Nebraska Series: Book 9
Forever
Yours
Ruth Ann Nordin
This is a work of fiction. The events and characters described herein are imaginary and are not intended to refer to specific places or living persons. The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and also represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher.
Forever Yours
All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2019 Ruth Ann Nordin
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Book Cover Design by: Yellow Prelude Design, LLC
This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without expressed written consent of the publisher/author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
Tina Grace, this one’s for you!
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Epilogue
More Books Featuring the Larson Family
All Books By Ruth Ann Nordin
Where to Find Ruth
Chapter One
Omaha, Nebraska
June 1884
“Isaac, hand me Adam’s shoe,” Dave Larson said as he kept his arm protectively around the toddler so he wouldn’t wiggle off the saddle.
Eight-year-old Isaac bent down to retrieve the shoe that had fallen to the grass and handed it to his father.
Dave slipped the shoe back on Adam’s foot. “Thanks, son. Go on to your horse.”
Isaac hurried over to his gelding and hopped into the saddle as if he’d been born to ride it. Dave smiled in pride. That was his boy. Someday, Adam would get on a horse with such ease, too.
As Isaac took the reins in his hands, Dave asked, “Where do you want to ride?”
“The cornstalks. I want to see how much they’ve grown,” he said as he guided the horse over to Dave and Adam.
“The cornstalks it is.” Dave got ready to lead them out to the field when Mary called out to him.
He glanced over at the house and saw that she was on the front porch. He urged his horse to go over to her, and Isaac followed.
When he reached her, he pulled back the reins to come to a stop. “It can’t be time for supper already, can it?”
“No, it won’t be ready for another two hours,” Mary replied. “Are you really going to take Adam out for a ride?”
“Sure. I think he’ll have fun.”
Her eyebrows furrowed in concern. “He’s only two. I’m not sure he’s old enough to be on a horse yet.”
“Adam will be fine,” he replied. “I took Isaac out on a horse when he was two, and look at him now.” He gestured to their son who was looking at the cornstalks in a way that told Dave he was anxious to get out there. “Isaac’s a natural. You’d swear he was born on that thing.”
She let out a sigh.
“You were scared when I first took Isaac out, but everything was alright,” he reminded her. “Adam will be fine, too. Adam has good balance, and I got a good grip on him. I’ve been riding horses since I was a boy. It’s perfectly safe.”
Adam patted the horse’s mane and giggled. “Feels funny.”
Their five-year-old daughter ran out of the house and bounded down the porch steps. “I want to pet the horsie!”
Mary followed Rachel and picked her up so that she could touch the horse’s neck. Giving another uncertain look at Adam, she said, “Alright. You can take him for a ride, but be careful, Dave. Adam looks so small on Jack.”
Dave hid his amusement at the way she fretted over the children. She was a mother. Mothers were supposed to fret over their children. It meant they loved them. His own mother had been the same way while he and his siblings were growing up.
“I’ll be careful,” he assured her. He glanced at Rachel. “Do you want a ride when Adam’s done?”
Rachel wrinkled her nose. “No. I want to help Ma.”
“At least I can talk one child into staying safe,” Mary replied, not hiding her relief.
Dave chuckled. “Horses are safe as long as you know what you’re doing. Someday, Rachel will want to learn to ride one.”
“I’m not opposed to the children learning to ride a horse,” Mary said. “I just think the older they are, the better.”
“Can we go now?” Isaac asked.
Since Adam was squirming impatiently, Dave figured it was best that they head on out before Mary changed her mind. Dave often thought part of the reason she was worried about horses was because she hadn’t grown up riding them. And this led him to believe that the earlier he got the children used to being on them, the better off they’d be. Rachel had only been on a horse twice, and while she had seemed comfortable, she hadn’t shown much interest in riding more often. He’d conclude that boys were more interested in horses than girls were if he didn’t have a niece who was always on one. Pushing the observation aside, Dave told Mary they’d return soon.
He rode beside Isaac past the fenced-in pasture where he kept the cows and horses when the weather was nice. Today was an ideal day. It was sunny and the breeze was strong enough to cool things off.
The property leading to the cornstalks was level enough to make the horse ride an easy one, but even so, he kept an eye on Isaac to make sure he was doing alright on the horse. Susannah was a good mare. She was the gentlest of all the horses he owned. She was ideal for a new rider. And Isaac seemed to have no trouble leading her. Soon, Isaac would be ready to ride another horse.
As the cornstalks came into view,
