"Are you serious?" Daniel's eyes grew large.
"I don't think I should do this though."
"Katherine, you could be famous, love. Why wouldn't you want to jump on this offer?"
"I can make you as many CD's as you'd like. But I know what I want to do for the rest of my life."
"You get to start school in the spring. It'll be so exciting!"
"Daniel, you came to Tennessee because you needed to change some things. I too was running. I want to be a wife and I want to be a mom. I would love to design and sew a dress for our daughter. I would love to learn to make quilts with Rosie. Maybe later I would like to go back, but the reason I went to school in the first place was to get out of Prairie, and I knew it would make me more money than minimum wage. Everything that I ever believed in or didn't believe has changed. There's more to Katherine O'Brian than what I even knew existed. I just want to learn as much as I can about myself."
"I'm perfectly content with any decision you make. I wouldn't complain one bit if you just wanted to stay home."
"You wouldn't mind if I didn't have a career or a job?"
"Katherine, just like Rosie, your money isn't any good here. All I want to do is spoil you and make you as happy as I can. You can take all the time you want to make decisions for yourself. When you're a mom, that'll be the most important and impressive job you'll ever have."
"I can take all the time that I want to set a date for the wedding?"
"No!" Daniel said playfully. "Your input means everything, of course, but I want to be married in the spring."
"It's my favorite time of year. Remember the first time you held me? It was in the meadow on the farm. You ran around and picked me flowers. I still have them in a scrap book."
"Katherine, would you be willing to marry me in the meadow? You have no idea how many times I was drawn to that place because of you."
"I would love that, Daniel. I only have one concern though. I know that you and your father know a lot of people, but I wouldn't mind having a small, intimate ceremony."
"Katherine, I look at you and wonder how did I get so lucky?" Daniel kissed her tenderly.
"You're okay with nothing fancy?"
"Katherine, the only guests we need are my father, Rosie, and your uncle."
Katherine took Daniel's phone out of his pocket and opened the calendar. "How about April the fifteenth? That's a Saturday, so maybe you won't have to work."
"Like I would put something in front of marrying you … "
Katherine sealed it with a kiss and even put a reminder on his phone. Daniel saw it and laughed.
Near the end of March, Francesco, Rosie, Daniel, and Katherine boarded the jet to fly to Prairie. Francesco was doing last minute confirmations with officials and finishing up the agenda. He and Andy were hosting the first public meeting to hear opinions, ideas, and concerns from the people in Prairie.
Rosie would be going to the farm for the first time since leaving. She didn't know how she would handle it, but now she had a good reason to go back.
The first stop was the meadow. Katherine and Daniel walked around, each holding one of Rosie's hands, until they found the perfect spot. They would be surrounded by the beautiful rolling hills, wildflowers, and clean air. Daniel had called the week prior and had the barn remnants removed. He didn't want Rosie to see that.
Rosie stared at her house, but she had no desire to enter it. It felt foreign to her, tainted. The only time there was love under that roof was the first year of her marriage to Albert and for the entire duration that Daniel was with her. She let her eyes wander over to the land where the crops used to grow, and the worn path that her horses had walked. She tried to make herself feel numb, but the pain wouldn't completely escape her. It was another life, a wasted life. Rosie saw the house and land as her prison.
Daniel came up behind her and wrapped his arms around this little older woman. "You know, Rosie, we're all family now. Don't be sad at the memories here. They made you the strong woman that you are. Look upon this land as the beginning of your life. You taught me so much, and you gave me unconditional love, respect, and your trust. We had some fond memories here, Rosie. Both of our new lives started on this farm. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't have pursued finding Katherine. If it wasn't for me, you'd have never met my father. We were brought together for a reason. Our new beginnings happened here. So smile upon this day and hang onto the memories that started it all."
"Thank you, Daniel. Your words just removed a truckload of pain. And you're right. It's time for new memories. I can't run from my past, but I can enjoy the walk to my future with your father, you, and Katherine. Just imagine, I always wanted children, and now I have a son and a daughter. You mean the world to me, Daniel, you always will."
