PART VI – Mai
July 1882

Chapter 14
Prelude to Decisions

The next morning Eugene rose early and went down for his breakfast. Dick was not up yet. Eugene was not surprised since he'd heard the raucous behavior downstairs the night before. It had been well into the morning hours when he'd heard his friend dragging himself upstairs. He had made a decision last night while he'd lain awake staring at the ceiling. He would stay the day to go see Dr. Esler, but he would be spending his next night at a hotel, or either at Dr. Esler's home.

Eugene had several legitimate concerns about his old friend. Probably the most important was the fact that the man was practicing medicine. If he was drunk when he was working, how many of his patients could be harmed? Part of him wanted to remain loyal to his college chum, but he knew that the lives that could be harmed far out weighed any forms of friendship.

Mai served his breakfast and he ate heartily. She was quiet and kept a more than reasonable distance from herself and him. She looked as if she would dart for the kitchen at any moment that he made a quick move.

He was finished with his meal and was waiting in the parlor when Dick finally arose. He looked as if he'd been run over with a train. When Eugene greeted him he just stared as if he didn't really understand. Dick strode across the room to the liquor cabinet and pulled out a glass. "Something for you?" he asked groggily.

"It's awfully early in the morning," Gene replied levelly. "You ought to send for a glass of milk."

"Milk?" he spat. "I don't think so. You oughtta lighten up a little, Gene."

Gene frowned. "How often do you have parties like last nights?"

Dick scoffed. "You are uptight, Gene. Relax. I'm not doing anything that anybody else isn't doing."

Gene said nothing as Mai entered the room carrying a silver tray. She quickly put it on the coffee table and scurried from the room. Dick had a smirk on his face as he watched her.

"Dick, you've changed."

He scoffed again. "So have you."

"That may be so, but I've never acted the way you're acting. When we were in school we pulled pranks, we did some crazy things, but you're being reckless, Dick. I'm concerned."

"There's no reason to be," he shrugged draining the whole glass.

"I'm concerned about your work," Gene responded levelly.

"Pooh! I'm not working drunk if that's what you're worried about. I'm always sober then. I just drink a little in my off time to relax."

"You're not drinking a little," Eugene felt very uneasy. "Last night you drank a lot. I'd wager you're feeling the affects of it now."

"Just a minor hangover Gene, nothing to be worried about. What are you planning on wearing this afternoon at Dr. Esler's?"

Gene sighed. There wasn't anything else he could say to his old friend. "I think I'll be moving to a hotel this afternoon after we go to Dr. Esler's. I'll be packing my things."

"Oh come on! It's not as bad as all that, now is it?"

"I just don't feel comfortable here, Dick. I'd rather stay at a hotel and head for Stockton tomorrow."

Dick shook his head. "You've certainly gotten all uptight over nothing, Gene."

Gene shrugged again. He returned upstairs and packed up his few things and had Dick's man to take his things downstairs. Mai came in to make up the beds and was surprised that all of his things were gone. "I'm leaving this afternoon," he told her as she made up the bed. She didn't say anything, but simply eyed him considering. He felt slightly uncomfortable, but finally returned down stairs.

About 3 he and Dick took his carriage to the Esler home were they were greeted by both Dr. Alvin Esler and his wife Aimee. They were both quite pleased to see Eugene again, whom had been a visitor to their home many times when he'd been interning in New York City.

"I do believe you've grown," Aimee Esler exclaimed over him. "And look how distinguished you look with that mustache!"

Gene self consciously touched his upper lip and smiled at her shyly. "I'm sure you've quite outgrown us, Gene with all that experience in Europe," Dr. Esler said smiling. Eugene began to regale him with the methods he'd seen while in Europe. They talked for nearly an hour, sometime during the course of things Dick getting up to leave, getting quite bored with the topics of conversation.

When things had quieted somewhat, Dr. Esler turned to Eugene with an air of seriousness touching his face. "I've wanted to talk with you privately, Eugene, about Dick." Eugene's face grew serious.

"Yes sir?"

"Have you noticed…a change in him? Since you last saw him?"

Eugene hesitated only a few moments before telling the elder doctor everything he'd observed since he'd arrived at the Orden residence.

"It's worse than that, I'm afraid," Dr. Esler shook his head. "Three nurses that work at the hospital that he works at have reported being assaulted in which each time he was implicated as being there or around at the time of the incidents. There's never been any proof, but I've become very suspicious of him."

Gene frowned. "Isn't there something you can do?" Dr. Esler shook his head sadly.

