Hearts and Spurs

by Linda Broday

  The look she gave him was one of belonging, of being his—and of loving him with her own healing heart. She bent to kiss him. “Happy early Valentine’s Day, my love.”

  About the Author

  Cheryl was born in Duncan, Oklahoma, and grew up in Seminole, Oklahoma. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma, and holds a B.A. in English. Cheryl lives with her husband in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where she has been for the past 29 years. She has two grown children, ages 24 and 27, and a Great Pyrenees "granddog", Embry.

  Writing is so much a part of her life that recently, she and long-time friend Livia Reasoner, decided to open a publishing house. PRAIRIE ROSE PUBLICATIONS http://prairierosepublications.yolasite.com/ furthers the western-themed writing offerings of women. As if that weren’t enough, there were so many requests for a publishing house for young people interested in the west that they decided to open the unique imprint, PAINTED PONY BOOKS http://paintedponybooks.yolasite.com/. This line will be open to all authors who have submissions for Middle Grade readers, Young Adult, and New Adult.

  The contemporary/futuristic imprint for these age groups is TORNADO ALLEY PUBLICATIONShttp://tornadoalleypublications.yolasite.com/, and for adult contemporary/futuristic, check out their imprint FIRE STAR PRESS http://firestarpress.yolasite.com/.

  All imprints are open and accepting submissions.

  Cheryl's latest novel is a western historical romance, GABRIEL'S LAW. Her upcoming release, THE HALF-BREED'S WOMAN, will be available early next year through Prairie Rose Publications. To see all of Cheryl’s work, click here: https://www.amazon.com/author/cherylpierson

  You can e-mail her at prairierosepublications@yahoo.com

  Hollow Heart

  Sarah J. McNeal

  Lost love and the hope for possibilities…

  February 13, 1946

  Madeline Andrews opened the cedar box of letters from Sam Wilding once again. Dinah Shore sang Laughing on the Outside on the radio that sat on her dresser. Snow flurries drifted by the window and added to the foot of snow already accumulated on the ground. The letters, although worn from their travel across the many miles from the war in Europe and her frequent readings, brought her a small amount of comfort. The lingering smell of cedar, leather, some foreign place, and Sam’s particular scent wafted in the air as she lifted the last letter gently from its envelope. It was dated June 4, 1945—the day before the invasion of Normandy.

  My Darling Madeline,

  I can’t tell you where we’re headed, but I hear it’s something big and probably dangerous. Don’t worry though; you know how tough I am. I’m used to sleeping under the stars on hard ground and chasing after big animals who don’t want to cooperate. I think I can handle a few Germans.

  I have some gratitude that we didn’t marry before I left for service. The last thing I would want for you would be to leave you a widow so young and, even worse, leave you with a child to raise on your own. I know you’re mad at me for that. I regret that I hurt your feelings. I never intended that. You must know how much I love you. God knows, I think of you almost every minute of my waking day.

  I met up with Rob Pierpont at the air base in Canada. There’s a man who knows his planes. I know Lilith must miss him, especially now that they are expecting a baby soon.

  Speaking of babies, I haven’t seen my baby brothers since I left the states. Kit joined the Marines like a damn fool. They’ll go in first. I worry about him. Hank, on the other hand, made a good choice for the Army. He’s tough as nails. I expect he’ll make it home if he has to row over the Atlantic in a canoe. It’s hard on my parents with all of us so far from home. I know they must be having a heck of a time running the ranch without us.

  I miss the ranch more than I ever thought I would. I always thought I wanted to go to the Brevard School of Music to study piano, but now I’m not so sure. God, I miss those rolling hills, the sound of horses galloping over the meadows and the bawl of lazy cattle in the fields. Shoot, I even miss winter and all that dang Wyoming snow we complain about every year.

  I have to wind this up now. We’re getting ready to take off on our mission and I have to recheck my parachute one more time before we go. I can’t wait to get home, take you in my arms, and hold you tight.

  I love you heart and soul, darling.

