Chapter 31

Sometime after 4:00 a.m., I heard a soft tapping at my door. I rolled out of the bed and quietly shuffled across the room and pulled the door open. It was the bar maid who had spoken with me, "How serious were you when you said that you'd help me get the necklace?"

I opened the door and ushered her inside, then looked down both directions of the hall to make sure no one saw her enter. "Do you have an idea on how to get it from him?"

She smiled, "I've already started." I glanced at what she was wearing; the silky sleeping gown was very provocative and sexy. "I've finally agreed to allow him to train me in the finer aspects of my sex, so he's supposed to come to my room in half an hour. You can hide out there and bash him over the head once he enters."

I rubbed my chin, "I don't like the sound of that idea." I whispered, "Why don't you just drug him and while he's sleeping, then get the key from him?"

She smiled brightly, "That'll work, and I have just the stuff that should put him into a deep sleep!" She rubbed her dainty hands together, "I can't wait to make that bastard pay for what he's done to me!" The cursing sounded so strange to be coming from the lips of such a lovely, young girl.

"Let's not forget what he's done to my wife and all of these other girls!" I spoke, flexing my jaw with anger. "After you're done with him, that necklace is mine."

She grabbed the door handle, "Those girls you're talking about...have already lost claim to their former male identities, they've been in those bodies for so long that they wouldn't know what to do if they were to be changed back! Most of them have been women for years, you're looking at the last one to be changed into a female!" She frowned, "Now, get dressed and follow me, we'll have to hurry if we don't want to be seen."

Chapter 32

I stood in the darkened closet and listened; from the happy tone of her voice, I could tell she was smiling. "Come in Mr. Taggert, I've been expecting you." I heard her gently close the door.

"Amber, I'm surprised that you've finally come around to accepting your form." He spoke so softly that it was hard for me to hear his voice.

"I want to be able to make more money than by being a bar maid. I was hoping that you'd show me how." The young woman's sexy sounding voice was moving about in the room, and then I heard her pop the cork on a bottle. "Would you care for a drink, Mr. Taggert?"

"Don't mind if I do, I always enjoy drinking in the company of a beautiful woman," he laughed.

"Even if that woman used to be a boy?" Her voice took on a sharp edge.

"Surely, you still aren't holding that against me?" he replied. I was beginning to become afraid that the girl would anger him, and cause her ruse to fail, yet her giggle caused me to wonder at her actions.

"Mr. Taggert, I have something better to hold against you." Her voice suddenly became sultry; the stunned laugh by the man left no doubt what she was implying.

I heard them kiss then the woman spoke lustfully, "Would you care for another?"

"Kiss or drink?" he asked.

"Why, Mr. Taggert... are you flirting with me?" Her melodious giggle drifted to my ears. "Why not a bit of both?" Again the sound of glass on glass was heard, followed by a slight bubbling sound as the liquid was poured once more.

"Let's sit on the couch, Amber," Taggert suggested. “We can be more comfortable there."

I heard them sit down; her rustling gown gave me a clue to what was happening. "No one would ever believe that you were once a boy! You've become so firm and round. Quite contrary to what you once possessed!"

She giggled, her soft voice made me feel uneasy about being in the same room with a couple having a romantic interlude. There was a long pause with the sound of kissing, then she sighed and laughed, "Mr. Taggert, if you fall asleep we can't have all the fun you promised me."

I heard him try to speak, but his voice was slurred as if he were drunk. "Oh, poor Mr. Taggert, you just couldn't stay awake long enough." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

She began to move, and I heard her return the glasses to the table, "Its okay now, Mister, you can come out." She spoke in her regular tone, from the tone, I knew that she was talking to me. I gently pushed the door open and stepped down onto the floor.

"That didn't take long," I observed.

"You want the fastest working stuff when you're forced into sex with men...and don't want it!" she sneered at Taggert as he slept; pulling the chain that held the key, up over his head.

