Hearts on the Run – Extended Epilogue

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“Lucy, hurry up and get back here,” Tandy ordered her daughter, just four years of age and with a personality rivaling her own. Robert, her twin, was seated on Micah’s lap without a care in the world, just happily staring out the train’s windows and watching the world fly by.

At last, Tandy grasped Lucy’s hand and pulled her up onto her lap so that she, too, could stare out the windows. More than likely, it wouldn’t entertain Lucy for long, but it was the only thing Tandy had to offer her. Lucy had already grown bored of the little wooden toys Tandy had given her.

“Here, hand her over to me. I’ll keep her busy,” Renee said, offering to take Lucy.

Tandy grinned and passed Lucy on, with the little girl squealing with delight. She loved time with her grandmother, and that made Tandy exceedingly happy.

But it wasn’t only Renee who had joined them on the trip to Connecticut. Liza and Johnny, along with their three-year-old son, Miles, had all come along. It was wonderful to have this time with them and see that they could all spend time together, enjoying a bit of a break from Colorado.

“I bet you’re looking forward to seeing your ma and pa,” Liza said to Tandy.

“Oh, more than you can imagine. I really cannot wait to spend time with my parents and see them again. It’s always such a wonderful thing, getting to visit and knowing that they will have time with the kids. I mean, my mother is always asking about Lucy and Robert in her letters, but I know that she really wants to be with them in person. They have only been able to visit us the one time since I had these two, so it’s going to be nice to see them again and for them to see how much Lucy and Robert have changed,” Tandy said.

“Isn’t it just wild how fast they grow up? Miles is doing new things every day. Sometimes I wonder when he will stop growing or at least slow down for just a couple of days so that I can catch up to his changes, you know?” Liza said.

“I completely understand. It’s so true. The ways they change so quickly is just madness. But I’m eager to see how much they have changed for my mother and father over the past two years. I mean, now they are four, it’s got to be a big change, right?” she reasoned.

Tandy and Liza were always going on about these things, but they both so delighted in motherhood it seemed like there really was nothing more important to discuss. They adored their children and were entirely grateful to have them that they didn’t want to talk about anything else.

Tandy also knew that Liza and Johnny were hoping to have another baby soon. Tandy had started to hope that she and Micah might as well, but they hadn’t really discussed it yet. He had always said that he hoped for a large family, but Tandy wanted to wait until he was really settled in life and his work. He seemed to have done well, and she thought it was as good a time as any for them to at least have the conversation about whether they were ready to try again.

Still, Tandy hadn’t minded waiting a little while either. It had been quite an adventure, having two children. Her pregnancy had been exceedingly difficult, and she’d needed to rely on the Lord each day as she felt ill and uncomfortable. So many little things had bothered her, and by the time she went into labor, and the midwife came around, Tandy was ready to have the babies in her arms.

Micah turned to her at that moment, looked at the boy on his lap and the girl on Renee’s lap, and then back at Tandy. She knew, at that moment and without a word being spoken, he was thinking the exact same thing. Micah wanted to try for another child as well. Tandy figured they would talk about it later and make some decisions. She was excited and looking forward to it, just as she was also anxious and worried about the possibility of another tough pregnancy and hoping that she would only have one baby to deliver this time.

“What do you think?” Micah asked, leaning over and whispering. 

Tandy grinned, surprised that he didn’t even want to wait and have the conversation later, but to have it then and there, trying to remain subtle so that the others didn’t know what they were discussing.

“I think you must have heard my exact thoughts, Micah. And yes, as soon as you want, we will try for another,” she said.

“That’s what I was hoping you would say,” he replied.

Micah reached over and took Tandy’s hand, squeezing it. He was always doing little things to show how much he loved her and even a simple little squeeze meant so much to Tandy. She appreciated everything about this man and how much he cared for her. 

Never did a day go by when he didn’t tell her she was beautiful or that he would fail to recognize something small about her, either it was how diligently she read a book or how good her cooking was or how nicely she tidied the home. Always there was something or other, and Tandy appreciated that he was so determined to notice these things and never take her for granted.

It meant so much to Tandy, but she always tried to do the same thing in return, although she often failed. Still, happy that she had such a wonderful, supportive husband, Tandy made an effort.

The train slowed to a stop at a station in Chicago, and Tandy was incredibly eager. They had all discussed that they would take some time and get off the train here since it was scheduled to stop for a whole two hours as one of the main stops on the track and with so many people coming and going.

