Tracie Peterson - [New Mexico Sunset 04]

by Come Away, My Love

  “You’re at least a million miles away,” the voice came from somewhere in her hotel room. Sleepily, Joelle turned from the window and caught her future father-in-law’s worried eyes. “And I doubt you’ve heard a word I’ve said.”

  “Sorry,” she whispered. “I don’t want you to worry about me, Dan. I’m fine. Really, I am. I can’t help but think of John and how much he’s had to suffer. I know he must be in a great deal of pain, and it concerns me that he’ll give up and stop trying to get better.”

  “Let’s leave John out of this for a minute. I think you should eat better and get more rest.” Dan took a step toward Joelle, then stopped. “We’re going to move John to a small house on the edge of town. When we have him settled there, we’ll move our things over as well. After that, we’ll start preparing him for when those casts come off. You’re going to need your strength then. That is, if you plan to help.”

  “Help? Of course, I’ll help, but what can I do?” Joelle voiced the first real interest she had had in the conversation.

  “It’s going to be difficult to know exactly what will help the most,” Dan said. “There are several things we can try. Exercises, hot compresses, salves, and rubs to keep the circulation going, things along those lines. I sent a telegram to a colleague of mine at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington. He’s going to collect the latest information in spinal and back injuries and forward it to me.”

  Just then Lillie returned from the room she shared with Dan. Somehow along the way, Joelle’s room had become their gathering place. “Are you ready for supper?” she asked with an expectant glance at Dan and Joelle.

  “I believe we are,” Dan replied. “I want to discuss John’s recovery and supper would provide a good opportunity to do so.”

  Joelle smiled weakly, knowing Dan’s purpose. He intended to see to it that she could not finagle her way out of eating. She quietly followed them downstairs and out into the street.

  “I was told by one of the officer’s wives,” Lillie began, “that they are serving excellent meals at a small cafe just the other side of the newspaper office.”

  “I’m ready for a change,” Dan replied, and Joelle nodded. “The hotel serves a substantial fare, but it isn’t what I’d call excellent.”

  They arrived at the quaint establishment and were ushered inside with the greatest of enthusiasm. The robust owner, who introduced himself as Papa Santos, seated them at a small table that held nothing more than a red-and-white checkered cloth and lighted lamp. The soft glow from the table lamps gave the room a cozy feeling, and the delectable aroma of spicy Mexican food made even Joelle’s mouth water in anticipation.

  They ordered from Papa Santos’s oral recitation of his menu, then sat back to await their meal. Joelle found that her mind was always on John and, remembering Dan’s comments about the move, she questioned him.

  “Why are you moving John?” she asked.

  “I think the change would be good for him,” Dan answered. “He hates the hospital and, frankly, I think they’re beginning to hate having him there. I wanted to load him up on the train and move him to El Paso, but the army doctor feels that would be too harsh a trip for him to make. I guess I’m inclined to agree, although I’d like to get all of us out of Columbus.”

  “Why?” Joelle asked innocently. “Is there some kind of problem here?”

  Dan looked at Lillie and the meaningful exchange was not lost on Joelle. She frowned at their silence, biting her lower lip.

  Papa Santos seated several new patrons nearby and boisterously acclaimed the restaurant’s merits. Dan waited until he had gone before leaning over and continuing. “The area isn’t as safe as I’d like it to be,” he began. “You know that Mexico is struggling against revolutionaries. They’ve had all manner of conflict and uprisings and, frankly, it doesn’t look good.”

  Joelle was notably surprised. “Of course, I’d heard about the border raids. I read about them in the paper, but I had no idea we were in any real danger. This is still an American city. Why should we be afraid here?”

  “We’re only four miles from the International Boundary at the Palomas Gate, and we’re the only town of substantial means for miles around. Pancho Villa, the revolutionary responsible for the trouble you read about, is wreaking havoc all along the border, and there’s no way to tell what he might do next. He’s already burned ranches and taken livestock, not to mention—” Dan halted abruptly and coughed. “Well, it probably should be left unmentioned.”