I pointed at the prone man, "Do you think you can get to the necklace without being seen?"

"I'm not sure, there's a guard outside his office door, but I'll give it a try." Then with a wicked smile, she picked up the bottle that she used on Taggert; it was still more than half full. "You sit tight, this shouldn't take too long." With that, she opened the door and stepped into the hall, closing it quietly behind herself.

The wait was agonizing, because I was so afraid that she'd be caught and our plot discovered. After almost an hour, the girl returned to the room. "It took a bit longer; the guy wouldn't go to sleep." She made a face, "I thought for sure I was about to be raped by him!"

"The drink took effect then, eventually?" I asked.

She smiled, "That, and a good rap on the side of his head with the empty bottle!" Then she reached into the deep portion of her cleavage, "I have this, though!" Holding her arm extended, she removed a cloth that was shrouding it and let the necklace fall, at the bottom, a small medal spun.

"That's it?" I laughed, uncertainly. "Are you sure?"

She shrugged her slender shoulders, "There's only one way to find out for certain." She allowed the necklace to touch the skirt of her sleeping gown. Then the young girl allowed the necklace to touch Taggert's hand, slowly she looked up. "Well, now we only have to wait and see." As she rose, the medallion brushed his sleeve and swung back against her arm. "Oh...that was odd!"

"What happened?" I asked, still focusing on the strange softening of Taggert's face. "I felt a tingle." She suddenly looked down.

"My hands...they're changing! I think I'm transforming into...Taggert!" she laughed, looking intently at her fingers as they thickened and grew in size. Her gaze returned to the man as what could only be described as breasts began to push out against his shirt. "Look! Taggert's...becoming me!"

It was true, within several minutes; they each grew closer to the form that at one time belonged to the other! It was so strange to see the sleeping body of the youthful beauty, clad in manly clothes. Then see the little man standing beside me, laughing, and wearing the young girl's clothing.

Fearing that I too would become a victim of the transformation, I began to search for something to place the necklace inside so I would be protected. On her dresser, I found a small silk pouch just big enough to suit my purposes. I tucked the pouch into my pocket, and watched as the amazing changes continued on the others in the room.

Finally, the transformation had run its course, giving complete credence to Samantha's claim of once being male! It was so odd to see Taggert's body and overall shape slim down, growing slightly shorter than he had been as a man.

I was stunned watching the former woman disrobe her feminine garb and do likewise to the girl who lay sleeping on the floor. "What now?" I asked.

He looked up, "Frankly, I don't care what you do with him. I think that I'm going to take over this asshole's cushy life, and in essence...become him. What I had wasn't much to speak of, so for all I care, take him back home and string him up from the highest tree!"

"We can't leave him like that!" I pointed to the naked woman on the floor.

"Make her wear my old clothes, throw her back to the wolves as the hooker he tried to make out of me!" she laughed and began to dress the girl, "One thing's for certain, with me looking like him...getting out of here got a whole bunch easier!"

Only the early shift barkeep looked up as we passed, he was busy setting up for the day. 'Taggert' frowned and pointed to the unconscious girl. "If this lush comes back in here, throw her ass out! I'm not paying my girls to drink on company time!" The man was drying a glass and nodded, throwing his towel over a shoulder.

That was our only contact, so we left the saloon/hotel without any problems, finding ourselves on the walkway with me carrying the limp woman. As we crossed on wide boards which spanned the mud toward my wagon, the Sheriff saw us and headed over at an angle through the mud until he met us at the barn. "What's going on here, Taggert?"

The 'man' with me smiled, "We found out that this fellow here is her husband, and his wife here ran off and tried to pass as one of my girls. I can't have that happening, so I'm sending her ass back home!" The whole while he spoke he was pointing his finger at the young woman, out cold in my arms.

"How come she's like that...you beat her up or something?" he asked me as I held the unconscious girl.

