A Blizzard and a Baby

 by Lizzy D. (Ages 14-17)

                 

   Andi Prescott yanked a weed from her garden, then looked up to check on her three children, Lottie, Lilly and Jared.

   Jared sat on the quilt next to his sisters, watching over them.

   Andi smiled.

   Even though Jared was only six, he watched over his three-year-old sisters very closely.

   Andi looked back down and yanked some more weeds. It seemed as if ten weeds grew for every one Andi picked.

   Her head snapped back up a few minutes when she heard one of her girls scream.

   “Mama, Come quick!” Jared yelled.

   Andi stumbled to her feet and ran from the garden. “What is it Jared?” Her eyes searched the yard. Lilly sat on the quilt quietly, but Lottie was nowhere to be seen. “Where’s Lottie?”

   “She went that way. I went after her and tried to bring her back, but she screamed and ran away.” Jared said, pointing towards the barn.

   Andi rushed off towards the way Lottie went. Andi could see a wisp of pink go around the corner of the barn. “Lord, you know that we have a new stallion near the barn. Keep my baby girl safe.”

   Andi rushed into the barn and looked around, willing her eyes to adjust to the darkness faster. Where did my little girl go? Andi looked in all the stalls, but no Lottie. Andi heard the chickens outside squawk and a horse neigh. Andi rushed outside, hoping and praying that it was Lottie making the commotion.

   Lottie sat outside on the ground, very close to the corral, in danger of being trampled.

   Andi gasped at the sight of the large, misty gray stallion about to come pounding down on the fence. Andi dashed over and snatched Lottie up. She quickly ran back to the barn. She ducked behind the door and watched through the crack.

   The stallion, Blizzard, pranced around in his corral. Huffing and snorting, Blizzard pawed the ground.

   Andi stepped from behind the door and headed towards her other children. “Jared, pick up the quilt and take it inside please.”

   Jared nodded and picked up the quilt. He took Lilly’s hand and led her inside.

   Andi followed closely. “Jared, go play with Lilly in her and Lottie’s bedroom.” She said when they stepped into the kitchen.

   Jared and Lilly walked away and Andi sat down at the kitchen table with Lottie.

   “Lottie.”

   “Yeah, Mama.” Lottie said.

   “Do you think you did something wrong today?”

   Lottie hung her head. “Maybe.”

   Andi cupped Lottie’s little chin in her hand and pulled her head up gently. “You left the quilt, didn’t listen to your brother when he told you to come back, and you went near the barn. How many times have I told you not to go near the barn?”

    Tears started to fill Lottie’s eyes.

   Andi felt her eyes begin to burn. “I don’t like having to punish you, but you know I have to.”

   Lottie sniffled. “Yes, Mama.” Her voice caught.

   Andi turned Lottie over and spanked her little behind. Her small sniffles turned into soft cries.

   Andi sat Lottie back up and looked at the crying little face. “I love you, Lottie.”

 

   ***

   Riley Prescott reigned in Dakota at the barn that evening. He put Dakota in the barn and glanced over at Blizzard, the misty gray stallion. He noticed gashes in the dirt and a splintered rail near the barn. “ I wonder how that happened. Better replace that right after supper.”

   Riley walked in the house and hung up his hat.

   “Welcome home, Riley.” Andi greeted.

   “Hey, Andi.” Riley paused,  “Hey, what happened in Blizzard’s corral?”

   Andi pulled a roast from the Black Beast and set it on the counter. “Uhh. Lottie got away from Jared and she went toward the barn. She was sitting near the corral and Blizzard got a little… antsy.”

   “Oh.”

   Andi smiled weakly. “Is he okay?”

   “Yeah, but I have to fix that splintered rail after dinner. Thank goodness it was only one and not all three.”

   “Mm-hmm.” Andi pulled plates out of the cupboard. “Can you get the kids for supper?”

   Riley nodded and went to get the children. He walked into Jared’s room and surprised them.

   “Papa!” Three shrieks of delight greeted him.

   “Hi. Mama says it's time for supper.”

   Jared whooped and ran out.

   Riley took Lottie and Lilly’s hands and took them to the kitchen. After everyone was seated, they joined hands and bowed their heads.

   “Lord, thank you for this food and for our safety throughout the day. Amen.”

   ***

   Blizzard’s hooves landed on the fence.

   Lottie sat only a few feet away.

   Blizzard reared again.

