(Chapter Twenty-Four)

Sofia leaves

The day came when Sofia was scheduled to leave. Charles was to escort her back home.

Carson peeked out the infirmary window and saw Sofia waiting on the stage.

Where is she going? he asked himself. Well, there is only one way to find out, he made up his mind. He would go ask her. He realized there was most likely two ways to find out something in this town: Ask the person for yourself, or hear it from the town gossips.

"Faith."

"Yes doctor?"

"Would it be alright if I left, just for a minute?"

"Oh, of course. Go right ahead, Carson."

"Thanks," he replied as he rushed out the door.

Faith was curious what Carson wanted to do with his minute off. The doctor almost never asked to leave, especially in the middle of the day. What was he up to?

She peeked out the window to see Carson and a woman embracing. A big, warm hug. It was Sofia! How dare he! After he told me that he loved me? He goes and dumps me for Sofia! Her thoughts roared and her expression turned sour. She was ashamed of herself. She was jealous and she knew it!

True to his word, Carson returned a minute later with a frown creasing his brow.

"Something wrong, Carson?" she asked a bit too happily. To her way of thinking, Carson whatever pain she caused him.

"Sofia – " he faultered.

Faith figured as much.

"She's – leaving."

"Leaving?"

"Yeah, back to San Francisco."

"I'm sorry, Carson," she appologized.

"Yeah, so am I." He brightened a bit.

"No, that's not what I mean."

His eyes questioned her. Why then, Faith? he wanted to scream, but could not even form the words to whisper them.

"I just mean," she let out a heavy sigh. "Well, I might as well start from the beginning." She inhaled to begin her confession. She almost forgot to exhale. "When you asked for a minute off, I was very curious. I was spying on you from the window."

And? he wanted to ask, but was too scared to. What would she say?

"I – I," she started to sob.

He drew her into his arms. "Faith, what's wrong?" he asked against her hair.

"I saw you – hugging – her. I was so mad. I – I thought you loved me," she cried into his chest.

He let her weep for a moment, stroking her hair and patting her shoulder, speaking words of comfort to her. Then he tilted her back and looked deeply into her eyes.

"I do love you, Faith," he whispered as he pushed strands of hair from her face. He wiped at a few of her tears as he said, "I love you very, very much, Faith. Please believe me." Carson remembered what his wife had told him years ago: "Sometimes it takes more than words to prove your love."

Before she could reply, she was being kissed. A gentle, but deep kiss.

She backed away only to breathe.

"But you love her too?" she questioned him carefully.

"No, Faith. Sofia is a friend. She taught me how to love. If it weren't for her, I would still think of you as nothing more than my nurse. But now I truly love you. With all my heart. Not because you're the best nurse the world has ever seen, as true as that fact is. But because you're – my love. I will be forever grateful to Sofia for opening my heart to love, to you."

"I'm sorry, Carson," she apologized again as she flung herself into his open arms. "I love you too. I'm sorry I ever doubted you."

"Shhhh – it's alright, Faith."

She pushed herself back to look into his deep blue eyes. Her head slowly ascended as she stood on her tippy-toes to reached Carson. He reached down and she threw her arms around his neck.

"Oh, Carson! I'm so sorry."

"Shhhhh – I love you."

"I love you too," she repeated the words in a whisper as she backed away to look at him before they kissed softly.

Sofia and Charles were now on their way to San Francisco in the Hope Valley Stagecoach. What would await them in the big city?