The Baby She Carried West – Extended Epilogue

“Benjamin, for heaven’s sake, stop pacing.”

Adeline sighed, watching as her husband took another determined stride across the parlor, arms crossed over his chest. The evening fire crackled in the hearth, casting flickering shadows against the walls, but Benjamin seemed entirely unaware of the warmth. He stopped only to glance out the window into the darkening sky before muttering under his breath and resuming his pacing.

“I’m not pacing,” he grumbled. “I’m thinking.”

Adeline, who had known him long enough to recognize the difference, raised an eyebrow. “You’re pacing and thinking. And if you wear a hole in that rug, I’ll make you buy me a new one.”

Benjamin exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “They should have been here by now.”

“They had to ride all the way from Randallsville. Maybe there was a delay.” Adeline set her mending aside and stood, moving to place a reassuring hand on his arm. “The weather’s been fine, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

Benjamin made a sound that was half agreement, half irritation. “It’s been five years, Adeline. Five years since he turned himself in. Five years of waiting. I don’t know if I’m ready for this.”

Adeline squeezed his arm. “You don’t have to be ready. Just be here. That’s enough.”

Benjamin looked down at her, his face softer now, some of the tension bleeding from his frame. His hair had grown a little longer, and there was the faintest hint of silver at his temples—not much, but enough to make Adeline smile whenever she noticed.

Footsteps sounded on the front porch.

Benjamin went rigid.

Adeline barely had time to take a breath before a knock echoed through the house.

Joey, now five years old, came barreling out of the kitchen, barefoot and breathless. “Is it them?” he asked eagerly.

Adeline smoothed his tousled brown curls and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I believe so.”

Benjamin hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward. With one deep breath, he reached for the door handle and pulled it open.

A man stood in the doorway, his hat in his hands, his shoulders tense but his expression open.

Gordon Hyde had changed.

The rough-edged outlaw was gone, replaced by a man who looked both humbled and weary. He was dressed plainly, a bit thinner than Benjamin remembered, but his eyes—so much like Joey’s—were steady.

“Evenin’,” Gordon said, clearing his throat. “It’s… it’s been a long time.”

Benjamin studied him for a long moment, his face unreadable. Then, at last, he stepped back and gestured inside.

“Well,” he said gruffly. “You might as well come in.”

Gordon stepped inside hesitantly, as though unsure if the floor would hold his weight. His hands tightened on his hat as he took in the familiar surroundings—the sturdy wooden furniture, the flickering fire, the scent of fresh bread wafting from the kitchen. It was a home. A real home.

Adeline closed the door behind him, glancing at Benjamin, who still stood stiffly beside the hearth. Joey, ever curious, peered up at Gordon, tilting his head.

“You’re my pa,” Joey stated matter-of-factly, his bright blue eyes—so much like Mae’s—fixing on the man before him.

Gordon let out a breath like he’d been punched. He swallowed hard, nodding. “Yeah, kid. I am.”

Joey studied him for another long moment, his little face scrunching in concentration, before he looked to Benjamin. “Do I have to call him Pa?”

Benjamin’s lips twitched, but he kept his face serious. “That’s up to you, Joey.”

Joey nodded, considering. “I think I’ll call you Mr. Gordon,” he decided at last.

Gordon gave a strained chuckle. “That’s fine by me.” He knelt, finally looking his son in the eye. “I… I don’t expect anything from you, Joey. I know I ain’t been here, and I know I can’t change that. But I wanted to see you. To know you.”

Joey blinked. “Do you like horses?”

Gordon nodded slowly. “I do.”

Joey brightened. “Then you can come see mine! I named her Buttercup, but Uncle Ben says I should’ve picked something fiercer. But I think she’s perfect.”

Adeline glanced at Benjamin, who was still watching Gordon closely, his hands on his hips. There was a storm of emotions in his eyes—memories, regrets, wariness—but there was something else too. A flicker of understanding.

“Well,” Benjamin finally said, clearing his throat. “If you’re staying a while, you might as well sit down. Supper’s nearly ready.”

Gordon’s gaze snapped up, disbelief flashing across his face.

Adeline smiled gently. “You must be hungry after all that riding. And we have plenty.”

Gordon hesitated for just a moment before nodding. “I… I’d appreciate that.”

Joey beamed. “Come on, Mr. Gordon! You can sit next to me!” He grabbed Gordon’s hand without a second thought, dragging him toward the dining table.

Adeline exhaled softly. It wasn’t perfect, not yet. But maybe… maybe it was a start.

She reached out and took Benjamin’s hand, giving it a light squeeze. He squeezed back, his grip warm and steady.

