Always Tried and Proven

by Nancy Hopper

  “Oh, my. We’ll have to ask Sam. Several months, I’d say. She seems to remember people, but fewer events.”

  “Where is he?”

  “In the park, pulling himself together.”

  The doctor smiled his understanding. “Not taking it well, eh?”

  “Well; he’s pretty much been to hell and back for this lady, already. To think about starting all over with her, was not a pleasant prospect. But, he’s the kind who will. He’s remarkable. He’ll be steady, never fear.”

  “That’s good. She’s going to need that. I’ll be in the hospital for a couple more hours. Have him page me at this number, when he gets back.” Dr. Adams advised, giving her a business card.

  Sadie thanked him and went to find Dalton and Sean. She gave them the good news first, then the bad.

  “Wow.” Dalton whistled. “That’s rough. Poor Sam’s already tamed this tiger once.”

  “Tell me about it. He was just about in tears, when I left him in the park.”

  Sean blanched. “Must have torn his heart out when she didn’t remember anything about … them.”

  “It did, though he’d never say so. You guys, I need to ask you a question. Callie said something strange, about never wanting to get married. She said she’d never give a man any power over her life. Can you tell me why?”

  Dalton shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “I thought Sam had her over all that.”

  “He did. Until today.” Sadie agreed. “Please, help me -- so I can help him.”

  Dalton shrugged. “Had to do with a guy named Dexter.” He said tightly. “He was a son of a gun, a low down snake. But he was good looking, and he had a way about him. He met Callie when she was too young and innocent to know any better. He took her for quite a ride.”

  “Took her virginity, took her pride, took her to the bottom. When he got tired of her devotion, he just found somebody else. I swear, he was looking for the female that would most destroy Callie. He decided that the perfect woman to do that, would have to be her father’s girlfriend. So that’s what he did. Her name was Lila, and she was no prize, let me tell you.”

  “Callie’s dad, Willy, caught Lila in bed with Dexter, and shot them both. Dexter managed to knife him, and Willy died. Callie found all three of them, in her bedroom. Her father was still alive, and he told her what had happened. Then, he died in her arms. Dexter and Lila survived, but … it was pretty horrific. Blood everywhere, Callie was suspected for a time, until they finished the investigation.”

  Sadie stared at Dalton with disbelieving eyes.

  “Needless to say, we took a couple of months off while Cal teetered on the brink of going to the mental hospital.” He said.

  Sadie closed her eyes. “Oh, Lord. And yet, she was ready to trust Sam.”

  Dalton raised an eyebrow. “Says a lot about Sam.” He agreed. “Especially after the funeral.”

  “What do you mean?” Sadie asked worriedly.

  “The damn … preacher.” Dalton said heatedly, then ended hesitantly.

  “What did he do?” Sadie asked, suddenly afraid of the answer.

  “Aw, he just … used the opportunity to beat Cal up, that’s all. To tell her she deserved everything that had happened to her, because she was sleeping with Dexter and wasn’t married to him. That she was a little bar fly with no morals, and used her body to tempt men into sin. That kind of thing.”

  “At her father’s funeral?” Sadie hissed in disbelief.

  “He humiliated her in front of everyone.” Sean said sadly. “She just sat there. Like a statue. With a face like stone. I didn’t think she was ever going to snap out of it. She was so cold, for so long. Just, like, going through the motions, you know? Until Sam came along.”

  “That was so God’s intervention.”

  “And now, this.”

  Sadie sighed. “Well, now all that we can do is pray, and pray hard. We need Sam and Callie together, and it seems like something is always getting in the way of it.”

  “Well, Sadie; maybe it’s just not meant to be.” Dalton suggested uneasily.

  “Oh, it’s meant to be, all right.” She insisted. “And it will be, if I can do anything about it.”

  “You be careful! Men don’t appreciate interference in those kind of things, lady.” Dalton drawled.

  “I’m not going to interfere. I’m just going to pray.” She assured him.

  She heard a page for Dr. Adams, and wondered if Sam had come back.