  Sam

  Madeline folded the letter and slipped it back into its envelope. Her heart ached as she put the envelope back into the box. Reverently, she placed it on her dresser beside the picture of Sam and her, laughing into the sun on that beautiful summer day, years ago. She twisted the gold ring with the little heart-shaped ruby around her left ring finger. Sam had given it to her the day he left for deployment to Europe. He said it was a promise ring. The ring would remind her of his love, his promise to return, and his pledge to wed her when the war ended. A sigh escaped her. None of his promises had come true. A soft rap on her bedroom door roused Madeline from her thoughts.

  “Hey Madeline, it’s me, Juliet. Can I come in?”

  Madeline turned off the radio and opened the door for her best friend, Juliet Wilding, Dr. Wilding and Lola’s youngest daughter. Juliet hesitated a moment at the threshold, searched Madeline’s face and then hugged her. “You’ve been reading those letters again, haven’t you? I can tell by the sad look on your face, so no need to deny it.”

  “Come on in, Juliet.” She led Juliet to one of the two chairs arranged by the window with a table between them. “Would you like to go down to the kitchen and I’ll make some coffee? I made some peanut butter cookies. I know you like them.”

  Juliet took a seat in the wing-backed chair, glancing out the window for a moment before she faced Madeline with those green eyes like her mama’s. “I won’t have time for that today. I need to get back to the hotel and bake pastries for the Valentine Ball. Mama is swamped.” She chuckled. “I guess Mama’s glad she sent me to cooking school now. I love cooking, especially pastries. Now that Martin McAlister has retired, she needs me more than ever.” She paused and gave Madeline a piercing look. “C’mon, fess up. I can tell you’ve been reading those old letters and digging up misery again, haven’t you?”

  Madeline sighed as she collapsed in the chair opposite Juliet. “Yes. I confess.” She smoothed out the skirt of her dress and avoided Juliet’s gaze. “I can’t help it. It’s just so hard to believe he might really be gone, that he may never come back.” She swallowed against the rising tide of emotions gathering in her throat. “I feel so empty inside, as if someone has hollowed out my heart with a pocket knife. I can’t imagine my life without him in it. If I just knew he was alive and in the world somewhere, I could bear it.”

  Juliet reached over and patted Madeline’s hand in comfort. “You have to stop this, Madeline. Somehow, you have to come up with the courage to go on with your life. I want you to go to the Valentine’s dance and just open up to the possibility that there may be a Mr. Right out there for you besides Sam. If you don’t, you’re going to wither away into a crone like that old Mrs. Havisham in her wedding dress with her dried up wedding cake in Great Expectations.”

  “What are you suggesting I do?”

  “Go to the Valentine Ball. Just go and dance a little.”

  Madeline stood and walked to the window to stare out at the white landscape below. “What earthly good would that do?”

  Juliet left her chair to join Madeline at the window. “You’re too young and beautiful to closet yourself away like some old hermit. You need to get dressed up, fix your gorgeous, wavy black hair, put on some lipstick and enjoy a dance or two with some handsome men. God knows, there’re plenty of cowboys to go around, here in Hazard.”

  Madeline turned to face Juliet and shook her head. “I couldn’t. I just couldn’t. Besides, I don’t have anything fancy enough to wear to a ball.”

  Juliet waved her hand dismissively. “I know one of the Wilding women must have a lovely gown that would be perfect for you. We could put a rhinestone brooch at the waist or something to make it
suit you.” She placed her hands on Madeline’s shoulders and smiled. “You’ll look magnificent. Men will fall all over you. I can hear the hearts breaking all over town right now.” She giggled merrily.

  “I don’t feel ready to go dancing.” Madeline knew Juliet, once set on a particular action, would be almost impossible to turn around. “But, if it means so much to you, I’ll go. Even though I’ll just be going through the motions, I’ll go. You’re my dearest friend, and I know you’re worried about me. I’ll do it for you.”

  Bing Crosby sang a romantic song that drifted up from the radio in the kitchen. “Well,” Juliet said, “I’m going to take off. I just wanted to drop by and talk to you about the party and beg you to come. Mom will be looking for me soon and going crazy. When I get home tonight, we’ll see what we can do about getting a dress for you.”

