by Angel Moore
“What about me and Sarah?” Michael didn’t notice Nathan.
“Mrs. Gillis is coming. The two of you are going to her house. She kept the pie that Sarah told us about for today. You’ll be sharing lunch with her and Reverend Gillis.”
Her brother nodded. “I can help take care of Sarah, too. Sometimes she cries, but I can make her stop.”
“Oh, Michael, it’s okay for her to cry sometimes. We’re all sad.”
“But her crying makes us more sad.”
Charlotte couldn’t resist wrapping him in a big hug. “She’ll be okay. We just need to give her time to cry it out. Sometimes I cry, too.” He squirmed out of her embrace, but she caught his hands and looked into his face. “It’s okay if you cry sometimes, too.”
“Men don’t cry.” He pulled his hands from hers. “Men have to take care of the womenfolk. Pa taught me that, too.”
“That’s true. Men do take care of things. But remember that caring for people doesn’t mean you get to boss them around. It means you help them through difficult times, or you protect them from things that could harm them.”
He hung his head a bit, then looked back at her. “I’ll do my best.”
“Me, too. I’ll try to be as brave as you are.” She patted him on the head and straightened to her full height.
“You do pretty good for a girl.”
Charlotte had no doubt Michael would do everything in his power to control his emotions and help Sarah and her. If only he were twenty instead of six. She accepted her responsibilities, but, oh, how she’d love to be able to lean on someone for help and comfort.
Chapter Five
Nathan buttoned his suit coat. “The mayor should be here any minute. Are you ready?”
“I am.” Charlotte stood next to him at the registration desk. She gathered the papers she’d shared with him and made a note in the registration book. “That was the last guest scheduled to check out today. Mr. Thornhill is the only one who will stay longer, but that’s not uncommon for him. The maids are cleaning the rooms. The ones on the left at the top of the stairs will be cleaned first. Anyone who checks in should be put there.”
“It’s good that you have a system like that in place.” At least he wouldn’t be building the business from the ground up. “Your folks did an excellent job with the hotel. It will be a simple matter of adding the things we discussed in Dallas. And any new things you and I decide.”
The front door opened, and Mrs. Gillis entered the lobby. “Good morning, Nathan. It’s so nice to have you back in town. I know Charlotte must be so grateful to have your help.”
Nathan almost laughed. Mrs. Gillis was a boisterous soul who never missed an opportunity to try to encourage others. Even if she missed the mark, no one could fault her kindness.
“Thank you, Mrs. Gillis. It’s good to be home again.” He meant it. More than he’d known he could. “I especially enjoyed the service yesterday. It’s been too long since I’ve been able to go to church.”
Michael and Sarah came out of the residence. “We’re ready, Mrs. Gillis. And we won’t be no trouble. I promised Charlotte.” Michael held his younger sister by the hand.
Sarah stood with her doll tucked under her other arm. “Charlotte said we can have pie.”
Mrs. Gillis gathered the two with open arms much as a hen collected her chicks. “After a nice lunch of fried chicken and potato salad, we’ll all have pie. Reverend Gillis can hardly wait.”
Charlotte waved as the little group left the hotel. “I’m going to lay a tray of coffee in the parlor.”
She’d been busy all morning. Every time Nathan had looked for her, she had moved on to another task. It pleased him after the heaviness she’d been under. Today marked one week since the accident, so he knew her grief wouldn’t end soon, but it did appear that she was doing better.
When Mayor Livingston arrived, Nathan led him into Charlotte’s parlor.
“Charlotte, my dear, how are you?” The mayor wrapped her in a fatherly hug. “You and the little ones have been in my prayers every day.”
She thanked him and offered to pour the coffee. Nathan noticed her sniff a couple of times while they settled into their chairs, but she showed no sign of tears.
Maybe keeping the meeting on the business of the hotel would help her. He accepted his coffee from her and turned to their guest. “Thank you for coming, Mayor Livingston.”
