The Little Leprechaun at the End of the Rainbow (2026)

The Little Leprechaun at the End of the Rainbow (2026)

Everything seemed to go according to plan over Valentine's Day and now it was March and St Patrick's Day was coming. Normally, unless you were a drunk or Irish or both, were really the only ones that celebrated, though Laura did love wearing green that day. But there was another reason why Laura wanted to celebrate St Patrick's Day, and she knew what she was planning would shock and surprise Hoss, but she knew deep down he would love the reason she had to celebrate. It was a bright sunny morning, and Laura was the first one up. Hoss and his brothers had put in a couple of very long days mending fences, which would often bring him home later than normal, so Laura decided to just let him sleep. So, after quietly taking a shower and getting herself ready for the morning, she went over and made sure that the Hoss was nice and warm, she then slipped out of their room and went downstairs to the kitchen. Normally, she would make a pot of coffee, but that just made her nauseous, so she decided to make her some hot tea with ginger in it. That seemed to help settle her stomach. Once her tea was made, she went to her purse and grabbed her lists that she made for Valentine's Day and began to look them over.

And even though March had just begun and there was still 3 or so weeks left until St. Patrick's Day, Laura found herself already starting to wear her green clothes. As Laura looked over her lists, she began to formulate a plan that made her smile. And of course, Laura also knew that she probably should rewrite her lists so that she could at least read what she had written a month earlier. So, she got up and went to a drawer and pulled out a notepad and pen. Then she went back to the table and sat down. Then, after taking a couple of sips of her hot tea, she began to rewrite her list plus adding too it. As she was doing so, she couldn't help but smile as she thought about everything and how happy she was going to make her beloved Candyman. Once Laura was done with her lists and was satisfied with everything she wrote, both before and now, she got up and put the lists back into her purse and then put the notepad and pen back into the drawer. She looked over at the time and noticed that it was getting close to 10 am and Hoss would soon be getting up. So, after finishing off her hot tea, which was now luke-warm, and then went to start Hoss his breakfast, just like she did every morning, though she knew this time, she was planning on making it extra special today, maybe even drop a hint of things yet to come.

Re: The Little Leprechaun at the End of the Rainbow (2026)

Upstairs, Hoss stirred slowly, the warmth of the bed and the rare luxury of a late morning pulling him gently from sleep. He stretched, letting out a low sigh, then paused.

Something smelled good.

Better than usual.

He sat up, running a hand through his hair, a small smile already forming. "Laura..." he murmured to himself, knowing full well she was behind it.

After dressing, he made his way downstairs, each step guided by the comforting sounds of the kitchen—the soft clatter of dishes, the faint hum of her voice as she moved about. When he reached the doorway, he stopped for a moment, just watching her.

She looked... radiant.

There was a lightness to her, something he hadn't seen this strong in a while. It caught his attention immediately.

"Well now," Hoss said gently, leaning against the doorframe, "either I've been sleepin' too long, or I've wandered into a dream."

Laura turned, a soft smile spreading across her face. "Morning, Candyman."

That nickname alone was enough to melt him. He stepped closer, placing a tender kiss on her cheek before glancing at the table.

"Extra special breakfast?" he asked, raising a brow.

"Maybe," she teased lightly, turning back to the stove. "Figured you deserved it after all that hard work."

Hoss studied her a moment longer, sensing there was more beneath the surface—but he didn't press. Not yet.

Instead, he reached into his pocket again, fingers brushing against another folded note. This one was newer.

Because while Laura had been making her plans... Hoss had been quietly making his own.

He'd noticed the little things over the past couple weeks—the tea instead of coffee, the way she'd pause sometimes, her hand resting ever so slightly against her stomach without thinking. He wasn't sure... not yet.

But he had a feeling.

And that feeling had changed his plans for St. Patrick's Day entirely.

Originally, he'd thought about something simple—maybe a small celebration, a laugh about wearing green, a quiet evening together. But now... now he wanted it to mean something more.

Hope again.

A fresh start.

After breakfast, while Laura cleared the dishes, Hoss slipped out for a bit under the excuse of checking on the horses. In truth, he headed to town.

There, he picked up a few things he'd been thinking about:

A small bundle of green ribbons.
A delicate little charm shaped like a four-leaf clover.
And tucked carefully away... a tiny pair of baby booties.

He stared at them for a long moment before buying them, his throat tightening with emotion he didn't quite put into words.

"Just in case," he said softly to himself.

