Twice Upon a Train

by K A Moll

  Willow’s eyes widened, butterflies taking flight in the pit of her stomach. “Oh my gosh, really?”

  “Yes, really,” Keegan answered, smiling. “I checked to be sure they were open, that our train was still running, and made us a reservation.”

  “Oh my gosh, it’s still open? That is so cool! And, we’re going? Oh my gosh, I’m so excited!”

  Keegan laughed. “I can tell.” She turned onto a two-lane highway. “So, anyway,” she continued, “I thought we’d eat at a nice seafood restaurant tonight, spend a quiet—or not so quiet—evening in our hotel room, and head for the amusement park first thing tomorrow morning. After that, I need to stop at my dad’s pharmacy. And, last but not least, we’ll take my parents out for dinner tomorrow night. Then, we’ll return the car, and fly out that next morning. Sound like a plan?”

  “Sounds like a great plan,” Willow responded, leaning across, and kissing her cheek with a smack. “Oops, we’re in redneck country.”

  Keegan laughed. “We’re moving down the highway, sweetie. I think we’re safe.”

  *

  The three-hundred-acre wildlife amusement park was home to a variety of animals—from bison to giraffes; parrots to peacocks; tigers to lizards; and, wolves to koalas. It was also home to the train they’d met and fell in love on. According to the sign, the parking lot was able to accommodate five-thousand vehicles. “You’re sure they’re open?” Willow asked, her brow furrowing.

  “I’m sure,” Keegan responded, pulling into the first space in the first row, still a ways out from the entrance, but the closest available.

  “And, they open at ten?” Willow persisted, glancing at her watch.

  “Yep, at ten,” Keegan answered, pressing the button on the rental remote, and dropping her keys into her pocket.

  “Well, I’ll tell you what,” Willow said, her head shaking slowly, “with no more business than this on a Saturday, this park may be open now, but it won’t be open long. I’m glad you thought to get us here one last time before they close.”

  “You can never tell,” Keegan responded, preparing to board an empty tram, “there could be something else going on in the area, another reason for business being slow.”

  Willow sat down beside her. “Nice of them to come out to get us.” She’d seen the tram driver slide behind the wheel as they were getting out of the car.

  “It was,” Keegan responded. “Although, after the dinner we ate last night and the breakfast buffet this morning, the walk would’ve done us good.”

  “I don’t know how they can afford to run this thing with no passengers,” Willow continued. “I mean, this place is empty.”

  “It is,” Keegan agreed, exiting the open vehicle, and stepping to the window. “I have a reservation, but judging from the parking lot, it appears I don’t need one.”

  The woman smiled. “No, not today you don’t.” She passed two bracelets out the window. “Here you go,” she said with a slow wink, “have a good time.”

  “We will. Thanks.”

  “Well, wasn’t she flirty,” Willow commented, turning her head for one last look.

  Keegan swallowed a chuckle, threading their fingers together, and walking by quaint shops with t-shirts on sidewalk tables. “Looks like they need a customer. Want a t-shirt?” she asked, holding up a tan one with a giraffe on the front.

  “If you get one,” Willow answered, encouraging her to select a white one with a red wolf on the back. They put them on in the dressing room, sliding the ones they’d come in into a bag.

  When they stepped out of the establishment, Keegan smiled, squeezing her hand. “Do you hear what I hear?”

  A mighty whistle blew in the distance.

  “I do,” Willow answered, looking down the track. She watched until metal cranked loudly against metal. “Awww, there she is, just like I remember.” She tugged Keegan forward as their train pulled into the station, steam whooshing through her giant stack.

  Keegan’s eyes sparkled gold, brighter than ever. “I take it you’re ready to go for a ride.”

  “You know I am.”

  “All aboard,” the conductor said, collecting their tickets, and winking.

  “Does everyone wink around here?” Willow asked, stepping up, and taking a seat.

  “I hadn’t noticed,” Keegan answered, pressing her lips together as she sat beside her.

  In less than a minute, the grand vehicle panted forward—hu-hu-hu-hu-hu.

  “Guess they’re not waiting to see if they get more passengers.”

