jess – I totally understand your anxieties about Wilma, and I'm glad that this story has worked to ease your worries somewhat. Hopefully the storm will take a path other than FL, but if it doesn't please be safe. About being on my story alert list – If you register with this site, you can sign up to be alerted by e-mail every time I post a new chapter.
Twinmom – Thanks for responding. It's always great to see new readers!
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Chapter Fifty-three
Vivian moved forward, away from the crowd, set on making her presence known to Sean when suddenly the situation before her changed, prompting her to stop in her tracks, and causing her nerve to weaken as she watched Marita appeared to faint out, just as Sean removed his jacket to wrap around her. Sean instantly reacted, again frantically pleading with the Negro to wake up, while his family now crowded around them, along with a Negro man who Vivian guessed was Marita's father. Vivian's confidence continued to wane, as she stood there watching as not only Sean, but his family, fawn over Marita. Did she really believe that she could win this, that she could still win Sean? Her heart questioned with doubt. Vivian briefly turned her gaze from the scene ahead, trying to think, to regain her nerve while watching as servants worked vigorously to put out the fire. Then she returned her eyes to Sean, forcing her doubts aside and resumed her trek forward...
"She needs a doctor." Isaac declared with fear, now kneeling next to his daughter and lightly touching her face, while Sean continued to utter soft words of love to a semi-conscious Marita.
"Pa is Marita going to be okay?" Lexy questioned with tears in her voice, prompting Alice to grab Lexy's hand in an attempt to calm her sister's fears as well as her own.
"Honey she's going to be fine." Ned assured. "Clay go fetch Dr. Williams." He ordered, now turning his eyes to his youngest son. "His house is about 5 miles past..."
"I know where it is." Clay interjected, now remembering where the Negro doctor lived, before he then obeyed his father's command.
"We need to get her inside." Sean stated, emotion cracking his voice as he moved to pick Marita up, but Isaac beat him to the act.
"Oh my goodness was she in the fire?" Vivian asserted, feigning concern as she now came to stand next to Ned, causing nearly everyone to turn their eyes to her, for all to wonder why she was there – forgetting that she was due to have breakfast with Sean that morning.
"I'm getting Marita inside." Isaac declared, ignoring Vivian's question, drawing all eyes back to him. Then he picked his daughter up in his arms and stood from the ground, prompting Sean to stand too. "Where can I take her?" The man quickly asked, his voice breathless and trembling with distress.
"One of the guest rooms downstairs." Sean answered, just as Marita quietly utter his name. "I'm here." He answered, love in his voice as he lightly grabbed her hand, not caring that Vivian was there.
"I'm taking her inside." Isaac said again. Then turned to head for the house, forcing Sean to release Marita's hand, who again uttered his name. Causing Sean's heart to ache, while at the same time to anger, because he couldn't go with her now. Because instead he had to deal with Vivian.
"We'll come with you." Ned stated as he promptly moved to follow Isaac. "Lexy, Alice." He said, urging his daughters to come along.
"Sean aren't you coming?" Lexy asked her brother, before she walked away, now fearful that if he stayed with Vivian he and Marita's reunion would be ruined.
"In a minute." Sean answered, before Ned then called for Lexy to come on, which the young girl reluctantly obeyed.
Sean stood there a moment, quiet, watching with longing and worry as Marita was carried to the house, while Vivian tried to come up with an affective way to handle Sean's display of affection for the Negro, without destroying her chances for them to marry...
"You really... care about her." Vivian said with caution as she too watched as the group drew closer to the house, hoping inside that her plan to face this head on would work.
"Yeah I do." Sean answered in a serious tone, now turning his eyes to Vivian. "But that's no surprise to you is it?" He said, the anger that had for a moment abated quickly returning, astounding Vivian.
"Of course it's not a surprise." She then carefully stated as she turned her gaze to Sean. "You've always had a soft spot for you're friends, even those who are Negroes." She added, skillfully hiding her alarm.
Sean bitterly scoffed, close to laughing at her performance, but his anger snuffed it out.
"Sean what is it?" Vivian asked, worry now in her voice.
"You really are a piece of work." He retorted.
"Sean what..."
"You can stop the charade Vivian. I know the truth." He disrupted with ire, stunning Vivian again, scaring her with the implication of his words, but she managed to pull herself together, to continue the charade, telling herself that there was no way that Sean knew the truth.
