“Cullen, I saw you as often as I could, but I was out on fort maneuvers most of the time. When the war ended, I was stationed further west. Mary Elizabeth didn't want to move away from her friend, and I didn't see you for almost a year.”
“How did Mary Elizabeth end up in Ellsworth?” Kaitlyn asked.
“Her friend's husband's company was moved to Fort Ellsworth to protect the settlers from hostile Indians. A year later the fort was renamed Fort Harker and moved some miles east to get the fort out of the floodplain.”
“That got my mother to Ellsworth, but how'd she end up in a brothel?” asked Cullen.
“She needed a job. Mary Elizabeth cooked and washed clothes for the residents of the brothel. Over time she got hooked on opioids, and then started seeing men.”
“Why? Why couldn't you have gotten her out of there?”
Charlie rubbed his hands over his face, probably remembering those days.
“I tried. I got out of the army and then worked on the railroad as it built to Denver. I came back several times to see you. The first few trips I got to spend a little time with you. After that, I'd arrive, and she'd have you hidden away until I had to leave to go back to work.”
“Opioids destroy a person's mind and body, Cullen. I'm sure Charlie tried his best,” Pastor leaned toward Cullen to console him.
“Did you go to the town marshal? Confront the brothel owner?”
“Yes, I did both, but there was little law and order when the town was new. The brothel owner was a mean man who said Mary Elizabeth owed him so much money for the drugs she'd never be free.”
“When's the last time you saw me?”
“When you were four years old. Then the last time I went back when you were six, I found out Mary Elizabeth had died, and you'd been picked up by a preacher's family.”
“You didn't see each other until this year then?” Rose asked.
“By '70 I was a brakeman for the railroad, running between Denver and Kansas City. I was always on the lookout for Cullen when the train came through Clear Creek. I've spotted him a few times over the years.”
“Then you took a chance to connect with Cullen again when you were injured?” Rose asked.
Charlie shrugged his shoulders. “Doctor Pansy attended me when I had my accident on the train line five miles from here. When I wasn’t traveling, I lived in a boarding house in Hays, but I had no one there to help me. I’d never married. Had no siblings to ask to move in with.”
“Charlie, you need to tell Rose the best part of the story,” Pastor said as he pointed a finger upwards. “God intervened.”
Charlie laughed, probably relieved the story was out.
“Of course, Pastor Reagan had to visit the injured patient recuperating in the back of Doctor Pansy’s clinic. Pastor thought I was the spitting image of his son, Cullen, and brought him along on one of his visits.”
“Doctor Pansy thought Charlie was hallucinating when he recognized Cullen,” Kaitlyn added.
“I thought I saw things too. What was the chance to end up in Clear Creek, seeing my grown son again?”
“Divine intervention,” Pastor and Kaitlyn said at the same time.
The mood of the room lightened immediately. Kaitlyn started stacking their supper plates.
“I think it’s time for chocolate cake and coffee after that conversation. Rose’s chocolate cake looks—”
“My cake looks like it needs divine intervention. I’m not going to be upset if no one can eat it,” Rose had to admit.
“Just because it’s lopsided, doesn’t mean it won’t taste ‘divine.’ Sugar and chocolate can make anything taste good,” Kaitlyn said as she picked up a stack of plates and carried them to the kitchen.
Laughter followed Rose and Kaitlyn as they left the table. It was good to look back and see Cullen and Charlie eying each other with relief now that the tension had broken between them.
Rose’s tough brisket paid off. She asked Charlie the question about him and Cullen’s mother to keep Charlie from choking to death on the meat.
*
“Looks like you got a little chocolate frosting on the side of your mouth, Rose,” Cullen hinted as he swiped his finger on a piece of leftover cake and dabbed the bit of frosting on the side of her mouth.
“I’ll take care of it for you,” Cullen whispered as he licked the frosting off and kissed her full on her lips. Rose liked sharing the sweet taste of chocolate between them.