  Madeline nodded uncertainly. “Your daddy’s office will be filling up with patients now, so I have to go, too.”

  Juliet hesitated at the doorway and turned back to glance at Madeline, her gaze drifting across the room. “It seems so lonesome here now that Lilith is married and moved into the apartment above the garage.” She lowered her head for a moment and, when she peered up again, her eyes welled with unshed tears. “And I miss Grandfather so much. I can’t imagine how hard it was for you growing up without a family at all and living in that orphanage, but I’m so glad you’re living here with us now.” She laughed suddenly, a bubbly sound so much like her mother’s. “Someday, I’m going to marry a man who wants lots of kids, and we’ll fill a big house right up with plenty of noise, and all of it happy.”

  Madeline smiled. “I know you’ll find just the right man, and you can live like the old lady in that big shoe with wild youngsters running around everywhere…maybe a man like Harry O’Connor. ” She glanced at her watch. “Okay, I better get down to the office and get to work before Dr. Wilding comes looking for me. I’ll see you later tonight.”

  Juliet smiled. “When I get back home, we’ll start looking for a dress for you to wear and try some new hairstyles. A ponytail will not do. I mean business, young lady, so you best get prepared to be dazzled.”

  ****

  At mid-afternoon, the patients had thinned as the snow thickened. Stomach pains, sore throats, headaches, toothaches and chest congestion had filled the hours with plenty of work to keep Madeline’s mind occupied. “Would you like me to go with you when you make rounds at the hospital, Dr. Wilding?”

  “No. I won’t need assistance with the patients I have there and, if I do, I can just ask a staff nurse to help me.” He pushed his chair back from the desk and stood. Waving his hand over the pile of papers covering the surface of the oak desk, he sighed. “But I sure could use some help sorting out this mess of papers. Would you mind filing all this for me? The exam room probably needs restocking, too.”

  “I don’t mind at all. I’ll give the office and exam room a good cleaning and make sure the waiting room has boxes of fresh tissues, too. I enjoy working in the office.”

  “I bet you haven’t eaten today, have you? We missed lunch, and I’m starving. Let’s go grab a quick sandwich.” Dr. Wilding guided her to the door that led to the house and opened it for her. “You might enjoy this old office too much, darlin’. I don’t see you out there dating any young men or joining your friends when they go to parties or picture shows. A person needs a whole life.” He paused. “And you need to eat. You’re thin as a rail.”

  Madeline followed him through the door and up the three steps that led back to the kitchen. She went to the cupboard to get out the bread, and then over to the new Frigidaire to find the makings for sandwiches. “I just don’t feel I would be very good company. No matter how hard I try, I can’t seem to get back the joy in my life. I’m just a drag on everybody.”

  Dr. Wilding stepped up beside her and got out plates and filled two glasses with milk. For a moment, he went still and stared out the window. His face relaxed into an expression of sadness. “There was a time when I experienced what you are going through with the loss of someone I cared deeply for—my Lola.”

  He brought the dishes and the glasses filled with milk over to the table, set them down, and took a chair across the table from Madeline. After a short blessing, Madeline couldn’t help but ask him questions. She had heard so many rumors from the townspeople about Lola and her unusual abilities to predict future events and some said that she left town under mysterious circumstances only to reappear suddenly one day. “What happened to her, Dr. Wilding?”

  “Please, just call me Joe. You’re family. ‘Dr. Wilding’ is just for the office.” He took a bite of his thick sandwich filled with stacks of deli meat, cheese, tomato slices and lettuce. “There was a time when Lola and I were separated by circumstances I still can’t explain. Like Sam, she was gone for months, almost a year. I believed she would never come back, that I would never see her again. I didn’t want to believe she could be dead. My heart had broken.” He swallowed hard. “My father told me I had to go on. I had to rebuild my life. All I had was my land, a few cattle and a couple of horses. The house had burned to the ground.” He paused to suck in a deep breath. “Pa and Sam’s daddy helped me build a new house…this house. He said I should build it the way Lola would want it, but open my heart to finding a new wife.”

