Colleen unhitched a horse from the barn and headed towards town. She felt the cool air would do her some good because she wasn't sure where to go or what to do. The last thing she wanted was another confrontation with her mother and when she talked to Andrew he agreed. She wanted to become a doctor more than anything, but she loved Andrew and wanted to get married. Couldn't she do both? It didn't seem to be that difficult in Colleen's mind. She'd planned how her life would go so many times. Everything would work out.
When she got to town, she walked over to the Gazette. She decided that one of the best people she could talk to was Dorothy. As her ma's best friend, she would be able to talk to Colleen and give her some insight. Her children were all grown and she could even talk to Michaela about letting Colleen get married before going to school.
"It seems like the entire town is against us," Colleen stated.
Dorothy looked at her and gestured for her to sit down. "Colleen, you have lived in this town your whole life. I'm sure many people like me and Loren will look at you and always remember that little girl with the bouncing braids. Your ma knows that you are grown, but she also sees you as the girl she first met. It's hard to look past that sometimes Colleen. I have that with my own girls sometimes. Ever since you met Michaela you've wanted to be a doctor and she could feel that now you're giving that up for a man. Marriage can be wonderful and your ma would be the first to admit that, but she doesn't want you to give up on your dream."
"But I'm not giving it up. I'd marry Andrew and stay around Colorado Springs for a year or so and then we'd be able to go to Philadelphia so I could go to school."
"That's it right there, you are going to put off going to school. It's not the gettin' married that bothers your Ma, Colleen. It's the fact that you don't want to go to school. What are two years really? If you and Andrew love each other now it'll be even stronger then."
"A lot could happen in two years! What if I came home and Andrew had met and married somebody else?"
"If Andrew loves you as much as he says, that wouldn't happen. You'll be together." She paused. "I know more about not being able to be with the person you love than you might think. I love Cloud Dancing, but we can't be together because he's Cheyenne and can't be in town all the time. The reservation is so far away that we can't be together..."
"But you do get to see each other," Colleen stated. "If I went to school I wouldn't be able to see him for two years. I won't have too many chances to come home. I don't want to have to split what little time I will have with my family and Andrew and the town. You and Grace and everybody. I just want to get married and we can come home and see everybody."
"It's your choice Colleen," she touched her hand, "I just thought you might see things differently from Michaela's perspective." Colleen nodded and thanked Dorothy before walking back to the horse. She rode through the woods until after dark. When she got back to the homestead she went up the stairs and quietly walked past her ma and pa's room to get a bag. The people in town agreed with her ma and she thought her friends at school may have something different to say about it. Andrew had been to see her before and they knew what he was like. She thought they might agree with her to run off and get married. If her family didn't support her, she'd just have to get married without them.
"Brian," Colleen whispered as she stood in his doorway. "Brian." Finally he turned in the bed and looked at her.
"Colleen? What's going on? You were gone, Ma and Sully've been worried about you."
"Will you ride Taffy to the train station? I need to go but don't want to leave a horse behind."
"Why do you need to go to the train station? Why don't you ask Ma or Pa to take you?"
"Please Brian? It has to be you."
"Alright," Brian got out of the bed and put on a pair of pants under his nightshirt and they walked outside. "Can you tell me where you're going? Why do you need the train so late at night?"
"I can't tell you Brian. Just please take me and don't tell Ma or Pa. I'll be back."
"I can't do that," Brian protested.
"You gotta do this for me." He continued to pepper her with questions as they got Taffy out of the barn, but Brian was quiet as they rode away from the homestead. When they got there he gave her a pleading look. "I have to go Brian." She touched his cheek gently with her hand. "I love you. You'll always be my little brother." Colleen got down off Taffy's back and headed into the station.