Posted April 5, 2021 / Emeline Pike
Getting to see the progress on the house had been simmering in the back of Emeline's mind, but it wasn't until they were at the end of the drive that she realized how excited she really was to see the progress, and just what their future home was going to look like.
Glancing at Barnabas, she grinned, then nudged Noel into an easy lope, the only thing really keeping her from going to a full-out gallop the pies she was toting.
As soon as the home-site came into view, she pulled the horse to a stop. "It's beautiful!" Far from the timber frames she'd last seen, there were actually walls, a roof, the real look of a home. "Come on, I want to see it with walls!"
It wouldn't be finished, of course, no paint or curtains yet, but it would be so much easier to envision it now. She urged Noel forward again, loping up to the house then hopping to the ground.
"All right, give me the grand tour!"
Posted April 6, 2021 / Barnabas Pike
"All right, give me the grand tour!"
Pronto walked his horse to the hitch rail in the front of the place and stepped down, flipping the reins over the cross bar. “That there’s the porch, notice how it sortta wraps around the house. And them holes in the walls are windas waitin’ on the glass. Betwixt ‘em’s the door, which ain’t quite finished yet, but she’s hung proper.”
Once he was finished ducking he took her hand and led her up on the porch, pushed the door open which was waiting on the hardware and stepped inside. The room was large and open wit the fireplace in the center wall. There were doors to either side which led into the enormous kitchen with plenty of room for furniture. Of course, to one side was the large pantry, still though, much of the ground floor was simply framed in. But the stove was already in place.
There were stairs in both rooms which led up to where the bedrooms were to be, a lot of framing for the time being. “Right here, this space, by the front stairs, that’ll be yer sewin’ room with the big winda fer light.” He explained, nodding, “and every room has windas giving the place all the sunlight we can get. Our room is the biggest, of course. That’s the framework for it yonder. Rooms ta either side fer them childern we was talkin about.”
Posted April 11, 2021 / Emeline Pike
While it was relatively basic, the house was bigger than anything she'd lived in before, and Emeline looked around in wide-eyed wonder as she was given the 'grand tour'. The kitchen was spacious and the window would overlook the yard, and she could easily see herself in a few years watching the children playing.
The upstairs was well laid out, and there was plenty of space in the main bedroom for a crib, until the little ones were old enough to be in their own rooms, and even then, they'd be close enough to keep an eye on.
"It's so much more than I had envisioned!" She was beaming brightly as she looked at Barnabas. "And once it has all the furniture and curtains...well, and windows...it's going to be perfect."
She moved over to stare out the window then, so that he wouldn't see the tears welling in her eyes.
Posted April 13, 2021 / Barnabas Pike
"It's so much more than I had envisioned!" She was beaming brightly as she looked at Barnabas. "And once it has all the furniture and curtains...well, and windows...it's going to be perfect."
“Well, yeah. I mean, how can you picture something what ain’t built yet?” He asked. “I just hope you think you can be happy here. Hope it’s big enough, or not too big, you know. I hope it’s the right size."
She moved over to stare out the window then, so that he wouldn't see the tears welling in her eyes.
“Quite the view, huh? Now that has to be everything we thought it would be.” He said moving up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. “This is our place, our home. Where them young’uns’ll sprout up, an’ you an’ me’ll grow old together talkin’ 'bout what it was like in the old days.” He kissed the back of her head.
Posted April 15, 2021 / Emeline Pike
Letting out a shaky breath, Emeline nodded, reaching up to dry her eyes, grateful that he hadn't made a fuss over her silly tears.
"Well, there's no way to know exactly how much room we'll need, but if it turns out to be too small, that will be because we are teeming with children!" A dream she could only hope and pray for!
Then she shrugged. "And if it seems too big, I'm sure we'll find a way to open our home and hearts if we need to." Even if fortune wasn't shining brightly on them, Emeline would be hard-pressed to turn away anyone who needed help, especially children, and until there was an orphanage...well, she was pretty confident that Barnabas felt the same...
