"Yes…" Cale acknowledged.
It was in that instant that he realized these three people were family now. His family and they had a right to be there.
They all rode into town and Cale showed them the way to the doctor's office.
When they came in, Mrs. Summers was sitting where he'd left her, her hands crumpling a hankie in her hand. Her eyes were red, but she put on a smile for them.
"How is she?" Cale muttered.
"I don't know. He hasn't come out."
"I'll tell him Mark is here."
Cale went inside and saw Amelia lying on the bed, her eyes closed, and she looked so still. Cale took a sharp breath.
The doctor turned around.
"He's outside, doc. How is she?"
"The same…" The doctor walked out into the front office.
"Doc, this is Mark Harrison, her cousin." Cale explained.
The doctor nodded to him. "I won't lie to you. She's in serious condition. I'm not sure I can get that bullet out, I’m only sure I have to try."
Mark's face fell. "Have you done procedures like this before?"
"One…"
"And…"
"The patient died…" The doctor admitted.
"And if you don't operate?" Mark asked.
"She probably will die..."
Mark looked at Cale and Cale nodded. "Then operate…"
"Alright. You might as well get some rest, this will take a little time and it will be a while before she will be conscious."
"We'll be over at the Railhead, getting something to eat."
"Fine…"
"You let us know as soon as you can…" Cale said.
"Of course."
He disappeared into the other room and Mrs. Summers stood up. "I better get back to the store. If you need anything…anything, just let me know."
"Yeah…" Cale nodded. "Thanks."
She turned to Sarah and smiled. "You must be Sarah."
Sarah nodded, but her eyes kept drifting to the other room. "She's survived worse things than this…"
Sarah felt the tears that rolled down her cheeks and swiped them.
Mrs. Summers hugged her. "She'll survive this too."
As Hodge, Sarah, Mark and Cale walked over to the Railhead café they all had long faces.
But as they sat waiting for their meal, and drinking coffee Mark glanced up at Cale. "You did want me to let the doc operate, didn't you?"
"Yes!" the three of them nodded.
"Good. Mrs. Summers is right, she's survived rougher things than this…" Mark commented. "Poor little thing, it is so heartbreaking. What happened?"
"Dolby happened!" Cale grit his teeth.
"Who's that?" Mark asked innocently.
"He's the man that murdered my mother and sisters. Now he's hurt Amelia. I should have knocked Amelia out of the way and gunned him down…"
Hodge shook his head.
"The Sheriff arrested him, he's in jail."
"Thank goodness for that." Mark sighed heavily.
"It is time…" Hodge said finally.
"Time? What are you talking about, Hodge?" Cale asked.
"I must speak with the Sheriff…"
"Why?" Cale frowned.
"Because I am the only one that can find justice for you. I saw what Dolby did. I tell Sheriff."
"Don't be ridiculous, you weren't in town today." Cale looked incredulous.
"No…I saw what Dolby did to your mother and sisters. Only I. I will tell Sheriff."
Cale stared at Hodge for a long moment. The room seemed to quiet, and all eyes were on Hodge. "You saw it?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you speak up before now?"
Hodge sat very still, "White man's law not like Indian law. Indian law would make Dolby suffer long time. Before he die…I called upon the great spirit to torture Dolby. It takes long time to accept white man's law. White man's law relies on proof. Indian law is better. But now Sheriff has proof and can put him away. I speak for your people now. I tell them about your mother and sisters. Put Dolby in prison and keep there."
"Yes, they will. But Hodge, why didn't you tell me you knew about it?"
"Because Cale would run out and shoot Dolby and Cale would go to jail. Not justice. Cale not bad, Dolby bad. I afraid if I speak out you would go to jail. Now, he's in jail, and no worries. I tell…"
"You saw him kill them?"
"I saw him shoot mother…I saw him coming from the barn…I did not know what he did there, until you told me about your sisters dead in barn. But he's the one that killed your mother and ran like a deer through the woods." Hodge explained.
Mark seemed amazed by all the news.
Sarah knew the truth and nodded. "Hodge speaks truth. Hodge worry over you, Cale. Indian seeks vengeance and it's bad, white man seek and still bad. Hodge protect you."
Cale's saw now what Sarah meant. Hodge knew how Cale wanted to kill Dolby. He'd protected him all this time.
He'd never realized until this moment just how close he and Hodge had become through the years.
"You got a good friend in that man right there." Mark said softly, his eyes going from Cale to Hodge.
"Yeah, I think you are right."
Hodge stared into Cale's eyes. "Cale lose father too when mother die. Cale alone when brothers left the farm. Hodge saw all of this. For many moons I sat outside the farm and watched. Cale worked from sunup to sun down. He had no one. He asked nothing of anyone. He good man. Hodge knew what was in Cale's heart. Knew he wanted to kill Dolby. Dolby bad. But white man's law wouldn't put Dolby away. So Hodge call on great spirit. Hodge watched over friend Cale."
They were halfway through the meal when the doctor came and sat at their table.
"How is she?"
"I got the bullet out without doing too much damage. She's very weak, lost a lot of blood."
"Will she make it?"
