tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-278274802024-03-07T18:17:19.761-06:00Mary Connealy~Real Life Petticoat RanchMary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.comBlogger1350125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-7556141641658805602018-03-12T09:13:00.006-05:002023-06-15T18:33:24.216-05:00Complete Book List<div>
<br />Wyoming Sunrise Series</div><div>Forged in Love</div><div>The Laws of Attraction</div><div>Marshaling Her Heart</div><div><br /></div><div>The Lumber Baron's Daughter Series</div><div>The Element of Love</div><div>Inventions of the Heart</div><div>A Model of Devotion</div><div><br /></div><div>Brothers in Arms Series</div><div>Love on the Range</div><div>A Man with a Past</div><div>Braced for Love</div><div><br /></div><div>Brides of Hope Mountain Series</div><div>Aiming for Love<br />
Woman of Sunlight<br />
Her Secret Song<br /><br /></div><div>High Sierra Sweethearts Series</div><div>
The Accidental Guardian<br />
The Reluctant Warrior<br />
The Unexpected Champion<br /><br /></div><div>Cimarron Legacy Series</div><div>No Way Up<br />
Long Time Gone<br />
Too Far Down</div><div><br /></div><div>Wild Women Series</div><div>
Tried and True<br />
Now and Forever<br />
Fire and Ice<br /><br /></div><div>Trouble in Texas Seeries</div><div>
Swept Away<br />
Fired Up</div><div>Stuck Together<br /><br /></div><div>Kincaid Brides Series</div><div>
Out of Control<br />
In Too Deep<br />
Over the Edge<br /><br /></div><div>Lassoed iin Texas Series</div><div>
Petticoat Ranch<br />
Calico Canyon<br />
Gingham Mountain<br /><br /></div><div>Montana Marriages Series</div><div>
Montana Rose<br />
The Husband Tree<br />
Wildflower Bride<br /><br /></div><div>Series</div><div>
Cowboy Christmas<br />
Deep Trouble<br /><br /></div><div>Sophie's Daughters Series</div><div>
Doctor in Petticoats<br />
Wrangler in Petticoats<br />
Sharpshooter in Petticoats<br /><br /></div><div>
Golden Days<br /><br /></div><div>Black Hills Blessing Series</div><div>
Clueless Cowboy<br />
Buffalo Gal<br />
Bossy Bridegroom<br />
<br />Contemporary Romantic Suspense</div><div>
Ten Plagues (A romantic thriller)</div><div><br />
Garrison's Law Series</div><div>Loving the Texas Lawman</div><div>Loving her Texas Protector</div><div>Loving the Texas Negotiator</div><div>Loving the Texas Stranger</div><div>Loving the Mysterious Texan</div><div><br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><i><b>Three cozy mysteries</b></i></h3>
Of Mice and Murder<br />
Pride and Pestilence<br />
The Miceman Cometh</div><div><br />
<b><i>NOVELLAS</i></b><br />Calico and Cowboys--Eight Novella Collection<br /> Advent Bride<br /> A Bride Rides Herd<br /> His Surprise Family</div><div> Homestead on the Range<br /> Sophie’s Other Daughter</div><div> Sweetwater Bride<br /> Texas Tea<br /> Spitfire Sweetheart</div><div> Hope for Christmas<br /><br /></div><div>
The Boden Birthright<br />Making Her Match<br />
Runaway Bride<br />
The Tangled Ties that Bind<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b><i>Three Christmas Novellas</i></b></h3>Longhorn Christmas<br />Christmas Candle<br />The Sweetest Gift</div><div><br /></div><div>Winter Wedding Bells</div><div>Room at the Inn for Christmas</div><div>Dr. Tess and the Cowboy (in The Cowboys of Summer)<br /></div><div>Closer Than Brothers <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">OUT OF PRINT</span><br />
Safe Haven <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">OUT OF PRINT</span><br />
Safe Shelter <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">OUT OF PRINT</span><br /><br /></div>
<div>
<b><i>COOK BOOK</i></b><br />
Faster Than Fast Food</div>
Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-66333158800006068352017-10-24T18:19:00.000-05:002017-10-24T18:19:31.302-05:00Carol Award Finalist 2017!<a href="http://www.acfw.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="ACFW Carol Award Finalist" src="http://www.acfw.com/images/awards/award_silver_carol.png" /></a><br />
Nominated for a Carol Award for<br />
No Way Up<br />
Cimarron Legacy bk #1Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-76305414179269428262016-09-08T10:20:00.000-05:002016-09-08T10:20:52.863-05:00Children from my older books featured in later books and novellas having their own love story.This list may not be complete....but it's close.<br />
<br />
Of Course the Sophie's Daughter's series with Sophie McClellan's three oldest girls.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Lassoed-Marriage-Romance-Collection-ebook/dp/B0194D71KU/ref=pd_sim_351_1?ie=UTF8&dpID=5168YjMynGL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_OU01_AC_UL160_SR107%2C160_&refRID=0WK24QAT0K7QQ0GR92KN">Lassoed by Marriage</a> novella collection, my book Sweetwater Bride has for the hero the 1st born son of Belle and Silas Harden, Tanner Harden.<br />
<br />
AND A Bride Rides Herd contained in The 12 Brides of Summer - releases as a book this June with all 12 of these Brides of Summer novellas in it.<br />
<br />
A Bride Rides Herd is the love story of Belle Tanner's fourth daughter Betsy and Matt Reeves the first born son of Daniel and Grace Reeves. Matt is unborn but coming in Calico Canyon and he's a three year old terror in Gingham Mountain<br />
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<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">And if you'll recall, in Sharpshooter in Petticoats Mark Reeves marries Emma Harden and Charlie Cooper from Gingham Mountain falls for Belle and Silas Harden's third daughter Sarah. Of course their oldest daughter Lindsay finds love in The Husband Tree.</span></span></div>
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<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">I think this is all of the old Barbour characters.</span></span></div>
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<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">I have Big John Conroy in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/With-This-Ring-Collection-Proposals-ebook/dp/B01922H8XS/ref=pd_sim_351_9?ie=UTF8&dpID=51Nvg3tL0bL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_OU01_AC_UL160_SR103%2C160_&refRID=1RE2GKASNR97BJ696KXK">With This Ring?</a> Big John is from the Trouble in Texas series. He rescues Carrie the mentioned by never featured little sister of Audra Kincaid. Audra is the heroine who falls in love with Ethan Kincaid in In Too Deep, book #2 of the Kincaid Brides series.</span></span><br />
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<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">My newest release No Way Up has Heath Kincaid, the little brother from the Kincaid Brides series as the hero...all grown up of course. </span></span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-39412877474993160862015-05-19T10:36:00.002-05:002015-05-19T10:36:29.807-05:00Win the Summer Beach Bonanza!<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/dea79528108/" rel="nofollow" data-raflid="dea79528108" data-theme="classic" data-template="5489a662d28b5796419272d7" id="rcwidget_p9w7mpx8">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
<script src="//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-91282235038787957302015-02-04T20:54:00.002-06:002015-02-04T20:54:45.112-06:00WE HAVE A WINNER-SUSAN SNODGRASS!-AND THE RAFFLE GOES ON!!!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF7xCmJcmh8HRxNP4DIrI3FL2BNDy39PxD524vmNEJfcQySaK9XCtzof2cGQhuaPJsAv3FmCIM9g5aaOheqtAOcVTsdSyk7gnd7xryghNkF20x2-wpJp5UVTtMseoQzHGkcs50QQ/s1600/Homestead+Brides+Raffle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF7xCmJcmh8HRxNP4DIrI3FL2BNDy39PxD524vmNEJfcQySaK9XCtzof2cGQhuaPJsAv3FmCIM9g5aaOheqtAOcVTsdSyk7gnd7xryghNkF20x2-wpJp5UVTtMseoQzHGkcs50QQ/s1600/Homestead+Brides+Raffle.jpg" height="252" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">Win a Homestead Themed Gift Basket</span></strong></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Susan Snodgrass</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"> You won a copy of The Homestead Brides Collection.</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">I will message you on Facebook </span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">to find out where to send the book.</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Thank you everyone who left a message.</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">I hope you entered the raffle for a chance to win more prizes.</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">If not there's still time.</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://coffeecupsandcamisoles.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-homestead-brides-collection-blog.html"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE RAFFLE</span></strong></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">If you'd like to buy a copy of The Homestead Brides Collection.</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Homestead-Brides-Collection-Pioneering-Couples/dp/1630586862/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1423104565&sr=1-1"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">CLICK HERE</span></strong></a></div>
Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-82259575631177453832015-02-03T08:30:00.000-06:002015-02-03T13:09:27.461-06:00Try cleaning a house made of dirt! One wrong move with a vacuum cleaner and you're living on the street<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8EIbE08_PtLoP3GBoo6mRG669GDSDJ9n4waZT-JEnIcJ0gCXL_hxvvex-dIP31xXp1UfszEb_NoChkdtIh3Tz5ZLRvLkw7ac7r8k8pwv6pZkpaN2SrMAAw9R0TTUM-EaMCOqHg/s1600/1st+calf+of+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8EIbE08_PtLoP3GBoo6mRG669GDSDJ9n4waZT-JEnIcJ0gCXL_hxvvex-dIP31xXp1UfszEb_NoChkdtIh3Tz5ZLRvLkw7ac7r8k8pwv6pZkpaN2SrMAAw9R0TTUM-EaMCOqHg/s1600/1st+calf+of+2015.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because it's Spring (okay, it's February, shut up, let me pretend) it's time for my annual Spring Parade of Calves on Facebook. To follow along as the babies come check out <a href="http://www.facebook.com/maryconnealy">http://www.facebook.com/maryconnealy</a> </td></tr>
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<strong>LEAVE A COMMENT TO GET YOUR NAME IN A DRAWING FOR A SIGNED COPY OF MY NEWEST RELEASE, A NOVELLA COLLECTION CALLED <a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Homestead-Brides-Collection-Pioneering-Couples-ebook/dp/B00RPVRWEY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421814188&sr=8-1&keywords=the+homestead+brides+collection&pebp=1421814194216&peasin=B00RPVRWEY" target="_blank">THE HOMESTEAD BRIDES COLLECTION</a></strong><br />
<br />
My part of this nine-author book is called <strong>Homestead on the Range</strong>.<br />
<br />
Authors always have to learn new things to write a book. We study the setting, the grass and trees, the native animals, career skills, clothing styles, we have to set our story in a time and place and to do that we need to learn new things.<br />
<br />
For <strong>Homestead on the Range</strong> I had to learn to build a sod house.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpI9azXxGBwEtOcHDL9EK4Em9ZfBq-CYYMBDa-2Vy5ZH_zFvVCO-TC47bdBZDpOHDItLbWJmWv_vcUKFKTc0FR95c4XzUASjYhgDEGzCQdqGByenR2V3ceRmzmYLJv_xr-tjGyWQ/s1600/Sod-House-Antlers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpI9azXxGBwEtOcHDL9EK4Em9ZfBq-CYYMBDa-2Vy5ZH_zFvVCO-TC47bdBZDpOHDItLbWJmWv_vcUKFKTc0FR95c4XzUASjYhgDEGzCQdqGByenR2V3ceRmzmYLJv_xr-tjGyWQ/s1600/Sod-House-Antlers.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">There are antlers stacked in front of this sod house. This is mysterious. These people seem very somber. Why not? They live in a sod house. I'll bet they don't have air conditioning. I'll bet that stack of antlers is their most prized possession.</span></td></tr>
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Now I truly wish I could say here that to make everything realistic, I built a sod house out my back door and now I live in it during the summer, just so I can bring my book to life for all you lovely readers. Wouldn't that be interesting? Wouldn't you all just lean forward to learn every single thing I know about building a soddy???<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbL1EYcOxbfCsh2a5kpNAwfhuatGAIpVJxZvEm8lPh823Gwpi4gaEkCwrVfIOX1VuZVsadt0zgurZtFp_uF2U5rPt6Evy0s428xy2Z5E-8TE2m9L44fXaHG-tqaTRs2y1WFIU6Q/s1600/Sod-house-with-horses-on-top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhbL1EYcOxbfCsh2a5kpNAwfhuatGAIpVJxZvEm8lPh823Gwpi4gaEkCwrVfIOX1VuZVsadt0zgurZtFp_uF2U5rPt6Evy0s428xy2Z5E-8TE2m9L44fXaHG-tqaTRs2y1WFIU6Q/s1600/Sod-house-with-horses-on-top.jpg" height="317" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Why is there a team of horses on the top of this house? Why are those people in a 'room' with no front wall? Do sod houses have....open porches? I'm going with YES. We have photographic proof here.</span></td></tr>
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<br />
But what I learned about sod houses is, many of them have wooden frames, which is sort of weird because wasn't the whole point that there wasn't wood? So where'd they get a frame?<br />
<br />
And they didn't invent breaking plows until mid 1880s. Before that they were cutting hundreds, possibly thousands of sod bricks with a shovel. It makes me want to cry a little, just thinking about it. Have I mentioned I'm a wimp? God bless these people. Wow, they worked their HEARTS OUT to gain property, to be free, to own a home, claim some land. It's really amazing and inspiring and I'm frankly ashamed of myself for being so sedentary and out of shape.<br />
<br />
Which is no fun so let's move on!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJs3iT49gWB8utNrxsvQnJvfQoIaPLicURi0WAdFirudP1BmvUuubOaO6bwG5JqDa95-cOujY71pVFSZ57FKH47cb4dUHIxggsSoCik9TpQvlneVbLDXNzjTPs_IS04Axg352iYg/s1600/Sod-House-four-sisters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJs3iT49gWB8utNrxsvQnJvfQoIaPLicURi0WAdFirudP1BmvUuubOaO6bwG5JqDa95-cOujY71pVFSZ57FKH47cb4dUHIxggsSoCik9TpQvlneVbLDXNzjTPs_IS04Axg352iYg/s1600/Sod-House-four-sisters.jpg" height="305" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">These are the Chrisman sisters, each claimed and proved up on her own homestead. This picture inspired my Wild at Heart series. Or maybe it's more accurate to say it was the seed from which the story grew.</span></td></tr>
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<br />
A sod house had 'bricks' about 2 to 3 feet long and a foot wide. They'd lay the sod lengthwise, side by side so the walls were around 2.5 feet thick.<br />
Get that? It's like a FORTRESS.<br />
The walls are thick enough to stop a canon ball.<br />
Or not.<br />
But it did help with the winter wind and the blazing heat of summer. Yep, I'm bettin' these were as cozy as all get out. That sod was a fine substitute for central heating. Okay, I'm beating that to death.<br />
<br />
Moving on.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwqQJ_xPf-wSKjQfkDQ_MwOzRAX5rIbIrjyhDnGOELOEGOur3xs6qHYAo54A9PZWJh0RWM_LV9tctWz9T1gN-Ono5ox0H-yQM_IeOil__5VnXV7_wwFn8hludIYFxTQjkEP89qQ/s1600/Sod-House-Cow-on-top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwqQJ_xPf-wSKjQfkDQ_MwOzRAX5rIbIrjyhDnGOELOEGOur3xs6qHYAo54A9PZWJh0RWM_LV9tctWz9T1gN-Ono5ox0H-yQM_IeOil__5VnXV7_wwFn8hludIYFxTQjkEP89qQ/s1600/Sod-House-Cow-on-top.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">And now we've got a cow on the roof. It's like a theme or something!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The walls were laid alternately the long way and the short way, this made the walls sturdier, the strips of sod would bind together and stand better. it's kinda like Legos only not primary colors and no cute movie characters!<br />
<br />
And they laid the sod GRASS SIDE DOWN. I tried to find out why but couldn't really get to the bottom of it. I assumed it was to keep the children from grazing since they were probably starving to death.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
Are those WATERMELONS on that table? I like watermelon. I could have survived in the wild west. If I'd have known there was watermelon I'd have written this blog all different.
