Chapter 12
Boston
Monday 8th December, 1873
In the meantime, Tom and Matthew were having a similar discussion, while seated in the library doing some 'research'.
"I've asked her out" stated Tom as soon as they sat down.
"Me too! I thought I would never do it" replied Matthew.
"Oh! It seems we have perfect timing for such things" Tom replied.
"Indeed. So where are ya taking her"
"Well, to 'Bob's Restaurant'! It's the best in town isn't it"
"Really? I'm taking her there too! When are you going? Don't tell me it's Sunday night" replied Matthew shocked.
"No, Thursday evening" replied Tom.
"Good, at least we won't meet"
"Are you taking her only to dinner? I mean, going some other place before or after"
"Alex loves opera, so I'm takin' her to an opera before dinner. Why"
"Well, I don't know where to take her besides dinner. She hates opera"
"Then just take her for a walk in 'Chadwick's Park' after dinner. It's famous amongst lovers" suggested Matthew"Uhm, are ya... well... gonna propose"
"Well... yes... how do you know" asked Tom surprised.
"Cause it's what I'm gonna do... but I don't know how ta ask her"
"Oh, I'll do it in Shakespeare style"
"Oh, you an' your Shakespeare! An what would this 'style' be" asked Matthew confused.
"Go down on one knee before her, ask her, and give her the ring. Nice style no" asked Tom pleased with himself.
"Nah! It's silly. I'm looking for a more original way" replied Matthew.
"I don't know of any other original way"
"It's obvious! If it's original, no-one knows 'bout it, idiot" replied Matthew.
"Hey hey, calm down" replied Tom, taken aback.
"Yeah, sorry. I don't know how I'm gonna ask her... but somethin' will come in my mind. So... have ya chosen the ring"
"No... I thought that maybe you could come with me and help me choose one. Have you chosen yours"
"No I haven't. We go together today after school"
"Yes, great idea" replied Tom.
Both Matthew and Tom remained silent for a few minutes, each lost in his own thoughts.
"Tom... do ya think she'll accept" asked Matthew.
"Who? Alex or Mary" asked Tom.
"Alex! Ya think she'd accept to live with someone like me"
"Of course! I mean, I've known Alex since we were still small, and she was always a bit weird compared to the rest of us. She likes country-side, horses, cowboys with guns, Indians, and that stuff... like you do, just that you were brought up amongst these things and she was not. Alex would be more than grateful to leave Boston and go with you to Colorado! She'll accept. I'd bet my life on it" replied Tom reassuring Matthew.
"Then I should take her riding some day. Just that it's not possible in Boston" replied Matthew.
"Oh you'll have time for that! So, what do you think Mary will answer"
"Yes, obviously! Everybody can see that she's in love with you. You both are 'Boston youths' with your refined methods. You have the same interests and hobbies. You're made for each other" replied Matthew, just as the bell rang, signaling the end of the break-time.
Both men got up from their chairs and went out of the library, heading towards their lecture room where they would meet their fiancées to be!
"We didn't make any research" pointed out Tom on their way to the lecture room.
"Oh, don't worry. We'll do the research tomorrow. We had more important matters to deal with" answered Matthew laughing.
"Alex wouldn't agree with that. She'd say 'Never leave for tomorrow what you can do today'" pointed out Tom teasingly.
"But ya aint Alex are ya" replied Matthew as they both laughed.
Colorado Springs
Monday 8th December, 1873
Robert E goes to Grace's Café looking for his wife, but can only see Christine, so he approaches her.
"Hi Christine" he says.
"Good evening Robert E" she replies.
"Uhm, have ya seen Grace"
"Yeah, she's at home. She was lookin' tired an' we sent her home. Me an' Noella are able to continue here"
"Oh, now I understand. I'll go home then. Thanks for takin' care of her! Since ya're here ta help her, she's more relaxed and the work here is dealt with better. I hope ya'll stay here even after the baby's born, I mean, the clients are increasing, an' she needs two helpers like ya" he said.
"Oh don't worry 'bout that Robert E." replied Noella who had joined them"We'll remain here. We like the job, an' besides, we need the money"
"She's right. Grace can count on us for as long as she wants" said Christine.
"Thanks again! I'll be goin' then! Good night" said Robert E before leaving.
In the meantime, Grace is at home knitting a blanket for her little child. Robert E enters.
"Hello Grace" he says greeting her and kissing her on the cheek.
"Hello honey. How did it go today" she asked as she stopped knitting.
