A Love Worth Waiting For
Chapter 2
Today had started out well enough - Willa and her girls had taken a nice trail ride to exercise some of the horses. As they were leaving, she'd noticed a man arrive and figured that this was the local judge that Grandpa had asked to come out to the house. She'd been a bit confused as to why the Constable had been called out, but she'd begun to figure out that Grandpa was up to something. By the time they'd finished their ride, the man was gone. She and the girls had cleaned up and had lunch, then Aunt Zee said that Grandpa wanted to speak to her privately and she was going to take Dora and Josie into town for ice cream and some wondered how much Aunt Zee knew and when, because she had to have known what was coming - she was too perceptive and sharp to miss it and go along meekly. That was a conversation she planned to have later.
She wasn't at all prepared for what came next when she entered Grandpa's study. The normally stoic man had tears leaking down the sides of his face - which she hadn't seen from him since her mother died over ten years ago - and he proceeded to tell her that her mother had eloped before she'd wed Angus Morrissey (Willa's 'father') and that he'd forced an annulment because he disapproved. Then, when Merry had discovered she was pregnant, he'd lied and told her he couldn't locate the father and forced her into what turned out to be a lonely and loveless marriage with much older widower, Angus Morrissey. In exchange for Merry to mother his daughter, Angus would give Willa his name. And, that's the only thing the man ever gave her.
Stunned and almost unable to breath, Willa choked out "Grandpa, I can see that you are hurting. But, before I say something that I can't take back, I just need a little time to process all of this." With that, Willa rushed from the room, heading straight for her haven, the barn. She spent time grooming her best friend, (her horse) Honor. Eventually, she heard the ranch automobile pull in and the girls chattering non stop as they entered the house. It was only about five minutes before Aunt Zee joined her, grabbing a brush and going to work on Theo's Valiant. Willa glanced at her aunt out of the corner of her eye. Her Aunt Zee had always seemed so ageless, but right now she looked a bit old and weary.
Zee sighed. "Before you ask, Willa, I haven't known long. Remember, your Uncle Douglas and I were missionaries at the time and hadn't lived in Canada for years. I'd had some letters from your mom and knew that she was in love with a boy - and then the next thing I knew, she'd married that Angus Morrissey. I didn't know the boy, but Angus - him I knew and I was confused and sorry that your mother found herself married to him. That man was always a lecher. I asked, but she refused to talk of it again. Your grandfather finally told me the whole of it when you'd decided to take over the Hardin land here in Hope Valley. He knew that Bill Avery, your father, called this place his home and he felt like it was a sign."
"Aunt Zee, I just need to work through this. If I'm being honest, I'm not surprised that Angus was not my father. I think I've always known. Grandpa has been more of a father to me than Angus ever was. I think what bothers me the most is the fact that Grandpa hurt my mom like that. Was this Bill Avery so bad?" Willa asked, brushing a little harder than necessary - earning a nicker from Honor.
Zee reached over, removing the brush from Willa and pulling her over to a hay bale to sit. "I think that's enough for now." she said gently. Her hand disappeared into her apron pocket and she pulled out a large envelope and pushed it into Willa's hands. "These are your mother's letters and her journal, there are also the letters that she'd written to me when she was raving about the boy she loved. I found her things when we were packing to move and saved them for you. I figured there'd be a time when you'd need them. Now, you go on up to your room and I'll take care of those girls until you're ready to join us again."
She got up to go back to the house, but stopped and looked back at her grandniece "And, Willa, you don't know how much time you have left with your grandfather. Don't take the chance that you'll end up like him when he lost your mother. Leaving things unsaid, unsettled, unforgiven is no way to live. Just ask your grandpa."
As Willa took her aunt's advice and delved into her mother's journal and letters...Nathan was returning to Main Street from bedding Newton down at the livery. Dusk was beginning to fall, coming earlier this time of year and lights were glowing about town. He glanced at the judge's office and apartment above, but both were dark. He'd been thinking about and praying for Bill all day and wondered how his meeting with Josiah Barclay went. He almost headed for home, but he thought he noticed a flicker from his office - which should've been empty right now and he turned that way.
He didn't know what he expected when he cautiously opened the door, which was locked, but what he saw stunned him. He sighed as he relocked the door, then sat down in the chair across the desk and looked at his friend. The room was dark and Bill was sitting there with a half empty bottle of whiskey. In the faint light still left from the setting sun, Nathan thought that maybe Bill's face was damp. Nathan said nothing because he knew that Bill would speak whenever he was ready.
When Nathan had almost given up and said something, Bill spoke - the emotion clear in his voice. "Did you know that I was married before Nora?" Since no one knew this and Bill was aware of that, he continued on "She was the love of my life. Meredith Barclay. We called her Merry. M-e-r-r-y, because that's what she was. She was a ray of sunlight with everyone she met and she had this uncanny affinity with horses. I worked on her father's ranch as a hand for awhile growing up and I was taken with her from first sight."
The whole sad tale then came tumbling out. The two had been so wrapped up in one another that they'd decided to elope. Bill knowing that Josiah Barclay didn't particularly care for him, though he never understood why. He'd been a hard worker, respectful. Probably had to do with his sudden loss of his wife and subsequent overprotectiveness of his only child. But, Bill and Merry wanted and were determined to be together. They'd shared one beautiful week of wedded bliss before Barclay found them and separated them - forever.
A man of some means, Josiah made an annulment happen and threatened Bill in many ways he refused to name to stay far away from his daughter. Bill was only 22 and green around the ears and took the man seriously - though it tore him up emotionally.
He looked up at Nathan, not seeming to notice the tears tracking down his face. "I've never loved another woman. Not even Nora. Did you know that Barclay forced Merry into a loveless marriage when she discovered that she was expecting?" At the look of shock on Nathan's face, Bill went on "Yes. That was the real bombshell. Willa Hardin is my daughter. I have a daughter, Nathan. And two granddaughters."
Nathan didn't know whether to reach into his pocket for his hanky to hand to Bill or to simply wait him out. Another option was to reach for the whiskey bottle himself. This was a lot for his friend to process. His choice was to send up a silent prayer and just continue to listen.
After a few more silent minutes crept by, Bill kept on. I'd known that Merry married Morrissey just weeks after our annulment. It really wounded me. That's when I entered the Academy and did everything I could to stay away physically and mentally. I'd had no idea that she'd had a child so quickly, I mean I knew that Morrissey had a daughter already, but Merry? I didn't know. Not until I came across their obituary. Hers and Morrissey's. They died in a carriage accident back in '06. Her daughter's age wasn't mentioned, so I just figured..." He stopped and put his face in his hands, elbows resting on the desk.
They sat in silence for awhile longer - which was only finally interrupted by the sound of Bill's stomach growling. Causing both of them to break out in laughter, easing the tension lingering in the room. "Um, Bill, maybe we should get you something to eat. Allie's spending the night with Opal, so we could head over to the cafe. I happen to know a good cook over there."
Bill actually pulled a hanky out of his vest pocket, and a dog-eared photo fell out with it and landed on the desk. It was of two grinning youths. A very young Bill Avery and a lovely dark haired young woman with large eyes, a fine boned face and a smile that reached those eyes. Willa's coloring might be different - but Nathan recognized her mother and he saw a look of happiness on Bill's face in that photo that he figured he hadn't worn since. His friend fingered the picture for a moment and then said, "Yeah, let's do that. We can eat in the private quarters and you can have your say about all of this, because I know you haven't kept quiet all this time for nothing."
Nathan chuckled, thankful that gruff Bill was back - at least for now - and followed the man out the door, locking up behind him.