Surprises

by Rebekah E.

Part 1

Andrea Carter looked out forlornly at the rain drizzling down off the school house roof. It seemed that something always happened to ruin her planned days, and then nothing ever happened on the days that she had all to herself, except for chores that seemed to be there all the time, rain or shine.

“Miss Carter, please pay attention.”

Andi jerked her attention away from the window, feeling her face redden as a titter went across the room. Mr. Foster was looking at her sternly. Andi hastily muttered an apology. She felt Cory give her braid a slight tug of sympathy, and Andi gave him a grateful smile while her teacher’s back was turned. She quickly went back to her work, and the remaining hours actually seemed to go by quicker.

The teacher at last rang the bell, and everyone filed out. Cory and Jack met her outside the school. Jack Goodwin was now Andi’s friend again, after the episode of him hanging out with the town’s bully, Johnny Wilson. Now tagged along with her and Cory, although it probably would have saved him some mishaps if he hadn’t.

“Are we still going to race?” was Cory’s eager question.

Andi looked first up at the gray sky, threatening to really gush at any moment, then down at her recently cleaned school dress. She bit her lip, sorely tempted.

Cory must have known what she was thinking. He sighed and looked up at the sky too. “Alright, we’ll wait until a different day.”

Andi gave him the second grateful look of the day. Jack shrugged, obviously disappointed, but he agreed too, though silently.

They parted ways, and Andi walked towards Justin’s law office to wait for him inside shelter. She walked with her head down, and carefully tried to keep her shoes from getting muddy.

Suddenly, a stagecoach went by, splattering not only her shoes, but her dress, her face, her arms, and her hair. Andi felt tears well up into her eyes. All the hard work she had gone to keep herself neat, and now look! At least if I had raced with Cory and Jack it would have been worth the scolding, she thought. Swallowing her tears, more angry then sorry now, she marched the rest of the way to her brother’s office, aware of the stares she was getting from the townspeople.

She threw open the door into the office, and then, realizing that her anger would do no good, closed it again behind her carefully. Her brother’s clerk, Tim, was filing some paperwork. He looked up when Andi came in, and raised his eyebrows at her appearance.

“Did you get into a fight again, Miss Carter?” he asked.

Andi tried to ignore his sarcastic comment, though she reddened to the ears. “I need to speak to Justin,” she said hotly.

Tim grinned and pointed at her clothes. “Like that?” he asked.

Andi almost punched him. “It was an accident. I was walking here, and a stagecoach went by, spraying mud all over me. It wasn’t my fault.”

The clerk looked at her doubtfully. “An accident?” he said, as if trying to believe his ears.

“Yes, an accident!” Andi practically shouted. “Now will you let me see my brother, or do I have to burst in without warning?”

He thought about this. “Alright, alright, go on in. Your brother is available right now I believe.”

Andi swallowed her anger, giving Tim one last glare before going into Justin’s office.

Justin was at his desk, which was piled high with letters. He put the one he was in middle of down when he saw Andi and motioned her to sit down with a smile. “What’s wrong Andi? You look terrible,” he said with concern, not blame, in his voice.

Andi’s anger melted under Justin’s worry. “It was an accident,” she said. “All I was doing was trying to get to your office to let you know that I’m ready to go home without getting dirty, and a stagecoach went by and sprayed me. I’m really sorry.”

 Justin gave her a smile. “I believe you,” he said. “And I’ll be ready to go home too, as soon as I’ve answered this letter. Why don’t you wait out with O’Neil or on the bench outside, if it’s stopped raining, until I’m ready?”

“You’re the best brother!” Andi said, giving her brother a quick hug, careful to not smudge his outfit, and went outside. Andi was still far too angry to wait inside with Tim, raining or not.

Outside, although still raining lightly, it was better smelling then inside the inky, smoky clerk’s office. Andi rested her head against the wall of the office, closing her eyes to the world for the time.

In her mind she was riding Taffy up and down the range, when a hand clamped over her mouth, and a blindfold put over her eyes.

 

Part 2

Andi felt herself being led away and frantically tried to loosen her bonds.

A gruff male voice whispered by her head. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Miss Carter.”

Andi felt a barrel of a gun shoved at her back. She grew numb all over. “What do you want me for?” she asked, trying not to betray the quiver of fear in her voice.

There was a harsh laugh. “You have us mistaken, Miss Carter.” The voice replied.