The mayor nodded as he stirred sugar into his cup. “Charlotte knows she can count on me for any help she needs.”
“Thank you. It means the world to me.” She set the coffeepot on the tray and sat on the edge of her chair. “I was telling Nathan about the town hall you mentioned. A lot of people have been talking about it since the last election. We’re making plans to improve the hotel, and we think a town hall could be a big boost to all the businesses here in Gran Colina.”
Nathan forged ahead as he intended to go in Gran Colina. He’d be honest and open, but forthright and determined at the same time. “Charlotte told me this is something you are in favor of. Is it planned or just being discussed?”
Mayor Livingston put his cup on the table. “It came up during the election. It’s an idea that’s caught on. Honestly, it’s going to take a lot of work and commitment from the townsfolk, but all we’ve done so far has been received well.”
The mayor was pleasant, but he seemed a bit vague. “What has been done?” Nathan knew how politicians could be.
“We’ve held meetings with some of the town leaders and business owners.” The mayor turned to Charlotte. “Your father was at all of the meetings. Did he mention it to you?”
She shook her head. “He didn’t usually talk to me of the business. I wish he had. If I knew more about it, Nathan—Mr. Taylor—wouldn’t need to be here.”
Her words cut him in ways he knew she didn’t intend. “I think what Miss Green is saying, is that I am here to help implement her father’s plans for the future of Green’s Grand Hotel.”
The look she sent his way was apologetic. “My parents’ trip to Dallas was in regard to the future of the hotel. Mr. Taylor met with them during the course of their trip. He has personal knowledge of their plans. I’m trying to fulfill their wishes to improve the hotel so it will be financially sound, not just for me to raise the children, but so it will be viable to provide for all of us when they reach adulthood.”
The mayor nodded. “That’s wise. You’ve been left with quite a burden for a woman of your age.”
“I’m a bit older than your Rena. Twenty on my next birthday. We’re both of an age where responsibility is expected of us. It was delayed for me because I haven’t married like she did. I’ll admit that I was somewhat spoiled by Pa and Momma. But now that I am responsible to head our home, I’m determined to shoulder the burden well.” She dropped her head. “By God’s grace.”
The meeting with the mayor ended a few minutes later with him expressing his hope for a town hall that would serve all their needs but no promises on a time for construction. Nathan feared his work in Gran Colina would prove difficult, at best. The future success of the hotel was tied to the growth of the town. Any delay in that growth could alter the goals he’d shared with Charlotte. He’d use all of his skill to prevent that from happening.
He came back to the parlor after seeing Mr. Livingston to the door. Charlotte was putting the coffee cups on a tray.
“Join me for lunch, and we’ll talk about our next steps.”
She straightened her slumped shoulders at the sound of his voice, but she kept her face turned away from him. “I’ll have something here. I promised Mrs. Gillis I’d pick up the children.”
“After their lunch, which was to include pie if I heard them correctly.”
Charlotte lifted the tray. “I can’t.” She sniffed and headed for the doorway to her small kitchen.
As much as Nat
han didn’t think himself equipped to comfort her, he knew the signs of grief. Without thinking of the consequences of getting involved on a personal level, or about how she would receive his efforts, he moved quickly to take the tray from her. He set it on the round kitchen table and was surprised when he turned and saw her slip into one of the wooden chairs.
She rubbed her palm across the tabletop. “We ate here every morning.” Pain filled her words and made him think of his mother. “Momma loved to ask about our day at supper. She wanted to know what Michael and Sarah had learned in school or what I was interested in at the time. It’s so quiet now.”
He sat across from her. “I’m so sorry. I know it’s hard on you and the children.”
She jerked her head up and looked at him. “Hard?” A tortured laugh escaped her. “Hard is being sick or losing your favorite pet. Hard is not knowing if anyone will ever want to marry you. This isn’t hard. It’s unbearable. I don’t know how to cope. How can I raise those two precious little ones? They need their parents.” She dropped her head onto her arms and sobbed.
