Chapter 11
Matthew sat across the table from Molly at Grace's Café, and he watched as she finished the rest of her lunch. She loved every bite of it, and even young James was quiet as he ate a slice of Grace's famous pie.
Matthew placed a half dollar on the table to pay for the meals, and Molly put her hand up.
"No, that's alright. I can pay for myself." Matthew was a little shocked. The only woman he'd ever seen offer to pay for herself had been Dr. Mike. But then again, this woman was from Boston too.
"You sure ya ain't met my ma before?" Matthew asked with a chuckle as Molly lay down her own money.
"No, I haven't," Molly said with a smile. "Though I . . ." She was about to say that she knew a doctor from Colorado Springs, but then again, that would have given her knowledge of Dr. Cook away.
"What's that?"
"Oh, nothing," she said with a laugh. "I think I've met one of her sisters." That wasn't a lie. She had met a woman with the last name of Quinn before.
At that moment, Michaela and Sully came walking over. Michaela was pushing the carriage that they once used for Katie, but now little Beth and Julia were sleeping in it. Sully was carrying Katie.
"Ma! Sully," Matthew waved them over. Michaela smiled at the young woman who sat across from her son. It had been a long time since she had seen Matthew in the company of such a pretty young woman.
"Good afternoon," Michaela said with a nod.
"Ma, this is Molly Thomas. Molly, this is my mother, Dr. Michaela Quinn."
"It's a pleasure, Dr. Quinn. I haven't been here long, and I've already heard so much about you." Michaela smiled and shook Molly's hand.
"And this is . . ." Matthew struggled for the words. "This is my Pa, Sully." Sully shook Molly's hand, and soon, they were all sitting around the same table at Grace's and eating and talking together.
James and Katie had taken a liking to one another and were running around the table playing tag.
"It looks like James has found a new playmate," Molly laughed. "How old is Katie?"
"She just turned three in May," Michaela said with a smile.
"James is three also," Molly said with a yawn. She smiled, her cheeks growing rosy. "We've had a long trip."
"She came from Boston," Matthew said with a smile. Sully caught that look in Matthew's eye. He hadn't seen him look at a girl like that since, well, since Ingrid!
"Really?" Michaela asked with wide eyes. She glanced over the black dress that Molly was wearing, and she assumed that after the passing of her husband, she had moved out West to start a new life with her little boy. Michaela had done something of the sort when her father had passed on.
"Yes. I think James is going to love it here. He has the freedom to run and play, whereas in Boston, there wasn't much room for that unless we strolled down to the park. Molly took in a deep breath, relishing the scent of the fresh mountain air compared to the streets of Boston that sometimes smelled like wet pavement and horse dung. Of course, horse dung was a smell that was quite prominent in every town, but the smell of the wild flowers and the fresh water seemed to overpower it here. She knew she was going to love her stay here, though she hoped to get back to Boston, no, to Andrew quickly. She cared for him, and she knew he cared for her too, but he was having difficulties grieving over the loss of his wife.
"Well, well," came a voice from behind. "Michaela, you didn't tell me you had another sister." Sully looked at Preston, and Molly turned in her seat. Preston extended a hand. "Preston A. Lodge the Third."
"Molly Thomas. Nice to meet you. I'm not Dr. Quinn's sister, by the way. I've actually just met her." She was beginning to worry now. If word got out that a Molly Thomas was living in Colorado Springs, Mr. Hill would surely come looking for her. But, she pretended not to worry and listened to Mr. Lodge's next question.
"You're new in town?"
"Well, for the time being. I'm not sure how long I'm planning to stay," she said forwardly.
"Well, if you're looking for a comfortable bed to sleep in and the finest hot springs in the territory, you should come pay a visit to my hotel." Sully had to roll his eyes a little. Preston was a living, breathing, walking and constantly talking advertisement.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Lodge, but I've already made arrangements to stay at the boarding house in town," Molly said with a smile.
"Ah," Preston replied with obvious disappointment. "Well, if you should find your lodging lacking in everyday necessities, please come by the hotel, and I will make sure you are comfortable."
"Thank you, Mr. Lodge," Molly replied. As Preston walked away, a funny look came over her face. "Who, or exactly what was that?" Michaela stopped herself from laughing.
"The banker from Boston," she commented.
"Boston? I thought as much," Molly said. "He reminds me of a lot of men I've met in Boston. Eager and arrogant." Matthew grinned at this beautiful young woman. She sure dressed like a widow, but she didn't act like one!
At that point, Beth began to cry.
"Oh dear. Sully, could you watch Julia and Katie? I need to feed Beth."
"Sure." Sully kissed her on the cheek before she hurried off with Beth in her arms.
"Sully?" Horace came walking into the café. "Ya wanted to talk to me 'bout somethin'?" Sully realized that he had earlier asked Horace to meet with him, and in all of the excitement of having a new visitor in town, he had forgotten to keep that appointment.
"Oh, sorry Horace. Yeah. Matthew, could ya watch the girls for just a minute?"