"Sean I don't understand what you mean." She stated unevenly. "What tru..."
"What truth!" Sean interjected. "How about THE TRUTH about your memory. The fact that you've been putting on a show for weeks. That you never really lost your memory at all, but just been lying about it all this time."
"What, no!" Vivian promptly refuted – too quickly, unknowingly solidifying the truth to Sean. "Why are you saying this?" She asked with hurt in her voice, still trying to salvage her lies.
"I want you gone, out of my life!"
"Se..."
"Don't come here anymore. And don't come to my office. And don't send your servants to request I pay you a call. I'm done with you." Sean stated coldly, holding her gaze. "And I don't want to ever see your face again." He finished harshly; then turned and walked away.
"Sean wait..." Vivian cried as she rushed behind him, desperation in her voice, determined not to lose Sean again. "I would never lie about losing my memory." She contended with skillful believability. "I'm not lying about losing my memory...Sean please." She begged as she reached out and grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop. "You can't believe that I remember, because I don't." She implored with an earnest that was almost true, but it was tainted by the guile etched in her voice. For a moment Sean continued to stare ahead, before he turned his eyes to Vivian and again held her gaze. She was just like her father he thought with disgust. Every bit of the lying and manipulative Asa Winters...
"Stay away from me." Sean stated with frightening calm. Then snatched his arm away from her and turned to go.
"No!" Vivian vehemently rejected, tears welling in her eyes as she grabbed his arm again. "I love you. We belong together." She insisted.
"No, we don't." Sean countered fiercely, crushing her with his stern gaze before he then again snatched his arm from her grasp and begin walking away once more.
"Sean you can't do this. I won't let you leave me again!" Vivian frantically cried, failing to realize that she'd inadvertently admitted her guilt. Sean again stopped in his tracks and turned back to face her...
"Again?" He scoffed. "How would you know that I'd "left" you before if you don't have your memory back?" He asked, and watched in anger and disgust as Vivian's face changed to horror when she realized the error of her words.
"Sean..." Vivian uttered shakily, guilt in her voice, trying to stop him from walking away. But her plea fell on deaf ears. For Sean instantly turned away from her, sickened by her lies, done with wasting anymore time confronting her about her deceit, done with wasting anymore time being away from Marita. "Sean please..." Vivian called out again, her voice choking with tears as she tried to catch up to his quickened pace, but he'd distanced himself too far, forcing Vivian to stop in defeat , to cease her pursuit as she helplessly broke down, sobbing bitter tears over losing Sean Logan again.
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The man waited patiently as the heavy footfalls drew closer, knowing in his gut that it was Asa Winters. For no servant walked with such command in his master's house, and furthermore no servant could afford good shoes that would make such a solid sound. Yes, it was Asa Winters the man thought with vengeful anticipation. And he was alone, which would make it easier for the man to carry out his plan. Within seconds the footfalls halted at the room's entry, then the door opened and just as the man expected, Asa Winters came walking into the room...
"Hello Asa." The man instantly said, wrath in his voice, stunning and unsuspecting Asa as he came through the door.
"What the hell..." Asa began with unbridled fear and shock on his face, but the man didn't give his former associate a chance to finish his words. For he lifted his weapon, rage emanating from his eyes and without hesitance pulled the trigger of his gun...
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"You're breathing sounds good." Dr. Williams stated as Marita completed an exhale, and he listened with his stethoscope to the response of her lungs. "And no burns." He continued as he pulled its plugs from his ears. "I'd say you were pretty lucky today."
"Yes I was." Marita quietly concurred, her heart rushing with love, thinking of how Sean risked himself to save her life.
"Well if there's nothing else." The doctor said, now putting his stethoscope away. "I'll give your father the good news."
"Doctor wait!" Marita asserted with uneasiness, stopping the man before he stood from his chair. "There is something else."
"What is it?" Dr. Williams asked.
Marita dropped her gaze from the man's eyes, embarrassed about what she was about to say, embarrassed because it was something that she shouldn't be asking unless she had a husband. She then took a nervous breath still struggling to find the right words to present her question...
"Marita, whatever concerns you have you can tell me and I promise you I'll hold it in the strictest confidence." The doctor assured.
Marita returned her eyes to the man's face; then took another breath and spoke. "Lately..." She began, then hesitated, still uncomfortable with what she was about to say. "Lately...I've been... having problems..." She stated nervously, quietly.