Could you have built a sod house? Could you survive on the vast treeless prairie, forty miles from the nearest neighbor. With a cow on your roof. <em>(honestly that 'livestock on the roof' thing is the least of their problems)</em><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yfXZiaIld_4NShyaFIUEEABxXPgikNRMf-Jp9EuCK8pCZbzZtn1UDbTCu7UkupATsr87y9h6xwfSHmAO9SC72uHX5d_MbVhzYsb0pcGX66Ez2XaMkOuSC5KKshvhx1MhLwKkxw/s1600/Homestead+Brides.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7yfXZiaIld_4NShyaFIUEEABxXPgikNRMf-Jp9EuCK8pCZbzZtn1UDbTCu7UkupATsr87y9h6xwfSHmAO9SC72uHX5d_MbVhzYsb0pcGX66Ez2XaMkOuSC5KKshvhx1MhLwKkxw/s1600/Homestead+Brides.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">The Homestead Brides Collection</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Leave a comment to get your name in the drawing for <a href="http://smile.amazon.com/Homestead-Brides-Collection-Pioneering-Couples-ebook/dp/B00RPVRWEY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421814188&sr=8-1&keywords=the+homestead+brides+collection&pebp=1421814194216&peasin=B00RPVRWEY" target="_blank">The Homestead Brides Collection</a>.<br />
<br />
<strong>Homestead on the Range: Widow Elle Winter meets new homesteader Colin Samuelson on the Nebraska prairie, but the attraction between them is quickly dampened by the discovery that they have seven children between them. Soon their children are working against them to bring the two families together.</strong><br />
<br />
Other contributors to The Homestead Brides Collection are: Darlene Franklin, Carla Olson Gade, Ruth Logan Herne, Pam Hillman, DiAnn Mlls, Erica Vetsch, Becca Whitham, and Kathleen Y'Barbo.<br />
<br />
<em><a href="http://www.maryconnealy.com/" target="_blank">Mary Connealy </a>writes Romantic Comedy with Cowboys, which is odd because Mary is a serious woman who behaves herself and only writes things with the utmost calm and reasonable tone. Writing comedy is just counter-intuitive. </em><br />
<em><br /></em>
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<script src="//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-76161321611029483912014-12-18T09:31:00.000-06:002014-12-18T09:31:00.857-06:00Chance to win, and to read the Annual Connealy Christmas Letter!$25 Amazon Gift Card drawing today on Petticoats and Pistols--click the link below to get in the drawing. Leave a comment about your own holiday plans to get your name in a drawing for a $25 Amazon Gift Card. Merry Christmas.<br />
<a href="http://petticoatsandpistols.com/2014/12/18/the-annual-connealy-christmas-letter/">http://petticoatsandpistols.com/2014/12/18/the-annual-connealy-christmas-letter/</a><br />
Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-88709575351777728262014-09-18T18:31:00.002-05:002014-09-18T18:31:30.232-05:00THE LAST WEBCAST....AND ANOTHER ONE'S COMIN'!<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/i8vAWs-GSY8" width="560"></iframe><br />Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-89334320362806921072014-09-12T19:51:00.001-05:002014-09-12T19:51:09.343-05:00Mary Connealy Hosts Live Web Event to Celebrate New Book<br />
<a href="http://blogs.christianpost.com/books/mary-connealy-hosts-live-web-event-to-celebrate-new-book-22782/">CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE</a>Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-75306032105710543032014-09-04T08:00:00.000-05:002014-09-04T08:00:01.276-05:00WE ALL LOVE QUIZZES...RIGHT?<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Take the quiz at the Bethany House Fiction blog today.</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>Which Character Are You Most Like?</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://bethanyfiction.com/"><strong>http://bethanyfiction.com/</strong></a></div>
Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-47604332606624862752014-08-03T14:33:00.001-05:002014-08-03T14:33:38.636-05:00The Great Adventure with the Daniel family: Reviewer's Bookshelf: Tried and True by Mary Conne...<a href="http://thedanielsgreatadventure.blogspot.com/2014/08/reviewers-bookshelf-tried-and-true-by.html?spref=bl">The Great Adventure with the Daniel family: Reviewer's Bookshelf: Tried and True by Mary Conne...</a>: Book Summary: Kylie Wilde is the youngest sister--and the most civilized. Her older sisters might be happy dressing in trousers and pos...Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-27489333715726627902014-07-07T08:06:00.002-05:002014-07-07T08:06:54.106-05:00Michael Connelly & Setting & a chance to win Today on <a href="http://seekerville.blogspot.com/2014/07/michael-connelly-setting-write-what-you.html">SEEKERVILLE</a>Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-33830306687639540712014-06-27T08:16:00.001-05:002014-06-27T08:16:24.843-05:00Dawn's Dreams: Stuck Together - A Review<a href="http://dawnsdreams.blogspot.com/2014/06/stuck-together-review.html?spref=bl">Dawn's Dreams: Stuck Together - A Review</a>: Published - June 2014, Bethany House Publishers Series - Trouble in Texas book 3 Author - Mary Connealy Title - Stuck Together Tina...Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-817384617800626892014-06-20T11:21:00.000-05:002014-06-20T11:21:52.221-05:00FOUR WEDDINGS AND A KISS – iPad Mini Giveaway & RSVP for rip-roarin’ Facebook Party!<center>
<a href="http://litfusegroup.com/campaigns/four-weddings-and-a-kiss" target="_blank"><img alt="Four Weddings and a Kiss Margaret Brownly Robin Lee Hatcher Mary Connealy Debra Clopton" src="http://bit.ly/1qj4qyD" height="400" width="400" /></a></center>
Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-20994445261694432952014-06-18T18:24:00.002-05:002014-06-18T18:24:56.517-05:00Chance to win Four Wedding and a Kiss<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/2014/06/four-weddings-and-kiss-margaret.html"><strong><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;">Click here to leave a comment and enter</span></strong></a></div>
Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-35882953555196723502014-06-10T09:16:00.001-05:002014-06-10T09:16:10.930-05:00I'm on Lena Nelson Dooley's blog today<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Stop in for a chance to win <strong>Stuck Together</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com/2014/06/stuck-together-mary-connealy-one-free.html"><span style="font-size: large;">CLICK HERE</span></a></div>
Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-70367676964260343452014-06-04T11:02:00.001-05:002014-06-04T11:02:11.815-05:00Chance to win STUCK TOGETHER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9K41hkObpyAmIui1B03GZLfOZ5Lk9trWQhPtdiszMSoI1fuhgecbrRhfDO9lZ4xr3q70XVT-UL8tBJQysD6eGdcVkWxB59YYdMf96CmLY1dmuzdZ1bnHcWikZOPwIqF4gl2Ifw/s1600/448+Stuck+Together.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9K41hkObpyAmIui1B03GZLfOZ5Lk9trWQhPtdiszMSoI1fuhgecbrRhfDO9lZ4xr3q70XVT-UL8tBJQysD6eGdcVkWxB59YYdMf96CmLY1dmuzdZ1bnHcWikZOPwIqF4gl2Ifw/s1600/448+Stuck+Together.jpg" height="320" width="201" /></a></div>
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">To get your name in the drawing Click </span></strong><a href="http://creativemadnessmama.com/blog/2014/06/04/mary-connealy/"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">HERE</span></strong></a></div>
Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-57764629715888043982014-05-31T00:00:00.000-05:002014-05-31T00:00:07.049-05:00Closer Than Brothers - Chapter Thirteen<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKWGnjeMSHGbq0u9QvLcPqp_zOnokSemXSIr1FFP0tDmK2g3qbr2Irj5AYY73tNpRckruqkkHLtyMUfsxDdLMtk4HuI3ssPrrtcPqzQ3wElRPqwaKj3wtf97x3i6AQfpyeZi9CA/s1600/Closer+Cover+Subtitle+white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKWGnjeMSHGbq0u9QvLcPqp_zOnokSemXSIr1FFP0tDmK2g3qbr2Irj5AYY73tNpRckruqkkHLtyMUfsxDdLMtk4HuI3ssPrrtcPqzQ3wElRPqwaKj3wtf97x3i6AQfpyeZi9CA/s1600/Closer+Cover+Subtitle+white.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;"><strong><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020; font-size: large;"><strong>It's NOT romantic comedy with cowboys.</strong></span></span></span></strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #202020;"><strong>
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<span style="color: #202020;"><strong><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020; font-size: large;"><strong>It's Closer Than Brothers--Part #12 of 13 episodes of how my heroes from Trouble in Texas met </strong></span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #202020;"><strong><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020; font-size: large;"><strong>and how they became so loyal to each other.</strong></span></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #202020;"><strong><span style="color: #202020; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #202020;"><strong>Book #3 </strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397509494&sr=1-1&keywords=stuck+together+mary+connealy"><strong>Stuck Together</strong></a><strong> --Vince's story--releases in THREE DAYS! June 3.</strong></span></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #202020;"><strong><span style="color: #202020; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #202020;">
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<span style="color: #202020;"><strong><span style="color: #202020; font-size: 18pt;"></span></strong></span> </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Closer Than Brothers<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chapter Thirteen<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Callie and Seth<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9K41hkObpyAmIui1B03GZLfOZ5Lk9trWQhPtdiszMSoI1fuhgecbrRhfDO9lZ4xr3q70XVT-UL8tBJQysD6eGdcVkWxB59YYdMf96CmLY1dmuzdZ1bnHcWikZOPwIqF4gl2Ifw/s1600/448+Stuck+Together.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9K41hkObpyAmIui1B03GZLfOZ5Lk9trWQhPtdiszMSoI1fuhgecbrRhfDO9lZ4xr3q70XVT-UL8tBJQysD6eGdcVkWxB59YYdMf96CmLY1dmuzdZ1bnHcWikZOPwIqF4gl2Ifw/s1600/448+Stuck+Together.jpg" height="320" width="201" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Connealy/dp/0764209167/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1400128786&sr=8-1"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">Click to Buy</span></strong></a></td></tr>
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</span><span style="font-size: small;">"Miss
Stone!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seth's
lips left hers and she missed them terribly. Lantern light shone in her eyes.
The room had been nearly pitch dark with only moonlight coming through the
uncurtained windows in this large upstairs room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Y-yes?"
She couldn't see beyond that glaring lantern, but she recognized the voice. Dr.
Coolidge. The Fort Worth doctor who was supposed to take her home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Get
up immediately."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That
actually took some doing, tucked beneath Seth as she was. Her skirts twisted up
with him and his nightshirt and his blanket and his legs and oh, mercy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Finally
she stood. She had an irrational desire to salute. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Wh-what
are you doing here, Doctor?" The doctor wasn't alone. He had five men with
him. Callie didn't know much about the army honestly, but there were stars on
one man's shirt, and other decorations on these men. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"We
have a very important reason to be here that is not your concern. I told your
father I would see to your well-being, but I had no idea I was dealing with a
young lady who was no better than she ought to be."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie
had never even been kissed before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Well,
before Seth. He'd kissed her any number of times. "I'm sorry. I was
just…Seth is…that is…it's not like it seems."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Oh,
it seems as if you were in bed with a man, not your husband. How am I
misunderstanding that?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I
w-was…he was having a nightmare. I was waking him up."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"By
kissing him?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As a
matter of fact yes, but Callie didn't think it was wise to say that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seth,
newly relieved of his fever, very, very newly, stood beside Callie. In his
nightshirt. Not proper at all. He slid one of his strong hand to the small of
Callie's back, supporting her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"You
will leave this hospital immediately, Miss Stone."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"B-but
I am working here. You said you needed my help."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I
don't need the kind of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">work</i> you are
doing, I assure you."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Doctor,”
Seth said, running his hand up and down her back, “Sally has been nothing
but…" <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"It's
Callie," the doctor snarled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"What?"
Seth, the dunce, asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"The
woman who was sharing that bed with you, her name, is Callie. Perhaps you
should familiarize yourself with it."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seth
looked at Callie with wide, confused eyes. Maybe he wasn't fully awake yet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Callie,
I mean. Callie has been nothing but generous and…"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"We
saw ample proof of her generosity, soldier and we don't fault you for accepting
her generous offer, but women of the street aren't welcome in here."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Women
of the street?" Callie's fist clenched. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Now
there's no call to say such things. Callie taking care of me like she did tonight is
the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Seth,
stop trying to save me. Right now."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"What
kind of women do you employ in this hospital, Coolidge?" The man with the
stars on his uniform gave Callie a very sharp-eyed look. "I would think
you'd know to keep an eye out for her sort." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I'm
not letting you talk to Callie that way, General." Seth leaned toward the
older man. Callie heard the threatening tone in Seth's voice and looked at him.
He had a wild look in his blue eyes. A dangerous look. A mad look. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
wondered what happened to a man who attacked a general. Surely it went badly
for the attacker.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
general didn't even react to Seth, instead he turned on the doctor. "If
you can't manage this hospital, I'll relieve you of the job and give it to
someone who can."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
doctor stiffened and turned furious eyes on Callie. "Get out, Miss Stone.
Immediately." Then he glared at Seth. "And if you're well enough to
issue threats to one of the Union Army's generals, then you're well enough to
leave this hospital, too. Get out."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seth's
fever had only broken today. Callie wasn't sure how he'd walk out. He didn't
have any clothes. Callie wasn't sure how he was managing to stay on his feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seth
even seemed to calm down a bit. He subsided from his threatening stance and
said, "I'm sorry to have been so rude. But…but…well, you interrupted us.