  Lillie’s eyes betrayed her concern. She had already had this conversation with Dan and knew very well what his thoughts were.

  “But the army is here to protect us,” Joelle rationalized. “Surely this Villa person wouldn’t be willing to face down the entire Thirteenth Cavalry.”

  “They faced worse at Agua Prieta,” Dan replied and said nothing more until a plump, dark-skinned woman had settled plates of steaming food in front of each of them. “Shall we ask God’s blessing?”

  Lillie nodded and bowed her head. Joelle did the same, but not without exchanging another look at Dan’s sober expression.

  “Father, we thank You for the gifts You have given. We praise You for John’s progress and for the bounty that lies before us. We give ourselves over to Your protection and guidance. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

  “Amen,” Lillie whispered.

  Joelle’s head lifted, and her dark eyes bore into Dan’s. “What is Agua Prieta?”

  “A town just across the border from Douglas, Arizona. Villa was enraged that President Wilson decided to back a man named Carranza as the official leader in Mexico. Villa attacked with ten thousand men and the Federales came from El Paso with equipment our government provided in order to defeat him. They say that after the battle, Villa was down to less than fifteen hundred men.”

  “So that’s good, isn’t it?” Joelle said, picking at the tempting food on her plate.

  “It angered Villa even more. He feels the U.S. has betrayed him. At one time they had promised to back him and his people. Villa thought U.S. support would put him in the position of running Mexico. When we withdrew that support, he became just one more revolutionary. Now he has no more prestige in the eyes of our government than do the Red Flaggers.”

  “Who are they?” Joelle asked.

  “Renegades of the worst kind. They’re a trashy sort, not at all organized like Villa’s men. They carry machetes and flag themselves with red. They are ruthless and even more aggressive than Villa, if that is possible.”

  “But why do you think they will come here?”

  “Camp Furlong has a machine gun unit here. Villa would love to get his hands on those guns. The army knows it too, and they are looking out for him, but they can’t do very much at this point. No one seems to want to authorize any counteraction.” Dan put down his fork and struggled with an unpleasant thought. “I didn’t want to add to the needless worry, so I haven’t even told this to Lillie, but just a few days ago, Villa’s men attacked a train and hauled off nineteen American mining engineers and killed them. That was at Santa Ysabel, Chihuahua, and it isn’t that far from Columbus.”

  “Daniel Monroe!” Lillie said, a look of disbelief crossing her face. “How dare you try to keep things from me. I’ve been around you long enough to prove myself capable of keeping a cool head. If we’re in danger like that, then I should be informed. Maybe moving John is worth the risk.”

  “Calm down, Lillie.” Dan’s voice became honey smooth. “You know how I feel about causing you needless pain. I’ve been leveling with you about most everything. Just hear me out.”

  Lillie seemed to take a moment to consider his words, then picked up her fork and began to eat. Dan took her lack of comment as acceptance and continued.

  “I very much would like to move John out of Columbus, but the situation is such that we could end up permanently
damaging his spine. . .maybe even killing him. That’s not a risk I’m willing to take, and because there is so very little we can tell about his condition, I made the decision to wait things out right here. The army has assured me that they will patrol the area, even on the edges of town, to the utmost. They are increasing their patrols even now.”

  “Increasing their patrols?” Lillie questioned with a raised brow. “When did you learn about this?”

  Dan tried to ignore the tone that told him he would have a great deal to explain when his wife got him alone. “Just a little while ago. So you see, I think the best we can offer John is a homelike atmosphere and an aggressive healing program.”

  “What can we do for him?” Joelle asked with pleading eyes.

  “We can pray and wait with good attitudes and pleasant outlooks. I can’t say much more than that. We need to give the broken bones time to heal and also to let John rebuild his strength. After that, we’ll have to work the muscles in his legs, and hopefully the spinal swelling will go down and we will know the extent of his paralysis.”

