Tessa had a daughter, Cate. She got a job at another paper where she was able to write news stories. She began writing a book.

Georgia watched Cate while Tessa worked. She gave Cate piano lessons. She thought Cate was quite talented.

Cate and her grandmother were close. Unfortunately, Georgia died when Cate was ten. Cate, at first, was unable to play the piano. Every time that she would try, she would burst into tears. How could her grandmother be gone? In time, however, she was able to start playing again. While she played, she felt closer to her grandmother.

The only thing Emma loved more than the farm was her son. She was proud of the man Gabriel had become. He was kind, hard working, and caring. Luckily, Gabriel loved the farm, too. One day it would be his. She just wished that he would find a woman to share the farm and his life with. She wouldn’t mind having a grandchild or two, also.

She felt Gabriel worked too hard as she had done. She had almost lost a chance to find love. She didn’t want Gabriel to miss his chance. She encouraged him to go out, meet people, have fun.

Emma was working on the farm when she fell and broke her ankle. The crops needed to be picked and it was too much work for Gabriel alone. They couldn’t afford to hire help.

Luckily, Gabriel’s friend Alex agreed to help in exchange for room and board. Emma agreed. She had only met Alex a couple of times, but she liked him.

Emma healed and was able to get around and resume her regular activities.

“Looks like Alex can return home,” Gabriel said with a frown.

“This is his home if he wants it. He has been a great help around the farm,” said Emma putting her hand on Gabriel’s. The looks that had passed between Gabriel and Alex had not gone unnoticed by Emma.

“He seems to make you happy and that makes me happy. I am not able to do as much as I used to. It’s time for me to slow down a little. You will need help to keep this farm running,” Emma told him.

Gabriel realized that his mother knew about his and Alex’s relationship. He had tried to be discreet. He knew his neighbors would not be too accepting. He wasn’t sure what his mother would think, but he should have known. His mother had always been supportive.

Alex moved in permanently. His sister disapproved, but he disapproved with many of her life choices, too. Alex was close with his niece, Joanna.

Joanna had a troubled relationship with her mother and stepfather. Her father had taken off shortly after she was born and she never heard from him again. Her mother remarried and had two sons. Joanna felt like the outsider in her own home. She would fight with her parents and run away.

When things became intolerable, she would stay with her Uncle Alex. Joanna was always welcome in the home. She liked Gabriel and his mother.

Joanna was staying with Uncle Alex, when Neil and Sadie came to visit. She thought Neil was cute and she could tell he felt the same. They stayed up talking the first night. They made each other laugh. At night, they would sneak out of the house and lay under the stars, kissing. They were young and impulsive. They thought little of consequences. They were both disappointed when the stay ended and Neil had to return home.

“I will be back in the summer to help out,”Neil told her.