Andi shuddered. Us? There was more than one?  

            “How do I have you mistaken?” she asked carefully.

The barrel of the gun shoved harder into her back, and Andi grew rigid.

            “The less you know, the better,” the voice hissed.

Andi drew away, but was forced back with the ever-present gun. There was silence, and Andi tried to think of something, anything, that could get her away.

            She was led uphill for some time, and she tried to remember the path, but with her guides switching directions every mile or so, it was impossible. When her captors sat her down and removed her blindfold, Andi was completely lost. She looked up at her kidnappers, and gasped.

One was Johnny Wilson, whom she had thought was safe in military school, and the other was Troy, her brother-in-law, whom she had supposed was safe in jail. They stood over her, apparently enjoying her discomfort. Andi felt her anger rising up inside her, but she was truly at their mercy.

“Well, what do you want me for?” she asked coldly.

Troy grinned and sat down next to her, and Andi shrank from him. He chuckled, obviously taking pleasure in her mood. “This is no way to greet your brother,” he said, his breath smelling of bad cigars.

Andi wrinkled her nose in disgust. “I don’t think this was a very good way to greet your sister in law,” she replied, shrinking as far as she could away from Troy.

He laughed harshly, shifting his weight on the rock Andi had been put on. “Maybe not, but I didn’t bring you here just for a friendly reunion with me. I have something I want you to do.” He beckoned Johnny Wilson closer. “I believe you know this young man.”

Andi turned a cold shoulder to him. “If I did, I certainly wouldn’t want to admit that,” she said, noting with satisfaction Johnny’s face darkening.

Troy noticed both things, and seemed satisfied. “Of course. As I was saying, I have a job for you to do, but until you fulfill it, you have to be kept under lock and key so to speak, so this Johnny Wilson has offered his services.” He leaned closer to Andi. “Apparently, he has a reason not to like you,” he whispered.

Andi looked at her brother in law. “What are you getting at?”

“What is my job going to be?” Troy grinned, pushing his hat back on his head. “Now you’re talking!” he exclaimed. “My job for you is this: I want you to write a letter to your family that you are a captive right now, and that your ransom is going to be $5,000, cold cash.”

Andi gasped. “$5,000! Why?”

Troy looked at her. “$5,000 for me to be free from jail and be well on my way to fame and fortune. It’s the least my family could do for me.”

Andi glowered at him. “It looks as if you’re already out of jail.”

Troy grinned. “I had to take things into my own hands, naturally, but I would prefer to be completely free from charge, with a clear conscience.”

Andi snorted, even though she knew well that it wasn’t ladylike. “A clear conscience?” she asked. “It’d take a whole lot more than $5,000 to make your conscience clear again, T.J.”

Troy stood up, his face clouding over. “Are you going to write that note, or do I have to leave you up here with Johnny while I take care of other business?” he said, his mocking grin gone, and in its place a snarl.

Andi swallowed, hard. Troy was growing impatient. “The decision is yours, Andrea Carter. Take it or leave it.”

 

Part 3

They were both waiting for an answer, but Andi couldn’t think. Her mind was frantically trying to come up with an excuse, but nothing showed itself.

“I-I don’t know,” she stuttered in confusion. “How can you expect me to come up with a decision on no notice.” She gradually grew bolder. “You must give me at least a day to think on it, please!”

Troy was obviously not happy with the arrangement, but he and Johnny had a whispering conference over on the far side of the hill. They at last seemed to come to a decision. “If you have to think, I’m going to leave you with Johnny and take care of some business,” her brother in law said with decision in his voice.

Andi knew better than to argue and kept her thoughts to herself.

Troy was soon gone, and Johnny came over to her. “So,” he said in a surprisingly nice voice. “How have things been going with your ranch and the town?”

Andi looked up, startled, but kept herself wary. “Pretty much the same, thank you.”

Johnny sat down on the ground in front of her. “I’m really sorry about all this, but I wanted to have a talk with you and this seemed the only way.”

Andi gave him a disbelieving look.

He saw it. “No, really, I’m changed.” Another look of disbelief from Andi. “A couple of years away from home helped I guess.” He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I realized what a nasty person I was, and I got right with God.”

Andi raised an eyebrow, still not believing him.

“I know this may sound crazy, but I want to apologize to you.”

Again, Andi raised her eyebrow.

“Please, could you forgive me, especially…” he paused and reddened.

