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Dancing with Jake, Mary laughed. “I don’t think I have ever had this much fun!”
Jake winced, “I know I never have.”
“What’s wrong, Jake?”
“Mary, you were right!” he laughed. “I should never have worn these new boots to a barn dance! We’ve been here two hours, and I just can’t dance another dance. But I’ll stay, if you want to.”
“Well, let’s go home. I’m not going to spoil our good time here thinking of you suffering just to please me. Truth be told, I’m ready to go home too.”
Both were quiet, keeping to their own thoughts, until about two miles from the ranch, when Jake asked, “Mary, have you ever thought about having your own ranch?” Before she could answer, he went on, “I’ve dreamed of owning a ranch someday. I’ve finally saved enough, I just need to find it.”
Surprised and shocked, she replied quietly, “Jake, I will miss you, and I don’t know what the ranch will do without you, but that sounds so nice for you. I dreamed of having a horse of my own, and I got two. Samuel dreams of a horse, and I know you will help him get one, if it’s right for him. You’ve dreamed of a ranch of your own, and I’m sure you will love it when you find it,” but her own heart ached.
“Mary, nothing is settled yet,” he started the horses a little faster. “I just wanted you to know.”
“Thank you for telling me now, Jake.” With some unseen tears she said, “I knew you couldn’t stay here forever. You can tell me more about your dreams after you put the horses in the barn and I make some fresh lemonade. I’ll meet you on the porch.”
As Jake left the barn, hearing the rhythm sound of the chains on the porch swing, he said to himself, “Sounds like Mary got the lemonade made.”
Sitting down beside her, she smiled and asked, “Jake, did you buy this swing at Joslin’s and hang it up yesterday for any special reason?”
Grinning back sheepishly, he said, “Yes, as a matter of fact, I did. I wanted to spend tonight with you on a swing. I’m glad my feet hurt. I had an honest reason to bring you home early.”
Moving closer beside him, she asked, “And why is that?”
“Well, my best times here on this ranch,” he paused, “are when Caldwell goes to bed early and all the boys head to the bunkhouse and I’m here alone with you.”
Mary looked down and Jake was ready to break the silence when she leaned closer, “Jake, I have felt the same.”
Jake put his arm over her shoulder.
“Mary, I should’ve said it sooner, but I didn’t rightly know how. When I saw that swing on Joslin’s porch with a couple ladies sittin’ on it, I finally figured a way to tell you how I felt. I went inside, bought one like it, and hung it on your porch because… well, you’re about the prettiest woman I know, and somehow you just keep gettin’ prettier to me every day.
“And it ain’t just that. You step in and help wherever there’s need. You loaned Spirit and Freedom when Dusty was stolen. You look after folks without thinkin’ twice about yourself. I don’t know another woman more generous than you.”
He took another sip of lemonade and smiled. “And you’re still the best cook in this whole county too.”
“Jake, I knew you were the man for me when I first saw you on this porch nearly three years ago when you came to the door for dinner. But I never knew how you felt. I didn’t know until I watched you hanging up this swing.”
As she looked up into his face, he gently kissed her.
“Mary, I didn’t want to tell you my dreams until I had saved enough for us to have our own ranch and… our own porch swing.”
He kissed her again, and he knew her heart.
“I was never going to tell you how I felt until I knew how you felt. And I’m glad your feet hurt so badly that you wanted to come home early.” Drawing closer she whispered, “Did you buy and wear those boots tonight just to make your feet hurt?”
She laughed again as she looked up and gave him another kiss.
Thinking of that kiss, Jake said to himself, “Well, that settles it.” He took her hand, looked into her eyes, and asked seriously, “Mary, will you marry me? Be my wife and bear our children?”
Trying to control her joy so she could speak, Mary answered, “Yes. But will you ask my father for permission? He needs to approve.”
Jake almost choked on his lemonade, “Your father? I knew you had an older sister back East, but I never heard you talk about your father. But yes, Mary, I will ask your father and do whatever he asks if I can win your hand.”
Rising quickly from the swing, she said, “I’ll get him, and you can ask him now,” as she opened the ranch house door before Jake could say another word.
Confused, Jake knew that only Old Man Caldwell was at home, and he was probably already in bed asleep.
Stepping out the door with Mary behind him, Caldwell looked at Jake, “Mary tells me you have a question to ask me.”
Looking him in the eye, Jake said, “Mr. Caldwell, sir, I’m going to ask you for an awful lot. More than you may want to give me. With your permission, sir, I would like to marry your daughter and take care of her forever. With your permission, sir.”
“Son, I knew this day was coming. Mary and I have talked about it. I know you love her and she loves you, and it’s real. More importantly, I know the kind of man you are and the kind of woman Mary is. Matter of fact,” he said grinning, “I reckoned right after you put up that swing, that you might ask her tonight, so I stayed up just in case. Yes, I give you my permission gladly. You are the answer to my prayers and hers. I believe she is the answer to yours.”
Shaking his hand firmly without letting go, Jake said with a firm and steady voice, “Thank you, sir. You won’t regret it, and neither will Mary.”
He turned to look at Mary, and she rushed into his arms, putting her arms around his neck with tears of joy.
“Well, I am going to bed,” Caldwell said, “Ranch hands will be riding in soon. Goodnight.” He shut the door behind him.
“Jake, just one more dream of mine you must know.” Giving him another kiss, she said, “Let’s sit back down.”
Sitting close, she said, “When I was in college back East, I helped send orphans West. From then on, I wanted to adopt two of my own in a family where my husband would do ranch work with them and I would feed them square meals and give them the schooling they never had. I wanted them to have a real family.”
She paused and waited.
Squeezing her, Jake replied, “Mary, I saw the war make a lot of orphans,” he paused. “I’ve seen orphan trains since then. I’ll gladly help you make that dream come true. Having a family with you will fulfill my greatest dream.”
Not wanting to let him go, she sighed, “Now I can sleep well tonight. I hope you can too. See you for church in the morning.”