Dare to Dream (22 page)

“You look beautiful, sweetheart.”

Meg fanned her eyes to keep the tears at bay before running the hand over her hair. “Oh, hush. I’m a weepy old thing, so don’t get me started.”

His answer was a brilliant smile and a quick kiss.

She felt beautiful today in the red dress he’d given her for Christmas. As if another gift was needed. He came through time wounded to bring her home. He gave her two babies. He gave her his love. Today, he would give her his name. What more could she ask for?

The sky wore a deep blue, the grass seemed greener, and the air fresher. Meghan laughed with the joy filling her heart, all the while wiping the tears from her eyes.

“Shhh, love, don’t,” Will pleaded. He winked before adding, “Sure didn’t take you long to get your figure back.”

Meg rolled her eyes and hefted her swollen breasts. “You try nursing two babies and running a household and see how fast you lose weight! My tits will reach my knees before long.”

“Such a mouth on the mother of my daughters. Shame on you,” Will scolded.

“Don’t start.” She realized he teased, but at the same time remembered little pictures have big ears. Soon, the girls would start to talk and repeat what they heard. Oh, shoot! She would have to watch her mouth. Exactly what she needed, more to make her nervous on top of wedding jitters. She still couldn’t figure out why her stomach kept turning cartwheels. They had lived as man and wife for the better part of a year and a half.
The best part
. Was she afraid Will would stand her up at the altar? Sheesh, hormones!

A wail from the basket was followed quickly by a second, bringing her milk down hard. Good thing she had just given up cussing, or she’d have sworn a blue streak. She pulled her arm from Will’s and started to unbutton her bodice, thankful for the hankies she had folded in the chemise against such an occurrence. At least she hadn’t stained her dress. “Find a place to stop, babe. I can’t juggle them both bouncing down the road.”

Will clucked to the team to quicken their pace.

* * * *

“I lay here one night and dreamed of you. That was the night I knew you’d be my wife.” He swapped Sherry for Donna, patting her back ’til she burped, feeling a pang of envy as her sister sucked hungrily at Meghan’s breast.

“You were so sure I’d say yes?”

“Nope, but I swore I’d do whatever it took to win you. Ah, love, don’t.” He walked to her side, cradling her cheek to his thigh as she wept. Childbirth did awful things to a woman’s emotions.

Meg sniffed and took his proffered handkerchief to dab her eyes. “Sorry. I’m just hormonal. Don’t mind me.”

* * * *

Travel with two infants was insane. Two days on a wagon seat made her butt sore. Sleeping in it made her back hurt. Changing into the red dress in the middle of nature proved a challenge. Arranging her hair to cover the short side while Will held a hand mirror not much bigger than his pocket watch was…interesting. He assured her she had been successful and she trusted him to tell her the truth. The church steeple coming into view made her efforts all worthwhile.

“Why are we stopping here? The church is over thataway.” Meg pointed at the one painted building at the end of the road, the one sporting a steeple with a cross on top.

“I’ll only be a minute, sweetheart. You can wait here if you like.”

Will set the brake, dropped anchor, and threw a loop around the hitching post for good measure even though the team stood like two statues when he dropped the reins.

Meg nodded. “I’ll stay with the girls.”

Sherry and Donna slept peacefully, oblivious their birth status was about to change. Meg watched passersby ogle the matched team of Morgans. The occasional man looked her way. A polite tip of the hat she acknowledged with a nod. The leers, she ignored. She was so busy minding her manners she didn’t notice her approach until it was too late.

“So, you’re her?”

Meghan turned to see a five-foot-nothing redhead staring up at her from the boardwalk. “I beg your pardon?”

“The one what stole Will from me.”

Ah, Kathy.

“I’m Meg.” With a smile, Meghan leaned over the wagon seat to offer her hand, which left her a tad off balance. When the little bitch jerked, she came toppling down.

Kathy crowed with laughter as Meg picked herself up, stood, and dusted herself off.

When she swung a right fist into Kathy’s stomach, the laughter turned to a gurgle. The left uppercut to her jaw silenced her completely.

Meg stepped over the prone form to peer into the wagon bed at her sleeping angels, then dropped the step and hitched up her skirt for the climb to the seat. She felt a hand on her elbow. A glance over her shoulder showed her intended. Meg raised a brow as he lifted her to her seat. Will wisely said nothing.

He cleared his throat a time or two while his face returned to his normal shade. After he deposited a large box in the wagon bed, picked up the anchor, and untied the team, he took his seat. “Shall we get hitched?”

“Yes, let’s.”

* * * *

Will took the preacher aside while Meg waited in the buckboard impatiently. The men soon had things settled, and he returned to hand her down. He held his hand up to her, but she took a moment to notice him as she stared anxiously after the reverend.

“Where’s he going? Won’t he do it? Offer him more money!”

“Sweetheart, he’s gone to fetch the missus as a witness and to watch the babies. He said we could use the little house out back—”

“The outhouse?”

Will chuckled and shook his head. “Not unless you need to. Now, come on down.”

When Meghan alighted, he handed Sherry to her, or was this Donna? Nope, Sherry’s ran to the left. He picked up Donna’s basket and tucked the box under his arm. He nodded toward the rear of the church. “That way, my love.”