"No sir, I'd never strike a woman!" I carefully placed her into the back of my wagon, "She's tied one on last night, and passed out!" Inwardly, I smiled, using the very example that my companion had given to the bartender...I only hoped the Sheriff would buy it!

The Sheriff gave me a slow nod, looking over the side of the wagon at the drugged female. He bent down and sniffed at her breath, apparently he was satisfied. "What your wife needs is a swift kick in her ass!" He exclaimed. "I know what the hell I'd do with one like her."

'Taggert' smiled, "What would that be, Sheriff?"

He made a fist and inserted his finger rapidly several times in the center, "I'd keep her pregnant...that would sure keep her ass home!"

I rolled my eyes as the Sheriff turned walked back into the muddy street, "I'll need that necklace." I spoke, waiting until the Sheriff walked far enough out of earshot.

"No problem, I'm done with it anyway." He handed it carefully to me, watching as I dropped it into the silk pouch that I found in Amber's room.

He stood rocking on his feet, "So...you heading back to wherever you came from?"

"As soon as I pick up my load of supplies." I said, leading one of my horses to the front of the wagon, "I want to put as much distance between me and this town as I can!"

"Can't say that I blame you," 'Taggert' laughed, covering the girl with a dusty horse blanket, stolen from a rail. "That should keep her warm…so what are you going to do with 'her'?" He asked with a nod of his head. "Not that I really care, because nobody would believe her story of transformation anyway!"

I reached over and pulled his pocket silk from his jacket, "I'll let my wife decide what to do with him, but I'll need this to change him back." Touching the girl's slender arm to the material, I waited for the transformation to begin.

The man who now called himself Taggert observed, "That's not going to work for another ten hours, until then, he'll have to be content to remain a female," he laughed and tweaked her breast, "I'd love to see his face when he gets a load of these beauties!"

I carefully dropped the necklace into the silk pouch and stuffed it deep into my pocket, along with it went the pocket scarf. "I guess it'll be better anyway, he won't be able to get too far dressed the way he is."

'Taggert' laughed and turned back toward the muddy street, "Thank you, my friend, it's been a real pleasure!" I gave him a wave as he returned to 'his' establishment, then busied myself with the harnessing of the team.

Chapter 33

Just outside of town I pulled the horses to a stop. There before me, stood what was left of an old dilapidated house, the roof was leaning inward where the wall had caved in. I quickly climbed down and examined what was left, then feeling satisfied, hastened back to the wagon and retrieved the slumbering girl. Carefully carrying her into the building, I laid her upon the floor and proceeded to bind her hands and feet. Then, using my kerchief, I gagged her, should she awaken. I smiled as I realized that the gag would be necessary. If she did regain her senses, she most likely would scream like bloody hell itself.

By the time I had her well hidden, I needed to return to the Railroad office so I could pick up Grandfather's supplies. Within one hour, I stood before the little man while he was barking orders to his workers while they loaded my wagon. As soon as they had completed the order, checking it against the bill of lading, I headed back to the old, line shack where I left the girl.

I walked up to the opening of the wall and peered in; there covered in tears was the terrified girl. "Well, Taggert, I bet you sure had a surprise when you woke up!" I laughed and reexamined the knots upon her bindings, "You don't fancy wearing the form and trappings of a girl?" I snickered, "This though may be a breeze after my wife's done with you!"

The girl struggled in her bonds frantically, moaning through the cloth that was effectively gagging her, tied behind her head. "We'd better be going, I've got a long way to travel... and you're coming with me!" Bending down, I gathered up the girl and tossed her over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She vocalized a muffled scream as I carried her back to the wagon and tossed her into an area behind the seat that I purposefully left empty. I looked at her tear-filled eyes and snarled, "You'd better keep quiet or I'll leave you in the middle of nowhere like that!"

Once she was still, I laid the filthy horse blanket over her and climbed into the seat. I snapped the reins and the buckboard jerked at the start, behind me a muffled 'ugh' was heard, I smiled and completely ignored the person behind me as if it was nothing more than another piece of cargo.

