Free Rocky Mountain Sister by Alena Wireman

kitchen to find everyone laughing at the story Cassandra was telling. Holding Joseph, she sat down to join in on the laughter as Jessie added to the story of Ole Boss.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
     
    The crash of door jolted everyone to look. Nathan carried Makenzie in, blood dripping from her for head. “Get a bed pulled down for her.” Nathan yelled. The wind was blowing harder now, it slammed the door so against the wall hard enough that Nathan thought the glass window would break.
    Elizabeth put Joseph in the cradle that sat close to the stove, then followed Anna into the hall toward the downstairs bedrooms, Nathan following right behind her, Rosa behind him. Cassandra grabbed a pot and started to boil some water. Nathan laid Kenzie on the bed. Everyone was asking questions at once.
    “I heard a couple shots. By the time I got to her, she was on the ground unconscious. I don’t know exactly what happened. It wasn’t her rifle though. I figure someone took a shot at her just to scare her, and she fell of her horse and hit her head on a rock.
    Cassandra carried in the pan of hot boiling water and Elizabeth brought plenty of clean towels. Rosa pushed everyone out of the room except Cassandra, who stayed to help undress Makenzie while Rosa cleaned and stitched the wound on her head.
    “How bad is it Rosa” Cassandra asked the older woman.
    “I don’t know yet, I have to get it all cleaned up. It doesn’t appear to be very deep though.” Rosa wiped the blood from around the wound. Then study it to figure out the best way to stitch it up.
    Cassandra was undressing Kenzie when Elizabeth brought in fresh night clothes for her. “How is she?”
    “Oh don’t fret now, she will be just fine. Just a few stitches will do it all.” Rosa assured the girls. “She will have a bad headache for a couple days though.” Rosa stitched and dressed the wound, then left the girls to finish getting her settled in for the night.
    Rosa walked into the kitchen to a bunch more questions. She looked at them with ease. “She will be fine, just a few stitches, and a headache I am sure. She should stay in bed for a couple days. She isn’t awake yet, so I think one of us should stay with her at all times.”
    By the time Cassandra and Elizabeth came into the kitchen, Rosa had everyone settle down with another pot of coffee and assurance that Kenzie would be fine. When Cassandra grabbed her cup to take with her back to the bedroom to sit with Makenzie, Anna went with her.
    Around ten o’clock, Elizabeth came into the room and offered to sit with Kenzie for a while. “The storm has calmed, Jessie is getting ready to head out. He needs to check on his own family. I thought you both might wish to say good night to him.”
    Cassandra stood and let Elizabeth sit in the chair she was sitting in. “Thank you Elizabeth, I won’t be long. I suppose I will get a bath over with also.”
    “Take your time, Cassie, I am fine. Joseph is fast asleep. Go on now and visit a moment with Jessie.” Elizabeth smiled at her sister-in-law, then ushered her out of the room. “Grandma, why don’t you go on to bed, you are exhausted. I promise that one of us will come get you if she stirs even a little bit.”
    Anna was exhausted. She worried that after being reunited with one granddaughter, she would lose the other. “Thank you honey, I think I will do just that. It won’t do her any good for me to be down in the bed too. Good night dear.”
    “Good night” Elizabeth said as she watched Anna walk out the door.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
     
    Makenzie moved her hand toward her aching head.
Why is my heading hurting
? she thought to herself. She tried to open her eyes. It hurt to even do that. Makenzie spoke in a low voice. “Grandma, Nathan?”
    Rosa was sitting beside the bed. She jumped at the sound of Makenzie soft voice. “Kenzie girl, just lay still. I will get you some water dear.”
    “What happened? My head hurts something awful.” Kenzie whispered to