* * * *

Will hadn’t said a thing since she decked Kathy, but something was up. He seemed fit to bust. What about the box? Had he bought a new suit for the ceremony? The little house appeared to be a guest cottage, heightening Meghan’s suspicions. If he thought to get a quickie before the nuptials, he had a surprise coming.

They had gotten the babies settled, and Will had just set the box on the single bed when a light tap sounded. Meg opened the door to find a plump, smiling woman in her forties.

“I’m Mrs. Benson, dear, come to offer my congratulations and my assistance.” She bustled past Meghan and shooed Will out the door. “Scoot!”

Meghan shrugged at a smiling Will and turned to see Mrs. B opening the box. Meg gasped.

“Best get out of your dress, dear. These buttons will take forever to do up! Dear?”

She recognized the dress at once. She’d seen the gown a hundred years ago in a barn loft. “Call me Meg.”

* * * *

“Please don’t smile.”

The photographer said the same words at least fifty times before. It was no use. Their smiles would have to be surgically removed.

“Just take the damn picture!” Meghan said under her breath only to have Will echo it loudly.

The blinding flash captured their grinning countenances for posterity.

“I think they turned out well.” Meg gazed at the tintype. She was seated with little Donna on her lap. Will stood behind the chair with Sherry in his arms. Their little white christening gowns looked like miniature wedding gowns to match hers. Their hair really showed up well, like their daddy’s raven locks but with one slight difference. Each girl bore a streak of platinum through the black. Like mirror images of each other, Sherry’s ran to the left, and Donna’s, the right.

They had purchased two photos to commemorate the day. One was a gift.

“Do you think this will work?” Will asked as he helped her into the wagon.

“Only one way to find out. By the way, have I told you in the last five minutes how much I love you, husband?”

“I never tire of hearing it, wife.”

Donna’s far-fetched notion was why she’d waited until Dan went into town for supplies. The snow had finally melted, giving way to the bright greens of spring which turned to summer. Trees budded, and birds sang as they built nests and hatched their young. She patted her own growing belly and smiled. Steamboat Springs, Colorado was about to experience a baby boom come fall. What better way to spend one’s time when snowed in for the winter?

Donna climbed the ladder with care. Dan would have a conniption if he caught her. He had taken overprotection to new heights.

Meg’s babies might be born already. Twins often came early. Donna worried about the delivery. Back in the day, even a single birth was iffy, but twins made the process doubly so. She wanted to be with Meg while understanding the impossibility. Besides, what could she do that Will couldn’t? The man had traveled to the future to find his love. Donna took comfort in that.

She slung her leg over the top rung and grabbed the loft rail to pull her into standing position. Her nervous fingers fumbled in her hip pocket for the package. She rolled her eyes when she looked at the tiny parcel wrapped in brown paper and string. She had thought of and discarded so many ideas, not knowing what might be too big to send through time. She wanted to buy things for the babies, but she didn’t know if Meg carried boys, girls, or one of each. Then she remembered the silver certificate printed in 1900 in her safe deposit box.

Money always fit. So, she wrapped the bill in a letter with a photo of her and Dan both pointing to her only slightly swollen stomach, before encasing everything in brown paper. She walked slowly toward the bunks and the trunks at their feet. Kneeling, Donna raised the lid and froze. The aged wedding dress lay folded just as Meghan had left it, but now on top rested a brown paper bundle, the string already raveled away. That hadn’t been there before.

Donna set her package on the bunk and reached gingerly for the other. With it resting on the blanket, she peeled away the outer paper to reveal an old tintype. Her breath caught as she stared in disbelief. Will and Meghan gazed at her from the photograph. Meg was seated wearing what appeared to be
the wedding dress
, and in her lap sat a baby. Will stood behind the chair holding the twin. Both had abundant dark hair like their handsome father. Her gaze fixed on the twins, and she shook her head, not sure what to make of what she saw. Each child appeared to have a lock of white cutting through her raven locks but on opposite sides. Despite the fashion of the day, everyone wore broad smiles.

Safe. Meghan and both babies survived what had to be a rough delivery. Tears coursed down Donna’s cheeks long before she read the short missive.

Dearest Donna and Dan,

I hope this letter finds you well. I know you must worry, but believe me, we are more than fine. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I have included one, however belated. Meet Sherry and Donna, LOL. I miss you more than I can say, but I am finally where I belong. Please, be happy for me, Donna. You always said I was a dreamer born out of my time.

All my love,

Meg (aka Mrs. William Thornton)

Donna wiped a hand across her eyes before she deposited her package atop the wedding gown and closed the lid.

WWW.DEBBIEVAUGHAN.COM

Debbie Vaughan lives in a rural area of central Arkansas very similar to the farm where she was raised. She is devoted to her ten dogs and two horses which she acquired through her years in animal rescue. Animal welfare has played an important role in her adult life.

When not writing, she works in her local library, is an avid reader and gardener who enjoys antiquing (junking) and decorating with her finds.

She is a member of Romance Writers of America and her local Chapter, Diamond State Romance Authors as well as the on line critique group ERAuthors.

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com