The doctor sipped the hot coffee that the waitress brought to him and looked up at them for the first time. "I don't know…time will tell."
"I sit with Amelia…" Sarah offered.
"No…not yet. I want to be there for a while…then you can."
"We can all take turns." Mark suggested.
"Sounds good." Cale nodded.
"Is she awake?"
"No, she'll be out a while." The doctor said and finished his coffee. "I just wanted to stop by and tell you. She did make it through the surgery. She's weak, but she seems like a real fighter." The doctor almost smiled.
"Amelia good fighter." Sarah said.
"I believe you are right." The doc smiled. "I'll go on back. Come on over when you want, the next day or two is critical. If she makes it that long, I think she will live."
There were long sighs from that news.
"Thanks for letting us know…" Cale nodded to the doctor.
The doc nodded and left.
"Judy used to be so mean to Amelia, when we were kids. She'd knock her out of trees. Push her down. Even wrestled her a time or two. Amelia rarely fought back, but she always got back up. I could never stand up to Judy like that." Mark shook his head in remembrance.
"I didn't care much for your sister Mark." Cale remarked.
Mark snickered. "Neither did I."
Chapter Twenty-Four
It was dark in the room, only a small bit of moonlight filtered through the thin curtains of the doctor's room. There were two empty beds on the other side of the room. The floor was polished to a shine and the doctor's desk was immaculately cleaned and polished. But none of those things mattered to Cale.
Cale sat smoothing the hair from Amelia's face as he stared down at her.
"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever known." He whispered as though she could hear him. "I think I've been in love with you since the fist moment I saw you. I've never been in love before. Didn't know it could hurt so much."
He looked away, feeling the sadness welling inside him.
"I never thought you'd look at me that way th
ough." He continued as he took a chair and drug it up to the side of the bed. He reached for her pale hand and held it inside his. "I never thought I'd be this lucky."
It seemed so long ago when he'd brought her from the Huaco's. He remembered the first time he'd set eyes on her, she looked so lost. Iron Kettle had just told her she had to leave, and that she wouldn't be going to the reservation with them. It had hurt her deeply, for strangely she had found a home with the Huaco's.
Some women were gorgeous on the outside and not so pretty on the inside. Amelia was not one of those. He knew it immediately. Something good, clean, and sweet emerged from that first meeting with her. Even though she didn't quite trust him then, he felt some immediate connection. But in reality, he knew that it had happened before that day. It happened at the General Store in town, when he spotted her picture and heard her story. He'd been captivated by that drawing. He thought the artist must have loved her too.
He remembered her slightly drunken state when he brought her down from the scaffold and she'd practically fell into his arms.
But when she reached up and kissed him, he'd been so shocked he responded. And that was another first for him.
She hadn't apologized for kissing him either. Now looking back on it, he could laugh almost.
She sure took him by storm. She had somehow wrapped herself around his heart. Now she lay close to death, and it was his fault.
If he hadn't been pulled in by Dolby, none of this would have happened. If she hadn't tried to save him, he'd be the one lying there on the bed fighting for life.
It wasn't fair that one person should suffer so much.
He took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it, rubbing it, wishing she'd come to and say she was alright.
Cale found himself searching his soul for answers.
Finally, he looked up in the darkness. It had been a long time since he' talked to God, but it was time. "God…I know I probably don't deserve it, but please…let her live. It shouldn't have been her, it should have been me. I've never loved anyone but my family. Never known it could be so powerful. This feeling for another. I want to marry her God, and you know I haven't felt like this before. If I lose her…I'm afraid my heart might turn cold as a winter's night. She's been through so much; won't you give us a chance to be happy? That's all I got to say on the matter, but please consider it. Thanks!"
He looked down at her and she hadn't moved, nor made a sound. He looked at her hand and felt something drop onto it. He fingered it, for a moment, his mind not fully registering what it was.
Then reality hit him and he bolted upright, staring at the drop of liquid on their hands. He was crying. It startled him. He hadn't cried since the day he came home and found his mother and sisters dead. But today he had shed tears for this woman who moved all his emotions.
He wouldn't allow himself to indulge in his own misery. He straightened and hardened himself. But his insides seem to scream at him of the pain. Pain of holding it in.
He firmed his lips, and felt the weight of emotion bearing down on him. He would not cry again. Amelia would live…they would be married. He couldn't allow himself to think differently.
However, the strain of holding back emotion soon got to him and he laid his head down on the bed, next to her, his lips kissed her hand, as he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
It was morning before he awoke, and the sun streaming through the thin curtain woke him. When he raised his head to look down at her, she was still asleep.
He sighed heavily and took her hand in his. "Honey, I'm going to will you back to me…" He announced. "I refuse to lose you."
But just as he said it, her eyes came open, slowly at first, then big as saucers when she saw him holding her hand and staring at her so.
"What's wrong?" She barely managed to ask.
"You've been away a while." He smiled at her, the joy that came into his heart filled him.
"What happened?"
"Well, you sort of got in the way of a bullet that was meant for me." He said, a slow invading smile crossing his lips as he stared at her.
She tried to raise up and the pain had her laying back down.
He shook his head. "Don't move around, not just yet. You've been shot."