Now Rose knew why Cullen volunteered them to wash the supper dishes. They’d have time alone while Pastor, Kaitlyn, and Charlie visited in the parlor.
“Oops, I think I see a little frosting here…and here…” Cullen said between kissing down her neck. Rose couldn’t help arching her neck to give him access, although they both knew there was no frosting down the side of her neck.
After several minutes of kissing, Cullen stepped back. “I better stop finding chocolate on your face before Ma comes in wondering why we’re not done with the dishes.”
“She did close the door between the kitchen and dining room. Didn’t I hear that was a sign that the person on the dining room side had to knock on the door before entering the kitchen?” Daisy had told Rose how that door had hit both Angus’ and Daisy’s noses before their wedding ceremony, giving them matching bruised faces.
“Yes, Ma will give us privacy, for a certain length of time,” Cullen said as he picked up the drying towel again. They were almost done and would soon be back with the others.
“Cullen, how do you feel after hearing your mother and father’s story? I take it you hadn’t heard the details before.”
“Relived to finally hear it but embarrassed that I didn’t let Charlie tell me before now. He couldn’t run after me to make me listen. I hid from the facts just as my mother hid me from Charlie.”
“But now you can talk and hear so many stories about Mary Elizabeth, and your Moore side of the family too.”
“And I look forward to that, now that I’m over the shock.
“You know I never knew my middle name before this evening. When you were getting the cake, Charlie told me I was named Cullen Charles O’Malley when I was born. Cullen was Sargent O’Malley’s first name, and my mother added Charles as my middle name because she knew Charlie was my father.”
“Having your father here opens a new world for you. Will it bother your parents and brothers?” Rose asked as she handed Cullen the last serving bowl to be dried.
“No. We knew we were adopted and we boys made up stories of what our parents were like when we were young. I was the only one who, I thought, knew my mother’s story, based on what I remembered of the brothel. Turns out my memories weren’t the best.”
“And aren’t you glad the truth came out tonight?” Rose nudged Cullen with her hip.
“Speaking of truth,” Cullen bumped Rose with his hip. “Thanks for cooking the meal tonight. The brisket was tough, but the cake was delicious.”
Cullen wrapped the towel around Rose’s waist and pulled her closer until they stood toe to toe. He leaned down to kiss her upturned lips. Rose melted against him like warm chocolate frosting.
She would love to be kissed like this every evening after supper. Life in the circus didn’t permit this kind of close relationships between couples.
If she told the truth now? She was glad that her recent chain of events landed her in Clear Creek in Cullen’s arms.
Chapter 12
Thursday
“Slow down, kids! Don’t run into Miss Leander’s apartment without—” Jasper told his children as they ran through Rose’s door the moment she opened it.
“Without knocking?” Mack grinned at Jasper.
“Don’t worry Jasper, your children and I have already met, and I told them they are welcome in my home anytime,” Rose told the furniture maker when he followed his children into her home. Because Rose shared the staircase and landing with the Kerns, Rose had already met Jasper’s wife, Julip, and her children, five-year-
old Tara and three-year-old Tyrell.
“Let’s see what you need up here,” Mack said as he walked around the apartment he and Jasper built this past year. It was void of any shelving, furniture, etc. until the new renter or owner moved in.
“It needs everything. It’s empty,” Tara said as she whirled in circles.
“You’re right, Tara, but I have plans to change that,” Rose told the child.
“Jasper, what furniture do you have on hand that I can buy now?”
“Well now, I can sell you everything I got, which is displayed downstairs in our store, and build more too. I have a nice table and six chairs that would fit in this dining room. I’ll have to tell you I don’t like to make chairs, so I order them first, then finish the table to match the color.”
“You don’t have to apologize for that, Jasper. I’ve seen your table and matching chairs, and I love them. I would also like you to build a matching buffet table for this wall though,” Rose said as she walked to the wall to the right of the windows. The light was bright with the three large windows in the room.