Chapter 34

For almost four days we rode like that, 'she' being just behind my seat, hidden under the smelly horse blanket, jostled and jarred constantly against the items in the wagon as they rocked from the bumpy road. Our only stops were for toilet breaks, to eat a bite of food, and to sleep. I decided that with 'him' being stuck in his current form, was punishment enough in my eyes, so I relaxed and untied the gag, warning him what I would do if he abused his privilege.

She eyed me coolly, "Why the hell you doing this to me, Mister?" Taggert asked in the young woman's feminine voice.

I glared at her, "You're going to find out soon enough. Sit back and be quiet, or I'll be feeding you to the bears!" As I turned around, she stared quickly about, searching for the beasts that would surely consume her.

Her face contorted and twisted in rage, making her young beauty quite unbecoming. It seemed as though she was suddenly gathering herself for one lengthy verbal onslaught, "I'll see that you hang for this! For what you've done to me, I'll make sure..."

I reached back and roughly jerked the gag back over her mouth once again. "It never seemed to bother you when you did this transformation thing to other youngsters...so, just get used to it. Besides, you talk too damn much!" As I turned back toward the road, effectively ending our conversation I couldn't help to smile.

Chapter 35

The evenings were cold and damp, so I kept 'her' covered up with the blanket since 'she' really wasn't dressed for traveling. She would bed down in the same place as she rode, behind the seat of the wagon. I on the other hand, slept directly under it and kept an ear out for her...just in case she attempted to escape. I really didn't need to fear too much, where could a 'girl' go dressed for sex like 'she' was? There are those who may think of me as mean- but I wasn’t too concerned for this female’s comfort at all; especially because all that she had done while male!

Finally, on the fifth day, almost two weeks since I left home, I squinted out as the sun reflected against the melting snow upon the ground. Pulling the wagon to a stop, I looked over to my charge and shook the blanket and removed it from the girl, enough so I could see her face. "You have to pee?" I asked, to which she nodded vigorously.

"There's a bush over there!" I pointed as I untied only her feet again, "Make it quick, we're only about half a day from the town where I'm heading."

She slowly walked to the brush and with a great deal of effort, trying to return the movement to her legs. Reluctantly, she frowned and hiked her dress so she could relieve herself and squatted, just like the woman she'd become. Then, returning with a sad gate, she limped to the wagon. I met her with the pocket silk in one hand and the necklace in the other. "You ready to be back to normal?" I asked.

She nodded vigorously, her long blond hair bouncing from the effort. I leaned toward her and touched it upon her slender neck with both the silk and the medallion. Once I was done, I lifted her up by her backside and threw her into the wagon. As she fell, I covered her once again with the thick horse blanket. I didn't care about Taggert in the least, in my eyes, he deserved the treatment he was given because of what he had done to all of those young boys...including what he did to my Samantha!

I laughed to myself as I returned to the seat. As his form returned, the binding would become tighter...sure, he would change back to his old self...but when Samantha saw him, he'd still be wearing the feminine gown he was in right now. With a snicker to myself, I snapped the reins and laughed aloud when I heard a jarring "Ugh!" from a slightly deeper, male sounding voice.

Chapter 36

Once we arrived in town, I drove the team directly into the back of the store. Hopping down, I began to unload the supplies, placing it onto the porch. Grandpa swung the door open. He stepped outside, wearing a huge smile on his face. "Glad you finally made it home!"

I smiled, "Glad to be back home too! How's Samantha?"

His grin grew wider, "Why don't you go see for yourself?"

I studied his expression, and then as if in a dream I climbed onto the porch, then raced past him, straight up the stairs into our bedroom completely ignoring the comfort of my passenger. I paused before the closed door and grabbed the handle, all the while my heart was pounding with excitement and anticipation.