I'd just persuaded Miss Stone to marry me. That kiss was to celebrate her
accepting my proposal."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie
gasped and turned to look at Seth. He was staring right at her with eyes so
blue they glowed in the lantern light. She knew it was a terrible mistake but
she wanted him so badly. Yes, Seth was sick. And all right, yes, he'd just said
her name wrong. And yes he wasn't probably even thinking clearly. But the kiss
they shared and the way she alone could get him to come out of his nightmares,
there was something between them, something real. She knew it was love that
would grow into a lifetime of happiness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was
meant to be and if they were marrying in haste she would <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> repent at leisure. She'd enjoy herself thoroughly at leisure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>One of
the men was a chaplain. They were married immediately.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>To
Callie's surprise, the doctor wasn't placated. He still kicked them out of the
hospital. He did relent enough to let Seth find a pair of pants in a stack near
the wall. Callie quickly helped him dress, packed up all the meager possessions
Seth had around his hard little cot, and took him to the room she was staying
in. She didn't have to wake him from his nightmares because they didn’t sleep
all night. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>By
morning she was a thoroughly married lady.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>By the
end of the week she was so madly in love she was walking on air.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seth
wasn’t really fit to travel and, unlike Luke, he didn’t seem determined to head
out. So they stayed mostly in that tiny room, leaving only to find food. Callie
considered this stretch of time their honeymoon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">They spent the first two weeks
of their married life mostly in bed. The passion between them <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpo1BfmWJxYfRjn2bxFqQVOdyOvG7hzoGFHigUMr5wsuWtHf4HR6WZyWkDV2SozyqGDnh3vYVGU4vciAlLj48Iz0PCrbfJrOCteQqOonRQTlJVCM86HFhNNs7IqiPYuBrXcRcsuQ/s1600/Over+th+Edge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpo1BfmWJxYfRjn2bxFqQVOdyOvG7hzoGFHigUMr5wsuWtHf4HR6WZyWkDV2SozyqGDnh3vYVGU4vciAlLj48Iz0PCrbfJrOCteQqOonRQTlJVCM86HFhNNs7IqiPYuBrXcRcsuQ/s1600/Over+th+Edge.jpg" height="320" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Over-Edge-Kincaid-Brides-Book-ebook/dp/B0073UPVE0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397513557&sr=1-1&keywords=over+the+edge+mary+connealy"><span style="font-size: small;">Turns out love doesn't cure crazy</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Over-Edge-Kincaid-Brides-Book-ebook/dp/B0073UPVE0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397513557&sr=1-1&keywords=over+the+edge+mary+connealy"><span style="font-size: small;">Callie learns that...a bit late.</span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">was something
Callie could never have imagined. There were no nightmares and very little
talking, there just wasn't time to fit much in between lovemaking and working
up the energy to make love again. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Callie had cured Seth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">They dozed but rarely did they sleep
deeply before waking to make love again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">After two weeks of such pleasure
their bliss finally wore them out. Seth slept deeply enough to have his first
nightmare, which Callie cured him of in her usual efficient way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">It was glorious and they both
agreed marriage was a wonder. She did notice he had a mild fever and worried
about it, but he fell back into a peaceful sleep and she hoped it wasn't
serious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
awoke the next morning alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
searched frantically. She went to every hospital. So many homes were being used
as temporary hospitals that it took her weeks to make sure she’d been to every
one of them. She remembered how those men had grabbed Dare and Vince, so she
badgered every soldier, trying to find someone who remembered dragging Seth
onto a train. She tearfully visited morgues and walked through alleys looking
for men sleeping on the streets. She searched until all hope was gone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">He had to be dead, he'd have
never abandoned her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">No man could make love to a
woman like that and then just leave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Through tears of grief, she
remembered Vince’s money. She used it to get herself back to Texas.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">When she got there, she found Pa
had fought with Luke, and Luke had run off. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>By
October she'd realized she was pregnant. Which was when she produced her
marriage license and admitted her folly with Seth. Pa was furious, but then Pa
was furious most every day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>By
February she had a son named Connor who was the image of Seth Kincaid right
down to his wild blue eyes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>By
summer her pa was dead and she was running for her life from Flint Greer who
claimed Pa had sold him the S Bar S. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">She considered the promise of
help from Luke’s Regulator friends. She knew they would help her, though they
didn’t know her at all. She even wondered if she’d find Luke with them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">But she couldn’t remember who
they were. Vince Yates. He’d given her the money. Chicago. But such a huge
city. She had no idea how to go about finding one man in a town that size. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Dare. She couldn’t even remember
his last name, let alone where he’d hailed from. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Jonas Cahill, but he’d been on
his way west to work as a missionary on the frontier. He’d ridden with Pa and
Luke as far as St. Louis. Callie had no idea where Jonas had gone. And anyway
those men, despite their promises, had no responsibility for her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">However her son had uncles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">She remembered, 'Rafe! Ethan!
Help! I’m burning!’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Rafe and
Ethan Kincaid. Callie and Seth hadn't talked much but he had said his brothers
lived in a little mining town called Rawhide, Colorado. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie
was a western girl. Unlike Chicago which terrified her, she wasn’t afraid to
tackle a small town named Rawhide. It sounded like her kind of place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9K41hkObpyAmIui1B03GZLfOZ5Lk9trWQhPtdiszMSoI1fuhgecbrRhfDO9lZ4xr3q70XVT-UL8tBJQysD6eGdcVkWxB59YYdMf96CmLY1dmuzdZ1bnHcWikZOPwIqF4gl2Ifw/s1600/448+Stuck+Together.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj9K41hkObpyAmIui1B03GZLfOZ5Lk9trWQhPtdiszMSoI1fuhgecbrRhfDO9lZ4xr3q70XVT-UL8tBJQysD6eGdcVkWxB59YYdMf96CmLY1dmuzdZ1bnHcWikZOPwIqF4gl2Ifw/s1600/448+Stuck+Together.jpg" height="320" width="201" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1399248696&sr=1-1&keywords=stuck+together+mary+connealy"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">Stuck Together </span></strong></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1399248696&sr=1-1&keywords=stuck+together+mary+connealy"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>r</strong><strong>eleases in 4 days</strong></span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Seth had brothers. Uncles bore
some responsibilities for their families, and Callie had nowhere else to turn--she couldn't count Chicago. She wrote to those uncles and threw in a
letter to her husband, just in case he had the nerve to not be dead. Then set
out, still living on what was left of Vince Yate's money.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">She wished Vince knew he’d saved
her, he deserved that, but she had no idea how to tell him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Heading west, Connor in one arm,
her rifle in the other, Callie thought of the trip ahead of her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Her brother was gone, her
husband and father were dead, and her ranch stolen— she didn’t believe for a
second Pa had sold it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And if
Seth wasn’t dead, that’s where he’d go. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> Home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But of
course Seth was dead. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">And if he wasn’t, he would be by
the time she was through with him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<strong><span style="font-size: small;">~~~~~</span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<o:p><strong><span style="font-size: small;">Please sign up for my newsletter by clicking </span></strong><a href="http://maryconnealy.com/newsletter.html"><strong><span style="font-size: small;">HERE</span></strong></a></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
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</div>
</strong><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
</span><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-85223592107107204822014-05-28T00:00:00.000-05:002014-05-28T00:00:09.695-05:00Closer Than Brothers - Chapter Twelve<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKWGnjeMSHGbq0u9QvLcPqp_zOnokSemXSIr1FFP0tDmK2g3qbr2Irj5AYY73tNpRckruqkkHLtyMUfsxDdLMtk4HuI3ssPrrtcPqzQ3wElRPqwaKj3wtf97x3i6AQfpyeZi9CA/s1600/Closer+Cover+Subtitle+white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKWGnjeMSHGbq0u9QvLcPqp_zOnokSemXSIr1FFP0tDmK2g3qbr2Irj5AYY73tNpRckruqkkHLtyMUfsxDdLMtk4HuI3ssPrrtcPqzQ3wElRPqwaKj3wtf97x3i6AQfpyeZi9CA/s1600/Closer+Cover+Subtitle+white.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020; font-size: large;"><strong>It's NOT romantic comedy with cowboys.</strong></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020; font-size: large;">
</span></span><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020; font-size: large;"><strong>It's Closer Than Brothers--Part #12 of 13 episodes of how my heroes from Trouble in Texas met </strong></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020; font-size: large;"><strong>and how they became so loyal to each other.</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #202020; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #202020;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #202020; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #202020;"><strong>Book #3 </strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397509494&sr=1-1&keywords=stuck+together+mary+connealy"><strong>Stuck Together</strong></a><strong> --Vince's story--releases in June 3.</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #202020; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #202020;">
</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #202020; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<o:p></o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Closer Than Brothers<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chapter Twelve<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Callie and Seth<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kp3UjiAxFX1pUc0o_7NqYXhy8UZSSkQJ4ZpUU2u2iEBjBdCHSHbZ4t0WFlAjJfulMOzJOvXh7hyphenhyphensNYf_MxkrlhGxPAXNt07yd8sQALFPmS8x535rBWaJf0r4D71GATyyc2FJ9Q/s1600/Out+of+Control+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kp3UjiAxFX1pUc0o_7NqYXhy8UZSSkQJ4ZpUU2u2iEBjBdCHSHbZ4t0WFlAjJfulMOzJOvXh7hyphenhyphensNYf_MxkrlhGxPAXNt07yd8sQALFPmS8x535rBWaJf0r4D71GATyyc2FJ9Q/s1600/Out+of+Control+sm.jpg" height="320" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Out-Control-Kincaid-Brides-Book-ebook/dp/B005BOXJK8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1397513066&sr=1-1&keywords=out+of+control+mary+connealy">Seth calls out for Rafe</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Out-Control-Kincaid-Brides-Book-ebook/dp/B005BOXJK8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1397513066&sr=1-1&keywords=out+of+control+mary+connealy">Out of Control-free on Kindle</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Rafe! Ethan! Help! I’m burning!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie
was right there. Ready from the first cry. Seth's arms swung. He was trying to
put the fire out on his back. She'd figured that out at some point. It made her
want to cry.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
waited. He swatted at his shoulders hard. Thrashed, then drew back to take
another swipe and she dived under his flailing arms, grabbed his face, held him
steady and kissed him.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
didn't scream a second time.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
froze. Utter stillness.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Silence.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
seconds ticked. Then his arms came around her hard. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She'd
seen the awful scars. She could only imagine what he'd gone through. The pain.
Of course he had nightmares. And the doctor said the burns were old. They had
happened years ago. They must have happened near the beginning of the war,
though the doctor was amazed a soldier could be hurt this badly and not just be
sent home.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And yet
here he was.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Oh, yes,
here he was kissing her.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seth was
still asleep, but there was no more crying out for Rafe and Ethan. She'd asked
when <o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTPwSIw9Ldx_fY_GVDMjXdSc5Z8rYo6P9BxnQ6LXm_ivrRfH70AlfBaLi5snTFn9bvnuokZL1xYcSbUl41zKLw4rx_c9xHXsF5F8oQe1DwmXhtDYBuzrTCD0C1s2zZEU2czHWXA/s1600/InToo+Deep+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTPwSIw9Ldx_fY_GVDMjXdSc5Z8rYo6P9BxnQ6LXm_ivrRfH70AlfBaLi5snTFn9bvnuokZL1xYcSbUl41zKLw4rx_c9xHXsF5F8oQe1DwmXhtDYBuzrTCD0C1s2zZEU2czHWXA/s1600/InToo+Deep+sm.jpg" height="320" width="203" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Too-Deep-Kincaid-Brides-Book-ebook/dp/B006G2YP7K/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=11FTN5N96A31YVC7NZCK"><span style="font-size: small;">Seth's brother Ethan </span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Too-Deep-Kincaid-Brides-Book-ebook/dp/B006G2YP7K/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=11FTN5N96A31YVC7NZCK"><span style="font-size: small;">Has his own story</span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
he was awake and he'd told her those were his brother's names. Seth was
pretty confused most of the time, his fever up and down, though she thought
they'd finally seen the last of it today. The bullet wounds in his back had
gotten infected and he'd run a fever that had nearly killed him. He'd been operated
on when he'd first been brought in from prison and all of that was over before
Callie had arrived.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Luke had
been so near death that Callie had been sick with worry. But Seth had been
worse. Callie hadn't known Seth at first of course, she'd only known there was
one patient with nightmares worse than anyone else.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And
she'd volunteered one long, awful night when everyone was so busy no one could
help the poor man, to wake him up.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And
she'd shaken him and coaxed. A nurse who'd rushed by said she'd have to slap
him, scream in his face and be careful because he'd punched more than one
person.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie
couldn't bear it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She'd
sat beside the tormented man and thought of a fairy tale.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Waking
someone with a kiss.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Of
course there'd been one about turning a frog into a prince with a kiss, too,
but that wasn't going to happen.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She'd ducked
under his swinging arms and tried it. The screaming had stopped. The kiss had
gone on far too long.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seth had
been kissing her from the first moment, but he wasn't really
awake…and he'd been a while getting there. Callie
had been talking with him ever since. He was the sweetest man she'd ever met.
Poor sweet, wounded, tormented soldier. Delirious a good part of the time. In pain
from his wounds. Feverish. He wasn't skin and bones like Luke. Seth didn't
think he'd been in Andersonville long but that story was garbled, too.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie
didn't tell anyone how she woke him and no one asked. In fact, no one seemed
to notice. Things were mostly quiet at night now that Seth wasn't screaming and
more and more patients were heading home. Even before Luke left the hospital, she
was spending every night sleeping in a chair at Seth's bedside, ready to kiss
him awake.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Her
sleeping prince.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Pa would
kill her if he knew. Or no, he'd kill Seth.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seth stopped kissing her in his sleep. The kiss changed. He stopped <o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIYu3Zi6XWg9jgLyDRAl7-bi4n3NzAP8IGHb94VV0mvOSItS0Csnmzj0a6tt35kbd1On2FNCRQ8IlZo7dOYniXpfEFG1YVZp6pQTtTHXZ-Ea2Pf-RxYtbvh8Oo0aK3MbK_XluMg/s1600/448+Stuck+Together.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIYu3Zi6XWg9jgLyDRAl7-bi4n3NzAP8IGHb94VV0mvOSItS0Csnmzj0a6tt35kbd1On2FNCRQ8IlZo7dOYniXpfEFG1YVZp6pQTtTHXZ-Ea2Pf-RxYtbvh8Oo0aK3MbK_XluMg/s1600/448+Stuck+Together.jpg" height="320" width="201" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=pd_sim_kstore_14?ie=UTF8&refRID=12G550R2PGQ3B2E5G4FH">It's all leading up to Trouble in Texas</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=pd_sim_kstore_14?ie=UTF8&refRID=12G550R2PGQ3B2E5G4FH">Stuck Together Book #3</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=pd_sim_kstore_14?ie=UTF8&refRID=12G550R2PGQ3B2E5G4FH">Releasing June 3rd</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
crushing
her, but he still held on tight. The kiss wasn't so frantic, but it was more.
