A/N: I am appreciating the feedback I am getting on this story. Keep those reviews coming.
For my Bones readers, as we speak I am working on all three of my stories. I had an emergency come up this weekend so that's what the delay is about. They will be up ASAP. Thanks for your patience.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Waltons...too bad
Mary Ellen spent the following Sunday through Tuesday dividing her time between assisting Curt's patients and working on her final wedding plans.
Over the last couple of weeks she pretended to not hear the quick change in conversation when she would enter Ike's or see some of the townspeople. She knew what some people have been saying about her and Curt lately. It seemed people had nothing better to talk about, especially since the Hard Times Dance. But the last few days she was all over the place emotionally.
On the outside, she was calm and steady as she prepared to walk down the aisle and towards a new life. She smiled when anyone asked about David and the wedding. Corabeth made a comment yesterday about how she seemed almost too collected for a woman about to get married. Mary Ellen quickly told her distant cousin that she was relaxed because she was marrying the man she loved and didn't care what anyone thought, or at least anyone outside of the immediate family.
On the inside, though she was fuming because her boss took off without a word, taking the money the town helped raise for the new clinic on Walton's Mountain. At least that was the reason she used to focus on. She kept busy as much as possible with David and the wedding to forget the real reason for her anger and hurt caused by Curt.
That tactic was successful until she woke up Wednesday morning. She wasn't needed for anything until the rehearsal tonight. Being at loose ends, her thoughts centered for the first time in four days, leaving her as confused as she was the night of the dance. All that she had read and been taught said that while butterflies in her stomach was normal during this time in a bride to be's life, it should also be the happiest, but it wasn't.
Her life was going to change once she became Mrs. David Spencer on Saturday. She would have a life of supporting her husband, being part of a family she would create with David, and trying to carve out a satisfactory life in Richmond. Going back to finish her degree was out. David said he could find a place for her at his upcoming practice with his father, but she didn't know where or how since there was a full staff and she refused to take someone else's job. David's mother promised to introduce her to friends in her clubs and committees, but her events were just too upscale for her taste.
Unable to deny it any longer, she admitted that her feelings in regards to Curtis Willard fluctuated between anger, nervousness, and lust. He kissed her passionately at the Hard Times Dance and then just took off to parts unknown, leaving her emotions in a mess. She loved David, but thoughts of Curt Willard seemed to take up more and more of her time.
She thought about the feelings she had when she would see Curt look at her and when he kissed her, she felt the fireworks he mentioned…..the ones she now knew she would never feel with David.
But David was steady, loyal, and had a bright future ahead of him in his father's practice. She wanted to build a life with someone, but even she knew that chemistry only went so far.
Determined to go ahead towards her new life, she got herself out of bed with gusto and got ready for her day.
Curt got himself out of bed feeling rumpled after falling asleep in his clothes again. His files from the cases he wanted to present to the committee for the next two days were strewn about and on him.
He sat for a moment and contemplated how things were back in Walton's Mountain. His letter to Mary Ellen left his contact information and directions in regard to the practice. Since he hadn't heard from Mary Ellen in regards to his patients, he assumed things were all right on that front. On their personal front, however, it was hard to tell.
He ached to write down his feelings in his letter, but all he could get out was closing his note with 'Love, Curt'. The last thing he wanted to do after finally getting the guts to kiss the girl he wanted for his wife was leave town. However, when he got the call from Richmond Sunday morning he knew what had to take top priority. He just wanted this part of his life settled so he could concentrate on Mary Ellen and any chance they may have of a future together. It was ironic that he was fighting for his professional future in the city where the woman he loved was planning to start a new life with another man.
He remembered her response to his kiss last Saturday and knew the sparks weren't just on his end. If it was just an itch to scratch or only one sided he would leave well enough alone. He was never one to steal another man's girl, but he was in love for the first time in his life. He felt in his heart that the feeling was mutual for Mary Ellen. He was convinced that if let her go without a fight to marry David she would be making the biggest mistake of her life, and his. Curt knew it was universal that openly pursuing an engaged woman was not approved upon by society but if anyone made any comments he will tell them to stick it in their ear.
Yes, he was going to marry that woman. He didn't know when or how, but somehow Mary Ellen would not just be his office nurse… someday she would also be Mary Ellen Willard.
Putting his focus back on where it needed to be, he got up to get himself ready for the day.
Erin watched her older sister at breakfast and saw she was very distracted. Ben made fun of Mary Ellen about it but she blew it off as being tired and nervous. Erin knew better though as she knew that her older sister was thinking about Curt Willard and the kiss she saw them have Saturday night.
Erin didn't get it. David was nice, caring, had a great career ahead of her, and was handsome. Sometimes, she would get excited when she thought of him and dreamed about him on some nights. Once, she had a dream when he took her sailing on the Charles River just the two of them and he kissed her. Her thoughts of her with David she kept to herself, not even writing them in her diary.
David deserved better than someone leaving him for a blowhard like their know-it-all country doctor. She did have moments of guilt when she heard people speculating where the doctor left to after Saturday night, especially when she saw the look in Mary Ellen's eyes and saw the flicker of sadness. When that happened, Erin pushed those feelings down by telling herself that while her sister didn't deserve it, she would see to it that Mary Ellen didn't do anything stupid and married the right man on Saturday.
Olivia was finishing the last of the food before the family left for the rehearsal. As she put the potato salad in the ice box, she thought about the feeling she had all day that something was going to happen soon. She knew that after Saturday her daughter was to be married, but that wasn't it.