Andi guessed what he was thinking, and it made her blush too at the recollection. She saved him the embarrassment of saying it out loud, and quickly interrupted. “Of course I forgive you, and if you have changed I’m glad of that to.” She emphasized the ‘if,’ showing that she still couldn’t quite bring herself to believe that such a change could happen to the town bully.

Johnny somewhat darkened at the ‘if’, but he controlled himself all the same. Andi was quite surprised at this conversation, but Johnny really did seem sincere. She hardly dared to hope that he may have changed that much.

There was a crackling in the bushes, and Johnny jumped to his feet. It appeared to Andi that their interview had ended for the time being, and she was right. Troy appeared, holding up a brace of rabbits. Johnny went over to him and the two of them left her quite alone as they prepared a meal for themselves. Andi was sure that she probably wouldn’t get any, but she couldn’t help looking at the cooking rabbits without her stomach growling. She turned away and tried to focus on the decision she had to make, but her hunger didn’t allow her to.

She was startled when a hand was laid gently on her shoulder, and she turned to see Johnny offering her a plate of food; he untied her hands to let her eat. She stammered her thanks in reply and quickly started eating to hide her surprise. He gave her a smile, a genuine smile of friendship, before returning to camp.

Andi didn’t know what to make of this: Johnny Wilson, nice? She couldn’t believe herself, or Johnny. What if it was all play-acting, and he was just waiting for her brother in law to leave before . . .? Andi shuddered to think what he may do. But he seemed to be nice for real. Could she trust his actions? But then, why did he help kidnap her? There must have been some reason. The questions ran through her mind, barely giving her time to think them before being replaced by new.

She shook her mind off Johnny and continued with her meal, her decision coming back again to haunt her. Could she deceive her family? Could she possibly cause them great financial harm? Could she give them even more trouble? She knew well that she was already causing a lot of worry and fear for her family. She sighed. Why did things always happen to her? Why was trouble always following her around?

She watched as her brother in law went to bed and Johnny Wilson re-tied her hands before continuing to sit beside the fire with the gun, obviously to keep her from running away. Settling herself down with her back to the rock, Andi closed her eyes and tried to get some rest.

Dreams came of happier times, of her and Taffy riding over the trails, of races with Cory and Jack, Taffy always well ahead. Times when her family was gathered together for family devotions after dinner, Rosa and her mother joining their happy circle; Justin’s rich, calming words as he read through the Bible.

She smiled happily in her sleep, forgetting for a time her troubles, God blessing her with sweet rest, at the end of a long day. Refreshing her mind for the decision He knew she would have to face upon awakening.

 

Part 4

Andi awoke by Troy roughly shaking her. She sat up, wishing she could rub the sleep out of her eyes. But with her hands tied behind her back, it was not possible. The clear morning air was fresh, and a fog covered the hillside. Andi shivered slightly then realized that someone had dropped a blanket over her shoulders during the night.

Troy was standing over her, an impatient frown on his face. “Well, I gave you time. What is your answer?” he said, his arms folded.

Andi gulped, her mind racing. Heavenly Father, give me wisdom. I can’t make this decision alone. Her brother in law was waiting. Suddenly, a ray of sun pierced the dark fog, and at the same time, Andi felt a ray of hope pierce her darkened mind.

“No!” she shouted, startling herself as well as Troy and Johnny. “No, I can’t deceive my family. Do anything you like, but I won’t write a letter for you. You can do your own dirty business.” Andi was so relieved that her decision was made, that she had stood strong against temptation, she smiled.

Troy’s face was a study of rage. His look was so similar to a spoilt child that didn’t get his way that Andi nearly burst out laughing. She felt so free, even though her hands were actually tied behind her back. He forced her to look into his face, his grimy hands pushing her head up. Their faces were close—so close Andi could smell his cigar and liquor filled breath, his unwashed body, and the weeks of grime building up. She nearly vomited, the smell was so revolting.

“You will pay for this!” he hissed, shoving her back onto the rock. “Your whole family will pay for this!”

Andi, for the first time that morning, felt afraid, afraid for her family, afraid for the ranch, and afraid for herself. She realized she didn’t know what her brother in law was capable of. Troy, still fuming, stomped out of the camp and left Andi alone with Johnny Wilson again.