He turned his lips, slanted them.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I'm
so glad you're here." <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She was
so glad she was here, too. But she couldn't say that because her mouth was
extremely busy. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Every
night it was more passionate. Callie couldn't believe how deeply she'd fallen
in love with poor, wounded, confused Seth. She was so upset that his family
hadn't come for him. She thought of her own family, gone.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
loneliness made her cling all the more to Seth. They were alone. Two people
against the world. When he pulled her out of her chair, she let him.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He'd
done that before, but that was when she'd ended their embrace on other nights.
Tonight she couldn’t do it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Instead,
she sat beside him on the bed. Then he pulled her forward until she lay on top
of him. His strength amazed her. His body was strong and muscled, not wasted
away like Luke’s, like nearly everyone else's in here. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
rolled until she was tucked under him and then she really didn't know exactly
where she was, she only knew it was someplace wonderful and she wasn't ever
leaving.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">~~~~~</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: large;">Please sign up for my newsletter by clicking </span><a href="http://maryconnealy.com/newsletter.html"><span style="font-size: large;">HERE</span></a></o:p></div>
Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-19372991364936034212014-05-24T00:00:00.000-05:002014-05-24T00:00:02.712-05:00Closer Than Brothers - Chapter Eleven<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKWGnjeMSHGbq0u9QvLcPqp_zOnokSemXSIr1FFP0tDmK2g3qbr2Irj5AYY73tNpRckruqkkHLtyMUfsxDdLMtk4HuI3ssPrrtcPqzQ3wElRPqwaKj3wtf97x3i6AQfpyeZi9CA/s1600/Closer+Cover+Subtitle+white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKWGnjeMSHGbq0u9QvLcPqp_zOnokSemXSIr1FFP0tDmK2g3qbr2Irj5AYY73tNpRckruqkkHLtyMUfsxDdLMtk4HuI3ssPrrtcPqzQ3wElRPqwaKj3wtf97x3i6AQfpyeZi9CA/s1600/Closer+Cover+Subtitle+white.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020; font-size: large;"><strong>It's NOT a romance. It's not very funny. </strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020; font-size: large;"><strong>No ropin' and ridin' anywhere</strong></span></span>
<span style="color: #202020; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #202020; font-size: large;"><strong>Part #11 of 13 episodes of how my heroes from Trouble in Texas met </strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #202020; font-size: large;"><strong>and how they became so loyal to each other.</strong></span></div>
<span style="color: #202020;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #202020;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Book #3 </span></strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397509494&sr=1-1&keywords=stuck+together+mary+connealy"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Stuck Together</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> --Vince's story--releases in June 3.</span></strong></span></div>
<span style="color: #202020;">
</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Closer Than Brothers<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpo1BfmWJxYfRjn2bxFqQVOdyOvG7hzoGFHigUMr5wsuWtHf4HR6WZyWkDV2SozyqGDnh3vYVGU4vciAlLj48Iz0PCrbfJrOCteQqOonRQTlJVCM86HFhNNs7IqiPYuBrXcRcsuQ/s1600/Over+th+Edge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpo1BfmWJxYfRjn2bxFqQVOdyOvG7hzoGFHigUMr5wsuWtHf4HR6WZyWkDV2SozyqGDnh3vYVGU4vciAlLj48Iz0PCrbfJrOCteQqOonRQTlJVCM86HFhNNs7IqiPYuBrXcRcsuQ/s1600/Over+th+Edge.jpg" height="320" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Over-Edge-Kincaid-Brides-Book-ebook/dp/B0073UPVE0/ref=pd_sim_kstore_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=08AANEXNSAZM3PSA25MG">Click to See how Callie handles </a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Over-Edge-Kincaid-Brides-Book-ebook/dp/B0073UPVE0/ref=pd_sim_kstore_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=08AANEXNSAZM3PSA25MG">Seth Kincaid when she's mad</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chapter Eleven<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Callie and Seth<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
"They're letting you go, Luke." <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie
wasn't going to tell him her big news until she absolutely had to. She'd told
Pa and it'd taken some fast talking, but she'd gotten her way.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
didn't think Luke would like this, but Luke didn't get to decide what Callie
did or did not do.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She
handed him a shirt and a pair of pants. They'd brought Luke a couple of changes
of clothes from home. She'd spent every spare minute, and they had been very few,
working with her needle to make them fit. Callie could never have imagined how
much weight he'd lost. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Luke
took them and gave them a wry look. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed.
He was in some kind of nightshirt. He couldn't possibly ride home to Texas
wearing that and it appeared to be all he owned. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They'd
had him out of bed a few times so he was steady, mostly. But Callie stayed
nearby.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Luke
stood and pulled the britches up under his nightshirt and buttoned them. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie
pulled a rope out of her apron pocket. "Use this to belt your pants or
they'll fall right off."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Then she
eased his nightshirt off and had to fight back tears as she looked at his rib
bones. His brutally skinny body made her want to pick up a gun and start
shooting any Reb she saw. How could one human being do this to another?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She dressed
him like a helpless child. Only the sickest were left and there were still
plenty. A month after Andersonville had been opened by the Union Army, the
ailing were still too many to count.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Like
Seth.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Keeping
her eyes focused firmly downward, because she was afraid she might be blushing,
she helped Luke get his foot firmly seated in his boots, then, when she had her
unruly thoughts under control, she stood just as a bald man came over, walking
straight for her and Luke.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Luke
smiled. "Did you get them in?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Nope.
But they're waiting outside. We found your pa. He looks just like you and we
figured it had to be him. He's out there with a wagon and he said you were
coming out, so they're going to see you're alive and well, and say good-bye all
at once." The man shifted his eyes to Callie."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Luke
said, "Callie, this is Jonas. He's a preacher and one of my best friends.
We all helped each other get through Andersonville. Jonas Cahill, Callie Stone,
my baby sister."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jonas
smiled and gave her a nod.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie
couldn't believe Jonas was up and acting so steady. He was as skinny as Luke.
"You survived that place, too?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Yep,
and I handled it a sight better than this weakling kid, did."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie
gasped. She remembered well that her brother didn't like being goaded.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Luke
rolled his eyes. "Don't call me kid." <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jonas
slid his arm around Luke's waist.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I
can walk." Luke tried to step away.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"If
I don't look like I'm helping, the guard at the front door is going to catch me
and throw me on a train going who knows where. Your pa said I can ride in the
wagon with you a long way toward Missouri. So let me act like I'm
helping."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"You're
going along?" Luke smiled and let Jonas help. Whether he admitted it or
not, Luke could use someone to lean on. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie
still hadn't told Luke her news. She hoped having Jonas along, with his serene
smile and steady way of handling Luke, made Callie abandoning him better. She
felt like she barely knew her brother anymore, maybe he wouldn't even mind that
she wasn't heading back to Texas.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
three of them left the hospital. Pa arranging that wagon was the only way
they'd have been able to leave and, as it was, they shouldn't travel yet. But
Pa was wild to get Luke out of here. Luke was wild to go.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie
thought they were both headlong fools. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was
too soon and she'd told them both that a dozen time. Of course she didn't want
to go at all for reasons she wasn't about to admit to either of them. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Two
strangers rushed up to Luke and looked him over, smiling with such pure
pleasure it made her throat ache. Callie wasn't much of a crier but Luke, to
see what had been done to him, and to see these friends so happy that he'd
survived. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Well, it
about did her in.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She was
introduced. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Vince
Yates. He looked and his eyes fastened on hers, she knew they were brimming
with <o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIYu3Zi6XWg9jgLyDRAl7-bi4n3NzAP8IGHb94VV0mvOSItS0Csnmzj0a6tt35kbd1On2FNCRQ8IlZo7dOYniXpfEFG1YVZp6pQTtTHXZ-Ea2Pf-RxYtbvh8Oo0aK3MbK_XluMg/s1600/448+Stuck+Together.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIYu3Zi6XWg9jgLyDRAl7-bi4n3NzAP8IGHb94VV0mvOSItS0Csnmzj0a6tt35kbd1On2FNCRQ8IlZo7dOYniXpfEFG1YVZp6pQTtTHXZ-Ea2Pf-RxYtbvh8Oo0aK3MbK_XluMg/s1600/448+Stuck+Together.jpg" height="320" width="201" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=pd_sim_kstore_11?ie=UTF8&refRID=08EC764HJDPY7ABS63H5">Vince--who can handle anything</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=pd_sim_kstore_11?ie=UTF8&refRID=08EC764HJDPY7ABS63H5">can't handle crying women</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=pd_sim_kstore_11?ie=UTF8&refRID=08EC764HJDPY7ABS63H5">Click to Buy</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
tears. Vince gave her a look of pure horror. She had no idea what that was
about.<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dare
Riker. He seemed nervous about something. He never quit twitching.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And
Parson Jonas. They said hello and were ready to help lift Luke into the well
padded back of the wagon.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie was
out of time. She had to finally speak. "Luke, I'm saying good-bye,
too."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Luke
whipped his head around so fast he staggered. Vince caught him or he might have
fallen. "What does that mean?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I
told you there's a doctor here from Fort Worth. He needs help. Pa knows his
family and trusts him. I'll be safe with him. I'm going to stay and work until
he heads for home, then he'll bring me. There are some women traveling in his
party so it'll be proper. Pa and I've talked it over. I think I'll be another
couple of months, then I'll follow you to Texas."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Luke's
black eyes flashed with worry and regret and some anger. Luke was always quick
to substitute anger for anything else he was feeling.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jonas
lay a hand on Luke's shoulder. "I'll stay here with her, see to her…if you
want, Luke."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I
will, too," Vince said. A cool character. Callie thought he might be a
handsome man but he was gaunt—awful to look at. They all were. Vince watched
her with cool blue eyes. Dare moved, nervous. Both were thin as cadavers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dare
said, "I can try again to help in the hospital. Maybe now that so many
have left, and I've <o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOv6hiHNmceSuE91zfjIS_UhQq5OPeGhyphenhyphenUw7QN7Qj-qdTm_ZfwMKDXnhR1-3T9skC_slUxMY7DwCn89K6X5TxOWcYsOxpxTCF9IAujUEaAxOpNngjVAQIn4Clbiyp8BIPjVOGsw/s1600/Fired+Up+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOv6hiHNmceSuE91zfjIS_UhQq5OPeGhyphenhyphenUw7QN7Qj-qdTm_ZfwMKDXnhR1-3T9skC_slUxMY7DwCn89K6X5TxOWcYsOxpxTCF9IAujUEaAxOpNngjVAQIn4Clbiyp8BIPjVOGsw/s1600/Fired+Up+sm.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fired-Up-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00CIUJZ0G/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1YNZ7MV54R63FN3A6FD1">Dare's doctoring has just begun</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
regained some strength, they'll let me in. We won't let her
take any risks."<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Luke
looked at Callie a long time, as if this was his decision. It wasn't, but she'd
only tell him that if he made the wrong one.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Finally,
Luke looked at Jonas. "I'd like it if you rode along with Pa and me. I'm
not ready to say good-bye to all of you."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jonas
nodded.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Luke
pulled Callie into his arms. "It's kind of you to want to help, little
sister. There's such terrible need. I wanted you to come home with me, but you
won't be far behind."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They
held each other for a long, quiet moment. Callie's eyes filled with tears. She
didn't let them fall. She pulled away and ran a hand over Luke's fuzzy head and
smiled at him.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I
hope you're good and fat by the time I get to Texas."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I'll
do my best." He gave her a kiss on the cheek. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I
love you, big brother."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Luke
didn't say it back, but he nodded.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Pa said
good-bye, his usual gruff self, but she saw the affection beneath it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Luke's
friends loaded him up, careful to see his bony body was well padded in the
wagon bed. Jonas climbed up on the high seat and started talking with Pa as the
wagon rolled away.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie
watched them until they rolled out of sight. A tear streaked down her face as
she turned to speak to Luke's friends.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Vince,
for all his cool, let his eyes lock on that single tear and he stepped back as
if recoiling from the sight.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Before
he could recover, four military men rushed up behind Dare and Vince and grabbed
them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"All
able-bodied soldiers were supposed to leave the area long ago." A man on
each side held Dare and Vince's arms locked.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"No,
wait." Dare gave Callie a frantic look.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"We
can't leave her," Vince struggled against the grip of two men to one.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I'll
be fine." Callie really didn't want them to be watching over her. She
could take care of herself.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"A
train north leaves in ten minutes."<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Vince broke
the hold they had on him and surged toward her, grabbed her hands. She felt him
press something into her fingers and his eyes burned into hers. He whispered, “Hang
onto this. Don’t let anyone see it.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He was grabbed and they hauled
both of Luke's friends away. Callie clutched whatever Vince had given her
tight, but she didn't intervene in their departure. In fact, she waved good-bye
and smiled. It was kind of them to want to stay, but they needn't worry. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
When they were out of sight, she
looked at what she held and saw money. Blinking, in case it vanished, she saw a
large roll of bills wrapped around something hard. Holding it sideways she was
quite sure the center was made of a stack of gold coins.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
She tucked it all deep in her
pocket to count later as she walked back into the hospital and got to work. She
remembered that vow, they’d be there for each other. They’d come if there was a
need. A bond that was closer than a brother. Vince had just given her a great
deal of money in a very bold demonstration of how seriously he took that vow.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Pa had left her with money for
food. The room she was renting was paid in full for two months, but she felt
safer knowing she had some money in case of trouble. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>She'd be
working all day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>All
night she'd sit at Seth Kincaid's bedside and be ready when his nightmares
came. She'd found a talent for waking him that no one else possessed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A talent
that made her heart race.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">~~~~~</span></strong></div>
</div>
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<o:p><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Please sign up for my newsletter by clicking </span></strong><a href="http://maryconnealy.com/newsletter.html"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">HERE</span></strong></a></o:p></div>
Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-91327407587584593162014-05-21T00:00:00.000-05:002014-05-21T11:17:16.700-05:00Closer Than Brothers - Chapter Ten<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKWGnjeMSHGbq0u9QvLcPqp_zOnokSemXSIr1FFP0tDmK2g3qbr2Irj5AYY73tNpRckruqkkHLtyMUfsxDdLMtk4HuI3ssPrrtcPqzQ3wElRPqwaKj3wtf97x3i6AQfpyeZi9CA/s1600/Closer+Cover+Subtitle+white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKWGnjeMSHGbq0u9QvLcPqp_zOnokSemXSIr1FFP0tDmK2g3qbr2Irj5AYY73tNpRckruqkkHLtyMUfsxDdLMtk4HuI3ssPrrtcPqzQ3wElRPqwaKj3wtf97x3i6AQfpyeZi9CA/s1600/Closer+Cover+Subtitle+white.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;"><strong>It's NOT a romance. It's not a comedy. </strong></span></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;"><strong>It's not a western. </strong></span></span></span><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;"><strong>No ropin' and ridin' anywhere.</strong></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;">
</span></span><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;"><strong>Part #10 of 13 episodes of how my heroes from Trouble in Texas met </strong></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;"><strong>and how they became so loyal to each other.</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;">
</span></span><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;"><strong>Book #3 </strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397509494&sr=1-1&keywords=stuck+together+mary+connealy"><strong>Stuck Together</strong></a><strong> --Vince's story--releases in June 3.</strong></span></span><br />
<strong><span style="color: #202020;"></span></strong><br />
<span style="color: #202020; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="color: #202020;">
</span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Closer Than Brothers<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chapter Ten<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Luke—The Kid<o:p></o:p></b><br />
<br />
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Callie kept feeding him and Luke was gaining strength and
staying awake longer each day. He still hadn't seen Pa, but Callie said he came
in everyday and Luke was just sleeping through the visits. They'd manage to see
each other real soon.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Then he
woke up to his shoulder being gently shaken and saw a skin-draped skeleton.
