The morning came early for Nicole as she was the first to awake as her husband was very tired from the previous day’s work. She got herself dressed in her morning clothes went out to attend to their chickens and collect the eggs for themselves as well as for Sarah’s family too. When that was done, she went about milking cows and collecting enough milk for her family and Sarah’s family also. By the time she was done the sun was now midway up in the sky. She brought the eggs and milk inside which took her a couple of trips. On her last trip when she got inside and shut the door, she noticed that Coster had rearranged the furniture in the way that made it feel like their home. Nicole noticed that he had put up their pictures and few belongings too. As she put the milk and eggs down on the table, she noticed that Nico had begun to stir along with Coster. Who had woken up a short while ago and begun to get dressed for the day.

“How do you like the house? Feels more like home, doesn’t it?” Coster spoke loudly from the bedroom while putting his shirt on.

Nicole walked over to Nico and picking him she spoke warmly “It’s perfect, Cost. It’s how I imagined it would look like, perfect for raising our boy. All we have to do now is get settled in and get through winter.”

“We’ll make it through the winter when the spring come, I will be able to make more improvements and a garden outside for vegetables. I also have several ideas for the other rooms in the house too. For our son’s room I thought I would build a night table for him along with a table with drawers to put his clothes in it and on the top, we could change his cloth. I thought that you could make some nice curtains for the windows. Brightening it all up for him I figured we could move him into his room in a few days. So, we can start our lives and his right.” Coster explained walking out of the bedroom putting on his suspenders telling Nicole his ideas for the room next to theirs. “I thought that we could move one of the chests under the window and fill it full of his toys. The other chest filled with his clothes till I get the table done. I thought of putting his crib next to our shared wall. Then put the night table in the corner next to the window - the left corner.”

“Sounds beautiful, perfect for any young man.” Nicole sighed as she held Nico in one arm while prepping a cloth to change his as it was wet. “What about the other room you said you have plans for it?” she asked while putting Nico down on the table beside the cloth.

Coster walked over to them at the table and smiled “I thought I would build something special for you. Something you always wanted... A bath house. This would come complete with a washtub for you, one for Nico of course smaller along with a vanity and a place to store our towels. I thought in the summer I would build a new water closest.”

Nicole was both surprised as well as elated for she always wanted a bathhouse since working at their former masters who had several and one that was grand. While she changed Nico, Coster picked out some clothes for him, Nicole watched as he picked out the clothes and couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he was doing too much. To the point of leaving her a widow and Nico fatherless because even though their former owners were kind and generous they still worked long and hard putting a strain on their bodies and health. Especially Coster as he did most of the hard labor in the fields and around the yard.

“It sounds perfect. ...Something that I always wanted and would benefit both of us and Nico. But please do not push yourself, I want......need you to be here for your son. To watch him grow and teach him how to be a good man. I can help you build some of the stuff or maybe we can just ask for help from good people like Dr. Walsh.”

“Nicole, don’t worry I was going to take my time as I can only do some it during the winter. I have thought that if we work together with the chores and share the load, we will both be okay. Trust me when I say I want to see him grow up, teach him to read and write. But I want to show him how to be a good honest man even if it means getting help. It’s not a big spread so I think we can manage. I thought about getting some goats in the summer to keep the grass mowed down, helping us out. Don’t worry if we take out time all will get done and still have time to relax.” Coster shook his head trying to reassure Nicole that he was going to be okay. He handed her the clothes he had picked out which were from Sarah as the clothes were warmer.

“Alright.” Nicole agreed somewhat timidly as she dressed Nico, worried as Coster usually sticks to his words but sometimes tries too hard.

“How’s his fever?” Coster asked picking up a smiling Nico.

“It broke some time during the night.”

“That’s good, I’ll watch him for a while.” He said smiling at Nico, who smiled back breaking the tension between them.

“I will heat up the milk for him and get us some breakfast too.” Nicole sighed as she cleaned up the table, putting their milk and eggs separate from Sarah.

