***Chapter One***
“This really sucks, Anne!” I yelled through the doorway of the old building to my mother. “I hate this! I wanna go home!” And I did want to go home. Very badly. We had just moved from Boston, where I had spent my entire fifteen years, to Colorado Springs. I didn’t mind the city so much. It was just that I had to leave everything I ever knew—my friends, my school, my house, my entire life—to move to a place that I’d never been.
“You haven’t even given it a chance,” my mother said from inside. “Just come in and look around a bit. I know you’ll learn to love it here.”
So I went in. If I could only use one word to describe it, the word would have been “dirty.” I let out my most pathetic, pitiful sigh and whined, “This is so disgusting! We’ll never get this clean. Why can’t you do something like a normal person for once and rent an office that’s already clean?”
“I bought this place for a reason. Did you know it used to be a boarding house and then it was a medical clinic? After that, it just became a sort of storage house, which explains the condition that it’s in,” she told me.
“So?” I replied curtly.
“So. . . I bought this building so I can have my medical office on the bottom, and you and I can live on the top. There are a lot of rooms upstairs that I can change into a living room, a kitchen, and those sorts of things,” Mom explained.
“Mom, no doctor has lived in his or her clinic for, like, a hundred years,” I tried to reason. “It’s unsanitary. I mean, with sick people in here all the time, I’ll get sick, too.”
“It’s not any worse than school, Ella,” she retaliated.
And, of course, she was right, like always. I didn’t even try to argue. Then, seeing that she had won, she said, “Why don't you go upstairs and pick out your room? I'll even let you have the one with the balcony.”
“Sure, Mom,” I agreed and went up the dusty old stairs. When I got to the top, I found quite a few rooms. The one with the balcony was much bigger than the room I had in Boston.
“What do you think?” my mom yelled from the bottom of the stairs.
“I’m definitely taking the balcony room,” I yelled back down to her.
I heard her laugh, and then she said, “That’s good, Angel (the nickname she had used ever since I could remember). You start cleaning upstairs and I’ll clean down here, okay?”
“Okay, whatever,” I said, going downstairs to get cleaning supplies. When I got back up, I decided to clean my new room first.
~@~
After about two hours, I could actually see my floor and walls, so I decided to clean out the closet. “Please don’t let there be a skeleton inside,” I whispered to myself as I opened the door. I didn't find any skeletons, but I did discover something very interesting.
The closet looked like it hadn't been opened in a century, so I set to cleaning it. I got the floor clean, so I moved on to the walls. A few feet from the floor, I noticed a bump in the wall hidden by wallpaper. I hope Mom doesn’t get too mad, I thought as I ripped the wallpaper off of the wall, revealing a small door with a wooden latch. I slowly reached out to open it when I was startled by my mother yelling, “Ella!”
“Yeah, Mom?” I responded after I caught my breath. “I’m going to the store to buy some more cleaning supplies. It could be a while. Do you want to come?” “No, thanks. I'll be fine,” I said, thinking of what could be hidden behind that door.
“Okay. Love you, Angel.”
“I love you, too, Anne.” I waited for the front door to close and lock. All alone. . . Did I really want to open that door when I was all alone? I thought about it for a few minutes and curiosity won over fear. I reached again toward the small door and turned the wooden latch. The door opened and I found an old wooden box, which appeared to be an old filing cabinet. I pulled it out a little bit and discovered and antique-looking sign behind it. I pulled the filing cabinet out into my room and then took the sign out. There was a layer of dust so thick that I couldn't read the writing, so I wiped it off with a dust cloth. When it was clean, it read: “M. QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN.” Mom is gonna love this, I thought as I put the sign down and went to the filing cabinet.
I discovered that the cabinet held what looked to be old medical charts. “‘Bing, Horace,’”I began to read, “‘Influenza. . . gout. . . black eye. . . arrow through the arm. . . appendicitis(successful appendectomy). . . laryngitis. . . shot in the arm. . . gallbladder attack (successful operation). . .’ Wow, this guy had serious medical issues.”
“‘Bray, Loren,’” I continued, flipping through the files. “‘Cooper, Brian; Cooper, Charlotte (deceased; cause of death: rattlesnake bite); Cooper, Colleen; Cooper, Matthew.’” Some charts, I noticed, had patients with no last name, like that of a boy named Anthony. “‘. . . deceased; cause of death: ‘unknown;’ symptoms: pain in the joints, breathlessness, abdominal pain, fever,’” his chart read. Sounds like sickle-cell anemia, I thought. I’ll ask Mom when she gets home. I observed that in 1868 quite a few people had influenza. Some had even died. I decided to check up and see if an epidemic had really occurred in Colorado Springs that year. If these charts were genuine, they could be worth a lot, in both financial and historical value.
~@~
After skimming through all the charts, I realized that they all had one thing in common: The earliest ones started in 1867 but none went past 1879. “That's weird. I guess they found a better way to keep track of this stuff,” I said to the file of “Slicker, Jake.” When I got to the last drawer, I was dismayed to find it locked. I looked through the other drawers for a key, but when I couldn’t find one, I resorted to the use of a hairpin. “This works all the time in the movies, so maybe it’ll work for me,” I reasoned. And, as if it were fate, it opened. Inside I found no more files, only a small leather book. I opened it carefully so I wouldn't tear any of the frail, yellowed pages. The first page was dated 1867, although the month and date were both illegible.
“Today I arrived in Colorado Springs,” it read. A diary! But whose? I felt that by reading on, I was invading this person's privacy, even though the author was definitely no longer living if the date was correct. My original intention was to read until I discovered who the diary’s author was and then put the diary away. As you will see, this is obviously not what happened. “I expected that the people here would be more open-minded about a woman doctor than those in Boston, (This belonged to the Medicine Woman! She was from Boston, too?) but I was wrong. Only Charlotte Cooper, her three children, Matthew, Colleen, and Brian, and a mysterious mountain man called Sully, seem to believe in me. Was my mother right? Should I just give up and return home to a normal life? Or should I remain here and try to be strong and hope the people of Colorado Springs will accept me? Why am I here?”
“Poor woman. It must be hard when you're trying to live out your dreams and you have all these people hassling you about it. If she wants to be a doctor, I’d gladly switch places with her.” Truth was, my mother’s dream was for me to become a doctor. But I didn’t really want to be. I just didn’t like the idea of slicing people open and putting them back together. I also hated (and still strongly dislike) needles. Plus, I didn't really want to spend about twelve more years in school when I didn’t think I could bear three more years of high school. “I wish that for just two weeks I could go back. Life was so much simpler back then.”