Ghastly. He yelped.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The skeleton smiled. “You’re
alive, Kid.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Jonas. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Why are you bald?” Luke
couldn’t believe that was the first thing that came out of his mouth. Probably
better than asking why Jonas was a skeleton. He’d thought he’d never see any of
his Regulator friends again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“You’re next thing to bald.
Haven’t you noticed?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke raised a hand, saw how it
trembled and dropped it to the blanket shocked and embarrassed to show such
weakness. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He looked up to see if Jonas had
noticed. Jonas was busy getting Luke a glass of water. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
His friend showed no concern for
Luke’s tender belly like Callie had, he let Luke drink deep. The water went down
and seemed to soak into a desert. His mouth and throat almost absorbed it
before it got to his belly. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“More.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Jonas was up and gone and back
with more water before Luke could tell him not to leave. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
It was probably good that Luke
had been given a few moments break because his stomach heaved a bit from the
big gulp of water, even though it didn’t seem to hardly get there. This time
Luke was less desperate and he drank more slowly, the way Callie always made
him. He finished the whole glass a sip at a time. When it was empty, Luke’s gut
felt stretched full.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Then Luke noticed Jonas’s
baldness again and reached for his own face and head. “I've got bristles on my
head. Who cut it? Who shaved me?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“All of us in the hospital got
sheered like sheep. We were crawling with lice and fleas. Part of bringing us
into this hospital was throwing all our clothes away and shaving us and bathing
us in harsh soap. They did it so we wouldn’t start re-infecting each other with
whatever vermin we were carrying.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“A bath.” Luke sighed. “I’d have
liked to have been awake for that.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“You’ll be awake for your next
one.” Jonas ran his hand over his freckled face and his bald head. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“How long was I unconscious?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I asked around and they told me
you’ve been more asleep than awake for nearly a month, <o:p></o:p></div>
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Luke. So you've had a
month to grow some hair back. They shaved me just last night."<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“The war ended a month ago?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Yep. We were liberated from the
camp in May and it’s June now. Your fever broke about four days ago. I’ve been
talking with a chaplain in here who brings me word and he said you’d woken up.
It took me until now to sneak in and see you. Dare tried to get in here as a
medic right when we were liberated but they told him he wasn’t a real doctor
and he was too weak to be of much help and they tried to drag him on a train.
He barely got away. He and Vince and I have been hiding out ever since trying
to figure out how to see you.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“You’re all still here?” Luke
felt a shocking, almost uncontrollable urge to cry. He knew just how sick he
was because tears were unthinkable.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“They caught Big John and
shipped him off to Texas. He's just no good at hiding." Jonas smiled.
"But the rest of us are still here. We couldn’t just go. Not with you at
death’s door. They're trying to get rid of everyone they can, though. They
don’t have food nor shelter to spare.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“You’re not still going hungry
are you?” Horror crept up Luke’s spine to think of how long they’d all been
hungry and now, when his friends could finally eat, to think they’d go without
in order to see him.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“No, we’re doing all right.
Vince figured out a way to get money. Not easy in the chaos around here. But
he’s a wily one. He got us set up with a decent place to live and we're well
fed."<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"Invincible Vince. It
figures he could find money and food and clothes in a place with none of those
things."<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"He didn't even work too
hard at it," Jonas said with a fond smile. "But we have to stay clear
of the Army. They want everyone to go home. Even the soldiers in the hospital
are starting to be released now, so things have started to ease up. We had to
cook up a plan to get one of us admitted to this hospital.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke looked at Jonas. “You’re so
skinny you look like a corpse that’s been dead and buried for six months. How
hard could it be to get yourself thrown in a hospital?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Jonas shrugged. “I’m good
compared to you and a lot of others. Vince came up with the way to get in. Dare
and Vince cut their hair and shaved but I didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are ways to get the vermin out without
having to sheer yourself, but the army isn't exactly interested in making you
pretty. So we were doing fine. Anyway, you know I've had fever and ague and
it's come and gone a few times, but never been serious. So we saved my old clothes
and waited. Last night here comes my fever. I put my old clothes back on, and
with my wild hair and ragged clothes, I staggered in here and was sick enough
and looked bad enough to satisfy them. They shaved me, burned the clothes and
slapped me in bed. The fever didn’t last, but no one’s noticed yet. I waited
until everyone left and snuck over to see you.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I’m sorry to wake you up. I
reckon that’s the wrong thing to do to a man as sick as you, but I had to talk
to you, see with my own eyes that you’re mending. How anyone as thin as you can
be called better.” Jonas shook his head. “Only men who’ve spent time in
Andersonville would believe how much the human body can endure.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I look as bad as you do, then,
huh?” Luke asked.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Jonas nodded. "Worse."<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke flinched. “I’d like to see
Vince and Dare.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I’ll see if maybe I can slip
them in." Jonas clapped Luke on the shoulder, but gently. "They’ll
get caught and swept away, sent home, but maybe they can say goodbye before they get
dragged off. We decided if at least one of us could see you, and report back,
we’d be satisfied with it. But they want to come and look at you with their own
eyes. You had us real scared, Kid.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke was almost used to the
ridiculous nickname, but out of habit he said, “Stop calling me Kid.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Jonas smiled. “I’ll get Dare and
Vince in if I can. If not, you can write to them at home. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stuck a piece of paper with their addresses
in your stack of clothes on your bedside. That’s where they’re both heading.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“So Vince is really going to
Chicago? He swore he’d never do that.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Jonas frowned. “He doesn’t want
to. Bad blood between him and his father. But he has to go somewhere he can
rest and fatten up for a while. He may not be well enough to get a bed in this
hospital, but he’d a mighty weak man. He needs good care for a while. He has to
regain his strength and put on about a hundred pounds.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke wanted to go home so badly.
How could Vince dread it so much? “My pa is here to get me. I’ve seen Callie,
and she said Pa had been in, too. I must’ve slept through his visits so far.
But he came all this way. I fought with him all the time before the war, but
I’m so lonely for him and for the ranch. I’m a changed man. I’m going to be the
best, happiest son you’ve ever seen.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Glad to hear it, Luke. If I
don’t see you again and if Dare and Vince can’t get past the door, you’ll hear
from us somehow. We know you’ll be in Broken Wheel, Texas. We’ll be writing to
you. Right now, before another minute passes, in case I get thrown out of here
or we get separated somehow, I'm making you a promise Kid. If you ever need
help, you only need to let me know. The way we stuck together in prison has created a bond between us that is closer
than brothers. I said this to Vince and Dare and they feel the same."
Jonas closed his hand on Luke's arm.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke felt that connection. He
could never love a brother more. "I would be honored to help any of you,
if you had need. I owe you my life and it's a debt I will gladly repay. You
tell Dare and Vince that goes for them, too."<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Jonas nodded. "I will. If
you don't hear from me right away, don't give up. I'll be a while finding a
place to settle. Unlike all of you, I don’t have a home.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Come to Texas with me,” Luke
offered.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Jonas’s brow furrowed. “I’m
feeling lead to the west as my mission field.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Texas is west.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“It is that, Kid. But I’ve got
an offer with a Missionary Society out of St. Louis. It’s the door that’s been
opened for me. I’m heading to Missouri and letting God lead me onward from
there. If I get close to Broken Wheel, Texas, I’ll stop in and see this ranch
you’re so fired up about.”<br />
<br />
<o:p>"Aren't you going home first, to see your little sister? After all those letter she wrote."</o:p><br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<o:p>"I don't dare. I'm a wanted man back in Ohio. I might be arrested."</o:p><br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<o:p>"After all these years? And after serving in the Army so honorably?"</o:p><br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<o:p>Jonas shrugged, I just don't know and I don't know how to find out without going there and the first hint I might get is having shackles clapped on. I'd love to see Tina but she'll understand. I'm heading west." </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"I hope you end up in Texas." Luke smiled.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Jonas said, “And now, I know
where they keep a pot of soup simmering. How about I get you something to eat?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke’s stomach growled and he
nodded and wished it was beefsteak instead of the watery soup Callie kept
giving him. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Have you seen my sister?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Jonas looked around. “Nope. But
I don’t even know what she looks like.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I think she’s helping, doing
some nursing. The things they say Dare’s too sick to do.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I’ll keep my eyes open for her.
That’s mighty fine of your family to come all this way to care for you, Luke.
You’ve got good folks.” Jonas went to find the soup.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke nodded, his heart warm at
the thought. As he lay there waiting for the food he dreamed of how it’d be
when he went back to the S Bar S Ranch. Things would be better now. He was
grown up. No more of the struggles between him and Pa. Pa was a stubborn one but
now he’d know Luke was a grown man. They’d be partners not father and son. It’d
be a new beginning.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He could hardly wait.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
What had become of Callie? She’d
been here at his side faithfully every time he’d awakened. But he didn’t see
her today.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Of course Jonas had probably
deliberately picked a moment when Luke had been alone.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
It flickered through his mind
that he hadn’t been awakened by Seth the Burning Man for a while. Of course
Luke wasn’t real sure about time passing so maybe it hadn’t been long since
he’d last gone to sleep.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
But Callie had thought she could
make the man be quiet and maybe she did have a knack.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Luke forgot all about
it when Jonas came back with a steaming bowl of soup. It was hardier than what
he'd eaten before. With more beef and vegetables in it. Luke ate it, determined
to start gaining weight and get out of here.</span><br />
<o:p><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> ~~~~~</span></strong></o:p></div>
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Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-2947089089616636832014-05-17T00:00:00.000-05:002014-05-17T00:00:06.096-05:00Closer Than Brothers - Chapter Nine<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKWGnjeMSHGbq0u9QvLcPqp_zOnokSemXSIr1FFP0tDmK2g3qbr2Irj5AYY73tNpRckruqkkHLtyMUfsxDdLMtk4HuI3ssPrrtcPqzQ3wElRPqwaKj3wtf97x3i6AQfpyeZi9CA/s1600/Closer+Cover+Subtitle+white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyKWGnjeMSHGbq0u9QvLcPqp_zOnokSemXSIr1FFP0tDmK2g3qbr2Irj5AYY73tNpRckruqkkHLtyMUfsxDdLMtk4HuI3ssPrrtcPqzQ3wElRPqwaKj3wtf97x3i6AQfpyeZi9CA/s1600/Closer+Cover+Subtitle+white.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #202020;"><em>It's NOT a romance. It's not very funny, there just wasn't much comedy to be mined for me in Andersonville Prison. </em></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #202020;"><em>It's not even a real story<o:p></o:p></em></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>Part #9 of 13 episodes of how my heroes from Trouble in Texas met and how they became so loyal to each other.</em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em>Book #3 <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397509494&sr=1-1&keywords=stuck+together+mary+connealy">Stuck Together</a> --Vince's story--releases in June 3.</em></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Closer Than Brothers<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chapter Nine<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Luke—The Kid<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Luciano, the
fever left, you’ve got no excuse now.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He forced his eyes open and this
time it worked.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The woman, staring down at him
gasped. She smiled, her while teeth flashing fit to blind a man.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He looked into the black eyes of
his little sister. Not so little anymore.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Callie, did you die, too?” He
felt bad about that. Callie should have a long life, and this didn’t sound or
feel or smell like heaven, which could only mean…<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I’m not dead and neither are
you, Luke.” Her dark eyes, a perfect match with him, were wild with pleasure as
she smiled. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Blinking, trying to make sense
out of her being here, he had to believe it. He’d lived. He’d survived and
somehow Callie was here, right here in Andersonville. His sister had joined him
in purgatory.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Did you fight in the war? Did
you get taken prisoner?” He couldn’t stand the idea.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“You’re in the hospital, Luke.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The room was candle lit and it
was dark. They were in the belly of the night. He saw a fancy glass light
fixture overhead with dangling crystals. It looked like someone’s house, not a
hospital. And for sure not a prison.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“The war is over and we got word
you’d been found in Camp Sumter.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
That was Andersonville’s real
name. Luke hadn’t heard it called that in so long it was only a faint memory.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Our letter said you were sick
and in need of doctoring.” Callie’s voice had a heavy Texas accent that made
Luke homesick on top of a lot of other kinds of sick. Her eyes roved over his
face. There was so much sadness he could only imagine what he looked like. Of
course he'd never come close to such a thing as a looking glass, but he’d seen
how horrible the other prisoners were. Walking skeletons, everyone of them. He
was sorry she had to see it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
She squared her shoulders and
didn’t talk about his appearance, keeping her talk cheerful and her smile firmly
in place. “Pa and I got here as fast as we could.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"Pa's here?" Luke vaguely
remembered hearing Pa. He wasn't sure what was real and what was a dream.
“Y-you’ve had time to travel all the way here from Texas? How long have I been
unconscious?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“The doctor told us you’ve been
delirious or unconscious ever since the Union Army got you out of that place, weeks
ago. Pa and I have just been here a few days, long enough to be mighty worried.