For the first time in a long while, she saw something in Benjamin’s expression that she hadn’t seen when it came to Gordon.

Not anger.

Not resentment.

But possibility.

The dinner table was lively, filled with conversation, laughter, and the occasional clatter of silverware as Joey told Gordon everything about his pony, his favorite hiding spots in the barn, and how he planned to be a lawman when he grew up—just like Uncle Ben.

“I got my own sheriff’s badge,” Joey announced proudly, shoving a small wooden carving across the table toward Gordon. “Uncle Ben carved it for me.”

Gordon picked it up carefully, running his calloused fingers over the smooth edges. The care put into the carving was obvious. He swallowed hard and looked up at Benjamin. “You’ve done right by him.”

Benjamin gave a stiff nod. “I try.”

Silence settled for a beat. The weight of the past pressed between them, thick and unresolved.

Gordon cleared his throat. “I know you don’t owe me any kindness, Taylor. I never gave you a reason to.” He paused, his hands tightening around his fork. “But… I want to do better. For Joey. I don’t want him growin’ up hearin’ only bad things about me.”

Benjamin’s jaw tightened. “And what are you asking?”

“I ain’t askin’ for much. Just… a chance. To know him. To let him know I didn’t leave ‘cause I didn’t care. I want to be someone he’s proud of.”

Joey, completely unaware of the tension between the two men, grinned. “Mr. Gordon, you can’t just be proud. You gotta do something to be proud of.”

Gordon let out a breath, smiling ruefully. “That so, huh?”

Adeline smiled, reaching over to ruffle Joey’s hair. “He’s right, you know.”

Gordon let that sit for a moment before nodding. “Then that’s what I’ll do.”

Benjamin studied him long and hard before finally speaking. “You turned yourself in when you could’ve run. That’s somethin’.”

Gordon held his breath, waiting.

Benjamin sighed. “I won’t promise anything. But if you keep straight and prove to Joey that you’re a man worth knowing, then maybe… maybe you can earn a place in his life.”

Gordon exhaled, his shoulders sagging. “That’s more than I hoped for.”

Joey beamed. “Can we show him the barn now?”

Adeline laughed, shaking her head. “Not tonight, sweetheart. It’s getting late.”

Joey pouted but didn’t argue. He yawned, rubbing his eyes. “Okay. But tomorrow?”

Benjamin glanced at Gordon. “Tomorrow, maybe.”

Gordon’s throat bobbed. “Tomorrow,” he echoed.

Joey grinned and reached for Benjamin’s hand, then grabbed onto Adeline’s too. “I got the best family ever,” he announced sleepily, his voice muffled as he slumped against Benjamin’s side.

Benjamin stilled. His grip on Adeline tightened.

Family.

He looked at Adeline, then at Joey, then at Gordon—who still sat at the table, looking like a man who had finally seen a future he thought was lost to him.

Maybe… maybe they were a family.

A different kind of family.

But a family all the same.

Adeline leaned against Benjamin, pressing a soft kiss to his shoulder. “We’re doing okay, aren’t we?”

Benjamin exhaled, finally allowing a small smile. “Yeah,” he murmured. “Yeah, we are.”

The dinner table was lively, filled with conversation, laughter, and the occasional clatter of silverware as Joey told Gordon everything about his pony, his favorite hiding spots in the barn, and how he planned to be a lawman when he grew up—just like Uncle Ben.

“I got my own sheriff’s badge,” Joey announced proudly, shoving a small wooden carving across the table toward Gordon. “Uncle Ben carved it for me.”

Gordon picked it up carefully, running his calloused fingers over the smooth edges. The care put into the carving was obvious. He swallowed hard and looked up at Benjamin. “You’ve done right by him.”

Benjamin gave a stiff nod. “I try.”

Silence settled for a beat. The weight of the past pressed between them, thick and unresolved.

Gordon cleared his throat. “I know you don’t owe me any kindness, Taylor. I never gave you a reason to.” He paused, his hands tightening around his fork. “But… I want to do better. For Joey. I don’t want him growin’ up hearin’ only bad things about me.”

Benjamin’s jaw tightened. “And what are you asking?”

“I ain’t askin’ for much. Just… a chance. To know him. To let him know I didn’t leave ‘cause I didn’t care. I want to be someone he’s proud of.”

Joey, completely unaware of the tension between the two men, grinned. “Mr. Gordon, you can’t just be proud. You gotta do something to be proud of.”

Gordon let out a breath, smiling ruefully. “That so, huh?”

Adeline smiled, reaching over to ruffle Joey’s hair. “He’s right, you know.”

Gordon let that sit for a moment before nodding. “Then that’s what I’ll do.”