Andi watched Johnny with careful eyes, and when he realized that she was, he came over. He didn’t do anything. He just stood there, returning Andi’s stare. It went on for a few minutes, until Andi had to blink. That broke the ice, and Johnny sat down on the ground like he had the first time they talked.

“Thank you for the blanket,” she said.

Johnny looked up, startled, from where he had been watching a beetle’s slow progress up the hill. “How did you know it was me? I thought you were asleep.”

Andi shrugged. “It was a guess. I didn’t think Troy would do something like that, and after our talk yesterday, I thought you were the most likely.”

Johnny looked hopeful. “Do you believe me then? Do you think I’m changed?” he asked eagerly.

Andi shrugged again. “Are you?”

Johnny thought. “Do you think so? Do I act different?” he asked again, more clearly.

Andi looked at him. “You act different, yes. But I don’t know whether you could actually be different or not, Johnny Wilson. You’ve been my sworn enemy, and my friends’ and family’s sworn enemy, for a long time. I can’t believe you just like that. It’s going to take time.” She paused, looking down over the valley. “My question is: Why did you kidnap me if you are so changed?” She returned her gaze to him. “Why did you help T.J. carry out his plan of blackmail?”

Johnny looked down to the ground again, his lip between his teeth. “Well, it’s kind of hard to explain,” he finally said.

Andi sighed. “Could you try?” she asked.

He thought again, his brow furrowed. “Alright,” he said at last. “I’ll try to explain myself, and how I got into this messy business. I guess it started with me arriving at the military school infuriated with you, with my father, with Peter, with all lawyers in general, and most of all, with myself. I felt like I had somehow betrayed my family, and I was ready to do anything to get it right. My father always liked Peter better; he was the ‘good kid’ of our family. I always wanted to equal him, so I tried to get Father’s attention by trouble-making. That didn’t do anything but get me in the habit of it and give my name a bad reputation. When my brother’s case came up, it was the perfect chance for me to be honored by my Father, but our plan didn’t work, and Father tried to cover it up by sending me to the military school.

“To make a very long story short, I was reading a Bible one night that a comrade had given me and realized what a sinner I was, and still am unfortunately, but also found that Jesus had given his life up for me. I had gone to church all my life, but never fully understood, and usually spent the sermon terrorizing the people in the pew in front of me. I apologized to God, and apologized to every one of my family, but I couldn’t figure out how to make you, the one person in the town I had really hurt more than physically, realize I was changed.

“When I got off the train in one of the towns, your brother in law, Troy, came up to me. Before I had time to think, he had me involved in getting you captured for a blackmail letter. He’d heard from lots of people that you didn’t like me, so he thought he knew I would be willing to help. I almost resisted, but suddenly it came to me that this was the perfect opportunity to have you hear my side of the story without your brothers or Cory or Jack breathing threats down my back.

“I helped T.J, and we got you at the perfect opportunity. It was hard to see you still mad at me, but, by trying to be nice in any way I could, I tried to communicate that I was sorry.” Johnny finished his somewhat long story with a sigh. “And here you are. I will try to get you away soon, and I hope you believe me after all this trouble I’ve gone to.”

Andi was still somewhat in shock. She tried to let her mind process this story, but she was still thinking about it when Troy came back again, and their conversation was interrupted.

            Her brother in law was still fuming, and he did not look happy. Andi swallowed a few times when he came up to her, trying to keep herself from betraying the fear in her face.

What was he going to do? 

 

Part 5

Suddenly, Troy lunged at her as if to give her a punch, but Johnny slipped between her and Troy, making him stop and blink. Andi suddenly realized that Troy had left to get himself drunk, and then returned to do her harm in his boiling rage.

She quickly slipped off the rock, leaving Johnny to face her brother in law alone. She ran over to the campfire while T.J.’s back was turned and grabbed the knife they had used to cut into the rabbit and sawed at her ropes. Heavenly Father, give me time. Don’t let Troy kill him! She pleaded in silence while frantically trying to figure out how to rub the blade against her bonds when she couldn't even see them. 
Twice she dropped the knife and had to feel around for it. Then finally, first one, then another strand broke free, and she was soon free. She rubbed her wrists, getting blood rushing to her fingertips. Then without a moment’s hesitance, she brought the frying pan down on Troy’s head. There was a resounding thunk, and Troy slumped onto the ground unconscious.