  “I’ve got to find Sam, and get him hooked up with Dr. Adams. Why don’t you two go see Cal if you want, for a minute? Just don’t stay too long. And try not to tell her stuff, yet.”

  They went their separate ways, and Sadie found Sam with Dr. Adams at the nurse’s station. “She says she remembers more now, than she did this morning. That’s a very good sign. She may have been in shock, and disoriented. We’ll see how it goes. Don’t try to feed her too much information. It’s best to let it come back to her as she’s ready for it.” the doctor advised.

  Sadie put a hand on Sam’s arm and smiled. “She’s been asleep.” Sam told her. “Dalton and Sean just went in for a minute.”

  They talked a few more minutes with Dr. Adams, and then Sean and Dalton came out. Dr. Adams checked with Callie, and went on his way.

  Then, Sam found Sean, Sadie and Dalton all looking at him.

  Sadie turned to the two musicians, and smiled. “I’m going to let Sam say goodbye to Callie, and then I think we should go home.” She said tiredly. “Do you guys want to wait for us, or go ahead?”

  Dalton and Sean looked at one another. “I suppose we could just go ahead.” Sean agreed uncertainly.

  “Sure.” Dalton agreed. “It’s already been a long day.”

  “All right. We’ll be along soon.” Sadie assured them.

  Sam sighed as they walked away. “Thanks.” He said wearily.

  “No problem. I thought it might be easier on you with as few people around as possible.”

  “You were right.” He said tightly. “Well, Sadie. Do you want to see her again?”

  “Not today. You go ahead, Sam. Then, we should let her rest.”

  Sam nodded, and gave her a wavering look. Then he turned his eyes away, and forced himself to walk to the door.

  “Samuel. Listen to me. You can’t lose heart. This is a temporary thing. Callie wants to marry you.”

  He snorted in derision, and shook his head. But he couldn’t look her in the eyes. “No, she doesn’t. She made that very clear this morning.”

  “Well, last night, when she was in her right mind, she was very intent on regaining your trust and affection.” She argued. “She came back to work in the tent, with the hope of showing you that she’d changed.”

  “Then why didn’t she just say so?” he challenged in a growl.

  “You know why. You trusted her about as far as you would a rattlesnake, and everyone in the tent would have skinned her if she had so much as thought about it. I almost did take her on, myself. I gave her a piece of my mind that she won’t soon forget. She started crying.”

  Sam raised both eyebrows. “Callie? You made Callie cry? When?”

  “Right after you found out she was back. She was very repentant. She said that she just wanted to serve. She said that if you didn’t come to her and give her another chance, that she’d leave, and get out of your way. But she felt that she had to try. Because she loves you, and wants to be with you.”

  “She could have said so!” Sam railed.

  “No, she couldn’t. Sam, you were way too touchy and mistrustful. Besides, you know darn well that a woman can’t put herself forward with a preacher. And you didn’t start softening at all, until a couple of days ago.”

  “Maybe.” He sighed.

  “Maybe, my foot. We did everything we could to catch your eye, and get you to notice her. What do you think that white suede dress was all about? And that cute, ruffly white skirt and lacy top? And the new nightgown. She was working so hard to present you
with a woman that was so beautiful, you couldn’t help but forgive her and take her back. Sam, she bought new perfume, new make-up, new everything. She agonized for hours about singing, what you might think, what to do.”

  Sam leaned against the wall and let his head fall back. He sighed. “I can’t, Sadie.” He said tightly. “This day has clinched it. I just can’t do it, anymore.”

  “Don’t you dare give up, Sam. That woman in there is the wife you need by your side! Don’t you give her back to the devil, and try to wash your hands. She needs you and you need her! Whatever she said this morning out of that rattled brain of hers, is not what Callie wants! She wants you, she loves you, and she needs you. She needs you, desperately.”

  “On the way home, I’ll tell you why she didn’t want to get married, until you came along. She had one heck of a reason. Now, that memory came back to the surface this morning, but it had nothing to do with you!”

  “Forgive her, Sam. If the doctor says she’ll sort everything out, she will. You just go in there with faith in your heart, and you love her. God gave her to you. Don’t you dare throw her away, when she’s not responsible for what she says.”

