Alaskan Brides: Gold Rush Baby Part 20

"Gracious, it's so crowded in this yard, you'd think the church was on the waterfront. I had to search to find you here, in the middle of everyone." Hattie plunked her basket down in the center of the blanket with Viola's, Lana Tanner's and Teena Calloway's.

Dong. Dong. Dong.

Viola looked at Lana and grinned. "Which husband do you think it is, your's or mine?"

Lana laughed, shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows, they both love to ring that bell. And they're like little boys getting up to mischief when they get together." She s.n.a.t.c.hed her three-year-old son off the blanket. "Oh, no you don't, young man. I said, no cookies until after we eat dinner."

"Which sounds like an excellent idea to me."

Viola turned. Mack Tanner and her husband were weaving in and out among the spread blankets to join them. She looked at Thomas and smiled. He was so tall and handsome and wonderful. Her heart did the soft, melting thing it did whenever he was near.

Thomas stepped close to her side, slid his arm around her thickened waist. "Are you all right? You're not getting too tired are you? Because-"

She laughed and shook her head. "Stop worrying. I'm fine, Thomas. I have another month until the baby is due. You can-"

"Vi-Vi."

She grinned and turned, went to her knees on the blanket and held out her arms to Goldie, who was toddling toward her as fast as her pudgy little legs would carry her.

"Vi-Vi." Goldie climbed onto her lap as far as possible.

She lifted her over her swollen abdomen and kissed her soft baby cheek. "h.e.l.lo, sweetie." Little arms slipped around her neck and hugged tight.

"Gammy."

"Here I am." Hattie leaned over and kissed Goldie's other cheek.

"I'm sorry for the interruption, everyone. But Gretchen wouldn't settle down once she spotted Mrs. Stone." John Carter bent and held out his arms. "Come on, precious. Your new mama fixed a good lunch for us." He scooped his daughter up and carried her off, her little hand waving bye-bye over his shoulder.

Mack Tanner gave a shrill whistle and held up his hands.

People all over the yard stopped flapping blankets and arranging picnic baskets. Conversations stopped. Everyone turned and looked their way.

"I just want to thank you all for coming to our celebration picnic marking Thomas Stone's first full year as pastor of Treasure Creek Church."

Cheering and clapping erupted.

Mack gave another whistle to catch their attention and laughed. "You can all tell Thomas how much you love and appreciate him after the picnic. Right now, I'm hungry." There was a laughing, whistling roar of approval from the men. He held up his hands. "Quiet while Thomas blesses our food."

Thomas stepped forward, cleared his throat. "Almighty G.o.d, we are mindful of Your mercy and love, of Your provision and care. We thank You for the daily blessings You pour out upon us here in Treasure Creek. And we thank You, Lord, for this bounty which we are about to receive. We ask You to bless this food to the health and strength of our bodies. In our Lord's name I pray. Amen."

Conversations resumed, picnic baskets were opened.

Thomas glanced at the group settling on their blankets. "Think there'll be room enough for all of us on only two blankets?" He grinned and settled down beside her. "We're taking up more s.p.a.ce because there's practically three of us now."

She laughed and rested her hand on her distended stomach. "This little one doesn't make us three until I can see his adorable little face."

"And his red, curly hair!"

Frankie called the comment from the blankets she and Ed were sharing with Margie and Lucy and their husbands. The comment turned into a chorus from those seated around them. Everyone in town teased them about their baby being born with red curls.

Thomas leaned close. "Suits me. I'm partial to red curly hair. Especially on you." He gave her hand a squeeze that promised they'd talk more about that subject later.

Lana lifted a platter of chicken from her basket and glanced over at her sleeping baby daughter. "Well, I would highly recommend that you have a little girl like Mae. She is so much easier to raise than Georgie."

"Give her a chance to grow up and start toddlin' 'round. You might change your mind on that." Hattie chuckled, pulled the towel off her basket. Mack, Thomas and Jacob all leaned forward and grabbed one of her famous doughnuts. Mack snagged a second and held it out as a bribe to coax Georgie to eat his food.

Teena smiled and set out fish sandwiches made with some of Hattie's potato rolls. "I think the choice of son or daughter does not matter." She splayed her fingers over her abdomen in a protective gesture and looked at her husband. "Any child of ours will fill our hearts."

"And our picnic blankets next year." Jacob Calloway shook his head and grinned. "There is an epidemic of babies about to hit this town."

"We have all been abundantly blessed." Thomas looked around the group of friends, settled his gaze on his wife. "We have so much to be thankful for...each other and our coming child."

She nodded and smiled at those around them. "And good friends...and a wonderful church family."

