A Home for Silent Hearts – Extended Epilogue

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Five years later

Clara pulled the needle through the shirt, then tucked it back through. It was a lazy afternoon, one with the sun shining, and there was no sign of rain. There were plenty of beautiful afternoons, but she tried to slow down and appreciate them for what they were, a moment of peace that they should cherish.

She smiled at Elise, her three-year-old daughter, playing in the grass at the bottom of the porch steps. She was learning to talk, and could already say mama, papa, and horse. Clara laughed as she picked a flower, and it tickled her nose. 

A whooping noise filled her ears as Jonah came flying into view, on the back of a horse he’d helped train himself, with Elijah’s guidance. 

Clara laughed outright, shaking her head. Jonah was nothing like his seven-year-old self. At thirteen, he was not only very smart, and kind, and wise beyond his years,  but he was also daring and brave, always trying something new that usually made Clara nervous. 

The door opened, and Elijah stepped out onto the porch. He placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently as he looked down at her, his gaze full of gentle love. 

“You feel all right?” he asked, before leaning down and kissing her forehead. She placed a hand on her growing stomach. 

“Yes, I’m feeling wonderful, just watching the two of them play. I can’t believe our family is about to grow again.” Clara felt like it was just yesterday when they’d married, instead of five years ago. So much had happened since then. They’d welcomed their daughter, and Lucy had remarried and had two children of her own. They were still close. 

“Jonah told me the other day that Red Hawk’s boys said they’d come for the summer. He spoke to them the last time we visited.” Elijah chuckled. “They all had such a good time last summer when they came to visit.” 

Clara smiled. “That sounds lovely. Red Hawk, he’s come a long way since everything happened, hasn’t he? I’m so glad we can share something with that side of your family.” 

“Me too.” Elijah got a faraway look in his eye. For a long while, I thought that we would never be able to mend things there. After everything that happened, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to repair things with that side of the family.” Elijah’s expression grew sad. “My grandmother, she got to meet both Jonah and Elise. It is sad that she will never know our second.” 

Clara nodded in agreement. Elijah’s grandmother had passed away the year before. It was sudden and unexpected. Elijah had taken it hard. She was one of the last remaining relatives connected with his mother. Clara knew what he was going through. When she lost Thomas, he was her last family, and it felt as if she no longer had anyone, until she found Elijah and fell in love. 

“I dreamed about her last night,” Elijah said gruffly. “She looked young, just as I remember my mother when I was a child. She was so happy, in a prairie full of flowers. She told me that she was proud of us both, for everything that we had done. I remember just feeling happy to see her so happy.” He chuckled. “She used to believe that when a person died, they could walk in the dreams of others, and bring them good luck. Maybe she wasn’t wrong.” 

Clara smiled at the thought. She’d dreamed of Thomas sometimes, and the idea that maybe he was out there still, coming to visit her and make sure she was all right, warmed her heart. 

She wished that she could have one more conversation with him, to tell him that his gift of the ranch had brought her happiness. His inheritance had changed her life. It had put her through one of the hardest seasons she’d ever been through, but had also left her in Elijah’s arms, the man who had stolen her heart. 

She leaned into his touch, through his hand, which was still resting on her shoulder. 

He would always be there; she was certain of it. 

“Oh, Elijah pulled out a letter from his pocket. “This morning, when I was at the post office, there was a letter for us. I thought you’d find it interesting who it is from.” 

“Who is it from?” Clara lifted an eyebrow. On occasion, Elijah sent Red Hawk letters quite frequently, and even though he got them, he didn’t usually respond. Instead, he’d show up for a face-to-face conversation. 

“William Holloway,” Elijah handed it to her, and she eyed it suspiciously. 

“Holloway’s son? Why would he want to write to us after five years?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe he’s upset that his father was taken to jail. Maybe he blames us, or I suppose it could be something else.” Elijah frowned. “Do you want to read it, or should I?” 

“We can read it together.” Clara smiled as she opened the letter. It was written in very neat, precise handwriting. She began to read out loud. 

Hello Mr. and Mrs. Stone, 

I thought that it was time I reached out. I must admit that when I first heard about my father’s crimes, I was not surprised by what he had done. I was only embarrassed by our relationship. 

I figured that if I kept my distance, then it would give everyone time to process what happened. My father committed a lot of wrongs in his lifetime. He hurt a lot of people, and I was unable to do anything about it at that time.

Over the last few years, I’ve found several different families that my father hurt and was responsible for ruining over the years. I have taken finances from the inheritance that was left to me when he went to jail, and done my best to distribute it to those who were harmed by him. 