"Oh fine. So, ya left early! Are ya OK" Robert E asked concerned.
"Oh sure I'm fine. But Noella and Christine said that I looked tired and insisted that I should go home, an' here I am."
"The baby is all right is he" asked Robert E, seating himself down.
"Oh sure. I had a check-up this morning. The baby is fine. An' speaking 'bout the baby, we ain't decided on a name"
"Ya're right. So, any ideas"
"Of course! Bruce Anthony if a boy, an' Beatrice Antoinette if a girl" stated Grace, caressing her belly.
At first Robert E remained silent. His mind turned back to when they had lost Anthony due to his fatal sickness. He recalled the boy reading the story at school about a place he called home, mentioning Colorado Springs with himself and Grace, and all the others. After a little while he raised his head.
"I agree with ya" said Robert E.
Philadelphia
Monday 8th December, 1873
Angela was upstairs in the study, where she was studying. She liked to read out loud while studying and this didn't let Colleen to concentrate on what she was reading, so they decided to study in two separate and distant rooms. She had been studying very hard for about two hours after school, since exams were due the following week.
Meanwhile, Colleen was sitting at the kitchen table with a sheet of paper before her and a pencil in her hand. She was supposed to be studying, but was tired and decided to make the list of Christmas presents to buy. She had decided for everyone. The problem was, that she didn't have much time to spend going round shops.
Angela descended the stairs and entered the kitchen to find Colleen staring into space.
"A penny for your thoughts" she said as she sat down across the table from Colleen.
"Hi Angie. I'm bored studyin', so I decided to make the Christmas shoppin' list. But I don't know when I'm gonna buy the presents" replied Colleen.
"If you want, I can help you with the shopping, and you help me with mine. We could go tomorrow after school and buy everything for both of us, and leave the studying for another day! It would be a fantastic Christmas Shopping, the first one in my life..."
"... an' in mine too" interjected Colleen.
"So Col, what do you think about it" asked Angela again.
"It's a great idea! Lookin' forward to tomorrow" said Colleen pleased, just as the door bell rang.
"You go and open, and I start preparing dinner" said Angela rising up.
"But Angie! Ya don't know anythin' 'bout cookin'" said Colleen surprised.
"Oh, I'm learning, don't worry" she said as Colleen went towards the front door.
She opened to reveal what seemed an employer of the post-office at the Train Station. Colleen was surprised to see him.
"Good evening miss" the man said.
"Good evenin'. How may I help ya" replied Colleen.
"I have a telegram for Miss A. Walker. Does she live here"
"Uhm yeah" replied Colleen as she called for Angela"Angie! Here's a telegram for ya"
"Can't come or the bacon will burn! Ya can bring me the telegram" replied Angela from the kitchen.
"She's busy at the moment" said Colleen to the postman"Ya can give the telegram to me"
"Oh, sorry miss, I can't. I can give the telegram only to the receiver or his family" he replied.
"Uhm, I am family... she's... she's my sister" lied Colleen.
"Oh, now that's a different story Miss Walker. This telegram is for your sister. Good evening" he said turning to leave.
"Thanks... but how come telegrams are delivered to homes" asked Colleen curiously.
"It's a new system. A telegram can be very urgent, and has to be read immediately, not after hours or days, when the receiver decides to check at the post office. So, from this month onwards, when a telegram is urgent, the sender writes 'Important' at the top of the telegram, then the message, and at the bottom, the address where the receiver lives. Then, as soon as the telegram reaches the post office of the receiver, an officer is sent to deliver the telegram and makes sure that it reaches a person" he replied.
"Oh, interesting. Thanks again sir" replied Colleen.
"You're welcome miss" replied the officer as he left and Colleen closed the door.
She went in the kitchen where Angela had cooked eggs and bacon together with sausages.
"Oh! It has a nice smell. Since when have ya learnt how ta cook" asked Colleen.
"My mum sent me some easy recipes with her last letter. I had told her it wasn't fair that you cooked every day, so she gave me some help! You like it" asked Angela.
"Oh sure Angie" said Colleen as she remembered the telegram.
"So, what is this" asked Angela as Colleen gave her the sheet of paper"How come it's delivered at home"
"Oh I'll explain later. Come on, read it" said Colleen, as Angela opened the telegram.
Important Telegram
Dear Angie,
I'm sorry to tell you that I've been called to duty again. I'm heading West. So I won't be able to visit you tonight, and neither come home to Boston for Christmas! Have a Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year! Give my best wishes to your family.
