Palomino Ch. 18

Wesley was in the big bathroom getting ready for a late picnic he and Lacey had planned beneath the stars. Lance was in Jackson with Teresa and he couldn't help but grin, thinking about them. He hoped for his buddy's sake that things worked out. Lance deserved happiness as much as anyone else around here, and Wesley was glad to have had a hand in the two getting together, at least to talk and see where things went from there. Lacey was up at the main house getting ready. Even though they were together a lot, she hadn't been sure about where exactly she and Wesley were headed and this house still was a shrine to his late wife. Even though she had never said anything about it, Wesley was starting to feel like things needed a change. As he was pondering these things in his head, he could almost feel Anne's hand on his shoulder, a light wispy touch as her presence seemed to surround him once again.

He reached up to touch his shoulder as if expecting to feel a hand there. Things did need a change, but he wasn't sure where he was going. He loved Lacey, but he still felt a bit guilty letting his heart go to another woman. Thinking about Anne hadn't hurt as much since Lacey had been around. In fact, it was all happy when he thought about Anne... and he'd thought about her less and less, her presence replaced by Lacey in his dreams and thoughts. He wanted to take the next step, but he didn't know how. He'd found himself in a jeweler's shop the other day, looking at rings before he'd caught himself and stepped out. Things were changing in his heart and all around him and he didn't quite know how to handle it.

Anne's soft touch drifted to his cheek and she seemed to materialize before him, her apparition transparent but clear as she stroked his cheek lovingly, her eyes tender and reassuring as she simply looked at him a long time. "I want you to follow your heart and live life with Miss Lacey King. I, too, need to move on, my Love. My time here is done. It's time to clear this house and stop living in the past." She smiled gently to him, nodding her head a bit as if it had already been done.

He reached up to touch hers, but only felt his clean-shaven cheek. He met Anne's eyes for a moment and smiled a bit. It was a releasing moment, for both of them. It wasn't goodbye... it was a simple acknowledgement that the past was done and would truly become the past once and for all. He nodded in his resolve. Then his eyes flickered to a little girl that appeared beside Anne and clung to her legs. He didn't even have to ask to know who it was and tears sprang to his eyes, but they weren't tears of pain. "I love you, Anne... I always will. ...Thank you."

Anne smiled gently and scooped down to pick up the little girl, balancing her in her arms as the little girl beamed at Wesley. "We'll be watching you and that beautiful Miss King, Wesley ... don't let her slip through your fingers." Touching his cheek one last time, she kissed the girl on the cheek and the little girl's laughter filled the bathroom, fading, their images slowly disappeared for the last time, leaving behind a sense of peace and the closing of one door as another one opened for him.

Wesley dried his eyes with his sleeve and stood up, grabbing his hat, then the ring box he'd set on the counter and shoved it into his breast pocket before smoothing his hair back to put his hat on. Now was as good a time as ever if he really did want things to change.

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Epilogue:

Lacey smiled, putting the finishing touches on the cake for Wesley's birthday party. Everyone was already out back on the deck where he and Lance had grilled up some of his famous steaks again and were already digging into the homemade ice cream that Caroline had brought over. Lance and Teresa were there, along with their brand new baby boy, just barely six weeks old. They had been married two years now, almost a year to the date after Wesley and Lacey had married on top of the little hill where he had proposed to her that early summer night years ago. She smiled, remembering it and picked up the cake, a secretive smile kissing over her lips as she backed through the screen door, carrying his cake. At her arrival, everyone began singing "Happy Birthday" to Wesley in a hearty bravado.