~@~
After reading for awhile, I felt like I knew this woman, Dr. Quinn, though I didn’t even know her first name. I learned that after Charlotte Cooper died, Dr. Quinn took in her three children. I was glad to know that her business picked up and she decided to stay in Colorado Springs. She married Byron Sully (the mountain man?) on May 20, 1870, and her daughter Katherine “Katie” Elizabeth Sully was born the following year. Matthew was sheriff, then began going to school to become a lawyer. He was married to a woman named Emma, and they had a son. Colleen went on to become a doctor and married Andrew Cook, also a doctor. Brian got a job at the Boston Globe as a reporter (Hey, I had seen his name on something when I visited the Globe once!). The entries stopped in 1878 saying something about the construction of Colorado Springs’ first hospital. The diary also held accounts of events in the town and many of the town's residents, some whose names I recognized from the medical charts.
Life really was easy back then. Things must have been so much more peaceful. It would be so great to go back to a time like that, I thought as I drifted off to sleep, still clutching the old diary.
At that time if I had known what would happen, I probably would have stayed awake. But looking back now, I guess I’m glad that I did fall asleep.
***Chapter Two***
When I woke, I found myself in my room—only it wasn’t my room! Okay, technically it was my room, but it looked. . . different. It was definitely the same room, but instead of being empty, it was fully furnished. And it was so. . . clean. Not the kind of clean you get from hours of scrubbing, but the clean that exists from a place that’s never had a chance to be dirty. I got up from the spot on the floor on which I had been sleeping. I was about to go downstairs when I heard descending footsteps coming from the stairs.
Is that Mom? I wondered. No, I decided, Mom would’ve let me know if she was back. It might be a robber! I waited until the footsteps faded before making my way to the stairs. As I was about to go down, I was startled by a strange voice.
“Hello, there,” a man’s voice said. I turned around and found a man lying in a bed in the room across from mine. “Hello?” he said again.
“Hello,” I replied, still a bit surprised. I then moved away from the stairs and towards the man’s room. “I’m Horace Bing,” he introduced himself. “I’m Ella,” I said. Hmm. . . Horace Bing. That name sounds familiar. I know! He’s the one from the medical chart! I thought. Then I said, “Could you tell me exactly where I am. I seem to be a little lost.”
“Oh, sure. You’re in Colorado Springs, in Colorado, of course, in Dr. Mike’s medical clinic.”
“I’m in Colorado Springs?” I wondered aloud. “Okay, this is going to sound like a really dumb question, but what year is it?”
“You must be real lost. It’s 1878, of course!” he replied, seeming somewhat confused at my question. “1878?” How did this happen? I suddenly began to feel ill.
“Miss Ella, you don’t look so good. You’re all pale. Maybe Dr. Mike should have a look at ya,” Horace suggested.
“Dr. Mike? Who’s he?” I asked, still feeling sick. “Not he—she. Dr. Michaela Quinn. I know it’s a little unusual to have a lady doctor, but she’s a real good one,” he explained.
“Dr. Michaela Quinn, huh?” I asked, recalling the last name of the mysterious woman doctor. “Yeah, I’d like to see this Dr. Quinn.”
“Well, you're in luck. Here she comes now,” he said as I heard footsteps approaching. “Dr. Mike!” he called out. “Yes, Horace? Is everything all right?” a woman said as she appeared in the doorway.
“Yes, ma’am, I’m fine. But I think ya might need to check on this young lady here,” Horace replied.
She walked over to me and placed her hand on my forehead. “There doesn’t seem to be any fever, but you do look a little pale. I’d like to give you a full examination just to be sure.”
“I think I’m all right now, thank you,” I said. Then, remembering my manners, I added, “I’m Ella, by the way.” “Hello, Ella. I’m Dr. Michaela Quinn, but you can just call me ‘Dr. Mike.’ Everyone else does,” she said. “I don't think I’ve seen you around here before. Where are you from?”
“I. . . uh. . .” I didn't know what to say, so I decided to go for the truth. “I used to live in Boston, but my mother and I moved here to Colorado Springs. I just have no idea where she is,” I said.
“Really? Boston is my hometown as well,” she said, sounding pleased. “What brought the two of you so far out west?”
“Well, my mother is a doctor and—” I started to explain before Dr. Mike said, “Oh, she must be here answering the advertisement about the hospital I placed in the Boston Globe. It’ll be so nice to have more doctors in town, especially another woman doctor. Well, follow me downstairs and I’ll see about giving you an examination and some. . . proper clothes. What do you call what you’re wearing, by the way?”
I looked down and noticed that I was wearing a pair of blue-jeans that were at least five sizes too big and an old green flannel shirt that had belonged to my father (no matter the weather, I wore it all the time, even now, in August). “These are denim blue-jeans and this is a flannel shirt. And this is a baseball cap,” I said as I pointed to each piece of clothing. “And these,” I said as I lifted the leg of my pants, “are my favorite pair of tennis shoes in the whole world.” I was referring to a pair of very old and ugly sneakers that I couldn't bear to part with. “What do you mean by ‘proper clothes’?”
“Well, a dress, naturally. You can wear one of my daughter Colleen’s old ones,” she offered.
“You're serious? I really have to wear a dress?” I asked, in shock.
“Well, yes. You remind me a bit of my sister Marjorie. She didn’t care much for the conventional way of things, either. But come to think of it, neither did I." Then with a smile, she said,” Let's go downstairs, shall we?”
“Okay,” I agreed. I started to follow her and then remembered Horace. I turned and said, “It was nice meeting you, Mr. Bing.”
“Nice meeting you, too, Miss Ella,” he answered. I then turned to join Dr. Mike.
~@~
When we got downstairs, Dr. Mike told me to sit on the examination table so she could make sure everything was all right. "Do you hurt anywhere?" she asked.
"No, ma'am. I'm fine, really. I don't even feel sick anymore," I said.
"Well, the color has returned to your face, but I'd still like to keep an eye on you for a while. Unless you'd rather your mother would look after you. Then I could just tell her you were feeling ill earlier. Do you remember where your mother is now?" she wondered. "I don't know. All I remember is waking up in the room upstairs. I don't even remember getting here," I lied a little.
"No memory of arriving here with your mother?" she inquired. I only shook my head. "I'm not sure what to make of this. You don't seem to have amnesia because you can remember everything else but that small portion of time. It's a bit baffling."
"I'm sure my mother will show up soon. Then everything'll be okay. I just don't know what I'm gonna do till then," I said.
"Don't worry, Ella. I'll make sure you're all right until she arrives," she promised.
"Thanks, Dr. Mike," I said, feeling somewhat comforted by her words.