Your fever broke a couple of hours ago, f-finally.” Callie’s voice caught. He
thought his tough little sister was going to cry.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke wasn’t surprised when she
lifted her chin and fought off the tears. “We’re gonna stuff you full of food
and get you some clean clothes and then take you back to Texas where you
belong.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Callie, you’re here.” She was
talking too fast. He couldn’t take it all in. He could still hardly believe his
family had come. “You’re beautiful, and all grown up.” His voice was so raspy
he didn’t know if she could understand him. “You said Pa is here?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Yep. We’re taking turns
sleeping. He’ll be mighty upset I got to talk to you first.” Her grin said
she’d pester her dad with being first and thoroughly enjoy doing it. "And
we figured you could ride a horse home but you'll take a sight of healing
before you're ready for that and we don't want to wait. So he's trying to find
a wagon and that's not gonna be easy. We don't want to wait until you're up to
sitting a horse, so I'm on duty caring for you most of the time. The doctors
working this place barely have time to breathe."<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He reached for her tangle of
black curls and saw his hand, bony and ugly. He couldn’t stand to touch her.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Then he remembered how regrets
had eaten at him while he lay in prison, thinking he’d die without seeing her
again. “I thought I’d never get a chance to tell you how sorry I am for the way
I treated you since Ma died.” <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
With a smile, she slapped his
shoulder, but Luke could tell she did it with unusual gentleness. Luke wondered
just how fragile he looked. Not much made Callie pull her punches. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Spend your energy getting well,
not worrying about my delicate feelings.” Callie looked to her left and right
as if worried about being overheard. She leaned close and whispered. “This is a
miserable place. It’s no proper hospital. You'd be better off with me and Pa on
the trail resting beside a campfire. ”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke hoped she never heard how
dreadful Andersonville was. This was luxury by comparison.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“It’s just a house. There’s not
enough food or medicine for all of you. Pa and I are going to get you out of
here.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Callie smiled and straightened
away from him. She got a water glass and slid her arm under his shoulders. He
could remember her doing this. Suddenly Luke was so thirsty he wanted to grab
the cup and drink it all down hard and fast.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Just sips now. The doc said if
you drink it too fast, you’ll cast it all up.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The doc. Luke wondered where
Dare was. And Vince and Jonas.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke tried to sit up under his
own steam and found his muscles were weak as water. So he sat up as far as
Callie had the strength to prop him and he sipped. Clean water. It was the most
delicious thing Luke had ever tasted.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Callie tortured him by only
giving out dribbles. If he hadn’t been so shaky, he’d have grabbed the glass
and drank it down. But he wasn’t up to it and she gave him only a few swallows,
leaving him desperate for more. But she kept at it until he’d had the whole
glass, then she got him a second. Finally, he had enough.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
She eased a rolled up blanket
under his back, each move so gentle, so unlike his hoyden sister. Then she
reached for a bowl he hadn’t noticed before. Soup.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
She fussed with getting soup
into his belly one spoonful at a time. There wasn’t much heat left in it, but
it eased his throat and filled his gnawing gut. He’d been hungry so long he was
full after only a few swallows. He pushed her urging hand aside, afraid he
might upchuck. Not a real nice way to say hello to his baby sister.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“We rode out here on horseback,
cutting every minute from the trip we could, swapping saddles, scared to death
you’d die on us before we got here. We brought six horses in all, so there are
two for you. We’d leave right now if you could stay in the saddle, but it’s
clear you’re not up to that yet, that's why Pa's hunting a wagon. As soon as we
can, we’ll head home.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
She talked with him about the
journey and after a bit he was able to take more swallows of soup, this time he
finished the bowl. It was mostly broth and Luke wished for meat and vegetables,
but he could feel his stomach threatening to reject even the broth and knew he
didn't dare risk eating anything heavier.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I can’t believe how you’ve
grown up, Callie. Have I been gone so long? You were a child <o:p></o:p></div>
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when I left, it
seems.”<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
A scream sounded from across the
room. “Rafe, Ethan! Help me.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Callie sat up straight and
turned toward the screaming, a frown of concern on her deeply tanned face.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“That soldier from Colorado,
Seth, is he in here, too?” Luke remembered him from the infirmary at
Andersonville.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“You know him?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“He was in prison with me. He
was so sick and he was screaming like that. He’s got ugly burn scars on his
back. Dare said they must have happened early in the war, because they're all
healed. He’s having nightmares about burning. But he'd been shot recently by a
shotgun and no one had tools to dig the lead out of him. When he wasn’t having
nightmares or running a fever from the buckshot in his back, he said Ethan and Rafe
were his brothers."<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
"I wonder if they’re coming
for him?" Talking of prison made Luke wonder where Dare had gotten to, and
Jonas and Vince. What if they'd gone home?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
To think he’d never see his
friend again hit him like a blow. They’d been inseparable since the night Vince
had stepped in to protect Luke from the Raiders and Luke had come back to
protect Vince from retaliation.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
They’d been friends who were
closer than brothers. It would hurt as badly as never seeing Callie again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Was it possible to just walk
away from men he’d cared about as deeply as them?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Another cry for help rang out
from The Burning Man. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Callie looked away from Luke.
“Seth from Colorado, huh? I got the job of waking him from his sleep the last
two nights. We...that is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">he</i>…he didn’t
do much talking.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
In the candlelight, Luke thought
he saw his little sister blush. Maybe all this working around sick men was too
personal for a young, innocent Texas girl, even one as tough as Callie.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I’ve been helping wherever I’m
needed. One of the doctors in here is from near Fort Worth. Pa knew some of his
family and said they're good folks. The doc is overwhelmed. He can use every
pair of hands he can get.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Help me, Ethan!” The screaming
tore at a Luke’s heart. “I’m on fire!” <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The way Callie looked toward
Seth made him wonder if Callie’s heart wasn’t hurt by the sound of Seth’s
suffering, too. She said, “There’s plenty in here with nightmares, but none
quite so bad as him.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
With his belly full for the
first time in memory, Luke felt himself sliding into a natural, healthy sleep.
The screaming wouldn’t let him sink all the way under and it kept getting
louder.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I’m burning. Rafe!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Resting a strong, work-roughened
hand on his shoulder, Callie gently gathered Luke close. He couldn’t believe
how she felt, hugging him. It was like a slice of heaven.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke wanted to cry. He’d never
expected to feel anything this soft and pure and lovely again after the
brutality he’d survived.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
His prayers of thanksgiving went
so deep they scraped his soul raw. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Into his ear, Callie whispered,
“I’m so glad you’re going to make it, Luke. I have prayed for you like I’ve
never prayed in my life. You rest. I’ll go rouse Seth, the poor soul. Once it’s
quiet you can get some sleep…and maybe he can, too.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Thanks, Callie.” It took all
his strength to whisper the words back.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
As his baby sister—a grown up
woman now—walked away, Luke sank into a blurry half-world between waking and
sleeping. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Finally The Burning Man stopped
screaming. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
For one tiny moment Luke
wondered how she woke him. Luke remembered how they’d had to shake Seth,
practically beat on him to get him to wake up. There’d been yelling and near
violence to knock him out of the nightmares he was locked in.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke had felt sorry for the poor
madman but, rough as it had gotten, ending those nightmares was a mercy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Whatever method Callie had used,
it was now quiet. It'd been fast, too. If he wasn’t so exhausted he’d’ve waited
until she came back and asked her. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Silence reigned and he tried to
keep his eyes open but she didn't return and he began to wonder if she was
coming back. Maybe she’d stuffed a sock in Seth’s mouth and felt like she
needed to stay close to make sure he didn’t suffocate. Well, good for her.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Trust Callie to take
care of everything.</span><br />
<o:p><span style="font-size: large;"> ~~~~~</span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: large;">Please sign up for my newsletter by clicking </span><a href="http://maryconnealy.com/newsletter.html"><span style="font-size: large;">HERE</span></a></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>
Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-29434712956232127392014-05-14T00:00:00.000-05:002014-05-14T23:29:39.605-05:00Closer Than Brothers - Chapter Eight<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7NTRIzi3A794jH3-c-MGsA_6dYU6BMfbsZOZKzr-wwNOo5D82e6cesjiFsFkTPmRMfz_yZ_kOCZvfrZK0kuYMiR9tMY1t1vONlF0kTYyM9a7XVxgrXaUQWekseXUVSVMTz_OMrA/s1600/Closer+Cover+Subtitle+white.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7NTRIzi3A794jH3-c-MGsA_6dYU6BMfbsZOZKzr-wwNOo5D82e6cesjiFsFkTPmRMfz_yZ_kOCZvfrZK0kuYMiR9tMY1t1vONlF0kTYyM9a7XVxgrXaUQWekseXUVSVMTz_OMrA/s1600/Closer+Cover+Subtitle+white.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;"><strong>It's NOT a romance. It's not very funny. </strong></span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;"><strong>No ropin' and ridin' anywhere</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #202020;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #202020;"><strong>Part #8 of 13 episodes of how my heroes from Trouble in Texas met </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #202020;"><strong>and how they became so loyal to each other.</strong></span></div>
<span style="color: #202020;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #202020;"><strong>Book #3 </strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397509494&sr=1-1&keywords=stuck+together+mary+connealy"><strong>Stuck Together</strong></a><strong> --Vince's story--releases in June 3.</strong></span></div>
<span style="color: #202020;">
</span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><strong>Callie met Seth (the hero and heroine from Over the Edge) when Callie went to Andersonville Prison to fetch Luke home. You all know that, right?</strong></em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Closer Than Brothers<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Chapter Eight<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpo1BfmWJxYfRjn2bxFqQVOdyOvG7hzoGFHigUMr5wsuWtHf4HR6WZyWkDV2SozyqGDnh3vYVGU4vciAlLj48Iz0PCrbfJrOCteQqOonRQTlJVCM86HFhNNs7IqiPYuBrXcRcsuQ/s1600/Over+th+Edge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpo1BfmWJxYfRjn2bxFqQVOdyOvG7hzoGFHigUMr5wsuWtHf4HR6WZyWkDV2SozyqGDnh3vYVGU4vciAlLj48Iz0PCrbfJrOCteQqOonRQTlJVCM86HFhNNs7IqiPYuBrXcRcsuQ/s1600/Over+th+Edge.jpg" height="320" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Over-Edge-Kincaid-Brides-Book-ebook/dp/B0073UPVE0/ref=pd_sim_kstore_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=13QFSQNJW4E0EKWB2AA5">Enter Seth Kincaid to our Story!</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Over-Edge-Kincaid-Brides-Book-ebook/dp/B0073UPVE0/ref=pd_sim_kstore_7?ie=UTF8&refRID=13QFSQNJW4E0EKWB2AA5">Click to Buy</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Luke—The Kid<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
“Rafe! Ethan! Help! I’m burning!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Luke
tore out of sleep. The screaming. Every night since they’d brought this new
soldier in. All of them had nightmares but there wasn’t a one tormented like
this man. The Colorado soldier made it almost impossible for the rest of them
to sleep. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke had heard Dare call him
Seth, but Luke thought of him as The Burning Man—when he thought of him at all.
Seth was sicker than Luke. That was saying something because Luke expected
every day to be his last. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He was so sick all he could do
was lie there, useless, and listen to the screaming, and burn with his own
fever.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He didn’t have the strength to
crawl over and shake the guy awake. If he did work up the gumption he’d have to
crawl over twenty soldiers to get there and it wasn’t easy pulling The Burning
Man out of the dreams, plenty had tried.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“Help me, Rafe. Help! Ethan!”
The screaming went on. Seth thrashed and beat at himself. Luke knew because for
the first few nights, Luke had lay near him. Vince had been quietly responsible
for getting Luke moved. Vince was fighting for Luke's life every way he could. Getting
away from Seth might give him a chance to rest. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
But there was no where far
enough. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Seth had been brought in here
not that long ago and he’d been in the infirmary from his first day in
Andersonville.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke had learned Seth’s
thrashing was beating out flames on his own body. Luke had only seen the man
once without a shirt but his back was a mass of ugly scars. Made worse by
taking a shotgun blast in the back. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Dare had no tools to cut out the
pellets so they stayed in and got infected while Seth was tortured by his
dreams, always on fire. Always calling for help from his brothers, Rafe and
Ethan. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nightmares while he slept,
delirium while he was awake.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke pitied Seth at the same
time he wanted to beat him into a sound sleep.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
The others in the room breathed
unevenly. All awake. All listening. All sick as a pack of mangy dogs. Someone
shoved at the poor bedeviled soldier and shouted at him to wake up and shut up.
It took a long time but finally the screaming ended.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
By then, Luke’s eyes had
adjusted enough that he could see the black square of the small window, wide
open. It let in mosquitoes and the heavy, humid night air. It was only May, and
already the heat was stifling. He’d talked tough to Dare, but Luke knew he’d
never live through another hot, choking summer. How long did he have to suffer
before he died?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
He was skin and bones. He had no
strength left. Dare was scared to death. Vince was at his <o:p></o:p><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIYu3Zi6XWg9jgLyDRAl7-bi4n3NzAP8IGHb94VV0mvOSItS0Csnmzj0a6tt35kbd1On2FNCRQ8IlZo7dOYniXpfEFG1YVZp6pQTtTHXZ-Ea2Pf-RxYtbvh8Oo0aK3MbK_XluMg/s1600/448+Stuck+Together.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIYu3Zi6XWg9jgLyDRAl7-bi4n3NzAP8IGHb94VV0mvOSItS0Csnmzj0a6tt35kbd1On2FNCRQ8IlZo7dOYniXpfEFG1YVZp6pQTtTHXZ-Ea2Pf-RxYtbvh8Oo0aK3MbK_XluMg/s1600/448+Stuck+Together.jpg" height="320" width="201" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0MJM381V0PSVSM9N1VWH">Vince fights for Luke's life</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
side constantly with
scraps of food and swallows of water. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Jonas prayed over him every
chance he got.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke had shaken off a fever
several times, he sure hoped he’d do it again, just like Dare had gotten over
the third knife attack. But this fever was Luke’s worst one yet.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>His only
hope of survival was if this war ended and soon, and Luke had given up on that.
The war was eternal. In fact it might not really be war. When his fever came up
high and he thrashed and had nightmares of his own, he often imagined himself
in purgatory. Then he’d wake up and not be sure of what was real and what was a
dream.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He
wondered if this might be the day he died or if he had died and this was hell.
He’d pray and try to make sure his soul was right with God, but if he was dead
and this was hell, then he must have done something wrong.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>God, had
he done it wrong?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
As
he lay, next thing to starved to death, in the foul infirmary with Dare doing
everything he <o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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could to keep Luke from being added to the death toll, Luke
thought of his little sister. He wished he’d had a chance to tell Callie he was
sorry. He’d harangued her most every day of his life. She was a tomboy and Luke
had insulted her for it and bickered with her and fought with Pa over her
unladylike ways.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He was
just heartsick with loneliness for Ma, and he missed how she’d made a
comfortable home for all of them and been the one gentle, soft, pretty thing in
a hard life. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke had wanted Callie, only ten
years old when Ma died, to take over making the gracious home that Luke hadn’t
known he’d loved until Ma was gone.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Callie
was nigh onto too young to even be left home alone, let alone expecting her to
do the cooking and cleaning and mending. Luke knew now that, in his grief over
losing Ma he’d turned tears into anger and lashed out at Callie and Pa and
anyone else who came near. If he died here in prison would his family even
care? Had he been such an ugly presence in their lives that they’d never miss
him?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>What a
legacy for a man to leave.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He was
so miserable that his regrets over his family were the only thing that made him
mind dying. When he was rational, he knew he’d made his peace with God. Why not
embrace the next life in heaven?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dare
wouldn’t let up. Vince came. Jonas prayed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>They
wouldn’t let him die…so he lived in misery.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dare was
walking death he was so thin. Vince’s cheeks had gone so hollow his face looked
<o:p></o:p><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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like a skull. Jonas had spent the better part of a week in here, in the
blankets next to Luke, so weak he’d left off all his minister work save prayer.
