Charming the Caregiver

by Marianne Spitzer

  “Me? What did I forget?”

  Kat glared at him and said, “Your fiancée.”

  Logan’s mouth dropped open, but before he could respond, Kat slammed the door shut. He heard the deadbolt slide into place.

  He turned to leave, but then he spun on his heels and pounded on the door. “I don’t have a fiancée," he called. "Open the door and talk to me. I want to know why you said what you did… Kat, please, open the door.” He pounded on the door again not caring that several people were staring at him from the road.

  Logan heard the lock slide once more, and the door opened a crack. “Please, Logan, don’t cause a scene.”

  “We need to talk. Please, Kat. You’re wrong—I don’t have anyone in my life except for you.”

  She blew out a deep breath and said, “All right…but not where everyone can listen and see. Walk around the house, and I’ll meet you in the back garden.” Logan watched the door close, heard the lock slide into place, and he nodded. At least, she would talk to him.

  Kat came through the cabin’s back door and sat on the small garden bench Logan had built for her. Susanna was playing on a blanket on the grass on the opposite side of the garden.

  Logan removed his hat. “Could you please explain your comment? I don’t have a fiancée.”

  Kat bit her lip, trying to stop the tears forming in her eyes from falling.

  “I was preparing to leave work, and I stepped outside the hospital's back door to hear you and your brother talking. He said he'd received a telegram from your fiancée and that she was looking for you. I don’t understand,” Kat looked at her hands, writhing in her lap.

  “What you heard was all wrong. Yes, I asked a young woman to marry me before I left San Francisco. I hadn’t been in California long, and Leer had left to work for the Satterfields. I missed my friends from New York, and I was lonely. A waitress at the local café was friendly, and we struck up a friendship. I thought I was in love, and I asked her to marry me. She said yes, but my supervisor sent me on an overnight trip to make an urgent delivery for him, and when I'd returned, I found out she had married my supervisor. She told me he could offer her more in life. I knew, at that moment, that marrying her would have been a mistake, and I counted my blessings. I left the next morning for Creede to find Leer. I thought I was leaving everything behind me, but she knew Leer was in Creede, and she sent him a telegram asking if he knew where I was. He was teasing me when he said he'd received a telegram from my fiancée. That must have been what you heard.” Logan turned his hat around in his hands while explaining.

  “But why would she look for you? She must believe you still love her. What about her husband?” Kat asked.

  Logan pulled the yellow slip of paper from his pocket and said, “She says her husband is dead, and she needs to find me. I think she’s looking to replace her husband, but she means nothing to me. I wouldn’t marry her if she right here, in front of me. You have my heart,” Logan said.

  Kat gasped. Her hand flew to her mouth.

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so forward,” Logan said. “I sometimes speak from my heart and not my head. Please, believe me: I don’t have a fiancée.”

  Kat looked up at him and smiled. “I believe you.”

  He sat on the bench next to her and said, “I would never lie to you.

  "Have you eaten? I hope not because they have fried chicken on the menu tonight, and I know how much Susanna loves fried chicken.”

  “No, we haven’t eaten, and I’d enjoy having supper with you,” Kat replied. She called to Susanna.

  “Coming, Mama” Susanna answered as she ran to Kat’s side. She turned back to wave and giggle.

  “Who’s she waving at?” Logan asked.

  “Most likely her invisible friend,” Kat replied.

  “I don’t see anyone,” Logan said.

  “That’s because she’s invisible.” Kat laughed and looked at the direction in which Susanna was staring.

  Kat turned to Logan and whispered, “Do you see a young woman in a pink dress blowing kisses?”

  Logan’s eyebrows lifted, and he scowled. “I don’t see anyone.”

  Kat looked back over her shoulder and turned back to smile at Logan. “I’m a bit tired. I think I’ve been working too hard.”

  Logan nodded.

  Susanna said, “Miss Josephine is happy you and Sir Logan are still friends.

  The situation confused Logan, but he offered Kat his arm and said, “I have a wagon out front for you and Susanna. We should go to supper before they sell out of the fried chicken.”