'Was Mary Ellen having second thoughts?' She sensed that her daughter was getting cold feet. After talking to her on the porch, Olivia wanted to tell Mary Ellen to postpone or cancel the wedding. Her eldest gave her a reason for what she said about David, but she didn't believe it. She thought her daughter was trying to talk herself into marriage.
Olivia knew that she had to let her children go their own way, no matter how she felt. Putting her feelings aside, she called to the children to finish getting ready so they could go to the church.
By Wednesday evening, John Boy was leaving West Virginia and contemplating his next move. He needed to find Curtis Willard. His every instinct told him that the new doctor was straight, but questions kept going through his mind.
'Why would he just take off like that? Why not at least leave a note on where to reach him? Did he steal the money they raised on Saturday night?'
He then thought about what he saw at the Hard Times Dance. David and Mary Ellen looked nice dancing together, but whenever he saw Curt with his sister, they looked…..right. A part of him almost hoped that she would marry Curt instead and stay on Walton's Mountain, but he knew that was selfishness on his part
He usually minded his own business, but he was annoyed when Mary Ellen told him that she would be leaving school when she married. It also bothered him that after all his talk David changed his mind about being a country doctor to go into a comfy practice with his father in Richmond. Another thing that upset him that his take charge sister who wanted to do things before settling down with a husband and family suddenly is willing to let her dreams go to a life he knew would make her miserable.
He saw David at the Hard Times Dance go outside more than once. When the curiosity got to him, he followed him out and saw him take a swig out of a flask from his trunk and quickly put it back. He just prayed that what he saw was not something that would end up hurting his sister.
Seeing a sign, he turned at the fork for Stony Gap. Luckily he was able to stay at a friend's parents' house tonight, saving him money from a hotel. Silently, he prayed that going here tomorrow would get him the answers he desperately needed. He was just sorry he was missing his sister's wedding rehearsal tonight.
"How could you do that to David, Mary Ellen? How could you give him back his ring right before the wedding?"
Mary Ellen was on the porch looking out at the sky while trying to hold back tears from what happened earlier at the church. She kept telling herself that she did the right thing and it was nothing to cry about. When she heard her sister's voice, she looked. Erin was standing by the window arms crossed with a look of anger.
"I didn't love him like I should have, Erin. It wouldn't have been right to marry him"
Erin felt tears come down her face. She burned the love letter Curt gave her so this wouldn't happen, but somehow he got to her sibling anyway. David was so warm, compassionate, and handsome. To her, David Spencer was the most wonderful man on the planet, and her sister was the meanest person alive.
"I don't care. Men like him don't come along Walton's Mountain every day, Mary Ellen. You are fickle, mean, and spoiled. You're going to regret this! You hear me! You'll regret this!"
Erin turned on her heels and stomped back into the house. A few minutes later, Mary Ellen got up and walked back in. She saw Grandma, Momma, Elizabeth, and a still fuming Erin taking care of the potluck that was laid out for the rehearsal dinner. When she went over to help, Olivia put her hand up.
"We have this Mary Ellen. Why don't you go for a walk?" She turned to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth, why don't you go with your sister?"
Elizabeth turned to her older sister. "Is it okay?"
Mary Ellen smiled her first genuine smile in hours. "Sure, come on" She put her arm around her little sister as they walked out of the kitchen. Nobody except Mary Ellen missed the dirty look Elizabeth turned around and gave to Erin before the girls walked out the front door.
When the two girls were gone, Grandma looked at Olivia. "Well, I'll go see when the boys plan on being finished in the mill"
"Thank you, Grandma" Olivia watched as her mother-in-law left the kitchen and Erin began to stomp towards the stairs. "Not so fast, young lady. Come here."
Erin turned around and saw her mother standing by the table. Reluctantly, she walked over and sat down. Olivia sat across from her.
"We all heard what you said to your sister on the porch and it was totally uncalled for. Mary Ellen knows her own mind and it's her life to lead. Yes, it would have been less hurt feelings if she went through with the wedding, but later on both would have been miserable. I love David, too, Erin, but it seems he's not the boy for your sister and it's good she figured it out before the marriage and not after"
"She hurt David, Momma, badly"
Olivia looked at her middle daughter. It was so obvious she had a crush on her sister's now ex-fiancé. No doubt her anger stemmed from that, but David was involved with Mary Ellen, not Erin and she needed to realize that. "I know he's hurting right now, Honey, but marrying him would have hurt him, and your sister, a lot more. This decision was Mary Ellen's to make, not yours. Now, leave your sister be about this business and go to bed"
When Erin was upstairs, Olivia helped herself to a cup of coffee from the stove. Sitting at the table, she gathered her thoughts.
Yes, she had a suspicion of the reason for what and who may have changed her daughter's mind. In spite of herself, she liked Curt Willard and in her opinion was a better match for Mary Ellen. All that she had witnessed between those two in between their bickering told her that they had strong feelings for each other. However, it was a path for those two alone to create. All that she could do is be there if she was needed.
Grandma came in and groused about the guys planning on being up for a while. Knowing the other children would be in soon, Olivia and Grandma went to bed. Each said a silent prayer for John Boy, who had called Ike's that morning to let them know he was heading to all the mining companies around Stony Gap to check for information. She just hoped when Doctor Willard was found her instincts about him were not wrong.