  “I guess not,” Keegan said, reaching over, and touching her thigh.

  “Redneck country?” Willow reminded, raising her eyebrows.

  “Yep, same redneck country as it was twenty-six years ago,” Keegan responded, squeezing her hand, and peering into her eyes. “Come on, let’s go.”

  “Go where?”

  “To the rear of the train.”

  Willow’s eyes widened. “Redneck country?” she reminded again.

  Keegan nodded. “Twenty-six years ago, today,” she continued softly, “I told you that I’d never met anyone like you before. I told you that I wanted us to be alone for a little while because I’d probably never see you again.” She tugged her hand, her voice lowering. “Come on, Willow, humor me. I want us to be alone for a little while.”

  “Just remember, women our age get arrested for having sex in public places.”

  “I’ll remember,” Keegan responded, leading the way to the bunk in the car before the last car. When Willow sat down, she dropped to one knee, a velvet box in her palm. “Twenty-six-years ago, today, I laid you back on this bed and pushed inside you.” She swallowed, choking back emotion as she watched Willow open the small box. “And, twenty-six years ago, today,” she went on, “I pulled out, seeing a tinge of red on my finger, realizing that I was your first lover, and knowing that you were mine.” She brushed her cheek softly, peering into her eyes. “For all these years,” she murmured, “my heart held watch, waited for you to return to me, to my bed, and to my arms. And finally, when I’d almost but not quite given up, on a train you came back.” She swallowed hard. “So, it seemed fitting that on a train—our train—I should propose.” She held Willow’s hand between her palms. “Marry me, Willow. Marry me, mine sweet Willow Mae, mine one and only true love.”

  “Oh my God,” Willow responded, tears seeping from the corners of her eyes, “you rented the park, the whole park, so that you could propose to me in the place, and on the day we fell in love.”

  “Guilty as charged,” Keegan murmured, kissing her softly.

  “Yes, Keegan,” Willow said, slipping the French-set diamond on her finger. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  The family operated pharmacy had an old-fashioned marble-and-steel soda fountain.

  “Oh, my goodness,” Willow said, “it’s like stepping back in time to the fifties.”

  Keegan grinned. “I used to love their cherry-vanilla malts as a kid.” She sat down on a turquoise swivel stool, turning to rest an elbow on the counter, and nodding for Willow to sit beside her. “You want one?” she asked, checking out, and handing her the menu. “Lunch too, if you want.”

  “Sounds good,” Willow answered, ordering a grilled cheese sandwich, potato salad, and coleslaw in addition to her cherry-vanilla malt.

  “And, how about you, Keegs?” the waitress asked. “What can I get you?” She was an older woman about the age of Keegan’s parents.

  “The same,” she answered with a smile.

  “Haven’t seen you around for a while.”

  “I stay pretty busy. It’s hard to get away.”

  “Your daddy is so proud of you, your mama too,” she added. “They just go on and on about you being the Chief of Trauma Surgery at that big hospital.”

  Keegan smiled, her eyes darting momentarily to Willow. “How about you and Ben, are you doing alright?”

  “Gotta admit that we’re slowing down, but sti
ll able to work full-time. Can’t retire until our grandson’s ready to take over. He’s almost finished with pharmacy school, so, not too much longer.”

  “Good for him,” Keegan responded. “Seems like just yesterday that he was in grade school.”

  “I’ll send Ben your way,” she said, stepping off. “I know you probably stopped by to talk with him.”

  “I did, thanks,” Keegan responded, explaining to Willow that one of her dad’s medications, an expensive one, was in clinical trials, and thus not fully covered by Medicare. “So, I cover what it doesn’t,” she added, “and I need to talk with Ben from time-to-time to work out details.”

  “You’re a good daughter,” Willow said.

  “I try,” Keegan responded, turning right out of the drug store parking lot, and traveling three blocks down, and two blocks over. Her childhood home was a small white stucco with black shutters. The front door opened as she pulled into the driveway, a seventy-three-year-old southern lady stepping out. She gathered her into her arms for a warm hug. “Love you, Mama.”