Slowly pushing the door open, I peered into the room. There on the bed was Samantha, beaming as she held a small bundle in her arms. I could say nothing, as I gazed upon the infant under the soft blanket. I felt my throat tighten, and the guilt from not being there for her ate at my heart. She knew and touched my arm lightly, "Would you like to meet your daughter?"

I nodded and moved aside the cloth that covered the child, "My God, she's beautiful!" I gasped, tears welling in my eyes.

Her little arms moved ever so slightly, her eyelids closed in contented sleep. "She just fell asleep, otherwise I'd let you hold her."

"I'm happy just looking at both of you...God; you're a sight for sore eyes!" I bent down and kissed them both.

"You mean...you missed me?" Samantha giggled.

I smiled and kissed her once again, this time, showing her how much I missed her! When we broke, I touched my daughter's hair, "What did you name her?"

Sam looked into the baby's chubby face and smiled, "I'd gotten the choice down to two. Abigail or Cassandra...I'm leaning toward Cassandra."

I felt tears stinging the corner of my eyes, "Cassandra was Grandmother's name."

"I know," she smiled, and the brilliance of her smile lit my heart to its very core. "Grandfather told me! So...I guess Cassandra will be our daughter's name."

I stood and held my wife's lovely hand. "When was she born?" I asked.

Grandfather had followed me inside and was waiting just outside the door, he stepped into the room, smiling down on his great-granddaughter as she suddenly opened her eyes and smiled. In a small child-like voice he spoke, the infant holding his big finger. "We were born yesterday morning...weren't we? Just a few days early, but that's okay."

I laughed and kissed Samantha's hand, and she smiled and looked up at me. "Did your trip go well? Did you get everything that Grandfather ordered?"

I nodded, brushing aside the wispy blond hairs from my daughter's head with my finger. "Did you bring me back a present?" she asked, her voice holding a hint of the youthfulness still in her heart.

I froze and suddenly looked up, afraid to say what needed to be said. Hesitantly, I dug into my pocket and removed the silken pouch that contained the necklace and the strange looking medallion. I opened the pouch, carefully pulling it out by the chain.

"What's that?" asked Grandfather. "It doesn't look like much of a present."

Samantha smiled, "It's...pretty...I...I'll cherish it always!" I knew she thought it was meant for her to wear. But, something was wrong, I thought, shouldn't she know what it was that transformed her?

"You don't recognize what this thing is?" I asked, allowing her time to search her memory. She responded with a slow shake of her head, frowning and struggling to recall the object that I held.

"Taggert, the man that picked you up at the orphanage..." I spoke, trying to help her search for an explanation.

Samantha's brows narrowed as she realized what I exactly possessed in my hand, "The last time I saw that was..." Suddenly a commotion broke into our conversation as Grandfather's voice was raised in concern.

"What the hell are you?" Grandfather said frowning, as he interrupted me. His gaze was focused toward the doorway behind me.

As I turned, my eyes locked upon the man who had been bound behind my seat, but his hands were free, the ropes most likely lying beside the wagon. The long sexy sleeping gown he had on was stretched and torn along the waist and just below the armpits.

"I'll take that!" he shouted as he lunged for the object in my hand. I locked onto his wrist with my left arm and narrowly directing him away from colliding with Samantha and Cassandra on the bed; however, because of my push, his momentum carried him to the floor on the other side. Samantha leapt from the bed; in her arms she carried our daughter. She held Cassandra slightly behind, shielding the infant with her small body.

I stepped between them both as Taggert stood; looking ridiculous in the dress he wore. "What's the meaning of this?" Grandfather shouted, standing his ground at the side of the bed.

"Move away from him, Grandfather," I cautioned, reaching across the bed and gently but firmly pulling him to our side of the room.

"Who is this man?" asked Samantha, not recognizing the face of the man who transformed her.

"You want to tell her? Or should I?" I asked, glaring into the wild eyes of our intruder.

