Miss Emmaline And The Archangel Part 23

"I know, sweetheart. I know. But he's dead now, Emma. You don't ever have to see him or worry about him again." Micah's shotgun had taken care of that.

"But I feel so angry," she said into his shoulder. "So angry."

"I know. I've been angry for a long, long time, and I guess you will be, too. But, Em, are you going to sacrifice tomorrow to your anger the way I did for so long? Or are you going to put it in its place and try to make some good Christmas memories for us?"

Another long, shuddering sigh escaped her. After a few moments she raised her wet face so she could look up at him. Her hand rose instinctively to his scarred cheek, cradling it, remembering just what it was he had lost, and comparing it to her own losses. He was looking at her now with a new expression in his gray eyes. Warmth blazed out at her, warmth and something very like hope.

"But I can't have children," she said, a litany so old it came automatically.

"That's fine. I don't want any. I had mine, and I lost them, and if you want the G.o.d's honest truth, Em, I don't think I could sleep another night if I ever again had a child to worry about. In fact, it scares me sh-scares me to death to think of worrying about you for the rest of my days. I'll probably drive you crazy, hovering over you all the time, sending out search parties if you're fifteen minutes late..."

A small, reluctant laugh escaped her, just a puff of sound, but it reached him in his very heart. He looked intently down at her and felt nearly swamped by relief when he saw the old Emma peering up at him from sparkling green eyes. For the moment, maybe for all time, the shadows had been driven back.

"Are you trying to tell me something, Mr. Dalton?" she asked primly, Miss Emma the spinster librarian from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Deep in her green eyes, behind the sheen of tears, was a teasing sparkle that warmed his chilly soul.

"I most certainly am, Miss Emma," he said gruffly. Then h.e.l.l's own archangel bent to whisper the most seductive words of all into the pink sh.e.l.l of Miss Emma's ear.

"I love you, Red," he said roughly. "I'll love you all my days, and probably far beyond. I need you with every breath I draw. Say you'll marry me. Whatever comes, we can face it together."

"Oh, Gage, I do love you!" Her tremulous sigh filled his ear, filled his heart, filled his soul. With those simple words, she set him free and handed him heaven.

h.e.l.l's own archangel had found peace at last.

end.