I know that it does little to ease how he affected you both. But I hope you know that I never agreed with his methods. That was the reason I decided to leave, to start my life somewhere else. I know I should be upset that I no longer have a father in my life, but instead, in a way, I’m grateful. 

My father gets my letters in prison, and I find that he listens to me more in there than he ever did outside. I don’t know if he will ever regret the things he did, or if he will always stay angry and bitter over what he lost, but it doesn’t matter as long as what was wronged is being righted. I hope that the money enclosed with this letter can be a help to both of you, as well as Jonah Morrison, who I know suffered greatly at my father’s hand. I know he lost more than anyone could replace. 

I hope that one day, you can both find it in your hearts to forgive me for not realizing sooner how my father’s ways would affect others and for not stepping in sooner to do something about it. 

Regards, 

William Holloway

Clara was quiet for a long moment after she finished reading the letter. 

“Who is the letter from?” Jonah asked, coming to the porch steps. 

She’d been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn’t even seen him coming. 

“It’s from William Holloway, Mr. Holloway’s son.” 

Clara watched Jonah’s features carefully. Time had passed, but she knew that Holloway and what he had done were still hard for Jonah to talk about. He remembered what happened, and he’d talked to both Clara and Elijah about it since. 

“Oh?” Jonah asked. 

“Yes.” Clara handed him the letter. 

He sat down on the porch steps, reading the letter to himself. 

Clara watched, waiting to see what sort of reaction her son might have. Instead of looking upset or angry, he simply read calmly. When he was done, he took a deep breath. 

“I forgive him,” Jonah said in a low voice. “William Holloway did not have anything to do with what his father decided to do. He never did anything to me. I forgive him because my mother used to say, “Everyone deserves a prayer, and deserves God’s forgiveness if they’ll have it.” Jonah cleared his throat. 

He seemed a little uncomfortable, and Clara waited for him to keep talking. 

“I think that the fact he’s looking for forgiveness shows us that he knows what happened. He may have thought his father could do terrible things, but he probably didn’t want to believe it, which is probably why he left town. 

Everyone nodded around the porch, and Clara fought to keep the tears at bay. She’d had the privilege of watching Jonah grow up over the years, of seeing him go from a scared little boy to a wonderful, strong young man who knew how to handle himself and others. 

She smiled over at Elijah, trying to blink back the mist in her eyes. He had a similar look on his face. 

“You can write to him, if there’s anything you want him to hear you say,” Elijah said softly. 

Jonah nodded, something thoughtful in his eye. “I’ll do that, write him a letter. Maybe it would make him feel better, hearing from me.” 

“That’s something very kind of you to do.” Clara reached for Jonah’s hand, and he gave it to her, and Elise climbed up the porch steps, stopping at Clara, and climbing into her lap. Elise struggled to find a spot around Clara’s huge stomach. 

“I have you and Elijah. William probably didn’t have anyone when he had to leave his father because of the type of man he was,” Jonah went on. “I didn’t realize at the time how much it meant to me to have Thomas care for me, then both of you. I’ll always miss my parents, but I’m…very blessed that God sent me new parents.” 

Jonah leaned in and gave Clara a tight hug. She held him a little longer than normal. She did consider Jonah her son. She may not have given birth to him, but he had been her son in every other way. She would always grieve along with him for his family. But she would also celebrate that they’d overcome everything that they’d been faced with. She was certain that no matter what came to them in the future, it didn’t matter. Because in the end, they’d already won against everything so far. 

There was nothing that could be set against them that couldn’t be overcome. No matter what, she knew that they’d already won. God had given her a loving husband and two wonderful children, with another baby on the way. She was more than blessed. She wiped a tear from her eye as Elijah came and joined her. He took her free hand and kissed the back of it. 

“No matter what Holloway wanted to take from us all, he failed,” Elijah said in a strong voice. “I never imagined that God would send me a beautiful wife and a strong son, who I love more than anything else in the world.” 

Clara squeezed Elijah’s hand softly. 

He kissed the top of her head, then tousled Jonah’s hair as he ducked away. 

“We must remember, God always has a plan for us, even when things look hopeless. There is a future, and we just have to trust God to get us there.” 

Jonah grinned as he scooped up his little sister from Clara’s lap. Elise giggled as Jonah tickled her. “I can play with her for a while so you can rest, Mama.” Jonah headed down the porch steps again, and Clara watched him go. 

Mama. He called her Mama and Elijah Papa, something that started happening three years ago. She’d never change it. Jonah was the child of her heart, and she believed that he was a gift from God, just as she believed the rest of her life was. 

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OFFER: A BRAND NEW SERIES AND 2 FREEBIES FOR YOU!

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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