  Chapter 11

  Kat was in the hospital, straightening papers on the front desk, when she heard the door open. A young woman with auburn hair, dressed in a worn, brown traveling suit walked inside, doing her best to drag a large carpetbag behind her.

  “May I help you? I’m Nurse Kat.”

  The young woman gasped and said, “Yes, please. I’m tired, and I don’t feel well. I think I’m going to faint.”

  Kat helped the young woman to the exam room and had her lie on the bed. “I want you to lie here and rest until you feel better. Have you eaten today?”

  “No, I didn’t feel well enough on the train.”

  “Wait here, and I’ll get Doctor Ash to examine you. I’ll leave the door open. Call out if you need anything. I’ll be right back,” Kat instructed as she rushed out to get Doctor Ash.

  A few moments later, Kat returned with a glass of water. “Please, take a small sip and see if it helps. Doctor Ash is finishing suturing a wound, and then he’ll be in to see you.”

  The young woman sipped the water and smiled. “I do feel a bit better, but the water makes my stomach rumble.”

  Kat returned the smile and said, “That’s because you haven't eaten. We’ll get you something to eat if the doctor says it’s all right. I do have a few questions for you, though. What is your name?”

  “Ewa Palbarch.”

  “Could you also tell me your age and where you live?”

  Ewa nodded. “I’m twenty-two, and I just left San Francisco. I don’t have a place to live yet. I arrived on the train a short while ago.”

  “Do you have any health concerns? Have you been ill lately or been around anyone that was ill?”

  “No, I was feeling fine when I left San Francisco, and I haven’t been around too many people for the past few weeks. My husband just died,” Ewa explained, wiping a tear from her eye.

  Kat patted her hand. “I understand, dear. I’m a widow myself, and it can be a trying time. Have you been resting and eating properly?”

  “Not really. I have been too worried to eat much.”

  Before Kat could ask any more questions, Doctor Ash strolled into the room and took the notes Kat had made about Ewa’s condition.

  After introductions had been made, Doctor Ash asked several more questions before examining Ewa. He made notes on the chart Kat had handed him and said, “Well, Missus Palbarch, I don’t see any signs of illness, and I believe your near-fainting spell was caused from lack of food and your pregnancy.”

  Ewa nodded and burst into tears.

  Kat informed the doctor of the loss of Ewa’s husband, and Doctor Ash explained that the stress Ewa was feeling most likely contributed to her feeling ill.

  “Doctor,” Ewa said, “is everything I tell you in strict confidence?”

  “Of course. We never divulge a patient’s history. Do you have a concern?”

  “As I said, I'm a widow, but my husband is not the father of my child. I came here to Creede to find the father, and I’m worried he may not want to see me. His anger might harm my child.”

  With knitted eyebrows, Doctor Ash asked, “Are you afraid he will physically abuse you?”

  “Oh, no, no—he’s a sweet man. It’s only that I told him I would marry him, and then I married my husband instead, and it broke his heart. He may be unhappy to see me, and I’m worried that my sadness could harm the child. I love him, and I want to ra
ise this child together.”

  Doctor Ash nodded. “I understand your concern. Stressful situations are not good for either you or the child but worrying about them can be just as bad for you. I would suggest you write this man a note, explain the situation, and ask him to meet you in a place with other people around. Also, I want you to eat properly, sleep as much as you need, and see me again in a month. Sooner, if you still feel ill.”

  “I will, Doctor. Thank you,” Ewa said as the doctor left the room.

  Kat smiled and said, “Don’t worry. Things always have a way of working out. We have some muffins and milk here. I’m going to bring you some, and I want you to eat them before you leave. It will help to keep you from feeling ill again.”

  Kat returned a few minutes later with a glass of milk and three muffins on a plate.

  Ewa accepted them gratefully and asked Kat, “I don’t know where to go or where to stay. I also am not sure if the baby’s father is here. I sent a telegram to his brother because I know he lives in Creede, and maybe he could help me find Logan. The brother is Sean O’Leary, but everyone calls him Leer, for some odd reason. Do you know him?”

