Love in Times of Injustice – Extended Epilogue

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“She is beautiful, just like her mother,” Darcy said, giving Anika a gentle kiss on the forehead. 

“Thank you.” Anika beamed up at him.

The last year had been one ride that Darcy wasn’t going to be able to forget any time soon, if ever. 

After they had married, they had moved back Pattison where they had built their ranch. 

He was still the sheriff, but Anika somehow managed to find ways to keep everything on their small piece of land going. They had some chickens and a large garden and had built their own barn. 

“When do you think they’ll get here?” Anika asked, interrupting his train of thought. 

“I don’t know. I do know that you and Elena have been talking about this visit for a long time and they are probably coming as soon as they can,” Darcy chuckled.  He knew that Anika was excited about seeing her sister and her sister’s baby. 

They had both had their babies only three weeks apart. Anika and he had welcomed a wonderful baby daughter who was formed perfectly in every single way. 

His brother and Elena had been given a little boy, who he was sure was going to be a troublemaker for them when he grew older. 

“Do you think my father will like the children?” Anika asked, a twinge of worry in her voice. 

“What do you mean? Of course, he will love them.” Darcy said taking a step beside Anika. 

“You know that this last year, he has worked so hard to help law enforcement find the rest of the Richford Gang because he wants to right his past. He wants to be free and to be with us. He’s going to be here any minute and when he does get here, you will see that I’m right.” 

Anika nodded but didn’t look completely convinced. Darcy knew that Hendrick was happy to be free. He had been there to speak with the man just a couple of months beforehand. 

Hendrick’s sentence had ended up only being for one year. It was a lot less than Darcy had thought he’d be able to get, but it seemed that lately, their family had been the recipient of many different miracles. 

“I think they’re here!” Anika exclaimed as a sound outside drew their attention to the window. 

Darcy followed Anika over and they hurried outside. Marty was helping Elena down from the wagon, and in the back of the wagon sat Hendrick Kinsley. Sitting beside him was his wife and Tom. Hendrick looked different than the last time that Darcy had seen him. 

He didn’t look as proud and as in control as he might have looked once, but he looked good. Most of all, he looked like he was happy to be there.

“Darcy! It’s good to see you!” Marty pulled Darcy into a half-embrace while Elena and Anika were reuniting with each other and their family.

Darcy and Marty stepped off to the side to give them a moment. 

“How have the two of you been? Well, three now… It’s been a little while since we saw each other in person.” Marty was looking at him as if he were trying to see how much he had grown or something. 

Darcy laughed. It had been nearly four months since he and Anika had traveled to Winfield to see Elena and Marty. 

“It has been a good couple of months. The baby is growing bigger every day. I love being a father. What about you?”

“Elena has been a bit busy since she had the baby. There are times when I think she forgets she has a husband,” Marty chuckled. “But it doesn’t matter. I haven’t regretted marrying her for a single moment since we said our vows.” 

“I’m glad. You know, you always thought that it would work out and I didn’t really believe you at first. I guess we both have our lives now to owe to you.” 

Marty shook his head. “I just believed in love before you did, but that doesn’t mean that you didn’t find love that is equally as strong.” 

“Are you two coming in?” Anika called to them. 

Darcy nodded and slapped his brother on the back in a playful manner. “Come on, let’s go in and get something to eat. Ma and pa will be around later to visit too. It will be nice to have everyone in one place after so long.” 

They all hurried into the home that Darcy had built for Anika. It was a good-sized house for the three of them, but it was a little small for all of the guests. Still, they all managed to find somewhere to sit in the parlor. 

Marty helped Darcy pull in chairs from the kitchen table to make extra room. 

“So, I bet the two of you are glad to have Hendrick back,” Darcy said once everyone was settled. 

Anika had wanted her mother to come and live with them, but she had insisted on staying put. Tom had been taking care of her while their father was in jail. Darcy could tell that his mother in law looked happier, more at peace even. 

“We couldn’t possibly be happier. Thank you for your kind words that helped him get released sooner.” Anika’s mother said with gratitude filling her face. 

