Meanwhile, Brian led Katie up the platform to Bray's Mercantile.
"Hey Mr. Bray!" He shouted when he saw his old friend.
"I brought you those fishhooks from Boston, just like I said I would," he told Loren, giving him a squeeze.
"You know you didn't have to do that," Loren Bray said, rather pleased.
"I said I would." Brian replied.
"So how is your grandma?" Loren asked.
"Well, the operation went well. So far, Grandma is still in good condition."
Loren smiled. "Well that's good to hear! Now, Miss Katie, would you like some licorice?"
Katie squealed and clapped her hands. Loren laughed and picked her up.
"Oh my, you're such a big girl now! You must have really grown! And Brian, now that I think of it, so have you! You're practically a man!"
Brian smiled. "Thanks Loren....." he suddenly stopped in midsentence. A few feet away behind Loren was Sarah. And she was with another boy.
Loren, without noticing Brian's sudden silence, took Katie into the store.
Nervously swallowing, he walked up to Sara and the boy.
"Hi Sara!"
"Brian! You're back! How was Boston?" Sara exclaimed.
"Fine. And how have you been?" Brian asked, all the while sneaking a peek at the tall boy next to her.
"It's been okay. Oh, have you met my cousin Peter? He just came on the train yesterday!" Sara said.
"Pleased 'ta met ya," Peter said, holding out his hand.
"Same here," Brian said.
The two boys shook hands. Brian was relieved that Peter was only a cousin.
"Brian, we were on our way to Grace's Cafe. You wanna come?" Sara asked.
"Sure!" Brian replied. "Mr. Bray has Katie, I'll get her and we'll meet you over there. ok?"
Brian arrived at Mr. Bray's shop and picked up Katie. When they arrived at the cafe, Gretta was waiting. She offered to take Katie home so that Brian could spend time with his friends.
After he was sure that Gretta knew the way, Brian joined Sara and Peter at the table where they were seated.
Colleen and Alexandra had just returned from a nice lunch at one of Philadelphia's better cafes.
"I'm so glad you enjoyed yourself, Colleen!" Alexandra said,
"I think we're going to be very good friends."
Colleen smiled and said, "I think so too."
"I only have one thing to ask of you, dear...if you don't mind." Alexandra said.
"What's that?" Colleen asked.
"When you and your husband come to my house later this week...would you mind not telling my husband that we've already met?"
Colleen looked puzzled, then replied "Of course, Alexandra, but why?"
Alexandra grinned..."Newlyweds are so sweet.." She said, almost to herself, then continued,
"As far as my husband knows, I'm at home taking it easy, and I'd prefer not to worry him, that's all. I'm sure your Andrew would understand..."
Colleen smiled, "If that's what you want...I'll be sure to tell Andrew as well..."
"Yes..that's what I want...thank you!...Anyway, I wouldn't deny my Nathaniel the pleasure of introducing me to you and Andrew!"
Colleen smiled, that was something she could understand. "Well, if I'm to keep up this charade, I really must be getting home! I'll see you soon, then. Goodbye Colleen!"
"Goodbye Alexandra, and thanks again!" Colleen called, as she watched her new friend leave.
She closed the door and retrieved the letter she had been reading before she left. "Now where was I?"
Drs. Cook and Pennington were preparing to close the clinic for the evening...barring any emergencies, they would both be at their respective homes within an hour.
"I've been observing you today, Andrew, and I want you to know that you've been doing a fine job! I'm going to enjoy having you as a colleague!" Dr. Pennington said.
"Well, thank you very much, Dr. Pennington, I must admit I've enjoyed myself as well." Andrew said.
"Now, Andrew, I've already asked you to address me by my first name. Please don't make me ask you again."
Andrew smiled, "All right, Nathaniel..I won't forget."
Nathaniel returned the smile, "Now, shall I expect you and your wife at my house for dinner the day after tomorrow?"
"That should be fine." Andrew said.
"Good. Colleen and Alexandra should get along splendidly, in fact, I'm sure my wife has already called on yours."
"Really?" Andrew was intrigued.
Nathaniel continued, "She really thinks I don't know how she checks up on things...Oh well, it's harmless enough, still, I'd appreciate it if you'd ask Colleen to behave as though she's meeting Alexandra for the first time!"
"Well, if you think that will help..." Andrew said.
"I do...Thank you!" Nathaniel replied. And the doctors finished setting up the clinic for tomorrow, and left to go home.
Back in Boston, Mrs. Quinn was in the hospital. Something had gone wrong, and she wasn't doing well.
A tall man in about his forties, with thick brown hair, and a beard, walked down the hall to see his patient. He'd worked hard to be back here. As he passed one room in the hall, his eye caught the name, 'Elizabeth Quinn'.
He heard a teary voice saying "Mother, please get well, please don't die."
He knew that voice...She was back!
He had to see her. Breaking out into what was nearly a run, he went straight to Dr. Hawkins' office.
"James," he said breathless, "I've got to have the Quinn case."
