Chapter 1.

  It wasn’t what she imagined, what she had dreamed of as a child.  She had always fancied her wedding to be a magical, beautiful thing.  She was supposed to wear a flawless white dress with a long train and flower petals all around.  She imagined the whole town to be gathered, watching her as she reveled in her moment, walking down the aisle, to the arms of the man she loved.  But, dreams rarely did come true.  Instead, she found herself trudging through the tawny sand dusted field behind the Westland’s three-story home, looking up at a gray, heavy sky.  She imagined that the sky must have taken some kind of pity on her and shared her pain.  It was even moved to tears, as it opened its heart, and rained forth its sorrow upon her and the assembled party that had come to bear witness to the union at hand.  
  Dakota was hardly attentive to the ceremony.  Had she not been a part of it, she would not have been aware that it was even taking place.  It wasn’t until she felt Cody’s lips press upon her own that she realized that it had concluded.


  “Hey, congratulations!” a voice said, as she felt a hand clasp her shoulder.
  “Huh?” Dakota gasped.  “Oh, May.  Thanks.” she replied, despondently.
  “Although I am mad as hell that you kept this little love affair from me for all this time!” her friend continued.  “You could have at least told me when he proposed to you.  I thought I was your best friend.”
  Dakota’s only response was a deep, shuddering sigh.  
  “What?  What’s the matter?” May asked, concern tinting her speech.
  Dakota sighed, heavily and drew her companion away from the crowd that was slowly forming about them and over to the privacy of a nearby tree.  She sank to the ground, feeling more helpless than she ever had in all her days.  Sensing the depths of her friend’s pain, Maybelle, “May” to those closest to her, sank down beside her, resting a comforting hand upon the young bride’s weary shoulder.
  “Dakota, what happened?” she pressed.
  “I-...May...he didn’t propose to me.” she sobbed.
  “What?” she asked, startled by the admission her ears had just received.  “What do you mean he didn’t propose to you?  Then how-”
  “It was our parents.” she choked, fighting back the tears that threatened to escape her lids.  “They arranged this whole thing to help our ranch and their crops because of the drought.”
  “That’s ridiculous!  I know some farms lost a lot in that disaster; hell, we did, too, but this isn’t the way to make it right!”
  “Daddy didn’t seem to think so.”
  Maybelle let out an exasperated sigh as she raked her long fingers through her chestnut hair.  As angry as she was, she knew that her feelings on the matter could not come close to those of Dakota’s.  “Look, girl, what’s done is done.  As unfair as it was, there isn’t a thing you or I can do about it, so, you might as well make the most of it.”
  “That sure is easy for you to say, May.”
  “Well, then, look at the bright side; you could have been saddled to some mangy, ornery looking old goat.  At least Cody’s easy on the eyes.  Actually, he’s a mighty handsome fellow.”
  “Really?  I hadn’t set eyes on him throughout the entire ceremony.”
  “Then I reckon now is just as good a time as any to take a gander at him.”
  “Hmm?” Dakota mused, as she felt May nudge her and look purposefully across the way at the figure that was striding over towards them.  She felt the wind free itself from her breast as she took note of the tall, dark and sturdy man that filled her sight.  His hair was short but still managed to catch the golden rays of the sun in its ebony richness.  His skin was brown and sweet like fine brown sugar, a perfect compliment to his honey-brown eyes, she thought.  He wore a simple white collared shirt that seemed to hug his lean chest and torso and an even simpler pair of britches that had certainly seen better days.  And yet, it didn’t seem to take away from his ruggedly raw beauty.
  Cody knelt down to the two young girls, nodding his head at Maybelle as he did.  Maybelle noted his gentleman’s disposition, but only smiled in response.  Turning his full attention to his new wife, he began, “Ma sent me to fetch you.  She was upset that you went and ran off like that.”
  “Oh...sorry, I guess.” she murmured.
  He looked at her for a moment before asking of Maybelle, “Forgive me, Miss, but would you excuse us for a moment?  I need to speak to...to my wife.”
  “Umm...” she murmured, glancing over at Dakota.  “Okay.” she reluctantly concluded upon receiving an approving nod from her friend.  “I’ll talk to you later, ‘Kota.” she added, hugging the girl affectionately before she took her leave of the newlyweds.
  “Listen, girl,” Cody began, once Maybelle was out of hearing range.  “I didn’t ask for this and I know you didn’t either, but, neither of us can change it now, so I reckon we should just learn to deal with it.”
  “You know, if I didn’t know any better I’d swear that you and May were related.  Is that all?  I’m just supposed to sit and take it?”
  “What else can you do?”
  “I-...I...I don’t know.” she admitted, dejectedly.
  He didn’t say anything as he watcher once determined expression change into one of despair.  “Anyway,” he resumed, moments later.  “Your pa brought your things over to the house this morning, so you’re all set to move in.”
  “I see.” she sighed, crawling to her feet.  “I guess we should go, then.”
