Back To Colleen and Andrew Stories
As Colleen walked down the dirt street in the middle of her town, she replayed the events of the past afternoon in her head.
Unbelievably, it was only this morning that Andrew had returned from his trip to Boston to see his family.
On his return, he had taken her out for a picnic and asked her to join his practice when she finished medical school this term.
It was what she had dreamed of since the day in the Hotel’s garden when Andrew had kissed her for the first time.
It was then that he had first mentioned the possibility of them joining forces when she graduated.
Colleen smiled to herself as she remembered the perfection of that day- the day and Andrew.
Her smile slowly faded as she remembered her response earlier that afternoon. Why did the thought of joining Andrew at the Hotel make her feel so hollow inside?
Her years helping her Ma at her Clinic had instilled in her a desire to make a difference, to help the community she had grown up with and loved. She had put him off by telling him she had to think about it.
Providing tonics and prescriptions to the wealthy patrons that the Hotel attracted just wasn’t what she had dreamed of.
But, Andrew was.
Entering the clinic, she smiled at her Ma as Michaela finished wrapping a fresh, white bandage around Horace’s hand as he sat atop the examining table.
“Keep this dry and come back in two days and I’ll change the dressing for you, okay?” Michaela was saying.
“Sure thing.” With a nod at Colleen, Horace picked up his jacket and left.
“Hi, Ma.”
“How was your picnic?” her mother asked.
“Great,” Colleen replied, putting her shawl on the coat rack near the door. “Ummmm…ma, can I talk to you about something?”
“Sure, what is it?”
With only a small hesitation, Colleen told Michaela about Andrew’s question.
“Is it what you want to do?” Michaela asked.
“I don’t know. I like the thought of working with Andrew, but I don’t know if the Hotel is where I want to start practicing medicine. But I don’t want to hurt Andrew’s feelings, either. What do I do?” she finished with a sigh as she slumped down into the chair behind the desk.
“I can’t tell you honey, it’s a decision you’ll have to make on your own,” was her response as she crossed the room to place her hand on her adopted daughter’s shoulder.
“You’re bright and determined enough to do anything you want to do. Make sure that you make this decision for yourself, not because you don’t want to hurt his feelings. I will tell you this-the best policy is to talk to Andrew about your feelings. I know he cares for you and I’m sure he would rather know what you’re thinking.”
“I know, I know, honesty is the best policy,” Colleen said with a smile.
If there was one piece of advice she could always count on getting from her mother, it was to always be open and truthful with people.
“I have to ride out to check on Mrs. Anderson’s leg now. Would you like to come with me? Grace is watching Katie and it might help take your mind off you worries.”
“Why not?”
In short order the two women had exited the clinic and were settled in the wagon and on their way.
It was about a half an hour journey out of town to the Anderson’s homestead and neither woman said much, both were merely enjoying the scenery and the beautiful summer day.
Chickens scattered in the front yard of the Anderson’s home as they drove up. The summer had been hard on crops and the rundown condition of the house verified how much more difficult it had been on this family, with the mother unable to walk since she had broken her leg earlier in the season.
The healing had been slow, with an infection that had set the woman’s recovery back weeks. And with no one to take care of the property while her husband worked, the place fairly reeked disrepair.
Taking her medical bag from the seat beside her and stepping down, Michaela asked Colleen to secure the horses.
Nodding her assent, Colleen took the reins she was passed and also got down. Looking around at the depressing sight, she took her time wrapping the leather strips around the pole on the front porch before entering the house as well.
For the next half an hour, Colleen helped her mother tend the patient, tidy up a little and prepare her a small meal.
The ride home was not as quiet as the first had been. Colleen told stories about her lectures, her friends and the school she was on a break from. The two laughed as they shared stories about professors who remained at the College since Michaela’s time.
Colleen let her mother off at the clinic and then took the wagon to Robert E’s.
“Well, hi, Colleen! Good to have you home!” the large man greeted her as she stopped in front of his blacksmithy.
“Hi, Robert E. It’s good to be home. It always seems like so long between my visits.”
“It sure does. I’ll bet everyone’s real glad to see you. You enjoy your holiday.”
“Thanks, Robert E. Ma says she won’t need the wagon till about six. She’s got to pick up some supplies first. I’ll be back then, okay?”
With a wave in farewell, Colleen turned to walk toward the clinic.
Inevitably, she began to fret about Andrew’s question yet again. “Worrying might not solve a problem,” she thought, “but it sure is hard not to do.”
So deep in her thoughts, she never heard the footfalls behind her as she walked between two buildings on her way to the clinic.
Her first awareness she was not alone was when a hand snaked out from behind to wrap around her mouth. The foul-smelling rag covered her nose mouth and her struggles did little to dislodge it as her arms had also been trapped by her sides by her attacker’s other arm wrapped around her middle. She barely had time for more than a couple of muffled squeals before the blackness swept over her leaving her with the last coherent thought
“Andrew…..”