by Vivi Holt
“That man!” she said, as Michael reached out to hold her up. “He was horrible! Oh, how could Mother ever have married him? I bore it for so long because I truly believed she had found happiness, and I so wanted her to be happy. But how could she have been happy with him?”
Ramona wept and shook her head. “At least I know now.” She looked up at Michael glumly. “Though I feel rather naive. All this time, expecting the best, trying to remain positive. What good did that do me?” She turned and looked over her shoulder in the direction of Art Franklin’s house. “There was no happy ending here.”
“There was nothing you could have done,” Michael said gently. “You did the best you could, given the situation.”
Ramona nodded. “Well, things certainly seem hopeless now. Art was right about one thing: I should go home. I have nothing. No one, no family in this whole world. I’m on my own, and it’s time I figured out what to do with my life now.”
Michael looked hurt. “No one?”
Ramona shook her head as she sadly turned away. “No one. Let’s go - I ought to go back to your place and pack.”
Chapter Fourteen
Michael
Michael stared at the purple satin bag with the green bow. It seemed to him like it was only yesterday that he’d first carried that bag to his wagon. Now he was about to take it back to the stagecoach.
Ramona stepped forward. “How do I look?” she asked. She spun around in her long purple and white calico dress, her hair cascading over her shoulders.
“You look real nice.” Michael gave her a sad smile.
He could have sworn that the smile Ramona returned had the same tinge of sadness to it. But she brightened as she said. “At least I will be back in time to audition for Broadway again. And thank you,” she placed her gloved hand on Michael’s arm, “thank you for lending me the money for my ticket. I will pay you back by wire transfer as soon as I possibly can. I promise.”
Michael nodded. “There’s no need Ramona, it was a gift.”
He reached for the suitcase but stopped before he picked it up. “Hey,” he said, glancing at the grandfather clock in the hallway. “We still have time before the coach is due to arrive.” He smiled at her. “We never did go on that picnic. I didn’t get a chance to show you the University properly. We were always in a rush.”
Michael caught the look on Ramona’s face at the mention of the University. “Sorry,” he said hurriedly. “Of course you don’t want to go there. Not after everything that has happened.”
Ramona shook her head slowly. “No, I don’t mind,” she murmured. “In fact, I would love to go. I won’t let Art Franklin ruin our last day together. Let’s pack a picnic and go.”
***
“You know, it really is beautiful here,” Ramona commented, as they settled down on a picnic blanket in the University gardens. White and pink flowers surrounded them and the grass beneath them was fresh and soft. Michael’s presence beside her made her stomach flutter.
“Yes, the University is lovely,” Michael commented, reaching out for a sandwich, his eyes never leaving her face.
“Not just the University. I mean Austin,” Ramona said wistfully. “I almost wish,” she dropped her head, afraid to say what she wanted to.
Michael cleared his throat. “I’m sure New York has far more going for it than this little town.”
“Yes. I suppose so.”
Ramona looked away.
He wants me to go. This is just his way of saying goodbye. She looked around at the pretty garden with the flowers swaying gently in the fall breeze. I shouldn’t read any more into it than that.
“If you were to stay here, for some reason, Austin has a theater you know. A pretty decent one, I think. You’d have a good chance of getting into one of the shows there. It’s not Broadway, but it’s something.”
Ramona listened intently as she took in her surroundings, soaking in the peacefulness of the park, the beauty of the flowers, and the emptiness of the clear sky. She looked back at Michael. “No matter what happens in the future Michael, please know how much I appreciate everything you have done for me. I have truly cherished my time here. Never in my life has anyone shown me such kindness. Never in my life have I felt like someone…” Ramona’s throat closed up.
Loved me so much, she wanted to say.
But can it be true? Can he truly love me? Or is he just a good man? Kindness comes so naturally to him that I oughtn’t to take his actions toward me personally. He no doubt would have treated anyone the same way.
Michael stood up. He seemed flustered.
“Let’s take a walk down by the fountain,” he said quietly, reaching for Ramona’s hand to pull her up.
They crossed a bridge that stood over a small lake with a fountain in the center of it. Michael paused in the center and leaned over the side, watching the ducks sail by beneath them. “You know, I helped to build this bridge,” he said softly.
“I didn’t know that,” Ramona said, surprised.
Michael nodded. “Years ago now. This site was one of my first jobs, when I was just fifteen.”
“You went to work young,” Ramona said, surprised.
“My parents believe that hard work makes a man strong.” He stood still and stared at the tall buildings surrounding them.
“I would have liked to have gone to University, you know.” Michael smiled ruefully. “I know it was impossible, but still.”
“I’m sure you would have done very well,” Ramona whispered. She impulsively reached up and tipped Michael’s face toward hers. “You’re a good man. You work hard. And you’re so kind and patient, and, well, you’re everything good.”
Michael stood looking at her, his eyes darkened with emotion. He was so close to her, she could smell him, and could hear his shallow breathing. Without thinking, Ramona stood up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against Michael’s. She felt the unexpected softness of his lips on her own, and a shiver of pleasure ran through her body.
Ramona saw the look of shock on Michael’s face as she pulled away.
Oh, why did I do that?
Ramona was mortified. She brought her hands up to her face to hide her blushing cheeks.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry Michael.”
Ramona spun on her heel and ran through the University grounds, clutching her hands to her breast.
“Ramona, wait.”
Michael chased after her, running quickly behind her until he caught her by the arm.
“Wait! Don’t leave, please.”
“Oh Michael, I’m so embarrassed,” she whispered. “What must you think of me? A lady doesn’t do something like that.”
But Ramona’s embarrassment faded as she stared up into Michael’s piercing green eyes. He smiled at her and pulled her close.
“What do I think? I think you’re the most wonderful, courageous, beautiful woman I’ve ever met. That’s what I think of you.”
Ramona’s face broke into a smile as she let out a ringing laugh, her eyes filling with tears at the same time. “You do?”
“I do,” Michael whispered. This time it was he who took the lead. Michael wrapped his arms around Ramona and lifted her so that their lips could press together again. This time the kiss seemed to last forever, and Ramona wished that it would. It was Michael who finally broke them apart. He whispered into her ear, “And I have been wanting to kiss you like that since the first moment I saw you all covered in dust and dirt in the street.”
Ramona laughed again, and wiped the happy tears from her eyes with her gloved fingers. Michael dropped to his knees in the green grass. Holding her hands in his, he gazed up into her eyes, a tender grin spreading across his face.
“Ramona, will you stay here in Austin and marry me?”
He seemed to hold his breath as he waited for her answer.
“Of course I will Michael. I can’t imagine my life without you now. You’ve ruined me for anything or anyone else.”
“I love you Ramona.�
�
“I love you too Michael,” Ramona whispered, as they kissed again, this time, neither of them breaking the embrace.
The End
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About the Author
Vivi Holt lives in beautiful Brisbane, Australia. Growing up in the country, she learned to love the country life and now she writes about it in her books. She loves horse riding, hiking and reading, and is a mother two three young children.
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