  “No.  I can’t.  I’ve got chores that need tending, but you can go on in and get yourself situated.  I don’t reckon that Ma will give you any chores today, but she’ll probably make up for it tomorrow.  You’d better get yourself some rest while you can.”
  She didn’t waste any time, did she? Dakota thought to herself, but only said, “Do you need any help?”
  He looked at her with an expression of innocence and confusion playing across his features.  “Any help with what?”
  “With...your chores.” she answered, with a tone of obviousness.
  “I’ve done my chores on my own before you got here, so I reckon I can still do them on my own now that you are.”
  Stung by his sharp words, Dakota decided to drop the issue.  Without giving him so much as a sideways glance, she sailed passed him and on toward the Westland house.  She turned to see Cody’s powerful form standing just behind her, holding her in place.
  “What now?” she asked.
  Wordlessly, he reached out and pinched her right cheek, drawing a swirl of rosy color to her assaulted visage.
  “Ouch!” she yelped, caressing the tender spot upon her face.  “What on earth did you do that for?” she demanded.
  “Ma and Pa will ask.” he answered, as he started off in the direction of the corn fields.  “Tell them I struck you on account of your running off.”

~~~~

  If there was one thing that could be said about Cody Westland, it was that he knew well his parents.  For, no sooner did Dakota enter the house then was she assailed with questions of her disappearance.  Where had she been and why did she go and didn’t she know better than to run off without asking her man’s permission first?  The redness in her face hadn’t gone unnoticed by either of them and when the manner of which she had allegedly received the coloring had been disclosed, the couple praised their son with words of accomplishment and accuracy.
  “You done got what you deserved, girl.” Jeremy Westland, the head of the household, said unto her.  “You better mind my boy if you know what’s good for you.”
  “He could have done more to you than just slapping you.” his wife, Evelyn Westland, chimed in.  “You best be thankful that he didn’t.  You better learn your place fast, girl.  You’re too old to be acting like a little school girl.  You’re a woman, now.  Cody’s woman.”
  “Yes, ma’am.” Dakota answered, softly.
  “Go on, now and fix your room.  Your things are already in there.  JASON!” the older woman shouted.  By her call, a young boy appeared hurrying around a corner and rendezvousing with the assembled trio.
  “Yes, Mama?” the boy, Jason, asked.
  “Run along and show your new sister the room she’ll be staying in from now on.”
  “Yes, ma’am.” he replied.
  Dakota followed the youth up two flights of stairs into an attic that had been arranged hastily, she observed, into a bedroom.  She quickly spotted a corner of the room that was littered with her belongings along with an assortment of items that she did not recognize at all.  She moved to them and quickly realized that they were the types of things that belonged to a man.
  “Jason, whose things are these?” she asked, sifting through a pile of neatly folded though lightly soiled plaid linen shirts.
  The child ambled over to where she sat and with hardly a glance, identified the garments.  “Those must be Cody’s shirts and things.” he decided.  “They’re way too big for me and Eli and Pa don’t wear that many colors on his clothes.  Since Adam don’t live here anymore, I reckon they can only be Cody’s.”
  “But, why are they in here?  I thought this was my room.”
  “It is, but since Cody’s your man, now, don’t that make this his room, too?”
  Dakota’s eyes went wild with shock.  She quickly scanned the fairly spacious room, her eyes landing on the large bed that rested in the center of the enclosure.  “Now wait just a darn minute!” she exclaimed.  “If he’s going to be living in here, too, where do you expect he’s going to sleep?”
  The boy shrugged.  “I don’t know.  I figured he’d be sleeping in the bed with you.  At least, that’s what Ma and Pa do.”
  Silently, Dakota fumed.  This was not what she had had in mind.  The marriage was supposed to be in name only, wasn’t it?  Surely they didn’t expect her to actually perform the same duties a wife would perform in a normal marriage, did they?  She couldn’t share his room and she certainly couldn’t share his bed.  She didn’t love him!  She didn’t even know him!  Such a thing just wasn’t right.  
  Angrily, she rubbed her temples, desperately trying to dispel the headache that was evolving beneath her brows.
  “You alright?” Jason asked with the concern that only a child could usher.  “You look a might sickly.”
  “Oh...no, Sweetheart.  I’m fine.  Thank you for caring, though.”  She patted his head, softly before kissing the mass of dark brown curls that covered it and shakily got to her feet.
  The look that dressed the child’s face could only be described as one of sheer wonderment.  He gently touched the top of his head, a sensation of magic dancing beneath his fingertips as he touched his dark, wood-colored locks.  Beaming brightly he said, “If you need anything you come and get me, you hear?”
  “Well, that’s right nice of you, Jason.” she answered, sweetly.  “I’ll be sure and do that.”
  The lad glowed with pride as he bounced down the stairs and out of sight.  She watched the child go, welcoming the notion that he, in his innocence, would provide her some solace during her stay in a house that was so full of chaos.

