A Prescription For Love: An Oklahoma Lovers book

by Callie Hutton

  “If you will excuse me, Mother, I’d like to retire for the night.” Before her mother could answer, Heidi broke free of her grasp, and fisting her skirts in her hands, raced up the stairs to the privacy of her bedroom.

  The familiar lavender and white room soothed her. Her large bed hugged the wall, the deep purple and white flowered bedspread calling to her. She removed her hat, laid it on the dresser, and walked around the room, smoothing her palm over the furniture she’d lived with for twenty-three years. The desk where she’d completed her assignments, the table next to her bed where several books she’d intended to read still rested.

  She peered in the mirror over her dresser and did not recognize the woman who stared back at her. She’d left a girl, returned a woman. She’d held a job, lived away from home, had a man make love to her. A man she loved with her whole heart. A man she’d inflicted the worst type of pain on. For money.

  A soft knock on the door dragged her away from her musing. She quickly wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes and called, “Come in.”

  Her mother entered and closed the door behind her. She fixed Heidi with a stare, then crossed the room, and took her in her arms. After giving her a hug, she leaned back and looked her in the eye. “Now, Heidi, I want you to tell me the absolute truth.”

  Heidi pulled away and crossed her arms over her middle, avoiding her mother’s eyes. “What do you want to know?”

  Mother sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. “I want to know what is going on. You are, by far, the most miserable looking bride I’ve ever seen.”

  Heidi covered her face with shaking hands and sobbed.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Michael passed the worst day of his life in a fog. After Heidi left, he stood, staring at the curtain as it waved, then settled back into place. Her lavender scent still filled the air, and teased him. The entire conversation replayed in his head, leaving the sensation of a dream. Not a dream−a nightmare.

  Heidi−his Heidi−had announced she intended to leave Guthrie and return to Oklahoma City to marry Clarence. The entire conversation had happened so fast, he didn’t even remember half of what she’d said. Except the words I’m leaving. The two words now doing a rat-a-tat-tat in his brain, in time with each heartbeat.

  Leaving. It’d happened again. What he’d protected himself against for years, what he swore he would never do to himself, had materialized. Only this time the pain crippled him. He’d imagined himself in love with Alice years ago, and suffered the resulting pain. But not like this. Now he felt as though his insides had been ripped out. Like somewhere out there, half of his entire being existed without him.

  He loved Heidi more than his own life. In fact, no life remained without her. What had Manfred offered her that would change her mind? Despite her claims she wanted to go through with her marriage to Clarence, she looked miserable.

  He ran his fingers through his hair. For God’s sake, he’d made love to her. And he knew Heidi quite well. She would not allow a man to take her to bed unless she had strong feelings for him. He did not misread the love in her eyes. What the hell had happened?

  The tinkling of the front doorbell announced a customer. In all his years of tending to customers, he’d never felt like locking the door and going home. Until today.

  With Heidi not in the store, the distraction of doing both of their jobs kept the worst thoughts at bay, and the day passed quickly. Not having an appetite, he’d skipped lunch and mixed prescriptions while the door remained locked for the half hour between noon and twelve-thirty.

  By six o’clock, more than ready to stop smiling at people, he surrendered to exhaustion. As he placed the dust covers over the counters, all the horror of the morning returned, the physical pain so strong, it almost brought him to his knees. How would he even face tomorrow, and the day after?

  He dropped the ring of keys into his pocket after locking the front door, and headed for The Blue Belle Saloon. His anger burned, keeping the chill of the evening at bay, as he strode past shopkeepers closing up for the night, and passers-by who nodded and smiled at him. He turned the corner, and almost collided with a drunk leaving the saloon. With a growl, he circled around the weaving man, and pushed the door open.

  Stale smoke and the odor of liquor smacked him in the face, irritating his eyes. Even though a weeknight, every table held patrons, with men lined up at the long wooden bar at the far end of the room. Several poker games were in progress, and the whores wandered the room, plying their trade.

  Michael ordered a whiskey at the bar, took the full bottle and a small glass in his hand, then settled at an empty table, his back to the wall. He poured a drink, downed it, then poured another. If he could have his way, he would drink enough to forget Heidi.