   Andi reached to save Lottie, but her feet wouldn’t move. She looked at Blizzard, then at Lottie.

   Lottie’s eyes pleaded for help as Blizzard started to come down.

   Andi sat straight up in bed. She gasped for breath. Andi looked over at Riley. He lay fast asleep.  She pushed back the blankets and swung her feet over the side of the bed. She padded down the hall and quietly pushed open the girls’ room door.

   Lottie lay with her thumb in her mouth and Lilly had pushed away her blankets.

   Andi gently pulled the blankets back over Lilly’s shoulders, then rubbed Lottie’s cheek.

   Satisfied that her girls were okay, she checked on Jared, then walked out to the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of water and sat at the table.

   A faint sound from the girls’ room alerted Andi. She walked over to the door and looked in.

   A dark shadow of a man leaned over Lottie’s crib!

   Andi gasped.

   The sound alerted him and he snapped his head up.

   Andi was surprised. What she thought was a man was actually a woman.

   A hand then crept over Andi’s mouth.

   Andi screamed into the hand.

   “Shh. Don’t. Move.”

   Riley? Andi recognized the voice.

   The woman looked relieved.

   Andi was puzzled.

   The woman picked up Lottie and hurried out the window.

   Riley shoved Andi towards the window.

   He watched the woman creep to a nearby tree and hid.

   “Andi. I woke up and you were gone. I came out and saw a man come near you. I knocked him out and tied him up. You have to act like I’m him, okay?” Riley explained quickly.

   Andi nodded.

   “Okay. Now, go out the window.” He pulled up a handkerchief over his nose and nodded.

   Andi wiggled out the window and jumped to the ground. Riley was not far behind her.

   He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the tree.

   “What took you so long? Never mind. We got the girl.” The woman smiled down at Lottie. “Let’s go.”

   Riley let go of Andi and grabbed the other woman. “Not so fast.” Riley pulled down the handkerchief. “Give us our baby.”

   The woman gasped and horror filled her face. Her lips trembled as she handed Lottie to Andi.

   Andi hugged Lottie close and stared at the woman.

   “Why don’t we go inside?” Riley led the woman inside and sat her in the kitchen. “Andi, watch her.”

    Andi sat across from her as Riley left the room. He came back in with a tall, dark haired man.

   “Sit.” Riley sat across from him. “Who are you?”

   Silence.

   “Look. Either talk to me or talk to the sheriff.”

   “I’m Hosea Ryan and she is my wife, Maryanna.” Hosea folded his hands.

   “Okay, better. Now, what were you doing with our daughter?”

   Maryanna began crying.

   Hosea reached out and clutched her hand. “Our own daughter, Helen, was… kidnapped and they want a ransom of a thousand dollars. So we thought that since your family had so much money, you could give us ransom for her so we could give the ransom for Helen.”

   Andi felt a little sorry for the couple.

   Riley leaned back in his chair and rubbed his hand over his face. He glanced over at Andi and she could see the question in his eyes.

   Hosea looked down at the table. “We’re so sorry.” His voice choked with tears.

   Riley straightened again. “Where are you from?”

   “The further side of Fresno.” Hosea said.

   “Okay. You’ll spend the night here and tomorrow we’ll go into town. We’ll talk to the sheriff.”

   Hosea and Maryanna gasped.

   “We’ll tell him about Helen and we will try to help you find her.”

   Maryanna smiled through her tears. “Thank you!”

   Andi smiled. “Dear Lord,” She thought. “Help us to find Helen. Please.”

   ***

   Riley slapped the reins to motivate the horses.

   Early this morning Andi and Riley had packed up the kids to spend the night with Grandma and had headed to town with Hosea and Maryanna.

   Andi and Maryanna sat on the back of the buckboard, talking as if they were old friends.

   Town buildings peeked over the hill and Riley slapped the reins again. He pulled to a stop in front of the sheriff building and hopped down. He helped Andi down and headed inside.

   “Riley! What are you doing in my office today?” Sheriff Tate greeted from his desk..

   “We have a kidnapping.”

   “One of your kids?” Sheriff Tate gaped.

   “Not quite.” Riley turned to Hosea and Maryanna. “This is Hosea and Maryanna Ryan. Their daughter got kidnapped.”

   Sheriff Tate pulled out a pad of paper and a pencil. “Sit, sit. Tell me all about it.”