“I know that I haven’t seen any of you for quite some time,” Hendrick interrupted all of them. His voice was thick with emotion, which took Darcy off guard. 

Everyone turned to look at Hendrick, including Darcy. 

“I just wanted to tell everyone how happy I am to be with all of you once more. And the only reason this is possible is because of Marty and Darcy, who put in a good word for me. I did wrong by all of you, even you and Marty.” Hendrick addressed Darcy for a moment. “I never should have let my greed and my selfishness get in the way of my love for my family.” 

“Pa, it’s all right, you don’t have to apologize.” Anika’s face was full of sympathy. 

“No, it’s okay. I want to. I never should have done a lot of things that I did in my lifetime, but I need to tell you all that I have changed. I regret those things every single day and search for ways to make them right. I just hope that all of you can forgive me somehow.” 

“Of course we forgive you, pa.” Elena was holding her little baby tightly in her arms as she addressed her father. 

“There is nothing to forgive,” Darcy’s mother in law said softly. 

“In the end, you did the right thing, Pa,” Tom added to the different words of forgiveness. 

Darcy observed as the family made amends over the past. He knew that it was something that had been needed to happen for a long time and now that it was happening, he felt warmth wash over him. 

He had thought at one time that Hendrick was a hardened criminal who deserved to rot in a cell until the day that he died. But he had been wrong. 

Hendrick was just a man who had been pushed to his limits and had needed someone to come into his life and force him to change. He could see that Hendrick cared for his wife and his three children more than anything. 

“I am going to go and get us all something to drink.” Anika stood and crossed the room, laying their sleeping daughter in Darcy’s arms. 

He looked down at his little baby’s face. She really did look similar to Anika. He wondered if he would be a good father. His own father had been a good father and he intended to be equally as good, if not better. 

“May I see her?” Hendrick asked, switching seats with Marty so he could get closer to Darcy. 

Darcy nodded and moved a bit so Hendrick could get a closer look at his granddaughter. 

Darcy smiled as Hendrick made faces at their daughter. 

“Do you have a name yet?” Hendrick asked, touching the infant’s little hand. 

“Actually, we do. Her name is Emily.” Darcy beamed as everyone began to talk and discuss what a nice name it was. 

He was part of one big happy family and his daughter was part of one big happy family. This was exactly where he wanted to be. He couldn’t imagine a better place to be. 

—*—

Anika walked back into the kitchen with a smile on her face. A year ago, she hadn’t known what was going to happen to her family. She hadn’t known when she would see her father again. She hadn’t known what would happen with her brother or her mother. 

But now, everyone had moved on from the past. They were happy and they were doing the right thing. She couldn’t possibly ask for anything more. 

She pulled out cups and poured coffee into them, then pulled out some freshly baked bread and prepared thick slices on a plate. She put all of this on one large tray and carried it back to the parlor. 

She paused for a moment as she walked in. Her father was holding Emily and everyone else was cooing over Elena’s son. They looked so happy and peaceful. 

Anika wasn’t sure if it was the children or the circumstances, but it felt nice to have this force pulling them all together. She set the tray down on a small table nearby and took a seat beside her mother. 

“What are you and pa going to do now that pa is out of jail?” Anika had talked about her mother about moving over here, closer to her and Darcy. She knew that her mother wasn’t sure what she should do. If she lived here in town near Darcy and Anika, she would be far from Elena. And if she lived beside Elena, Anika would be far away. 

“We’ve thought about it and I think we are going to stay in Winfield,” Anika’s father spoke up. “We like the house.”

“Oh,” Anika tried not to sound too disappointed. She knew that it was up to her parents and ultimately, they had to do what it was that was right for them. 

“Don’t be sad, my daughter. We decided to stay there because we already have a home there. I’ve gotten to know people there in the last year.” Her mother gave her a sad look for a moment but then smiled. 

“I know, ma. It’s just, sometimes I miss you.” 

“You can always visit, or we can visit here. One day, maybe we will all live closer.” 

Anika nodded. She would like that. She didn’t like being so far away from their families but she was thankful that finally, they could settle down in one place.

