by Sarah Banks
∞∞∞
Ethan only stayed around for a few minutes after that. Charlotte introduced him to her unsmiling father who grudgingly took Ethan’s hand, squeezing it much harder than necessary. Other than that, they didn’t speak to each other. He did exchange brief pleasantries with Charlotte’s stepmother Margaret, who shot him a look that he could only identify as an apology. For what, he wasn’t sure. Arriving unannounced, the strained interaction between him and her husband, maybe both or something else, he wasn’t sure.
He greeted John’s parents with a warmth he didn’t feel and made proper introductions. He remembered them being kind folk and he knew they adored their grandchildren. Claire and Ben would lack for little in their care. He explained Claire was at school and invited them back later that evening for supper. After saying goodbye to a distracted Charlotte who looked happier than he had ever seen her, her father and stepmother, he walked Mr. and Mrs. Reed back to the hotel and then returned to work.
But it was worse than before. When before he had been distracted just wanting to see Charlotte, now his lack of concentration was because he felt sick about what was to come. Her father had arrived, quickly and without warning. To retrieve Charlotte from her mistake and subsequent unhappy life. Ethan didn’t make her happy, he wanted to but he needed more time. And his latest plan to get her pregnant, there hadn’t been time for that either. There was no reason for her to stay. Not if she was unhappy and her father provided an easy escape. He rubbed the ache in his chest, picked up his pencil, flipped open his ledger and tried to concentrate on something else.
∞∞∞
A few hours later he heard footsteps on the stairs. He had just managed to balance the books, the task taking far longer than it should have. A quick knock and his lead salesman entered with a man behind him. He had been grateful for the interruption until he had realized it was Charlotte’s father. Ethan quickly stood. Mr. Stewart looked no more happy to see him than before and yet he had sought him out at his office for some reason.
“Everyone’s gone Boss and I’ll be locking up unless you need anything else?”
“No that’s fine. Have a good night Tommy.”
Tommy tipped his hat to the both of them and quickly disappeared down the stairs leaving just him and Charlotte’s father facing off.
Neither of them said anything for a long moment. Charlotte’s father had his hands buried deep in his pockets. He stared at Ethan for a long moment before finally pulling his eyes away to look around the office. It seemed he wouldn’t be the first one to speak.
Finally Ethan asked, “Is there something I can do for you sir?”
Mr. Stewart was silent a moment before answering, “Just thought I’d come by and see what my son-in-law does for a living.” His voice had roughened over the word son-in-law and Ethan forced himself not to flinch. “Show me around?” He asked.
“Of course.” They returned downstairs touring the showroom first before entering the workshop. The space was large and dim and unnaturally quiet compared to the daytime. It smelled of freshly sawn wood and powerful varnish and he loved both smells. They were a part of him. Ethan lit a pair of lamps.
“You build any of this?” Mr. Stewart asked as they walked through the large workspace. There were several projects in various stages of completion – beds, wardrobes, tables and chairs, various types of shelving, even a desk which wasn’t as common of an order as the others.
“No sir.”
His father-in-law’s look went from interest to less than impressed.
“I designed it all though,” he said, trying not to be defensive. “Although I don’t build too much these days.” He did miss it and wished he had more time to do it but he liked all aspects of his business from design to sales and everything in between.
“Charlotte mentioned you’re building a second store in Denver.”
“Yes, that’s right. It’s only a few weeks from being finished. We’ve already contracted a large client, a five-story hotel in downtown. They just broke ground a few weeks ago.”
“How come you aren’t there?”
“In Denver? I was, not too long ago.” He should be there now and he would need to go again soon but he hadn’t wanted to leave Charlotte. But if she left him, the children too, he supposed there would be nothing else keeping him here.
“Ever thought of moving there?”
Ethan shook his head. “To Denver? Not really. I moved to Sweet Creek to be near my sister. She’s since passed.”
“I’m sorry,” Mr. Stewart said, sincerity and understanding filling his voice.
Ethan nodded and continued, “ But I’ve lived here some thirteen years and it’s a part of me now. I figure I’ll die here.”
Mr. Stewart’s brow furrowed. “I have to say I was surprised the train even stopped here. There’s not exactly much to Sweet Creek, is there?”
Ethan shrugged. It was close enough to Denver that it got a fair bit of through-traffic but the town itself remained small. That was one of the things that appealed to Ethan. “The train didn’t come all that long ago. It followed the timber boom.”
Throughout their conversation, well Mr. Stewart’s questions and Ethan’s subsequent answers, they had continued to walk around the entire warehouse. Ethan stopped in front of a tarped piece of furniture. “This is the most recent thing I’ve not only designed but built myself,” he told him, removing the tarp.
An intricate cradle lay underneath. Pulling the tarp away had set it to gently rocking. It was nearly completed. It had been stained and was now only awaiting varnish. He was proud of his work. He would deliver it to Alex before Christmas as promised, but he wouldn’t bill him, it would be a gift of congratulations for a friend from a friend. He was happy his friend’s marriage had worked out and seemed to be thriving. His own hadn’t flourished and perhaps he was a little bit jealous, but he only wished the best for his friend.
