Chapter Twenty-Seven

T hree months later

March 1871

One year. It had been one year since their travel back in time. One year since Ben had died. Ben. At times she had trouble remembering his face. Or his voice. This would be the last day she'd don her widow's weeds. She'd even wear the black hat and veil she'd been wearing to church.

One year since Lucy was born. Her walking, laughing, giggly Lucy who wrapped everyone she met around her little finger. Ben would have loved her.

It was time to visit his grave. She hadn't been there since they'd taken Charlie to show him his daddy wasn't buried in the back yard. Her little boy was four. As rambunctious as ever. Followed Brad everywhere he went. Spoke less and less about his father. The memories must be fading.

She stood outside Brad's office. Bradley Kemble. A man she more than admired. One, if she had to admit it to herself, she had come to love. While they hadn't shared more than a few kisses, at night, in her lonely bed, she wondered what it would be like to share his bed. Then, after getting herself all hot and bothered, she couldn't get to sleep. Cora had mentioned a few times how tired she looked. She couldn't very well admit it was because she lusted after Cora's employer.

Taking a deep breath, she finally knocked on the door. When his deep voice called out to enter, she pushed the door open and held back a sigh at his amazing, good looks.

Like a gentleman, he stood when she walked into the room. "Is something wrong, Libby?"

"No. But I was wondering if we could visit the cemetery. It's been a year since Ben died. I'd like to pay my respects."

"Of course. I should have thought of it. How about if we do like we did last year? I'll have Cora pack us a picnic lunch. We can leave in about an hour."

"You're busy. I don't want to take you away from your work."

"Nonsense. I haven't visited Lucinda's grave in a long time, either. It's a beautiful, sunshiny day. Perfect for an excursion. Also, it would also be good to help Charlie remember Ben. I've noticed he talks less and less about him."

"I've noticed the same thing."

"Then I'll ask Cora to make us lunch."

"Thank you, Brad. I'll get the children ready."

****

T rilliums lined the one-lane road to the cemetery. She didn't recall them from last year. But then she'd recently had a baby and was in deep mourning.

"Mommy, I kinda remember this place. Have we been here before?"

Brad lifted Lucy and carried her on his hip while Charlie took a flying leap to the ground. Someday he was going to break a leg.

Libby took a quilt and lunch basket from the back of the wagon. "We came here a year ago. This is where your daddy is buried."

"I kinda remember him." Charlie took Brad's free hand. "He loved me, didn't he?"

A lump grew in her throat. Tears burned her eyes. "Yes, he did. He loved you very much."

"Why did he have to die?"

"I don't know, Charlie. Sometimes it simply happens, and we have to learn how to live without those who died."

"Like Brad's wife, Lucinda?"

Brad stopped and frowned. "How do you know about Lucinda?"

Charlie tugged on Brad's hand. "Oh. I see her in my room. She's pretty. Sometimes she stands and watches Lucy sleep. Then she comes and talks with me."

Libby glanced at Brad. His face was pale. A tear ran down his cheek. She hadn't seen Lucinda's ghost since Lucy was born. "What does she say to you?"

Charlie let go of Brad's hand and walked backward. "Oh. Things like my daddy loves me and Lucy. How I'm a good boy. How Brad should marry you."

Before she could respond, he skipped down the lane to the cemetery gate.

Brad set Lucy down to let her toddle after her brother. "I'm not sure I got all that. Did he say Lucinda talks to him?"

Libby sped up to catch her children. "Yes."

"And I should marry you?"

Oh, heavens. This was embarrassing. "I think so."

"Huh. Something I've thought about a lot."

"You have?"

He took the basket then her hand but didn't look at her. "Yes. I've fallen in love with you, Libby. But I'm afraid you'll disappear."

Libby's heart thumped against her rib cage. He loved her? Since he said it first, she was free to acknowledge her feelings for him. But he was right. What if she suddenly went back to her time? They reached the gate before she had a chance to respond.

They went to Lucinda's grave first.

Charlie placed a trillium blossom on her headstone. "Isn't this where Brad's wife is buried?"

Charlie could read a few words, but not a name on a headstone. "How do you know?"

"She's standing next to us. And she looks like the lady who comes to our room."

A tear rolled down Brad's cheek. "I see her, too."

"So, do I. She's smiling at us." Libby grabbed Lucy's hand before she climbed on Lucinda's headstone.

"Lady. Lady."

"I guess she can see her, too."

"Lucinda. I miss you."

Lucinda smiled.

"But it's time to move on. To fall in love again."

Lucinda nodded, pointed to Libby, and mouthed family.

