I can easily tell whose home I am in as I sit on the soft sofa beside a gentle fire and eye the stack of books sitting on the tiny table next to me. Lying beside the books was a large knife that looked sharp enough to split hairs.          

                If I were to guess I would say that the knife belongs to the woman of the house. As if thinking of her made her appear, Jessie came walking into the room, though her normally confident stride was hindered a bit by her large pregnant belly which caused her to waddle more so than strut.

                Quickly, I get to my feet and Jessie waved her hand. “Don’t bother standing on my account.” She scolds. “Cuz I plan on sitting down real quick.”

                “It shouldn’t be much longer before that baby comes, should it?” I asked Jessie and she sighed as she sits on the small sofa across from me and lays her hands over her growing belly.

                “Another two months or so.” She admits, blowing strands of wild golden hair from her face. “I told Langly that if he does this to me again, I’ll shoot him.”

                “Where is Langly?”

                “Hiding.” Jessie replied with a smile as I take my seat once again. “He’s afraid that the great Conleyswifey will ask him questions that he doesn’t want to answer.”

                “Quit your story telling.” Langly’s voice cut in and I turned to see him walking into the room. He’s so cute. Thick chestnut hair that falls over his brow, freckles and a happy smile that reveals the small gap between his teeth.

                His eyes are the same as his mothers and yet there’s something in the way that he carries himself; a confidence that I’m sure he has picked up from Marston.

                “Nice to meet you, Conleyswifey, and don’t listen to my wife. I was just getting us all something to drink.”

                Langly held up the try of tea he was carrying and smiled wider as he handed Jessie and I each a cup before settling down on the small sofa beside his wife. “And she’s the one that’s been worried about this interview.”

                “Why is that?” I asked, sipping the sweet tea and finding that it was delicious.

                “Well I was pretty damn dumb there for a while. I’m sure they’ll be some people that’ll have something to say about that.” Jessie admits.

                “You might be pleasantly surprised.” I countered with a comforting smile.

                “Well then let’s get this thing started. This youngin’ is resting heavy on my bladder and I can’t go too long without running to the outhouse.”

                Laughing, I reach in my pocket and pull out the list of questions, pretending I don’t notice the gentle kiss Langly lays to Jessie’s temple and the way she smiles lovingly back at him.

                “Okay, I’ll start with the questions that are only for Langly.”

                “Sounds good.” Langly agreed, taking a quick drink of tea as he sat up straighter and leaned forward.

                Conleyswifey: ‘Our first question comes from @CheriDawn and she wants to know; Langly how does it feel to have Marston as a dad. What did you think of him when you first met him and what did you think of running wild with your uncle?’

                Langly: “I’m gonna answer those backward.”

                Conleyswifey: *smiling mischeviously*“Just remember your wife has limited bladder control time.’

                Langly: *scoffing* ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

                Jessie: ‘She means you talk a lot and she’s reminding you to keep it short.’

                Langly: *Shaking his head* ‘You know you love listening to me talk.’

                Jessie: *laughs quietly but says nothing else*

                Langly: ‘Alright then, you bunch of comedians. Running wild with my uncle was fun for a while. I liked sleeping under the stars, talking around the campfires and playing poker. But I got homesick after a time and just wanted to settle back down a while. That’s when the trouble started.’

                Conleyswifey: ‘Trouble being Jeremiah’s sudden urge to rob a bank?’

                Langly: *nodding sadly* ‘Yeah that.’

                Conleyswifey:’Okay then, if you wanted to answer them backward then the next question is what did you think of Marston when you first met him?’

                Langly: ‘I thought he was the biggest giant of a man I had ever laid eyes on in my life! But I thought he was great. The mouth shut or get tied up game was a work of genius on his part and I can see me using that on my own kids one day’

                Jessie: *shakes head* ‘Kid. Singular. We aren’t doing this again’

                Conleyswifey: ‘And the final question from @CheriDawn. How does it feel to have Marston has a dad?

                Langly: ‘Intimidating.  I am the son of the Marston Jacobs. In a lot of circles there is a lot of pressure that comes from that. Lawman automatically think I’m a bad man and outlaws instantly compare me to Marston and wonder if I’m as tough as he is.  But aside from that having Marston as my father has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. The way he has been with my mama, the way he loves and takes care of her is more than I ever hoped she’d find. And he took me right under his wing and he treats me just like I’m his own flesh and blood. Folks can say what they want about Marston Jacob’s and his past but I know he’s a good man.’

