OFFER: A BRAND NEW SERIES AND 2 FREEBIES FOR YOU!
Grab my new series, "Grit and Glory on the Frontier", and get 2 FREE novels as a gift! Have a look here!
Several Years Later
“Cody, come here a minute, son,” Boone called out, leaning against the fence as he watched the boy guiding a stubborn mare across the paddock.
Cody wiped the sweat from his brow and jogged over, a question in his eyes. “What’s up, Pa?”
Boone handed him a well-worn envelope, his expression a mix of solemnity and encouragement. “Cody, you’re a young man now. I think it’s time you knew the full story. This here’s a letter from your mother, Elsa.”
Cody’s hand trembled slightly as he took the letter, his brow furrowing. “Mom’s?”
“Yes. She wrote it before… well, before everything changed. I think you’re old enough now to understand,” Boone said, his voice rough with old, half-healed hurts.
Cody looked down at the envelope, then back up at Boone. “And if I decide to read this…?”
Boone pushed off from the fence, placing a firm hand on Cody’s shoulder. “That’s your decision, son. Whatever questions you have after reading, I’m here.”
Nodding slowly, Cody tucked the letter into his shirt pocket and headed towards the house, his pace thoughtful. Boone watched him go, a silent prayer lifting from his heart that the boy would find some peace in Elsa’s words.
Inside, the quiet of his room felt thick as Cody sat on the edge of the bed, the letter now burning a hole in his pocket. With a deep breath, he pulled it out, unfolded the creased paper, and began to read.
Elsa’s handwriting flowed across the page, each word heavy with emotion. She explained why she had left, her voice echoing with love and regret. She wrote of her hopes for him, that he would grow strong and happy under the care of Boone and Clara, whom she praised as a better mother than she could ever have been. Her words painted a picture of a life filled with warmth and laughter, something she had wanted desperately for him but felt unable to provide.
The letter concluded with an invitation that twisted Cody’s heart with a blend of hope and uncertainty. “If you want to meet me, write back. I will come to see you when and if you’re ready.” It was signed simply, ‘Your mother, Elsa.’
Cody folded the letter slowly, his mind racing. He sat there for a long while, staring out the window at the sun setting over the distant hills, the colors painting a sky that seemed to hold endless possibilities.
Weeks passed, the letter a constant weight in his thoughts. Finally, Cody penned a response, his decision made. He dropped the letter in the mail, his heart a tumult of expectation and nerves.
***
On the day the train was due, the air buzzed with tension. Boone, Clara, and Cody stood on the platform, the familiar whistle of the train cutting through the quiet of the morning. As it hissed to a stop, passengers began to disembark, and then she was there—Elsa, looking much the same as Cody’s faint memories suggested.
Boone felt Cody tense beside him and gently nudged him forward. Cody’s step was hesitant at first, but then steadied as he approached the woman who had given him life but not raised him.
Elsa’s eyes found Cody’s, and a small, hopeful smile broke across her features. “Hello, Cody.”
Cody managed a small smile of his own. “Hi… uh, would you like to come to the ranch?”
Her nod was eager, almost relieved, and they turned together to head back where Boone and Clara waited, a silent understanding passing between them all as they set off to reintroduce Elsa to the life she had left behind.
The ranch welcomed Elsa with open arms, Boone watching as she took in every detail, asking Cody about his life, his horse, and the work he loved. Cody showed her around with a quiet pride, introducing her to his younger siblings, who peeked at Elsa with curious eyes before Clara called them back to their chores.
As they settled into a routine over the next few days, the normalcy of ranch life seemed to ease some of the awkwardness of their reunion. Elsa’s interest in Cody’s world was genuine, her questions thoughtful. But as they were finding their rhythm, the sky darkened with the sudden threat of a storm.
Clara glanced up at the swirling clouds with a frown, her hands automatically smoothing her apron. “Looks like we might get a good drenching. Best get the laundry in,” she remarked, more to herself than anyone else.
Elsa followed her gaze, the rolling thunder a stark reminder of nature’s unpredictability. “Do storms like this happen often?” she asked, a slight edge of nervousness in her voice.
“More often than we’d like,” Boone replied, his eyes scanning the horizon. “Sometimes they bring more than just rain.” He turned towards Cody, his voice firm. “Let’s check on the cattle, make sure they’re not near the river. Flash floods can turn that area dangerous fast.”
Cody nodded, his expression serious as he grabbed his hat and followed his father to the barn. Elsa watched them go, her heart tight with worry. Clara noticed her unease and touched her arm gently. “Don’t worry too much. They know what they’re doing, and Cody’s grown into quite the capable young man. He’s strong, knows the land, and how to handle himself.”
Elsa nodded, taking comfort in Clara’s confidence but still feeling the stirrings of a mother’s worry. They returned to the house, the wind picking up as the first heavy drops of rain began to fall.
From the barn, Boone and Cody saddled up quickly. “Stay sharp out there,” Boone instructed as they mounted. “If it gets too bad, we head straight back.”
Cody, feeling the weight of his responsibilities, nodded. “I will, Pa.”
They rode out towards the lower pastures, where the river’s proximity was a blessing for grazing but a curse during storms. The wind howled around them, carrying the heavy scent of rain and mud. As they approached, Cody spotted a small group of cattle near the swollen riverbank, their nervousness palpable.