“If you don’t sew, talk to Mary Jenkins about curtains,” Mack said when he saw Rose walk to the window and look down. Hopefully, he didn’t realize she was looking toward the post office, hoping to see Cullen out and about.
“I’ll do that. That’s one skill I didn’t learn in the circus.”
Rose would order a parlor set for the living area. She’d love to have a matching set of a divan, two or three upholstered chairs, and a rocker. And at least two end tables. Rose wondered if she’d have a choice for the upholstery colors.
Rose followed as the group moved into the kitchen, after waiting for Tara to attempt some handstands in the doorway. Rose would have to put on a costume and teach Tara some simple aerobatics. Even without the use of her left arm, Rose could probably still do one-handed stands, tumbling, and flips.
“Isaac Connely’s already furnished the kitchen with the wood stove and dry sink. You want shelves and a counter built on the west wall?” Mack asked.
“I have so much space I’m giddy!” Rose laughed. “Build whatever you think I’d need, Mack.”
“A work table and set of chairs would be nice for the middle of the room. How about a pie safe?” Jasper asked.
“Yes, I’d like a pie safe. Pies have become my favorite dessert since Millie Wilerson showed me how to make them.”
“You’re living here by yourself?” Tara asked as she jumped from one leg to the other. The girl was a bundle of energy, and Rose enjoyed seeing the girl so happy and carefree. She’d heard the sad tale of how Julip and the children were living in the Montana Territory before Jasper found them and moved the family to Clear Creek.
“Well, so far I am,” Rose confided.
“My brother hasn’t…?” Mack quietly asked without giving Tara something more to ask about.
“Not yet, but I’m not waiting. I was raised to move on, so I am,” Rose answered as she moved to the bathroom right off the kitchen.
“Your bathroom is just like ours,” Tara said as she jumped into the built-in tin tub which had a drain in the bottom. This was Rose’s favorite room, although she wouldn’t tell the men that. To have her own bathroom, with a sink, tub, and flushing toilet, after living on trains and in tents her whole life, was just…wonderful.
“This building, with the two apartments, is the first in town to have indoor water. There are gutters on the roof that collect rainwater, which is stored in a cistern in the attic. The used water drains outside the building. Don’t waste water though, or you’ll have to haul water up the stairs from the well out back.”
“Or during a drought,” Mack added. “The bathroom is right off the kitchen, so you can draw water from the faucet in the bathroom into the bucket, then heat it up on the kitchen stove for your bath. Then pull the plug to drain the tub instead of hauling the used bath water downstairs.”
Rose was going to love living here, with or without a husband.
Jasper led the way to the largest bedroom next.
“I have one bedroom set for sale. It includes a bed headboard and frame, a chest of drawers, a dresser with a top mirror and a wardrobe,” Jasper rattled off his inventory. “I think all that would fit in this room.”
“The two other bedrooms are smaller, designed for children. You could add furniture in those rooms as needed,” Mack said since he knew the room measurements.
Would Cullen have any furniture to move here, if they married? Or did he rent his room furnished?
“We’ll move in the furniture today. Let’s go downstairs to see what you need for the library and Charlie’s space,” Jasper said as they walked outside to the stair landing.
Julip stepped out of their apartment door. “Children, please come back inside. Let the adults finish their business in peace.”
“They aren’t bothering us, Julip. Actually, I’d love for you to join us downstairs. I need ideas for the library,” Rose asked.
“I wouldn’t be much help since I don’t read or write very well,” Julip blushed.
“Then the library books and I will help you improve, Julip. You need to be ready to help your children with their school work,” Rose offered. Julip probably wasn’t the only one in town who couldn’t read so it would be one of Rose’s missions in the library. She could offer to tutor anyone, young or old, to teach or polish their reading and writing skills.
They walked down the back stairs that brought them to the back room, which Rose thought Charlie could use.
