-The Gladstone Train Station.

Naomi walked down the path leading to the train station. Things were clearly changing in her life, she had exchanged her drab black dress for a simple one of bright yellow.

“Ruth.” This brought no response, so she called louder. “Ruth!”

Simon pushed open the door in the center of the station and ambled out. “You’re lookin fer her too?”

“No. I just got tired of calling out my own name, so I thought. Never mind.” Naomi paused. “Of course I’m looking for her.”

“Well, when ya find her, send her my way. There’s somethin I’ve been wantin to talk to her about for some time now and I kinda wanta get it settled before the dancin gets goin.”

Naomi smiled a knowing smile as she mounted the steps leading up to the station platform. “I understand perfectly.”

“Thank you,” Simon said as he wandered back into the station.

Naomi glanced around her. Invited guests wandered to and fro, visiting in bunches, however, she couldn’t see the one person she was looking for. “Ruth.” Her volume cranked up a notch. “Ruth!”

Ruth made her way through a throng of party guests. “There’s no need to yell.” She took in the crowd gathering before the station. “Goodness, where did all these people come from?”

Naomi stood at the edge of the platform watching her daughter-in-law walk toward her. “I suppose anytime you offer free food you’ll be sure to draw a crowd.” A battered green grain wagon clattered to a halt on the road passing by the station. Naomi smiled as she saw a rabble of hardy-looking prairie folk jump from the wooden contraption. “My goodness, we’ve even got people from Plumas here.”

Ruth mounted the steps leading to the platform. “We’re lucky. They don’t go out unless it’s to something good.” She reached the top and turned to survey the crowd below her. “Funny. I wouldn’t have thought of Simon as a person who would throw a party like this.”

“Really. What else have you learned about Simon?”

Ruth turned her attention to Naomi. “What do you mean?”

Naomi chucked. “What do I mean? Come on. I don’t have to be part of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to know what Simon has on his mind. I also happen to know you’ve been thinking about the future and I…”

“I know. I know, you’re worried about me making the right decision. I just think that…”

“Don’t over-think things child and for sure don’t worry about me. I’ve decided the time has come to sell my land to Simon, so, I’ll be alright. Honest. You can go on home if you need to.”

“Home? I don’t know if I know where that is anymore.”

Bill and Betsy scampered from the station, headed toward the bench on the east end of the platform.

Naomi placed her hand on Ruth’s shoulder. “Isn’t home is where the heart is?

“That’s just it, I don’t know where my heart is.”

As the two women continued to visit, Simon ambled from the station. He wore his usual uniform of overalls and a grey and blue plaid shirt. He seemed on edge about something.

“Goodness child, it’s not that complicated. Start by checking the middle of your chest.”

Ruth broke into a tired smile. “You sound like you’ve been spending too much time with Bill and Betsy.”

“Pardon me, ladies,” Simon interjected. He took a moment to appreciate Ruth’s new, sensible, but still beautiful blue dress. “I must say, you’re lookin mighty fine this evenin.”

Ruth blushed. “Thank you.”

“Ruth, do ya mind if we go inside for a minute? The dancin is about ta get goin and there’s somethin I’d like ta get settled before it does.” His gaze turned to Naomi. “No offense Ma’m.”

“None taken. I’ll just wander over and watch the train coming in.” Her bitterness had faded a lot over the last few weeks, now Naomi was almost bubbling over as she interacted with her daughter-in-law.

Behind her, Ruth and Simon walked arm and arm into the train station.

“Simon, I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me…for us…but, I’ve made up my mind,” was all Naomi heard of Ruth before the door closed behind the bashful couple.

Then there was the clatter and the clamor of a train pulling into the station.

After a moment the train stopped. A whistle shrilled, signaling that it was safe to dismount.

“Everybody off this here train whose gettin off,” Bill yelled from his seat on a bench beside the track, mainly because he enjoyed yelling.

Patricia took the cue and dismounted the train. Proceeding down the steps to the platform as if she were royalty. Granted, royalty wouldn’t carry their own luggage, but other than that, her bearing spoke volumes of what she imagined her position in the world to be.

Naomi moved east. She was hesitant as if she couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing. “I must say, this is a surprise.”

“A pleasant one I hope,” Patricia snapped as she flashed a false smile.

“Not particularly, I still remember how you treated me after my son and husband were killed.”

Patricia continued to patronize. “I understand, you probably feel like I abandoned you after the accident.”

“It wasn’t just you. Everybody did. That’s why I moved back here to Manitoba.”

Patricia pulled a pocket mirror from her purse and examined herself. “The thing was, I knew your son but I didn’t know you at all, and…” Patricia returned the mirror to her purse. “However, what’s past is past. I’m here to have a word with MY daughter and…”

“She’s MY daughter too you know.”

Patricia waved a white-gloved hand, dismissing this claim. “To be precise, she was your daughter-in-law. That is a very different thing. In any case, I didn’t come here to argue with you. Is Ruth here?”

