Jessie woke-up early the next day, she didn’t hear Maggie crying so she pulls on her mother’s robe and slips on the slippers that had been bought for her, and goes downstairs. She remembers that her aunt and uncle had a patio out back, she unlocks the sliding doors and steps out on the patio. She walks around the backyard for a while then heads back to the patio and sits in one of the dew laden lawn chairs. She watches the sunraise.

Jessie looks up at the sky “mom, did I do the right thing?”

“I think your mom would say you did, Jessie.”

Mary goes and sits next to her niece.

Jessie was startled when she heard her aunt’s voice.

“Sorry, for sneaking up on you Jessie. I woke-up when I saw you peek into the bedroom. I’ve always been a light sleeper and now that you and
Maggie are staying with me, I need to be able to get up and help Maggie if she wakes up in the middle of the night.”

“Sorry for waking you Aunt Mary.”

Mary just smiles at her sweet, caring niece.

“You didn’t sweetie and even if you did, it would be okay. Come here.”

Jessie scoots closer to her aunt.

Mary puts her arm around her and holds her to her body.

“You never have anything to apologies for here, Jessie. I know your father mistreated you and your mom. I want you to feel you can be who
you are. I never want you to feel you can’t be yourself. Uncle Joe and I will love you no matter what, we will try to protect you and give you and your sister the life you deserve. You have my promise on that my sweet niece.”

Mary kisses Jessie’s forehead.

Jessie wraps her arms around her aunt, buries her face against her and cries. She lets out all the tears she had been holding back come to the
surface and just cries against her aunt. She holds onto her and let every pain and hurt she has been holding back come to the surface. All the loneliness she has been feeling and the loss of her mother.

Mary just holds Jessie and let her cry. The poor child has been holding back so much and now was the time for her to let it all come out before
it poisons her soul. Mary rubs her back as she cries.

“Let it all out Jessie. Let everything you have been holding back come to the surface.”

After a good fifteen minutes of Jessie crying, she stops. She looks up at her aunt with red eyes.

“Feel better?”

Jessie nods her head as she wipes away the tears that were still sliding down her cheek.

Mary reaches into her robe pocket and pulls out a tissue, she places it on Jessies nose.

“Blow.”

Jessie does what her aunt says.

Mary wipes Jessies nose and balls up the used tissue and stuffs it into her pocket. She smiles down at Jessie and kisses on her forehead.

“Come on, let’s go inside and get you cleaned up then you can help me in the kitchen fixing breakfast for everyone. Your other uncles and
cousins will be here this morning to work the herd and feed the horses.”

Mary and Jessie in the house.

Mary takes Jessie to the downstairs bathroom, clean her face and brushes her hair.

“Alright let’s go check on your sister and get dresses, we’ll come back down to get breakfast ready for everyone, okay?”

Mary and Jessie head upstairs and check on Maggie, who was still asleep. Joe was in the shower and Charlie was just walking out of the
guest bedroom when he sees Jessie and Mary heading towards Jessie’s room, he smiles as he walks into the bathroom.

Mary helps Jessie dress for the day, she had bought her a nice sundress and white sandals to wear with it. Mary brushes Jessie’s hair and ties
it into a ponytail, she puts nail polish on her fingernails and checks the starter studs in her ears. She had her ears pierced before they left West Virginia.

“There, you look just like your mother when she was your age.”

Mary shows Jessie what she looks like in the full-length mirror on the back of her bedroom door.

Jessie couldn’t believe how she looks; she couldn’t believe the little girl in the mirror was her. You could see some of her bruises and her
healing split lip, but she did look cute. A smile appears on her reflection.

Mary just watches Jessie as she stood in front of the mirror and examined herself, she could tell just from watching her that she had never
realized how cute she looked.

“Come on Jessie, let’s go and get breakfast ready for everyone.”

They head downstairs into the kitchen, Mary puts an apron on her so she doesn’t mess up her pretty dress. She gets the breakfast dishes
down and sets the table. Jessie makes the coffee, she learned how to do that from watching her mother; Mary was impressed with her.
Mary lets Jessie cook the bacon while she scrambled some eggs, she sautéed some onions, green peppers and mushrooms. Jessie was cooking the hash browns under his aunt’s watchful eyes. By the time breakfast was ready, Joe and Charlie comes walked in, Charles was carrying Maggie in his arms.

“Look who woke-up.”

“You guys are just in time. Jessie and I just finished cooking breakfast.”

“You mean we’re not going to be poisoned by your cooking?”

“Watch it Charlie or you’ll never be allowed to come back.” Mary was pointing a wooden spoon at him.

“Then I might live a little longer.” He smiles at her as he sits down with Maggie in his arms.

Joe comes over with a warm bottle already made up for Maggie.

“Here you go Uncle Charlie. You can feed her.”

Mary fills everyone’s coffee cups.

“Alright Jessie, take your seat, please.”

“Yes ma’am.” Jessie goes and sits between her uncles.

They all sit around the dining room table talking about things they still needed to do for Jessie and Maggie. Mary, Jessie and Charlie were
going to go into town and buy what they still need, Joe had things around the ranch that required his attention.

When breakfast was done, Jessie helps clean up the dirty dishes and the kitchen before they leave. Mary makes sure Jessie has her purse
and puts a few dollars in it.

“While we’re out. Why don’t you get yourself somethings young lady?”

“Thank you, Aunt Mary.”

“You’re welcome pumpkin.”

Maggie, Jessie and Charlie go out to the truck Joe and Mary had gone to get the children because the child’s safety seat was still in the truck.
They drive into town to do some shopping.

Edited By: Dave