A young hired girl came twice weekly.
The woman paid.
At first, she worked alongside because she could not stand watching someone else sweep.
The cowboy took broom from her.
“Sit.”
She glared.
“Courtship does not make you boss.”
“No.”
“Paying her while you do her job makes you fool.”
She sat.
Angry.
Then realized she was drinking tea while someone else cleaned.
The world did not collapse.
That was harder than shooting at foreman.
Learning rest.
Her brother’s letter remained folded in a tin.
She read less often.
At first every night.
Then weekly.
Then when missing him.
Grief changed texture.
No longer wound opened fresh.
Scar.
One summer afternoon, the woman and cowboy rode to his grave.
He had avoided going alone.
She noticed.
“Why?”
“Guilt.”
“You did everything you could.”
“No.”
“You told him leave.”
“I wasn’t there.”
“He chose.”
“I know.”
She looked at cowboy.
“My brother’s death cannot be another thing you carry because you think suffering proves love.”
He stared.
That sounded familiar.
She smiled faintly.
“Apparently I listen.”
He looked at grave.
“I miss him.”
“So do I.”
They sat.
No fixing.
Just missing.
On ride home, the cowboy said:
“I love you.”
The woman’s horse kept walking.
She said nothing.
He did not repeat.
After half mile, she asked:
“How long?”
“What?”
“How long have you known?”
He thought.
“Since winter.”
“Which part?”
“When you told federal marshal he could sleep in barn because he tracked mud.”
She laughed.
“That’s when?”
“I admired principles.”
She looked ahead.
“I love you too.”
The cowboy nearly dropped reins.
She smiled.
“Careful.”
“You could have warned.”
“I just did.”
He grinned entire way home.
Proposal came not long after.
No ring at first.
The cowboy took her to porch.
No kneeling because knee? He could, but perhaps simple.
“I want marry you.”
She looked.
“Terrible proposal.”
He blinked.
“I rehearsed.”
“That was rehearsal?”
“Yes.”
“You need more.”
He sighed.
“Fine.”
He took breath.
“I love you.”
“I want this cabin if you want it.”
“Another place if you don’t.”
“I want mornings when you complain about animals.”
“I want winters.”
“I want arguments.”
“I want to know you when neither of us needs saving.”
“I want to be chosen by you, knowing you can say no.”
The woman’s eyes filled.
He continued.
“And I want you to know I am choosing you even if you never cook another meal for me.”
She laughed through tears.
“That would test love.”
“I survived my own stew.”