“There,” Cody pointed, urging his horse forward. As they drew closer, his sharp eyes caught sight of a calf, tangled in some brush by the river’s edge. He signaled to Boone, who nodded and headed towards the larger cattle to drive them back from the river.
Cody dismounted, his movements quick and sure as he approached the frightened calf. The river roared beside him, a dangerous soundtrack to his rescue attempt. The calf, panicking, kicked out, catching Cody off-balance. He stumbled, a shout of warning from Boone carrying over the wind.
“Back off, Cody! It’s not worth it!”
But Cody regained his footing and shook his head, determination set in his young features. Carefully, he calmed the calf, speaking softly to soothe it as he worked to free it from the entangling brush. With a final tug, the calf was free. Cody didn’t waste a moment; he hoisted the small animal up in front of his saddle horn and quickly mounted behind it.
Together, they made their way back to where Boone was successfully herding the last of the cattle away from the flood zone. Once on safer ground, Cody gently set the calf down, watching it scamper back to its mother.
Boone rode up, his face grim but proud. “Good work, son. But don’t scare me like that again.”
Cody grinned, feeling a rush of adrenaline and pride. “I had it under control, Pa.”
They headed back to the ranch, the storm easing as quickly as it had arrived. Clara and Elsa were waiting on the porch, relief visible on their faces as Boone and Cody rode into the yard.
Elsa’s eyes met Cody’s, filled with a complex mix of emotions—pride, relief, and a touch of envy for the bond he shared with Clara, who stepped forward to hug him tightly as he dismounted.
“You did good, Cody,” Clara said warmly, glancing at Boone with a shared look of parental pride.
Elsa stepped forward, her voice soft but sincere. “I’m amazed at what a fine young man you’ve become, Cody. You’re everything I hoped for and more. And somehow, I’m not surprised at all.”
Cody smiled, a sense of belonging and accomplishment filling him as he looked between the faces of his family—Boone, Clara, and now Elsa, each a part of his story in their own right.
***
After a week’s visit, filled with shared stories and tentative new bonds, the time came for Elsa to leave. The morning was crisp and the sky clear as she packed her things, her movements slow, tinged with reluctance. Cody stood by the door, watching, unsure how to articulate the complex emotions swirling inside him.
Elsa turned to him, her smile sad but genuine. She reached out, pulling him into a gentle embrace. “I’ll write to you, Cody, and you must write back. Remember, I’ll always be here for you. You can come visit me back east whenever you’d like,” she said, her voice steady but her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
Cody nodded, his voice a bit rough as he replied, “I will, I promise. I enjoyed meeting you, and I want to know you better.” He paused, looking back at the ranch—the home he loved. “But this is where my life is. I’m happy here.”
Elsa stepped back, her hand lingering on his arm. “I can see that, Cody. This place, your family… it suits you well.” She turned to Boone and Clara, who were standing a few steps away, observing quietly. “Boone, Clara, thank you for everything. You’ve raised a fine young man.”
Clara approached and hugged Elsa, a warm, inclusive gesture that spoke volumes. “We’re glad you came. Cody needed this,” she said softly, her eyes kind.
Elsa nodded, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. “And I needed it too, more than I realized.”
Later that evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon painting the sky in strokes of orange and pink, Boone and Clara sat together on the porch. Cody was down by the barn, tending to his horse, lost in thought about the week’s revelations.
Boone wrapped an arm around Clara, pulling her close. “You know, seeing Cody with Elsa… it got me thinking about bravery,” he mused, watching his son in the distance.
Clara leaned into him, her head resting on his shoulder. “Oh? And what about bravery?”
“That it’s not just about facing danger or the unknown. It’s also about facing the past, making peace with it,” Boone said, his voice reflective.
Clara smiled up at him, her eyes twinkling in the twilight. “Cody’s got a lot of that kind of bravery. Reminds me of someone else I know,” she teased gently.
Boone chuckled, squeezing her closer. “Must be his mother then, because he gets his stubbornness from his old man.”
They both laughed softly, the sound mingling with the evening breeze. Boone looked out across the fields, his heart full. “Clara, I reckon we’ve done alright, haven’t we?”
“Better than alright,” Clara responded, her voice filled with warmth. “We’ve built something beautiful here, Boone. Something lasting.”
From the barn, Cody overheard their conversation, a smile spreading across his face as he brushed down his horse. His parents’ words, their love for each other and for him, fortified his sense of identity and belonging. He felt a profound gratitude towards Elsa for the life she had given him, and even greater appreciation for Boone and Clara, who had truly raised him.
Cody looked back at the house, his heart swelling with love and resolve. He knew no matter where life took him, this ranch, these people, were his true home. As the stars began to pepper the sky, he felt anchored, ready for whatever the future held, because he knew he was supported by the strength of the family that had chosen him, as much as he had chosen them.
OFFER: A BRAND NEW SERIES AND 2 FREEBIES FOR YOU!
Grab my new series, "Grit and Glory on the Frontier", and get 2 FREE novels as a gift! Have a look here!
Hello there, I really hope you liked my new western adventure story and the extended epilogue! I would be very happy to read your thoughts below.
Good story but l though Elsa was killed in the shootout.
Thank you so much, John!
Glad you enjoyed the story!