Mr. Stewart didn’t say anything for a long moment as he studied the cradle and Ethan forced himself not to fidget like a schoolchild under his teacher’s stare. He knew it was quality craftsmanship. He did not need his father-in-law’s approval, he told himself.
Mr. Stewart finally spoke. “I take it this means my daughter is expecting your child?” His lips were lined in white.
Ethan glanced at the cradle. He hadn’t realized how it would look. And while he wished that Charlotte was expecting his child, he very much doubted it after only one night. He wished they had had longer before her father came after her. He wanted Charlotte to fall in love with him, he wanted to give her a reason not to leave.
He swallowed. “No sir,” he said quietly. “I made this for a friend whose wife is expecting. In fact, she too was a mail order bride. They are very happy and expecting their first child this spring.”
“I see. What about you, are you happy?”
Ethan’s brows drew together. He wasn’t. He had barely touched the edge of happiness before it began to float away again and no matter how much he chased it, it moved further and further away, just out of reach. “What is it you really want to know sir?”
“Does my daughter love you?”
Ethan’s first reaction was to say that he should ask his daughter but instead he sighed and answered, “No sir, I don’t believe your daughter loves me.”
The man’s face was without expression except for his piercing eyes. Ethan wouldn’t let himself look away.
“And what about you? Do you love my daughter?”
“With all my heart.”
Her father grunted acknowledgement.
“Why? Why do you love her?”
Ethan didn’t hesitate with his reply. “She turned my house into a home, she gave me something to come home to, she makes me never want to leave in the first place. She’s brave and hardworking and willing to swallow her pride and learn what she needs to know to not only survive, but thrive. She’s a wonderful mother to my niece and nephew. She’s thoughtful and selfless and beautiful and her smi
le lights up a room…” His voice tapered off. Her father’s expression had changed but he couldn’t quite decipher it. “There are so many reasons I fell in love with your daughter sir, those are just a few.”
In that moment Ethan decided something. He wouldn’t let Charlotte go. And if he couldn’t convince her to stay, he’d follow her back east. He’d leave behind everything he built. He loved her more than anything and there’s nothing he wouldn’t do to have her in his life. “And if you’ve come here to take her back, well you should know you’ll have quite the fight on your hands.”
Chapter Fourteen
Charlotte awoke to Ethan dressing the morning after her father arrived. It was still dark out, earlier than he usually arose. “Ethan,” she murmured sleepily, stretching her arms overhead.
He turned toward her. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“It’s okay. Are you going to work already?”
“Yes.”
“But what about breakfast?”
“I can’t today honey. We’re busier than ever and with Christmas fast approaching I want to make sure we get as many orders finished as possible. A lot of them are gifts, plus I want to give my employees an extra day off so they can enjoy time with their families.”
“Of course,” she replied, understanding. “My father will be sad he missed you.”
Ethan made a noise in the back of his throat.
She sat upright, her brows drawn together, clutching the blanket to the front of her nightgown. “Ethan is everything alright?”
He nodded but didn’t meet her gaze. Something was clearly bothering him but he didn’t seem in the mood to talk about it now. “Will you be home for lunch?”
He shook his head. “Just supper, but don’t hold it if I’m late. I have to go,” he said dropping a quick kiss on her lips before disappearing out the door.
Charlotte looked after him in confusion. She had never seen him so distracted. She wondered if it had anything to do with her father’s unexpected arrival or the arrival of Claire and Ben’s grandparents. Or perhaps it was just as he said, an extremely busy time of year at his business.
She lay back in bed. Ethan had come home late the night before, barely in time for supper. They’d had both her father, stepmother and Claire and Ben’s grandparents over for supper. It had been wonderful watching them reunite with their grandchildren. They obviously adored them and Claire took to them very quickly despite only seeing them every other year. Ben took to them as well and she was glad because their eyes lit up when they took him into their arms for the first time. They played with them all evening and even offered to put them to bed before tiredly leaving to sleep at the hotel where they were staying.
She would be incredibly sad to see them go but she wouldn’t allow herself to think about that now. She couldn’t be selfish in this. She had to do what was best for the children.
Ethan had been quiet throughout supper. After everyone left they retired to their bedroom, going to bed earlier than usual. She thought Ethan would have made love to her again but he didn’t. And she had wanted him to. But he held her in his arms, very tightly and that was nice too. They didn’t talk much and she had fallen asleep in his embrace. She had woken up a couple times in the middle of the night and both times he was still holding her close.
Charlotte decided she wouldn’t be able to sleep anymore so she lit the lamp and read until it was her usual time to get up. She got herself ready for the day and then the children as well before going downstairs to start breakfast. Her father and stepmother would be arriving soon. Mr. and Mrs. Reed had politely declined the breakfast invitation to rest, their journey quite exhausting them. She worried about them looking after two young children. Claire wouldn’t be much trouble, but Ben was so young, he would require a great deal of time and energy. Regardless, she had plans to meet them for lunch later at the hotel.
When her father and stepmother arrived, Claire let them in while Charlotte finished up the flapjacks and then started the bacon and eggs.