~@~
My examination didn't take too long, and I was given a clean bill of health except for my small "memory lapse." Soon after, there was a knock on the clinic door. Dr. Mike answered to a man with shoulder-length hair, blue eyes, and Native American-like clothing. "Ella, this is my husband, Byron Sully. Sweetheart, this is Ella. She has just moved to Colorado Springs from Boston," she introduced us.
"Glad to meet ya, Ella," he said, extending his hand. "Pleased to meet you, too, Mr. Sully," I said, reaching out.
"No 'mister.' Just plain 'Sully,'" he requested. "Sure, Sully," I complied. Sully, I thought. I wonder if. . . But my thoughts were cut short by Dr. Mike's request to her husband.
"Sully, could you please ride out to the homestead and get one of Colleen's old dresses and bring it back here?"
"All right," he agreed. "Which one should I get?" "There's a pretty red one in Colleen's closet that would be lovely on Ella. Oh, and she'll need shoes as well." She looked at my feet and decided, "The black ones. Could you bring those also?"
"Red dress and black shoes," he repeated. "I'll be back soon," he said and then kissed her cheek and departed. After he left I said, "Dr. Mike, Sully is so sweet. You're so lucky."
"He is, isn't he? I guess I am very lucky. What about your father? What's he like?" she wondered.
"He and my mother were so much in love, even after twenty years of marriage. Like you and Sully, I guess." "'Were in love?' What happened? Oh, forgive me, I don't mean to pry," she said.
"It's okay," I said and I began to explain. "About four years ago, my father got really sick. It was cancer. Well, he received the latest treatment and the doctors thought they had gotten it all, but it came back. He died two months ago."
"I'm so sorry. You must miss him terribly," she sympathized.
"Yeah, but at least now he's not hurting anymore," I said, a tear falling down my cheek.
"You're very brave, Ella. Stay strong," she whispered as she wiped the tear away.
"So are you," I sniffled. "You moved here, to the wilderness, and you roughed it out and made a life for yourself here. Your parents must be so proud of all that you've accomplished."
"Actually my mother was against the whole thing. She didn't even want me to be a doctor. But it was my dream, and I was determined to see it come true, with or without her blessing," she told me.
"My mother is exactly opposite. She wants me to be a doctor, since that's what she is and what my father used to be. Well, what about your father? What did he think about all this?"
"Well, with four girls already, my father was expecting a boy, hence the name 'Michaela.' Anyway, he got me. My father was a doctor as well, so from an early age, I decided that I would become one, too. Upon graduation from medical school, I went into practice with my father. Seven years later, I moved here, where I've been ever since."
"Why did you stop working with your father?" I wondered. I knew that now I was the one prying, but I just waited for an answer.
"Like you, I, too, have been through the heartache of losing my father," Dr. Mike replied.
"I'm sorry. I know how much it hurts. But I also know that he's very proud of what you've become," I tried to comfort her.
"Thank you. I hope you're right." She walked to the window and motioned for me to follow. When I got there, she said, "Isn't it wonderful?"
I looked out and saw a building going up in the distance. "What's that going to be?" I asked. "The hospital, the one in which your mother will be working. It's the first in Colorado Springs, as I'm sure you know. My mother donated the funds before she. . . passed away. At least she finally accepted my decision to be here," she explained.
"Your mother is gone, too? That's tough. I know you're an adult and everything, but it still must be hard. At least you have this hospital to remember her by." Before she could reply, the clinic door opened. Sully stood holding a red dress and a pair of black shoes. "Is this what you wanted, Michaela?" he asked.
"Exactly. Oh, Sully, I'd be lost without you," she said lovingly to her husband.
"I'm pretty sure it's the other way ‘round," he said, walking over to her.
I figured that I ought to make my presence known before they started making out or something, so I said, " That's a really pretty dress. Did you make it, Dr. Mike?"
That definitely got their attention because they both turned in my direction. "No, my daughter Colleen made it," she said, handing the dress to me. "You can go change in that room over there," she said, pointing to a door. She must have noticed my confused expression because she added, "I can help you if you'd like." "I think I can manage if you could please tell me in which order to put all this on," I said, completely serious, but they just laughed.
~@~
A few (well, quite a few) minutes later, I was fully dressed in a beautiful red dress, black shoes, petticoat and all. My other clothes were in a closet in the clinic. "I'll keep them for you until we can find your mother," Dr. Mike had told me. I had reluctantly agreed. "You look beautiful, Ella," Dr. Mike said when I walked out. "But I'm afraid that baseball cap has got to go."
I had completely forgotten about it since I was almost always wearing it. I took it off, and my long blonde hair gushed out from under it. (You see, I had put it under there so that it wouldn't get in my way while I was cleaning.)
"Such lovely hair," she remarked. "It's a slow day; I could braid it for you if you'd like. You know, to keep it out of your way."
"Okay, thanks," I replied. "I haven't had my hair braided since I was a little girl."
"Is that so? Colleen didn't care much for braids, but I used to brush her hair all the time when she was younger. And Katie, my youngest daughter, loves for me to braid her hair," she told me. I looked over at Sully, who didn't say a word, but smiled at the mention of his daughters' names.
In a few minutes, she was done. "Finished already?" I asked, amazed. My hair nearly reached my waist, and it astonished me that she could braid it so quickly.
"Sure am. I told you, I've had lots of practice."
Suddenly a clock began to chime. "Noon already! How about having lunch at Grace's?" Dr. Mike suggested. "Fine by me," Sully replied. "How's that sound to you, Ella?"
"That would be great," I agreed. Then I realized something. "Dr. Mike, how am I going to pay you? I don't have any money."
"Don't even worry about it. Lunch is on us and so is that check-up, right, Sully?" Her husband nodded his head.
"No, I can't ask you to pay for me like that. And what am I going to do if I can't find my mother for a few days? How am I going to pay for a hotel room?" I was beginning to panic now.
"You can stay with us for as long as you need to," Sully offered.
"I promise I'll pay back all the money I've cost you as soon as my mother gets here," I promised.
"Ella, don't worry about it," Dr. Mike said.
"I really will pay you back," I repeated. "I'd give you something for collateral, but I don't have anything valuable. . . unless. . ." My hand automatically went to my neck where I grasped a golden, heart-shaped locket. It was the last gift I had received from my father, but it was all I had to offer, and my pride prevented me from being in anyone's debt. "Here," I said, removing it from around my neck.
"I couldn't take this from you," she said.
"But it's all I have," I persisted. Then a thought hit me: This was all a dream! I mean, it had to be. People don't just fall asleep and wake up over a hundred years in the past, do they? "Take it; I insist," I said, pushing it into her hand.