  “Okay, okay, okay.” Sam growled. “I’m sure you’re right, that I shouldn’t draw any conclusions. But it’s not easy.”

  “I know. But she’s been chasing you with her whole heart, Sam. Believe that -- not what she said, today.”

  He shook his head. “You devious females.” He scoffed.

  “Hey. It worked, didn’t it?” she asked sweetly.

  Sam gave her a weary look, and went through the door, into Callie’s room.

  Callie opened her eyes, and found Sam sitting by her bed.

  “Hi. Bet you hate me, huh?” she asked tiredly.

  “No, Callie. Far from it.” He assured her with a sad smile.

  “Sam, we had a fight, didn’t we?” she asked with clear distress.

  He shrugged. “Well, sort of. Some time back.”'

  “But – we made it up?”

  Sam was uncomfortable. “Well; it was coming along.” He admitted uneasily.

  “I was lying here this afternoon and all of a sudden, I was remembering this awful fight. We were at mom’s house, and I threw you out. I was so upset and scared, and you were so patient, and then you were gone – and I realized I was never going to see you again, and it was so horrible! I was filled with this awful sense of dread, Sam.”

  “And, I only knew that the fight had happened. I had no sense of time to know when; if it was yesterday, or a year ago. It felt as if it had just happened, Sam, and then I began to wonder if I’d put you on the spot, if you were only here today out of a sense of duty.”

  “No.” he denied immediately. “Callie, no. Since then, you’ve come to work for me, and we’ve been on very good terms, actually. It was some time ago. It’s all over.”

  “I was so mean to you that day, Sam! I was furious because I was so afraid. You know, I was terrified when you talked about getting married that day, and it made me react so violently. It wasn’t even about you, Sam. It was something from the past that made me do that.”

  “And then today, I … I just reacted again. I’m so sorry. Oh, you must have long ago lost patience with me.”

  Sam looked at his clasped hands, and sighed. “Callie; please, stop worrying. It’s really all right.” He said gently.

  Callie felt tears spring up in her eyes. “Sadie says you’re the most wonderful man. I can see why. Sam, I remember you took me to dinner, and you were so charming and handsome and aggressive, and I was so terrified of you! I can remember you telling me you’d kiss me, but it was only knowing it would end any chance with me, that kept you on good behavior.”

  “Sam, what happened? What happened between there, and the fight? What happened between the fight and now? I don’t understand.”

  Sam shook his head, not wanting to look up at her. “It’s very complex, Callie. Please, don’t struggle with it now. Just know that ...” He looked away, chagrined to feel tears choking him suddenly. “Know that I am here for you.” He managed to say.

  Callie watched him with careful intensity. He was hurting, and it was her fault. “You know what, Sam? You are a handsome, lovable, sexy man. I’d have to be crazy to even hesitate. All I can tell you is, I was trying to recover from a heck of a bad experience when you came along. Will you please … please, Sam? Just wait until I get out of here, and get my head on straight? Give me a chance to deal with my past – and take a good look at you, without that coloring my vision.”

  “I think … oh, boy. I know that I was head over heels in love with you. Sam, I just remembered sitting by a river and looking up and seeing you standing there, watching me with such a look in your eyes.”

  Sam smiled and bowed his head. “Yeah. I remember that, too.”

  “Sam, you said I work for you. What in the world do I do?”

  He laughed. “You, Sean, Dalton and Jeremy play some incredible music every night. What else would I hire you to do?” he asked teasingly. “But that’s not exactly true. You’re not an employee. You’re a volunteer, and you work very hard.”

  She shook her head, thoroughly confused. “How do we live, then?”

  He shrugged. “We do all right. Now, listen, you need to settle your brain and get some rest.”

  “No, Sam. Wait a minute. Just what business are you in?” she insisted.

  A young man came to the door of Callie’s room, just then. “Reverend Stringer?” he asked with a shaky voice.

  “Yes.” Sam answered immediately.

  “My father is in a room just down the hall. They don’t think he’s going to live through the night. I’m sorry to impose on you, but I don’t have no one to call. Do you think you could come see to him?”

