NOVEMBER 7, 1861

Steven knocked on the girls’ door after seeing to the boys. “Girls you ready to go to town?”

Aisley opened the door with a giggle. “Pa, Gabie needs help. Caly normally helps her.”

“Alright, you and Tina go get in the wagon. Thank you for putting on you Sunday best. Gabie come here baby.”

The twins giggled as they watched Gabie fight to get her dress over her head. “Thanks Pa.” They both said as they ran from the room and down the stairs.

As they reached the bottom, they were grabbed by Michael. Sending them both into a fit of laughter. “You'll love Thanksgiving here. The town always does something special.”

“Yay,” Both girls squeal as they ran out the house with the boys following them.

After helping Gabie with her dress and drying her tears, Steven picks her up and heads down the stairs and out the door. After making sure everyone was in the wagon, they headed into town for their meeting.

As he pulled to a stop in front of the saloon Steven turns to the children, “Now this is the only time your allowed in the saloon is when the judge is here. “He climbed down and then helped the others descend. He could see Tina’s fear, so he moved Gabie to his other hip and took Tina's hand, “It's okay, no one will hurt you in here.” Then he led them inside. Steven nodded to the judge then got everyone seated. He kept Gabie in his lap.

Judge Wereton smiled. “Wow, I see you decided to take in a lot of them. Let me see here. You’re a widower and have one grown daughter already. I don't see her here.”

Steven nodded. “Yes sir. “Caly’s off on her honeymoon right now. They will be home not long after Thanksgiving. She helps me with them.”

“Will her and her young man be living in your home, Mr. Johnson?”

“Well no sir. Judge after their own home is built, they’ll be moving into it, but Caly is still going to help me with the children.”

The judge nodded, and then asked a few questions of each child, and of Steven. He sat back and thought on it a minute. “Well, I don't see why you can't be a family. They all look happy and healthy. And you do have help with them. I'm giving you custody of them, and then in six months when I return if everything is going okay, I don't see why you can't adopt them”

Steven nodded. “Thank you Judge.” He stood and shook the man’s hand.

Each one of the children shook the judge’s hand before laughing and hugging their new father. The judge smiled as he watched the family leave. It felt good to make people happy.

Steven smiled and ushered everyone to the restaurant to celebrate with a dinner out. Then he got everyone in the wagon and headed home.