Author's Note: Well this is the end! It was hard to write this story, but I learned a lot and I hope to write again. Thank you all for taking this journey with me. Perhaps someday there will be a sequel!
Chapter 29
Jarrod and Heath decide to sleep in a little later than usual the next morning to give Allison more time to recover from the night before. When they are dressed and ready, Jarrod offers to settle the bill with the desk clerk while Heath checks on Allison.
Heath knocks on Allison's door, but not surprisingly, she doesn't answer. Heath knocks again a little louder and states who it is. Still no reply. With the room key in his hand, he warns Allison that is coming in just in case she is indisposed. Heath unlocks the door and opens it just enough to see inside.
"Allison?" He asks again. When there is still no answer, he walks into the room. To his surprise, the room is empty. He walks around the room in confusion. Not only is Allison not in the room, but the bed is made, her bags and everything are gone! Just as Heath is about to leave the room to look for Allison, Jarrod enters with a piece of paper in hand.
"Allison left a note at the front desk." Jarrod says handing it to Heath.
Meet me at the café across the street for breakfast.
Allison
Sipping tea in the café, Allison sits and waits for Jarrod and Heath. She purposely chose a table by the window, so she could watch and prepare herself for their arrival. She spent the last half hour rehearsing in her mind what to say to them. She thought she'd start by explaining her behavior the night before, but then changed her mind. She would simply apologize without explanation and instead focus on telling them her plans. She's glad she rose early this morning and put everything in place, so they couldn't talk her out of what she intended to do.
She sucks in her breath as the familiar forms of the Barkley brothers head across the street from the hotel.
"Morning." Jarrod greets Allison when the hostess shows them to the table.
"Good morning. I ordered you both some coffee." Allison responds with a tense smile.
"Thank you." Heath and Jarrod say in turn, taking their seats at the table.
"How are you feeling this morning?" Asks Heath. "We were surprised to find you up and out already. We figured you would still be sleeping off last night."
"I've certainly felt better. Don't think I'll be eating anything for a while." Allison replies avoiding his eyes. She planned to let the men order and eat breakfast before telling them her plans, but she figures there is no reason to delay and jumps right into her rehearsed statement. "I want to apologize for my behavior last night. It was irresponsible and frankly embarrassing." She looks directly at Heath and then Jarrod to let them know how serious she is.
"We're just glad we found you and got you out of there safely." Jarrod replies, finding her demeanor a bit distant and formal. "Can you tell us why you went out last night?"
"No. But I did spend quite a bit of time thinking what to do about it." Allison admits. "I realized that I need to finish what Daniel and I started. We came here to get our land and…" Allison hesitates, dreading the effect of her next few words. "… and that's where I need to be."
Jarrod and Heath share a questioning look. "What are saying?" Asks Jarrod.
"I exchanged my return ticket to Stockton for a ticket to Sonora. The train leaves at ten. I arranged to have my bags taken from the hotel to the station already. I also sent a telegram explaining everything to Victoria and Audra." The words rushed out so quickly, Allison had to pause and take a breath before continuing. "I'm not going back to Stockton with you."
"You're leaving?" Heath asks in a crestfallen voice.
"This was a very difficult decision for me to make, but I feel it is best." Allison pauses and tries to regain the strength of her voice which has begun to waver with emotion. "I don't want to seem ungrateful to you or your family. You have all done so much for me. I know I'll never be able to repay your kindness. All I can hope for is to perhaps someday in the future pass along the same kindness to someone else in need. Just as you have done for me."
At the station, Jarrod takes Allison's hands in his to say his goodbye. "Take care of yourself. And if you need anything. Anything at all, you let us know." Jarrod says sincerely squeezing her hands. "We will miss you."
"I will miss you too, Jarrod." Allison responds. Jarrod kisses her on her forehead and leaves the platform, so Heath can say goodbye privately.
Allison turns to Heath who is leaning against the platform support.
"I guess this is goodbye, Cowboy."
Heath stands straight and clasps her hands in his. "I don't suppose I can talk you into staying."
Allison gives a little smile and says "No." She looks away and then looks back at Heath. "This is something I need to do. Something I want to do."
"Can I ask you something? If I hadn't kissed you, would you still be leaving?"
"I think so. It may have taken a bit longer to get here, but I realized that I started this life with Daniel and I need to finish it for him. I owe it to him. And I owe it to myself."
The train whistle blows alerting passengers to make their way onboard.
"I'd better be going." Allison pulls her hands away and places them on Heath's face. Then she leans in and kisses him on the cheek. As she pulls away, she says softly, "I'll never forget you."
Before, he can respond, she turns and walks briskly to the train where a conductor takes her hand and helps onboard.
"Neither will I." Heath says only to himself.
THE END