                Jessie:*Giving Langly’s hand a squeeze*  ‘And he’d be complaining of a stomach ache right about now if he could hear you’

                Langly: *chuckling* ‘Yes he would.’

                Conleywifey: ‘Okay, our next question for Langly comes from @Aiwatts and ties in to the last question. She asks; Langly how blessed do you feel having Marston being your father all these years? It says a lot about a man being a dad when he doesn’t have to be, don’t you think?

                Langly: *Nodding* ‘Marston is the best man I know. Sure he’s got a bad past and he’s done bad things in his life but he rode in and he saved my mama and me all those years ago and he taught me how to shoot, he taught me how to work hard and he taught me how to help those who need help even though he wouldn’t admit that he’d help anyone. I hope I can be half the dad to my child that he was to me.’

                Conleyswifey: ‘You will be. I have faith in you.’

                Jessie: *Smiling* ‘I do too.’

                Conleyswifey: ‘Our next question comes from @LiveLife02  and she wants to know; Langly, before meeting Jessie what type of girl did you see yourself falling for? Does Jessie fit the bill?

                Langly: *Casting a nervous glance and grin at Jessie*

                Jessie: *Smiles with false sweetness and bats her lashes* ‘Yeah, Langly, do I fit the bill?

                Conleyswifey: ‘Uh-oh, @LiveLife02, you’ve caused some trouble in paradise.’

                Langly: ‘No, no trouble. I wanted pretty. Blond. I wanted one that could cook and clean….’

                Jessie: ‘Yep you must be awful disappointed then.

                Langly: ‘Not at all. I’d be bored to death with one of those women. You’re all I want, Jessie. And lucky for us mama is a real good cook and it doesn’t take too long to get to her house.’

                Conleyswifey: ‘And next question….  This comes from @CeruleanBlues. They ask: Does Langly ever lose his temper since he seems to be the kind of man who has the patience of a saint?

                Jessie: *raises her hand* ‘I’ll answer that! No. The man does not. It is the single most annoying trait of his. Those damn patience.’

                Langly: *rolls his eyes* ‘Most women would be glad to have a patient man. Besides a man with the patience of a saint is the only kind that could put up with a woman like you.’

                Jessie: ‘And he thinks he’s so clever.’

                Conleyswifey: ‘@MiebakaDimeDede wants to know; Langly were you really going to forget about Jessie? And what would you have done if she hadn’t come back?’

                Langly: *nods and taps his fingers against the cup of tea in his hands* ‘Yeah I was going to forget about her. What choice did I have? I wasn’t going to crawl after her again. I might not have much of a temper to speak of but I do have the smallest sliver of pride.  And if she hadn’t come back to me then I would have more than likely spent the rest of my life alone and working in that gun shop hoping that one day I’d look over the horizon and see her riding in.’

                Jessie: *bites at her lip and nudges him with her shoulder* ‘I was pretty dumb back then.’

                Langly: ‘It’s all in the past now.’

                Conleyswifey: @Speakandbeheard wants to know how life would have been different if Jessie hadn’t come back and whether you could have seen yourself ever moving on with someone new?

                Langly: *shakes his head quickly* “Nope. Never would have. Jessie was my first and she would have been my last; whether she ever came back or not.’

                Jessie: ‘Can we move on to questions that don’t remind me of how foolish I was for a time?

                Conleyswifey: Sure can, for a minute anyway. @Fire-starter asks; Langly while your mama has a heart of gold were you nervous about leaving her and Jessie alone together?

                Langly: *laughing* ‘No. I talked to mama first so I knew she’d be on her best behavior.

                Conleyswifey: ‘And now that brings us to some questions for Jessie.

                Jessie: *Adjusts herself on the cushion and breathes out a sigh* ‘Okay I’m ready.’

                Conleyswifey: @Fire-starter wants to know: Jessie do you still talk to your mama and how did it feel to be accepted by Langly’s family so quickly?

                Jessie: ‘Me and my mama send each other letters. I sent her one to let her know I was gonna be a mama and she’s actually coming to visit next month and spend time with us once the baby is born. I’m hoping that goes well since me and mama haven’t exactly been best friends our whole lives. And as far as Langly’s family goes, they are the family I never really had. I never expected them to accept me at all given my past and the way I hurt Langly but they pretty much all took me in with open arms and I’m grateful for that.’

                Conleyswifey: ‘Okay and @JenneferWilliams-Hal wants to know who scared you more, Marston or Rose and why?

                Jessie: Rose. One hundred percent for sure it was Rose.

