"She should have been here by now," Sister Ruth said, tapping her foot against the station platform with nervous energy. "Her message said she was coming to Savannah by train right away."

"There could have been any number of reasons for a delay, especially with them tearing up track right and left. It's a wonder anybody gets anywhere these days."

"I hope that's all it is, but I don't think I'll be able to rest easy until she gets here."

Kid pulled a cigar out of his pocket. "I reckon now's as good a time as any to smoke. Give me something to do while we wait."

"Where'd you get that?"

The whistle of a train sounded, signaling the train was about to pull in. "One of the guards gave it to me when we were at Andersonville. We started talking while you and Father Whelan went in one of the tents and realized we fought in Murfreesboro together, so he gave me this cigar."

"A nice gesture but that don't mean you got to smoke it. You ever notice that people who smoke cough? I have and that couldn't be good for your consumption." She was eyeing it like it was a snake.

"And?" he asked, knowing there was more.

"And it stinks to high heaven. You smoke it and don't expect any kissing from me."

One of the exiting passenger caught the tail end of her words and craned her head back in clear disapproval of even talking about kissing.

Kid tapped the cigar against the palm of his hand as if he was thinking about which he preferred more, smoking or kissing. "Let me get back to you on that."

"Kid Cole!"

He laughed. "I'm only joking. If it bothers you that bad, I won't smoke," he promised, sticking it back in his pocket.

They waited until all the passengers were off, but Dr. Mike wasn't among them.

"Let's go talk to the station master," Ruth said.

The station master didn't look happy to see them, but then they'd been there every day this week. "I told you I'm watching for her. Believe me, I've got your address right here on my desk. I will send for you when she gets here," he said before she'd even said a word.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I'm just worried is all," Ruth told him.

"I understand, ma'am, but if ya'll will excuse me, I need to talk to the conductor about being more punctual."

Not knowing what else to do, they started down the stairs of the platform only to see Dr. Mike and a man they didn't know walking their way.

Ruth hurried her steps to meet them and brought Michaela into a hug, not caring she smelled more than a little like a wet dog or that her dress was coated in dirt. Ruth realized the smell probably came from the dog in the man's arms that strangely resembled a wolf. "Dr. Mike, am I ever glad to see you. We were afraid something happened to you."

At the mention of we, Michaela pulled away and saw Kid standing not far behind Ruth.

"I guess you didn't know I'd gotten married. You remember Kid Cole, don't you? He was the one helping me with the patients the day you came."

"Yes, I do. A little," she said, shaking his hand. "I ran into trouble in Charleston. My medical bag with all my money in it got stolen. Mr. Sully here escorted me the rest of the way. This is the friend I mentioned, Sister Ruth."

Sully shook their hands. "I believe I've heard of you both. It's nice to meet you all."

"You must live out west then, Mr. Sully," Kid guessed.

He nodded. "Just call me, Sully."

"As long as you call me, Sister Ruth," Ruth added. "Well, no sense in standing here baking in the sun. Let's all go to the house for something to drink and we can talk more there. We've got a lot to talk about."

Michaela wanted to ask about David right away, but it was probably was best not to air their business in the streets of Savannah. She'd become a lot more cautious after losing her bag.

"Do you smoke, Sully?" Kid asked as they walked.

"No."

"Too bad. I was going to offer you a cigar, but it's just as well. Sister Ruth's liable to pull it right out of your mouth. She don't like it when people smoke."

"You still harping about that cigar?" Ruth asked with a roll of her eyes. "Tell me, Dr. Mike, do you think it wise for a man with consumption to smoke?"

"No, it's quite harmful in fact. It could worsen it a great deal."

"There you go. I rest my case," she said to her husband.

Kid's eyes only twinkled in response. He had just been playfully trying to get her dander up. It was plain to see they were both crazy about each other.

That's what she wanted, Michaela thought, to settle into married life with the man she loved. While still doctoring, of course. She could imagine life with David, opening up a practice together and working at the hospital side by side. They made such a good team.

Sister Ruth went to the kitchen for their drinks. Michaela was tempted to tell her to leave them, but Sully might have been thirsty, so she held her tongue.

She brought 4 steaming cups that for all purposes looked like coffee, but it was the most bitter cup of coffee she'd ever tasted.

"It's not real coffee. It's made with chicory root. Sorry," Sister Ruth apologized. "I should have warned you. I can mix in some more molasses to spice it up."

"No thank you," she said, not wanting any more delays. "When can I go see him?"

"We'll have to take the train to make it a day trip. We got a spare bedroom set up for you. I was figuring you could get a good night's rest and then we'll start out in the morning."

"How did you find him in Andersonville?"

"I volunteer there. I bring supplies and faith healing to the men. I just happened upon his tent by luck. Well, actually I don't believe in luck. I believe it could have only been orchestrated by God."

"I don't understand how he could have survived. You said you got this watch off a dying soldier. Did someone take it from him? Did he tell you anything about how he ended up there or why he couldn't write to me or his parents?"

"That's what I wanted to tell you," she said, looking guilty all of a sudden, eyes cast down and red with embarrassment. "I lied. I thought at the time I had a good reason for it. Do you remember the man with the bandages covering his whole head that couldn't speak?"

When Ruth received a nod from her, she continued. "That was David. We were hiding him out, but he ended up getting captured anyway. He knew you were there, but he didn't want you to know it was him because of how bad his injuries were. He wanted me to let you believe he was dead, and he gave me his watch, so you would have proof. I had my reservations, but I gave in because I thought you might not ever see him again anyway and that the watch would help you remember how much he loved you."

"Were? Is he better?"

"No. He can talk now, but he still can't move. I'm so sorry. What I did was very wrong. Can you ever forgive me?"

She swallowed hard, a definite lump in her throat. To think she had been so close to David. In the same room, talking to him and hadn't even known it. She was angry at both David and Sister Ruth for keeping it from her, but she was too relieved at the good news to hold a grudge. Especially since Sister Ruth was making things right now by getting in touch with her and taking her to him.

"I guess I can understand that. I haven't told David's parents yet. I was afraid to get their hopes up after all they've been through, and I'm not sure they would have believed me based only on a messenger from a southerner."

"Thank you, Dr. Mike. You won't have to worry about me holding anything else back. Just be warned I haven't exactly told David yet that you were coming. I don't know how he's going to react."

Michaela thought that a strange thing to say, but given David's earlier actions, it might have been for the best. He would soon see she was going to stick by him no matter what.

"I'd better get going," Sully said, seemingly uncomfortable that he had stayed through all this conversation.

"Don't go," Michaela pleaded.