  There isn’t enough liquor in the world.

  He had no idea how much time had passed, but the bottle now stood half empty. If his glass would only stop moving, he could pour another drink, but once he began, the glass moved, and the liquor pooled on the table.

  “Michael?”

  The familiar voice pulled him out of his stupor. Michael attempted to focus his eyes on Jesse who stood in front of him, a slight smile on his face.

  “Can I sit down?” Jesse pulled out a chair, not waiting for permission.

  His uncle signaled for a waitress and ordered a beer. Once she’d set the glass overflowing with foam in front of him, he turned his attention to Michael. “What brings you here, Michael?”

  “Do I need a reason?” Stunned at the slur in his voice, he straightened his shoulders, and looked Jesse in the eye. Or thought he did. Apparently, Jesse had brought his identical twin brother with him.

  Jesse shrugged. “I’ve never seen you drink so much.”

  “What…what… makes ya think I’ve…drank…drunken, so…so much?” He burped.

  “You all right?” Jesse peered at him over his raised glass as he took a sip of beer.

  “Fine. Just…fine…just…” He shook his head, then grabbed the table as the room spun. “Fine.”

  Jesse studied him. “How’s Heidi?”

  Three men at the next table jumped when Michael slammed his fist on the table. “Don’t mention that name.”

  “Settle down, son,” Jesse murmured.

  Michael reached for his drink. His hand hit the edge, spilling onto the table the little bit he’d managed to pour into the glass. Before he could try again, Jesse removed the bottle. He waved again for the waitress and handed it to her.

  “Whatcha doin’? Michael slurred.

  “I think the question is, what are you doing?” Jesse took a final swallow of his beer.

  Michael dropped his head onto the table. “Forgetting.”

  “Liquor won’t help you forget anything.” When Michael didn’t answer, Jesse stood. “Come on, you’re going home with me.”

  “No. I’m not going anywhere,” he mumbled, his eyes closed.

  “Michael, either you stand up and walk out that door, and climb into my buggy, or I’ll drag you out of here.” Jesse leaned his palms on the table and spoke softly. “Don’t think I can’t do it, either.”

  “Go away, Jesse. Just leave me alone.”

  Jesse shoved his hands under Michael’s armpits and pulled him up. “Let’s go, boy.”

  Michael stood and swayed. “Maybe leaving is a good idea. I don’t feel too well.” He grasped tables and chairs as he weaved his way through the room, Jesse behind him. Once the fresh air hit him, he leaned over and brought up the contents of his stomach. Mostly liquor.

  After wiping his mouth with the handkerchief Jesse handed him, Michael stumbled to the buggy, banging his head on the railing as he attempted to climb in. Jesse shook his head, and jumped onto the seat alongside his nephew. Snapping the reins, Jesse called to the horse, and the buggy started up. Michael fell into a sound sleep.

  ****

  Heidi stood on a stool while Mrs. Fenwick picked and prodded her with pins as she adjusted the white wedding gown.
>
  “Smile, Heidi.” The woman fussed. “You’re a bride.” She tsked, and pulled the waist in, fastening pins with vigor. “I swear, at every fitting I have to take in more inches.” She shook her chubby finger in Heidi’s face. “You’ll faint right there in the church if you don’t eat more.”

  Heidi turned and stared out the window. Small pale green buds appeared on trees no longer caught in winter’s clutches. From her position, she could see yellow and white flowers poking through the new grass in front of the dress shop.

  Three weeks had passed since she’d said goodbye to Michael, and instead of lessening, the pain grew every day. Her dresses hung off her, testifying to her weight loss, and the dark circles under her eyes that peered back at her each morning from her bedroom mirror confirmed the nights she lay awake. Wishing.

  It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered. She cried into her pillow every night, muffling her sobs to keep her parents from hearing. No matter how she tried, she didn’t fool her mother. Had she received a nickel every time her mother asked if she was sure, her pockets would hold enough money to bribe Clarence.

