"You're no fun," Savannah said when Brianna strolled up to the porch steps.

"Well, I know someone who would beg to differ..."

"Never mind," Savannah said, grabbing Brianna's hand and yanking her into the house. She popped her on the b.u.t.t and said, "Go get a shower, will ya? You're grungy."

"You're grungy," Brianna mimicked, using a snarly tone. When she saw Savannah start after her again, she said, "Okay, okay, I'm going." She walked a few steps and then turned, "No wonder you don't have many visitors out here if this is how you treat them." She laughed. She headed up the stairs and then turned back. "By the way, Sister dear, I bought extra clothes today. I've decided to stay for a while."

"Really?" Savannah's eyes widened, her brows rising. "That's cool. I'm glad you're staying."

Savannah heard the doorbell just as she was pulling her wet hair back into a ponytail. "Coming, Charlotte," she called. She peered out through the stained gla.s.s side window, a habit she'd developed after the surprise visit and kidnapping by Joe Forster more than year earlier. She recognized Charlotte's form and opened the door widely. "Hi hon," she said, giving the girl a warm hug. "So glad to see you."

"Can Ragth go outthide today?"

"He sure can," she said as she closed the door. "Look, here he comes."

"Hi Ragth," Charlotte said, bending down to pet the large cat. I brought you thomething. Ith a kitty treat. Here," she said, balancing a couple of little morsels on her palm. Rags sniffed her hand. He then found the treats with his nose and sniffed one of them before taking it into his mouth, stepping back and eating it. When he'd finished one, he moved forward and gently took the other one.

"Hi Charlotte," Brianna said as she walked down the staircase. "How are you?"

Charlotte stood and stared at Brianna. "Hi," she said shyly.

"Charlotte, this is my sister, Brianna. You met her..."

"Oh yeth, at your wedding. I remember. You tried to catch the flowerth."

Brianna looked puzzled for a moment and then laughed. "That's right. I tried to catch the bouquet, didn't I?" She looked over at Savannah and said, "But my sister's tall friends got in my way."

"I thought it wath funny when you almoth fell down." Charlotte laughed.

"Your memory is too good for your own good, Charlotte," Brianna said.

"Can I take Ragth on the leath?"

"Leash? Yes, that would be okay. Let's go get his harness." Savannah turned toward the girl and said, "Charlotte, would you like something to drink?"

"No, I'm good."

"Well, how about if we each take a bottle of water with us outside?"

"Okay," Charlotte said. "Don't forget one for Ragth."

"Where is he taking her?" Brianna laughed as she watched Rags lead Charlotte out past the corral.

Savannah, a pensive look on her face, said, "Out to my orchard. Hey look at that. He's digging around one of the trees."

Charlotte turned and waved at Savannah and Brianna and they both waved back.

"That's strange," Savannah said quietly.

"What?" Brianna asked before taking a swig out of her water bottle.

"I've never seen him out in that area. Why now? Does he sense that something is different out there?"

"Yeah, he sees all that loose dirt." She leaned toward Savannah, looking her in the eye. "Don't you know why cats like loose dirt, Sis Vet?"

"I've been watching him and he hasn't squatted once," Savannah said defiantly. "He's not interested in the dirt. He likes the vibes out there. He notices that something about that area has changed. Look at him. He seems to be happy out there. He feels the good vibes."

"Pshaw," Brianna said "...good vibes. He sees it as a giant litter box, that's all." She laughed.

"Who sees what as a giant litter box?" Michael asked as he walked through the kitchen door to join the ladies on the porch.

"Oh hi, hon," Savannah said. She held a hand out to him and he walked over to her, took her hand, leaned in and kissed her on the lips.

He then followed Brianna's gaze out beyond the corral. When he spotted Charlotte and Rags, he said, "Gosh, what are they doing out in the old, dead orchard?"

"Michael," Savannah said, "it is not an old, dead orchard unless you believe it is."

"What? It's been an old, dead orchard ever since I can remember."

Brianna flashed a teasing grin at Savannah and said, "But that's only because that's what you thought you saw there. Right Vannie?"

"Well, sort of...I mean..." Savannah struggled to find words of explanation that her husband would comprehend. Finally she stood and grabbed him by the hand. "Michael, walk out here with me. I want to show you something."

