Hope Remains: A Hope Springs Fanfiction

Chapter 1

Complete and absolute darkness.

It was like entering a deep cave in the Rocky Mountains with nothing but a lantern, and in a less than a second, a chilling wind swept in and extinguished the flame, leaving one's surroundings pitch black. To hold a hand up in front of one's face would feel alien, as if the eyes were not wholly connected to the body. And with that darkness came the chill that seeped into the bones like icy water from a recently thawed stream. The darkness engulfed the entire land, blocking out even the sun itself. Although the heat was there, gently caressing the skin on a warm summer day, the chill was present too.

In fact, the chill never truly left.

Finbarr O'Connor laid on his back with his arms resting under his head as he stared up at the sky, imagining large, fluffy clouds that filled the sky from one stretch of canvas to the other. The gentle breeze helped the clouds float lazily like a frozen river just beginning to trickle with the beginnings of spring. Large Wyoming trees stretched as high as their branches would allow to reach the expanse of beauty, cozy in stretches of land while farmers worked the fields. It was the most beautiful scenery in the entire world.

Except he couldn't see it.

Any of it.

Ten years had passed since the accident in the barn when Finbarr had lost his sight, but he still remembered what the dry land of Wyoming had looked like. Although he missed seeing it with his own eyes, his mind filled in the gaps as if it hadn't disappeared at all. And now, a decade later, he was content with his lot in life. He had achieved every dream he ever had, except one. He had land. He worked his own field. He supported himself with the crop he planted year in and year out.

The only thing missing was someone to share it with.

But who would ever want to marry a blind man?

"None of that matters, Grady," Finbarr said as he ruffed up his dog's fur as the animal peacefully laid beside him in the field. "I have you and that's all I need."

Of course, Maura had been furious when Finbarr had named his guide dog after her late husband and Finbarr's oldest brother. Tavish thought it was amusing and laid on the jokes even seven years after he had purchased the dog.

"Finbarr!" Tavish's voice called out from across the field, and Finbarr shot up, as did Grady. The dog wasn't just a guide dog, but he would attack anyone he saw as a threat. Although Grady's tail started wagging and hitting him in the shins at seeing Tavish, he stayed by his side just as he had taught him to do.

"What?" he called back, listening to the jingling bells from the southwest direction of his property, which indicated that Tavish was near Finbarr's house.

"It's Saturday. You've missed enough ceílís lately. I'm dragging you whether or not you like it."

Finbarr chuckled and ordered Brady to lead him to Tavish, which the dog obediently did. Albeit, quite excitedly. The dog was a whirlwind of energy, especially when it came to interacting with people in the family.

The cane he used was mostly only necessary in the barn and in the house, but he kept it on his person at all times just in case. Besides, it was a good weapon against the raccoons that often tried to attack his chickens. One of these days, he would get those pests. Just after he finished building the traps.

When Brady stopped, Finbarr stopped as well and patted the dog's head for a job well done. Judging from the crying baby likely in Cecily's arms, he stood only a few feet away from Tavish and his family.

"How is the wee one?" he asked, smiling toward the cries. He had always loved children.

"It seems we have created an unhappy baby this time," Tavish snorted, though his voice was full of smiles. "I'm thinking of leaving him out in the coop overnight. Perhaps then he'll be useful and lay some eggs."