Nathan came around the table and knelt beside her chair. He put a hand on her shoulder. “God will help you.” She was a lovely young woman. How could she wonder if anyone would want to marry her? He marveled why she hadn’t accepted anyone yet. There was no possibility that no one had asked. The grief must be clouding her thinking.
Charlotte lifted her head. “What will God do?” She shrugged. “I don’t have the money I need to pay the bank, or the training to make this place successful.” She flung one hand out in the direction of the other chairs. “And I have no idea how to comfort the children who sit here with me, aching to hear our mother’s laugh or see our father drop a kiss on her forehead.” She gulped back another sob and stilled.
He hadn’t meant to be so close to her. Sorrow permeated the blue of her eyes. “I know the ache. It takes away your breath and squeezes your chest until you don’t think you can breathe in again. And when you finally gasp for enough air to survive, more pain flows into your soul. It’s a hot pain that can’t be soothed or touched. A pain you long to escape, but you know if you do you might start to forget. And you’d rather feel the pain than escape the memories of the love that’s gone. Not even the promise of heaven can ease it when it’s fresh. Your mind knows the promises of God and the hope of the future, but your shattered heart is in too many pieces to accept it. Not when the pain is so heavy and new.” He moved the hand that rested on her shoulder and brushed away the tears that wet her cheek.
She gasped. “That’s exactly how I feel.” She met his gaze. Not a superficial connecting of two people glancing at one another, but a locking of eyes and minds—a deep understanding that someone else sees the scars of your heart.
* * *
Charlotte couldn’t look away. Nathan was the last person she would expect to understand her grief, but here he was—closer than any young man had ever been to her—showing her compassion.
How had she forgotten the clear blue of his eyes? They mirrored hers, in color and pain. His hand on her cheek was warm and comforting. She leaned into it and tried to breathe in. His touch bore witness to the harsh loneliness she’d endured for the last week. She wanted to lose herself in the closeness he presented. Did she dare?
The bang of the kitchen door swinging open jolted them apart. Nathan backed up to the wall by the stove.
“Charlotte, I was on my way to see you when I saw Papa on the street. He said you were having a bad day.” Rena Braden, the mayor’s daughter, held baby Cordelia in her arms. She stopped a couple of steps into the room. “Oh, Nathan, I didn’t expect to see you here.” She looked from Nathan to Charlotte. “Is this a bad time? I can return later if you’re busy.” Rena’s face crinkled into an expression somewhere between embarrassment and humor. The baby whimpered, and her complete attention left Charlotte and Nathan.
“I was just going.” Nathan made his way to the kitchen door. “Charlotte, I’ll be at the desk going over the information we’ve gathered so far.” His stilted manner let Charlotte know the situation was as awkward for him as it was for her. “It’s nice to see you again, Rena.” He stopped to smile at the now-quiet baby. “Congratulations on your little one.”
Rena nodded. “Thank you. You’ll have to stop by the sheriff’s office and meet my husband, Scott.”
“Maybe in a few days, after I’ve settled in, I can do that.” The kitchen door closed behind him as Nathan left the room.
Rena pivoted toward Charlotte. “What did I just see?”
Heat crept into Charlotte’s face. “Nothing.”
“Nothing? Nathan was in your private kitchen. And the two of you were looking very...friendly.” Rena sat in the chair Nathan had vacated. “If that was nothing, I’ve never seen anything.” Her laugh was friendly. “You tell me all about it.”
“Like you told me all about you and Scott?” As soon as the words left her mouth, Charlotte knew they were unkind. “I’m sorry, Rena. Please forgive me. I didn’t mean that.” Rena had married the town sheriff without so much as a word to Charlotte about their courtship. Charlotte still wasn’t clear on how they had ended up married, but her lifelong friend was full of happiness. The baby in her arms wasn’t the only reason for that joy.
Rena leaned back in the chair. “Why do you think I’m here?”
Charlotte tried to smile at her friend. “Because you’re a dear friend.”