And that he did without ceasing. Jonas had healed enough he’d dragged himself
out to make room for other ailing prisoners.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Luke
stared into the gray light of dawn, felt his fever rise and wondered if this
would be his last day on earth. He hoped so.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“It’s over!” Dare came shoving
into the infirmary. “It’s over! The guards are gone. They’ve abandoned their
post and made a run for it. The Union Army is at the gates.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Dare dropped to his knees beside
Luke, who was stretched out on the floor, nothing so fine as a cot to sleep on.
The impossible words made Luke’s head spin and his vision turned into a long
tunnel.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“We’ll get you out of here.”
Dare’s voice faded as Luke tried to imagine the end to purgatory. “Hang on,
Luke. Hang on. You’re going to be okay.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Luke wasn’t sure he had the
strength.<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
[sb]<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cool water washed
across his brow. Cool. When had he felt anything cool?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Wake up, Luciano.”
<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And a woman? That could not be a
woman’s voice.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>His ears buzzed as if they weren’t
working just right and he couldn’t force his eyes open. The fever that was part
of him all the time burned through the cool.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Luciano.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>His ma called him that. She’d been
dead for years. Did that mean he was dead?<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The noise faded and he slept.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
[sb]<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Arms, strong female
arms wrapped around him and he thought of his ma again. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He was in heaven being held by his ma. Except he felt terrible, hot and
aching. That didn’t fit with what he thought he knew of heaven. He was still
burning. Hot.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No, that fit with hell and his sweet, Godly Ma wouldn’t be there.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cool water was forced past his lips and he swallowed just to get the
tormentor to stop making him drink. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Luke.” That familiar female voice. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Then arms again. “Luke, please wake up. What have they done to you? How
could they let you starve like this?” The arms were strong and so gentle. And
he felt a kiss on his cheek and broken sobs shook whoever held him.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hot tears slid down his neck and those strong, gentle arms felt better
than the finest dreams he’d ever had of heaven.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Through the fever and hunger and months of filth and pain and want, the
arms seemed to reach in and pull him back to life.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He tried to thank her for that, surface from the darkness that held
him, but it was too hard to speak, he just didn't have the strength. Instead he
let her hold him while he floated, aware but unable to respond.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He did have the strength to thank God she was here and beg that she
stay and wonder who she was.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
[sb]<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Luciano, I love
you.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The cloth was cool again. Always
washing him, soothing him. Another drink. Coaxing. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Luke, son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take a bite of soup. You have to eat." A
deeper voice. Luke knew this one was Pa. But Pa like he'd never heard him.
Almost begging. Pa brought low, sad, scared and Pa wasn't afraid of nuthin'.
But Pa was afraid for Luke and Luke felt terrible about that. For being such a
burden.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He fought like mad to get his eyes
open to relieve the fear. Pa’s strong arm slid behind Luke's shoulders and
lifted.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was almost an embrace and Luke
couldn't remember the last time Pa had come close to giving him a touch in
kindness, or in unkindness come to that. Pa just plain never touched him, and
why would he? But this touch was strengthening, as nourishing as food when a
man was starving. It put heart into Luke and made him fight to wake up.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Son, you need to drink and eat."
The raw quality to Pa’s voice made it seem as if Pa had been talking for a long
time. "You need strength to fight this fever. Once we beat that, we'll get
you built up, then get you back to Texas.” <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Luke felt like he'd been swimming in
black water forever.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He remembered a woman. Ma maybe. But
Ma was dead. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Suddenly it struck him that it could
only be his little sister. But the voice was no kid who’d been calling him by
his Italian name. Luciano. It was a woman. Callie? But Callie was a little
girl. And she knew he liked the American version of his name.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It would be like her to taunt him
into responding.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He tried to respond. He really did,
but it was just too hard.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<o:p></o:p> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: large;">~~~~~</span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt; text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: large;">Please sign up for my newsletter by clicking </span><a href="http://maryconnealy.com/newsletter.html"><span style="font-size: large;">HERE</span></a></o:p></div>
Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-13302639390067843692014-05-10T14:00:00.000-05:002014-05-12T19:46:36.271-05:00Closer Than Brothers - Chapter Seven<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #202020;"></span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAiOP0TkLkISvV5edArp1k6OXl2UQa5uEaiPqKDzL_DvEcYe99_yclW_4UvLcD4W_2I6MVzLe5Sdy0Xpw3W9aSjLtItXr7gmqvArSmE-pnlvFxKmFDmbDyb_k80EYOYTfO3n28w/s1600/closerThanBrothersNew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAiOP0TkLkISvV5edArp1k6OXl2UQa5uEaiPqKDzL_DvEcYe99_yclW_4UvLcD4W_2I6MVzLe5Sdy0Xpw3W9aSjLtItXr7gmqvArSmE-pnlvFxKmFDmbDyb_k80EYOYTfO3n28w/s1600/closerThanBrothersNew.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;"><strong>It's NOT a romance. It's not very funny. </strong></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #202020;"><span style="color: #202020;"><strong>No ropin' and ridin' anywhere</strong></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #202020;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #202020;"><strong>Part #7 of 13 episodes of how my heroes from Trouble in Texas met </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #202020;"><strong>and how they became so loyal to each other.</strong></span></div>
<span style="color: #202020;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #202020;"><strong>Book #3 </strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397509494&sr=1-1&keywords=stuck+together+mary+connealy"><strong>Stuck Together</strong></a><strong> --Vince's story--releases in June 3.</strong></span></div>
<span style="color: #202020;">
</span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Closer Than Brothers<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chapter Seven<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIYu3Zi6XWg9jgLyDRAl7-bi4n3NzAP8IGHb94VV0mvOSItS0Csnmzj0a6tt35kbd1On2FNCRQ8IlZo7dOYniXpfEFG1YVZp6pQTtTHXZ-Ea2Pf-RxYtbvh8Oo0aK3MbK_XluMg/s1600/448+Stuck+Together.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIYu3Zi6XWg9jgLyDRAl7-bi4n3NzAP8IGHb94VV0mvOSItS0Csnmzj0a6tt35kbd1On2FNCRQ8IlZo7dOYniXpfEFG1YVZp6pQTtTHXZ-Ea2Pf-RxYtbvh8Oo0aK3MbK_XluMg/s1600/448+Stuck+Together.jpg" height="320" width="201" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0T6Y3RNCBCX4B3K95D42">Stuck Together is Jonas' story, too</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0T6Y3RNCBCX4B3K95D42">Click to Buy</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jonas—The Parson<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jonas felt the guilt ripping at him as he lay down on his
blankets with a roof over his head.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He slept
on a filthy, lice riddled, moth eaten blanket in a room with twenty other men
that was large enough for two and prayed God would forgive him for having this
when so many had nothing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Yesterday
he’d eaten a handful of dry corn meal that writhed with maggots, and he’d
gotten half a potato, rotten at the center. He’d gobbled up every bit, the
bugs, the foul blackened potato, even the bugs were food. His hunger was so
deep, so profound he was like an animal, fighting for scraps. Then, after the
food was gone, still viciously hungry, skeleton-thin, he felt wrenching guilt.
He should have shared. Others were worse off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">He should sleep under the stars
in solidarity with his fellow Andersonville prisoners. But he was too weak,
physically and spiritually. He couldn’t resist the roof nor the potato.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">How many men had died today
while he ate?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">God forgive me. I need the courage to give my life away. Give me a
sacrificial heart for the other prisoners.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The sun was just lighting the
sky in the stifling, crowded room. It was so humid Jonas could barely breathe.
The misery of hunger, the mosquitoes that plagued them, the reek of diseased,
filthy bodies, the constant mournful song of thousands of suffering men—Jonas
wondered at heaven and hell. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">God is hell truly worse than this? How could it be worse?<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">It made Jonas shudder to the
marrow in his bones to try and fathom something worse. He clung tight to his
faith and tried to reach the lost. He spent time every day in Dare’s hospital
praying for the men who would face the Pearly Gates within days. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Save them. God, save them. Father in Heaven help me to lead them to You.
Give me the words. Give me the strength to sacrifice my very life.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">He thought of that potato. If
he’d given it away would a man have seen the parson and his sacrificial
generosity and turned toward the Lord? Could a shared potato be the price of a
man’s soul?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The men who weren’t interested
in his preaching would always sit and let him read to them. His little sister’s
letters. Her letters had opened many a man to listening. First the letter, then
Jonas’s words of faith. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Jonas thrust his blanket away.
As the heat rose with the morning sun, the blanket was unbearable anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">He looked across the room and
saw Vince, lying with his back to the wall. Surveying the room. Jonas met his
eyes. Vince nodded as if acknowledging that another day had begun in
purgatory, then rose and went to the door, leaning his back against it. Always on
guard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Vince. Jonas had to smile. Vince
was who had brought him that potato yesterday. And Jonas remembered now that he
had considered giving it away, even started to do it. Somehow Vince had blocked
the effort and given Jonas no choice but to eat it himself. Jonas wasn't even
sure quite how Vince managed it. He certainly didn't shove it down Jonas's
throat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">But Vince tended to get his way.
The man was determined to get them all through this place alive and it was hard
to defy him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">As Vince leaned, footsteps
sounded and Dare came in carrying envelopes. Letters. Andersonville wouldn’t
feed them but they’d deliver the mail. They’d let prisoners send mail out too,
but Jonas had no paper, no pen, no money for a stamp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Dare, moving in his usual
restless way, came straight for Jonas, five letters in hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Jonas reached for them eagerly.
He always got mail. Tina never failed him, despite how Jonas had failed her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">More men stirred, the ones who
didn’t might be more unconscious than asleep. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Luke sat up, rubbing his eyes,
so young, so painfully thin Jonas was scared for him. They <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Swept-Away-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00AHY0T0A/ref=pd_sim_kstore_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=0HV8JSC87VRT6BMFY3JA">Add caption</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
were all skin and
bones, but Luke had been in the hospital the longest and he’d been sick a couple of
times. Each time he was weaker, his recovery slower. With contaminated water
and little food, how was a man to heal?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Now, Luke smiled at the letters
in Jonas’s hand. “Read ’em out loud, every word.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Of course Jonas was planning,
too. But he was glad to hear Luke ask. The Kid was quieter every day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Jonas opened the envelope,
savoring the touch of paper, the civilized stamp and neatly penned address. The
letters even smelled good. Not perfumed, but they hadn’t soaked up the stink of
Andersonville yet. They hadn’t been in here long enough.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">He’d let every man in here touch
each letter and read them himself before he got it back. But for now, no one
wanted to wait to hear Tina’s latest news.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">He even read the envelope aloud:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tina Cahill<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Grable, Ohio<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></i></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">To Jonas Cahill<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fort Sumter<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Andersonville, Georgia<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></i></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dear Jonas,<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We got the saloon closed and to my
disgust, four days after it closed, some other wretched man opened one a few
blocks away. What is this obsession with demon rum?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“I would kill for a drink of
rum.” A man in here for reasons other than being a Regulator, spoke quietly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Everyone
laughed. It wasn’t the drink, it was the thought of such a civilized thing as a
saloon, a bar to lean against, or tables with chairs. Drinks available to
order. It was hard to remember such things existed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For a
few fleeting moments while Jonas read Tina’s letters they could let themselves
be transported to a place where woman wrote letters on fine white paper and men
came and went to suit themselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And to my horror, I have learned
that they intend to have their saloon open even on Sunday. Not even the Lord ’s
Day will be set aside by these vile men. Well, if they think I will be defeated
they do not know who they are dealing with.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“I’ll bet they are counting on
having her out front to tell the folks in town they’re open for business.”
Vince said dryly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The group laughed. They might
tease, but not a man here didn’t love Jonas’s little sister. She brought light
and happiness with her preaching little letters about a world that still
existed beyond these walls.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">I still have my picket sign and I will simply move my mission field to this
new den of iniquity. You will be glad to know I have found a saying I believe
will spark quite a bit of interest in the men unwise enough to consider hard
drink. Aunt Iphigenia said to me the other day, 'A man who drinks puts a thief
in his mouth to steal his brain'. I thought that was quite a piquant turn of
phrase and intend to use it, in perhaps a somewhat shortened form for my sign.
It’s all quite complicated to get a good message across briefly enough to fit
on a sign. Lettering them is surprisingly time consuming and with school and
caring for Aunt Iphigenia’s home, besides the time committed to walking the
actual picket line, I barely have enough hours in the day.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></i></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">"Your Aunt Iphigenia works
her like a slave,” Dare said. “We oughta tell Abe Lincoln to write up an
Emancipation Proclamation for your little sister.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">I know you will think me frivolous, Jonas, but if I am to write every
day as I am determined to do while you are in prison, I must tell you the
smallest, even foolish details, so I will describe the dress I wore to church
this morning.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></i></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Every man in the room, even
Luke, sat up, leaned forward. This was their favorite part. Jonas remembered
his sister well. Chubby. White blonde hair and not much of it. Persnickety and
prone to fist fights. And now she spent her time picketing. It didn't amount to
a particularly attractive package. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">He didn’t tell the men here
that. He suspected they were all picturing some beautiful girl. Or maybe they
thought of their own sweetheart back home. No sense ruining their pleasant
daydream.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jonas
went on reading. Tina spoke of fabric and ribbon. She detailed every bit of
food she ate which was both wonderful and a kind of torture. She went on at
length about her chores, which only revealed what a crotchety task master Aunt
Iphigenia was. Jonas probably should have felt sorry for Tina. But the life he
was living was so miserable he couldn’t think she had it so bad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">She spoke of picketing a saloon.
Circulating a petition. Denouncing liquor at a city council meeting. The little
one was growing up to be a snippy, trouble-making reformer and Jonas smiled to
imagine the chubby little girl, hair as light and white as a puffball atop a
gone-to-seed dandelion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">She’s always been a talker, and
she’d always spoken her mind. It had gotten her into trouble time and again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Jonas had been mostly gone, but
he’d been there once to teach a few bullies a lesson about picking on a little
girl, no matter how ill-thought-out some of her statements were. And when he’d
saved her from a thrashing, Tina had looked at him with pure hero worship in
her eyes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">He’d done more damage than Tina
had known. Jonas had already been a dangerous man by that time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Aunt Iphigenia had told him to
get out, go back to his gang of outlaws and leave decent women alone. It had
come to light that he was a wanted man and he'd had to hightail it. But he’d
heard that folks left Tina alone after that, because she had a dangerous big
brother. That gave him satisfaction back then. Now it shamed him, especially
because it meant he’d probably never see his little sister again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">He didn’t dare show his face in
Grable, Ohio. It’d been long enough he might not be arrested, but he wasn’t
sure. He couldn’t risk it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Jonas had wanted to save his
little sister from that awful woman. But what Jonas had to offer was worse. He had
no home. He was an outlaw. He rode with hard men. He boiled with rage that he
knew had started with his cruel stepfather—Tina’s father. That rage had
awakened long before his stepfather killed Jonas’s mother, then hung for it.
