Love's Final Embers
Chapter 7
And the Question Is
Doc helped Amelia up into the buggy and they both waved goodbye to Bess Ronniger. "I'll be back out in a week, to check on the cast. Just make sure John stays put for awhile; and next time, tell him to watch where he's stepping!"
Bess stood in the middle of her younger children, as the whole group waved goodbye. "I'll make him rest, Doc. Give my love to Kitty and the family. Mrs. Sanford, it sure was a pleasure to meet you."
"I certainly enjoyed meeting your lovely family." Amelia waved again and then turned to Doc with a stunned, but impressed, expression. "Thirteen children! How does any woman raise thirteen children?"
Doc laughed as he snapped the reins. "Bess Ronniger is not just, any woman. Did you have a nice time with the family yesterday?"
"I always enjoy your family. Why do you ask?"
His free hand gravitated toward hers. "I noticed you and Matt seemed to be in a very serious conversation. When I spoke with him later, he seemed-" Doc offered a resigned sigh. "Different."
Amelia tilted her head, casting a thoughtful glance at her inquisitor. "Matt seemed to be under a misconception regarding his mother. I got the impression that he has been carrying this…guilt…for a long time. From what you have told me, I would say it had a lot to do with his fears of commitment to Kitty."
"I think it had everything to do with it. Until you came, I just assumed his memories were accurate." Doc pulled the buggy off the road and came to a stop under the brilliant, pink blooms of a crab apple tree.
"Galen? What are you doing?"
Doc slipped out of his seat and walked around the buggy. The twinkle in his eyes lit up his entire face when he offered his hand. "Come. Take a walk with me."
Curious, but trusting, Amelia took the hand offered and climbed out. Doc, slipped his hand into hers and led her the short distance to the peak of the hill. "From here, you can see both the LadyK and the Double O."
A sea of green grass, rippled for miles ahead. Like an artist's pallet, brilliant colors of wildflowers were sprinkled into the landscape. An occasional fruit-bearing tree, like the one he had parked under, bravely stood in the midst of the nature's terrain. One hand went to her breast, as she took in the beautiful sight. "It is breathtaking, Galen! I never guessed Kansas to be so beautiful."
Doc chuckled, as she stepped closer. "Most of it isn't. We are fortunate to live on such a fertile piece of land. Do you see that cottonwood, way off in the distance?" Amelia strained to see the tip of the giant tree in question. "Our land goes way beyond that point."
Her fingers wove tighter into his and she pulled him closer. With an amusing tone, she teased him. "I had no idea that I was in the company of such a wealthy gentleman."
"I know you didn't." Doc replied quietly. "And I know that it wouldn't matter, but I had to make it clear."
Amelia let go of his hand and stood, slightly away from him. Sweet laughter was lost, in a questioning silence. "Galen, what are you trying to say?"
"I'm trying to say, that I'm not just a country doctor in a well-worn, black suit. I could very easily provide for a wife." He turned, standing squarely in front of her and took both hands in his. "I'm trying to say – Amelia Sanford, will you marry me?"
What seemed to be an eternity to Doc, was actually only a matter of seconds, before a smile graced her lips and she leaned forward, issuing her answer in the form of a kiss. "I would be honored to be, Mrs. Galen Adams." Amelia whispered, as her lips left his. "And you picked such a beautiful spot to propose."
"I picked this spot for another reason, as well." He took her arm, to once again direct her attention toward the ranch. "I have always favored this spot. It is close enough to both homes, yet still maintains its privacy."
"Galen-"
"We could build a home of our own…"
"Galen, dear..." She interrupted his dream, with a gentle tug on his arm. "Please, I … I can't live here." Doc's face fell, into a myriad of disappointment and confusion. "I do so love it here, but my work is in New York. I have spent the last decade trying to make a difference. Last month, we won the right to vote in school elections in two states. I can't leave those women now. Not when we are finally making progress."
"You can still fight for rights here. There are women in Dodge too, you know." Though his heart was pleading his case, the facts could not support his argument.
Amelia raked her bottom lip between her teeth. She was hesitant to offer an alternative, but it had to be done. "As a physician – you can practice anywhere." The words settled into an uneasy silence, until she added still another incentive. "Hiram's family home is in the Hampton's and his office was located there. The house is so big and I travel so much…I rarely go there. A very old and loyal couple maintain it for me. I keep a small apartment in New York; but I could open up the house and you could establish your practice from there."
Doc scowled as his heart was being torn in half. He turned away, letting his gaze fall upon the place he loved. "Leave my children? My grandchildren? My friends?"
"Isn't that what you were just asking of me?" The lady from New York spoke without bitterness. "Maybe it would be best for you to reconsider the offer. I understand."
Suddenly, he felt ashamed. It felt right when he was making plans for a home and new beginning for them. Here. In Dodge. Doc turned back to the woman that had touched his heart. "No. I don't want to take it back. I will-" The words stopped, but he forced himself to continue. "I can be a doctor there, as well as here."
"Galen, are you sure? I want you to be happy."
As he looked into her loving, green eyes, Doc could feel himself falling in love again. "I'm sure. We will have to come back often though, you know."
Amelia threw her arms around her intended. Her tears were mixed with laughter. "Very often, I promise you."
