Chapter 2
Nathan was in a deep sleep when someone shook him on the shoulder to wake him up. Nathan woke up startled.
"I'm sorry sir, but it is time for you to get off the train." The main said.
Nathan rubbed his eyes.
"Where are we?" Nathan asked.
"Union City, sir." The man said.
"What time is it?" Nathan asked.
"A quarter after 9." The main said.
"Do you know what time the stagecoach leaves to Hope Valley." Nathan asked.
The man looks at his watch.
"One minute." The main said.
"One minute?!" Nathan said in a panic. Nathan quickly got up and took his suitcase from the overhead compartment.
"Which way to the stage coach?" Nathan asked.
The man pointed in the direction.
Nathan ran through the train and exited the train. He ran toward the direction that the man had pointed to. As he reached the platform, Nathan started to slow down. He saw the stagecoach in the distance riding away. Nathan saw a train station employee.
"Excuse me, when does the next stagecoach to Hope Valley leave?" Nathan asked.
"Two days." The man said.
Nathan sunk when he heard how long it would be. He needed to make it to the funeral. Nathan decided to walk around Union City to see if anyone was going toward Hope Valley. After asking a few people if they were going to Hope Valley, and their answer being no, a man called Nathan over.
"I'll give ye' a ride to Hope Valley." Said the man with an Irish accent.
"Really? How much?' Nathan asked.
"100." The man said.
"100?! The stage coach is only 10." Nathan said.
"But ye' are in a hurry. So, I have to charge extra. Ye' can wait until the next stagecoach. But ye' seems to be in a hurry." The man said.
Nathan sighed. He opened his wallet and gave the man the money.
"I'm going to use the pot. You make yourself comfortable." The man said.
Nathan nodded and looked at the wagon. It was small and had empty liquor bottles sitting in them. Nathan got into the wagon. It was a tight squeeze and Nathan put his knees to his chest.
The man came stumbling out to the wagon and got into the wagon.
"I'm Nathan Grant by the way." Nathan said.
"People call me Patty." Patty said.
"Nice to meet you. Are you okay to drive the wagon?" Nathan asked.
Patty said something under his breath. Patty pulled the reigns and the horses moved. The wagon was moving fast and Nathan held onto the side of the wagon.
Nathan and Patty talked for a while. Patty told him stories about Ireland. Listening to these stories made Nathan sleepy. He took off his coat and made it into a pillow and fell asleep.
Nathan was asleep for long when he felt the cart swerving.
"Dammit." Patty said.
Nathan looked on the road and saw one of the wheels had fell off. Patty slowed the horses down and came to a complete stop.
"What happened?" Nathan asked.
"The wheel came off." Patty said
"Can we get it back on?" Nathan asked.
Patty got out of the wagon and looked at where the wheel broke off.
"The whole damn thing fell off." Patty said.
"What does that mean?" Nathan asked.
"It needs to be towed back. We'll have to start walking back." Patty said.
"I don't have time to walk back. I have to be at a funeral tomorrow." Nathan said.
"Then ye better get walking that way." Patty said pointing. Nathan looked down the road and all around. There was nothing but grass and dirt.
Nathan scoffed. He grabbed his suitcase and began walking toward Hope Valley.
"Good luck." Patty shouted.
"I'll need all the luck I could get." Nathan said under his breath.
As Nathan walked along, the sun was beating down on him. His jacket came off first, then the vest. He rolled up his sleeves on his shirt.
As he was walking, he heard a whimper. Nathan stopped. He didn't hear it again so he kept going. But then there the whimper came again. Nathan walked over to where he heard the whimper. He saw small puppy.
"Hey little guy. Are you all alone out here? Where is your mother?" Nathan asked.
The puppy's tail began to wag. Nathan picked up the puppy. Nathan looked around and didn't see the mother or anyone in sight. Nathan figured that someone decided to abandoned it.
"You're coming with me." Nathan said and he picked up the puppy.
Nathan had always wanted a dog but their aunt was against it. The puppy would be a gift for Allie. Nathan thought about Allie as he walked. Her birthday was just a couple months ago. She turned thirteen. How was Nathan going to connect with Allie? Nathan remembered Colleen at thirteen. She was moody and didn't want to talk to anyone. Would he be able to take care her if asked? He couldn't even take care of a house plant.
As Nathan and his puppy walked, it started getting dark out. Out in the distance, Nathan saw a house with a barn. As they got closer to the house, all the lights were off. Either no one was home or they had gone to sleep. Nathan snuck into the barn. There was a bucket of water. Nathan and the puppy drank out of it. Nathan also found some oats to eat that he shared with the puppy. Nathan and the puppy went into an empty stable and laid on the hay. Nathan was too exhausted to care that his expensive suit was getting ruined. They would just rest for a few minutes and keep going. Nathan closed his eyes and fell asleep with the puppy snuggled up against him.