She put the locket around her neck and promised to take care of it. I just smiled then wondered, "What's wrong with Mr. Bing?"
"I'm not exactly sure. That's why I'm keeping him here at the clinic. He's been having abdominal pains, but it's not appendicitis because his appendix has already been removed," she explained. "What puzzles me is that yesterday he was in terrible pain and today he seems fine."
"Maybe he has a stomach ulcer. I used to get those a lot. Try putting him on a bland diet and lots of rest, and see if it helps him. Worked for me," I suggested. "My, you seem to know very much about helping people," Dr. Mike remarked.
"Well, I basically grew up in my parents' medical clinic. Medicine is something I've been around for as long as I can remember," I explained. "So maybe we'll have another doctor on out hands?" Sully asked.
"Maybe, but I doubt it. I'm still not sure what I want to do," I answered.
"You seem to know medicine well. You shouldn't let that knowledge go to waste. Promise me you'll at least consider it," she said.
"Okay, I'll think about it. But that's all," I agreed. "Well, that's all I ask," she smiled. "Now, how about lunch? I'm starved." Just as she opened the door, a woman came rushing to her, followed by a man holding a small, screaming child.
"Dr. Mike! You gotta help us. Little Aaron was helpin' Benjamin patch up the barn roof and he fell right off!" the woman frantically explained.
"Of course. Bring him in," she said. The little boy's arm was badly broken; I could see that without being told. "I'll give him some chloroform to put him to sleep. He'll need surgery for this arm," she said, pouring some clear liquid onto a cloth and placing it over his nose and mouth. His crying ceased instantly. "If you could please wait outside, Mr. and Mrs. Johnston." She then turned to her husband and said, "Sully, it looks like I won't make it for lunch, but you and Ella go ahead. Tell Grace that I'll be by to pick up something later."
"Okay. I love you," he said.
"Love you, too," she responded lovingly.
"Looks like it's just you and me for lunch, Ella," Sully said as we walked out the door and headed for Grace's, wherever that was.
***Chapter Three***
"Hi there, Sully! And who might this lovely young lady be?" a woman asked us when we arrived. "Hello, Grace. This is Ella. She used to be from Boston, but now she's gonna be livin' here in Colorado Springs since her ma'll be workin' at the new hospital. She's stayin' with me and Michaela for a while," he said. Then he turned to me and said, "Ella, this is Grace. She's the owner of this café. Her husband, Robert E., is the town's blacksmith." "I'm very pleased to meet you, Miss Grace," I said, shaking her hand. Then I noticed a cradle nearby. I guess she saw me looking at it because she walked over and lifted up a small infant. "Ella, I'd like you to meet my daughter, Antonia," Grace said, lovingly cradling the sleeping child. "She's named after my son who. . . passed on a few years ago." Once again recalling the old medical charts, I absent-mindedly asked, "Anthony?" "Well, yes," she replied, seeming confused at my knowledge. "How on Earth did you know that?" Uh-oh! How the heck was I gonna get myself out of this? Thinking fast, I answered, "Just a lucky guess?" She didn't look too convinced, so I added, "Antonia sounds a lot like Anthony. I just assumed." "Oh, I guess it does." The suspicious look faded off of her face and Sully's as well. (Whew! Close one. I was definitely going to have to be more careful of what I said.) "Well, just have a seat anywhere and I'll be with you in just a minute." “Sure thing, Grace. Oh, and before I forget, Michaela said she'd be by later to get somethin’ to eat,” Sully said. Grace and Antonia left, and Sully turned to me and asked, “Where would ya like to sit?” I turned and saw a lot of tables, all outdoors. "I was just wondering, are all the tables outside?" "Yep," he replied. "Well, what happens if it starts to rain?" I continued to question. "Ya get wet," he said with a grin. And I laughed, even though it wasn't really that humorous. It felt so great. I hadn't laughed in a while. "Oh, so ya can laugh. I was wonderin' when I'd get to see your pretty smile." "There hasn't been much to smile about lately," I said and walked over to an empty table. As we sat down, I said, "Apparently, from what you told Grace, Dr. Mike explained my whole situation." He just nodded. I could tell he was a man whose actions spoke for him instead of words. "Did she tell you about my father?" He nodded once again. "I know what it's like to lose a parent. My pa died ‘fore I can really remember and my ma drowned when I was ten," he said. "I'm sorry. It must have been really tough for you. Sully, I don't know how I'd go on if I lost my mother, too. It seems hard enough to get through every day with just my father gone," I said. "But that's my point: Ya do go on. It's okay to be sad for a while, but you've gotta go on livin' your life. That's somethin' I've learned real well in my life. I didn't know your pa, but I'm willin' to bet that he'd rather see ya laughin' and smilin' then bein' sad over him all the time. That's how I'd feel, anyway." "But I feel like I have a giant hole inside me, Sully. Just an empty space. And I miss him so much," I said. I'd never been this open about my feelings of my dad's death, not even with my mom. "I wish I could say that feeling goes away, but it don't. It's always gonna hurt, but it ain’t as bad after a while," he comforted me. "It's just so hard when I wake up in the morning and remember that he's gone. That's the worst feeling in the world," I confided. "You'll get through this. I can see that your spirit is strong," he said. I had no idea what he meant, but I didn't have time to ask because Grace came to take our order. "What can I get for you folks?" "I'll take your fried chicken and a glass of lemonade," Sully said. Grace wrote his order down on a small tablet and turned to me. "And what would you like? Do you need a menu, Darlin'?" "No, ma'am. I'll have what Sully's having, please," I requested. I had no idea what else was served here, so I decided to play it safe and order something that someone else was willing to eat. "I will fix that right up for you," she said and then hurried to take the orders of the sudden crowd of people that appeared at the cafe. When she left, Sully said, "I'm not busy today. I can take you around town and introduce you to some people, if you'd like. It might make you feel more at home if you know more people," he offered. "Sure! I mean, that would be great, if it's not too much trouble. What kinds of places will we be going to?" "Well, you've seen Dr. Mike's clinic and now the Café, too, but that still leaves quite a few places. There's the Mercantile Store, the Gazette, the livery, the bank, the telegraph office, and the church, just to name a few. And I promised Katie that I'd walk her home from school today, if you'd like to come along," he explained. "Sounds like we have a really busy day ahead of us," I remarked. "Yeah, we sure do. And there's more that I can show you tomorrow," he offered. "Like what?" I wondered. This dream was getting really detailed! "Tell me somethin': What do you think about