“Is everyone ready?” Johnny asked.

“I know I am!” Tandy replied.

“All right, here we go!” Micah said.

They rushed to get off the train and found themselves wandering through throngs of people on the station’s platform. Tandy held Lucy tightly, and Renee held Robert so that Micah could try to find a coach for them. Meanwhile, Liza held Miles so Johnny could carry a few things they wanted to take with them into town.

But as they made their way through the people, they finally reached the edge of the platform and saw the coaches. Micah had already managed to snag one for them, and they all climbed in eagerly, looking forward to the next hour or so they would be traveling around the city.

But it was quickly apparent they would need two coaches, and one wouldn’t be enough. Disappointed by the idea of splitting up, they determined they would only go a short distance away and get a meal before coming back.

“How about here?” Micah asked, pointing to one restaurant.

They all went in, and Liza and Johnny joined them. Sitting together at a large table, they ate and laughed and had a wonderful time before making their way back to the train station.

But just as the coaches drew near, something caused them to stop. Tandy was curious, and Micah poked his head out to see what the commotion was about. At once, he jumped out of the coach. 

“Can you watch the little ones?” Tandy asked Renee, hoping they could all stay in the coach while she went to see what was going on.

Renee nodded, her eyes wide with worry.

Tandy rushed out of the coach and into the street and saw what was happening ahead. A loud shot rang out, followed by screams. There was a gunfight between the sheriff and some terrible outlaw. 

Micah was getting Johnny from the other coach, and Tandy yelled after him.

“Micah!” 

He turned, smiled at her, and gave an apologetic nod, reminding her that this was what he had to do. He was bound to ensure that justice was always served.

Tandy rushed back to see Liza and urged her to come and join Renee in the other coach. They all climbed in together, but Tandy continued eyeing out the window to see what was happening. 

There, in front of her, she saw Micah and Johnny rushing at the outlaw, dodging his aim. Other people were still trying to avoid getting shot, but Micah, Johnny, and the city’s sheriff all fought hard. At last, Micah managed to grab the man’s arms, knocking the gun from his hand. Once he was restrained, the sheriff drew near and helped to tie his hands while Johnny made certain that no one else had been injured.

There were resounding cheers, and Tandy recounted everything she saw to Liza and Renee, who couldn’t see the whole ordeal.

“So they’re all right?” Liza asked, tears at the edge of her voice.

“More than all right, Liza. I do believe that our men have just become heroes here in Illinois,” Tandy said.

“You don’t say?” Liza asked.

“I do, indeed. It seems they have done something truly wonderful here. I’m proud to say they are currently being showered with attention and praise,” Tandy said.

Somehow, it didn’t surprise her at all. Micah and Johnny both had a wonderful sense of justice, and each knew right from wrong. It only made sense that they would work this hard, even in a town that wasn’t their own.

Tandy watched as they made their way back toward the coach, grinning. They opened the door and looked in at the women and children.

“Well, that was bracing,” Johnny said.

“I can’t believe you would go and put yourself in danger like that when we are supposed to be having a nice break,” Liza scolded him.

Micah smiled at Tandy, as if waiting for her to berate him as well. But she just smiled with pride, appreciating that her husband was so strong and bold in everything he did. It was remarkable to see him fighting so hard for the sake of justice and ensuring that everyone was well looked after.

“Well, we’ve received an offer from the sheriff. He said he would like us to stay and celebrate. A few of the townsfolk also offered to host us. What do you all say if we enjoy a night here? We can head back tomorrow,” Johnny said.

“But, we can’t. We’re supposed to see Tandy’s family tomorrow night. They’re expecting us,” Liza reminded them all.

Tandy was somewhat disappointed as well. She was excited by the thought of staying in Illinois for a little while, but she knew that Liza was correct. They needed to get back to her family in a hurry. After all, they were expecting them to come soon. It was only right.

“What if we make plans with them all for when we come back through? We can plan ahead to stay for a night or two and really get to enjoy Chicago,” Tandy suggested.

“That’s a great plan,” Micah replied. “Just give me a moment, and I’ll go and arrange it all.”

Before long, they were back on their way to the train, looking forward to boarding once more and getting to Stamford. When they climbed the stairs and found their compartment again, Tandy was thankful they’d already managed to make friends in another city and enjoy their brief but exciting visit.