Naomi tried to think of a way to stall Patricia but she was stumped. Finally, she replied. “She is, but she’s a bit preoccupied at the moment.”

“Oh really, with what exactly?”

Bill’s eyes flashed with mischief as he studied a new pair of suitcases only a few feet away. “Oh, just the normal problems that face women her age.”

“Namely men,” Betsy chimed in as she lunged forward, grabbing for one of Patricia’s suitcases.

Patricia swatted at the pest buzzing around her. “What do you mean, men?”

“I suppose in this case it’s only one man in particular,” Naomi said, amused by the two flies circling Patricia and her luggage.

“Don’t worry, he’s a good man,” Betsy said as she snatched at the case again.

Patricia stomped west, gripping her cases with a pair of powerful claws. “Oh, For Pete’s sake! I never thought I see you together with those two.”

Naomi followed, cautious, but determined to see where this situation would lead. “I wouldn’t have thought so either but I must say, Bill and Betsy, have really helped me out over these past few weeks.”

“I’m glad to hear they’ve grown up. They sure aren’t welcome back home.” Patricia was scanning the area again, looking for her daughter. “Anyway, I didn’t come here to talk about them. I came here to talk to…”

At that very moment, the door of the station flew open and Ruth came bouncing out of it.

“Ruth!” Patricia snapped, startled by this sudden appearance.

“Mother.” The two women eyed each other. Ruth stammered, attempting to process this development. “What brings you here?”

“You.”

“Me?”

Simon was chewing a piece of straw as he sauntered from the station. “Is there a problem out here?”

A look of suspicion darkened Patricia’s wrinkled face. “And who is this?”

“The name’s Simon Westlake,” he said as he rested his arm on Ruth’s slender shoulders.

“Mother, I don’t know how to tell you this, but Simon is…”

Patricia dropped her bags and took a step toward the couple. Her stance was that of a soldier preparing for hand-to-hand combat. “I sure hope that I won’t hear the word fiancee fall from your lips.”

“Now ma’am, there’s no call for usin that kinda tone!” Simon shot back.

Never people to pass up a good opportunity, Bill and Betsy lunged in to grab Patricia’s bags. Success! A moment later the bags were somersaulting through the air toward the baggage cart just to the west of them.

“I’ll use whatever tone I like, thank you very much.” Patricia took the hand of her daughter. “Do you realize how devastated our family was after I told them you had left town, with Naomi no less?”

“I beg your pardon!” Naomi roared, unleashing some of her old bitterness.

Ruth now had Naomi on her east side and Patricia on the west. She was like a fragile bird, trapped and struggling. “Mother, not a day goes by when I don’t think about how badly I behaved, but I…”

“We don’t have to dwell on that dear,” Patricia began moving Ruth east along the platform. “We can go back to the way things used to be. You know full well that your Father had his heart set on you marrying Patrick and…”

“Well, if Patrick is so set on marrying me, why isn’t he here?”

Naomi made her way toward Simon. He was clearly confused by Patricia’s behavior and as Naomi arrived at his side, he immediately began firing questions at her. Their hands waved and their discussion grew heated. All the while Patrica guided her daughter toward the train.

“You know very well that Patrick is a man with a full appointment book. That’s why I came in his place, to beg you to see reason, for his sake, for all our sakes. The future of our businesses depends on this marriage and honestly, what can Gladstone offer you that we can’t?”

Naomi broke away from Simon to hobble after Ruth and her mother. “I can think of quite a few things that Gladstone has to offer.”

“Me for one,” Simon said, following Naomi’s lead.

“You?” Contempt oozed from Patricia’s voice.

“Yes, me,” Simon repeated, much louder this time.

“I’m sure you all mean well but Ruth was raised to be a proper young lady, and as a proper young lady, she deserves a whole lot more than what you could ever give her.” Patricia began tugging on Ruth’s arm again, dragging her east toward the train.

Naomi grabbed Ruth’s free arm, stopping her in her tracks. “Listen, Patricia, I think you need to get a few things straight.”

Simon went into action as if he were battling a prairie wildfire, speaking truth directly into Patricia’s face. “I ain’t the kinda man you think I am and if I could just have a moment…”

“That’s enough!” Ruth bellowed, prompting the party guests to turn their attention toward the drama unfolding on the station platform.

“For Pete’s sake I…” Patricia tugged Ruth’s arm again, forcing her to take another step to the east.

Simon was beside Ruth now, however that didn’t stop him from continuing his argument with Patricia, who stood just on the other side of his fiancee. “Lemme just make somethin clear…”

Simon froze as Ruth held up her hand, signaling him to stop.

Ruth’s voice was tender as she spoke. “Simon, I’ve appreciated everything that you’ve done for me.” Her voice hardened as she shifted her gaze to Patricia. “And, I admit, when I first came up here I was just being impulsive…”

“You’ve always been impulsive. That’s no reason to run away from home and leave your family wondering what’s become of you!”