"Not unless I had actual proof of misconduct there's very little that I can do to him. He has a couple of times come in drunk to work, or with a severe hangover, so your fears in that regard are well founded."

Shaking his head sadly, Gene turned back to his old mentor. "What can I do?"

Esler shrugged. "There's nothing you can do. As a matter of fact you've just proven my suspicions to be correct. I've had rumors that he was carousing and such. You've seen it with your own eyes. I suppose there is one thing you could do."

"What's that?" Gene leaned forward eagerly.

"Go home. I don't want Dick's influences to rub off on you. You've come to far to be ruined by his worldly ways."

Sighing, Gene sat back in his chair. Dr. Esler was right. He should return home. There wasn't anything he could do to change Dick now, that was up to the man himself now. "I was wondering if I could stay here the night?" he asked finally.

"Of course," Esler responded. "I'll let Aimee know and she can have a room fixed for you."

"Thank you. I think I'll see about making arrangements to return to Stockton tomorrow, if possible."

Luke Scott stared at the sleeping cowboy. At equal intervals he could hear a small snore coming from beneath the black hat that covered the man's face.

"Don't you bother him, Luke," Nellie whispered behind him. "You might make him mad. Then he'll yell at you."

"I'm not bothering him at all," Luke returned in the same whisper. "Why does he come over here anyway? Especially just to take some nap?"

Nellie rolled her chocolate eyes to the ceiling. "Are you blind Luke Scott?"

The blonde headed boy turned back to her indignantly. "I'm certainly not!" he had both hands firmly pressed against his hips in a similar imitation of his adopted mother, and the cowboy he was so studiously studying.

"He's here to see Ma," Nellie retorted. "Ain't you seen it?"

Luke looked a little taken aback. He had not thought about the fact that Nick Barkley's few visits to the Scott ranch had been primarily to see their mother. It had not occurred to him.

Indeed, it hadn't really occurred to Scotty either. They had all been working in their spare time on the little house Heath was building for himself and Leah. It would, hopefully, be done by the time of their marriage in October. Scotty had volunteered herself for the job, as had Ben and Jon adding to the help Heath was receiving from Nick and some of the other hands, and occasionally Jarrod it was going along smoothly.

But during the past several weeks since her arrival back home, Nick had been dropping by the Scott ranch and staying for supper. Sometimes he helped out with the chores, or played with the children, but Scotty didn't really understand why he had decided to continue visiting her. She had figured he would have had enough of her company after the four weeks in Davisville.

Heath excitedly took Leah's arm as he led her through the framed building that would be their new home. It was a small house, with only one bedroom, a loft and an open kitchen, dining and living area. He, with the help of Ben Scott, was fashioning the cabinets himself. It was truly a labor of love for him.

"It looks so nice and cozy," Leah smiled up at him, her dark braid swinging.

He flashed a crooked grin that warmed her heart. "I'm glad. It ain't too small for you is it?"

She shook her head. "It's the perfect size. I've always lived in small places and if we need to we can always expand it."

"I hope we have to expand it many times," Heath grinned. She grinned back. "I hope we have a dozen little ones."

"So do I," Leah replied, smiling half to herself. "So do I."

The moonlit night was inviting as Audra took a seat on the garden bench. Clarke took a seat next to her. "I'm afraid I have some bad news," Clarke told her sorrowfully.

"Bad news?" Audra's mouth formed a tiny pout.

"Yes, I'm going to have to return to San Francisco in the morning."

"Again?" she asked sadly.

"Yes. Business. We'll be beginning building the factory next month, but I need to get with the board on the plans. I'm afraid I won't be back until we're ready to start building."

"That's going to be such a long time!"

"I know," he hesitated. "But I wanted to ask you something."

Audra turned to him suddenly. "Ask me what?" she couldn't hide the excitement in her voice.

"If you would wait for me? I know it's not such a long time, but I know you have many beaus lining up to court you. What I'm asking I suppose is that you won't see any of them while I'm gone? That we'll be mutually exclusive to one another?"

She thought a moment before cocking her head to peer up at him. "So you're meaning that we're sort of engaged?"

"I…suppose you might consider it that. I want to get the factory underway before we agree to something more permanent, like engagement and marriage, but it is on my mind."

"Mine too," Audra murmured. "Yes, Clarke, I'll wait for you."

"Thank you my dear," and he kissed her hand before they returned back to the house and the parlor, where Heath and Leah were sitting on the couch and Nick seemed uncharacteristically pensive.

(To be continued…)