  “I want to help,” Joelle stated firmly. “He won’t like it and it may seem completely improper, but I want to help. Anyway, it’s not like I’ve never been around grown men. I do have brothers, you know.”

  Dan glanced at Lillie who wore an I-told-you-so grin on her face. “We knew you’d expect to help,” he answered. “So we have decided to take you up on it. See, I have a theory. . .a plan, actually.”

  Joelle leaned forward. “What kind of plan?”

  “You eat everything on your plate,” Dan said with a grin, “and I’ll tell you.”

  Joelle’s eyes narrowed slightly as her head cocked to one side. “Now I see where John gets it,” she said.

  “Gets what?”

  “His ability to manipulate people into doing what he wants.”

  Lillie laughed out loud at this, and although several people in the room glanced her way, no one seemed at all to mind. Embarrassed by her outburst, nonetheless, Lillie leaned forward and whispered, “John is so much like his father, that at times it’s like seeing Dan when he was young.”

  “You calling me old?”

  Lillie glanced from Joelle to Dan. “Never old, Mr. Monroe, just seasoned.”

  Dan’s smile broadened. “That so, Mrs. Monroe,” he stated more than questioned. “I guess we might call ourselves a bit spicy, at that.”

  Joelle had to laugh at their play. She hoped that she and John would one day find things to laugh about again. An aching in her heart made her want to leave the table and go to his side. But what would he say to her if she showed up in the hospital?

  “So,” Dan said, momentarily turning from his wife to face Joelle, “you gonna eat?”

  Joelle jerked back to the present conversation and nodded. Putting a forkful of food up to her mouth, she spoke. “Start talking, Dr. Monroe.”

  Chapter 5

  The small adobe house that Dan secured was anything but spacious. It had a main living area with a kitchen and front room sharing the same space and two small bedrooms off the back. There was, of course, no indoor plumbing, but then Joelle had not seen the likes of that since living with her parents in Kansas City.

  Joelle could not help but think of her mother and father as she watched Dan and Lillie work to ready the house for John. They had not wanted to let her come to New Mexico to live with Nicholas and Daughtry. It was only after a series of letters from Nicholas and the united efforts of Joelle and her older sister, Natalie, that Riley and Zandy Dawson had agreed to let their youngest leave home. They understood her need to be on her own, and this choice had kept her from sprouting wings and flying too far from their watchful eye. And, while Nicholas and Daughtry received a live-in nanny and housemaid, Joelle got to be nearer to John.

  Seeing Dan stop to steal a quiet kiss from his wife, Joelle made a mental note to send her parents a telegram when time permitted. They would want to know about John’s condition, Joelle reasoned, and it might help ease her homesickness for them.

  The move from the hospital to the house came in February, and Joelle was on hand to see to it that John got properly tucked into the small but firm bed that Dan had personally made for him. Dan and Lillie had already agreed that Joelle should have the first chance at some private time with John once he was settled in. They started to leave the room, but John called out and stopped them.

  “I thought I asked you to send Joelle home,” John said with a glaring frown.

  Joelle smiled warmly. “I told you I was staying put until you could make me leave. From the looks of you that ought to be a good long while.”

  John grimaced and muttered something inaudible under his breath. “You gonna let her torment me like this?” he asked, turning to his father and mother.

  “I think she’s earned the right to stay,” Dan said. “In fact, I think it might do you two some good to have a few moments alone. Come on, Lillie.”

  “I don’t want a few moments alone!” John yelled after his parents’ retreating forms. “Do you hear me? Take her with you!”

  Joelle closed the door behind Lillie and Dan, thinking as she did that she heard Dan laugh. Turning slowly and smoothing her muslin apron, she faced John.

  “I gave you plenty of time to get used to my being here. You can’t force me to leave you, John. You might as well stop fussing about it and accept the fact that I’m here and here I’m going to stay.” Joelle kept her expression rigid and firm.

  “I don’t want you here!” His words were harsh and painful to Joelle’s ears, but she swallowed her hurt and squared her shoulders.