  Clarence. When she sat across from him in her parlor two nights a week, she called on all her years of training in good manners to keep from spitting on him. He smiled at her, and she shivered. He touched her hand, and she had a compulsion to scrub herself. Last night when he’d kissed her goodnight on the cheek, she walked up the stairs to her room, pulled the chamber pot from underneath her bed and vomited.

  “I agree, Mrs. Fenwick, I keep telling Heidi she must eat more. Why, she’s fading away to nothing.” Mother’s comment pulled her back to the dress shop, where she suffered another fitting, her mother and Mrs. Manfred looking on. With the dressmaker’s frown at the material she pinched, Heidi’s sadness, and her mother’s perpetual look of concern, Mrs. Manfred appeared to be the only cheerful one in the room.

  “Once we’re finished here, we need to stop at the hotel, and check on the menu for the wedding breakfast.” Mrs. Manfred perched on the edge of a spindle legged chair that looked as if the dainty piece would collapse under her weight any minute.

  Mother frowned, and looked in Heidi’s direction. “Do you feel up to a visit to the hotel this afternoon, dear?”

  Heidi smiled. Mother remained the only person not fooled by Heidi’s decision. Hardly a night would go by when her mother didn’t stop in her room at night with a cup of hot chocolate in her hand. Once she settled on Heidi’s bed, assured her daughter would drink the nourishing beverage, she’d ask the same question. “Why are you so unhappy?”

  She hated lying to her parents. Sipping the chocolate, which in fact turned her stomach, she’d try very hard to be convincing that she couldn’t wait to marry Clarence. Then Mother would sigh, kiss her goodnight, and Heidi would sob into her pillow.

  After speaking with the dining room manager at the Alamo Hotel, and going over the elaborate wedding breakfast her parents planned, they returned home, and Heidi started up the stairs.

  “Heidi!” A warm, familiar voice echoed from the parlor, causing Heidi’s heart to speed up. Before she caught her breath, strong arms engulfed her, rocking her back and forth.

  Ellie leaned back and regarded her, her gaze roaming over Heidi’s face. “I’m sorry, honey, but you look like hell.”

  Tears sprang to Ellie’s eyes, her humiliation complete when they spilled over the lids and ran down her cheeks. “Ellie.” She quickly wiped her eyes. “What in heaven’s name are you doing here?”

  Ellie linked her arm through hers. “I came for a visit. I understand you’re getting married?”

  Heidi glanced in her mother’s direction, who looked as surprised as Heidi felt. Recovering her hostess skills, the older woman turned to Ellie. “You must be Michael’s sister.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” she smiled. “His baby sister, to be exact.”

  Papa had joined them from the parlor where he had apparently been keeping Ellie company.

  “Michael talked a lot about you when I kept house for him.” Mother waved in the direction of the parlor. “Won’t you visit in here? And you must stay for dinner.” She turned to Papa. “Tell Cook to prepare something special for our guest.”

  “Already done, my dear.” Papa patted her hand.

  Ellie turned to Heidi. “Actually, I hoped we could stroll a bit. I’ve only been to Oklahoma City a few times, and I think I’d like to see a little of the town.”

  Mother shooed them toward the door. “You girls go on and have a nice walk. The fresh air will work up your appetites.”

  “I have no problem with my appetite.” Ellie smiled, then glanced at Heidi, her eyes narrowed. “However, my friend here could use a few pounds.”

  The two women walked down the steps, into the late afternoon sunshine, arm in arm. Only a few houses away Ellie began her attack. “What’s going on here, Heidi?”

  Heidi inhaled deeply. “What do you mean?”

  “Michael’s been so miserable and grouchy, even Tori can’t stand him. He won’t talk to anyone beyond saying you came back here to marry Clarence.”

  Before Heidi could respond, Ellie dragged her across the street, to continue in the opposite direction. “And now I arrive here, expecting to see the happy bride, and, frankly, Heidi, you look miserable.”

  Heidi had regained some of her composure at finding Ellie Henderson, of all people, standing in her parlor. “Well, thank you for all the compliments.”

  “Ah, I’m sorry.” She stopped, and turned to her. “I’m really worried about Michael. I’ve never seen him so despondent. And now I’ve seen you, and I’m more confused than ever.”