Indians?" he asked. "Real Indians? Well, I've never actually met one, but I think their culture is very fascinating. It's amazing how they managed to survive for thousands of years. And the way they figured out all those kinds of herbal medicines and stuff is really remarkable. I think the way they lived as one with nature was so beautiful, too. They seemed to have so much knowledge about things. Why do you ask?" He lowered his voice, leaned toward me, and asked, "How would you like to meet a Cheyenne friend of mine, Cloud Dancing?" "But I thought all the Indians were moved to Oregon to some territory or something," I said. "Nope, not all of 'em. A few are still around," he informed me. "Here you go folks." Grace appeared with our food before I could reply. "That was quick. The restaurants in Boston take forever compared to this," I remarked. "Well, I've been to Boston and I'm willin' to be that Grace's food is better than anything they can come up with in Boston," Sully bragged. "Why, thank you very kindly, Sully." She put our plates on the table and suggested, "Why don't you take a bite, Ella? Tell me what you think?" The food smelled really good, which surprised me because I didn't recall ever smelling anything in a dream. But I tried it anyway. "I think. . . that this is the best food I've ever tasted in my whole life! Miss Grace, you must be the best cook in the whole world!" I answered. "I'm so glad you like it. Just for that, you get a free slice of my fresh-baked apple pie." "Thanks a lot, Miss Grace! If your pie is half as good as your fried chicken, I'm the luckiest person in the state." I hope I can remember this dream when I wake up, I thought to myself as I ate another serving of fried chicken (which was delicious, by the way). This is a really good dream. Chapter Four "I don't think I've ever eaten that much in my whole life! It was so good," I told Sully as we left Grace's. “Told ya so," he said. Then he stopped in front of a building. "This is the Gazette," he explained, pointing to a sign that read, "Gazette. Owner/ Editor, Dorothy Jennings." "A woman owner and editor? Everywhere I've been so far, a woman has been in charge. I thought only men were really accepted as business owners and stuff, you know, with only a few exceptions. But it's great how accepting Colorado Springs is. I'm impressed," I remarked. "Yeah, people here have come a long way, but a lot of people need to get over their prejudice." He paused then walked inside the Gazette building. I quietly followed. A woman with red hair looked up from behind a printing press as soon as she became aware of our presence. "Hello, Sully. And hello to you, young lady. I'm Dorothy Jennings, and who might you be?" "I'm Ella, Miss Jennings. Very pleased to meet you. Is this the town's only newspaper?" I wondered, since it was the only one that Sully had mentioned. "Yes, I'm proud to say it is. Would you like a preview of tomorrow's issue?" she offered. "Sure; that would be great," I said, taking a freshly-printed paper from her. "So Ella, where are you from?" she asked as I looked through the pages of the Gazette. "I used to live in Boston, but Colorado Springs has to claim me now. My mother's going to be a doctor at the new hospital, but I'm staying with Sully and Dr. Mike until she gets here," I recited the made-up story. "Well, I hope you'll find Colorado Springs to your liking. And when your ma gets here, I could do an article on her for the paper. Do you think she'd mind?" Dorothy asked. "I think she'd agree to that," I replied with a smile. "Wonderful! Well, you don't be a stranger. Maybe I could use some tips to make the Gazette more like the Boston newspapers," she said warmly. "Thanks, Miss Dorothy. Oh, here," I said, handing her newspaper back. "Keep it. My welcome gift to you." "Really? Thank you! Could you hold it for me, Sully, so I don't forget it anywhere? I'd really like to read it," I said. He took the paper and put it into his Indian jacket. "'Bye now, both of you," she said. "'Bye!" Sully and I unanimously replied as we walked out the door. "What's that?" I wondered, pointing to two red adjacent buildings. "That's the Gold Nugget Saloon and Hotel. It's run by a man named Hank Lawson," he told me. Before I could get any more questions in, a man's voice with a sort of Southern drawl asked from behind, "Did I hear someone say my name?" "I automatically whipped myself around to see who was speaking, but Sully, remaining as he had been, just said, "Hello, Hank." “Hiya, Sully. And who might this young lady be?" he asked, looking at me. "I'm Ella. Nice to meet you, Mr. Lawson," I said. "Where ya from, little lady?" he asked. "Well, I'm originally from Boston, but my mother and I have come to live in Colorado Springs so she can be a doctor at the new hospital," I answered. Telling that story was nearly a reflex now. "Another one from Boston? All we need is more like Michaela in Colorado Springs." I could tell he was being sarcastic. "Where's your ma? I'd like to meet her." "Um. . . she's not here yet, but she will be really soon," I said. "Well, just in case she don't get here, I could arrange a job for ya," he offered. Only then did Sully turn around. "No, Hank. Ella ain't gonna be workin' for you," he snapped. Hank seemed to back off when Sully spoke. But I was curious, so I asked, "What kind of job do you mean?" Then I saw a woman standing outside the Saloon in what I could tell was a very immodest dress for their day. "Oh, that kind of job. No, thank you, Mr. Lawson. I'm afraid that I'll have to decline your offer." "Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me," he said. "Okay. . . I guess. 'Bye," I said as Sully pulled me away. "Ella, you gotta promise me something," he said as soon as we were out of Hank's hearing range. "Anything Sully," I replied. "Promise me that you'll never go work for Hank, no matter what. 'Cause Michaela and I will take care of everything till your ma gets here and even if she don't, okay? So promise me," he said very seriously. "I promise that I'll never go work for Hank, no matter what," I vowed. "Good," he smiled. Then we walked over to an outdoor shop where a man was banging on what I guessed to be a horseshoe. A little boy watched him closely. "Hey, Robert E.," he said to the man over the clanking of the hammer. Robert E. stopped and looked at Sully. "Hi there, Thad," he said to the little boy, who smiled at him shyly. "How are things?" "Oh, everything's just fine. And you?" he replied. "Things are great. I'd like you to meet a friend of mine. Robert E. and Thad, this is Ella. She's come all the way from Boston. Her ma's gonna be a doctor at the new hospital," Sully introduced us. "Nice to meet ya, Miss Ella," Robert E. greeted me. "It's nice to meet you too, Robert E. And you as well, Thad," I said to the man and the little boy. "You look like Dr. Mike," Thad remarked. "You think so? You look like Miss Grace," I said. "Wait a sec. . . You're Miss Grace's husband, aren't you, Robert E.?" He nodded his head. "Is Miss Grace your ma?" I asked Thad. "Yep, she sure is," he answered. Then Sully turned to me. "Ella, could you do me a favor?" I nodded, so he continued. "I got some business to talk over with Robert E., so could you