Ezra smiled at Catherine. He couldn't quite hear what she was saying, but it made him laugh. It always did. The light reflected off her fiery hair. He wanted to take her in his arms, but he never did...and he didn't know why.
A laugh...a sudden scream...and Catherine was gone.
"No!" Ezra screamed.
A loud noise awakened Ezra. He sat up, momentarily disoriented...and realized that he'd called out in his sleep. It was that dream. He knew, without looking at a calendar, he knew. Today was the anniversary: the anniversary of what was almost the best week of his life.
He tried rolling over and going back to sleep.
Ezra walked out of the hotel to the church. There was nothing happening; no damsels in distress, no cattle ranchers requiring instruction on the proper application of property boundaries, no bandits shooting up the town. He desperately needed something, anything, to take his mind off of Catherine. And if that required engaging in menial labor for the duration, then he would do so.
Josiah looked up as he entered the church. "You lost, Ezra?"
Ezra gave Josiah a wan smile, "In a manner of speaking. I'm here to offer you my services."
Josiah stared at him. "Don't need no card tricks today."
Ezra sighed. "Perhaps I was mistaken," he said as he looked around the church. "I was under the impression that you were attempting to effect some repairs to this edifice."
Josiah shrugged, then pointed to a toolbox. "Tools of the trade."
Ezra nodded and picked up a stripper. He went to work removing paint from a windowsill.
"You, uh, care to talk about it, Ezra?"
"Not really." Ezra spoke softly.
Josiah looked at him a moment and then nodded.
Ezra concentrated on the wood and tried to clear his mind.
The rain came down as sheets of water, blanketing the landscape. The downpour was constant, unending, relentless. It was so thick that he could barely see the nose on the horse. Hopefully, the horse was better equipped with visual acuity. He knew that the poor beast should not be out in this weather; he shouldn't either.
Granted, he hadn't exactly had a choice in the matter when he'd left Smithstown. It was either ride in the rain, or experience the rather unpleasant effects of tar and feather. Right now, however, he was considering their particular merits. At least he'd be warm, and probably waterproof.
Over and over he promised he would never, ever ride in weather like this again. Ever.
Ezra barely heard the lightning...and was surprised when he felt the sudden weight of a large object...a tree...fall on him.
Ezra awoke a while later; it was impossible to tell how much time had passed. He was lying in mud and being pelted by water. His leg was trapped under tree and horse. As his awareness came more into being, he could hear the labored breathing of the animal.
"Good lord," he whispered. The poor animal was still alive and, worse, was injured.
He moved as much as he could, and managed to release one of his weapons. He aimed the gun at the horse's head and fired. No need for both of them to suffer.
Ezra tried to move from under the horse, but he couldn't. His head hurt. If he could just rest a few minutes, he knew he'd be fine.
The next time he awoke it was dark outside. It was still raining, and Ezra could feel the rise of the water around him. He felt as though he were lying in water. When he opened his eyes, he saw that the water had indeed pooled on the land around him. Momentarily, he thought about the possibility that he might drown if he did not move, but he needed to rest before trying to think about what to do. Later, he would think about it.
He dreamt that he was on a soft bed. He felt a cloth being applied to his face, and he opened his eyes slowly. An angel: The vision before him was just that. An angel, with lustrous auburn hair and brilliant green eyes, was looking at him. She smiled.
"Hello," she whispered softly. But Ezra barely heard it as he drifted back to oblivion.
Josiah shooed Ezra out of the church, hating that he was sending the man to pursue his demons alone, but also needing to get him out before he inflicted more damage. Already, Ezra had destroyed a windowsill, a pew, and four floorboards. Ezra was appropriately apologetic, but Josiah would not doubt him the next time he said that he was not made for "honest labor."
Granted, Josiah could tell that something was bothering him. However, Josiah also knew Ezra well enough to know that he revealed nothing unless he wanted to do so.
"Heck, Ezra's even more closed off than Chris. And a more ornery cuss than Chris Larabee I never did meet," Josiah said to the walls.
Ezra had known the memories would be bad this year. They were always bad, but he had known they would be worse, harder to deal with this time, than ever before.
Ezra was not exactly sure when precisely it was he recognized this place. Whether it was during a poker game when he felt an unshakable sense of deja-vu, or whether it was when Maude had refinished the hotel. The awareness wasn't something that came upon him immediately. It was more like a gradual invasion. First a flicker of a thought here, then a small remembrance there. But nothing concrete. Ezra didn't have to acknowledge that he knew something deep inside him was saying. "It was here. You were here."
Ezra noticed Nettie Wells had come into town and was leaving the grocer's. He went over to her. "Afternoon, Mrs. Wells," he stated as he took her purchases and began to escort her to her wagon.
She stood back and looked at him appraisingly. "Young man, you got something bothering you, it's best ta just get it out and dealt with. Simmerin' and brewin's only good for cookin' food, not a man's thoughts."
Ezra smiled at her, but that smile did not reach his eyes. "You're quite right, madam. However, I assure you that nothing is troubling me."
"Uh hunh. Well, why don't you come out? I got apples need pickin', and you'll get a homemade meal for your trouble," she stated.
Ezra considered it a moment. "I'd be honored to assist you, madam." He put the groceries down in the back of the wagon. "Allow me to retrieve my steed and I shall join you presently."
Nettie put her hand on his arm and looked into his eyes. "Son, now I know somethin's troublin' you."
He looked away, quite uncomfortable. "It's nothing at all, I assure you."
"If you say so," she said and turned to get into the wagon. Ezra offered her his assistance. Then he went and retrieved Ace. A few moments later he joined back up with her.