Andi put her hand to her mouth, suddenly realizing what she had done. She quickly felt for his pulse and was relieved to feel one, faint but steady. Using the rope from around her wrists, she tied him up securely. Her experience with other robbers came in handy. She gave the strong knot one last pull with a satisfied grunt, and went to see what happened to Johnny.

She realized that he had changed, that his friendship towards her was genuine. The old Johnny Wilson, troublemaker of her town, would not have put his life in jeopardy for Miss Andrea Carter of the Circle C Ranch. She knew she most likely owed her life to him, so she knew she had to help him, old enmity forgotten.

She found Johnny lying on the ground, blood rushing from his nose, and a good-sized gash on his forehead. Andi went to work without losing any more time. Dragging him over to the fire, she speedily pulled out her handkerchief and pressed it over his nose to stop the bleeding. Johnny gave a slight groan, indicating that he was conscious, and Andi gave a quick sigh of relief. Dipping his bandana in some of the leftover water that had been being used for coffee, she laid it gently over his head wound. Johnny’s nose had stopped bleeding, and she removed the blood-soaked hankie, nearly fainting.

Don’t faint, she warned herself. Remember Mitch’s wound! She swallowed, her tongue wetted her dry lips, and she focused on keeping Johnny’s head from bleeding any more too.

A few minutes went by, although it seemed to Andi that hours went by, Johnny’s eyes fluttered open, and he faintly asked for water. Andi eagerly gave him some and waited impatiently for him to finish the drink and lean back with a grateful sigh. A grin cracked onto his face, and he gingerly felt his sore head.

“I’m very much obliged to you, Andi,” he said. “That could have ended badly for both of us. I owe my life to your quick thinking.”

Andi returned his grin good-naturedly. “Well, I had my plan of escape in mind for a long time. I just needed the opportunity, and you gave it to me. Besides,” she added, “I couldn’t have helped you if you hadn’t helped me first.”

Johnny laughed, and then winced, the action causing his head to hurt. “All the same, I’m very grateful to you for taking care of my head. I was planning on letting you go, you know, but the right time hadn’t come yet.”

Andi shrugged. “The Bible says to love your enemies, and do well to those who spitefully use you.”

A slight frown went over Johnny’s face. “Am I your enemy?” he asked.

Andi shook her head. “Not anymore. I think I believe you now, Johnny Wilson,” she said, putting out her hand.

Johnny shook it heartily, but then leaned back against a rock again, his eyes closing for a moment, as another wave of pain went through him. It soon passed, and he looked up at Andi, who was working on supper for the two of them. “I really am thankful for your friendship, Andi. And I’m very sorry about all the things I did to you in the past.”

Andi shrugged. “Let’s just forget about the mistakes you’ve made in your past, Johnny, and focus on your new future as a child of God,” she said with a warm smile. She handed him a plate of rabbit meat. “Right now, you need to get your strength back so you can bring me back to my family.”

They had dinner and kept two sets of wary eyes on Troy, who was now in a drunken slumber where Andi had tied him up.

“What are we going to do with him?” Johnny asked, jerking a thumb in Troy’s direction.

Andi thought for a moment. “I think we’ll have to bring him to Justin. Justin will know what to do. He always does.” She smiled, and a pang of homesickness swept over her at the thought of her oldest brother. She sat in silence for a moment and watched as Johnny’s head dropped lower and lower onto his chest as he fell into a deep sleep. Then she turned her gaze to the fire as it died down into coals. Before she realized it, she too fell into a deep sleep at the end of her exciting day.

 

Part 6

Early the next morning, Andi awoke and stretched after sleeping in an awkward position all night. Troy still slept on, his mouth open and snoring slightly. Johnny had shifted position during the night and his bandage was off part of the way. Andi gently returned it to its proper place and got up. She cleaned up the campfire a little and divided the remaining rabbit meat into three piles on two plates and a bowl. She brought one plate over to Troy, one plate to Johnny, and the bowl for herself.  She ate her breakfast in silence, listening to the birds and crickets.

In a few minutes, Johnny awoke with a groan and sat himself up. He ate his breakfast in silence as well, and grimaced every once in a while as his wound hurt him off and on. Troy hoisted himself up, furious to find himself a captive instead of Andi, but his fuming he kept to himself except for an occasional grumble. Andi kept an eye on him all the same.