Benjamin studied him long and hard before finally speaking. “You turned yourself in when you could’ve run. That’s somethin’.”

Gordon held his breath, waiting.

Benjamin sighed. “I won’t promise anything. But if you keep straight and prove to Joey that you’re a man worth knowing, then maybe… maybe you can earn a place in his life.”

Gordon exhaled, his shoulders sagging. “That’s more than I hoped for.”

Joey beamed. “Can we show him the barn now?”

Adeline laughed, shaking her head. “Not tonight, sweetheart. It’s getting late.”

Joey pouted but didn’t argue. He yawned, rubbing his eyes. “Okay. But tomorrow?”

Benjamin glanced at Gordon. “Tomorrow, maybe.”

Gordon’s throat bobbed. “Tomorrow,” he echoed.

Joey grinned and reached for Benjamin’s hand, then grabbed onto Adeline’s too. “I got the best family ever,” he announced sleepily, his voice muffled as he slumped against Benjamin’s side.

Benjamin stilled. His grip on Adeline tightened.

Family.

He looked at Adeline, then at Joey, then at Gordon—who still sat at the table, looking like a man who had finally seen a future he thought was lost to him.

Maybe… maybe they were a family.

A different kind of family.

But a family all the same.

Adeline leaned against Benjamin, pressing a soft kiss to his shoulder. “We’re doing okay, aren’t we?”

Benjamin exhaled, finally allowing a small smile. “Yeah,” he murmured. “Yeah, we are.”

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Extended Epilogue – Part 4
The golden light of dawn spilled across the fields, bathing the land in warmth. A cool morning breeze rustled through the trees, carrying the scent of wildflowers and fresh hay. The barn doors stood open, revealing the horses shifting inside, their tails flicking lazily as they awaited the morning feed.

Adeline stood on the porch, hands wrapped around a steaming cup of coffee, watching Benjamin and Joey walk toward the corral. Joey, still rubbing sleep from his eyes, had one hand tucked in his uncle’s, his little boots kicking up dust as they walked.

Behind her, the door creaked as Louella stepped out, pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders. “You look like a woman who’s got everything she ever wanted,” she murmured, eyeing Adeline’s soft smile.

Adeline exhaled, eyes never leaving her husband and son. “That’s because I do.”

Louella chuckled, nudging her gently. “I’d say that’s true.” She took a sip of her tea before adding, “And to think, you almost left all of this behind.”

Adeline’s smile widened. “Almost.”

A shout of laughter rang across the yard as Joey managed to climb the fence all by himself. Benjamin ruffled his hair, grinning as Joey puffed out his chest with pride.

Louella sighed dramatically. “I suppose I can see the appeal of ranch life now. Though, I still prefer my lace curtains and my nice, quiet parlor.”

Adeline laughed, shaking her head. “You wouldn’t last a week here, Lou.”

“I’d last a month at least.”

The front gate creaked open, and both women turned as Jasper rode in, tipping his hat. His usual easy smile was in place, but there was something different in his posture—something lighter.

Adeline arched a brow. “Jasper Mercer, what’s put that look on your face?”

Jasper swung down from his horse, dusting himself off. “Oh, nothin’ much,” he said, his grin widening. “Just figured I’d stop by on my way through town and introduce you to someone.”

At that, a woman rode in behind him—her brown hair tucked neatly under a bonnet, her dark eyes sharp and curious. She dismounted gracefully and offered a small, polite nod.

“This here’s Miss Evelyn Bennett,” Jasper said, beaming. “And as of yesterday, she’s agreed to be Mrs. Evelyn Mercer.”

Louella gasped in delight, and Adeline clapped her hands together. “Jasper! That’s wonderful!” She turned to Evelyn. “I hope you know what you’re getting yourself into.”

Evelyn smiled, eyes twinkling. “Oh, I think I do.”

Jasper threw an arm around his fiancée. “Figured it was about time I settled down, seeing as Benjamin finally got his act together.”

Benjamin, who had been listening from the corral, snorted. “Took you long enough.”

Jasper smirked. “We can’t all jump through train windows, Taylor.”

Laughter rippled through the group. Even Joey, though he didn’t quite understand the joke, giggled along with them.

Gordon had stayed behind at the bunkhouse the night before, promising to meet them at breakfast. It wasn’t perfect—not yet—but it was a step forward. Benjamin was still cautious, still wary. But for Joey’s sake, he was trying.

And that was enough.

Adeline took Benjamin’s hand as he walked back toward her, their fingers lacing together naturally.

“This is a good life,” she murmured.

He kissed her forehead, his voice warm and sure. “It’s the only one I want.”

And with that, they stepped back into their home—where love, laughter, and the promise of forever waited for them.

THE END