Ruth was firm but compassionate. “I’ll take a trip back to settle things with Father, with Patrick, with all of you. But honestly, over the past few months, I’ve really learned to appreciate Gladstone.”

“Really,” Patricia sounded like she was describing a greasy rag.

Since the situation seemed to be stable for the moment, Simon strode west to where Bill and Betsy were leaning against the baggage cart.

Naomi moved to her daughter-in-law. “I’m sure glad you’ve finally seen the value of my hometown.”

“No…our town.”

Naomi seemed bashful but obviously pleased. “Our town, Gladstone…huh. I like the sound of that.”

“I know I didn’t make things easy for you at first.”

“No. You sure didn’t. But, looking back now, I can see that God can bring something good out of the hardest situations.” Naomi wandered behind Ruth, then moved to separate her from Patricia. “And when I see the woman that you’ve grown into…”

Patricia yanked on Ruth’s arm, pulling her away from Naomi. “At least tell me this. Why would you choose to waste your life, in a place like this?” She gestured toward the crowd watching them. “With people like that?”

Ruth pulled herself from her mother’s grip. “Because, this is where my heart is, this is my home.” She rummaged in a pocket as she moved to Naomi. “Speaking of settling things, here’s the money I owe you for my train ticket up here.” She extended a hand toward her mother-in-law.

Naomi shook her head. “No. Keep it. You’ll need it.”

Ruth placed the money into Naomi’s hand. “No. I promised I would pay you back and now I did.”

“You can still reconsider,” Patrica said with fading conviction. “The train for the United States leaves in two hours, we can go back there today! All you have to do is…”

Simon wandered back to the battle. Bill and Betsy scrambled, driven by Simon’s instruction to clean the debris and other items from the station platform. After all, there was soon to be a dance here.

Ruth switched her attention to her mother. She was clawing, trying to get a grip on her arm once again. Ruth shook her off as she spoke. “Mother, I know you’ve traveled a long way for my sake and I’m flattered. Honestly, I am. However, Simon has proposed to me and I’ve accepted his offer.”

Simon slid his arm over Ruth’s shoulders, staking his claim.

“But where does that leave me? Leave us?” Patricia pleaded.

“It leaves you as my mother. That much hasn’t changed. But lately, I’ve come to realize that I simply can’t live the kind of life that I used to live. I have to start a new life, right here in Gladstone, with Simon.”

“I guess this means I won’t be marrying Ruth.” Bill sighed. “I didn’t really want to get married anyway. The way I figure it. There are too many side effects.”

Betsy handed Bill a broom and pointed to the mass of broken tree branches littering the area around the baggage cart. “Side effects? Like what?”

“Children,” Bill muttered as he took the broom and set to work.

Patricia finally found the words she was searching for. “Alright. I suppose if that’s the way you feel. I’ll have to let you go, won’t I?”

“Mother, I know you mean well. But I’m not a child anymore. I have to find my own way.”

Patricia grunted as if she doubted this proclamation. “I suppose you’re right. I just hope you haven’t made a terrible mistake.”

Simon took a step toward Patricia. “Don’t you worry ma’am. I’ll take good care of your daughter.” Patricia turned her back on him. Simon moved around her to speak to her face to face. “Now, now, you look like somebody who has had one too many shots of pickle juice. You need some cheerin up.” Simon spun her around, took her hand, and then began pulling her west.

“Dealin with Bill and Betsy is kinda like pushin a skunk uphill but they ain’t half bad singers.” Weary of Patricia resisting his efforts to pull her along, Simon circled behind her and began to push her. Patricia gasped with horror at this treatment. However, the audience watching them seemed to enjoy this spectacle. In any case, they had soon arrived at the baggage cart. Simon stopped pushing and began speaking to his two employees. “Bill and Betsy, why don’t you two start singin that song you always sing. You know the one, that feisty little number bout makin your home on the cookstove or somethin.”

Always thankful for a reason to stop work, Bill and Betsy began to sing a rousing version of Home on the Range. They actually sounded quite good, much to everyone’s surprise. Soon Bill even began slapping his fists on the baggage cart, keeping the beat of the song as he sang.

Inspired by the rhythm, Simon began dancing, all the while working to entice Patricia into joining him. Patricia continued to resist but was prevented from escaping by Ruth and Naomi who had blocked her way.

Encouraged by Ruth, Patricia finally tried out a few dance steps. At first, she did it just to get these country bumpkins off her back. However, it was clear to everyone that Patricia was actually quite a talented dancer. With every word of encouragement hollered out from the watching crowd, Patricia picked up the pace a little, eventually kicking up her heels with an exuberance Ruth hadn’t seen in a long time.

Inspired by this scene, the party guests made their way onto the platform and began showing off their own dance moves. Finally, even Naomi moved into action, grabbing Ruth for a few wobbly steps. Then, as Bill and Betsy built their song up to a dramatic finish, Naomi released Ruth, sending her spinning off into the welcoming arms of Simon.

End of Part One.