"David!" James greeted him. "But why the Quinn case? And why do you call it the Quinn case? Mrs. Quinn isn't in any life threatening condition," He paused, and then added, "yet."
"I can't explain, just please let me have her case!"
"All right David, all right. I don't see why you should get so excited about an old woman who's taken a fall, but all right. You can have the case."
Back in Colorado Springs, Gretta looked around the big house. Of course, it was nothing that she'd been used to, but it would be home, until they found her, and she knew she would love it here.
"Come on Katie," she cooed softly. She loved children. "I bet you're tired! Yes, or are you hungry?"
"Both!" Katie said sweetly, yawning slightly.
"Ok, then what do you want to eat? And then you can go take a nap."
"Cookie!! Cookie!!" Katie shouted. She was gonna like getting so much attention!
Gretta didn't think it wise to give Katie a cookie before she went to sleep, and she didn't think there were any in the house, for that matter. But she found a cow outside, and after fifteen minutes of trying to figure out how to milk it, she came out of the barn with a pitcher full of the white, creamy liquid.
As she walked out of the barn, she heard a horse whinny, and startled, she turned around, but carefully, so as not to spill twenty minutes of work. She saw a tall young man, with blue eyes and sandy hair riding up. She looked confused, it wasn't Matthew.
"Hello, Miss," The man said kindly. He was about in his late thirties, maybe early forties.
"You must be Gretta," he continued. "Matthew told me about you today." He stopped, and then went on, "He ask me to come get his horse, for him." He stopped again. Gretta couldn't think of anything to say. She bit her lip nervously. The man sensed her discomfort and laughed softly.
"Sorry. I didn't introduce myself. I'm Daniel."
Gretta smiled politely. There was an awkward silence between them. Finally, Daniel spoke.
"Um, just go along with your work. I'll go get Matthew's horse."
"Uh, yes. I must tend to Katie," Gretta stammered. She quickly turned around and hurried back to the house, aware that Daniel was still looking her direction.
"Matthew did not tell me to expect...Daniel, was it?..."
Gretta thought. "I shall have to speak to him about that when he returns."
Gretta went to check on Katie and found that the little girl had already fallen asleep on the floor, obviously more tired than hungry.
She gathered her up and put her to bed, then went to the window where she could still see Daniel, leading one of the horses out of the barn.
Colleen sat on the bed reading the letter from her mother. She continued from where she left off:
...I know that you and Andrew will be very happy together, and that although I had my doubts about the timing of your wedding, I could not have picked a better husband for you than Andrew.
He is a good man. I know that Charlotte would have been very pleased, as I am.
The letter continued with much advice and good wishes up until the last page...
Please know that your Pa and I will always be there for you, to love and support you, no matter what.
Colleen finished reading the letter, and folded it back up, replacing it neatly in the envelope.
Tears still streamed down her cheeks as she tenderly picked up one of the notebooks that Michaela had given her. She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear Andrew come in.
"Colleen!" he said, noticing her tears, "Are you all right? Did something happen today?"
"Oh, Andrew," Colleen exclaimed. So many things happened today. Seeing Andrew's perplexed expression, she added "but nothing bad, don't worry. I got this letter from Ma, and I'm just feeling a little homesick."
Andrew smiled. "I know it'll take a little getting used to, but we are home. And I know you're going to love it here. There's so much you'll learn at medical school and I know you'll enjoy the challenge. Oh, and I almost forgot, my new boss invited us over for dinner."
Colleen chuckled. "I met his wife today. She told me he would. But you can't tell him she came over. She doesn't want her husband to worry over her being in town without an escort."
"That's what he told me."
"That he doesn't want her in town without an escort?" Colleen asked.
Andrew grinned at his wife. "No, to act like I didn't know she'd been here."
Andrew took his beautiful young wife in his arms and kissed her.
"Well did you miss me while I was gone or were you too occupied with Mrs. Pennington?" Andrew said teasingly.
"You know I always miss you, darling," Colleen replied with a huge smile on her face. "Now, dear husband, if you don't mind I would like to go freshen up for dinner."
"Of course not, my sweet little wife," Andrew grinned. "Only please hurry up. Mrs. White may become upset with us if we're late."
"Yes, dear," Colleen shot back playfully at Andrew. She gave him a quick peck on the lips and was off to the bedroom.
Andrew wandered around the room waiting, not to impatiently though. Just then, he heard a faint knock on the door.
Opening the door, Andrew saw a young boy, about fifteen or sixteen, with a long rectangle box in his arms.
"Yes, can I help you?" Andrew asked.
"These are for a Miss Colleen Cooper. Is this the correct place?" the young boy inquired.
"Yes, it is. May I ask what it is and who is it from?" Andrew curiously looked the boy over.
"I'm from the Florist Shop down the street. A tall dark-haired man asked me to deliver these. Could you give these to Miss Cooper for me?" replied the boy.
"Certainly," Andrew replied. Looking over the box he didn't notice a card. "There was no card attached saying who they were from?"