  “But Lola came back.” Madeline knew Joe had been blessed to have his wife back, but that was not going to happen to her. Sam was never coming back. The War Department had sent a telegram to Sam’s parents telling them that he was missing in action. She had hoped he would come home when the war ended, in August. Even the prisoners of war had been released and found their way home—all except Sam.

  “Yes, she did. By some miracle, Lola just appeared one day. She showed up in the kitchen as if she’d been there all the time. I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t been there myself, and there are some things I can’t talk about to you or anyone else concerning that time. Those are private things just between me and Lola; but what I do know is, miracles do happen. You just can’t live your life hoping for one.”

  Madeline leaned her back against the chair and peered at Joe, with his graying sandy- colored hair and rich brown eyes. Though she was full of questions about what had happened to Lola for those months, she focused on her own problem, respecting Dr. Wilding’s privacy. “What should I do? How can I heal? How can I ever forget Sam?” Her heart, so empty for so long, lurched in anticipation of his reply.

  Joe reached across the old oak table scarred by years of use by an active family to take her hand in his warm grasp. “You will never forget Sam. His memory will live in your heart for as long as you live, but humans have the ability to love more than one person. God gave us the capacity to love many. As time goes by, your heart will heal. In the meantime, just allow yourself to open your heart to possibilities.”

  “I don’t even know how to begin.” In her mind she could still see Sam, his angular face, that black hair and deep brown eyes so much like his father, Banjo’s. But his smile, his beautiful smile that always warmed her, was all his own. In her memory, that smile still comforted her. Hang on. Just hang on. Don’t let him go.

  “Just start by going to the Valentine Ball. Juliet wants to make you happy. Let my baby girl help you regain some joy.” His smile brightened her mood. “You know she won’t let up on you, so you may as well give in. She’s like her grandfather that way.” For just an instant, his eyes darkened with the pain of loss. He got up and put his plate and glass in the sink. “I’ve got to get on over to the hospital to make rounds. It’ll take a while in this snow.” He walked to the place where she sat and hugged her shoulders with one arm. “I’ll see you at supper tonight.”

  He took his coat from the peg by the back door and shrugged into it. After he tied the red scarf around his neck and placed his fedora on his head, he glanced back at Madeline. “When Joey comes down from his room with his brain oozing out his ears from studying, would you please ask him to take the t
ractor and clean off the road to town for me? He needs to give his mind a rest and get some fresh air.”

  “I’ll be glad to do that. You know, Joey is the perfect combination of his grandfather and his father.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “He loves horses and ranching like Ben, and he wants to heal living creatures like you.”

  Joe grinned. “I think you’re right.”

  Madeline smiled back. “You take care now, Joe,” she answered, remembering to call him by his first name as he had requested. “Those roads are slippery.”

  Joe nodded his head and left, closing the door against the building storm. He was no sooner gone down the road than Joey ambled into the kitchen while Madeline cleaned the dishes. He came up beside her, a tall, lanky man with his father’s sun-streaked sandy hair and his mother’s emerald green eyes. Madeline thought he had the colors of the seashore. “Let me help you with those.” He grabbed a tea towel from the rack and began drying the dishes and placed them back in the cupboard.

  “Your dad asked if you would clear the road into town with the tractor when you finish your studies. I didn’t want to get busy and forget to tell you.” Madeline removed her apron and walked to the closet to find cleaning supplies for the office.

  Joey glanced through the kitchen window at the snow falling in the yard. “I’ll do it right away. I wouldn’t want any of Dad’s patients sliding off the road into the ditch. When Mom and Juliet come home, they’ll need a clear road, too. I’d feel terrible if anything happened to them.” He turned back to Madeline and took the broom and bucket of cleaning supplies from her and followed her down the steps to his father’s office. “Did Juliet talk you into going to the Valentine Ball?”

  Madeline smiled. “Who could resist the persuasive powers of Juliet Wilding? It’s like trying to take down a brick wall with a wooden spoon.” They both laughed.