take a list of supplies I need over to that store over there?" he asked. I turned and saw a building with a sign that read "Bray's Mercantile." "Sure, Sully, but what if I can't find something on the list?" Handing me a piece of paper, he explained, "Go in and ask for Mr. Bray. Give him this list and tell him I sent ya and I'll be there in a few minutes to pay him." "Okay, Sully. No problem," I said. "You're an angel, Ella," he told me. I smiled at the familiar nickname and continued walking to the store. I completely forgot the statement a few seconds later, but I would remember his words soon enough. "Can you help me, Sir? I'm looking for a man named Mr. Bray," I told a white-haired gentleman when I got to the store. "Well, you’ve found him. I'm Mr. Bray. What can I do for you, Miss?" he asked. "Sully said to give you this list and that he'll be by to pay in a few minutes," I answered, giving him the list. He read it silently and then began to search around for the items on the list. "I haven't seen you around here before. You have a name?" he asked. "Yes, sir, Mr. Bray. I'm Ella from Boston," I answered. "Oh, that's nice. How long are you staying in Colorado Springs?" he questioned. "Permanently. My mother and I moved here because she's gonna be a doctor at the hospital," I explained. "Well, then as mayor I'd better greet the town's newest citizen," a male voice said. I turned as he continued, "I'm Jake Slicker, Mayor of Colorado Springs. Welcome to our town." "Thanks, Mayor Slicker," I said. "Hey there, Loren, Jake. I see you've met Ella," Sully said as he walked into the store. "Yeah, she was tellin' us about her ma being a doctor at the new hospital. Sully, I'm out of flour, but I've ordered more from Denver. Should be here soon," Mr. Bray told Sully. "That's all right. I think we've got some left. Michaela wanted to bake a cake for the kids when they come in tomorrow," Sully explained. "Oh, I'd forgotten that the kids were comin' in. Even Matthew?" Jake asked. "Yep, him and Emma and little Sammy, too. All of 'em under one roof. That's pretty rare these days," Sully smiled. I just thought about the next hundred questions that I was going to ask Sully when we got out of the store. "You didn't tell me all your children were coming to visit. Now I really feel like an imposition," I told Sully. "I don't know how big your house is, but I'm willing to bet it'll be crowded with so many people. I'll just be in the way. Or maybe I could just stay in the clinic. But then what if suddenly a lot of people need to stay there and I-" "Whoa! Slow down. You won't be in the way at all. See, only Brian'll be stayin' at the homestead. He'll be in his old room, you'll be in Colleen's, Katie'll be in hers, and Michaela and I will be in ours. Everyone else is gonna be at the Spring Château Health Resort. Everything's gonna be just fine," he explained. "Oh, okay. So, could you tell me a little about everyone?" I wondered. "Sure. Matthew is a lawyer. Him, his wife Emma, and his son Sammy, live in Denver. Emma makes dresses for all kinds of important people. Colleen and Andrew are both doctors in Boston. Maybe they knew your ma and pa. Anyway, Brian lives in Boston, too. He works at a newspaper there. Have you heard of him, Brian Cooper?" I was stunned. Somewhere besides the medical charts I had heard that name, although all I could recall was that he was a reporter. "The Boston Globe reporter?" I asked. "Yeah, that's him. So you have heard of him," Sully said, sounding pleased. "Yes, I have. Small world, huh?" I smiled, glad to finally feel some kind of connection with him. Chapter Five We walked for a while, and Sully told me about various buildings. He said that both the bank and the Spring Château had been owned by a man named Preston A. Lodge III, but the stock market crashed a few years ago and he went bankrupt and left town for awhile. But about two years ago he came back and started a new business- the first tailor shop in the city. Sully said that Preston used to be a rich man with no personality and still hadn't changed much, though now he was no longer very rich. We passed by the library but didn't go inside. Sully promised to take me another time. I didn't really mind much because I wanted to see everything else before I woke up. He also informed me that Mayor Slicker was the owner of a barbershop. Our next stop was the telegraph office. Near the door a train schedule was posted. The next train, I read from a little sign, was due at 2:15 p.m. A large clock told me that was about an hour from now. "This is where we come to send telegrams and pick up packages," he explained. "The man who runs this place, Horace Bing, is. . . ill, so his nephew, Lewis, is running it for him till he gets better." "Mr. Bing? I met him at Dr. Mike's clinic," I recalled. "So ya did," he simply replied. I followed him into the telegraph office. "Hey there, Lewis. Any packages for Dr. Mike or me?" he asked. "Hi, Commissioner Sully. Yes, sir, some package arrived for Dr. Mike in yesterday's train," Lewis said. Turning to me, he said, "Hello. I'm Lewis Bing. What's your name, ma'am?" "Hey. I'm Ella. Glad to meet you," I said as Sully handed me one of Dr. Mike's packages in addition to some of Sully's supplies. "Maybe I'll see you around," I said as we turned to leave. "Sure hope so!" he called after me. As we stepped outside, Sully said, "It's almost time to go get Katie, so we'll go bring this stuff to the clinic." I obediently followed until we go there. "These came for ya, Michaela," he told he as he opened the door. "Oh, good. You can put those boxes down anywhere. I'll unpack them later. So Ella, how was lunch?" she asked. "It was so great! You can't get food that good anywhere in Boston," I replied. "I quite agree. Grace is a talented chef. And what was your first impression of the town?" "It's really nice. It must be peaceful living in a town like this," I answered. "Well, 'peaceful' isn't exactly the word I would use to describe this town. I'll just say that life here in Colorado Springs is never dull," she smiled. "How's that little boy? Aaron, I think his name was?" I wondered. "He had a pretty badly broken arm and two broken ribs, but he's going to be fine soon. He's upstairs resting now, but if he continues to do this well, he may be going home tonight." "And Mr. Bing?" I further inquired. "I'm still not sure, although your diagnosis sounds like it may be correct. I've decided to go ahead with your opinion and see if Horace gets any better. I'm very impressed with you, Ella," she said. "Thanks a lot, Dr. Mike." At that moment I felt really proud of myself, even if this was really only a dream. "Well, Michaela, I'm gonna go get Katie from school. You comin', Ella?" Sully said, walking out the door. "Yeah! 