"What kind of problems?" Dr. Williams asked with concern.
"Well... for the past few weeks I...I..."
"It's okay." The doctor reassured. "Just take your time."
"Dr. Williams I think..." Marita awkwardly resumed; then again hesitated, briefly dropping her eyes, before overcoming her discomfort and continuing. "I think...that I may be...expecting." She sighed.
Silence –
"I see." The doctor responded softly; his face maintaining its compassionate expression, easing her anxiety – somewhat. "What do you need me to do?" Dr. Williams then asked.
Marita deeply inhaled. Then slowly released the breath and spoke. "I need to know if what I suspect is right." She answered shakily. "I need for you to tell me if I'm indeed with child."
"Marita you know that me diagnosing pregnancy at such an early stage is not 100 percent." The doctor uttered as he steadily held her gaze.
"I know." Marita quietly sighed. "I just need ...you, a doctor that I trust, to tell me what you think is happening with me."
"I understand." The doctor said as he lightly nodded his head. "And I'll do my best to help." He assured. "Now why don't we begin with your symptoms." He then calmly requested. "Tell me what they are and when they began." He asked. Marita swallowed back the anxiety that still lingered within and gradually began to open up, telling Dr. Williams when her symptoms began and what they were, and how they'd worsened over the past few days.
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20 Minutes Later...
It was the same scene as a few weeks before. The Logan family, along with Isaac standing in the hallway outside of a room, waiting for the doctor to emerge and give his diagnosis on someone they loved. Well the situation wasn't totally the same, Alice mused as she stood next to Lexy, her arm around her sister's back, who was still a bit upset by Marita being caught in the fire. For this time it was Marita in that room instead of Sean, but thankfully her condition wasn't grave like Sean's had been. For she seemed to get significantly better once they got her inside and resting in bed, but understandably that wasn't enough for Isaac. He still wanted Marita checked out by the doctor, Alice recalled as she watched the man, standing across the way, deep anxiety etched in his face, while Sean, who was just as anxious as he, continuously paced, back and forth. Alice then turned her eyes to her brother, fascinated with his intense concern, his passionate feelings for Marita, wondering what the future held for her friend and her brother. Though it was obvious how deeply they felt for one another, would they risk it all to try and be together? And then it wasn't just the risks to consider, there was Vivian, who just a few days before, Sean was making plans to marry. How would she handle him breaking things off? How did she handle Sean's open display of affection towards Marita? What did Sean say to her after she and the others came inside? Alice now wondered. Whatever it was that happened, it had happened quick, and it wasn't good. She deduced. For moments later, Sean had come into the house, fury in his eyes and without Vivian – thankfully Alice thought as she continued to watch her brother walk a ceaseless path from one end of the hall to the other. Sean heaved a sigh, his impatience growing at the lengthy time the doctor was taking with Marita. He was anxious for the man to emerge, to confirm that Marita was indeed okay. And he was anxious to see Marita, to see that she was all right and to speak to her about what she'd uttered when he'd rescued her from the fire. At first Sean had questioned what he'd heard, thinking that Marita was disoriented from the fire, but the more and more he thought about it, he realized that that logic didn't make sense. For Marita's other murmurs were coherent and clear. Sean continued to walk back and forth, now thinking of the implications of Marita's words. If she was indeed expecting – carrying his child he mused; then deeply inhaled, excitement and love rushing his heart. It would be absolutely wonderful...
"Sean." Isaac uttered, as he walked up to the young man, shattering his thoughts, stopping him just as he was making the turn to head back towards the other end of the hall...
"I'm sorry." Isaac then said, when he saw the startled look on Sean's face. "I didn't mean to startle you."
"I'm fine." Sean stated, already recovered from the start, but still processing the incredible possibility that he and Marita may have a created a child. "Do you need something?" He then posed to Isaac.
"No." The man answered. "There's something I want to say to you. Something that I didn't get to say outside, because so much was going on." The man continued, now holding Sean's gaze. "I want to thank for saving my daughter's life." He said with sincerity.
"Isaac you don't have to thank me." Sean responded with earnest in his voice. His eyes expressing what he felt for Marita. "I was only doing what I had to do. What I'd do again if necessary."
