Another side of Heartland

Chapter 48

-Mallory-

We were riding along in comfortable silence, my left hand resting on my saddle horn and my right hand holding my reins and resting against dragons neck. It was sunny out and there was a slight breeze. I looked down at my hand and smiled again at the ring sitting on my ring finger, never in a million years would I have guessed that I would end up here, on a horse with my fiancé in a perfect world. Looking up my daydreams were interrupted when I saw two people horse back walking our way. I glanced over at Caleb and he shrugged and continued to walk. I took a deep breath and continued behind him. "Good afternoon Mrs. Stanton, Ashley." Caleb said as politely as he could manage. Mrs. Stanton smiled and it actually met her eyes as she looked at us. Caleb stepped ghost closer to me where our knees were brushing and he returned the smile. 'It looks like congratulations are in order' Mrs. Stanton said nodding towards my ring. I hesitantly nodded and smiled. Ashley's sharp intake of breath was loud and pronounced and I grimaced knowing something ugly was about to come out. "You, you, you... how could you? Why? Did you knock her up and now you feel like you have to marry her? Di.." 'ASHLEY' Mrs. Stantons voice cut her off immediately. "But mom" 'don't you dare but mom me, you are an adult and part of being an adult is making your own mistakes but I will not stand here and watch you criticize these people.' "Mother.." 'no! Caleb was good to you, he didn't even drag your name through the dirt when you did everything you did to him. They are happy. They are together. You ruined things, so don't you dare pick a fight with them.' Ashley huffed and turned and rode off. Mrs. Stanton sighed and looked at us. "Please forgive her, part of her attitude is how we raised her and that is on her father and I, I'm very happy for you two. I hope you are very happy together and I wish all the best to you." I smiled and nodded. 'Absolutely Mrs. Stanton and thank you' I nodded my head at her and Caleb did as well. "Alright you two enjoy your peaceful ride that we ruined and we'll see you later" Mrs. Stanton waved as she rode off leaving Caleb and I to stare at each other and wonder what just happened.

Riding back into the barn yard I noticed that Lou and Peter we're back and they were all standing in the barn alleyway talking. We rode up and I stepped off of dragon and Katie ran up to me for a hug. I hugged Katie and Lou was next grabbing me into a hug. I stepped back next to Caleb and glanced up at him and he nodded and I pointed at him. Caleb chuckled and looked up at everyone. "So Mallory and I have a bit of an announcement." Caleb picked my hand up and showed everyone my ring. "We're engaged" Georgie and Lou squealed engulfing me in a hug and Peter shook Caleb's hand smiling. 'Congratulations you guys! We knew it was coming though' I nodded and Caleb nodded. After we finished celebrating and talking we all split up and got chores handled and finished quickly. Once we were done Caleb told everyone that we would be headed out for the weekend going to his parents for the dinner party and to tell them the news and we wouldn't be back until Sunday night. "Just come back on Monday or even Tuesday. You guys have held the fort down while we were away Peter and I don't mind returning the favor." 'Thank you Lou' Caleb said giving her a hug. I smiled and stepped closer to Caleb when he put his arm back around me. 'We'll text you and let you know' I said and Lou smiled and nodded. "That's more than fine, you guys have fun."

I kissed Caleb's cheek and pulled away from him heading up the stairs to pack a few things for our weekend away.

Forty five minutes later we were showered, packed and headed towards his parents house. 'If it only takes two and a half hours how come you don't visit more often?' Caleb took a deep breath and held my hand as he drove down the road. "My house wasn't a very happy place for a long time after my sister..." I squeezed Caleb's hand assuring him that I was here for whatever he had to say. "Then my parents slowly started to heal, you could still feel the hollow from a missing child but slowly it started feeling like a home again. I told Ashley about these things, trusting her, after all I was married to her. I think she couldn't understand what I meant and in her mind what I was saying, telling her, made my parents sound like bad people for grieving for a child that they lost. Ashley wasn't polite or kind to my parents and I felt guilty bringing her around, and then after we ended I felt ashamed for not being around my parents because of Ashley and I never knew how to bridge the gap that had been formed." I swallowed hard and squeezed Caleb's hand tighter in mine. "I still don't know if I would have figured it out if it hadn't been for me falling for you" I turned my head and looked at him with surprise. "I was so excited about you, and having my parents meet you that I got the courage up to contact them and I've got to see them and visit them more in the time we have been together than I have in years." I blinked away the tears that were gathering in my eyes and I leaned across the console and I kissed Caleb's cheek. 'I love you, thank you for talking to me. Letting me into your life so willingly.' Caleb smiled and lifted my hand to his mouth kissing it and squeezing it snugly in his hand.
I must have dozed off because the next thing I remember is Caleb shaking me. I sat up quickly looking around and then remembered where we were going and I looked over at Caleb, who was trying not to laugh at me. I shook my head and pulled my seatbelt off finally looking at the house that was in front of me. It. Was. Huge. 'This, this is the house you grew up in?' Caleb nodded. 'It's, it's.. I trailed off not knowing what to say.
"My parents have money, quite a bit actually. My dad engineers better ways to harvest and process crops of all kinds." 'Your dad is an agricultural mechanic engineer?' Caleb nodded. "My mom was a school teacher until a couple of years ago, she retired and now she just tutors a few kids from home." I looked over at Caleb and I smiled and then I frowned. 'What's with the frown baby?' I shook my head but Caleb cocked his head to the side and gave me the look that I knew meant -tell me now or we'll sit here all night- I sighed. "Is it crazy that we're engaged and don't know more about each other?" Caleb took a deep breath and shrugged. 'Maybe it is a little bit Mallory, but do you know what? I don't honestly care. I love you, God I love you so much that it hurts sometimes. I can't even imagine a life without you anymore. So crazy or not, I'm in' tears leaked down my face and Caleb got out of the truck and walked around to my side, snatched the door open and held my face in his hands. I smiled through my tears and I leaned in catching Caleb's lips with mine. Caleb pulled away and looked at me. "I love you Caleb, I'm in too"