   ***

   “Okay. Tuesday night you put your daughter to bed. You went to check on her an hour later and she wasn’t there. Why didn’t you come to me in the first place?”

   Hosea and Maryanna looked at each other nervously. “Because of the note.”

   “Note?”

   “There was a note in her crib. It said if we told the sheriff, they’d kill Helen and that we’d get the ransom note soon.” Hosea explained.

   “So what made you come in now?” Sheriff Tate asked.

   “Riley and Andi helped us.”

   “Alright. So after you found she wasn’t there, you got a note Wednesday morning demanding the ransom of one thousand dollars. You went out to the Prescott’s place Wednesday night and tried to take Lottie. You got caught and were convinced to come see me. Correct?”

   “Yes. That’s all correct.” Hosea nodded.

   “Alright. I’ll get a posse together. Riley, are you going to join us?” Sheriff Tate stood and strapped on his gun belt.

   “Yeah.” Riley agreed.

   “I’d like to join you, too.” Hosea stood.

   “Alright. Riley, do you want to go find some other men? Try to get Frank Lawerence, John Reed and Henry Winslow. I’ll send someone out to get Chad and Mitch.”

   “No need to send someone out, they’re on their way.” Andi piped up.

   Riley told Andi goodbye and headed out the door.

   ***

   Andi took Maryanna’s arm and led her toward the door. “Come on. We’ll go to my sister’s house and see her boy. He’s four. Then we’ll go to my brother’s house and see his boy and girl. His boy is ten and his girl is eight.” Andi opened the door for Maryanna and followed her out.

   Maryanna glanced back toward the sheriff’s office. “Do you think they’ll find her?”

   “I’m sure of it.” Andi quickly weaved along the streets until she reached Melinda’s house. She briskly knocked.

   “Coming!” A call came from inside the house. The door cracked open. “Yes? Oh, Andi!” The door opened wider. “Come in.” Melinda held the door open and ushered them in.

   Andi walked in with Maryanna behind her.

   Maryanna’s head was ducked shyly.

   Melinda quirked an eyebrow at Andi. “Who’s this?”

   “Maryanna Ryan. It’s a long story.”

 

    ***

    Riley climbed on top of the horse and looked around at the other men. The men altogether made a posse of ten.

    “Alright, men, we’re going to start at Hosea Ryan’s house and head out from there.” Sheriff Tate called. He nodded to Hosea. “Lead the way.”

    The horses started.

    “Did this guy actually try to kidnap Lottie?” Mitch asked from Riley’s left.

    “Well, his wife actually took Lottie, but he was there.”

   “Well, I hope we find his little girl.” Chad said.

   Riley looked at the slumped back of Hosea. “Me, too.”

   ***

   Stepping out of Melinda’s house, Andi heard Maryanna sigh heavily. “What is it?”

   “I felt like she was judging me. I really didn’t want to take your baby, but I wanted my baby back so much. I knew your baby wouldn’t die, but mine could. I’m so sorry.” Maryanna choked up and tears started to trickle down her cheeks.

   “Maryanna, I know for a fact that Melinda wasn’t judging you. You may have felt that because you are judging yourself. The Bible says in Matthew seven ‘Judge not, that ye be not judged’.”

   Maryanna hesitated. “But I wasn’t judging her.”

   “No, but you were judging yourself.”

   Maryanna fell silent.

   Andi slowed her step. “You’ve been forgiven. Now all you have to do is forgive yourself.”

   ***

   Riley had been in the saddle for three hours. The sheriff had found a seemingly solid lead, three men with a baby had rode through a day ago. Now all they had to do was find them.

   “Hold up! Look. Three sets of tracks. Same ones we’ve been following. Let’s go!”

   Veering off the trail, the men looked at the ground, making sure to follow the tracks. Riley lifted his head to stretch his neck. “Hey, Chad. Look over there.” He pointed at a nearby stand of trees. Smoke wafted over the treetops.

   “You think that’s them?” Chad said.

   “Wouldn’t hurt to check.” Riley rode up to the sheriff. “Sheriff. Look. Smoke.”

   The sheriff held up his hand to stop the men. “Let’s get off here and go on foot. Surround the camp. If it’s them, don't shoot. I’ll go in and be a passing traveler. I’ll draw my gun as a signal. Got it?”

    Men around them nodded.

    Riley dismounted and crept toward the camp, making sure Hosea was near him, in case Riley had to stop him from going in too soon.

