Starting from Scratch Ch. 13

From nowhere Lauren collided with Thomas and hugged him tight.

"I'm sorry too," Lauren cried as she buried her face in his chest.

Thomas reached around and wrapped one arm around her shoulders and squeezed. Kissing her on the top of her head he mumbled only loud enough for the two girls to hear, "I'm sorry too. I hope from now on we can be friends."

When Thomas looked around he found Margaret and the others all watching him. Margaret was wiping tears from her cheeks while Rhea and the others were smiling. From that point on Thomas and Margaret relieved Virgil from his watch over Cheyenne and Leslie. Rhea, Anna, and Deborah took turns caring for Lauren, Hannah, and Gwen, and they provided lunch and dinners for Virgil.

A week passed as Leslie's bruises healed and the swelling subsided in her brain and on the following Monday she finally woke up. Weakly, she greeted Margaret first and they both cried as they embraced. Leslie was reassured that her children were okay. Cheyenne, who was in much better condition than her mother and mending quickly, limped over and hugged Leslie.

"I'm sorry mama," Cheyenne mumbled through sobs, "I'm so sorry!"

Leslie still didn't have much strength. It took everything she had to pat her daughter's back and whisper, "It's alright. It's alright. I know honey. I love you."

Thomas made sure that the cost of the hospital visit was not even a concern. He paid for everything and made sure Leslie and Cheyenne received the best care possible.

One day, while Rhea and Virgil were tending to Leslie and Cheyenne, Thomas and Margaret accompanied by Lauren returned to Margaret's home. There was nothing left but a blackened and charred skeleton of what had once been the home Margaret built and shared with her late husband until he died.

Friends trucks from down the road were parked in front of the barn. Thomas found them feeding the animals and mucking out stalls. Thomas walked hand in hand with Lauren around the property while Margaret met her neighbors and arranged to have them take her animals. They insisted on buying them, but Margaret informed them that if that was the case then the services rendered were payment enough. Hugs and handshakes were exchanged and then the neighbors left. They would return the next day with animal trailers.

Lauren, walking with Thomas squeezed his hand as they approached the yellow police tape surrounding what had been for a short time their home. In a low trembling voice told him what happened. Even the almost sexual assault and Hannah with the shotgun. Of how Larry's head had exploded. Of how his blood and brains had covered her whole naked body. And then the fire.

"I guess it's what we deserve," She finished, "For what we did to you, Cheyenne, and I. You were the best thing to ever happen to us. Cheyenne was so mad, jealous, and messed up. We both were. Are. I'm so sorry. I never should have gone along with Cheyenne's plan. I'm so stupid!"

Thomas let go of Lauren's hand and pulled her into his arms for a tight hug. She was short enough that her shoulder fit under the pit of his arm and he was able to kiss the top of her head before fervently saying, "Lauren, I want you to listen to me, okay? Nothing. Nothing! You've ever done makes you or Cheyenne deserving of what your father..."

"Larry," Lauren corrected him, "He was never a father. He was a sperm donor."

"Larry, then" Thomas amended, "Nothing you or Cheyenne did ever made you deserve what Larry did to you girls!"

Lauren nodded as she cried and shuddered in Thomas's arms and hugged him tighter, but he wasn't convinced that she heard him so he continued, "What happened between you and Cheyenne and me, well, I'm not going to sugarcoat it, it was horribly wrong. But still, even then, you did not deserve this. Now that you two have seen how bad that was and apologized, as far as I'm concerned, what's done is done. Okay?"

"Yeah," Lauren replied with a relieved sigh.

"Funny how shit like this puts life in perspective, isn't it," Thomas mumbled, "I know it sure had for me."

"Yeah," Lauren said again as she snuggled in a little closer which raised Thomas's eyebrows in alarm.

It took some effort not to step away from the girl even though he knew she needed his support right then. She would probably perceive it as rejection too, and that might crush what little self-esteem remained in her. She already had one man in her life that made her feel less than worthless. He would not be that for her too!

"Hey you," Margaret called as she walked up.

Thomas jumped and started to pull away despite just thinking the contrary. He felt like he had just been caught doing something he shouldn't have, but then he turned toward Margaret and she was smiling. She was looking at Lauren as she purred, "Quit hogging my man!"

Lauren smiled demurely and hugged Thomas tighter. Margaret grinned warmly and then looked up at Thomas. She caught his chagrined expression and her grin turned sensually speculative as her eyes darted to Lauren and then back to him. She said nothing though, simply took his free hand and leaned into him as she turned to look at her burned-out wreck of a house.

"Well," She mumbled softly, "It appears that fate has stepped in and taken all of my choices from me."

She paused for a long moment then added, "I guess there is no place for me here in Montana anymore. From now on I am with you. I am your woman, and you are my man. I guess I'll be a Florida girl from now on..."

"No," Thomas replied softly but firmly. Margaret looked up at him quizzically and he added, "All your choices remain open to you. You will get insurance money from this and together we will build a brand new home. One where you can stay and live if you so desire. Or, where we might all come and stay part of the year. And, although I hope you always want to be with me. Be my woman. My wife? The fact is, if you do not, then I will accept that too."

"Are you asking me formally to marry you?" Margaret asked as she looked down at her engagement ring.

Thomas had proposed to her then as well, but then he had proposed to all of his harem as well. Rhea. Anna. Emma. Deborah. He made a wonderful ceremony of it, and truly it did feel special. But this, right now, in front of the wreckage of her life. In this singular moment when it was just him and her like it used to be, except for Lauren. This was what she really wanted. Him to propose to her, and only her.

"Yes," Thomas said firmly, as if he had sensed the importance of the moment to Margaret.

He unwrapped his arm from Lauren and she stepped away as Thomas turned fully toward Margaret, kneeled, and placed his hands on her belly.

"Will you, Margaret Gardener, marry me?"

When his eyes left her rounded belly full of his babies and rose to meet her eyes she answered.

"Yes! Yes, I will marry you!"