"I know that you would." Isaac acknowledged, continuing to hold the young man's eyes, conveying to Sean what he now believed – that the young man truly loved his daughter. "But I still have to thank you for what you done..." He stated. "So Thank You." He said, extending his hand to Sean, who shook it, accepting the man's thanks. At that moment Ned and Clay, who'd been outside assisting the servants in putting out the lingering fire, entered the hallway and quickly made their way towards Isaac and the family.
"Any word on Marita?" Ned asked with concern as he and Clay walked up.
"No." Isaac quietly answered.
"What about the fire? Is it out?" Lexy queried with anxiety and fear.
"Yes honey its out." Ned responded, his eyes now on his daughter. "But I'm afraid...we lost the house." He resumed sadly, now turning his eyes back to Isaac. "I'm sorry Isaac." He apologized, knowing how important the house had been for the man and his wife. Isaac didn't responded, but lowered his gaze, again thankful that his daughter was okay. Yet at the same time feeling a deep loss over his house being gone. "We'll build it back." Ned vowed to his friend, who now returned his eyes to Ned's face. "And in the meantime, you and Marita are welcome to stay here." He offered.
"Thank you." Isaac said.
Just then, the door of the guest bedroom opened, promptly bringing everyone's eyes to the door and their thoughts back to Marita, as the doctor then emerged from the room and shut the door behind him.
"How is she?" Isaac immediately asked as he walked up to the doctor.
"Her breathing is good." The doctor replied. "There wasn't any damage to her lungs. And she doesn't have any burns." He said. "But I do think that she might be a little dehydrated...other than that she's fine..."
"Thank God." Isaac sighed with relief along with Sean and the rest of the family.
"Besides the water, she just needs rest." The doctor added.
"So I can go in and see her?" Isaac queried.
"Well yes...but she's asked...that I send in Sean." Dr. Williams cautiously pronounced, compelling everyone to turn their eyes to Sean, who felt a little awkward with everyone's eyes cast upon him; yet he was happy, filled with keen anticipation at the thought of going in to Marita.
"Well I should get going." The doctor announced, breaking the awkward mood. "If you need me for anything else, you know where to find me." He said. Isaac then thanked the man for coming by and Dr. Williams accepted his thanks and left, leaving the Logans and Isaac to again become quiet and awkward for a moment.
"I'll get Marita some water." Alice suddenly volunteered.
"I'll come with you." Isaac said, surprising everyone, especially Sean. "You should go in to see Marita." The man declared; His gaze now on Sean.
"Are you sure?" The young man questioned with doubt, knowing that despite the fact that Marita was asking for him, her father wanted to be the one to go in and see her.
"You heard Dr. Williams." Isaac responded. "She's asking for you." He said, managing to keep the sadness and hurt out of his voice. Sean still hesitated before going into the room. "It's okay." The man reassured. Sean held Isaac's gaze for a moment longer, thanking him with his eyes, before he then made his way through the guest room door, while Isaac moved to accompany Alice to the kitchen for water.
"Well Clay and I are going to head back out, now that Marita is okay." Ned announced. "Isaac you know that that you're not expected..."
"I know." The man answered. "Thanks for everything." He told Ned again.
"No problem." Ned said.
Silence –
"Clay I want you to take Sam and round up the mares in the east pasture..." Ned instructed as they all walked together down the hall.
"I thought that was Jeremy's job..." Clay protested.
"Where is Jeremy?" Lexy asked, now realizing that the boy wasn't there. Alarming her father, who realized that he'd not seen the boy since the night before, now thinking how things had been so crazy that morning that he hadn't even noticed that Jeremy wasn't there.
"He's probably somewhere hiding, trying to keep from working." Clay retorted.
"I haven't seen him all morning." Alice said, ignoring her brother's jab at the young man.
"Neither have I." Lexy concurred as they all continued down the hallway.
"Maybe he's out working in one the pastures." Alice suggested.
"If that were the case why didn't he come in for the fire?" Ned questioned, concern etched in his voice. "The smoke could be seen for miles. Everyone came in to see what was going on."
"He probably snuck off to see his daughter." Clay scoffed.
"Hm. Maybe." Ned said, now worried as he pondered various scenarios, scenarios that weren't good, scenarios that would explain Jeremy's absence. "I'm going to check his room." He then said. "Make sure he's not up there ill. Clay you check with the stable hands, see if Jeremy retrieved his horse."