"Dolby?" She asked.
"Yes."
"Did-did you kill him?" She stared without taking a breath.
"No…" Cale smiled at her. "The Sheriff locked him up. And Hodge told the Sheriff he saw the murders of my folks, so I expect to see Dolby locked up for quite a while."
"O-oh…I'm so happy for you."
"Me too…" He said and bent to kiss her tenderly on the mouth.
When he raised up, he looked into her eyes. "It's about time you woke up. We've got a wedding to go to you know."
She smiled, her lips still moist from his kiss. "Oh yes…as soon as I'm able…"
"That's right. Sarah's coming to sit with you in a bit. Can I get you some water, or coffee or something?" He looked so content, so happy. She reached for him.
"Kiss me again!" She cried her voice soft, and appealing.
"Yes ma'am…" He obliged, several times.
Tentatively he touched his lips to hers, but the moment they came together, they seemed fused. The kiss lingered for long drugging moments and when he came up for air, he panted.
When he let her go, he sat down again and held her hand. He stared at the bed, not daring to look at her. "I prayed again, for the first time in a long time."
She smiled and squeezed his hand. "For me?"
"Yes for you!" He chuckled.
"I'm glad. Oh I wish I could get up and dance with you, but I don't think I'd do very well…"
"No sweetheart, just rest. You've got to get well soon, so we can be married." Cale smiled.
"Where am I?" She asked as she looked around the place and didn't see anything familiar. She saw the made up beds, the medicine cabinet full of bottles and such. She glanced at the desk and then the wall with all the degrees.
"At Doc Dillard's. You've been here a while now. He got the bullet out, and said if you survived the next couple of days you'd make it." Cale informed her as she glanced about the room.
"He's got a lot of degrees doesn't he?" Amelia noted three on the wall.
"Yes, he's a good doctor. And quite handsome to boot."
"Really!" Amelia teased.
"What would you like to eat?" He asked ignoring her attempt to flirt with him.
"A steak…."
"Oh no you don't, young lady." The doctor walked into the room and smiled. "No steaks just yet. We'll start off simple, with broth, then some soft vegetables, but no meat yet. You can't get up for a day or two. But we'll have you back on steak and potatoes later." He promised.
Amelia looked at the doctor and then at Cale. "You're right, he's very handsome."
"Well, that's the first sign a woman gives that she's better, when she can flirt." The doctor smiled at her. He came to check her pulse, and her eyelids. "Much better. I'll have my nurse get you some food."
"Thank you, I'm starved."
Cale moved toward her again. But the doctor put up his hand. "No more of that. She's got to rest now. I think she can be left alone to sleep for a while. And I'm told Sarah is coming in to sit with you later."
"Oh…I'm glad. Thank you…"
The doctor nodded and started to leave but their voices stopped him. "Thank you for all you've done."
The doctor smiled and left.
Cale kissed her tenderly on the lips and squeezed her hand once more. "I've got to go home for a bit and check on things."
"Alright…thank you…"
"For what?" Cale asked as he turned to look at her over his shoulder.
"For staying with me. I know someone held my hand all night long, and I know it was you…I couldn't open my eyes, I couldn't tell you I knew you were here. But I felt you."
"Get some rest honey. I'll be back soon."
"You get some rest. Your eyes are swollen
and red, and you look exhausted. And Cale…?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks for not shooting Dolby." She smiled at him.
"You're thanking me, after he shot you?" Cale scrunched up his face.
"Yes, you aren't in jail or dead. And I'm very grateful for that."
Cale nodded and a slow grin invaded his face.
"You are very appealing when you grin like that." She said.
"I love you…"
"I know…and I love you." She said and closed her eyes.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Amelia recuperated for three weeks, and then went home to the farm. She was bored to death being in bed every day and was eager to resume her life once more.
For two whole weeks, Amelia and Sarah had began planning the wedding. Sarah insisted on making her dress and Amelia let her. She didn't care what it looked like, she trusted Sarah and would be proud to wear anything she made for her.
But Cale insisted it would take at least three more weeks for Amelia to be strong enough. Amelia agreed. She wanted to be well healed before her wedding.
Cale made a list of townspeople he wanted to invite and Sarah set about inviting them. Not knowing anything about written invitations, Sarah went directly to their homes and invited them. Surprised and pleased everyone accepted Sarah and her invitation.
But when Cale found Amelia feeding the chickens one day he came up to her with a wadded frown on his face.
"What do you think you are doing?"
"Feeding the chickens…why?" She asked innocently.
"Honey, you should be resting."
Amelia put the feed down on the fence post and gave him a frosty look. "I'm tired of resting. I'm not some invalid. It's been a month, I'm feeling much stronger and I want to help out."
"Is this all you've been doing?"
"No," She still looked upset. "I've slopped the hogs, swept out the stalls and brushed down the horses."
"Amelia!"
She let out a shy grin, "I'm kidding. This is all."
"Good. Just don't over do, or you might end up right back in bed." He cautioned.
"The dress Sarah has made for me is beautiful." Amelia sighed with a sudden burst of happiness.
"She won't let me see it. But I'm sure it is." Cale smiled.
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