  “I’m staying, anyway,” Joelle said with renewed determination.

  “I told you to leave,” he countered. The firm set of his jaw told Joelle he meant business, but there was something very boyish in his expression and this made Joelle smile. “You think I’m joking about this?” John asked, growing angrier by the minute.

  “I think you’re a little boy with his nose out of joint,” Joelle replied. “Why don’t you stop feeling sorry for yourself, John Monroe, and put that effort into getting better?”

  “You don’t seem to understand. I might not get better!” he proclaimed in a voice nearly loud enough to rattle the windowpanes.

  “You don’t understand,” Joelle declared, coming to stand directly over him. “I. . .don’t. . .care!” And with those words the shouting match was on.

  “You’re leaving!”

  “I’m staying!”

  “I mean it, Joelle!”

  “So do I, John!”

  “I’ll make you miserable until you get back on that train and go home!”

  “No doubt!” Joelle’s tiny voice was no match for John’s, but she put her heart and soul into the matter and found herself quite capable of holding her own. “Just go ahead and try!”

  “If I could get out of this bed, I’d be tempted to throttle you!”

  “If you could move out of that bed, we wouldn’t be having this conversation!”

  “Joelle, you’re making me angry, and you aren’t getting anywhere with this. I’m going to tell Dad to get you packed and on the next available train. Now, for the last time, I want you to go.”

  “For the last time?” Joelle questioned. “What a relief. I thought you might keep up this foolery for weeks to come.” She leaned her face down, coming within inches of his face. Her voice softened and a loving smile touched her face. “You can tell me to go, but you can’t make me leave. I love you, John, and your angry words and self-pity aren’t going to change it one bit.”

  Without warning, Joelle pressed her lips against John’s. She felt him resist, keeping himself aloof and refusing to return her kiss, but it did not cause her a moment’s hesitation. Gently, she continued to kiss him until she felt his hands on her arms and the
hardness of his mouth soften. Feeling him surrender his anger, Joelle broke away and stared at him for a moment.

  “I’m staying,” she whispered and pulled herself away from John’s touch.

  John closed his eyes, refusing to look at her. “Don’t do it, Joelle. I’m only thinking of you. It’s gonna be a long, hard haul, don’t think I don’t know it.”

  Joelle sighed. “I never thought it would be easy, but my love for you will get me through.”

  John’s fury was back and his voice was a growl. “Your love will turn to pity. In fact, it probably already has. You just feel sorry for me. Isn’t that true?” His accusation infuriated Joelle.

  “Ha!” Joelle exclaimed and John’s eyes snapped open. Seeing she had his full attention, Joelle nearly danced to the door. “The last thing in the world I feel for you is pity. You may have every other woman swooning over you with sad-faced sympathy, but not me. I know what you’re capable of and I won’t be charmed into letting you get out of it. When you’re out of that cast, I’ll expect a great deal of work out of you, John Monroe, and pity won’t take you very far.”

  John was obviously surprised at her outburst, but he steadied his voice. “Go home, Joelle, and leave me alone.”

  “No,” Joelle replied simply and waltzed out the door, closing it behind her.

  “Joelle!” John yelled from the other side. Joelle leaned against the whitewashed adobe wall and sighed. She was not aware of Dan and Lillie watching her until Lillie spoke.

  “He’s not going to make this easy on you, is he?”

  Joelle shoved her hands deep into her apron pockets. “He thinks he has the upper hand, but I can already tell that you were right. If we can just channel his anger into determination to get out of that bed, he’ll be on his feet in no time at all.”

  “It could get ugly,” Dan reminded her.

  Joelle sobered. “It could never be as ugly as him lying there, rotting away and feeling sorry for himself. I can endure his temper and his insults. He doesn’t mean a single word of it, anyway. I’ll stick it, out and when it’s all over and he’s back on his feet, John will owe me the nicest honeymoon trip to San Francisco that an army pilot’s money can buy.”