  “Love you too, Keegan Harper,” she responded, her eyebrows drawing together. “You’ve lost weight.”

  “Yes, ma’am, a little,” Keegan admitted, stepping them toward Willow. “I want you to meet someone.” She smiled the way you’d smile at your fiancée. “Mama, this is Willow Mae Lord. Willow, this is my mama, Georgia Belle Wade.”

  The two women exchanged greetings, sizing one another up.

  “Daddy inside?” Keegan asked with a step toward the door.

  “In his easy chair. If he’s sleeping, let him be. He’ll be up soon enough.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Keegan answered, catching Willow’s eye. “Are you coming with me or staying with Mama?”

  “I’m good here,” Willow answered with a wink—a wink that Keegan’s mama noticed.

  Georgia Belle’s eyes narrowed. “Would you like a glass of sweet tea?” she asked. “We could sip it in back on the patio.”

  “That sounds wonderful,” Willow said, stilling the quiver in her stomach, and sitting down amidst the azaleas. “They’re beautiful,” she complimented, a glass with dancing cubes appearing before her.

  Georgia Belle smiled, catching sight of the sparkling diamond. “Why, thank you,” she said, her smile broadening. “I have a green thumb for them, as my mama did, and her mama before her.” She peeked over the top of her sunglasses. “Do you garden, Miss Lord?”

  Willow’s quiver became a rolling flutter. “You can call me Willow,” she said, glancing at the door. “And, uh, no, not so much.” She took a breath and let it go. “Well, uh, do you suppose we should go see where Keegs got to?”

  “I’m sure she’s chewing the fat with her daddy, but yes, I suppose we should,” Georgia Belle responded, leaning back, at ease, and in control. “He’ll be eager to meet you.” She chuckled softly, getting up, and stepping inside the door. “Harper,” she called out, “your daughter’s brought her girlfriend home, did she tell you?”

  Keegan met Willow’s eye, then shook her head, meeting her mama’s. “This is why I could never get by with anything as a kid,” she said, slipping it around Willow’s waist. “I have someone I’d like you to meet, Daddy.” She paused, lifting an eyebrow. “Well, actually, you’ve met her on a previous occasion.”

  Harper raised an eyebrow in response. “Is that right?” he said, his voice weak, but full of southern drawl.

  “Yes, sir,” Keegan answered. “This is Willow Mae, my fiancé.” She smiled tenderly at Willow. “Willow, I’m sure you remember my daddy.”

  “I do,” Willow answered.

  Harper squinted, chewing on his bottom lip, trying to place her.

  “You met her on the train at the amusement park.” Keegan held his gaze gently, yet firmly. “Twenty-six years ago, today, the day you fractured my shoulder, the day I had surgery.”

  “Good Lord,” Harper responded, bringing a shaky hand to his forehead. “I’m sorry,” he said, meeting Willow’s eye. “I’m so sorry for what I said and did.” He turned to Keegan, laying his hand over his heart. “Keegs, you know I’m sorry.”

  “I know, Daddy,” Keegan said quietly, the muscles in her jaw quivering. “It took a long while, but things are finally going to work out.”

  Willow smiled, threading their fingers together. “Yes, they are,” she said softly.

  EPILOGUE

  One Year Later

  Keegan caught sight of movement in her peripheral vision. Premeds—stepping closer to anesthesia, lifting onto their toes, peering wide-eyed over the drapes. “Come on, step in where you can see,” she invited, looking up to meet her resident’s eye. “And, the most common error during a gallbladder surgery is?”

  “That the surgeon doesn’t know where the bile ducts are and cuts where she shouldn’t.”

  “Correct,” Keegan said, raising an eyebrow. “Can you tell me rule number one?” she asked, referring to rule number one of ten on a list that she required her first-year residents to memorize.

  “Don’t cut what you can’t fix,” the resident answered with a smile.

  “Correct again,” Keegan responded, her eyes darting briefly to her scrub nurse as she laid down her surgical instrument. She was an attractive straight woman, trained by Naomi during her week-long visit. “Fifteen blade,” she called out, holding her palm upward. “Extra points if you can tell me rule number five, Dr. Lomax.”