Nettie yelled into the jail. "KC, you git on out here...we're headin' back."
The young lady came out of the sheriff's office with a sheepish grin on her face. JD looked on after her. "Well, you gonna just stand there moonin' over him, or are you gonna invite Mr. Dunne to dinner?"
A smile split KC's face and she turned to JD. "Would you?"
Ezra almost laughed when JD blushed and stammered out a quiet "yes." Almost, but not quite.
Nettie immediately put Ezra to work picking apples when they got there. Ezra took his jacket and hung it on a fence post and looked at his watch. It was barely 1 o'clock. He picked a few apples.
The next time he opened his eyes, he saw the angel once again.
"Nice to see you're with us," she said, in a soft musical voice.
Ezra nodded. He was glad he was too. He looked around. A stagecoach? The sounds of the coach as it moved across the road and the feeling of movement assured him that this was real. Ezra tried to sit up, but the angel put a hand on his shoulder.
"You just rest a bit more, sir. You have a pretty bad bump on your head."
"Ezra Sanders," he said.
"Catherine O'Malley."
"I'm most pleased," Ezra mumbled as he closed his eyes, "to make your acquaintance, Miss O'Malley."
When next Ezra woke up, he felt much better and actually more alert than he had for a while. Catherine was sitting across from him, next to the other passenger, an older woman. He assumed she must be a chaperone. When he looked at the other woman, Catherine smiled.
"Mr. Sanders, this is Miss O'Donnell."
Ezra nodded and started to move to sit up. Before he did, he realized that some of his apparel had been removed.
The two women were the only other people in the coach. He looked at them cautiously, then finally spoke. "Where are my clothes?"
Catherine spoke up. "Driver came across a fallen tree on the path. When he moved it, we found you. Good thing too, Mr. Sanders. You were pretty wet. Mr. Carter, that's the driver, got that blanket and put you in here."
It had not answered his question, but she continued, "Your clothes were dry about an hour ago. They are folded on the floor beside you."
He looked at them, noting that his shirt and jacket had been folded neatly. The ladies averted their eyes, allowing him to put on his shirt without embarrassing them.
The jacket, however, was a complete wash. He held it up in distaste; the light-gray was caked with red clay mud. It had been his favorite jacket.
Catherine looked back at him and smiled. "Ruined, isn't it?"
"Yes, I'm afraid it is. However, dear lady, I am, nonetheless, indebted to you for keeping me from ruin as well."
The coach began to slow down, and Ezra looked out the window as the first structures of a town came into view. After a moment, the coach stopped.
Mr. Carter opened the door. "Night's stop everyone." He looked at Ezra. "You ride tomorrow; you pay."
Ezra nodded at the man in understanding. "Pray tell, what municipality have we reached this evening?"
"Bitter Creek," the driver said.
Ezra thanked the man and gathered his saddle bag from atop the coach. The women waited for their nightcases and watched as the rest of their bags were placed in the coach office. Ezra hated not offering to carry their bags, but he was feeling a bit weak still. Nonetheless, he owed these ladies something.
"Would you ladies care to join me for dinner this evening in the local eating establishment?"
Catherine smiled, "Allow us to think on that, Mr. Sanders." He could tell by her eyes that it was a yes. But for form's sake, and that of Miss O'Donnell, she wouldn't come right out and say so.
He nodded his head and smiled at her as they walked to the hotel. Before they parted company, Ezra said, "I shall be dining at 7 of the clock, my dear, in case your thoughts do favor me."
She smiled charmingly and nodded once before heading to her room.
"Hey Ezra!" KC shouted up the tree, startling him.
Ezra started to fall out of the tree, but caught himself. The basket he was using to hold the apples fell. After he steadied himself, he looked down at her. "How may I be of service, Miss Wells?"
She looked at him. "You sure ain't picked many apples." KC bent down and began to pick up the apples he'd just dropped.
"Haven't," he corrected absently. Then he looked at her again and took out his watch: It was 3 o'clock. He had picked less than thirty apples in two hours.
She nodded. "Well, you haven't picked many apples then. And these are all bruised up."
Mentally, Ezra added 30 apples to his tally. He could not pay attention today. And he knew it was only going to get worse.
Nettie came up as KC finished picking up Ezra's bruised apples. She looked into the tree. "Ezra, why don't you come on down from there before you fall."
As much as Ezra resented being spoken to as one speaks to a child, he knew that Nettie cared. She was a brusque woman, not one to mince words. He climbed down the tree. "My apologies, madam," he said as he headed to his horse.
"Just where do you think your goin? You ain't had your supper." Nettie stated.
"Back to town. The arrangement required that I pick apples. As you can see, I have not fulfilled my portion of the bargain."
She put her hands on her hips. "Ezra Standish, if you think I'm gonna allow a man who came out here to help me go home without his promised dinner, you have another think coming."
Ezra could not help but smile at her. "Thank you, Mrs. Wells. However, my honor demands that I provide you with assistance."
Nettie looked at KC, who shrugged. "KC wanted to go riding, and I won't let her go by herself. The area's a mite dangerous."
He caught an angry look from KC to Nettie. But neither KC nor Ezra would ever dare question Nettie on this.
"I'd be happy to provide the lady an escort," Ezra said. He felt just a bit mollycoddled. Nettie needed KC to help her prepare the dinner. But she was trying to make him feel useful.
KC went to saddle her horse, after throwing Nettie another look. Nettie just looked at him and smiled one of her all-knowing smiles.
KC rode silently beside Ezra. After a while, his thoughts drifted back to Catherine.