“Well, that really was a fun time, wasn’t it?” Micah asked her once the train was chugging along once more.

“Maybe for you, but for me, it was terrifying as ever. You know that it scares me when you’re in danger like that,” Tandy said.

“Oh, I know. But I just wanted to make sure that nobody got hurt,” he said.

“My worry is always that you’re the one who’s going to get hurt. You should know that by now,” Tandy said.

“I do. I really do. But I hope that you know by now that I will always come home to you. Nothing is going to stop me from getting back to my wife,” Micah promised.

Tandy was grateful that he was always working so hard to take care of their family, but she was even more thankful that he was right. He would always come home to her and the children.

“Just think, Tandy. Five years ago, we worked hard to put Wild-Eyed Billy and his gang away. It wasn’t until that Everett Winslow decided to come after you that I was actually able to. But now, those men are all in jail, and we don’t have to worry about a thing. They are paying their price, serving their sentences. Sure, they aren’t happy about it, but at least it’s done. And now, this fella from today will be in jail for his own crimes,” Micah said.

“You really do love justice,” Tandy acknowledged.

“That, I do. Justice is always best when served alongside a little bit of grace and a whole lot of determination. I don’t know about you, Tandy, but I sure am happy when I see good people being able to live in freedom and without the fear of violence,” Micah said.

“Me too. I just want to make sure that you’re not getting hurt as a result of your efforts,” Tandy said.

“I’m not. And I won’t. You just calm yourself down and remember that I have been doing this for an awfully long time. I’m able to get through this, Tandy. You and me, together, we will get through it,” he said again.

Tandy had seen enough outlaws in her life, and even her mother and father were still terribly embarrassed about the ordeal with Everett Winslow and trying to get Tandy to marry him. She had long-since forgiven them, but it was difficult to convince them that she didn’t hold it against them. After everything they’d all been through, her mother and father were still cautious about letting Tandy go through anything complicated. They were always concerned for her, worried they had done something wrong that she might not let go of.

It would only be a matter of time, Tandy assumed, before they would finally be able to move on and accept that she had gotten over it. There was no reason to remain angry. She had the husband she wanted and the life he wanted. Money didn’t matter. They were able to get by, and Micah worked hard to provide everything they needed. That was all Tandy wanted. Her children had food in their bellies, a roof over their heads, and a place to play.

The train’s rhythm eventually lulled Tandy into a deep sleep, and she awoke the next morning with a stiff neck and hope that they would be arriving in Connecticut soon. There was still a little way to go, but a few hours later, they had finally made it!

The train rolled into the station, and Tandy was in a hurry to unload. She carried Lucy, and Robert wanted to walk beside her, holding her hand. She took his little hand, and they walked together, with Micah just beside her and the others trailing shortly behind.

Tandy looked around the train platform, trying to spot her mother and father. At last, she saw them. They were standing off near the gate and waving at her, trying to get her attention.

“There they are!” Tandy exclaimed. She rushed forward as best she could, with Robert’s short little legs going alongside her. But when she reached her mother and father, her father quickly scooped Robert up into his arms, and Tandy hugged her mother, with Lucy joining in the embrace.

“I’m so glad you made it safely. We heard about some incident in Chicago where an outlaw was trying to shoot people. But the sheriff had some kind of help or something, and he was restrained. We knew you were hoping to stop in Chicago for a few hours to look around, and we were very worried,” her mother said.

Tandy looked at Micah and smiled. He shook his head, warning her not to tell her parents that he had been involved in the ordeal or they might be anxious about his safety. She relented, and they moved on, making their way out to the coaches that her mother and father had already arranged. Soon enough, they were on their way to the house in which she had grown up. 

It looked larger now, but the land was so small. A plot half the size of the one she shared with Micah and with a good deal more trees and neighbors just on the other side of the plot, Tandy hadn’t thought about how different life was in Connecticut from Colorado.

Her family’s wealth was grand, but Tandy was far happier with the life she now led. And when she and Micah settled into their room, putting away their things before they were supposed to go down for dinner, she looked at him and then wrapped him in an embrace.

“I love you, Micah,” she said.

“I love you too, Tandy,” he replied.

“Thank you for always being there for me and always taking care of me, no matter what,” she told him.

“And thank you, my dear,” Micah replied.

Without another word, he kissed her forehead, and then his lips met hers.

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