"Sure." Molly smiled as Matthew pulled Julia out of the carriage and into his arms.
"Three young ones? Your parents must be awfully busy." Matthew shrugged.
"Yeah, but me and my little brother have been helpin' out, ya know? It ain't been easy 'round the house, but I moved back in when the little ones were born."
"Moved back in?"
"Yeah, I'm goin' to law school. Well, I was until I figured my family needed me more. I'll go back in a year or so."
"You can do that?" she asked, in awe that this man had dropped everything for the sake of his family. She'd never known a man to do that before.
"Sure," he said with a chuckle. "It took a lotta work, though." Molly smiled and looked at baby Julia as she slept in Matthew's arms.
"It must be interesting having three siblings who are so much younger than you." Matthew shrugged.
"Well, she's really not my sister. She's my niece." Molly raised an eyebrow.
"Your niece?"
"My sister died in childbirth. We're carin' for her 'til her pa can figure out what to do. Dr. Mike and Sully are lookin' into adoptin' her though."
"Well, what do you think is best for her?"
"I think she could have a good life here in Colorado Springs. I know her pa loves her, but he still ain't ready to care for."
"That's sad," Molly said softly. She sighed softly and drank the last drop of lemonade in her glass. "It's sad that a man could abandon his newborn baby just because he's grieving. She's his responsibility." Matthew knew those words were his exact thoughts, but he only nodded.
"We're managin'," Matthew explained. "But, we're getting used to havin' her around. She's like a sister to Beth. She's like a sister to all of us, really." James began to get fussy, and Molly lifted him into her lap.
"I should be getting back to the boarding house."
"I'll walk you." Molly smiled as Matthew stood, placed Julia into the bassinet and hoisted Katie into his arms.
"Thank you," she said with a grin. They began to walk out of the café, and both of them were feeling things they hadn't felt in a long time.
Andrew walked into his home without Edward opening the door. He was surprised that the house was silent.
"Edward? Marie?" he asked. He heard not one sound and smelled no scent of dinner cooking in the kitchen. That was odd. They didn't have the day off, so why did the house seem so . . . dead? He placed his medical bag on a table in the foyer. He noticed that the flower arrangement was spilled across the table. Marie usually tended to the foyer first when she started cleaning in the afternoons. "Hello?" The clock in the library chimed four times.
A sudden feeling of dread washed of Andrew's soul, and he forced himself down the hallway. His legs felt like they were stuck to the floor, but somehow, he made it into his study. His fears were coming alive as he found all of his papers and files scattered about the floor. Someone had been here, and they had been looking for something specific.
Edward and Marie were both lying motionless on the floor. He knelt down to them and checked for pulses and breathing. Thank God they were still alive.
It was then that he noticed the locked drawer had been ripped out of his desk, and Molly and James' travel plans were laid out on the top of the desk. Oh God, he knew he should have destroyed them. But, he had written them out so he knew where they would be on what days in case he needed to contact them, and he had even had written the exact day that they would arrive in Colorado Springs.
"No," he said, feeling his throat go numb and dry. Nicholas Hill had been in his home. Now he knew where Molly was, and Andrew knew that he was on his way to find her.
It had been a rather uneventful day in town, so Michaela had come home early. Brian was off doing his chores outside, and Katie was down for a nap. The girls were laying in the bassinet and kicking around, but they were far from sleeping.
Michaela was waiting for Sully to come home, because he was supposed to be in town sending a telegram to Andrew in Boston. She was happy that they were doing something about the situation, but at the same time, she couldn't help but worry that they were taking something away from young Julia.
"Done," Sully said as he walked into the homestead. Michaela looked up from her reading.
"What?" She was a bit startled.
"I sent a telegram to Boston to let Andrew know what we're doing. Michaela breathed a quick sigh of relief, but Sully saw the worry in her eyes. "Michaela?" Michaela contemplated her words for a moment before speaking.
"I'm starting to think we're going about this the wrong way. Perhaps we should tell him in person."
"Michaela, we can't take the kids all the way to Boston right now."
"No, but perhaps we should have asked Andrew to come."
"He never woulda came."
"What if he does now, Sully? What if he takes Julia back with him?" Sully sighed and sat down across from Michaela.
"If he does, that's his right, but he's gotta do what's best for Julia. If he don't know what's best for her by now, then he ain't ready to be a pa." Michaela nodded in agreement.
"I know that you're right, but . . ." Sully took her hands in his.
"But?"
"I can't help thinking that we're letting Colleen down." She swallowed hard. "She wanted Andrew to be a part of Julia's life."
"But more than that, she wanted Julia to be happy and healthy."
"Who are we to say that she won't be happy with Andrew?" Sully knew this was going to happen, and he couldn't blame Michaela for being so upset and concerned.
"Maybe she would be," Sully explained. "But, we've loved her from the minute she came into this world. We've been her parents, Michaela, because her ma and pa couldn't be here. In her pa's case, he didn't want to be here. We know what she needs, and she needs us and our home."
