When Love Calls You Home a serial by Kandy Williams

Stone Hawkins is released from prison and heads home to Ash Falls. From here on in, his life and values are challenged in a variety of ways, testing his resolve to stay on the right side of the law.

Released - As he stood in front of the streaked, tarnished mirror, Stone carefully placed the new felt hat on his head; it had been a long time since he’d worn a real hat, and this one fit him like it was made for him. He checked himself over from head to toe. Liking what he saw, Stone patted his chest and took in a deep breath; he could smell the leather from his vest and felt his new clothes breathe with him. He was comfortable in his new skin and admired what he could of his reflection. Considering that he’d spent the past ten years in prison, Stone was still undeniably handsome and in great shape.

Gee, I’m sorry, mister - Buck, Rowdy, and Tail ran along the boardwalk of town, indifferent to those they bumped into or jumped in front of. They paused in front of the window of a ladies’ dress shop, hoping for a peek at something naughty, but seconds later they were shooed away by the storekeeper.

the old Smith farm - The day was still ripe when Stone and his new sidekick strolled into Ash Falls. Though he had expected the place to be different, Stone was in awe of the town’s growth and prosperity. What was once a budding community was now a thriving city.

innocence wasn’t completely lost - Stone hardly had the chance to regain his composure before Cody introduced him to his friends. Though Buck and Rowdy were a bit older than Cody, they were still awe-struck in the presence of a former criminal.

desperados and trouble - With the morning still new and promising, Stone Hawkins moseyed into town. He enjoyed seeing the community uncluttered with people, and tried to make mental notes of the different businesses he needed to visit that day. But first things first: Stone wanted to find the church and possibly meet the pastor.

he ain’t nobody - Walking with a fierce stride, Stone tried to release his frustration. It was barely the start of his first day there, and already he was the hot topic of the gossip mill and of unjust prejudice. He felt angry and wondered if there was really any hope of him starting a life there; he wanted to question God and His wisdom, while doubt was pricking at his heart.

You were right - Once inside the saloon, Stone was ambushed by the smell of smoke and whiskey. Then a scantly dressed bar maid slipped in front of him with one hand on her hip and the other supporting a tray of empty glasses.

You Brock Johnson? - Back on the walkway of Ash Falls, Stone decided to look for the office of Brock Johnson. On one hand, he didn’t know what he was doing. Why was he even considering hiring those boys to work for him?

30 acres of corn - “Now hold still,” Constance Gaines warned her husband as she continued to insert stick pins into the material she was sizing for his new shirt. Pastor Tom was serving as his wife’s real-life mannequin and had already winced from being pricked.

your congregation - Over the next two weeks, Stone and his hired hands tackled the awesome workload that awaited on the Hawkins Ranch. While the boys diligently attended school during the day, Stone went to work on his house and barn.

Buck, Rowdy and Cody - As the afternoon sun poured light and warmth into the church, there sat Constance. She had been there for some time, reading her Bible and praying for Tom; the two had barely spoken since their heated argument a couple of weeks ago. 

the flowers - Elizabeth Johnson finished up the last of the supper dishes and put a plate of food in the stove for Brock, who still wasn’t home yet. Then she tidied up her roomy kitchen that was lined with cupboards that were filled with fine china and crystal glasses, and every baking supply one could possibly need.

The Bible - As the sun painted a glorious day over the Hawkins ranch, Pastor Tom Gaines approached with a cheerful, steady gait. He noticed Stone out by the corral, feeding his horses.

I came here to apologize, Mr. Hawkins - Stone made his way along the boardwalk early Saturday morning, eager to join the rest of the congregation in the spring cleaning of the church. This would be the first time that Stone had been part of a group of believers since his childhood, and though he was looking forward to the fellowship, he was terrified at the same time. There was no doubt in his mind that his presence would ruffle the feathers of some folks, and controversy might erupt over whether or not he truly deserved to worship in the house of God.

handsome stranger - By the end of the afternoon, the church looked like a new building. All the cleaning had also captured the attention of many townsfolk, who were curious what all the fuss was about. Pastor Tom tried to speak to as many of the onlookers as he could; he took the opportunity to introduce himself and to invite people to tomorrow’s service.

a cold glass of lemonade - As the sun slowly kissed the horizon, storm clouds started to creep in, marring the beauty of the sunset, but Josie was in too much of a hurry to notice. She walked fast and steadily, almost as if she was angry. But it wasn’t anger, it was determination that fueled her on. She was about to make one of the boldest moves of her life, as long as she didn’t lose her nerve. 

the dumbest man on God’s green earth - Though the rain pelted the windows like the sound of thousands of bugs trying to intrude, the Johnson family continued to eat their supper in relative silence. But this ritual of weak conversation had grown old for Buck, and there was something important he needed to discuss with his father.

Nathan and I - Though the rain pelted the windows like the sound of thousands of bugs trying to intrude, the Johnson family continued to eat their supper in relative silence. But this ritual of weak conversation had grown old for Buck, and there was something important he needed to discuss with his father.

a bit of a surprise - Stone was worse than a kid on Christmas morning. He was ready and waiting at the church on Sunday morning before most folks had even had their coffee yet. He didn’t know what excited him more—being part of a family of believers, or sharing that experience with the love of his life.

’Course it’s loaded - It was already an unusual Monday morning in Ash Falls. The town seemed busier and more alive than ever. Talk of yesterday’s church service was still on the tip of everyone’s tongue, and the shocking news of Stone and Josie’s engagement was spreading like wildfire.

probably pretty sleepy - After making her way through the large crowd gathered outside, Cally burst through the door of Dr. Wood’s office, where she found Stone and Josie in the waiting area, praying quietly.

Then I made another mistake - Even though he’d heard that Cody would mend and be all right, Daniel still had a hard time dealing with the fact that he could’ve killed his best friend. Elizabeth continually assured him that everything would be fine, and that Daniel would feel better tomorrow, when he could see Cody. In the meantime, she’d stayed with him until he could fall asleep.

The town expert - Despite all of his aches and pains from his fight with Jake, Stone was hard at work on his farm early the next morning. While leading a pack of horses into the corral, he thought the sun was playing tricks on his eyes when he noticed that Jake was coming down the worn path that led to his home. From what Stone could tell, Jake was favoring a few sore spots of his own.

Just a broken heart’s all - The biggest day of Stone’s life had finally arrived, and it couldn’t have been more beautiful. Stone had to keep from running all the way to the church; he didn’t want to perspire through his new suit before he got there, and chances were that he was going to have a hard enough time getting through the ceremony without melting from joy and nervousness.

Beautiful day. The ceremony was nice too. - Within an hour, Stone’s life was changed forever—he became a married man. Once he and Josie were pronounced husband and wife, they sealed their life-long commitment with a shy but passionate kiss; both of them had waited their whole lives for this perfect, romantic moment.

an amazin’ sermon - As the joyful celebration of Stone and Josie’s wedding started to wind down, Pastor Tom took a moment to congratulate the newlyweds again and to invite people to tomorrow’s Sunday morning service.

Union City - Over the course of one year, the town and the people of Ash Falls transformed dramatically. One of the most unexpected events was the closing of the saloon. Rumor had it that after Ruby left, the business suffered greatly, so much so that the owner had to sell the property at a loss.