~~~~

  The sun was awake and hard at work making miserable the hard working folks of Texas.  Cody dashed fresh beads of sweat from his brow as the sun continued lashing him with its fiery rays.  He had long since donned a plain straw hat and had unfastened all the buttons on his shirt while he toiled away at the arid ground sowing seeds he hoped would bring a fruitful harvest.  But, optimism was a trifle too fragile and risky for Cody to even consider growing.  It never seemed to work for him before and he wasn’t about to put faith in it now.
  The sound of eager footfalls drew his attention.  He turned to see Eli, the youngest Westland, trotting over with a pail of water.
  “Careful with that water, Eli.” Cody warned.  “We don’t have none to spare.”
  “I will.” the boy replied, annoyed by his older brother’s lack of confidence in him.  However, Cody’s concern was just.  The pail that the youngster carried was hopelessly too large for the child to manage and, inevitably, it escaped him.
  Falling square in the dirt, the water forming a muddy puddle around him, Eli looked about him with a n expression of genuine confusion upon his features.
  “Eli!” Cody barked.  “I told you to be careful!  Now look what you’ve gone and done!”
  The boy didn’t say anything as he watched the earth greedily drink the water that had been showered upon it.  He heard his brother’s heavy footsteps, yet an even heavier was the weight that pressed upon the child’s spirits, making it impossible for him to look up to face his sibling.
  “Give me the pail, Eli.” he ordered.  “I’ll get the water myself.  I don’t reckon you can cause any more damage than you already have so you might as well get the heck on out of here!”
  The young Westland responded, obediently, offering the freshly emptied pail to his brother.  Cody snatched the pail from the boy’s possession and stormed away to gather the water his fields so desperately needed.  
  Eli remained where he was, long after Cody had departed.  Being the youngest in the family was often a difficult thing for him to endure.  He was always too young to do one thing or too small to handle another, when in truth, all he really wanted was to be of some use to someone...anyone, just like his brothers.  But, it seemed that his desire was only that...a whim.
  Dejectedly, Eli clambered to his feet.  Hurt to the very core of his soul, he started away toward the Westland house and found a seat on its back porch, just as the tears he fought so hard to contain spilled forth.  He drew his tiny knees up to his little chest and buried his little head within their space, lightly rocking back and forth to assuage his sorrow.
  The creaking of the back porch screen-door opening drew his attention and without thinking, he quickly turned to see who had intruded on him.  Standing in the doorway, laden with a basket of full of clothing, Dakota smiled down at him.
  “Well, hello there E-...” her cheerful voice sang before she noticed the tears streaming down his ruddy cheeks.  “Why, Eli, whatever is the matter with you?” she asked.
  The child shook his head, spilling tiny jewels of salty moisture onto the porch floor and turned away.
  “Come on, Honey, you can talk to me about it.  I’m your sister, after all.” she said, softly as she set the laundry basked aside and sat down beside the child.  “What’s bothering you?”
  The small boy choked on a sob as he cried, “Nobody wants me around.”
  Dakota could only look down at the shuddering child as he exclaimed the words that he had said.  An overwhelming sense of empathy and sadness engulfed her, a great pain she knew that no child should ever be forced to endure.  Effortlessly, she scooped the suffering babe up off the callous, wooden planks he rested on and brought him into the nurturing warmth of her tender embrace.
  “Oh, Eli...” she cooed.  “Of course we want you.  We love you.  What could have made you think such a thing?”
  “Because I can’t do nothing.” he sobbed.  “I’m not strong like Pa and Cody and Jason.  I can’t get water or help in the garden or nothing.  I’m not good for anything.”
  “Eli, Honey, that’s just not true.” she said, as she gently stroked the soft brown tresses that colored his head.  “You may not be able to work the fields like your father and brothers, because you’re still young.  But, I’m sure that there are lots of other things that you can do.
  Quietly, the boy shook his head, as a new wave of shuddering sadness overtook him.
  Dakota absolutely hated seeing the child in this way.  His feeling of worthlessness was so great that it could have just as easily have been her own.  “Oh, Honey...” she whispered as she held the boy closer.  Then, suddenly, a thought struck her.  “Of course!” she exclaimed, as she quickly got to her feet, setting the child down on his own.  She collected the basket of laundry up in one arm, balancing it on her hip and extended her free hand out to Eli saying, “Come with me.  I’ve got a job that needs doing and only you can do it.”
  “Only me?” he asked, sounding as though he believed such a thing were too good to be true.
  Dakota smiled and nodded her head.  “Yes, you’re the only one.  Do you think you can do it?”
  “Yes!” Eli exclaimed, happily, as he took her hand, urging her down the stairs.  “I can do it!  Come on, let’s go!”
  “Okay, okay, okay!” Dakota giggled.  “I’m coming.  But, I think I’d better show you the way since you don’t know where we’re going.”
  Gleefully, hand in hand, the two headed off to find the task that only the youngest Westland could do.