Shock rippled through the Pittsburg County Courthouse in McAlester, Oklahoma.

No one noticed the pregnant woman, Farah Kidde, on the back row in the courtroom. She knew what had to be done - Bruce Harlin must die.

Lynn Groves ignored the judge’s call for order in the courtroom. She stood, stunned that the jury had ruled Bruce Harlin innocent. He’d beaten her nearly to death and had killed their unborn baby boy in her womb. How could anyone think he was innocent? She felt a cold certainty of doom.

Like Farah Kidde, Lynn Groves stood and walked out of the courtroom. Her husband of a few months, Jeremy Rogers, quickly followed as she left the courtroom. They walked hand-in-hand down the hallway to the outside steps, ignoring all the reporters.

Once they stood in front of the buffalo on the median in front of the Courthouse she said, “Bruce won’t pass up the opportunity to gloat at his good fortune”.

Jeremy knew his wife was right yet he too felt a sense of doom.

As Bruce and his attorney stood in front of the bank of microphones everything changed for Lynn, Jeremy, Farah and many other people. Would life and love on Molly’s Mountain survive another vile assault on their lives?

Who was Isabella Martinez?

Would the fates create a way forward for all the friends and relations, despite the horror of this day?

The spring on Molly's Mountain, flowed down to the river and eventually to the oceans, carrying the hopes, dreams and sorrows of friends and family.

The children of the families had their own ideas about how life should be lived. They were resourceful, resilient, and more aware of the Universe around them than anyone could guess. They helped the adults find their way out of the staid and proper way of modern life into deeper possibilities. The children loved and cared deeply and as did a snarky giraffe and an ever-hungry elephant who protected them all.