  Heidi shook her head. “Don’t, Ellie. There’s no secret here. I’m afraid you’ve wasted your time.” She took her arm again, and moved her forward. “It’s really very simple. I’ve been engaged to Clarence for quite some time, and I needed to come home to plan my wedding.”

  Ellie slowed them down, her eyebrows disappearing under her bangs. “Are you going to stand there and tell me you have no feelings for my brother?” She held up her hand. “No wait. Before you lie to me,” Ellie narrowed her eyes, “remember I saw you and Michael together.”

  Heidi shook her head. “You didn’t see anything, Ellie. Please, leave it alone.” She hugged her closer, and continued. “I must admit I’m very happy to see you, though. Tell me about your family, how is everyone?”

  Ellie reluctantly began a recitation of Cochran and Henderson news. Warmth spread through Heidi when she imagined all the goings on Ellie related. How she missed Guthrie, and Ellie’s family. But nowhere near as much as she missed Michael. Oh God. She brought her fist to her chest. The ache resurfaced, stronger than ever.

  They walked for a couple of hours, Heidi pointing out various sights in the city. Eventually, they wound their way back to the house in time for dinner.

  Despite the Lesters’ and Heidi’s pleas to spend the night, Ellie requested they drive her to the train station, where she waved goodbye before climbing the steps of the eight o’clock train back to Guthrie.

  ****

  An hour after the train had departed, a light tap on Heidi’s bedroom door interrupted her as she stood in front of the mirror and ran a brush through her unruly blonde curls.

  Mother entered, and laid the cup of hot chocolate on the white wood table next to Heidi’s bed, then settled on the soft mattress. “How nice of Ellie to come for a visit.”

  Heidi narrowed her eyes and glanced sideways at her mother, after dropping the brush on the dresser. “Yes. It was.”

  “Quite a surprise, actually.” Mother fussed with a thread on the bedspread.

  Heidi settled next to her, sitting cross legged. “A surprise, certainly.”

  Her mother took Heidi’s hands in hers. “Please tell me what’s going on Heidi. I have the feeling you’re in some type of trouble, and I want to help.”

  For one crazy instant, Heidi felt the need to pour out the whole ugly story to her mother. Instead, she shook her head,
and pulled her hands away. “No trouble, Mother. I’m planning my wedding. That’s all.”

  Her mother stared at her for a minute, ran her hands down Heidi’s curls, then cupped her chin. “Every motherly instinct in me says you’re lying. I just wish you’d talk to me,” she whispered.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  “Where’s Heidi?” Michael’s gut clenched as he heard the same question for what seemed like the hundredth time that week.

  “She moved back to Oklahoma City,” he said through gritted teeth, and continued to wrap the package for Katherine Russell. He pulled the string so tight, she would probably need a sword to open it.

  “I’m so sorry to hear that. I loved seeing her smiling face.” Her eyes grew wide as she noticed the package Michael held out to her. “I’m sure you must really miss her.”

  Michael grunted his answer and turned his back, climbing the two steps to the prescription area. Once the door closed behind Katherine, silence descended. The worst times of the day. With the stillness, came anger. In the three weeks since Heidi had left, he’d gone through shock, pain, sadness, and now anger. Outrage directed toward himself.

  How could he have let himself care again? Not only care, but fall deeply in love and plan a future. With the one woman who made him feel whole again. He checked his watch and pulled the ring of keys from his pocket, and strode to the door. Once he secured the door and flipped the “closed” sign, he ran his fingers through his hair.

  What would he do with his evening? Another visit to The Blue Belle Saloon? He winced, and his stomach rolled a warning regarding his last visit. The day Heidi left.

  The morning after his drunken spree, he’d had no idea why he awoke on Jesse and Tori’s couch. A brown knitted blanket covered him, and except for his shoes, he was fully dressed. He sat up and groaned at the little men who’d invaded his head during the night, and pounded away with their not-so-tiny hammers. He gazed around the room with painful eyes, wondering why Tori allowed so much sunlight in her parlor.