"But she needs her father."
"I agree."
"If we go through with this, Andrew has to be a part of her life. We can't let Colleen down." Sully kissed her hand. His wife had a heart as big as the world, and she was always looking out for everyone's needs. Julia was a lucky little girl to have a grandmother . . . a mother like Michaela.
Molly sat in the quiet room in the boarding house as James napped silently on the bed. She was scribbling away in her diary, and when her pen paused on the stained paper, her mind began to race. Matthew was a kind gentleman with a handsome face and eyes that someone could drown in if they weren't careful. He hand a beautiful smile, but behind it told the story of a rather happy past with some very painful circumstances.
Then her mind drifted to Andrew. He was kind and helpful and very handsome. He had helped her out with her husband's finances when someone was coming after her to kill her. She hadn't had time to grieve her husband's passing, because she had constantly been in fear for her life and her son's. Andrew had been very closed off from the time she met him. It was hard to see what kind of man he truly was, and though he was a very quiet fellow, his kind actions spoke louder than any words.
She thought about her husband. Peter had been a good man. She'd fallen in love with him when she'd met him, and she had thought he could give her everything. He had, for a little while, but later on in their marriage, she had felt like a single woman raising her child. The spark had gone out of their marriage almost as quickly as it had gone into it.
She sighed heavily and leaned back on her bed, being careful not to disturb her slumbering son. She wanted so badly to go back to Andrew, but she felt like she had already made some strong connections here. Matthew Cooper's charming and boyish smile continued to flash through her mind. She couldn't seem to forget the way he looked at her the first time he saw her. He saw past the black dress of a widow and into the heart of a young woman who needed freedom and safety in a world that was so uncertain.
"Mama," came James' whimpers. He opened his eyes and rubbed them tiredly.
"What is it, James?" she asked, leaning over and stroking his soft hair.
"I miss Papa."
"I know," Molly said softly. She sighed and shook her head. "I miss him too." The truth was that she didn't truly think about missing him anymore. She didn't feel lonely right now at all, but she needed to let James know that she understood him.
"We see Papa again?" he asked as his little eyes fluttered shut. Molly pressed a kiss to his forehead.
"Someday, sweetheart." She pulled him into her arms, and the two fell asleep, napping in the solace of this tiny boarding room. It was a far cry from Boston, but it was already starting to feel like home.
Andrew felt sick to his stomach as he sat on the train that would carry him back to the place he'd left a month before. He would go back to the place where his wife had died, and he had abandoned his baby daughter with her grandparents.
He opened up his briefcase and pulled out all of the letters and telegrams that had been sent to him since he moved back to Boston. He could almost picture what little Julia looked like. She looked just like Colleen, he imagined, and he was sure she would have her mother's eyes.
At that moment, visions of Molly flashed through his mind, and he felt guilty. He didn't want to think about her right now when he was going back to the one place he never wanted to see again. He was regretting sending her to Colorado Springs, but he had known she would be safe there. But she was no longer safe, and Nicholas Hill had a good half a day's lead on him. He hoped he wouldn't get there too late. But, just in case, he had sent a telegram ahead to Colorado Springs, warning Horace that a man was coming to town in the next couple of days that needed a close eye kept on him.
He only wished there as a way to contact Molly and let her know what was going on. She was completely oblivious, and the only way he could contact her was if he knew what name she had given to the townsfolk when she arrived. How was he to know she would use her real name?
He sighed heavily, millions of thoughts and questions pushing him closer to the edge of sanity. He pulled something from his pocket as the sun's light began to fade. He didn't know what else could help him escape his horrible thoughts, so he took a sip of the liquid and felt it burn all the way down. He made sure nobody was looking and took another drink and another.
He pressed his clammy forehead against the glass window and looked out, watching the land roll by as he had done before not long ago. This time, however, he wasn't escaping the past. He was going back to it. He would face it head on. Perhaps he could avoid everyone completely and find Molly right away. Maybe it would happen so perfectly that he could stop Nicholas Hill and bring Molly back to Boston before anyone knew what happened.
The train screeched and rattled along the tracks and it grew closer and closer to Colorado. He felt himself shaking already, and he was still a couple of days away. He felt every bump and jolt from the train, and it made him want to slip further inside of himself.
He took another drink from his flask and put it away. He noticed his vision blurring and his head spinning, and he pressed his head against the glass once more. The colors from the darkening blue sky and the earthen green grass started to swirl together, and Andrew felt his stomach churning. He closed his eyes and waited for the feeling to pass, but it didn't.
He knew that he was feeling this way because of what he was going back to. He didn't want to go back. He was frightened and nervous. He hated himself for feeling this way, and he hated himself because it was his fault he left in the first place. He could have been a man about it and taken responsibility of his daughter, but he had run like a coward and neglected his most important duty as a father. He had let his wife and daughter down. He knew he was a failure, so why was he so afraid of what was to come? He had already hit rock bottom. How could it get any worse?
