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The cattle were taken care of daily and the fences checked regularly. Cord felt he could help Pedro with the house off and on and they'd get done sooner.
When they were through, Pedro scratched his head. "I've never had such a big and beautiful house before, and I have you to thank for it."
"Glad you like it. Figured it would be big enough to take care of most of your immediate family." Cord smiled and pat him on the back.
"Maria is expecting again." He laughed.
"Gee…we'll have to celebrate my friend. At least you can add on if you need the space." Cord chuckled. "When is the baby coming?"
"Early spring…" Pedro calculated.
Cord nodded. "Then Lilly will be here to help with the birthing…"
Pedro twisted his head, "Si…when will you marry?"
"A couple more months…" Cord told him as he grabbed a saddle that rested on the porch railing.
"Why wait so long?" Pedro asked.
Cord paused, holding the saddle in one hand and staring at Pedro. "I want to give her time to back out if she wants to."
"I have never seen you in love before, but you smile more now. I think Lilly is the reason. And I think she doesn't need to think on it."
"We've been close for a long time Pedro. There were times when our relationship kept me going. And I'll admit there were times I gave it little thought. But coming home, changed things. I'm gonna take care of her and the boy. I'm determined to make us a family."
"He is your son, no?"
Cord paused once more, then set the saddle down on the porch. He looked out on the prairie and then at his friend. "I wouldn't tell anyone else this, but…no, he isn't."
"But…you told him…"
"I care about that boy Pedro, he's a good kid. I don't want him to grow up wondering and fretting over who his dad is. I'm going to be his father, in every way. But Sam is his real father. And you know what kind of man he was."
"Sam? Madre Mia, Sam? I did not know…"
"Another thing no one knows according to Lilly. Sam raped her, Pedro. She'd never give into someone like Sam. No one does that to Lilly and gets away with it. And I'm not about to tell the child his father raped his mother. I hope you won't either."
Pedro was shaking his head before he even finished. "No, I will go to my grave with it. You are a good man to do this…a very good man. And he will never know, for you are all the father he will ever need."
"I care about Lilly, I've always cared. I don't know how she feels about me, for sure, but I'll do everything I can to make it up to her. For my not being here and helping her when she needed me. Like you helped my mother when she needed me here. I don't forget things like that Pedro."
"Si…you do love her!" Pedro affirmed. "Miss Lilly?"
Cord picked up his saddle, "I guess I do…I guess I always have. I've always had that protective feeling toward her. But that's grown, from loneliness, and missing her. I can't seem to tell her Pedro, but it's there. But I'm not sure she is ready to hear that yet. I'm not sure she'd believe it yet. There will be a time for it though."
"A woman needs to know she is loved…"
"
In time…"
"Where you go now?"
"Come on, we got fencing to check." Cord prodded him on with a jovial smile.
"Si."
It was nearly noon and it was hot. They had repaired several long stretches of fence when Maria rang the dinner bell.
