Back in Colorado Springs.....
"Oh Grace, it's nice to see up and moving again. You look like you're feeling much better." said Dorothy smiling.
"Oh hi Dorothy! I feel much better now. Those herbs that Cloud Dancing gave me work wonders. I really appreciate you bringing him to see me."
"Oh, it was nothing. After all, we got to make sure you and your baby are fine!" Dorothy sighed. "Just think about it, a little baby."
"I know." Grace smiled. "So how is Cloud Dancin' right now?"
"He's fine...." Dorothy suddenly became quiet and thoughtful.
"Dorothy? Dorothy, are you okay?" Grace asked, her face full of concern.
Dorothy shook herself awake. "Oh, I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
Grace placed her hands on her hips. "Dorothy, this question has been upon my mind for ages and now I just can't hold it in any longer. Are you and Cloud Dancin' ever going to be together? I know there are still complications, but things have been changing slowly. When are you two ever going to take your relationship a step further and ignore everyone else's opinions?"
"I...I...must go now Grace. I...I promised Loren I'd help him in the store," Dorothy stammered, her face a bright pink. Without another word, she hurried out of the room and back to her newspaper office.
"When are things going to change?" Dorothy whispered to herself.
Preston walked slowly out of the boarding house.
'I cannot believe that I've lost everything,' he thought. 'No one is trusting the bank anymore, and the senator is coming out next week to negotiate about the Chateau. There must be some way I can get back on my feet. I WON'T fail.'
Meanwhile, at the Depot, Horace was busy with the arrival of a train from Denver. He was sending telegrams like mad for people who were letting relatives know where they were, and others who were wiring friends to tell them they were on their way.
"Can I help you ma'am?"
"Horace.." Horace jerked his head up. There she stood. Confident and frightened all at the same time.
"Myra...What are you doin' here?"
"I-I came to..ask a favor," his 'x' replied.
"Well, what is it?"
"Well...I was wonderin' if you'd keep Sam for me for a week, because I'm..."
"You're what? But wait, Myra, what are you doing here in the first place?! When did you arrive? How long are you staying here?! And where is Sam?!" Horace exclaimed.
Myra bit her lip.
"I've been here since yesterday....and...I thought that a telegram wouldn't be good. I'm only staying here for two more days...Samantha is with Grace."
Horace stared at Myra critically. Myra was clearly uncomfortable and wringing her hands. "Myra, what it? Is Samantha sick?"
"Horace...I'm going on a business trip to Boston...a very important one..and I didn't want to leave Samantha alone by herself. I mean, this trip could probably even take more than a week!" Myra laughed nervously, twisting something on her hand.
"What do you...."
Then Horace saw it. A diamond ring was on Myra's left hand. Horace became speechless.
"This isn't about a business trip, is?" He whispered.
Myra nodded. "Where is he?" he asked.
"At the Chateau. We're getting married in a month. This business trip is...is just to have time to ourselves...and for you to see Samantha for the last time..." Myra said.
"The last time!?" Horace nearly shouted, "What do you mean the last time?" Horace fought to keep his voice down.
"Horace, don't make this any harder than it has to be!" Myra said. "Just be glad you're seein' her at all. It took a lot to get him to agree to it. You can pick Samantha up at Grace's tomorrow. I'll pick her up when I get back."
Horace thought for a moment, then replied, too calmly, "All right, Myra. Whatever you think is best."
"I'm so sorry it had to be like this, Horace, ...I'm sorry!" Myra left in tears.
Horace watched her go. After she left, Horace sent a telegram to Boston. Perhaps Matthew could help him with some legal advice…
Michaela came home with red eyes and a troubled expression. That evening at supper, she made the announcement.
"Mother needs an operation," She said abruptly. Everyone turned and stared at her. Gretta translated for her mother to understand better.
Rebecca gasped.
"But, surely...Th-there must be something else.."
"The tests came back positive. I'm afraid there's nothing else we can do," Michaela replied.
Gretta spoke up then.
"Then we must not stay any longer," She said firmly.
"No, Gretta, I didn't mean.." Michaela fumbled.
"You're welcome as long as you need to stay."
"Thank you, but we would only be in the way. We will leave imm.."
"Gretta, are you crazy?" Colleen nearly shouted. She'd become quite attached to this fascinating young woman in their short acquaintance. "You have no place to go. You'd never survive in this city. You must stay with us.'"
"Colleen's right," Matthew pitched in. "It would take you forever to get on your feet alone here."
"Well, we weren't planning to stay here.."
"Then you can stay with us until you find a place to go." Michaela said warmly.
Gretta only nodded.
A little later that evening, Rebecca sent a manservant out to fetch the Heinrick's trunk. When it arrived at Beacon Hill, all the women went to help unpack a few things before retiring early.
Mrs. Heinrick was unwrapping something square.
"You must see what my Gretta can do," She said, holding up the object. All the ladies gasp.
"Mama!" Gretta said, and began to speak in some rapid tongue. Her mother only smiled. The object was a small canvas. Against a deep blue sky, purple, snow capped mountains looking over a beautiful field was painted against the snow white of the cloth.
"What is it?" Michaela asked.
"It is Switzerland," Gretta replied softly.
"My Gretta," Mrs. Heinrick said slowly. "has the gift of the hands. She can do anything that involves them. We sold her work to help with travel, but with some of them, I could not part. We just get them all in the trunk. Not one pot or pan came with us, but many of my daughter's work." She chuckled to herself.
"I can see why," Colleen murmured. "Gretta, this is fabulous!"
"Tenk you," Gretta said, smiling shyly. Michaela took a closer look at it and sighed.
"What's wrong Ma?" Colleen asked.