Say hello to Colleen as well!
Love,
Manuel
Miss A Walker
Apartment 7, Mill Street
Philadelphia
"Oh no" cried Angela"something must have happened if the army called back for the soldiers they had sent on vacation"
"Don't worry Angie. He'll be fine" replied Colleen, comforting her friend, but not being too much convinced herself.
Colorado Springs
Friday 12th December, 1873
Brian, Michaela and Katie are at the station saying their goodbye's to Sully, who was dressed in Boston clothes so as to be presentable when he arrived.
"Bye Pa! Say hi to Mat for me! I'll miss ya" said Brian as he hugged his father tightly.
"Take care of your ma and your little sister for me" replied Sully.
"Papa" said Katie as her father took her in his hands and hugged her goodbye, then handed he to Brian.
"Take care of yourself" started Michaela as she hugged him"See that Matthew is OK and give him my love. As soon as you arrive in Boston send a telegram so we know you're safe and sound. Write to us as well each day! Make sure my mother and Rebecca are fine. If there's any trouble, just send a telegram and..."
"... Michaela" Sully interrupted her"I'm going for three days in Boston, not for a war"
"I know honey, it's just that I have a bad feeling about this! You'll be careful won't you"
"I'm always careful" he replied as he kissed her passionately, only to be interrupted by the conductor shouting"All aboard"
"I have ta go" he said as he grabbed his bag and boarded the train.
They waved to him till the train was no more in sight.
"Come on Children, let's go home. It's getting cold" said Michaela as they headed towards the wagon.
On the train, Sully sat down beside a man who was staring out of the window.
"Good morning sir" said the man to Sully.
"Mornin'" Sully replied as he took out a photograph from his pocket showing his family at Colleen's wedding.
"Your four children" asked the man looking at the picture.
He seemed to recognize one of them, but wasn't sure, so he said nothing.
"Yeah. She's married" said Sully pointing at Colleen"and my wife is pregnant again."
"Congratulations! You're a very lucky man" said the man as he took out a photograph showing the man himself with a woman and a blonde lady.
"My wife and daughter" explained the man.
The man noticed something strange when he looked at Sully's hand.
"Why aren't you wearing a wedding ring? How come your wife let you without it" he asked Sully.
"What? It's your choice if ya wear a ring or not. It has nothin' to do with your wife" replied Sully surprised.
"But the rings are supposed to be exchanged."
"Really? Well, maybe it's a common thing in your town, but we're not used to such nonsense" replied Sully shocked.
"It's not nonsense. The ring shows to the world you belong to someone for all your life. It shows you love someone to such an extent that you decided to spend the rest of your life with him or her. You come from the west don't you"
"Yeah, so what"
"Well, the tradition hasn't reached your town then, that's why. Even if, it's strange. It became very common some 20 years ago."
"Hey, wait a second. There's no need to wear a ring to show the world that you love and belong to someone, and' all the rest. My wife accepted my not wearing a ring, so there's no problem."
"Accepted! So she did want you to wear a ring, and you refused"
"Yeah I refused. I don't like the idea. But what difference does it make ta them"
"Oh don't ask me, I don't know sir! I just know that my wife was very happy when I told her I would wear a ring as well" said the man"Why not do it, if it makes your wife happy? I can assure you that they become very happy when you grant their wishes. Does it make a difference to you"
"Well...I don't think so! I just thought the idea was stupid, not that I really hate the ring" replied Sully.
He realised he had been stupid not wearing a ring. What difference did it make to him after all?
Silence fell between the two men as they entered a station and the man started to get up and gather his things.
"So, you'll buy a ring and wear it" he asked Sully before leaving.
"Yeah, I think so. I realised it doesn't matter to me after all, but maybe it matters to my wife... thanks" replied Sully as he stood and shook the man's hand.
The man descended the steps of the train into the station. Suddenly Sully remembered something and he put his head out of the window.
"Hey sir" he shouted, and the man looked back.
"Yes" he replied coming towards the train again.
"I don't know ya're name sir" said Sully.
"Oh, it's James Parker. I'm from Boston, but have some errands to run here" James replied.
"If it really makes a difference in my wife...if it really makes her happy... I'd be forever grateful James" said Sully.
"Good luck in life sir" James said as he started walking away until disappearing.
Sully sat down in his seat. James was right. Michaela hadn't been pleased when he had refused to wear a ring. Maybe she was still sad about the matter and he never noticed. It was time to arrange things!
End of Chapter 12