He said nothing; his eyes glanced with crazy fear at the doorway. I spoke without removing my gaze from him, "This is Taggert, he's the man who took you from the orphanage. He's the one who transformed you into the woman you've become!" Samantha's eyes shot up quickly, and she instinctively turned the baby away from him as if she were protecting her eyes from the sight of something vile. The look in her eyes showed both fear and anger, but her first reaction was to protect the infant in her grasp, willing to sacrifice her very life if only to keep our child from harm.

Taggert glanced toward the floor, laughed and bent down; he retrieved the necklace where he had knocked it from my hand! Then his eyes fixed upon Samantha. "So that's what happened to you! I thought you fell into the water at the base of the falls!" He looked at our child in the arms of Samantha, "Looks like you've been busy, I see."

As he spoke his voice slowly began to change in pitch, sounding more like that of a woman. I searched his face while he stood, yet said nothing about what was happening before our astonished eyes. Taggert moved to the end of the bed, brandishing the necklace as a weapon. Grandfather took a step toward him, but I firmly pulled him back.

"Let him go. He's got what he wanted," whispered Samantha to me.

In profound shock, I gasped, "But that's your ticket back to being male! We could keep it until after you've weaned Cassandra...then you can return to the boy you once were!"

Grandfather laughed as he realized what the man held in his tight grip. "It's just a stupid necklace! Who cares if he takes it! If it's so damn important to you, I'll buy another a whole passel prettier!"

"Quin...his face!" whispered my wife.

I looked into his eyes, and I saw that his face softened and became slightly rounder! I couldn't be positive, but he appeared to be even shorter than I remembered him being only moments before. Soon, he too realized that something was strangely wrong. "Give me my pocket silk!" he demanded.

I took it out of my pocket and tossed it upon the bed, and then he gathered it up in his slightly smaller hands and frantically pressed the silk to the medallion. "What the hell's wrong with you?" Grandfather asked incredulously as the man grew even smaller right before his ancient eyes, slowly looking more like a teenager with each passing second.

In panic he threw the silk and the necklace back on the bed! "What did you do to me!" he shouted, sounding like a prepubescent teenage girl. "What is happening?" he cried in fear.

"Looks to me like you're getting a taste of your own medicine!" laughed Samantha. "I hope you enjoy it!"

His eyes gradually became brown, his lashes began lengthening slightly. His hair was rapidly altering in shade, from the roots out, becoming lighter. Taggert broke for the door, but fell to his knees amid a growing pool of silken cloth that was twisting and billowing around his waist.

He held his hands to his face, staring intently at his smaller fingers. "Nooooo!" he cried in despair. Once again he stood and fell into the gown that he had been wearing, and then began to frantically pull at the hooks and buttons that held it together. "Nooo...help me!" he cried, tears streaming down his face. Meanwhile, his voice continued to soften and rise in timbre.

Under the frantic struggle of his hands, a button suddenly gave way, allowing him to crawl from the material that snared his legs. He rolled onto the floor and leapt to his feet, only to lose his balance once again.

All the while his changes transpired, we looked in shock upon the changing man. No longer could he stake a claim on being male, because his body was altering quickly into that of a young female! As he struggled to his feet once again using the bed to pull himself up, his eyes shot downward and he began to cry even more desperately. "I...I can't con...cont...my legs!" he wailed desperately as he continued to shrink in stature. Again he rolled to the floor, yet struggled to his knees. It was as though he could no longer stand on his own, his legs unable to carry his weight.

"He's changing into a baby!" Grandfather exclaimed. "How the hell is he able to do that?"

The small face looked upward at us, tears creating tiny rivulets down the chubby cheeks. He once again tried to stand but fell almost as soon as he rose up, rolling to a stop upon his back. We watched as a small puddle formed beneath the youngster, as the child he became was unable to control its bladder any longer. He...no, never could anyone with that equipment ever be referred to as a 'he' again. She opened her mouth up and screamed loudly, "Noooaaaaahhhh...Waaaaaahhhh! Waahhhhhhh!"

