with laughter. “Oh, Manny. You are silly. Did Mr. McClintock tell you when he plans to start building out here?”

“In the next month or so.”

“I’m surprised he’s let the area sit for so long without doing anything to it.” She turned in a circle, leaving the plot behind and walking back out into the road, heading toward the buggy. She’d seen all she needed to see. 

Manny was close behind her. “He wanted the dust to settle, he said. He wanted us to be established where we are now before he made any further moves in this area. He’s given me complete control, you know.”

Imogen loved how proud Manny sounded when he said that. She was proud of him, too. McClintock had moved Jimmy to a different mine and given all the responsibilities to Manny as a replacement. They’d been sad to see Jimmy go, but everyone knew he would be just as happy where he was going. If not happier. He’d be making more money. His only complaint to Manny and Imogen was that he would have to get used to a whole new crew. Only three men from the mine in Bryantsville had transferred to the area he was going to.

She got up in the buggy and sat in the passenger seat, waiting while Manny wandered around a little more, assessing the scene in his mind, she was sure. When he was done, he wandered back to the buggy and pulled himself up. He hesitated just a moment before slapping the reins to get the horses moving. 

The ride back to the ranch was pleasant. On the way, Manny asked if she was hungry.

“I could eat,” she said with a nod. “I’m not starving, but I didn’t have any lunch today, so yes, I’d like that.”

“Have you heard from your father lately?” 

Imogen glanced at him, wondering where that question had come from. 

“I haven’t, no. Not in some time. Why?”

“It is close to our first anniversary, isn’t it? It would be nice to see the two of you start talking again.”

“It would, but what would he have to say? Probably nothing I want to hear.” 

Manny shook his head. His voice was gentle when he responded, “It is bad that you are still angry with him. You must forgive him at some point. It will only hurt you if you don’t. You must realize that.”

“I don’t want to get in an argument about my father.” Imogen had prided herself that she and Manny hadn’t argued since they got married. Just under a year, and they were still as in love as ever. She saw it when he looked at her and heard it when he spoke to her. 

“I will not argue with you,” he said in a gentle voice. “You know I don’t want that. I only want to encourage you to make up with him. Before it is too late and you can’t.”

Imogen knew his heart was in the right place. Her father’s health couldn’t have been good after all the drinking he’d done. And she had no way of knowing if he’d continued drinking or not. She hadn’t heard from him and hadn’t written to him since three months after he left when he’d invited her to join him. It had been over a year. She rightly felt she had nothing to say to the man. She felt abandoned by him, hurt to her core, and wasn’t easily going to let it go.

As they rode, she continued to think about it. He was quiet, and she wondered why. He’d brought up her father only to become silent on the subject. It wasn’t like him. Maybe he was waiting for her to say something.

Imogen remembered different events in her childhood where her father had done good things for her. When she had fallen from a horse, he had scooped her up and nursed her wound. He’d taught her to read and write when the other girls she knew weren’t able to. She was given a great deal of love and kindness as she grew up. It wasn’t until the death of her mother that everything had changed.

“I hoped and hoped that he would someday be the man he used to be,” she finally said in a soft voice. “When I was growing up, you know, as I have told you before, he was a wonderful father. He loved me, and I knew it. But when he left that day …” She shook her head. “I didn’t feel loved by him. I hadn’t for a long time. He loved his liquor. He loved being out on the town with Danny. He didn’t want to be a father anymore that was obvious. No man could try to sell his daughter to pay a debt if he felt any kind of love for her.”

Manny licked his lips, his face contemplative. 

“He may have changed. What would you do if you knew that he had? Would you want to see him?”

Imogen pulled her eyebrows together, staring at him. “I wouldn’t know what to say. But … I suppose I would. He is my father, after all. I have many fond memories of him. Are you going to try to get me to write to him again?”

Manny shook his head, which surprised Imogen. If he didn’t want her to write to Jacob, why was he asking all these questions? “I want you to do what is comfortable for you. I feel it’s important to be loved and to love your family while they are still alive. When they are gone, it is too late to say I love you.”

“I tried, though,” Imogen replied resentfully. She could feel the tears coming. “I want him to be okay. I want him to be happy and healthy. But I couldn’t make him that way. It seemed I was only helping to make it worse.”

Manny shook his head. “I do not believe that. I believe it was Daniel Bryant that caused that. Do you know if your father is with him?”

“I don’t. How would I know? He hasn’t written to me in a very, very long time.”

“I am praying he has changed his ways,” Manny said. “I want you to have your father back. It is bad enough to lose a mama but a papa, too; that is too heartbreaking for the woman I love.”

Imogen had mixed emotions. She put her arm through his and scooted closer to him. “I have you. You’re all I need. And if I need a big family or to feel loved by a big family, I always have your mama and papa, don’t I? They refused to let me call them by their names. They insisted I call them mama and papa.”

Manny grinned and let out a short chuckle. “I had thought you were doing that out of love for me. Now I know the truth.”

Imogen had to laugh with him. “I don’t mind! It isn’t like I have a mother or father to rely on. Yours work just fine for me.”

“That is a very sweet thing to say, mi amor. You are a lovely lady. My parents think so too, just so you know.”

Imogen was happy to hear it. She’d gotten along with everyone in Manny’s family from the moment she met them.