“Coffee’s ready,” she told her father over her shoulder.
Margaret took initiative, putting Ben in his chair while Claire set the table and her father poured coffee for them and milk for the children. After breakfast, she watched from the kitchen with a small smile as her father awkwardly cleared the table, bringing the dishes to the sink. She thought perhaps he had never done so, not even as a child.
He deposited the dishes in the sink and turned to her. “So, what does one do around here for entertainment?”
“I suppose the same things as back east,” Charlotte replied. “But on a much less grand scale.” She retrieved the kettle of hot water from the stove and brought it to the sink. She held out a dish cloth to her father. “I’ll wash, you dry?”
Her father’s eyes widened. A small snort of laughter escaped Margaret’s lips. She still sat at the table, her eyes glistening with mirth as she watched them. Charlotte grinned at her. Then she held the cloth closer to her father.
“You don’t have servants?” Her father asked, still not taking the cloth.
She looked at him incredulously. This house might be larger than most in town but there was no space for servants. “I suppose that Ethan could afford at least one, but no, we don’t have any servants. I’m his wife, I take care of his meals, our home and the children.”
“I do so miss having little ones around,” Margaret said. “Did I tell you that’s all about to change? My daughter-in-law is expecting. I’ll be a grandmother by summer. It’s about time.”
“That’s wonderful Margaret. Please forward my congratulations.”
Margaret wiped little Ben’s dodgy hands and mouth with a damp cloth before removing him from his chair and taking him into the living room.
Her father eventually took the cloth from her hands and together they did the dishes.
After the dishes were done and she had wiped the counter, table and Ben’s area her father asked, “Now what?”
“Now I walk Claire to school. Claire are you ready?” She called as she walked into the living room, her father following. Of course Claire was. She had already collected her school books and was even wearing her jacket. She was such a responsible little girl and she loved school as much as Charlotte had at that age.
Margaret watched Ben while she and her father bundled into their jackets and began the walk to the school. Thankfully it hadn’t snowed anymore, but it had froze, their feet crunching in the frosted snow.
Claire quickly met up with one of her friends and they walked several feet ahead toward the school with Charlotte following on her father’s arm. He was unusually quiet. She wanted to talk with him about what had happened before she moved west but they hadn’t had a chance to speak of it yet. She wanted to apologize and she was glad he was here so that she could do it face to face.
Once they arrived on the school grounds, Claire raced back to her and hugged her tightly. “Have a good day at school. I’ll be here when you’re through,” Charlotte said, handing Claire her lunch pail and trying not to tear up at the girl’s affectionate hug. She would miss her terribly when she left Sweet Creek but she wouldn’t think about that now. Instead, she would just treasure the time they had left together.
When Claire disappeared into the schoolhouse she and her father continued their walk, retracing their steps back to the house. They once again passed Morgan Furniture and she had hoped to see a glimpse of Ethan but didn’t. She tried not to be disappointed. He had said he wouldn’t be coming home for lunch. He had even made it sound like he might not make it home for supper. She missed him and he wasn’t even out of town this time.
Her father cleared her throat. “So Lottie, are you coming home with me?”
Charlotte started. She came to a stop, pulling her arm from his. “No, why on earth would you think that?”
“Ethan said you weren’t happy here with him.”
For a moment Charlotte couldn’t speak. Firstly, she had no idea that E
than thought she was unhappy here with him. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Secondly, she had no idea her father had had a conversation with Ethan. She hadn’t seen them exchange more than a handful of words since her father’s arrival yesterday but then she remembered her father had disappeared for awhile yesterday, early in the evening. Margaret had stayed behind at the house, helping her prepare the evening meal. She had been incredibly distracted making an edible supper for eight. She hadn’t thought too much of it at the time, thinking her father was dealing with some business at the hotel or train station since they had just arrived.
“When did you speak with Ethan about me?”
“Yesterday at his office,” he confirmed.
“I see.”
She wrapped her arm through his again and they continued walking. They walked past the house and onto the road she had walked only once before with Claire and Ben to rescue Mister Micer from Claire’s homestead. That seemed like so long ago. They certainly wouldn’t walk nearly as far today. But she didn’t want to go in just yet. It seemed like she and her father had more to talk about than she originally thought.
“I’m not coming back Father. I’m a married woman now. My home is here with my husband.”
“Do you love him Lottie?”
“Yes.” She chewed her bottom lip for a moment before she said, “But I don’t think he loves me.”
She thought she saw the corner of her father’s lips start to curl into a smile but he turned his head away from her before she could be certain of what she saw. When he looked back at her, his face was again expressionless. “What is it?” She asked.
He shook his head. “Nothing. Tell me what made you fall in love with him.”
Charlotte took a deep breath. “It wasn’t just one thing and it wasn’t overnight. I don’t know when it happened really, only that it did. Where do I start? He moved here to stay close to his sister. Did you know that?” Her father shook his head. “And when she died he took in her children and he’s a wonderful uncle. He’s patient, kind and loving with them. He made me want to know what he’d be like with our own children. I think he’d be a wonderful father. He works hard, he’s giving, he makes me laugh. He makes me feel…beautiful.”