"Are you coming, Brianna?" Michael asked.

Savannah was glad to hear her sister say, "No," as she pulled her phone out of her pocket and looked at it. "That's Mom on my cell. I have some things I want to tell her."

"So what's this all about, honey?" Michael asked. As they got closer to the old orchard, he said, "Well, it looks like someone's been doing some work out here. I wonder why?"

"It was me, Michael. I fed and watered the trees. I want to have Antonio prune them the way they should be pruned. I'm going to bring these trees to life out here. Not only that," she added, "this is going to be a field of sunflowers. Won't it look beautiful from our kitchen window?"

"Well, yes...I guess," he said. "But Savannah, what makes you think these trees will ever produce again? They look dead to me."

"They're not dead, Michael. Look," she said rushing over to one of the trees. "When I stripped this branch, I see green underneath. But the main reason why I think they will produce and flowers will grow is because I believe. Michael, bees leaves-believe. We just have to believe."

Michael raked his hand through his hair, looked over at his wife, and said, "But honey..."

"Hi Dr. Mike," Charlotte said. "Look, Ragth found wormth. Loth of them. They're all wiggling around under thith tree. He likth to watch them wiggle."

"Worms?" Savannah said excitedly. "Look Michael, worms. See, this ground isn't dead. There is life out here. There is no curse unless we choose to believe it."

"But what about the fact that no one ever had a child while they lived here?" Michael asked.

"Coincidence, pure and simple," she said. "Or, they simply believed they would be barren." She tilted her head. "When the gypsies put the spell on the house, they probably made it known to the original Forster family. They knew there was a curse and they believed it. With each generation, the story became somewhat diluted. Auntie knew about the curse, but the details of it had been lost to history."

He shook his head, glanced around the small orchard and then looked over at his wife. "I suppose you could be right."

"Of course I am," she said. And then she wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "Oh, Michael, I am so happy."

Chapter Sixteen.

Fall turned into winter and then spring. Brianna had finished her studies in Indiana and was busy applying as a geriatric physician in a variety of clinics and offices throughout California. She hoped to find a position somewhere near Hammond in order to be closer to Bud. They were both tiring of the long-distance aspect of their blossoming relationship. And, while Bud had his veterinary license, he was rather content working part-time on his folks' ranch outside of Hammond and part-time as a vet tech for the Iveys' clinic. Although, he knew that if he and Brianna were to marry, he might have to make some changes. His dad was talking about retiring in a couple of years. Did he want the full responsibility for the ranch? Would Brianna be contented living the ranch life? He knew he needed to take inventory of his priorities while also considering her dreams and goals.

In the meantime, the clinic was getting busier and busier. One day Michael invited Bud out to lunch. "Listen Bud, I know you completed your veterinary studies some months ago. I suppose you're dreaming of a practice of your own, and you will be an excellent veterinarian. I've valued you as an employee for the last...what has it been...four or five years?"

"Yeah, something like that," Bud said.

"As you know, business is picking up. I've been thinking that we ought to hire another veterinarian. And Bud, if you would like the job on a part-time basis like you've been working, I want to offer it to you. I see it working into a full-time job in the near future-if that's what you want."

"Gosh, thanks, Dr. Mike. I appreciate your confidence in me." Bud sat back in the booth while their sandwiches were served. He looked at his plate for a moment and then said, "Can I think about it and, talk to Brianna and my folks? I'll let you know."

"Sure, Bud. Not a problem."

"How are the Easter plans coming, honey?" Michael asked as he slipped into his flip-flops one Sunday morning.

Savannah stepped out of the bathroom, pulled her hair back, and wrapped it in a knot. "I am having so much fun! I can't wait to have the whole family together here for an entire weekend. It'll be like I remember when I was a kid and all of us cousins came here and played. Some of my cousins have children now and Adam will be here. It is just going to be the most perfect Easter ever. We'll have horseback riding, horseshoes, and of course an Easter egg hunt."

"You're so cute when you're excited," Michael said, walking over to Savannah and tapping the tip of her nose. "So what are we going to do today? Do we have plans?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist and looking into her eyes.

"Well, there's a lot to do around here since our Big Sur trip. Gosh, I'm glad Bud stepped up to the plate and decided to work as a vet at least part time for us, so we can get away like that sometimes."