Posted April 15, 2021 / Barnabas Pike
“Sounds to me like you’ve got ‘er pruty well figgered out. Yes ma,am, we’ll make due no matter how big ‘er small the family is. But,” He paused, slightly, “We can always add on, ya know. I made sure there was room fer that.” Then he smiled, “Be a ways off though. Way I see it.”
A big family would be just fine with him, as would a small one. To him, it was up to the Good Lord how many little Pikes there would be. He’d just do his part. “Won’t be long till the place is ready ta move in. Best we get some furniture here right shortly, else we’ll be sleepin’ on the floor.” With that he laughed, even though it was true.
Posted April 18, 2021 / Emeline Pike
"Oh, yes, I have it all figured out!" Emeline was smiling brightly as she face him, "With or without furniture, we'll manage. Of course, you are right, it will be much nicer with a few things."
She shrugged. "I'll keep the apartment above the cafe, in case we need to stay there over night, or I hire some help besides Clara." Or even if Clara and Jacob had to move in.
Moving close to Barnabas, she wrapped her arms around his chest, grinning up at him. "We can use the apartment if the house isn't ready when we are."
And she was more than ready, not only to marry Barnabas and start a family, but to start a new part of her life and embrace the future.
Posted April 18, 2021 / Barnabas Pike
"Oh, yes, I have it all figured out!" Emeline was smiling brightly as she face him, "With or without furniture, we'll manage. Of course, you are right, it will be much nicer with a few things."
“Sure, havin’ the essentials’ll make this a much nicer place to be living in.” He agreed. The fact was, he had already dropped in the Mercantile to see what they might order and how long it would take to receive it. The time was not soon enough, and of course, she would need to see what there was that she liked before any ordering could take place.
She shrugged. "I'll keep the apartment above the cafe, in case we need to stay there over night, or I hire some help besides Clara." Or even if Clara and Jacob had to move in.
“Good idea, keepin’ the apartment. No tellin’ the use we might have to make of it.” He agreed
Moving close to Barnabas, she wrapped her arms around his chest, grinning up at him. "We can use the apartment if the house isn't ready when we are."
“So far the house here’s on schedule, but that’s right now. No tellin’ what might delay gettin’ done in time, let alone on time.” He explained. “Maybe one day this week we oughtta go over’t the mercantile an have a look-see at their caty-logs. See what they can get and when. Well, I already know it’ll be a while till it comes in, but it’s just over in Great Falls.”
And she was more than ready, not only to marry Barnabas and start a family, but to start a new part of her life and embrace the future.
"Might be a bit, but it'll all come soon enough." He said with a grin.
Posted April 20, 2021 / Emeline Pike
"Oh, a real catalogue! I've looked through a few, but I've never bought anything more than some sundries..." Emeline smiled at the thought of ordering a whole household of goods from a catalogue, but that brought on another thought.
'We'll need linens and dishes, pots and pans and..." Laughing, she shook her head. "Listen to me carrying on! I'll make a list of the essentials, and then we can budget..."
For a time, they might have to make due with what they could scrounge, or perhaps get second-hand, she didn't mind if everything wasn't new, and she had some things that could be brought from the apartment or cafe.
"I promise I won't be too extravagant, and you'll have to keep me in check!"
Posted April 21, 2021 / Barnabas Pike
"I promise I won't be too extravagant, and you'll have to keep me in check!"
“Oh, sure, I can see me doin’ that. Yup, keepin’ you in check with a house ta furnish. That’ll be the day.” He replied good naturedly. “A’course now, I warned ‘em already, but you know business folks, they’ll allow most anything fer a dollar.”
Barnabas ‘Pronto’ Pike, former Texas ranger, former Virginia City, Nevada Deputy Sheriff had parlayed three duces into a one third share of the Yellow Jacket Mine, which Cap Taylor had leveraged it into The Consolidated Virginia Mining Company that was paying dramatically.
He simply smiled at Em as she went on about scrimping and ‘just getting by,’ never giving a thought to how the construction of the house was being paid for, but that was alright. There was still stock to buy, locally if he could.
“I reckon we’ll get by. The honeymoon might be a little tight, but not to worry. You’ll have the weddin’ and the honeymoon, so best get Clara ready to take over fer a bit.”