Thomas grinned and picked up the litany again. "A warm, dry parsonage to live in..." Everyone laughed.

Hattie jumped in. "I'm thankful for the blessin' of Viola givin' me her cabin for my own, and my bakin' business. And that I'm going to be a grandma right soon. Though it sure was hard work gettin' them two together to start with."

"Amen! I thought I was going to wear myself out running Hattie's messages of Viola's doings to Thomas so he could accidentally run into her." Frankie chuckled, looked the group over. "Do you mind if we join you?"

"We carry guns."

They laughed at Ed's comment and made room on their blankets. Frankie spread the skirt of the new, blue cotton dress Viola had made her and sank slowly and gracefully to the edge of the blanket, Ed's strong hand helping her.

Jacob Calloway added tomato and cuc.u.mber from the vegetable platter Viola set out to his well-filled plate. "Well, I'm thankful for Teena loving me after the terrible, autocratic way I treated her when we first met. And for our coming child." He shifted his gaze to the mayor. "And to Mack for granting us the loan we needed to turn our small clinic into the Treasure Creek Hospital."

"We're all thankful for that." Ed Parker looked at Thomas and grinned. "Especially those of us that get shot."

Thomas grinned and lifted his fish sandwich in salute. "Amen to that."

Viola leaned against his shoulder that was at last fully healed. "I'll second that amen."

Ed Parker nodded, looked at Frankie. "And I'm thankful for the new sheriff's office, instead of the back of the smithy. And most of all for my deputy bride."

"Well, Lana and I are certainly thankful for Georgie and our newest blessing." Mack touched his infant daughter's tiny hand. "But I'm also thankful that the furor of people hunting for the buried treasure has finally stopped, thanks to the new gold strikes. Though I suppose someday, someone is going to find the map that will lead them to the buried treasure. I just hope it blesses them and provides them what they need."

Thomas swept his gaze over the group. "I'm sure we all agree, that with all the prayer that has covered that treasure, it will do just that, Mack."

Everyone nodded. "It surely will."

Dear Reader, It is an odd time of mixed emotion when I finish writing a story. There is relief Yay!- I met my deadline-and excitement-What is the next story going to be?-tinged with sadness because I am leaving behind characters I have come to know so well. This time is no exception. I am going to miss Viola, Thomas, Hattie and little Goldie.

I was honored when my editor asked me to write Gold Rush Baby, the last book in the Alaskan Brides continuity series. I hope I lived up to her faith in me. And that I did justice to the talented authors of the first two books, Yukon Wedding and Klondike Medicine Woman. If you somehow missed reading those first two books of the series, I would highly recommend you remedy that situation. They are wonderful stories.

Thank you, dear reader, for choosing to purchase Gold Rush Baby. I hope you enjoyed reading Viola and Thomas's story. If you would care to share your thoughts about the story with me, I would enjoy hearing from you. I can be reached at or www.dorothyjclark.com.

Until next time.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION.

Did Viola willingly choose to become a lady of the evening? What would you have done in her shoes?.

Do you believe G.o.d was working to lead Viola out of her lifestyle? On what do you base your opinion?

Why did baby Goldie's father leave her with Viola? Do you approve or disapprove of his actions? Why?

Why was Thomas determined not to marry again?.

In your opinion, was Thomas right or wrong in his thinking when he made the vow to stay single? Why or why not?

Hattie schemed to bring Thomas and Viola together. Was she right or wrong in her actions? Why?

Do you believe G.o.d was working to bring Thomas and Viola together?

What was your opinion of Lana's plan to protect Viola?.

The church members took "sides" when they learned of Viola's past life as a prost.i.tute. Would you have done the same? Which side would you have chosen?

Do you believe G.o.d can place thoughts and desires in our hearts and minds that will bring about His desires for us? How so?

Can we thwart G.o.d's plans for us?.

Do you believe G.o.d uses people to achieve His purposes?

Did G.o.d use Hattie? If so, how?

Do you think Thomas handled the situation with Viola well? Was his sermon appropriate for the situation?

What did you think of Frankie Tucker and her actions?.

Special thanks and acknowledgment to Dorothy Clark.

for her contribution to the Alaskan Brides miniseries.

ISBN: 978-1-4592-0626-7.

Books by Dorothy Clark.

Love Inspired Historical.

Family of the Heart.

The Law and Miss Mary.

Prairie Courtship.

Gold Rush Baby Love Inspired.

Hosea's Bride.

Lessons from the Heart.

Steeple Hill Single t.i.tle.

Beauty for Ashes.

Joy for Mourning.