"Yeah, we've been so busy with the practice and finishing up some of the remodeling projects, the everyday upkeep is piling up around us. I don't know when I last washed off the porch..."

"And I've even neglected my sweet mare," Savannah said with a frown.

"Good idea to board her at Bonnie's these last few weeks, don't you think?"

"Yes. But I want to bring her home as soon as possible-the weather is getting better, the days are getting longer...and I miss her."

"Meow."

"Hi Ragsy," Savannah said as she spotted the cat rounding the corner into the room. "Yes, I'm going to feed you. Come on. Let's go," she said heading for the kitchen.

After feeding the small animals, Savannah started the coffee, poured herself a gla.s.s of orange juice, and stepped out onto the porch. She pulled her sweatshirt around her, scrunched down into one of the cushy porch chairs and began scanning the horizon. Hmmm, don't like looking out at an empty corral. Need to bring my horse home, she thought. She looked beyond the corral and toward the orchard she'd so lovingly tended these past months. I haven't been out there in a while. Need to go check on things.

She went back into the kitchen, donned her rubber boots, and walked out to the little orchard. As she approached, something caught her eye. What's that? she thought to herself. A b.u.mp in the dirt. She walked closer. Lots of b.u.mps in the dirt. She knelt down and picked at the dirt on one of the b.u.mps. Underneath she saw a bit of green poking through. Green! It's a sprout. My sunflowers are sprouting! Oh my gosh!

She stood up and began running toward the house. "Michael! Michael!" she called.

He swung open the kitchen door. "What?" he said, his brow furrowed in worry.

"I have sprouts," she said breathlessly.

"You have what?" he asked.

"Sprouts. My sunflowers are sprouting!"

Michael stood there, a puzzled look on his face.

"Come see, Michael," she said turning and rushing back out to the orchard.

"Well, by golly, honey, these are sprouts. And they sure do look like sunflowers."

"See Michael, the orchard isn't dead. There is no curse."

Michael wasn't completely convinced, however. It had been months since they'd decided they wanted a baby and still Savannah hadn't become pregnant. He took in a deep breath and looked around, not knowing quite what to say to Savannah. Obviously, she is convinced, but I'm not sure I am, he thought. As Savannah flicked the crust of soil off several sunflower seed sprouts, gleefully counting after uncovering each one, Michael looked out over the horizon. Suddenly, his eyes caught a glimpse of something. Could it be? He stared for a moment and then, as if somehow drawn toward it, he began walking-slowly at first and then his pace hastened. He stopped, stunned for a moment, and then he called out, "Savannah! Savannah!"

She looked up and saw him standing in front of one of the old fruit trees. He turned to look at her and called out again, "Come here; you're not going to believe this!"

Savannah hurried to her feet and rushed to his side as fast as she could go in her rubber boots. "What is it?"

"Look...leaves. This tree is full of little leaves. It's alive." He looked around. "And this tree has a shadow of green, too. Look, is that a leaf unfurling there? Savannah, your orchard is alive!" he said, laughing out loud. He looked over at her and saw tears streaming down her face. He wrapped his arms around her and held her to him while she sobbed softly.

She then pulled away from Michael, wiped her eyes, and stared at the trees. "This is incredible," she said. "Oh my gosh, Michael. There is no curse, is there? Maybe there never was." She then shook her head and said, "Then why...?"

He held her to him resting his chin on her head. "I don't know. I just don't know, honey."

Suddenly, she pulled away and said, "Michael, what is the date?"

"Um, the tenth isn't it?"

"It is? March tenth? Oh my gosh. I'm never this late." She turned toward the house, held out her hand. "Michael come with me quick."

"What's going on, Savannah. What are you late for? We don't have to go to work today."

"Just come with me." She led him into the house through the living room and into their bedroom, where she said, "Wait here."

He sat down and petted Rags, who was lying in the unmade bed. "What's up, buddy?" he asked the cat, while scratching him behind the ear.

"Okay, Michael," Savannah said, rushing into the room. "Watch and see what happens."

"Watch what?" he asked. "What is that thing?"

"A pregnancy test," she said matter-of-factly.

"What?" He jumped up from the bed and turned to face her. "Do you mean?"

"I don't know, yet. We have to watch and see if this thing turns blue. It's supposed to take three to five minutes."