“Elena, do you want to see the garden outside?” Anika offered, changing the subject. She wanted a few moments to talk to her sister and couldn’t think of a better way than to ask for her help. 

Elena stood and handed her son to their mother before following Anika outdoors. It was a beautiful day and Anika really was excited to show Elena how their garden was growing. 

It was a large patch of land that Anika had helped Darcy clear. There was every type of vegetable planted in it and they were all starting to sprout. 

“It’s beautiful!” Elena exclaimed. She took Anika’s hand and gave it a tight squeeze. “I’m glad that we are here. I thought we would never come.” 

“I’m glad that you are here too. I’ve missed you.” Anika had been right when she had thought her life would change forever after her marriage. 

“You know, Marty said that maybe we could visit more often. Do you think that would work all right?” Elena looked hopeful. 

“Of course, whenever you can visit is amazing for me. How have you and Marty been? I know that it was a little hard for you when he told you why we actually met at that dance in town so long ago.”

Elena giggled. “That seems so long ago now. You know, most days, it feels like I have known Marty forever. I can’t even remember what it was like before him.” 

“I know, I feel that way about Darcy.” Anika smiled fondly as she thought of her own husband.

“I had a hard time forgiving Marty at first. I kept thinking that he should have told me and that I could have handled it. But then I think that maybe I couldn’t have handled it. You handled it so well. What if I had told the wrong person or they had kidnapped me? Looking back, I think that it all happened exactly how it was supposed to.” 

Anika nodded, “I’ve thought that too. But even so, as long as nothing happens like that again it’s all good.” 

Elena smiled. “Well, last I checked neither Marty or Darcy have been doing criminal activity behind our backs.” 

The two of them giggled together. “We should get back inside. I don’t know if they know how to care for the little ones,” Elena said at the end of her giggle. 

“You’re right, I just wanted a moment with you alone. Sometimes I really miss these conversations that we’ve always had.” Anika said wistfully, remembering their childhood with fond memories once more. 

“I miss them too, and maybe one day we will live closer to each other,” Elena said with a wistful look on her face. 

“I hope so.” Anika knew that for right now this was how it had to be. The two of them walked back to the house with their arms linked together at the elbow. 

When they walked in, their mother and father were sitting in the parlor holding the children and everyone else was in the kitchen talking about what they were going to do for lunch. 

Anika and Elena hurried into the kitchen together. “Okay, all of you men, get out, the women know how to do this,” Elena demanded. 

Anika wanted to laugh. She didn’t know why, but the idea of the men finding out a way to make lunch for all of them was a little bit farfetched. In fact, she would have liked to sample whatever they would have come up with. 

Darcy, Marty, and Tom reluctantly left the kitchen, leaving just Anika and Elena. Between the two of them, they hurried about the kitchen and sooner rather than later there was a large meal laid out for them. 

They all sat around the table and Anika began to dish the food up. When they were ready, Hendrick offered grace. 

When they said Amen, Anika let herself send up a prayer of thankfulness. She may have come from a strange background and been the daughter of a criminal, but that hadn’t stopped her from marrying one of the best men in the West or possibly in the world. 

She had survived through everything that they had been through, even through the times when she had thought she wouldn’t survive. 

Anika smiled as she took a bite of her food. This was what having a large, happy family felt like. She was ready to put everything from the past right there where it belonged. It was time for all of them to move on. 

“This is the best meal I’ve ever had,” Darcy said gently as he took a bite. 

Anika smiled up at him. “Why, thank you.” Anika was sure that she had everything she could possibly want. 

She remembered what it was like to feel like everything was falling apart and now she thought of what it was like to feel like everything was under control. She knew it wasn’t herself who had it under control. It was God. God was the only one who could make such a miracle out of something as terrible as their family had started out as. 

Anika squeezed Darcy’s hand, “I’m glad you like it.” She then went back to her meal. It was indeed one of the best she had made in a long time. 

She considered this time and this meal as a closing of some very hard times that all of them had shared. She had a feeling that this was a new start to a new type of life and a new type of relationship with them all, and it was perfect.

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