McKenzie by Penny Zeller

difficult to remain seated.
    Kaydie’s eyes followed where McKenzie was pointing. “Oh, please, McKenzie, say this is real and not just a dream.”
    The train slowed to a stop, and the passengers began to shuffle down the aisles to the exits. “I see Mother and Father on the platform!” Kaydie exclaimed.
    McKenzie looked and saw her parents, along with Peyton, Maxwell, Nate, her dear friend, Helen, and Lawrence, waiting patiently as other passengers disembarked.
    “Kaydie!” their mother exclaimed when the two sisters finally stepped off the train, flinging herself with open arms at her long-lost daughter. “I never thought I’d see you again!”
    Kaydie returned her mother’s embrace. “Nor did I, Mother.”
    “Save some hugging for me,” their father said as he wrapped Kaydie in his arms, then turned to face McKenzie. “If it hadn’t been for you, McKenzie, this happy reunion would not be happening. Thank you for bringing our youngest daughter home.”
    “Yes, you were the missing piece of our family puzzle, finally complete again,” their mother said, wiping her tears.
    Peyton stepped forward. “McKenzie, I must admit, I was so very wrong about you. Please accept my profound apologies for my behavior. You are to be commended for the courage you exhibited in rescuing Kaydie and returning her to us. I could never be as brave as you.”
    “Of course, I accept your apology,” McKenzie said, attempting to hide her surprise. Never had Peyton apologized for anything, especially not to McKenzie. Maybe this would be the start of a new relationship between them. No more would they argue and harbor blatant dislike for each other. No, now they would be the best of friends, just as McKenzie and Kaydie were….
    ***
    The train slowed with a screeching of brakes, bringing McKenzie back to the present. Yes, the day when she returned to Boston with Kaydie would be marvelous, and, while she did hope for the happy ending that she’d just played out in her mind, she knew that two things would never be: the barrage of warm embraces from her parents, and Peyton’s humble apology and newfound kindness toward McKenzie.
    McKenzie had been so caught up in her daydream that she’d forgotten all regret about how her plan to return to Boston would affect the man she was going to marry. And he wasn’t the only one who would be affected—McKenzie now knew that he had a son.
    She opened her carpetbag and pulled out the second to the last letter she’d received from Zach. Her eyes were drawn to two paragraphs in the middle of the page:
    McKenzie, forgive me for not telling you sooner, but I have a four-year-old son named Davey. He is a sweet boy with a pleasant demeanor, ruffled blond hair, and the bluest eyes you ever saw. I love him more than life itself and can’t wait for you to meet him. I hope the fact that I didn’t inform you of this fact sooner doesn’t change your mind about accepting my proposal.
    Also, I wanted to say that I am more than willing to pay for your travel to Pine Haven. Please let me know the cost of your train and stagecoach tickets, and I will mail the amount to you right away.
    McKenzie folded the letter and returned it to her carpetbag with the rest of the letters from Zach. She hadn’t minded finding out that Zach had a son, although she had wished that he’d been honest with her from the beginning. But, the fact that there was a young Sawyer was of no consequence to her. Her main and only goal for this trip was not to become a wife or a mother, but to find her sister. McKenzie would make every attempt, no matter how difficult, to not become attached to the sweet boy with the creative imagination. However, she knew that might be difficult.
    Already, she’d found a great deal of pleasure in picking out some items for Davey and had packed them in one of her trunks. Perhaps, when she arrived in Pine Haven, she would give him the swirled lollipop she’d purchased from Holmes’ Candy Shop on Eighth