A New Life

Chapter 1- Celebration

Chapter 1

Celebration

Willie's pov

"To Willie J. Robertson! The greatest buckman who ever lived!" Luke stated raising a glass. Everyone copying him. I laughed softly at my friends. "Three cheers!" Adam says. "Come on guys. You're embarassing me." I joke laughing. "Hey man, you brought us all together. We're like a family now." Jason says. Tombo laughs. "Yeah. A very dysfunctional all guy family of hunters." He jokes, nudging Luke's shoulder. He laughs too. "Yeah, Jason, a family." I say, smiling at that fact. In the beginning we were just costars. But over the last eight years we've gotten really close. "My brothers." I say, smiling. We head to the lodge. Me and Tombo in my jeep, Adam in his Ford, and Jason and Luke in the bronco. I'm lucky to know these guys. They're the greatest. I was walking to the jeep, Tombo already riding shotgun when something in my gut was telling me to turn around. I've always followed my gut. "Ya comin'?" Tombo asks, poking his head out of the top. Jason and Luke glance over hearing Tombo. "I uh... Yeah hold on." I say, following my instincts and walking around the corner. There was a little girl, curled in a ball, shivering. I quickly walked over. "Little girl." Her head snapped up, her expression terrified. "P-Please don't hurt me!" She begged cowering, her hands on her head. "Don't worry. I won't hurt you. I'm a gentle man of the Lord." I say, kneeling down in front of her. "Where are your parents?" She looks up yo the sky, thick black dirt covering her skin from head to toe. "With the Lord." She whispers softly, looking down and closing her eyes. "You're all alone?" She nods, sobbing silently. "What's your name? And how old are you?" "My name is Miranda Olivia Jackson and I turned twelve three days ago." I hear the guys calling me. I can't leave her out in the cold. She'll die. I hear her stomach growl. "Come with me, Miranda. I'll take care of you." She instantly looks frightened. "B-But I-I'm s-scared." She whispers, shakily. I reach out and pat her head. "Please. I promise I won't hurt you." She looks up at me with terrified blue eyes. "Ok." I pick her up.

Jason's pov

"Holy cow!" Tombo yelps. I glance over at him, leaning against the bronco waiting for Willie. He walked out, holding.... Is that a little girl? I pushed off the bronco. Luke has the most confused look on his face. "What's he holding?" "I think it's a kid, man." I say, shocked. We walk over to Tombo just as Willie reaches the jeep. It is a little girl. A terrified little girl. Poor thing.

Willie's pov

"She's freezing." I say, wrapping my jacket around her shoulders. "What ya doin' with her, Willie?" Adam asks. I rub my chin. "I think I'm gonna keep her." I say. "Well Willie ya sure got one hell of a big heart." Luke says, patting my shoulder. I smile. "Let's get back to the lodge and unthaw the poor thing."

*later*

She's so scared. I sit her down in front of the fireplace with some hot cocoa and a bowl of chicken and dumplings. Luke's wife Caroline made it. All the girls are gushing over her from a distance. She's too scared to have anyone near her but me. "I can assure you no one here will hurt you." "I'm s-sorry. I've j-just n-never been around s-so many p-people before." She whimpers. Korie, my beautiful wife walks over. Miranda stares at her untrustingly. "Sweetie this is my wife Korie."

Jason's pov

Man I can't believe what happened tonight. "What do ya think'll happen?" Tombo whispers. "Knowing Willie's kind self he's going to adopt the poor thing." I say, leaning against the counter. "Who else wants some chicken and dumplings?" Caroline asks. "Everyone." Luke says laughing.

*the next day*

Willie's pov

I walked downstairs and the little girl was curled up on the couch, a blanket wrapped tight around her. Me and Korie talked last night. We're adopting her. I sit beside her and smile. "I get to be a dad again." All the kids are grown and out of the house. She jolts awake when I say that. "Oh sorry sweetie. Didn't mean to scare you." She sits up and yawns and stretches. "W-Willie." She whispers. "What's gonna happen?" I smile. "Do you wanna live with me and Korie?" She looks up at me for the first time with a smile. "I'd like that very much." I want her to meet the rest of the gang. "Let's get you out of these clothes." I leave a note telling where we went and we get some clothes for her. I held up a camo shirt for her and a pink shirt. Thank the good Lord above she loves camo and despises pink! We get back to the lodge around noon. Luke and Tombo were playing darts. Jason was probably on his third cup of coffee and Adam was reading a newspaper. "Hey everyone, I'd like to properly introduce the newest addition to the buck commander crew and the Robertson family, Miranda Olivia Jackson." The little girl holds tight to my hand. "Do you want to change your last name to Robertson?" She nods and looks around at everyone. "Miranda, this is-" "Tombo, Adam, Luke, and Jason." She says. I stare at her caught off guard. "I uh I heard y'all talking the other day and you said each other's names." She mumbles, embarrassed. "Smart kid." Adam says surprised. Luke walks over. "Welcome to the family sweetie." He says crouching down. She smiles, cheeks reddening. "You're Luke right?" She asks. He nods. "Hi." She says and waves. Everyone gets to know her. She's a very adorable little girl. I pat my stomach with a smile. "Thanks gut." I whisper. Jason laughs beside me. "What are you doing, man?" "Nothing." I quickly say embarrassed. He smiles and crosses his arms. "Cute little girl, ya got there." I smile. "Thanks." I'm excited to raise her.