                Langly: *clearly surprised* “My mama? Why in the world would you have been more afraid of my mama than of my pa? He’s the murdering outlaw in the family!

                Jessie *nodding* ‘Yes exactly and I know how to deal with men like that. I was raised up with them! What I wasn’t raised up with was angry mama’s and she was sending death daggers across that table at me the first day I met her.’

                Langly: *rolling his eyes* “Death daggers?’

                Jessie:  ‘Big sharp ones.’

                Conleyswifey: ‘Okay  now it’s time for one of those questions that Jessie doesn’t like. @MiebakaDimaDede asks; Jessie, if Langly hadn’t forgiven you what would you have done?’

                Jessie: *Glances sadly at Langly* ‘I don’t know. I didn’t really let myself think about that possibility. I would have walked away I suppose… I don’t know where I would have gone or what I would have done but I would walked away.’

                Langly: ‘Walking away is hard. I only did it once but damn it hurts.’  Jessie lays her head gently on his shoulder and we all fall into a brief moment of silence.

                Conleyswifey: ‘@Aiwatts asks; Jessie, I know at first you were afraid to share your heart. After being blessed with such a love what advice do you have for others afraid of taking that risk?’

                Jessie: *shrugs* ‘Take it. It’s worth it.’

                Conleyswifey: ‘Short and sweet answer’

                Jessie: ‘I’ll leave the long answers to old wind bag over here.’

                Langly: ‘Ha ha.’

                Conleywifey:  ‘And our last question for Jessie comes from @Cerulean-Blues and they ask; Jessie, if it was a special occasion like Langly’s birthday and you wanted to impress and surprise him, would you be willing to dress in a lady-like dress?”

                Jessie: *nearly shouting to be heard over Langly’s roaring laughter* ‘No. I love him but no. Now I did get up early and cook him a special breakfast on his birthday though.’

                Langly: *wipes tears from his eyes and shudders* ‘Yes she did.’

                Jessie: *smacks his arm* ‘I tried! It’s the thought that counts!”

                Langly: *wraps her in a side hug and kisses her cheek tenderly, a smile pulling at his mouth* ‘Yes, you’re right. It’s the thought that counts.’

                Conleywifey: ‘Exactly. It’s always the thought that counts.’

                Langly: ‘Yeah but it’s the raw sausage that’ll kill ya.’

Conleywifey: ‘Since your wife looks angry enough to kill you we’ll move on to the final question which is directed at both of you. @Fire-Starter asks; Is there anything about your journey together you would change even though everything worked out in the end. Is there any advice you have for couples who might follow in your footsteps. And also what’s one thing that you want your child or children to take away from each other.’

Jessie: *waves hand* ‘Go ahead, wind bag. You first.’

Langly: *shakes head* “Fine. Something I’d change about our journey? I wouldn’t have drugged her drink in that hotel that night. I would have just been honest and told her my plan. As far as advice, I don’t really have any. Everybody’s story is different so who’s to say anything I say would help them? And what do I want our children to take from Jessie? Her sheer iron-willed grit and stubbornness. Those might not seem like real good traits sometimes but they are some of the things I love the most about this woman and I think they are good traits for a person to have to survive in this life.

Jessie: ‘Okay, you’re not in as much trouble over making fun of my birthday breakfast now.’

Langly: *grinning* ‘Thank you dear. It’s your turn to answer now’

Jessie: ‘I wouldn’t change anything. I know that seems crazy since I messed things up so bad but I had to. If I hadn’t ended up back with my mama and gotten shot and had that talk with her then I never would have felt as if I was good enough for Langly. As sad as it all was and as much time as it wasted, it was all necessary. Advice I have to offer would just be to follow your heart. Love can hurt sometimes but damn when it’s good then it’s worth all the rough stuff you might have to get through to find it. And I hope our children get Langly’s openness. His ability to care about and trust every person he meets. It’s one of the things that I love most about him because it makes him so much different from most other people.’

Conleyswifey: “Well I thank both of you for taking the time to do this interview and I can see Jessie squirming a bit so I believe I’ve used up all the time her bladder has.”

Langly: “Come on back anytime. My pa speaks pretty highly of you’

Conleyswifey: *laughs* ‘Now there was a fun interview. Alright you two, be good to each other and enjoy your happiness. I think you’ve both earned it.”

                As I get on my horse and ride off I think of the journey that Langly and Jessie went through to get to where they are today in their small cabin at the edge of Marston’s property. It gives me hope for everyone else in the world for it two such opposite people, who seemed determined to screw things up can wind up as happy as those two are together then we all stand a chance!