The changes befell the transformed child quickly once she had lost the ability for speaking words. As she wailed and cried, we watched in macabre fascination as each of her remaining teeth slowly retreated into her gums, leaving her looking like the infant she was transforming into. She looked exactly like our Cassandra!

Slowly, Samantha moved back toward the bed. "Dear God…that was awful!" she gasped. "I've never seen something so strange and horrible in all my life!"

"I'll say..." Whispered a shocked, Grandfather.

I moved to the other side of the room, stepping over the tiny infant's frame. "It happened to you," I reminded her. I began to search for the medallion that the former man once held.

"Not like that! That was truly a horrible thing to witness!" she shuddered as she pulled Cassandra into her protective embrace. "To be transformed from a man to a helpless newborn infant...what sort of damage was done to his brain? Surely an infants brain would be so tiny...some of his knowledge had to become pushed from his mind!"

I picked up the necklace and carefully placed it back into the silk pouch, "That's his problem...So, what do we do with...her?" I asked, bending down to the quiet infant who once was a man. Using the gown, I gently wiped up the urine under her and what had covered her tiny legs.

Samantha watched as I picked up the tiny girl, "He must have brushed the necklace against Cassandra, when he lunged for it…turning into her as an end result."

Grandfather stood at the end of the bed, "Well, who was he?"

"His name was Taggert, he was a bad man to Samantha." Then I turned to Samantha, "He's going to have to remain like that for at least 12 hours from what I know. I guess we'll have to care for him like he is until then."

I placed the infant on the bed and looked around the room, Grandfather in the meantime returned with a warm, wet rag. "I figured you'll be needing this." He nodded toward the little one held in my arms

I felt strange, but I cleaned the little girl as quickly as I could, and then wrapped her in a dry towel. "How do we explain her?" I said, pointing to the child.

"Just tell anyone who asks, that Samantha had twins." Grandfather laughed. "If he was as bad as you say, it wouldn't hurt him none to grow up a little more petite and refined as a female."

Samantha glanced up, "It'd work; the doctor wasn't able to get here before she was born. He told Grandfather that he'd stop by this evening after he returned to town."

Grandfather smiled, brushing his rough finger against Taggert's cheek. "What'll I call my newest great-granddaughter?"

I looked at Samantha; we both spoke in unison, "Abigail."

I grew quiet for awhile, watching Samantha as she held both girls. Grandfather cleared his throat and mumbled, "I...uh...I guess I'll be seeing where that doctor is." He slipped out of the room and I listened as he retreated down the stairs.

"What about you?" I asked as I took the sleeping Abigail from her as Cassandra in her arms began to squirm. Without a word, she began to uncover a breast and nurse Cassandra. It was an act that befuddled my mind, so natural and beautiful to see.

She shrugged, "We can’t blame that baby for what Taggert had done...and someone's got to care for her, so it might as well be us."

I brought the tiny infant to my shoulder and held her, while I watched Cassandra nurse. "What about him? Do we change him back?"

"You mean Abigail?" Samantha corrected. "Let's just do what Grandpa suggested...and leave him that way; surely his memories can't remain if he lives his life over as a girl? Besides, he has to pay for what he's done...why not punish him in a form like he's done to so many others, and raise him as our daughter?"

I sat upon the bed and watched as Samantha took Cassandra to her shoulder and began burping her. Samantha's eyes met mine and she smiled, her voice was soft and beautifully feminine. "What do you want me to do? Whatever you want...I'll do," she asked, in her eyes I could tell the answer she preferred me to say.

I smiled, moving around the bed with Abigail and placed her in the opposite arm of Samantha, in the crook of her other arm she held Cassandra. "Here, hold our daughters then...I've got a wagon to unload." I stood up and kissed my wife upon her moist lips, there was passion and fire in that single kiss. I knew she would remain as she was...happy to be my wife and mother of our beautiful twin girls.

