Epilogue

One year later…

"Shhhh…"

Christina heard the loving whisper and zeroed in on it immediately. She had just gotten home from delivering a breech calf that nearly killed the mother cow over at the Baird Farm where she had been working the last six months. It had been a long night for everyone involved. She wanted nothing more than to come home to be held except someone else had Gideon's undivided attention.

I certainly don't mind either,she mused, standing in the doorway of the nursery silently. She loved watching him with their daughter, Galina. Their sweet daughter was so tiny in Gideon's arms where he sat in the rocking chair holding her.

The baby was fussing slightly, her little arms reaching for his face which he insisted on keeping close so Galina could see him. He kissed the tiny fingertips that scratched at his chin and nose blindly as the baby whimpered and then cooed at him. She probably had gas again but would keep that to herself because Gideon swore up and down that she was ‘talking' to him.

"Well, that is fine, princess," Gideon whispered. "We can sing it together…"

And Galina cooed again as if to answer.

Her husband's warm voice began crooning ‘Baby of Mine' from Dumbo to the infant – and Christina's heart swelled with love. She couldn't think of anything more breathtakingly beautiful than her husband singing to their daughter, who was utterly precious to them both and a symbol of their love.

"Galina, can you say ‘hello' to Mommy, my pretty princess?"

"Hey, handsome," Christina murmured. "I love watching you two together."

"I love that I can spend time with her, you know? I might not have all the equipment to feed our baby, but I've got enough heart to manage with a bottle and lots of burping."

"You might do it one more time if she's fussing," she instructed, moving to his side as he guided the baby onto his shoulder – only to be greeted with a burp that seemed almost too much for her frame.

"Oh my goodness," he chuckled.

"She sounds like her daddy…"

"Hey now…" he grinned, looking up at her. "How did it go tonight?"

"We've finally got a beautiful brown and white calf that is all legs. She's a gangly thing, and we named her ‘Giraffe,'" she smiled, reaching out to kiss the baby's forehead. "I need to get a shower and clean up."

"I'm going to change Galina and put her down."

"Meet you under the sheets in ten minutes?"

"Sounds like a date," he chuckled.

Christina walked out of the nursery and toward the laundry room, removing her filthy clothes and tossing them in the washer. Sighing tiredly, she quickly moved to the hallway bathroom, turning on the shower.

This little two-bedroom cottage at the corner of the property of Baird Farm in Yonder was perfect for them. They had a chance to get their feet under them and look around before settling down. Gideon was working on getting his degree to teach school. Right now, he was working in Tyler, and they were saving every penny possible for a house of their own. They were planning on going back to visit Houghton, Jill, Ortega, Lena, and the others later this fall if the cabin was still empty.

Stepping under the spray, she sighed happily and heard the bathroom door open. She smiled as Gideon's devious little chuckle filled the air, and she knew she was about to have company.

Christina shut off the water and waited.

"Oh mannnn, seriously? Are you already done, Sweetheart? I wanted to wash your back," Gideon chuckled, and she joined in, turning back on the water and waiting. "I knew it."

"Yup, you've got me pegged, and you know all my tricks, don't you?"

"It's called ‘being the best husband ever,'" he volunteered and climbed into the too-small shower to join her, holding up a pink bar of soap. "Lily of the valley for my sweet girl," he began and made a circle with his finger in the air. "Turn around, and let me scrub your back."

She felt warm hands start rubbing the muscles in her shoulders and sighed. Gideon was truly good to her, and they had never looked back. While things had started rocky between them, once they finally figured out how to talk to each other, and reach for each other during weak times, it was like everything finally fell into place. Being around him was the highlight of her life, and she almost pitied that former version of herself that had been so lonely, missing out on so much.

"I love you," she said softly – and felt him kiss her shoulder before making a gagging sound two seconds later.

"Ugh, that soap tastes awful."

"You're not supposed to eat it, silly…"

"But it smells so sweet, and on you, that's practically an invitation."

"It's soap."

"And you are a very dirty girl," he said playfully, alluding to wanting to be alone and intimate. Christina leaned forward and turned off the shower. Her husband seemed to be of the same mindset, already handing her a towel.

"Are you in a hurry?"

"I just missed your smile and breathing the same air as you," he offered easily, his warm eyes holding hers. "So yeah, I might be in a little hurry."

"Meet you under the sheets?" she whispered, teasing him – and his smile widened as he scooped her up, walking toward the bedroom and leaving a trail of water on the tile floor of the hallway.

"Meet you under the sheets, sweetheart."