Chapter 18
The ceremony was simple and intimate. Katherine had worn a beautiful white dress that Rosie made. It was layered in lace and flowed so elegantly in the soft breeze. She smiled at her new family as she was escorted through the field by her uncle. Daniel was unable to take his eyes off of his perfect bride. The flowers and their fresh scent surrounded them, the sun warmed their faces. When he was told he could kiss his bride, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled his beautiful wife toward him. The memories of their first kiss, in this same meadow, didn't escape either one of them. There wasn't a dry eye amongst them. It was the proudest day of Francesco's life.
Katherine had always dreamed of going to Hawaii, so Daniel booked them in a beautiful suite that had their own terrace and a perfect view of the ocean.
"Sweetheart," began Daniel as they walked along the beach at sunset, "I feel like I should thank you every single day of my life."
"Daniel, I should do the same. I'm so in love with you."
"I love you, Mrs. Katherine Giordano. Thank you for loving me, for marrying me, for being the piece that I'd been missing."
Daniel removed her ring and asked her to marry him again.
She smiled and said "Yes!"
"Now, let's go see about taking off that sexy white bikini."
"Since you brought it up … " Katherine smiled seductively and led Daniel towards their room.
Katherine had worked hard on designing Rosie's wedding gown. The two women kept themselves locked up in the craft room while they worked, and the men weren't allowed inside. Katherine's dress had to be altered twice due to her growing belly.
Francesco and Rosie were married in the mansion. Her gown, made of cream-colored satin with matching lace, fit her perfectly. When Francesco saw her walking slowly down the stairs to become his wife, a big lump rose in his throat.
They honeymooned in the Virgin Islands. Rosie didn't have any concerns about being away from the horses. Daniel and Katherine had become quite proficient at caring for them.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place at the end of May. Rosie was the one whose face was in the paper, along with Andy, who plunged the shovel in the ground where Rosie's house once stood. She was happy that Francesco had followed her desire to have it destroyed. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't rid herself of the bad memories that the house reminded her of.
Most of the town had shown up at the farm; it was a much anticipated event. The huge celebration was attended by many people, including news crews.
Francesco and Andy had hired all the local men and women that they could, then reached out to the surrounding counties. Francesco was happy that more and more businesses were reaching out to the small community. Some companies donated machinery, money, and supplies.
Katherine and Rosie met with some of the local women who had voiced concerns regarding daycare. Affordable facilities to watch their children weren't in abundance, let alone close by. After bringing these concerns to Francesco, he decided that a temporary daycare would be put up to assist the families, so the workers wouldn't have that added expense and worry. The women would take turns running the facility, and Francesco had hired two childcare professionals to help organize it.
At one of the public meetings, Rosie ran into an old friend named Emma Shelding. She used to run the local restaurant in town called The Happy Rooster. People couldn't afford to eat out much, so slowly but surely, Emma had to close her doors. Rosie learned that Emma had wanted to open up a bakery. As quickly as she could, Rosie informed Francesco, who met with Emma that same day.
The following week, Emma and Francesco sat down with the builder to help design the kitchen. Emma was even asked to name the bakery herself. She wanted to call it "Sweet Prairie."
"Emma, that's a perfect name! But you better learn how to make a good cannoli." Francesco laughed and tried to make some jokes when he saw Emma's eyes water.
Three years later, most of the new businesses were open, some new ones were being planned, and the morale in the small town had lifted. Rosie smiled as the sign was hung that bared her name, where the restaurant would be built.
Andy was in his glory with his new bar. His new love, Maryann, a petite blonde from Kentucky, was just as taken with Andy.
The large barn that was erected attracted lots of visitors who attended the craft shows that were held once a month, as well as barn dances and livestock auctions. Some people even rented the barn for private functions. Things got so busy that Andy had to hire someone just to plan and handle the barn events.