“Please partition off the staircase and a hall to the main room to bypass the downstairs living space. I don’t care how you configure the rest of the area. That would be your expertise, Mack.”
Mack studied the space. “We’ll make a living and dining area, with a kitchen and bathroom on the back wall. Might make the bedroom accessible to go either direction since Charlie has problems getting around.
Rose walked on to the front room, where her enthusiasm rose with excitement, thinking of all the possibilities.
“I assume lots of shelves for books? There are two full walls without windows breaking up the space. What else do you want in here?” Mack asked.
“I envision this as a meeting place, besides a library, so I’d like a large long table for the center room, which seats at least sixteen people.”
“How about two tables instead, but you could push together? It would give you more ways to seat people,” Jasper said as he walked off the room, rough estimating the space available.
“Very good idea. I also want about four rockers that can be moved around the room. They can sit by the stove during the winter or sit by the large front window other times.”
“Best to order rockers out of a catalog. The chairs too. What about a workspace for you?” Jasper asked.
“A teacher’s desk would work here by the window. Oh, and I’d like a roll-top desk for upstairs.”
“You’ll have half a railcar load of furniture at the rate you’re going,” Mack cocked up his eyebrow, wondering if she had the money to pay for all this?
“Mr. Connely said he’d pay for the library furnishings. I have funds to supply my upstairs choices.” Rose said to ease his mind.
“Julip, what do you think about inviting young children and their mothers here for a couple of mornings during the week? I would read a storybook, or the children could play together. Maybe have tea and refreshments for the mothers?”
“That would be nice to meet young mothers,” Julip shyly said, “if they’ll talk to me.”
Apparently, Julip was still embarrassed about her past. Meeting others in the library, a neutral place would benefit Julip, new residents, and others who usually didn’t get out to socialize.
“If the meeting is advertised for the children, I’m sure many women will come, and you’ll make new friends,” Rose assured her.
“I hope so. When Tara starts school, it will give Tyrell and me something to do together too.”
Ev
eryone turned to look as the front door opened, and Dan and Edna Clancy shuffled in.
“Gonna be a library, huh?” Dan said as he waddled around the room. “What’s in it for me?”
“Besides books to read, Mr. Clancy?” Rose thought of the other idea she had.
“How about a time in the afternoon you and your peers could come in to discuss books, or whatever topics you wanted to?”
“Will you serve coffee and cookies?” Mr. Clancy asked with a twinkle in his eye.
“I don’t want to be a competition with the café or the hotel’s dining room,” Rose said, not wanting to upset their owners.
“They can take turns furnishing the coffee for our group. I’ll take care of talking to my grandson, Nolan, and the Paulsons about it.”
“Would there be room enough to set up a quilt stand?” Mrs. Clancy asked as she stood in front of the window. “This would be a bright place to sit and quilt.”
This might be more of a community room than a library the way people were thinking of how to use this space. Would they need more chairs?
“You already having meetings in here?” Cullen asked as he opened the door and watched Charlie maneuver his crutches over the threshold.
“I think this might be the first one, of many,” Mack answered his brother. “We came in here to think about what shelving and furniture the library needs, and we’ve come up with other ways the community could use the space.”
“What’re you doing out of the post office this hour, Cullen?” Mr. Clancy asked.
“I escorted Charlie over to Doctor Pansy’s office for a checkup. And he got some good news today,” Cullen smiled at his father.
“My stump has healed, and Doc Pansy measured me to order an artificial leg. I’ll be able to walk again,” Charlie choked up telling of his good news.
“Oh, that’s wonderful, Charlie,” Rose said as she rubbed his arm. She’d have given him a hug but didn’t want to knock him and his crotches off balance.
“While you’re here, want to see what Mack’s thinking about doing for the back apartment? I meant it when I said you would live here.”
Cullen's Love (Grooms With Honor Book 5) Page 8