My own father was part of my children’s lives, of course. After a year of remaining sober and going to therapy, he started helping out on the farm again. It took another year for him and my mom to work things out, but they only ended up being friends and decided to divorce. My brother Michael still wasn’t married, but I had a feeling there would be an engagement soon. He had been dating a girl named Angela for almost two years, and everyone in the family adored her.
“She took some steps?” I asked Ty Senior.
He nodded.
Dirk dropped to the floor and gave our daughter the same smile that made me weak in the knees. “Come to Daddy, Avery Grace.”
She laughed and started to take a step. Her dark brown curls were pulled up into a tiny little ponytail on top of her head. Her eyes, the color of the Montana sky, looked directly at Dirk. Ty Senior let go of her hands, and she took another step. Then another…and another.
“That’s it, baby girl. Come to Daddy.”
Everyone held their breath as she made her way toward Dirk.
“Ten bucks says she falls before she gets there,” I heard Hunter say.
“Hunter Shaw!” Lincoln whisper-shouted.
For only being five, Hunter’s personality was the mini version of his late Uncle Beck, and he seemed to have the soul of a thirty-year-old man.
With a laugh that made my heart fill with joy, Avery threw herself into her father’s arms. Dirk picked her up and held her as he said, “That’s my big girl. Such a smart girl!”
I fought to hold back my tears as I watched them. Dirk spun around, and our eyes met. Oh, how my heart filled with love. I didn’t think it was possible, but every day I fell more and more in love with my husband. He was so devoted to me and our two kids. I wanted to press my mouth to his and beg him to take me home to be alone with him. Since it was Christmas Day, I’d have to be patient.
“I got it all on video!” Timberlynn called out as Lily, her and Tanner’s four-year-old daughter, hung onto her leg.
“Mommy, how old was I when I started walking?” Rose asked Kaylee.
Kaylee looked down at her daughter and brushed her blonde curls to the side. “You were almost one.”
“And me?” Hunter asked.
Brock reached down and picked up his son. Like Blayze, he was the spitting image of Brock. Brown hair and eyes that looked like an ice-blue glacier. “You started walking right about the same time as Rose.”
Dirk walked over and stopped in front of me. I saw the pride on his face. “She totally skipped crawling. She obviously gets her skills from her father.”
I nodded and laughed.
“You know what that means?” Kaylee said, a smirk on her face.
Everyone turned and looked at Kaylee as she rubbed her belly.
“What does that mean, Kaylee?” Dirk asked, clearly dreading her answer.
“She’s the child who will bring karma back onto your ass.”
“Kaylee!” Lincoln cried out. “Little ears!”
The End