  “I’d be honored.” Sam assured him. He looked at Callie and grinned. “I’ll be back.”

  She watched him stand, and kiss her cheek; watched with open mouth as he walked out the door.

  “A preacher? I’m madly in love with a blooming preacher?” she gasped.

  “You sure are, darling.” Sadie confirmed from the doorway. “Madly, totally, head over heels, out of your mind, in love.”

  “Oh, God. The tent.” Callie gasped suddenly. “The revival. Sam!” She groaned.

  Sadie looked at the ceiling, tears in her eyes. “I can’t say that I am at all sorry to hear you say those words.” She admitted, laughing and trying not to cry.

  “Oh, my God! I accepted Jesus, I came back to the tent; I did want to marry Sam. I came to join the tent, just praying that he’d forgive me, and give me another chance. I even swore to you I’d that leave for good, if he wouldn’t. Oh, my God! And today, I basically told him to forget marriage, and I cussed like a sailor. Oh, Sam. What he must think of me now!”

  “Now,” Sadie soothed, “don’t you worry. Sam was shocked and upset, but he understands. He’s going to ride out this storm with you, darling. He’s no limp dishrag, you know. Now, you just let him know you’ve remembered everything, and do your best to get him to kiss you, and who knows what will happen before the day’s over?”

  Callie laughed through tears and shook her head. “Sadie, you’re incorrigible. I would have lost Sam for sure, long ago if not for you.”

  “Naw.” Sadie denied with a cheeky grin. “Love covers a multitude of sins. Sam’s been waiting a long time for you to come along and grab him by the heart. He wants you. You just hang in there, and you’ll win the prize.”

  Sam rejoined them, and gave them a grim smile. “Well, the boy was right. He’s not going to last much longer. Sadie, will you go down and sit with him? I think he’s going to go, at any time. I’d like to hang out for awhile for the boy’s sake, if you don’t mind.

  “Sure, Sam.” Sadie agreed immediately.

  “Thanks. He’s in 306.” He informed her.

  Sam sat in the chair, and smiled tiredly at Callie. “You need some rest, Cal. We’ll come back tomorrow.”

  “You
know what, Sam? I remember.” She said, with a trembling voice.

  “You remember what, honey?”

  “You. The tent. Jesus. I think I remember just about everything. Hearing that guy call you reverend shook my brain up, and dropped all the memories into place again. Sam, I said some awful things to you this morning.”

  “It doesn’t matter, Cal. I know you didn’t realize.”

  “Sam; it does matter. Please, just accept my apology and know that I was recalling a moment in the past when I said those things.”

  Sam closed his eyes, and sighed. “Okay.” He agreed, knowing she needed to know. “Callie, I understand.”

  “Please, forgive me, for everything.”

  Those words hit Sam hard. He felt his heart constrict. He looked at the floor.

  “Callie, of course I forgive you.” He answered in a low voice.

  “Thank you, Sam.” She said brokenly. “You don’t have to love me, or want to marry me, or anything. But please, try to forgive me.”

  “Callie,” he objected. It hurt just to hear her say these things. He wasn’t ready to think about them. “Callie. Listen, I’ve got to get back to that man. Honey, you get some rest and I’ll see you tomorrow. All right?”

  “All right.” She agreed meekly.

  Sam met her eyes briefly, and squeezed her hand. She reached up with eyes that cut to the quick, asking for a hug. Sam steeled himself and took a deep breath. Then he put an arm around her, and hugged her head against his shoulder gently.

  She turned her face up to his, and put an arm around his neck. She found his mouth and kissed him softly. “This morning you kissed me. I want more.” She whispered with longing. She kissed him again, and was pleased that his shock gave her more room to convince him. She took all she could get, and was pleased that he didn’t pull away. Her hands stroked his hair, his neck.

  Sam was in agony. He was too raw to deal with any more, in one day. She was shredding his defenses, tearing open his heart’s wounds. Yet, he couldn’t deny her. To do so would upset her terribly, and he honestly couldn’t resist the feel of her lips hungrily seeking his, the touch of her soft fingers in his hair.