  Kat’s world seemed to tilt on its axis, and the room threatened to spin. She drew in a deep breath and said, “Yes, I know him. He supervises the construction crew working on the hospital.”

  “How might I find him?” Ewa asked.

  Kat felt her heart break. Her resolve nearly failed. She answered, “They both work for the construction firm. Excuse me—I’ll be right back.”

  When Kat returned, she handed Ewa a piece of paper and a pencil. “You should stay off your feet and rest. I’ll see if I can spot one of the construction workers. They have a wagon and can take you to the Hearth and Home where you can get a room. It is a safe, clean place to stay. If you write a note and give it to the worker when he drops you off, he can deliver it. Perhaps your young man can meet you for supper.”

  “Thank you. I’ll write him a note and do as you and Doctor Ash suggest. Meeting Logan for supper with others around is a good idea. Perhaps he won’t be quite as angry when I tell him why I’m here.”

  Kat nodded and headed for the exit. She saw one of the young construction workers carrying a box, and she waved him over.

  “Could you please do me a favor? One of our patients needs a ride to the Hearth and Home. She was feeling faint, and we’re worried about her walking all that way, carrying her carpet bag. Do you have access to the horse and wagon I usually see out back?”

  The young man removed his hat and said, “Yes, ma’am. Just let me tell the boss, and I’ll bring the wagon around and escort the young lady to the Hearth and Home. Is there anything else you need?”

  “No,” Kat answered. “I appreciate your help.”

  The man nodded and hurried off to the rear of the building. Kat knew that both Leer and Logan were working several yards away on the new addition, but she didn’t have the heart or courage to watch Missus Palbarch talk to Logan.

  After Ewa left with the young man, Kat told Angel she needed a few minutes to herself, and she walked out to the small garden and sat on the bench near the rear wall of the hospital. She contemplated everything that had occurred since she'd lost her husband and wondered—and not for the first time—if she'd ever be capable of making the right decisions. Moving to Creede had seemed like the perfect solution, but now she wondered if she should move somewhere else.

  “Darlin’ don’t you dare move anywhere else. Your life is here, in Creede, and so is your happiness. You just need to trust and wait.”

  Kat jumped at the sound of Miss Josephine’s voice. “What are you doing here?" she said. "I don’t understand why I keep seeing you, and you’re always in that pink dress. I’m beginning to think you’re imaginary, and I’m losing my mind. It’s one thing for Susanna to see you, but not me.”

  Miss Josephine sat down on the bench next to Kat and said, “Remember when we first met in Milwaukee, and I told you I like to visit patients? I like to do that here, too. I can bring them comfort, and I can bring you comfort, too, if you'll listen to me and trust your heart.”

  Kat scoffed. “Trust my heart? I can’t trust anything or anyone. You won’t believe what just happened. I thought, maybe, I'd found an honest man.”

  Miss Josephine laid her hand on Kat’s arm and said, “Please, listen, what you hear is not always the truth. There are two sides to every story, and occasionally three. Keep trusting your heart. It will not fail you.”

  “I don’t believe I will ever trust a man, no matter how charming. My husband and father were good men, and they both died, leaving me alone. I know it wasn’t what they wanted, but after they passed, I was left alone to deal with the men in my life: a drunken brother-in-law, an overly aggressive doctor at the hospital in Milwaukee, several men that thought I might share myself because I was a widow and most likely missing what they offered, then, learning my brother was cruel to Susanna, and now, Logan. If I didn’t have Susanna, I’d join a convent. Maybe I’d find peace there.” Kat turned to look Miss Josephine in the eyes. “How can I trust him after what I've heard?”

  Miss Josephine stood, walked a few feet away, and turned her skirt blossoming out around her when she did, looked up to the sky, nodded, and sat back down. “Believe. We believe in many things we can’t see or don’t understand. We know the sun will rise in the morning, that snow will fall over the mountains in winter, and that God answers our prayers. Trust in Him and ask Him to guide you. I will do what I can. You are not alone any longer.”

  Kat shook her head and turned away to hide her tears. When she turned back, Miss Josephine was gone. Kat couldn’t figure out how she could have walked away so quickly.