That anger drove him to recklessness and crime. It felt powerful when he’d been
powerless to protect his sweet ma.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">He’d ridden away years ago and never
gone back, but still his little sister wrote every day. The letters didn’t get
delivered every day, but when the mail did come, there was always a stack of
them from Tina. And everyone wanted to hear them, then read them for himself.
Jonas was a mighty popular man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Jonas had managed a few letters,
right at first before he’d been stripped of his last possession by the Raiders.
He’d gotten word to her that he was in Andersonville so her letters could find
him, thank God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">She knew he’d found God on a
battlefield early in the war.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Tina needed a home, but Jonas
couldn’t fetch her. And of late he’d felt God leading him to a mission field on
the American frontier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">All he had to do was survive
hell on earth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">As he read on, the men laughed
and rolled their eyes at her antics and her enthusiasm. Sometimes they sighed
with longing for their own loved ones or jealousy for Jonas’s letters. Whatever
their reactions, his little sister shined a light in this darkness for every
man lucky enough to hear her letters. She was serving a mission field of her
own with each word she wrote.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Jonas had no way to
let her know, but he prayed that somehow she realized it.</span></div>
</span><br />
<div align="left" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">~~~~~</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Please sign up for my newsletter by clicking </span><a href="http://maryconnealy.com/newsletter.html"><span style="font-size: x-large;">HERE</span></a></o:p></div>
</div>
Mary Connealyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09598386111251769803noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27827480.post-90558666904670251842014-05-07T09:33:00.000-05:002014-05-08T21:50:24.216-05:00Closer Than Brothers - Chapter Six<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifnNx9mi63I-sj9MW0-fdZmhD35wHdOJzyxIu-4YViH4rbamfiOkPHCHrajV_g-I8a7HLRvf3fqkVrDopmzwu12KbWaHOssvrUnPzmm58Ob3_swmIxBllQJzAQGFGNaO5WQrwxhQ/s1600/closerThanBrothersNew.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifnNx9mi63I-sj9MW0-fdZmhD35wHdOJzyxIu-4YViH4rbamfiOkPHCHrajV_g-I8a7HLRvf3fqkVrDopmzwu12KbWaHOssvrUnPzmm58Ob3_swmIxBllQJzAQGFGNaO5WQrwxhQ/s1600/closerThanBrothersNew.jpg" height="320" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have a cover Thanks to <br />
Deb Harkness!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #202020; font-size: large;"><strong>It's NOT a romance. It's not very funny. </strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #202020; font-size: large;"><strong>No ropin' and ridin' anywhere</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Part #6 of 13 episodes of how my heroes from Trouble in Texas met </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">and how they became so loyal to each other.</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Book #3 </span></strong><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stuck-Together-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00GHXRQL0/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1397509494&sr=1-1&keywords=stuck+together+mary+connealy"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Stuck Together</span></strong></a><strong><span style="font-size: large;"> --Vince's story--releases in June 3.</span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><strong>In This Chapter...Mr and Mrs Hunt's story is true contained in this chapter. Dare's part is fictionalized but there WAS a baby born in Andersonville Prison</strong></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Closer Than Brothers<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOv6hiHNmceSuE91zfjIS_UhQq5OPeGhyphenhyphenUw7QN7Qj-qdTm_ZfwMKDXnhR1-3T9skC_slUxMY7DwCn89K6X5TxOWcYsOxpxTCF9IAujUEaAxOpNngjVAQIn4Clbiyp8BIPjVOGsw/s1600/Fired+Up+sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOv6hiHNmceSuE91zfjIS_UhQq5OPeGhyphenhyphenUw7QN7Qj-qdTm_ZfwMKDXnhR1-3T9skC_slUxMY7DwCn89K6X5TxOWcYsOxpxTCF9IAujUEaAxOpNngjVAQIn4Clbiyp8BIPjVOGsw/s1600/Fired+Up+sm.jpg" height="320" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fired-Up-Trouble-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00CIUJZ0G/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1335931KN0J4G18EK355">Click to Buy</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Chapter Six<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dare—The Doctor<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Twice. Stabbed in the back twice. Honestly a man got no
thanks for being a doctor in this place.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dare
stood in the doorway of the infirmary, looking out over the men, sleeping on
the ground, some with blankets formed into tents. Pondering his choice of
professions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As if
he'd been given a choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
prison yard was a wretched sight. A sound weighed on the air, a low moan that
was constant, day and night. The sound of sickness and misery. Starvation and
death. It was so much a part of this place Dare hardly noticed it anymore but
it left a dark stain on a man’s mind to live in the midst of such steady
suffering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Dare was a doctor but he could
do nothing about most of it. The moans came from the camp but also from behind
him. There were men in the small infirmary. Almost certainly each was dying.
With good food and clean conditions and medical care they might all survive.
They had none of those things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Instead, each of them lay in
squalor, starved until they were skeletal. Plagued by dysentery and too sick to
even get to a chamber pot. The stench was sickening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Where he
stood, in that doorway, he knew a roof over his head, no matter the vile filth
inside the infirmary, was a luxury he’d been granted because being a Regulator
was a good way to get killed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He stood
there and tried to count his blessings. As the days in this house of misery
stretched to months he could hardly remember life outside the walls. He could
hardly remember what a blessing was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A high
keening cry cut through the night. It sent a chill up Dare's back. The cry was
quickly muffled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>`”What
was that?” Dare muttered the words aloud, testing his own sanity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>His mind
went to ghosts and banshees…magical things because it was no sound Dare could
imagine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">No man nor animal made such a
sound and, when the possible wasn’t possible a man’s mind went to the
impossible. It almost sounded like…like a woman. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">A woman suffering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Everything
in Dare’s muddled doctor training woke up and drove him to see what it was. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>To step
out on the grounds alone was to ask for death. Many prisoners thought him a
traitor for rounding up Yankee soldiers, no matter they were vermin. Other
prisoners were part of the Raiders and still hated the Regulators who had
killed their leaders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dare had
already taken a knife in the back. Twice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>He knew
better than to go out there, but that cry sounded again and no power on earth
could stop him from rushing out to see what it was. He reached a rigged tent,
two blankets propped up with sticks in a triangle that, at the peak, reached
Dare’s waist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A man
crouched, covering a second man’s mouth. The second man lay on his back, his
spine arched in agony. When Dare dropped to his knees the crouching man whirled
to face him, in the shadowed night Dare knew he faced death. With his mouth
uncovered the man cried out again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">A high pitched cry that had Dare
shaking his head and speaking words that could not be. “I’m a doctor. I’m not
going to hurt her.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Her. It was a woman. It wasn’t
possible but the person lying there in such agony was definitely a woman. “Keep
her quiet. We can’t let anyone know there’s a woman in here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Dare
knew the depths of the brutality in this place. Many men were reduced to near
animals. What this hoard of savages might do to a woman in their midst was
horrifying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“She’s
my wife. My name is Hunt.” Hunt looked torn near in two, ready to fight Dare,
wanting to silence his wife.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">It was more than Dare could do
to believe a woman was here in this madhouse, this desolation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">When Hunt’s wife cried louder,
he quit glaring at Dare to cover her mouth. Dare crawled in the tent, which was
only a foot or so longer than Mrs. Hunt’s body.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">After tense moments the woman
slowly relaxed. Her body, arched off the ground in pain, settled back to the
ground and the man released her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“What’s the matter? Is she
sick?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Hunt gave Dare a wild look and
ran both hands through his long, filthy, dark hair. “She’s having a baby.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Dare nearly fell backward.
“What?” His shout echoed out of the tent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“Quiet!” Hunt snarled. “You’ll
draw attention just as surely as she will.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Clamping his jaws shut, Dare
tried to think. His brain was still reeling from finding a woman in here, but a
baby?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">It was like rats scurrying and
clawing in his head, the frantic thoughts, the desperate wish to deny this. But
then the wonder of it struck Dare hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">New life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">So many had died, but new life
was here, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The sense of awe was
overwhelming. It made something tight and grieving in Dare’s chest unwind and
for the first time in a long time he could feel something joyful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Terrifying but joyful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Mrs. Hunt cut through his
thoughts. “Thank the Good Lord you’re a doctor. You can deliver my baby.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Dare looked at her with dawning
horror. He had absolutely no idea how to deliver a baby, for heaven’s sakes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">He thought of the infirmary and
knew he couldn’t take Mrs. Hunt into such filth, she was better on the ground,
and it was plenty bad out here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“God has sent an angel in our
hour of need.” The painfully thin woman, who showed almost no sign of a rounded
belly and was dressed in britches and a ragged shirt like any man. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Dare had only a normal man’s
knowledge of birth. His dad was a wheelwright, and Dare had helped in the shop
most of his life. But they’d had a few milk cows who’d given birth time to time
and he’d seen a barn cat deliver six kittens. Swallowing hard, Dare tried to
remember all the doctor had told him in his training about keeping men calm and
sounding confident to encourage the sick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">That advice probably applied
here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">It was little enough to give
this woman, but he could give it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Imagining what lay ahead, Dare
looked the women in the eye, then turned to her husband. “You know we’ll have
to…to…she’ll need…” Confidence. Dare squared his shoulders to the extent a man
could in this tent. “We’ll need to get her trousers off.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Hunt bulled up over that, and
Dare didn’t blame the man. But then any man who’d let his pregnant wife stay
with him in this slice of Purgatory was none too bright. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Dare took charge. “It’s a mighty
private thing, Mr. Hunt. If you’d like, I’ll go. Most babies are delivered
without a fuss and your wife and child will most likely be fine without me. I
understand if that’s your wish.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Mrs. Hunt’s hand grabbed her
husband’s forearm. “It’s all right, he’s a doctor.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Dare didn't open his mouth to
tell them that honestly, he was no such thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Hunt hesitated a long time. His
eyes burned in the darkness as he took Dare’s measure. Dare sure hoped Hunt
wasn’t a good judge of a man’s measure or he’d throw Dare out for sure. Of
course, maybe that would be a good thing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">And then Mrs. Hunt let her
husband go. “It’s coming!” She arched her back and started clawing at the
buttons on the front of her britches. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Dare was too busy to think of
modesty again for a long time. So were the Hunts come to that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">And then, with scrambling and
prayers and panic in about equal parts, Dare found himself holding a squirming,
soaking wet mess of a baby in his hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">He thought he’d heard a baby was
supposed to be smacked on the backside when it was born, though he wasn’t sure
where he’d heard it or why he’d do such a thing. He wasn’t about to whack away
on such a tiny infant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The baby, a boy, started in
hollering. They’d been able to silence Mrs. Hunt but something wild and defiant
erupted in Dare along with the cries. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“You cry little one.” He
balanced the wriggling little guy in one hand and tore the tattered shirt off
his back. He’d go bare-chested if he had to so the baby wouldn’t get
cold—although in Georgia as always, the night was warm. He did a mighty poor
job of wrapping the child as the Hunts looked on. Then he handed the wee one to
his father, who looked down with shining love in his eyes while Mrs. Hunt wept
and rested her hand on her baby’s head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">It took a few minutes, but
thundering footsteps were inevitable and here they came. “Give her the baby,
Hunt. Trouble’s coming.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Hunt jerked his chin and looked
to the tent opening with the fire of a papa grizzly in his eyes. Dare made
quick work of getting Mrs. Hunt’s clothes restored to order. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Dare didn’t care what he had to
do. The need to protect this child gave him the determination and, he hoped,
the strength of an angel straight from God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Then a men came into view, rifle
in hand. Dare braced himself as the man slowly knelt to look in the tent. Dare
recognized one of the guards that stood on the fence, ready to shoot anyone who
stepped over the Dead Line. The man’s face bore no look of cruelty only wonder.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“Is that a baby?” The man stared
past Dare and Hunt to the squalling child.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The tone gave Dare hope. “It
sure is.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">There was a stunned silence then
the guard spoke so fast his word tumbled over each other “Let’s get you all out
of here. Fast.” The guard stood. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“Hand me the baby, Hunt. You
carry your wife.” Dare, figuring he didn’t have much choice, crawled out of the
tent.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“W-wife?” The guard stepped back
almost as if he was afraid, as Dare lifted the baby into view. Much as the
guardian angel had been awakened in Dare, he hoped it had come alive in this
guard. The man seemed ready to fight for the baby, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Mr. Hunt came next and Mrs. Hunt
right behind him. He tried to pick her up but she slapped his hands away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">“I can walk perfectly fine.
Let’s go.” Mrs. Hunt was proving to be a mighty sturdy woman. She caught up to
Dare and fussed with the shirt wrapped around her baby son as if was the finest
knit wool rather than a dirty, ragged shirt that had been hanging, unwashed, on
Dare’s back for months. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">They quickly followed the guard.
The baby kept up his crying. Dare felt strongly that he shouldn’t be carrying
the baby. Mrs. Hunt should. Then she reached a hand out to rest on her child
and he saw the fine trembling of her hand and knew she was standing upright
mainly through pride. It was important to her to appear strong. But she wasn’t
sure that strength was enough to carry her child. Dare was glad because he
thought it was more than he could bear to let the precious little boy go to
someone else.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The new father stayed on Dare’s
right while the mama was on his left like a pair of armed sentries. Men raised
their heads as they passed with the squalling child.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">And Dare felt something change
in the ugly prison yard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The moaning from the sick men
faded as a hush came over everyone. They stood, many of them coming close,
straining to see a miracle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">New life in the midst of death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Something inside Dare woke up. A
spark deep inside, like a kernel of fire as hot as a drop of pure sunlight came
alive in his heart and glowed and grew and spread.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Dare knew right then that there
was more to being a doctor than throwing a blanket over a man’s head when he
died. There was more than hacking off limbs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">There was glory. There was
letting his hands do the work of God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">There was a chance to be part of
a miracle, because right now that’s what this moment was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">And it suited him all the way to
his soul. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">If he survived this place, he
was going to see about saving lives or bringing new life into the world. He was
going to be God’s hands here on Earth. Heal the sick. It was in the Bible, a
calling that Dare was hearing as if God spoke the words aloud.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">There was no doubt in his mind
that God was guiding him to this choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
</span><span style="font-size: x-large;">~~~~~</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
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