TBC
Love's Final Embers
Chapter 7
And the Question Is
Doc helped Amelia up into the buggy and they both waved goodbye to Bess Ronniger. "I'll be back out in a week, to check on the cast. Just make sure John stays put for awhile; and next time, tell him to watch where he's stepping!"
Bess stood in the middle of her younger children, as the whole group waved goodbye. "I'll make him rest, Doc. Give my love to Kitty and the family. Mrs. Sanford, it sure was a pleasure to meet you."
"I certainly enjoyed meeting your lovely family." Amelia waved again and then turned to Doc with a stunned, but impressed, expression. "Thirteen children! How does any woman raise thirteen children?"
Doc laughed as he snapped the reins. "Bess Ronniger is not just, any woman. Did you have a nice time with the family yesterday?"
"I always enjoy your family. Why do you ask?"
His free hand gravitated toward hers. "I noticed you and Matt seemed to be in a very serious conversation. When I spoke with him later, he seemed-" Doc offered a resigned sigh. "Different."
Amelia tilted her head, casting a thoughtful glance at her inquisitor. "Matt seemed to be under a misconception regarding his mother. I got the impression that he has been carrying this…guilt…for a long time. From what you have told me, I would say it had a lot to do with his fears of commitment to Kitty."
"I think it had everything to do with it. Until you came, I just assumed his memories were accurate." Doc pulled the buggy off the road and came to a stop under the brilliant, pink blooms of a crab apple tree.
"Galen? What are you doing?"
Doc slipped out of his seat and walked around the buggy. The twinkle in his eyes lit up his entire face when he offered his hand. "Come. Take a walk with me."
Curious, but trusting, Amelia took the hand offered and climbed out. Doc, slipped his hand into hers and led her the short distance to the peak of the hill. "From here, you can see both the LadyK and the Double O."
A sea of green grass, rippled for miles ahead. Like an artist's pallet, brilliant colors of wildflowers were sprinkled into the landscape. An occasional fruit-bearing tree, like the one he had parked under, bravely stood in the midst of the nature's terrain. One hand went to her breast, as she took in the beautiful sight. "It is breathtaking, Galen! I never guessed Kansas to be so beautiful."
Doc chuckled, as she stepped closer. "Most of it isn't. We are fortunate to live on such a fertile piece of land. Do you see that cottonwood, way off in the distance?" Amelia strained to see the tip of the giant tree in question. "Our land goes way beyond that point."
Her fingers wove tighter into his and she pulled him closer. With an amusing tone, she teased him. "I had no idea that I was in the company of such a wealthy gentleman."
"I know you didn't." Doc replied quietly. "And I know that it wouldn't matter, but I had to make it clear."
Amelia let go of his hand and stood, slightly away from him. Sweet laughter was lost, in a questioning silence. "Galen, what are you trying to say?"
"I'm trying to say, that I'm not just a country doctor in a well-worn, black suit. I could very easily provide for a wife." He turned, standing squarely in front of her and took both hands in his. "I'm trying to say – Amelia Sanford, will you marry me?"
What seemed to be an eternity to Doc, was actually only a matter of seconds, before a smile graced her lips and she leaned forward, issuing her answer in the form of a kiss. "I would be honored to be, Mrs. Galen Adams." Amelia whispered, as her lips left his. "And you picked such a beautiful spot to propose."
"I picked this spot for another reason, as well." He took her arm, to once again direct her attention toward the ranch. "I have always favored this spot. It is close enough to both homes, yet still maintains its privacy."
"Galen-"
"We could build a home of our own…"
"Galen, dear..." She interrupted his dream, with a gentle tug on his arm. "Please, I … I can't live here." Doc's face fell, into a myriad of disappointment and confusion. "I do so love it here, but my work is in New York. I have spent the last decade trying to make a difference. Last month, we won the right to vote in school elections in two states. I can't leave those women now. Not when we are finally making progress."
"You can still fight for rights here. There are women in Dodge too, you know." Though his heart was pleading his case, the facts could not support his argument.
Amelia raked her bottom lip between her teeth. She was hesitant to offer an alternative, but it had to be done. "As a physician – you can practice anywhere." The words settled into an uneasy silence, until she added still another incentive. "Hiram's family home is in the Hampton's and his office was located there. The house is so big and I travel so much…I rarely go there. A very old and loyal couple maintain it for me. I keep a small apartment in New York; but I could open up the house and you could establish your practice from there."
Doc scowled as his heart was being torn in half. He turned away, letting his gaze fall upon the place he loved. "Leave my children? My grandchildren? My friends?"
"Isn't that what you were just asking of me?" The lady from New York spoke without bitterness. "Maybe it would be best for you to reconsider the offer. I understand."
Suddenly, he felt ashamed. It felt right when he was making plans for a home and new beginning for them. Here. In Dodge. Doc turned back to the woman that had touched his heart. "No. I don't want to take it back. I will-" The words stopped, but he forced himself to continue. "I can be a doctor there, as well as here."
"Galen, are you sure? I want you to be happy."
As he looked into her loving, green eyes, Doc could feel himself falling in love again. "I'm sure. We will have to come back often though, you know."
Amelia threw her arms around her intended. Her tears were mixed with laughter. "Very often, I promise you."
TBC