“I know what it’s like to feel alone, Charlotte. I’ve been through some hard times in the last year.” She loosened the baby’s wrappings and lifted her to rest against her shoulder. “I’ve seen how God can take difficult days and turn them into a happy life.” She patted Cordelia’s back to soothe her.
Charlotte reached a hand across the table. “Thank you.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t in church yesterday. Scott told me about Nathan being in town. I’d wanted to welcome him back to Gran Colina, but Cordelia was fussy. She seems to be fine today. I didn’t really want to have her around too many people yet.” Rena smiled at her baby. “But I had to see you. I’m sorry I couldn’t be at the funeral or come before now. How are you all doing since the accident?”
“Michael had a difficult time yesterday.” Charlotte looked around the room. “Sarah is clinging to me, and Michael struggles with anger.”
“Where are they?”
“I had Mrs. Gillis take them so Nathan and I could meet with your father. We’re working on ways to improve the hotel.”
Charlotte spent the next few minutes sharing the details with Rena. “So you see, it was all something Pa had planned. Only he never told me about it.”
Rena nodded. “It’s a blessing that Nathan was willing to come back to Gran Colina and help you.”
“I don’t think he’d have done that if he’d known Mr. Freeman didn’t own the hotel outright. You’re probably right, though. Having him here is awkward, but it’s better than trying to tackle it all on my own. I don’t know what I’d have done if the things Pa ordered were delivered in a few weeks with no warning. At least this way, I have knowledge of his plans.”
“The Good Lord does send us help in the most amazing ways sometimes.” Rena grinned at her.
“What are you saying, Rena?”
“I’m saying that God knows you needed someone, and He sent Nathan.” The grin grew. “I will admit that it’s a bit humorous that He chose Nathan. A boy you secretly admired until he teased you.”
“He’s not a boy now.” Charlotte stood and pulled the kettle forward on the stove. “Would you like a cup of tea?”
“So you noticed?”
Charlotte wouldn’t pretend she didn’t understand Rena’s question. “I noticed. And I remember that Momma warned me away from people like him. She told me God would bring the man for me when He knew I was ready.” She held her hands out, palms up. “I’m not ready for anything now. I’m so
upside down with a broken heart and more work than I’ll ever get done.” She took cups from the hooks on the cabinet near the stove.
“I don’t think God wants you to do it all alone.”
“I have too much responsibility on me. I can’t think about a man. Not even one who intrigued me when I was a girl.” Charlotte looked straight at Rena. “My days of being a carefree girl are over.”
When Rena left, Charlotte took a few minutes to compose herself. She washed her face and headed back to the lobby.
Nathan came out of the restaurant and stopped in front of her. “There you are. We still need to do the detailed inventory we talked about.” He checked his notebook before continuing. “And we need to go to the bank and arrange the accounts so you and I can write checks. There’s fabric to be purchased for the lobby drapes, too.”
“The bank accounts?” She must have misheard him. She saw no reason to add him to the bank accounts.
Mr. Thornhill entered the lobby. “Ah, Miss Green, I’ve been hoping to see you. I’d asked Mr. Taylor to see if there is anything I can do for you or your siblings.”
Charlotte looked at Nathan.
“I do apologize, Mr. Thornhill. I haven’t had time to relay your message to Miss Green. We’ve been very busy today.”
“You are too kind, Mr. Thornhill. I don’t know that there’s anything that can be done for us at the moment. We’re all adjusting to our new circumstances as best we can.” She hooked her hand in Mr. Thornhill’s sleeve and steered him toward a settee near the front of the lobby.
Nathan went to the registration desk to greet a new guest who’d entered behind Mr. Thornhill.
“Miss Green, your family has been the very soul of kindness to me. I know my missus would have wanted me to do something for you and the children.”
They sat on the settee. “She was a dear one, your wife.” The smile on his face let her know she’d distracted him for a moment from her troubles. “I do miss her visits.”