Once breakfast was finished, Andi cleared away the plates and bowl, and put them into a travel bag. Just as she was doing so, a horse whinnied, and Andi gave a shout of joy. Her yell brought Taffy, her horse, followed by Chad, Justin, Cory, Mitch, and Jack. Andi threw herself into each of her brothers’ arms, one at a time, and she practically shook the arms off her two friends.

Chad’s eyes swept the camp, and his eyes narrowed when they landed on Troy and Johnny. Andi quickly explained her story to her family and friends before they did them any harm. Chad was ready to pound Troy to pulp, but Justin, cool-headed and calm, kept him from doing so. It was difficult to convince her brothers and her friends that Johnny was truly changed, especially Cory and Jack, but they believed Andi and did him no harm.

After her brothers had gotten the smoldering Troy onto a horse and Andi on Taffy, they gently assisted the still-hurt Johnny Wilson onto another horse.

On the way home, Andi filled Cory and Jack in on her adventure. They were quite envious as well as surprised at Johnny’s new character. Andi also informed Justin of Troy’s attempt at blackmail, and he assured her that he would take care of all the details. She then had questions to ask of her friends, and they had loads of fun talking about all the things that were happening in the town.

“When are we going to have that race, Andi?” Cory asked as soon as he could get a word in edgewise.

Andi grinned. “You’ll never give up, will you?” she asked.

Cory pushed his hair out of his eyes and returned her grin. “Nope, not unless you lose in this next one.”

Andi tossed her braids over her shoulders in disdain. “And that’s not likely, is it, Cory?” she said.

He shrugged, and Jack exchanged a smile with Andi behind his back.

* * * * *

“Mother,” Andi complained as her mother kept putting the stinging salve on her wrists. “Mother, they don’t hurt that bad, honest!”

Her mother looked at her disbelievingly and continued.

Andi looked over her mother’s shoulder at Johnny, who had already gone through the same process. He pinched his nose and stuck out his tongue, making Andi have to work at keeping her face straight. Grinning back at her, he shrugged his shoulders hopelessly. A slight squeak escaped her sealed lips, and she earned herself a reproving look from her mother.

Chad came in then, and Johnny, with his head still in a bandage nicely cleaned by Melinda, followed him out to the wagon in which he was to be taken home. Andi gave a sigh of regret, for believe it or not, she and Johnny had become fast friends over the past few days as his head gradually healed enough for him to travel all the way into town where his family lived. She would actually miss him, and that in itself was a surprise to her, but over the past few days she had felt toward Johnny Wilson something she had never felt before, even to her brothers.   

* * * * *

The courtship started when a surprise letter was delivered to Chad one day as he was working out in the barn. He came running in, breathless and excited, Andi and her family were sitting around the table, and when Chad entered, everyone jumped from their seats in surprise. Chad, without a word, dropped the letter in front of Justin, who scanned it quickly, and then with raised eyebrows towards Andi, he gave the letter to their mother. There was a long silence.

“Well!” Andi’s mother said with emphasis. She gave it to Andi, who read through it then promptly turned red to the ears. She gave the letter back to her brother without making eye contact.

Chad sat down absentmindedly and cupped his chin with his hand thoughtfully. After a silence, he looked over at Andi, who still sat with downcast eyes and blushing cheeks.

“Do you want him?” he asked.

Andi swallowed. “I would marry him if he asked,” she said quietly. “He truly is changed, Chad. He’s a godly young man now.” She paused, stammering some in her embarrassment. “I-I do like him, Chad.”

Chad answered with a grunt, and there was another silence.

“Alright, if you truly like him, Andi, you two have my permission.” He stopped and grinned, “And my blessing.”

Andi gave him a grateful look.

Justin got up and gave Andi a hug. “You shouldn’t grow up so fast,” he said, smiling. “It seems like yesterday you were only knee high to a grasshopper.”

Andi gave him a look of disbelief. “I wasn’t ever that short, was I?” she asked.

Justin laughed. “No, you weren’t. May God bless you in your new life.” He hugged her again.

During the rest of the meal, Melinda dedicated herself to explaining to Andi all she should do to her hair and her appearances before the day he asked for her hand, but Andi paid little mind to that. She figured that either Johnny could take her the way she was or forget all about it.

* * * * *

The wedding was on a beautiful day in August, warm, but not hot, and Andi had Jenny be her maid of honor, since she was visiting for the summer, and Justin was the best man. The wedding ended with a race, as Andi willed it, and of course she won, with Johnny not far behind on a horse he had borrowed just for the occasion. 

THE END