  She decided to take Josephine's advice and bowed her head in prayer, asking God to guide her and allow her to understand her current situation. After her prayer, Kat drew in a deep breath. She felt calmer and knew that somehow, everything would work out.

  Chapter 12

  Leer saw the young construction worker stop the wagon at the worksite. He waved at Leer, and said, “Hey, boss, I dropped a lady off at the hotel, and she gave me this note to give to Logan.”

  Leer scrunched his eyebrows and asked, “Are you sure she said Logan?”

  “Yup. She said to please give it to Logan O’Leary.”

  “All right. You can give it to me. I have to go to the library site, and I’ll give it to Logan then—he’s installing some shelves on the second floor.”

  Leer took the note, shoved it into his shirt pocket, and mumbled, “How in the world does my brother know a woman who's just arrived in town?”

  He entered the library and resisted kissing his beautiful wife when he saw her speaking to a library visitor. He winked, smiled at Meg, and went up the stairs to the second floor to find Logan at the back of the main meeting room, attaching a large shelf to the wall.

  “Glad to see you're actually working,” Leer teased as he approached.

  “More than you, brother,” Logan quipped. “I see you’re just taking a stroll.”

  Leer shrugged. “Actually, I have a note for you from a young woman who's just arrived in town, and I’d like to know how you managed to meet this young lady since you’re supposed to be working. Were you lurking at the train station?”

  Logan laughed. “I haven’t been lurking anywhere. And the only women I’ve spoken to lately are Meg, Kat, Missus Satterfield, and the girls working at the general store. Why would someone send me a note?”

  “I don’t know. Perhaps you should read it.” Leer pulled the note from his shirt pocket and handed it to Logan who grabbed the note and read it. When his face paled, Leer asked if something was wrong.

  “Here—read it for yourself.” Logan handed the note back to Leer.

  Dearest Logan,

  There was a terrible accident. Boris is dead. I need to speak to you. I’m staying at the Hearth and Home. Please meet me for supper.

  Love, always,

  Ewa

>   Leer whistled. “She didn’t wait for a reply. She must have assumed you’d be here. You'd better meet her for supper to find out what’s going on. If I know Ewa, she has plans for you, and you'd better stop her before she involves half the town in one of her schemes.”

  Logan crumpled the note and threw it on the floor. “I can’t believe Ewa had the nerve to come here. She married Boris and told me she was happy and never wanted to see me again. I accepted that and left town. I don’t want to see her. I think Kat's finally beginning to trust me and realize I’m not like the men she’s known before but having Ewa here could destroy all that. I love Kat, and I’d marry her today if she said yes.”

  Leer shook his head. “You have to meet her for supper. There will be other people in the dining room, so she can’t cause too much trouble. If it helps, I’ll take Meg to supper, and we’ll be there across the room.”

  Logan reluctantly agreed.

  A short while later, Logan was in the Hearth and Home's dining room. He spotted Ewa sitting at a small table near the back and approached her. “Hello, Ewa," he said. "What are you doing in Creede?”

  Ewa smiled that same familiar smile that used to make Logan’s heart sing. Now, it only made him suspicious.

  “I came to see you. Please, join me for supper—we have a lot to talk about,” Ewa said, motioning at the chair opposite her.

  Logan sat and asked again, “What are you doing in Creede?”

  “I told you: I came to see you. Didn’t you read my note? Boris is dead. I had to find you. We can be together again. I made a terrible mistake with Boris, but that’s behind us now,” Ewa explained.

  The waiter appeared, and Ewa ordered supper. Logan said, “Just coffee for me, please.”

  “You aren’t eating?”

  “I’m not hungry,” Logan replied. “Now, tell me why you’re here.”

  Ewa stirred a spoonful of sugar into her tea and stared into Logan’s eyes. “I made a dreadful mistake with Boris, but I can fix that now. When he died, I was able to sell his house, and you know how much he enjoyed gambling—I found quite a bit of money in a bag under the bed, and I brought it with me. We can begin again and have a good start with the money.”