'Bye, Dr. Mike!" I shouted as I rushed out after him. "Why did Lewis call you 'Commissioner Sully'?" I wondered as we walked along. "Well, 'cause that's my job. I'm the commissioner of Colorado Springs," he explained. I felt a little stupid for asking a question with such an obvious answer, but Sully didn't say anything about it. "That's the church," he said as we walked across an old bridge. I looked at the building and wondered if it was still there in my time, more than one hundred years later. "And that over there," he said, pointing to a meadow with a large building being constructed, "is where the new hospital is gonna be. Should be done in a few months. I expect Dr. Mike's already told ya 'bout that, though." I nodded in response. Then my attention was drawn to a man, dressed in black, wandering near the church. Sully followed my gaze, saw the man, and yelled out, "Hey, Reverend! How are ya?" He walked over to the man. "Hello there, Sully. I'm just fine. How's the family?" the Reverend asked. "We're all fine. The children are all comin' in tomorrow at three o'clock, and I know they'd like it if you'd be there." "I wouldn't miss it for the world. And who's this with you?" he asked. I could tell by his lack of eye contact that he couldn't see, but it surprised me that he was aware of my presence. "This is Ella. Her ma's a doctor and she'll be workin' at the hospital. Ella's stayin' with me and Dr. Mike till her ma comes in. Ella, this is Reverend Timothy Johnson," Sully introduced us. "Hi, Ella. It's nice to meet you." He extended his hand outward and I grasped it. "Hello, Reverend. It's nice to meet you, too," I said. "I hope you'll like living in our town. What do you think of it?" he asked. I smiled and said, "It's nice. I think I'll like it here." And I did like it here in this dream, but in real life I still wanted to go home to Boston. "That's good. I'm glad to hear it. So Sully, where are the two of you off to?" "I promised Katie I'd walk her from school. We were just on our way there," he explained. "Well, you tell little Katie that I said 'Hello,' and Ella, you feel free to stop by any time," the Reverend said. "Sure thing," Sully replied. "See ya later." "Good-bye Sully and Ella," he said, waving. "Nice meeting you," I said as we walked away. When we were out of earshot, I asked, "Why can't he see? Was he born with blindness?" "Actually, no. It just sorta happened a few years ago. I'm not really too sure how, but you can ask Dr. Mike to explain it to ya." Then he came to a stop. I looked ahead and saw a small red building. "That's the schoolhouse, isn't it?" I assumed. "Yep. It'll be out soon." And seconds later children came running out. A little girl in a blue dress ran up to Sully and gave him a hug. "Ella, this is my little girl, Katie. Katie, this is Ella. She'll be stayin' with us for a while." "Hi, Ella. Guess what? My big brothers and big sisters are comin' on the train tomorrow. Isn't it exciting? Do you have any brothers or sisters?" she asked. She spoke as if we'd known each other for years instead of seconds. "Yeah, that is pretty exciting. And no, I don't have any brothers or sisters. But I bet you miss yours a whole lot since they live so far away, don't you?" I said to her. "Yep, I sure do. Hey, you wanna come meet my teacher, Mrs. Morales-Slicker?" Katie grabbed my hand before I had a chance to reply. "Ella, this is Mrs. Morales-Slicker. She's gonna have a baby real soon. Ma'am, this is Ella. My pa says she's gonna be stayin' with my family for a while." "Hello, ma'am. Pleased to meet you," I said to her. I thought a little while and realized something. "You must be Mayor Slicker's wife." "Si, I am. So you've heard of my husband," she replied with a slight accent. "I met him earlier in Mr. Bray's store," I told her. Then I asked, "What are you hoping for, a boy or a girl?" "It does not matter. I already have one of each, so I only wish for a healthy baby," she answered. Behind her appeared two little children, a boy of about five and a girl not much younger. "These are my children. James, whom we call Jimmy, is four, and Lucinda is three. Say hello to Ella, niños." "Hello, Ella," Jimmy said, but Lucinda just waved shyly. "Hola," I replied, using my limited Spanish. (I was, however, quite fluent in French.) "Well, I'm sure your baby will be beautiful and healthy, just like your other children." "You speak with the words of los ángeles," she said with a smile. "Gracias." "De nada," I replied. "I hope to see you again soon. Adiós!" I then walked with Katie to where Sully was standing. "How old are you?" she asked. "I just turned fifteen in June," I told her. "What about you?" "I'm seven," she announced proudly, then stated, "You'll be goin' off to college soon, won't ya?" I nodded and she continued to question. "How long are you stayin' here in Colorado Springs?" "Until I go to college, most likely. My mother and I just moved here from Boston. She's a doctor, just like your ma." I stopped myself there. It felt wrong telling a lie to a trusting little kid like that. Sully then said, "Yeah, Ella's gonna be stayin' at our house till her ma gets here, like I said. You're gonna like that, won't ya, Katie?" "Yep, sure will! Since you don't have any brothers or sisters, you can share mine with me 'cause I got plenty," she said sweetly. "Thanks, Katie. That means a lot to me," I said as we came to the clinic. Sully opened the door, but Dr. Mike wasn't the only one I saw inside. Chapter Six Dr. Mike stood next to a man and a woman who was holding a young child. I had no idea who they were, but apparently Katie did. "Matthew! Emma! Sammy! You're here!" she exclaimed as she ran to embrace them. "Hey there! You're here early," Sully remarked with a big smile on his face. "Yeah, we decided to take an early train so we'd be here to greet Colleen and Andrew and Brian," Matthew explained. "I'd have come to meet ya at the station if I had known. You should've wired and I'd've been glad to be there. But that doesn't matter. I'm just glad you're here," Sully said. "When did you get in?" "The train got here at around 2:20 and we rented a wagon from Robert E. and came straight to the clinic but no one was here. We waited for a while then Ma came back from Grace's," Matthew said. "We would've wired, but it was kinda a spur-of-the-moment thing. We left this morning and didn't know when you'd get the telegram, so we didn't bother to send one." "Well, all the better," Dr. Mike said, "because we get to spend an extra day with you." "Thanks, Dr. Mike. It's wonderful to be here again," Emma said. Then she turned to me (I had been standing quietly in the doorway the whole time) and said, "Hello there." "Hi," I said, walking in. "I'm Ella," I introduced myself to them. "Dr. Mike's told us a bit about you. I'm Emma, and this is Sammy," she said, referring to herself and the child in her arms. "And that's Matthew." "Howdy, ma'am," he said as he tipped his hat. "And as I was saying, Ella and her mother just moved here from Boston," Dr. Mike said. "Colorado Springs is a great town. Lots to do here. I've been to Boston, and Colorado Springs is a lot different, but you'll like it here," Matthew said. "Well, we'd better be getting to the Château so we can get settled in before dark. Sully, could you help me with the wagon I borrowed from Robert E.?" "Sure; be glad to. I'll even drive ya there. Wanna come, Katie? Ella?" Sully asked. I agreed to go, but Katie decided to stay at the clinic with Dr. Mike. Sully helped me into the wagon and we rode to the Spring Château. When we arrived, Sully helped Matthew bring the luggage to the room, but I decided to go for a walk with Emma and Sammy (who had by now fallen asleep). "How old is Sammy?" I wondered. "He'll be two next month," she answered, looking at him fondly. "He's completely adorable," I said, smiling at him. "Yeah, he is. Can't say that I had anything to do with that, though," she stated sadly. "Well. . . what do you mean?" I asked. I knew it was none of my business, but I just had to know what she meant. "Sammy's not really mine," she said. Then she began to explain. "Well, a few years ago, before Matthew and I were married, I was off in Europe and he was married to a woman named Jenna. She died of pneumonia about a week after Sammy was born. Matthew wrote me to tell me what had happened. He didn't ask me to come back, but I couldn't just do nothin'. So I came back from Europe. 