  “Eat when you can, pee when you can, have sex when you can, and sleep when you can,” her resident answered.

  The premeds laughed.

  “A very important rule,” Keegan responded, smiling. “And, your reward is—closing. Finish the job well, Doctor.”

  The resident’s eyes brightened. “Thank you for the opportunity. I will.”

  “You’re welcome,” Keegan answered. “Make me proud.” As she removed her cap, she called her wife to ask her to lunch—twenty-seven years to the day since they’d met and fell in love—nine-months since they’d vowed to love and cherish one another in a Manhattan courtroom—eight-months since they’d moved to Utah—five-hours before she’d pick up her parents—six-hours before she’d pick up Willow’s mom, dad, and grandma.

  “Sorry I was out when you called,” Willow greeted, taking off her helmet. “I had a meeting with a patient’s family and a service provider agency that ran over.”

  “Successful?”

  “I think so,” Willow answered, setting her purple scooter on its kickstand. “I guess we’ll see if we have everything covered when he’s discharged.” The scooter had been a compromise that turned out well. When the weather was bad, she or someone at the hospital would drive her where she needed to go, but when it was good, she took herself. “Anyway, I’m sorry I wasn’t in my office when you called.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Keegan responded, kissing her lips as they stood in front of their restaurant. “You can’t just sit in your office, thinking that today might be the day I have a lunch hour.”

  “But, today is today,” Willow reminded, smiling.

  “Yes, today is today,” Keegan answered, holding her gaze softly. “And, if ever there was a day that I was going to free up to take my wife to lunch, it’s going to be this one.” She held the door for her and they stepped inside. “Did you hear from Nikki?”

  Willow nodded. “She’s coming, says she’ll be in late tonight.”

  “Does she need me to pick her up at the airport?”

  “Nope, says she wants to rent a car.”

  “I can’t say I blame her for wanting to be able to escape the drama.”

  “I can’t either,” Willow responded. “Although, I’m hoping we can keep that to a minimum.”

  “Well, obviously, I am too.”

  “But with a full house of perfect strangers—”

  “I know. Maybe we should’ve taken Hyrum up on his offer to let us use his guest house.”

  “It’s too late now, we’ll manage,” Willow responded, arching an eyebrow. �
��As long as Ripple and his cat box can move temporarily into the master suite with us.”

  Keegan shook her head. “I knew it was coming.” She and the cat had learned to co-exist in the house and yard, but she’d held firm that her bedroom and bathroom were off limits. “Okay, but just for the weekend.”

  Willow smiled. “You’re such a good sport.”

  “Not really,” Keegan responded, leading the way to their table. “I just recognize that when you invite your entire family for a housewarming weekend, it’s gonna be snuggly. He’s probably better off in our room anyway, less commotion.”

  “The usual?” the waitress who’d served them since their first visit to the establishment asked. “Or, are we going to be venturesome today?”

  “Venturesome,” Willow answered warmly. She had definite favorites on the farm to table, organic, and sustainable menu, but from time to time could be coaxed to test out the new offerings. “I believe I’ll try your kale chicken Caesar wrap.”

  “Good choice,” the waitress responded, looking at Keegan. “And, how about you, Chief, the usual?”

  Keegan nodded. “Yep, the grilled chicken with honey mustard.” She held her gaze. “How’s your grandson doing?” she asked, remembering that she’d mentioned he was ill when she’d run into her at the Post Office that morning.

  “Just talked to my daughter,” the waitress responded. “His belly pain has moved down some.”

  “On his right side? Worse when he’s moving around?”

  “I think so,” she responded.

  “You probably should have her take him to the ER. It could be appendicitis.”

  “I’ll do that,” she responded, opening her flip phone. “I’ll have her go right now.” When she brought their food, she thanked Keegan for being a good doctor, for caring enough to ask about him.

  “So, what’s on your afternoon agenda?” Willow asked, taking a bite of her wrap with a slight wrinkle of her nose.

  “Rounds, see a couple patients in the clinic, and then home for a shower.”