"Oh, I'm just thinking about Colorado Springs, like Dorothy, Grace and Robert E. I'm wondering what is going on back home. They must wonder what we've been doing." Michaela laughed softly.
While all the ladies looked at Gretta's paintings, Loren was making his way up to Dorothy's office back home.
"I keep tellin' her and her..."he grumbled. He walked into her office. Dorothy was there, printing out tomorrow's newspaper.
"Why hello Loren..." Loren's look stopped her from continuing on.
"I saw Cloud Dancin' stop by here again. When are you going to stop encouraging him to come here? You know that people are being to talk! I don't like to be the fuss pot Dorothy, but I don't like it and neither does anyone else!"
Dorothy took off her apron and glared at Loren.
"This is my life Loren, and I intend to run it and be the judge of my own decisions! I'm not a little girl, but a grown woman, whether you like it or not!" With that, Dorothy threw down her apron and walked out of the office.
Jake and Teresa were sitting at a table at Grace's talking about their house plans.
"Things have been pretty good at the shop," Jake said proudly, "so it shouldn't be too long before I can get all the supplies."
"You will not go into debt doing it," Teresa said firmly.
"'Course not." Jake replied. "I have enough for the lumber, but hardly anything left over for nails and windows and such. And what do you think about colored glass in the front door window? Even fancier that Dr. Mike and Sully's? I could ask 'em where they bought it if you like."
"Jake!" Was all Teresa could say. "That would be beautiful." She finished, smiling broadly at her husband.
While Jake and Teresa were finishing their breakfast and their discussion about their house being built, Myra walked by their table holding Samantha.
"Hi Grace. Horace is coming by in a few minutes to pick up Samantha. Can she sit here and wait on him? He'll be here anytime." Myra said while holding on tight to Samantha.
"Of course Myra, but why don't you wait on him?" Grace answered.
"Well, I really don't want to talk to him. He found out about me getting married in a month. So, he's not too happy." Myra said softly.
"You mean you're not going to try and work things out with him? After all Samantha is his child too." said Grace looking at Samantha.
"Well,......."
"Well, the thing is, I'm not sure how comfortable Sam will be with Horace. You see, she hasn't been around him all that often, so there's a lot of tension. Sam isn't one to warm up to strangers right away. This is more of a trial period. I want to know how she'd handle staying with him."
"I see. Oh, hello Horace."
"Hello Grace, Myra. Hey Sam!"
"Daddy! I missed you so much!" Sam said as she jumped into her father's arms.
"I missed you, too! Goodness, you've gotten big! We need to put something on top of your head so you don't get any taller!"
"That wouldn't work, Daddy," Sam said in between giggles.
"Darn. Well, we'll just have to try something else, huh? Say, look at all those pretty flowers in the field over there. Why don't you pick some for us to put in the house? I need to talk to Mommy real quick, and then I'll come help. Okay?"
"Okay Daddy," Sam said before skipping off in the direction of the field.
Grace quickly excused herself--this was between Horace and Myra.
The two looked at each other in an uncomfortable silence.
"So,..."
"When can I meet him?" Horace asked.
Myra turned pale and looked away. "Horace, this isn't the best time.."
"What isn't the best time?! Myra, I have so many questions to ask you!!! Why can't I meet him, what does he have against me, and why won't I be able to see Samantha anymore?!" Horace yelled.
"Horace, I got to go." Myra turned away from him, but he grabbed her arm.
"Myra, I'm not allowing you to go until I meet this man....this man who is going to become another father to Samantha."
"Horace, I don't think that will be possible."
"Why not!! I have a right to know who is fixing to be a part of OUR daughter's life."
Just then a tall handsome man entered into Grace's cafe.
"Why hello sir!! If you sit down I'll take your order in just a minute." Grace commented.
At that time Myra saw the man. It was her fiancé.
"Horace!!!........."
"Horace..." Myra shouted, "let me go!"
"Myra, I want to meet this man and I want to know what he has against me!"
The man who had just entered stood up then and yelled, "Get your hands off my fiancé!"
Horace turned his head and stared.
"You must be the one who won't let me have my daughter!" Horace said coldly. "And I want to know why."
The man just laughed. "Because you were a terrible husband, and you would make a terrible father. Your wife wouldn't have left you if you'd been good to her, so I can't let you mistreat her daughter."
"I beg your pardon!" Horace exclaimed with fifty exclamation points in his voice. "How dare you! Why you..."
"Horace!" Myra snapped. "Horace please stop!"
"Stay out of this Myra!" Horace commanded.
"What on earth is goin' on here?!" Grace exclaimed when she returned with the man's coffee.
"You're not gonna get away with this," Horace said, ignoring Grace.
"Break it up here! This ain't no fightin' place!" Robert E. commanded, having come when he heard the rising of voices.
"I'm gonna fight this!" Horace yelled. "I'm not gonna let you take away my little girl!" He then turned and walked out of the cafe.
Back in Boston, Grandma Quinn was in surgery. The whole family waited anxiously at the hospital, all hoping that she would recover. Many hours had passed since she went onto the operating table.
"Sully...how much longer?" Brian asked.
"Not much I hope. But you know that your Ma and Dr. Burke have to be very careful with operating. They need to make sure nothin goes wrong," Sully said.
He looked around him at everyone else. Katie was sound asleep on his lap. Matthew was quietly talking to Gretta, while her mother and Rebecca talked. Colleen just sat by herself and was staring at the wall. Andrew and his uncle were in the operating room with Dr. Mike and Dr. Burke.
"I hope they finish soon," Brian commented.
"They will...." Sully answered back. He took another look around the room. He then noticed how relaxed Matthew was with Gretta. Matthew had so many heartbreaks. For once, Sully hoped he'd find peace and happiness.
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