'Course Dr. Mike and everyone helped, but I decided to hang around. We went back to Denver because he'd been stayin' in Colorado Springs, and he went back to his law practice and tried to get his life back to normal without Jenna. Not long after, we realized that we were still in love from years before. We got married about a year and a half ago, and now we're a family. Everything turned out great." "Do you and Matthew want any more children?" I asked. "A few years ago, I had a tumor on my uterus. Dr. Mike had to remove the whole thing, so that meant I'd never be able to have children." "Ohmygosh! I'm so sorry! I really had no idea. I'm sorry," I said. I felt just horrible now. "Hey, don't worry about it. Sammy and Matthew are everything I've ever wished for- a family. So don't you go bein' sorry for me 'cause I'm sure not. I'm luckier that a whole lot of people." "Em! Where are you?" Matthew yelled from near the wagon. She rushed to meet him instead of yelling to make her presence known. I assumed that this was because she didn't want to wake her sleeping son. I hurried after her. "Here I am, Matthew," she said and a look of relief came over his face. At that instant I realized that he was still afraid, scared that he would lose them like he had lost Jenna (and Ingrid, as I would later learn). I knew exactly how he felt. After my dad died, I often called out to my mom for no reason other than to make sure she was there. "Ella, you ready to go?" Sully asked. "Sure. 'Bye Emma, Matthew. It was nice meeting you." I walked over to Sammy and whispered, "'Bye Sam." Then Sully and I got into the wagon and rode back into town. "Ella!" I was greeted by Katie as I opened the clinic door. Sully had gone to return the wagon to Robert E. "Hey, Katie. What've you been up to?" "Homework assignments. In arithmetic. Mrs. Morales-Slicker is making us write out our multiplication tables. Today's is five," she said. "I remember when I had to learn that. I always hated it. I rather history and literature, but you need it all, even arithmetic, to do well in life," I said. She smiled at me and went back to her work. I observed that she had extremely neat handwriting for a seven-year-old. I went to the clinic door and opened it, finding something that made me gasp with both a little fear and much interest. Both Katie and Dr. Mike rushed to me. When they saw what I had seen, Katie said, "Oh, that's just Wolf. He won't hurt ya." "Is that a real wolf?" I asked. "Sure is," Sully answered. I looked up to see him smiling at me. "Go ahead, give him a pat on the head. He won't bite ya." "Okay!" I said excitedly and approached Wolf. Extending my hand slowly, I gently patted his head and leaned in closer. I was delighted when he licked my face. "Hey, Wolf. I'm Ella." "I think he likes you," Dr. Mike remarked. Just for a second, I wished that this wouldn't be a dream, that is really could happen. But that's impossible, isn't it? The thought was dismissed as quickly as it had come, and I decided to stay outside the clinic and play with Wolf. Soon I was joined by Sully, who passed the time by telling me about the Cheyenne, their culture, and their stories. These legends entrapped me; I was completely fascinated. I didn't even notice when Dr. Mike said she was closing up and we could go home. Sully obviously didn't either because he just continued with his stories until Dr. Mike practically shouted in his ear. The four of us got into their wagon and headed "home," with Wolf trotting close behind. The homestead, I soon saw, was a beautiful wooden house. I fell in love with it right away. Looking at the house, surrounded by acres of beautiful land, I said the first thing that came to my mind. "We never had anything like this in Boston." "So you like it?" Sully wondered, and I nodded, spellbound. "Well, it'll be dark soon, so we'd better be gettin' inside." I nodded once again and followed. Dr. Mike and Katie were already inside, setting the table. Dr. Mike smiled and said, "I didn't want to scare you off with my cooking on your first night here, so we'll be eating Grace's cooking. I hope you like meatloaf." "It sounds wonderful. I'll eat anything from Miss Grace's," I answered. We all sat down and served our plates. It was mostly Dr. Mike and Sully talking until Dr. Mike turned to me. "Ella, I was looking at this necklace of yours and I noticed an inscription. It says 'Arella.' I was just wondering what it means." "Well, that necklace is really old. The inscription has been there ever since I've had it and my father, too, since he named me after it," I explained. "But I thought your name was 'Ella,' Ella," Katie said adorably. "It is. I didn't like 'Arella,' so I shortened it," I said. "Well, I think 'Arella' is a beautiful name," Dr. Mike stated. "Thanks. My father did, too, because he was the only one who ever called me by that name. My mom wasn't too fond of it, but he'd always wanted a daughter named 'Arella.' As much as I dislike the name, I'm glad she let him name me that because he wouldn't have gotten another chance since I'm an only child." "There's another question I've been meaning to ask. I'd forgotten to ask you what your mother's name was with all the confusion." "Her name is Anne Parks," I replied. (Like Dr. Mike, my mom had kept her maiden name.) Dr. Mike only nodded and that was the end of that conversation. After dinner, it was time for bed. Dr. Mike walked me to Colleen's room and found a nightgown I could borrow. "If you need anything at all," she said, "don't hesitate to ask. It doesn't matter what time it is, okay?" "Thanks," I said, then asked, "Who's at the clinic with your patients if you're here?" "Oh, a doctor from the Château is staying with them for the night. Sweet dreams, Ella." "Good night, Dr. Mike." I changed out of the dress and into the nightgown. Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Come in." It was Katie, standing there with a doll in her arms. "I brought you something so you won't get lonely tonight. Her name's Cassie. Colleen gave her to me for Christmas, but you can borrow her for awhile till you feel more at home." She gave the doll to me and said, "'Night, Ella." "Good night, Katie," I said and closed the door after her. I crawled into bed, holding Cassie. I blew out the candle that stood on my bedside table and stared into the darkness for a while. Soon, I drifted off to sleep, sure that I would awaken in the old room that I still had to finish cleaning.
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