Wesley chuckled as they all sang as out of tune as much as possible. The kids were even joined in on the chorus. The population of the ranch had grown significantly. Life had been brought back. Tate was engaged to a little gal from Cody, one of the other boys had eloped with his girlfriend to the disappointment of everybody else for not being able to celebrate a wedding. Wesley grinned and stood up to take the cake from his wife and set it down on the table. He 'accidentally' stuck his thumb in the frosting and grinned as he licked it off, offering her the rest on his other finger as he picked up the knife to cut it up. Lance, then the others were shouting for the Birthday kiss from the cook. Wesley sighed dramatically and set the knife down, grinning at his wife and wrapped her up in his arms and bent her back in the most dramatic kiss he could muster to the cheers of the rest of the ranch. As he lifted her again to stand he whispered to her "I love you, Mrs. Hardigan."

Lacey laughed softly as he righted her once again, gentle fingers caressing his cheek lovingly as she gazed deeply into his eyes. "I love you too, Mr. Hardigan." She smiled as he released her and stepped back a bit as she watched him cut up pieces of cake and pass them out to those that were here. She was starting to feel a bit sick to her stomach and wasn't sure if it was due to the smell of all of the food or the nervous excitement welling up inside of her as time for the presents drew closer and closer at hand. Resting a hand to her still-flat belly for a moment, she smiled secretively to herself and waited, staying busy waiting on their guests until the time was just right. Her gift to her husband would be the last one given tonight, that much she was sure of.

Wesley sat with one of the other hand's boys on his lap. The two year old was attempting to help unwrap stuff, but all he was accomplishing was shredding stuff and making a giant mess. Wesley seemed a natural with kids... just like he was with about everything else when it came to ranch life. When the baby stuffed a ribbon in his mouth Wesley gently took it from him and set it aside, handing him a big wad of paper to play with instead. Lance looked over at his friend. It was so good to see Wesley so uncontrollably happy again. Those three and a half years had been rough on everybody, but now it was like another chapter of their lives had begun, and it was wonderful. "So Wes... when ya gonna catch up to us?" He winked playfully as he motioned toward his wife and the baby as Caroline and the other women gushed over him. "I always thought ya'd be first ta be a daddy... now you're runnin' behind." Wesley chuckled and looked up as he set aside the silver buckle Caroline had gotten for him. He'd thank the woman when she wasn't distracted by the rug rat. "Eh... I dunno. Whenever, 'spose."

Lacey gracefully moved through the small group of family and friends, cooing over the new baby and then laughing at the antics of the other kids. When she saw the little tyke slip out of Wesley's lap just as he finished up his last present, she made her way over there just in time to hear Lance's question, her smile growing before she slid down into Wesley's lap and slipped one arm around him. Kissing him gently on the lips she murmured softly, "Ready for your last present, Cowboy?"

Wesley grinned and wrapped his arms around his wife's waist and kissed her softly. "You're the best present I got, I think."

Lacey smiled, her fingers gently toying with the back of his hair as they kissed. "I bet I could think of something that might be better than that," she said, feeling the eyes of their guests on them, waiting to see what Wesley's last present would be. Every year Lacey tended to get him something that he had been wanting, surprising him each and every time. Not to be outdone, she gently took her husband's hand and moved it to her belly, gently pressing it there as she whispered into his ear so that he was the only one to hear, "What do you say we catch up to Lance and Teresa in say ... seven and half months?"

Wesley's brows furrowed a bit as he felt his hand pressed to her belly. Then his eyes widened a bit as she whispered. He was going to be a daddy. He felt his heart lurch in his throat as the shock set in. They'd been trying for over a year. "R-really?" he whispered breathlessly, a soft squeak about all he could muster

Lacey pulled back from his ear with a bright smile, nodding as her fingers gently caressed his on her belly. "Really," she stated simply, her eyes riveted to those of her husband, shining brightly with the indescribable amount of love that she had for him.

Wesley whooped and laughed, hugging her close as he kissed her deeply. Everyone was staring at them, expecting an explanation by the time they let up. Wesley grinned the biggest grin he could before he exclaimed his excitement. "I'm gonna be a daddy!" Everyone either cheered or laughed as Wesley just kissed his wife again. It was the best birthday he'd ever had.