"No sir. He only said to deliver those flowers"
"Yes, well, thank you." Andrew offered and closed the door.
"Who was that Andrew? Oh a present for me! You shouldn't have" Colleen flew over to Andrew and took the box. Opening it she found a dozen beautiful red roses. "Oh Andrew, you should have, but I love you all the more for them!" She reached up and gave Andrew a big hug for them.
Andrew was lost in his own thoughts though, "Who would be sending my wife roses and still call her
Miss Cooper?"
Back in Colorado Springs, Matthew sat in the sheriff's office looking at Myra's fiancé.
He was a rough looking man, but obviously rich....but not born rich; new money.
It was obvious that he'd made some poor attempts to be refined, but had failed miserably.
"What's your name?" Matthew asked finally. He wished Daniel would hurry with his horse. He hadn't even been home yet, and he'd already gotten himself into some legal mumbo-jumbo.
"Michael Brown," The man said coldly. "Now I suppose you'll read me my rights?"
"I already did," Matthew retorted. "While you were out cold, and we only read 'em once."
Michael Brown looked at him fiercely, and then touched his eye and winced. There'd been a terrible scrap.
He'd gotten the worst of it, too. He'd come out with a bruised head, and busted lip, black eye, and probably a broken nose, while Matthew had a split lip, a cut on his cheek, and Daniel came out without a scratch.
"Are you not even going to get the doctor?" Mr. Brown asked icily.
"The doctor," Matthew replied, "is in Boston, and won't be back for another month. We'll get that nose set, but that's all we can do for you 'till the doctor from Denver comes....with the judge."
"But I believe I need stitches," the man in the cell cried.
"We'll get Jake to patch you up, now shut up." Matthew snapped. He had a lot on his mind. Gretta and Emma mostly, not to mention his Grandma, and Dr. Mike and Sully, plus Horace's case, and to think he hadn't even been home yet!
Back at the homestead, Gretta quickly unpacked. Dr. Mike had given her some dresses that she could wear until she got some new ones.
She unpacked her paintings first. After the train crash, after Johann died, she snuck back home and grabbed them, her jewelry, and Anna, and left.
She figured her relatives would think she was dead, and Anna wrote a letter saying that she'd quit, so that would explain her leaving so soon.
She quickly went about cleaning the house lightly, and the made a light supper. In Europe, your weren't considered a proper wife, money or no money, if you couldn't do everything domestic that a woman was supposed to do, so at least she wouldn't disappoint Dr. Mike.
She thought quickly over Daniel. Why hadn't she said something? She brushed it out of her mind, and continued her work.
Colleen and Andrew went to dinner. Mrs. White was very attentive. She seemed so thrilled that this sweet young couple had joined her "family".
Colleen, who was ecstatically happy tonight, engaged in animated conversation with Mrs. White and the various boarders who shared their table.
Andrew, on the other hand, was much quieter than usual, almost sullen at times, as he tried to sort out who could have been behind the mysterious roses. They returned to their rooms.
Colleen was concerned. "Andrew, is there something wrong? You seemed so...distant tonight."
He said nothing for a moment, then said, "What? Did you say something Colleen?"
"Something's wrong, Andrew. Are you going to tell me what it is?" Colleen demanded.
"Oh, no, Colleen. Nothing's wrong. I'm fine!"
Colleen looked as though she didn't believe him.
"Really, I'm fine!" He smiled, deciding not to let the flowers ruin the rest of Colleen's night.
"I am pretty tired, though. I'm not used to getting up as early as I did this morning."
Colleen smiled back. "Well, maybe you should go to bed, then."
Andrew took the hint. "Only if you join me, dear, after all, you have a big day tomorrow...your first day of medical school..."
Colleen kissed him, and he soon forgot all about the roses...
Brian sat with Sara and Peter at Grace's cafe.
Peter was nice enough, Brian supposed, but he sure wished that he would leave so that Brian could talk to Sara alone.
Brian got his wish when Peter politely but quickly excused himself from the table, when a young lady who was seated a couple of tables down caught his eye.
Brian couldn't believe his luck, and was speechless.
Sara said, "Well, Brian, I know we won't see Peter again for a while....Brian?!"
"Huh?!" Brian was shaken out of his thoughts.
"Hey!" said Sara, trying not to laugh, "Why don't we go for a walk? While there's still some daylight?"
"OK...let's go!" said Brian, and they waved to Peter and his "sweetheart" as they left the cafe.
A bit later, Colleen still lay in Andrew's arms. She was thinking how lucky she was that her husband was so supportive of her decision to become a doctor.
She had the feeling that most men would frown upon their wives entering such a profession, particularly if it was the same as his own. Colleen considered herself extremely fortunate.
Something still bothered her, however. Why wouldn't Andrew tell her what was wrong?
She had chosen to accept his explanation that he was tired...the fact that he was now sound asleep made Colleen think that maybe that's all it was....and maybe she was just nervous about her first day of medical school, after all.
She rose quietly, got out her first journal, and began to write in the dim lamplight....
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