Libby picked up her squirming daughter. "I think she wants us to be a family. I do, too. But how do we know I'll still be here next year, next month, or even tomorrow."

Brad shook his head and heaved a sigh. "I don't know."

Lucinda blew him a kiss and disappeared.

If she had been alone, she wouldn't have been sure what she'd seen was real. But with three others experiencing the same thing, it had to be. "Let's go visit Ben's grave, then find a place for lunch before these two have a fit about eating."

Ben's grave wasn't far from Lucinda's. Over the past year, the ground had flattened. A headstone had his name, age, and date of death. "Did you have this put up?"

"Yes."

"Thank you. I guess putting his year of birth would have raised a few eyebrows." She pushed away the black veil the wind had blown into her face.

"That's what I thought."

Libby knelt beside the headstone. "Hi, Ben. I miss you so much. You'd love Lucy and be amazed at how much Charlie has grown. They're happy. Even though we somehow were transported back in time, I'm happy. In fact, I've fallen in love."

"Is this where my daddy is?"

"Yes."

Like he had for Lucinda, he placed a trillium bloom on the headstone. "Do you think he misses us?"

She put her arm around Charlie's narrow shoulders. "I'm sure he does."

Brad picked up Lucy who, once again, was trying to climb a headstone. "Should we leave you alone?"

"No. But maybe step back a bit so Lucy doesn't become a headstone monkey."

"All right, Miss Monkey."

Libby rested her hand and head on Ben's headstone. "I'm not sure what's going to happen." No sooner were the words out of her mouth, than Ben, dressed in his Civil War uniform appeared. He held his hands over his face. Was he crying?

"I'm so sorry, Libby. We should never have taken the trip."

"You don't have to be sorry. We both loved those reenactments."

"But if we hadn't, we wouldn't have had the accident and you wouldn't be stuck in 1871 and me in 2025."

"Wait. What?" What he said couldn't be possible. "Did you say you were in 2025?

His image wavered. "Yes. I'm not sure why I stayed here and you went back."

"But we buried your body."

"And I buried yours."

"You mean I'm dead in 2025?"

"Yes. We did have a car accident. The impact brought on early labor. You were able to deliver our daughter before you died. I thought I'd died with you."

An image of a boy and little girl appeared beside him. This couldn't be happening. "Are Charlie and Lucy with you?"

"Yes. They are safe and growing like weeds."

"But they are here with me."

Ben shook his head. "I don't understand."

"I don't either."

Brad came up beside her. "I've tried to take care of them the best I could."

"Thank you, Brad. I know you have."

A young woman appeared at Ben's side. A young woman who resembled Lucinda. She had to be hallucinating. "Who is this?"

"I'm so sorry, Libby. I met Cindy at a grief meeting. Her husband died in a farming accident. She's been a great help to me with the children and in helping me overcome my grief."

"Do you love her?"

Ben nodded. "I will never stop loving you, Libby, but I do love Cindy and want to marry her."

A weight lifted from her shoulders. "I've fallen in love, too, Ben. I don't understand or know why time has messed with our lives but has given us reasons to move on."

"I don't understand, either, but I'm glad you're happy." His image began to fade. "I'll never forget you." He turned around, picked up Lucy, and took Cindy's hand. With Charlie at his side, the foursome walked until they faded away.

Libby shook her head. "Oh. My. God. I can't believe this. How can he be in the future with the kids and me here with them?"

Brad knelt beside her. "I have no idea. But I believe you are destined to stay here. With me. With the children. If you went back, what would happen to them? There can't be two of them in the same place at the same time."

A jolt of happiness went through her. "So, does this mean I'm not going back?"

"I think so?" Brad removed her mourning hat and veil and tossed them to the ground. "Did I hear you tell Ben you'd fallen in love? Can I hope you meant me?"

With another lump in her throat, all she could do was nod. "Yes," squeaked from her mouth.

Brad took her hands and helped her to her feet. "I love you, Libby. I would like you to be my wife. I want to help raise Charlie and Lucy and any other children we may be blessed with. What do you say?"

Charlie tugged on her skirt. "You gotta say yes, Mommy. I want Brad for my new daddy." He jumped up and down. "Say yes. Say yes."

As she always attempted to copy her brother, Lucy tried to jump. "Yeth. Yeth."

Brad wrapped his arms around her waist. "Say, yeth, Libby. Say yeth."

Libby couldn't control the happiness spiraling through her. "Yes, yes. A thousand times yes."

Brad planted a kiss on Libby's lips. It was quick but packed a punch. He picked Lucy up and placed her on his hip, took Libby's hand, and with Charlie by their side, walked from the cemetery, and into their future.