    Three horses stood outside the camp. Riley could see a large basket near the fire with blankets inside. The blankets moved. Riley was sure that it was the baby.

   Two men lay with their hats over their faces, probably asleep. The other man sat  staring into the fire.

   Sheriff Tate walked into the camp then.

   The one near the fire shot up and one that was asleep pushed his hat back and sat up.

   “Howdy! Name’s Russ Tate. Saw your fire a mile back, mind if I sit a spell?” Sheriff was doing a good job acting.

   Next to him, Hosea tensed.

   Riley looked to see why.

   The man who had sat up was creeping towards the basket, his hand almost on the handle.

   The other man woke up and glanced around.

   “That’s fine. My name is Will. This is Jess.” He motioned to the one near the basket. “And that one’s Cole.”

   Sheriff sat near the fire and stuck his hands over it. “Feels nice. It’s getting cold around here.”

   Riley felt his feet start to tingle.

   Sheriff stood back up. “I’m looking for some men. They are traveling with a baby. A kidnapped baby.”

   Cole tensed.

   “Why are you looking for them?” Will asked.

   “I live in the town where the baby was kidnapped from. I happen to be the sheriff.”

   Jess quickly grabbed the basket and ran towards the woods.

   Sheriff drew his gun.

   Eight men and Riley jumped out from the brush.

   Will, Cole and Jess froze.

   Jess dropped the basket and put his hands up.

   A loud wail sounded.

   Hosea holstered his gun and grabbed the basket. Stepping a safe distance away, he moved aside the blankets and picked up the baby. She calmed down quickly.

   “Alright boys. Drop your guns.” The sheriff motioned to the outlaws.

   Riley went over and picked them up. Riley looked back at Hosea.

   He had put the baby down and was now headed for Jess. Hosea clenched his fists. “Why’d you take my daughter?”

    Jess laughed. “Don’t you know, Hosea?” Jess stopped laughing. “Because you stole Maryanna from me. My friends here just wanted money, but I wanted revenge.”

   Hosea stepped closer to Jess. “Maryanna chose me. She might have chosen you if you were around more, if you weren’t on a wanted poster in every sheriff's office in California!”

   Riley stepped between them. “Come on, Hosea. Let's get Helen back to Maryanna.”

   Hosea stepped back and turned away.

  “Saddle up, men!” The sheriff called.

  Riley walked over to Hosea. “How is she?”

  Hosea offered a small smile. “Not a scratch on her and happy as can be. I can’t wait to take her back to Maryanna.”

   ***

   Andi and Maryanna sat on the buckboard eating lunch and watching for the posse.

   “I am worried. They’ve been gone almost six hours.” Maryanna said. “When will they be back?”

   Andi started to reply, but was cut off by the sound of horses.

   Maryanna looked at them hopefully. She gasped with delight and started running towards Hosea’s horse.

   Hosea practically leapt off the horse as Maryanna reached him.

   Maryanna took a bundle of blankets from his arms and smiled widely.

   Andi walked over to Riley. “You found her.”

   Riley pulled her into his arms. “Did you doubt we would?”

   “I hoped for the best, but prepared for the worst.” Andi replied.

   Riley chuckled.

   “They look so happy.” Andi said.

   “They are happy.”

   Andi smiled. “Lucy offered for us to stay with her tonight.”

   “Sounds good. I’m tired.” Riley took his horse's reins and started towards the livery. “I’ll meet you there!”

   Andi waved and started towards her brother's house. “Lord, thank you so very much. Thank you for keeping Helen safe and that she is back with her parents. Amen.”

   “Andi! Wait!”

   Andi turned to Maryanna. “Yes?”

   “I want to thank you.”

   “Anyone would've done it.” Andi smiled.

   “Well,  since you did, we want to thank you.” Maryanna smiled. “Hosea and I want you over for supper next Saturday. You can stay over and we’ll all go to church in the morning. Please.”

   “We’d love to.”

   “And bring your children.”

   “We will.”

   Maryanna turned back to Hosea.

   Andi smiled. Hosea and Maryanna will be wonderful friends.

   ***

   Eighteen years later

  

   Andi watched Jared’s bride walk down the aisle.

   She looked so beautiful, her dark hair flowing down her back.

   Andi smiled all through the service.

   At the end, the pastor introduced the couple, Jared and Helen Prescott.