The house was in the distance when Imogen had a strange feeling. She stared at it as they got closer, wondering why she felt that way. When they turned on the drive up to the house, she noticed  many buggies and horses that didn’t belong there, parked in front of their house. People were out on the porch, walking around, talking. Children ran around the front yard. She was reminded of how things had been in Bryantsville and Tent City before the economic crash.

She looked at Manny through narrowed eyes. “What’s going on here? Did you take me to that land to distract me?”

“You don’t know how hard these people have worked to make this party possible,” Manny replied with a huge smile. “Our anniversary may be this weekend, but the only way to surprise you was to do it this way. So you would never have expected it.”

Imogen’s smile matched his. “This is our anniversary party? You’ve surprised me with a surprise party?” She bumped up and down in the seat with excitement, feeling like a little girl again. “Oh, what a wonderful surprise.”

“This is why I asked if you were hungry,” Manny said. “The ladies who have come to celebrate with us have provided a lunch that will satisfy all of us.”

“Oh!” Imogen clapped her hands together, suddenly much hungrier than she’d been when they started back from town. She remembered seeing Josie and wondered why her friend hadn’t wanted to come. 

They pulled up to the porch, and everyone began to gather around them, calling out congratulations and greetings. Imogen took Jack’s hand when he offered it, and he helped her out of the buggy. Manny came around the vehicle a moment later and gave Jack a direct look. The man let go of Imogen’s hand and stood back, holding both hands up in the air in a surrendering motion. 

“Wasn’t gonna hurt your little lady,” he said in a teasing voice.

Laughter filled the air around them. Everyone seemed to be talking at once as the crowd moved up the steps to the front porch. There were two tables set out there, one with snacks in covered bowls, the other with drinks and cups. 

By the time Imogen had a plate in one hand and a cup in the other, she turned to see Josie riding up to the house at breakneck speed. She was on a single horse and wearing britches, something Imogen had never seen her friend wear before. 

She quickly set the food down on the flat railing that went around the porch and hurried down the steps, holding up her skirt so she didn’t fall flat on her face and look like a fool. She raced to Josie, who slid out of the saddle and held out her arms to receive Imogen’s hug.

“Oh, you!” Imogen said with a laugh. “You knew all about this, didn’t you?”

Josie nodded, laughing. “I certainly did. But I was to keep a lookout for you to make sure you didn’t get back too soon.”

“How would you possibly have stopped us?”

Josie raised her eyebrows. “Do you think if I said I needed you two, Manny would have just kept going? I would have found a way. But I knew everything was ready to go because I went home when I was done helping. I already knew everything was perfect for you. And it is, isn’t it? Do you like the flowers? That banner is nice, isn’t it? We’re going to have a good time. I’ll make sure you do. Don’t you worry about that.”

Imogen laughed, linking arms with her friend to go back up the steps. She stayed out there for the next fifteen minutes, chatting with Josie, perched on the flat railing where she’d had her food. 

Manny came out to get her, and Imogen noticed how everyone on the porch stepped back to let him have a clear path to her. 

“Will you come inside with me?” he said, holding out his hand to her. “I know it is early, but I need to give you your present now.”

Imogen gave Josie a curious look and put her hand in Manny’s. Josie’s face was lit up with joy, giving Imogen the indication she knew what the present was. Everyone was smiling that way. They must all have known.

She followed her husband into the house, through the foyer, and to the parlor. At the door, Manny got behind her and put his hands over her eyes. 

“No peeking until we get in the room,” he said.

Imogen’s heart was pounding. She couldn’t imagine what it was everyone was so excited about. 

She allowed Manny to guide her into the room and stopped when he pulled back on his hands gently. 

“Can I look now?” she asked. The room was completely silent. Not a word was spoken, and Imogen knew for a fact that there were other people in the room. 

Manny took his hands away.

Imogen was gazing at her father, the man she remembered from her childhood. He was clean-shaven, had on what looked like new clothes, and was holding his hat in his hand, giving her a sheepish look. 

“I came around the back, little miss,” he said, stepping closer to her. “I … have missed you. My sweet, beautiful daughter.”

Tears sprang to Imogen’s eyes. She let several fall, covering her mouth with one hand. 

“P … Papa …” She could barely breathe his name, hesitating only a moment before she ran to him. He gathered her in his arms and held her tight. She didn’t smell even a bit of alcohol on him. She smelled rich, fine herbs that she remembered from when she was a child, and he hugged her. She smelled the familiar scent of peppermint. 

“My dear daughter. It is so good to see you again. I am better. Can you tell?”

Imogen pulled back so she could look him in his eyes. “I can tell, Papa. Oh yes! I can tell! Oh, Papa! Oh, Papa!” She let her tears flow, holding on to him for dear life. 

When she felt Manny near her, she reached out and grabbed him. She didn’t know how her father would react, but she wanted her husband in on the hug. 

To her surprise and ultimate joy, her father held out one arm and circled it around Manny’s shoulders, pulling him to them. 

His words made her cry harder.

“I hope that we can be … amigos …” Jacob said. “You have made my daughter very happy, and I am proud to have you as a son.”

“Thank you, Papa,” Manny replied, kissing the top of Imogen’s head after he spoke.

Imogen met his eyes. Her heart melted to see he was crying, too.

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Grab my new series, "Hearts of the Untamed West", and get 2 FREE novels as a gift! Have a look here!

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