But she had been bred to be smaller, and to be an indoor pet. She’d been a pest in the beginning, always trying to root for something under the rug in the bathroom and always squealing for food whenever Emma or Missy ate. But they’d trained her religiously, and now she was pretty much the perfect version of the pet pig Emma had always wanted.
She came trotting over to Emma, who walked down the road toward the stables. Missy would be finished with her riding lesson soon, and Ted was off with his parole officer for the last time.
The last time.
Emma couldn’t imagine what he was feeling, and he hadn’t been able to adequately describe what being free felt like for him.
“It hasn’t happened yet,” he’d said when she’d asked him last night. They’d been sitting on the front steps of the cabin while Missy romped around with Petunia and the American Idol dogs.
“Tomorrow, though,” Emma said. “How do you think you’re going to feel?”
“Don’t know,” he’d said. And he’d not said much else. She knew he was deep in his thoughts, as they’d spent a lot of time together over the past eight weeks. The three of them. Him, her, and Missy.
He’d said he wanted to go to the beach when he got released, and Emma had been planning that trip for a month now. She had everything ready—she just needed Ted to be the free man he wanted to be.
When Ted stopped talking, it meant he was thinking really hard. Trying to figure something out. He’d gone with Nate to clean out Nate’s brother’s house, and both times, they’d both come back quiet and reflective. She’d taken Connor for Nate, as he and Missy were the only children on the ranch, and though they were five years apart, they got along great.
And apparently, whenever Ted wasn’t around, Emma was a good enough substitute for his four dogs, so she never went anywhere by herself anymore. She always had Petunia with her, and usually Randy, Simon, Paula, and Ryan too. Missy too, if she wasn’t at school.
Emma couldn’t believe how much her life had changed in the past three and a half months, and as she approached the stables, she tipped her head back and looked up into the heavens. “Thank you, Lord.”
God really was good, and Emma wanted Him to know she knew it, appreciated it, and would do whatever He wanted her to.
Ted usually took care of the horses after riding lessons, and she saw him when she picked up Missy. He’d work for a couple more hours, and then he came over to the cabin for the evening. Their routine had been nice and normal for a while now, and she glanced around the corrals, expecting to see him.
When she didn’t, her anxiety picked up steam. He wasn’t done with his parole officer yet, and she wondered how long it took to tell him he was officially released from the Bureau of Prisons. She’d wondered if he’d have to keep meeting with Martin after his release, but Ted knew the law, and he said he wouldn’t.
He’d served all of his time, and he’d been in the reentry program. He’d told her he expected today’s meeting to be the last one.
Which was probably why it was taking so long.
The children and instructors started returning, and Emma scooped Petunia into her arms so the little pig wouldn’t get trampled by the influx of horses.
Spencer stood next to Jess, and they laughed about something. Jess put her hand on Spencer’s chest, and Emma watched them closely. Jess liked him, and Emma had never seen her act like this before—not with Spencer.
She’d told him to ask her out, but she hadn’t known if he had or not. “Looks like he did,” she murmured to her piglet. “Good for him.” She smiled in their direction and started scanning the horses for Missy.
She took pictures every Wednesday afternoon to send to Fran and Matt, because they’d so wanted to give Missy horseback riding lessons. Emma had set up virtual violin lessons with the teacher in San Antonio, and they’d go up there for a few in-person lessons before the recital. But that was months away, as summer was in full swing, and the only thing on Missy’s schedule was these afternoon riding lessons.
“Emma,” Ginger said, and Emma turned toward her. “Can you come help me for a second?” She wore stress on her face, and Emma couldn’t wait until Ginger and Nate were married. The date drew ever closer, as Nate had convinced Ginger to move it to August, before the major harvest started and before school started again and their lessons picked up. After the breeding season for horses, which they were in the full swing of now.
Only three more weeks until the big wedding on the ranch, and Ginger had been relying on Emma, Jess, Hannah, Jill, and Michelle for a lot of decisions. Emma had eaten fancy meals, and tasted chocolate cake until she never wanted another bite. They’d all gone to town to help Ginger pick her dress, and only Emma and Ginger had gone to order flowers.
“Sure,” Emma said, casting another glance to the riders still coming in. She hadn’t seen Missy yet, and Emma reminded herself that her daughter was ten years old. She could dismount and hand over her reins by herself. She didn’t need Emma there to hold her hand the moment she returned from lessons.
She put Petunia down and followed Ginger into the stables.
“I just need help deciding on the altar design,” Ginger said over her shoulder, her longer legs eating up more distance with every step. Emma had never