Chapter 37 - Epilogue

We stood on the porch as the sleigh darted away across the frozen snow, the runners created a whooshing sound as they were pulled by the wonderfully matched stallions. "There they go again," I sighed as I closed the door.

Travis, my young son named for our friend the mountain man, looked up. "Who cares, I get sick of listening to them talk all night about boys!"

He bounced across the room to his mother. "Can I help, Momma?" he asked as our puppy decided at that moment to cut between his legs almost causing him to fall.

"Sure you can," she quickly caught him and prevented him from hitting the floor hard. “Careful now.” she said smiling, and then had him set with his arms outstretched as she wrapped yarn from one hand to the other. Samantha smiled and looked up at me, her eyes sparkling like the day I first fell in love so long ago on this very farm.

I sighed and glanced back out the window, the sled was a distant black dot on the horizon. "What'll you think will come of all this?"

"This what, Dear?" she smiled, tweaking Travis' nose.

"The girls...what's going to happen with them?" I sighed, already knowing the answer she would give.

"They're sixteen now, women actually. They'll eventually marry, giving us grandchildren to bounce upon our knees." She laughed as my face reddened, I didn't like to think of my girls as women, to me, they were still tiny and begging to be bounced upon my knee. "If I began to think of them as mature women, so would the young men in our area!" I sighed deeply and returned my glance out the window.

Samantha laughed, "Like it or not, no young man will be thinking of them in any other way! To them, they are available, beautiful women." Travis turned his head and made a gagging sound. His mother bounced a yarn ball off the back of his head playfully, "You'll think differently when it's your turn to look at the young ladies, little man!" She gave me a winsome smile, “This has been the second time those Henry boys have taken them out, they make quite lovely couples don’t you think?”

I leaned against the window, looking at the swirling patterns in the frost that formed and thought of that day sixteen years ago when our beautiful twins were brought into this world. I purposefully pushed the person who once was Abigail from my mind long ago, they were my daughters and I thought only of them as such for sixteen short years.

I grew quiet for almost a full minute, then realized that Samantha had directed a question at me, "They take after their daddy.” I said, “Robert and James would make excellent husbands for our girls.”

“Do you suppose they are as big…” She began but stopped, laughing when I suddenly scowled playfully at her.

"They're both so tall..." Travis included as he was trying to get the puppy to walk through the yarn strands he was holding for his mother.

And what of Grandfather; where do you suppose he is?" I said still looking back toward my beautiful wife and son.

She smiled and looked up, "You know him, he and that dog of his are off exploring the world!" Again she messed Travis' hair and laughed, "Ever since he sold the store and took off with that necklace, we only get a postcard once in awhile." Her comment caused me to recall Gypsy, his old dog made young with the necklace. I glanced toward the puppy, it wasn’t one of hers but was from a puppy of hers that she had not long after Grandpa used the medallion on her.

I smiled contently, I would never have altered a thing in our lives; I thought as I gazed at Samantha's heavenly face, matured remarkably over time. To me, she was even more beautiful and dear to than life itself. "Do you ever miss it?"

"Miss what, dear?" she laughed as she tickled Travis; his giggling caused the puppy to begin to severely lick at his face prodding him further into fits of laughter.

"The chance to return to ...you know, to turn back." I whispered, almost unable to hear myself over Travis' giggling.

She adjusted her dress, and poked her finger into Travis' side once again, causing him to contort from her playful touch. "No Quin, I'd never trade what I have...ever!"

I smiled and nodded in thankfulness. Returning back to my rocker, I picked up the book I had been reading before the handsome Henry boys arrived to pick up Abigail and Cassandra. As I opened it I looked at Samantha, If it were possible; I was more in love with her than ever before. I was happy, Samantha was happy...and I know Grandfather is happy, wherever he was.

I looked above the mantle where our portrait rested, its wide golden frame leaning outward slightly from the wall; an ornate frame which contained the image of a truly happy family, each member joyous in life and love...and in all, I owe my thanks to a simple necklace.