And that is the story of how your mama and your papa came to fall in love,” Sam said as he smoothed back the hair of their youngest daughter, an exact copy of her mother. The twins had fallen asleep once the story turned from adventure aboard the Vengeance to the deep bond of love that had developed between him and May over the years.
While his sons much preferred stories of Sam’s sails to the Orient—all taken before May became his wife because he found he just couldn’t leave her once they wed—little Maribelle wanted all the details of the love story that had surprised both him and May.
“Tell us the story again, Papa. Start at the beginning, and don’t forget the part about how Mama poked that man under the sails with a stick.”
May left her post in the hall where, as always, she had been eavesdropping on Sam’s nightly bedtime ritual with the children and stepped into the nursery. “That is quite enough storytelling for tonight,” she told them in the mock-serious voice she attempted each evening. “Tomorrow is a big day and I want your papa well rested. He’s taking me dancing, you know.”
Maribelle scooted over to make room for her mama on the bed and then climbed into her lap with her favorite toy. “Does this mean Papa is going to have a new story to tell me tomorrow night?”
“This means you are up far too late, my dumpling, and you are to close your eyes right now.”
May kissed their daughter on the top of the head and held her tight as Sam’s heart squeezed. Painfully aware he had done nothing to deserve the life God had given him, he gave thanks right then and there for it anyway.
Minutes later, Maribelle was sound asleep, her little arms cuddling the black sheep May had made from that wonderful and awful mourning dress she’d been wearing when Sam first kissed her. The boys had matching sheep, and to May’s count, there was plenty of fabric for an army of Austin children to each have his or her own.
What Sam did not yet know was that there would soon be a need to place an order with the seamstress for one more little sheep. Or perhaps, should she get another surprise set of twins as she had with the boys, two sheep.
Sam lifted Maribelle from her mother’s arms and settled the five-year-old beneath her covers. Taking May’s hand, they walked toward the door. As always, May stopped to turn around and take one last look at the children before she closed the nursery door for the night.
“Can you believe they’re ours?” she murmured against his ear.
“I cannot believe you are mine, May Austin,” he said as he gathered her to him and lifted her chin to look into her eyes. The boys had her eyes while Maribelle had his. It was a fair trade, for if their daughter had been possessed of all this woman’s traits, there would be no man safe once she reached marriageable age.
And while Sam was determined that Maribelle May Austin would marry the man she loved at the time she wished, there was nothing in his life with May that he would change, except perhaps that she had been in his life all along.