Chapter Ten

The train's whistle woke up more than one passenger as it pulled into Stockton, one being the five foot nine inch Peter Mitchell. The man sat up completely and ran his fingers though his thin, brown hair. He was more than ready to get off the train. It had been a long, tiresome ride, troubled by the noise of "all the passengers". Honest truth, very few of them were making any noise. Peter's "troubles" were, as usual, of his of making.

Peter stood up, stretched and then grabbed his bag. Why did his sister have to get it into her head to come to a state where they had no family? If she hadn't done that, he could have come up with some excuse when his superiors asked him to travel to California and to Stockton. As it was, his mother had found out about the request and pressured him not to fight the request and go check on Faith. He didn't know why he had to do that; it's not like she didn't write weekly. He'd said as much only to receive a scorcher of a lecture, one in which his mother threatened to cut him off from whatever inheritance he would receive if he turned his back on his sister. So, not wanting to continue to hear about it from Mrs. Mitchell, Peter had bought a ticket and boarded the train. Now, he walked down the streets finding his way to the Stockton Hotel.

"May I help you?" Twenty year old Thomas Bridge, the red headed hotel clerk, looked up from the papers in front of him, when he heard footsteps approaching.

Peter looked around the lobby. There was a couch against one wall, a couple of chairs that sat on a rug in the middle of the room, and a few plants scattered through the area. Off to his left there was a huge entrance way into what looked to be a more comfortable visiting area. From what he could see the staircase that was also set to his left, only a little further down than the visiting area, led to the rooms above. Peter looked at the clerk, told him his name and then said, "I have a reservation." He was standing rigid and "proper" and the sound of his voice was as bad as the sound of someone running their fingernails down a chalkboard.

Thomas, who had a knack of reading people and seeing what kind of light was about them, cringed inwardly when he heard the man's voice. He also felt like reaching up and slapping off the self righteous look he saw in the man's eyes. Preachers like the man before him made the young man mad for they gave good, honest God fearing people a bad name. Still, for the sake of keeping the job he needed to support his wife and brand new baby, Thomas smiled as he looked in the books and then retrieved a key from one of many small hooks that hung behind him.

"Room 112," Thomas said as he gave the man instructions on how to find the room. The moment Peter took the key and turned his back, Thomas shot him a look which said 'please, don't stay as long as the records say you're going to' and then went back to work.

Once inside his room, Peter sat down on the bed and took off his shoes. His feet felt like they were killing him. While he rubbed one of his feet, he thought on the fact he was 'stuck putting on show' for the next few Sundays simply because his mother wanted him to check on his "wayward" sister. All right, his mother had not called Faith wayward. If anything, she'd praised the young woman for her courage and convictions. That part made Peter's childish bones boil. Their mother had never given him such compliments.

While Peter sat in the hotel room feeling sorry for himself and blaming his innocent sister for everything under the sun, Faith was doing her best to enjoy a pleasant Saturday afternoon with the Barkley's. It helped that Gene and Marianne were visiting the ranch for the weekend. The beautiful, sunny spring day was made even better when Gene and his wife announced they were going to be parents.

"Way to go!" and "Congratulations!" were just two of the things that were being said to the happy couple as Faith slipped away and sat on a medium sized boulder near the creek they were having their picnic by. The water rippling over the sparkling, smooth rocks in the riverbed was another beautiful sight. Faith might have lost herself in thought forever, but suddenly two small children climbed up beside her. Finding Leah beside her was not a surprise; however, the fact that Bryon had joined his sister was.

"This is for you teacher." Bryon held up a couple of wildflowers, as did Leah.

"Papa said it was okay." Leah spoke up as she handed Faith some flowers too.

Faith was flattered and thanked the children, as she took the gift they offered. It was times like this that helped Faith remember teaching wasn't so bad. Just as she went to say something besides; 'thank you' Faith heard the familiar sound of spurs hitting the ground. A smile a mile wide spread across her and the children's faces as the three turned around to see Nick standing not five feet behind them. Leah smiled as she slid off the rock and ran to give her uncle a hug before running back to where her father was sitting; Bryon did the same.

After letting go of Bryon, Nick made his way to Faith and held out his hand. "How about going on a walk with me?" He was smiling the whole time he was talking.

"I wouldn't mind a bit." Faith took a hold of his hand and stood up. Seconds later the two were walking along the creek and away from the family. The sight, of course, had the other family members smiling and speculating even more.

Faith, who had glanced backwards, smiled. "You know we're giving them cause to talk." Not that she minded the Barkley's talking; she didn't. It was the thought of what Peter would say once he saw her.

Nick wasn't blind. He could tell how hard a time Faith was having, even if she had successfully hidden it from the others, and he knew the cause. Once they had walked around the bend they'd come to, he pulled her to him. "I told you before. There's nothing to worry about. No matter what that brother of yours says, or does; I'm here for you." He tilted her head upwards and ran his fingers down the side of her cheek and said, "Please, believe that."

Faith saw the pleading in his eyes and realized that if she truly loved him, as she'd been telling herself, she needed to trust him completely. In that moment Faith felt the weight she'd been carrying with her since she first received Peter's letter roll off her shoulders and she smiled wider. "I do, Nick. I believe in you."

Nick's smile grew wider as he kissed her again, only this time the kiss held just a bit more passion than before.