Coster took Nico into the living area and sat down on the sofa. He played with him and the bear he bought him, as they played the home filled up with laughter that came from both himself and Nico. While they were playing and laughing Nicole cooked up some scrambled eggs and steak for herself and her husband. She put the warm milk in a bottle and handed it over to Coster so he could feed their hungry boy. When Nico was fed and burped Coster put him down in his crib so that he and Nicole could eat their breakfast and Nico could rest. They finished eating and talking about all they had to do today about an hour later. When they finished cleaning the breakfast dishes Coster got his winter clothes on to go do the morning chores. Which wasn’t much as all he had to clean out the stables and feed the animals, when he finished with the livestock he decided to start building the night table. It took him till only about noon, but he finished it and it looked in his own opinion ...perfect. 

He was carrying it up to the house when he noticed a wagon was coming up the road, He couldn’t see who it was so he continued to walk toward the house as if nothing was wrong. The wagon was a good fifteen minutes away. Inside Nicole was busy playing with Nico as she washed him while the noon meal was being cooked. By the time she finished washing him, Coster was inside the house and showing her the night table that he had made.

“How is the little guy? He enjoyed his bath?” He laughed a manly laugh.

Nicole wrapped up Nico in a towel and dried him off before he got chilled. As she was drying him, she looked over the night table and marveled at how beautiful it was. “It’s lovely. Is that what you were working on all this time.” she said quite surprised as she finished redressing Nico.

“Yeah, I thought since I was out there, I might as well start. By the time I knew it was done.” Coster laughed.

“Well, it’s lovely.”

“Oh yeah, someone is coming up the road. I couldn’t see who it is, but they should be here any time now.” Coster spoke as he went into Nico’s room placing the night table in the corner.

Nicole didn’t seem concerned as she figured it to be the doctor. As he said that he would come to check on Nico. Not ten minutes later there was a knock at the door. Nicole held Nico in her arms as she answered the door. When she opened it, she was surprised to see not only the doctor but Sarah and her children too.

“Oh, hello.” Nicole spoke caught off guard by the arrival of Sarah.

“Sorry, I know it is unexpected, but I wanted to see how you, Coster and the baby were doing. The doctor happened by as we were walking and offered us a ride.” Sarah explained her reasons for coming over.

“That’s all right. I’m just sorry that I’m not better dressed but Nico just had a bath as he was sick a little while ago.” Nicole tried to explain her disheveled appearance to them

“Don’t worry we all understand.”.

“Please come in.”

Walsh, Sarah and her children all walked inside taking off their overcoats. Sarah took her children the kitchen while John warmed up his hands before gently taking Nico from Nicole’s arm’s so he could examine him properly. As he was examining him, Coster came out and spoke to the doctor while he checked his son. John confirmed that the fever he had yesterday was broken and would be getting better soon. Though he did stress them to get his weight up so he could grow strong and healthy. He also cautioned them that there might be some complications as no one could know how his birth parents treated him. John didn’t even know if they fed him enough the first few days to help in his development. Once John was done, he redressed Nico and held him in his arms while they talked about nothing of importance but just talk. They talked till Nicole had the noon meal ready for all to eat as it was only right to feed them. Sarah helped Nicole set the table while her children played in front of the fireplace. Sarah took to warming up some milk pouring it into a bottle and handing it to the doctor to feed Nico. John was quite honored and pleased to do this for he missed this part of raising children.

Coster didn’t seem to mind this since he has been kind to them and their baby. When Nico was finished the bottle John burped him before placing him in his crib to sleep. So, they may eat as he and Coster arrived at the table they saw a humble meal of steak, eggs, and biscuits enough to feed their bellies till their own evening meal. The two children ate and laughed while the adults talked about everything and anything just getting to know each other a little better than before. After the meal the men sat in the living area while the women cleaned up the table and Sarah’s children played in front of the fireplace. Nicole and Sarah spoke about raising their children in this country and their past life experiences. The men talked very little as men do. After an hour John had to leave to continue on his rounds, Coster loaded Sarah’s milk and eggs onto the wagon along with helping her and her children onto the wagon. With their goodbyes said John and Sarah left. Over the years they all kept in contact and became close friends as did their children at least for a time.

