Part 4:
Angel knocked hesitantly, not sure if Miss Beckie was up yet. "Come in," Miss Beckie called sweetly and Angel turned the knob. Beckie was sitting on the little stool in front of her vanity mirror, twisting her hair this way and that, trying to decide which style she liked best. "Angel! I’m surprised to see you . . . what’s wrong, honey?"
"I want to tell you something, about why I came here, and why it’s so hard to let anyone get close to me." Beckie stood and moved to sit on the small sofa she had in her room, patting the spot next to her for Angel to sit down. "I wasn’t always like this," Angel started. "But then the people I loved most in the world, people I thought loved me too, betrayed me . . ."
Heather rocked baby Lizza back to sleep. The saloon didn’t do much business in the early part of the day. It wasn’t the usual saloon, more of a restaurant and bar most of the time. She heard the bell over the door and put her sleeping daughter back in her cradle. She left the door cracked and left the large kitchen to see to the customer. The lunch rush would be starting up soon. She hoped Bill got back in time to help her. They really needed to hire some more help.
Chris looked around the saloon. There didn’t seem to be anyone else there yet. The hotel clerk had told him it was the best place to eat in town, at least until the hotel dining room was finished. He was glad he had beaten the rush. Mrs. Goldberg came through a door at the back of the room, which he assumed led to the kitchen.
"Well, hello there sir. What can I do for you today?"
"I think I’ll have the lunch special."
"Coming right up. You got here at just the right time too," she said with a glance out the window. The door opened and her husband walked in, followed by several men. He recognized one as the mayor, and he thought the man in the gray suit was the preacher. The door opened again behind them and another man walked in, a man he was very surprised to see in this town.
Joseph Fatone, Jr. paused when he saw one of his father’s lawyers sitting at the table by the window. "Well, Mr. Kirkpatrick, I must say it surprises me to see you here."
"Yes sir, Mr. Fatone, it surprises me to see you here as well. I’m looking into some investment opportunities for another client of the firm."
"I see. Well my father could have saved himself the trouble of sending me here if he’d known that. May I join you?"
"I, yes sir, of course," Chris gulped nervously as he saw Luke and Angel walk by. He was glad the other man had his back to the window. The last thing he needed was the son of the most powerful man in his hometown going to Miss Beckie’s place, especially considering what little bit he knew about the man sitting across from him.
Katie was kept after school that day, for no reason at all. She hadn’t done anything, but keeping her after school meant Miss Blake could walk Katie home on her way to the preacher’s house. "All right, Katie, let’s go now," Miss Blake said. "I need to have a little chat with your mother." Katie stood up silently, gathering her books and following Miss Blake. Allie and Missy had taken Amanda home.
Katie saw the look on her mother’s face when she opened the door. Disappointment was written all over Sarah’s face. "Oh, hello Miss Blake, do come in," she said sweetly, stepping back. She brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Amanda was in the kitchen, doing her homework at the table. Miss Blake smiled warmly at her and made a comment about what a wonderful student she was, and how Katie could learn from her little sister. Katie didn’t stay to hear more, choosing to take her books to her bedroom.
"Mrs. Chasez, I hate to bring this up again, but Katie’s attitude...it leaves something to be desired. She is disrespectful and belligerent and I don’t know what to do about it. I thought maybe you might know what is bothering her."
"Well, I suppose, since she is almost finished with school, that her father and I are putting more pressure and responsibility on her. Katie’s a good girl. I don’t know what gets into her sometimes. I suppose she gets it from her mother," Sarah said, smiling at the teacher. Miss Blake left a few minutes later, after a cup of tea and some more casual conversation. After she was gone, Sarah went into the parlor. She didn’t hear Amanda come in.
"Ma, why you cry?" her daughter asked.
Sarah looked up and hastily swiped at the tears streaming down her face. "I’ll be okay, sweetheart. Why don’t you go see if your sister will take you to see Mrs. Goldberg. She told me you could come see baby Lizza if you want."
Amanda’s eyes lit up and she darted up the stairs, calling "Kaaaay-tiiiieeee" in a sing-song voice.
Sarah watched her go. "Oh, please, Josh, not again," she said softly, unable to stop fresh tears.
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