By the time he returned home, his plan was set.

On St. Patrick's Day, he'd take her out again—back to that same quiet place they loved. He'd decorate it gently with touches of green, nothing too much... just enough to make her smile.

They'd sit together under the open sky, wrapped in that same red blanket.

And when the moment felt right...

He'd give her the charm first, brushing it gently into her hand.

Then, if his heart proved right—if the hope he felt was real...

He'd show her the tiny booties and say the words he'd been holding close:

"That maybe luck ain't just for stories... maybe it's found its way back to us."

Back in the kitchen, Hoss stepped in again, watching Laura as she moved about.

Whatever surprise she was planning... whatever joy she was holding onto...

He had a feeling their hearts were already walking toward the same moment.

Neither of them had said it yet.

But somehow...

They both already knew.

Re: The Little Leprechaun at the End of the Rainbow (2026)

Laura was the first one up, which gave her time to shower and get herself ready for the day as her husband continued to sleep peacefully. Being a rancher, Hoss didn't get this luxury that often, so whenever Laura could, she just let him sleep until he woke up. After making sure that she looked radiant, Laura made her way down to the kitchen where she quickly started making coffee before starting breakfast, which she had settled on fresh biscuits and sausage gravy, along with bacon, and of course homemade breakfast potatoes and freshly made cinnamon rolls. To drink, there was coffee, hot tea, milk and orange juice. And as the aroma of freshly brewing coffee made its way upstairs, there was also another aroma, something good that he had never smelt before. It was enough to make Hoss finally get up and get himself ready for the day. Once he was ready for the day, Hoss finally made his way down the stairs and into the kitchen, where Laura was slowly and yet happily working on breakfast. Hoss stood there watching Laura with a smile on his face. After a few minutes, he began to speak to her by saying either he had either been sleeping too long or else he wandered into a dream. Laura turned to look at him. A soft smile started to spread across her face as she went over and softly kissed his lips. "Good morning, Candyman," she whispered. That nickname always seemed to melt Hoss's heart every time she called hm that. "I hope you slept good," she said with a smile as he once again placed another tender kiss on her check before he went over to pour him a fresh cup of coffee. Once he had his coffee poured, he turned to notice the table that was carefully set with butter, strawberry jam that Laura knew how to make so well, as well as the freshly made cinnamon rolls. Hoss went over and sat down at the table as he looked at the spread before him. Then he turned and looked at Laura with a raised brow asking her an extra special breakfast. "Maybe," she teased as she was plating up the bacon as the sausage gravy was coming to a slow boil.

"I figured you deserved something special after all the hard work you have been putting in lately," she told him as she took the plate of bacon over to the table. He started to reach for a piece and she playfully slapped his hand. "Not yet," she told him. "The rest of breakfast isn't quite done yet," she told him as she went back to the stove to give the gravy a few final stirs before putting it into the bowl. As she was doing so, Hoss began to study with his wife, sensing there was more beneath the surface, but he didn't press, at least not yet. Instead, he reached into his pocket and let his fingers brush against a folded note, which had some plans that he had been making for her for St. Patrick's Day, even though he knew she had her own plans. He had noticed over the past couple of weeks that Laura had been doing things differently. He noticed her drinking hot tea instead of coffee, the way she would pause sometimes while resting a hand ever so slightly against her stomach and of course the way she had been tired so easily. He had a feeling that he knew what was going on, but he wasn't totally sure, at least not yet. As he watched Laura turning the stove off and began to pour the hot sausage gravy into a large bowl, he couldn't help but think about his original plans, which was to do something simple, maybe a small celebration with the family with a laugh about everybody wearing green and ending with a nice quiet evening together. But now, he wanted it to mean something more. He wanted it to mean hope and a fresh start and the possible beginning of a new chapter to their lives. Laura finally got the gravy in a bowl and sat on the table, to which afterwards she got the freshly made biscuits out of the oven and as she let them cool a little bit, she went over to the fridge and got the pitcher of juice and milk and sat them on the table. Once that was done, Laura went back to the stove and plated up the biscuits and took them over to the table, which she sat the biscuits down next to Hoss. "Okay, breakfast is ready," she told him with a smile, though the tiredness came through her voice loud and clear. Hoss noticed that Laura looked as tired as she sounded as he waited for her, which she looked over at him. "Go ahead and fill your plate up Candyman," she said with a smile. "I'll get me something to eat in just a minute. Juice or milk?" she asked him with a forced smile on her face.