After they left Coster continued on with his chores in the barn feeding the animals and making sure that they had plenty water. After finishing in the barn, he headed to the wood pile (at the far side of the barn) where he chopped wood for both the house and barn. Back in the house Nicole had put on a stew and potatoes for their evening meal. With it cooking she started to make curtains from the material that Coster bought in town. Before she had a chance to begin Coster shouted from the barn asking for assistance. Nicole checked on a sleeping Nico before putting on her coat and headed to the barn. Once outside she felt the temperature dropping, seeing a storm on the horizon as the thick white clouds covered the sun. Feeling the cold, she rushed into the barn and out of the cold. Inside the barn Nicole warned him of the oncoming storm, before aiding him in protecting their animals from the cold. They covered the animals with blankets and gave them extra feed as well as little extra more water. Both made sure to put extra wood in the stove just in case they were not able to get out the following day. As the night drew near the weather began to worsen by the hour till they had no choice but to lock up the barn and get inside. They rushed to the cottage to prepare it for the oncoming storm. The very moment they entered their home the storm hit. It was a blizzard to rival all those that came before and after.

For nearly thirty days the storm raged slowing for only a few short hours a day enough time to allow the farmers to feed and tend to the animals, and the women were able to gather the eggs and milk the cows. To most the storm was a curse from God but for the Gages it was a blessing. This storm gave them the time to not only bond with Nico but the home as well. The storm also gave them the time to set up their son’s room with new bright curtains, blankets, feather bed, crib and chests of clothes along with his toys. It also gave them a chance to fix up the rest of the home and for the first time it truly felt like their home. The storm brought many changes both good and bad as many livestock as well as human lives were lost to the cold. For them this was heartbreaking for most of them were their neighbors. But to see their son laughing and growing brought happiness to their hearts because this one little boy was a light in the dark world.

It would be many months before anyone could reach their home as the snow blocked the road to their home. It wasn’t till the first thaw that the snow began to melt away. During those three months alone separated from the world many things had changed for them. Most notable Nico for he grew several inches and had a nice thick brownish blond hair upon his head. From the day they found him till now the Gages were the proudest parents for all to see and none to see. When the snows melted enough to allow safe passage to town, they headed out with the first stop being Doc Walsh. Coster dropped off his wife and son before heading into town to buy supplies for the home and their garden. Back at the doctor’s office Nico was getting a complete check over.

“He’s gotten much bigger, haven’t you little man.” John spoke joyously while tickling Nico making him laugh. “You’re going to be a big, strong man like your papa, aren’t you?”

“He will be. But never a slave like we were.” Nicole spoke under her breath so that John could not hear. “Is he all right?” Nicole asked him a little louder.

“For a four-month-old boy he is in perfect health, better than most in fact. Come his first birthday he will be a happy, strong little boy just like the rest of kids his age. Don’t worry, Nicole, nothing wrong with him. He just needs to grow a little more than he will be strong enough to crawl and walk.” John tried to reassure her as he could see a mother’s worry upon her face, that he might never be able to learn to crawl and one day walk. Nicole smiled slightly as John handed him back to her waiting arms. “Do not worry Nicole, your son will never be a slave. I think that he has a destiny far beyond anything we can even know or imagine.” John comforted Nicole, allowing her to realize that he had heard what she said about being slaves.

“Thank you, John. For everything.” Nicole replied. Grateful for all of his help and kindness. They talked until Coster arrived with their supplies and to pick up his small family. Nicole said her goodbyes for now as she boarded the wagon with her son in her arms then headed back to their home.