Popping his umbrella out, he waded through the puddles to the train. The cold today was bone-chilling with the added dampness from the rain. It was the perfect day to snuggle up with Madison in front of the fireplace - maybe play some scrabble, watch some movies.
He reminded himself that there would be plenty of days for that. At least he hoped there would be. He couldn’t allow himself to think otherwise.
He shook out his umbrella and ducked into the concession car. Amy was there already, but she wasn’t her usual cheerful self.
“Hey,” was her only response to his good morning greeting.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
She looked at him. “I just really would have liked to have stayed home today. I don’t know - maybe it’s the rain. I just don’t have a good feeling about being on the train today.”
“Yeah,” Daniel said, “I’d rather be home, too. Just so you know, we aren’t leaving until the scout car comes back with a clear report.
“That’s something, I guess,” she said, looking outside at the torrents of rain falling.
“I guess,” he repeated, and he too, looked outside, but he wasn’t looking at the rain. He was looking for Madison. He checked his watch. She was late. She had a hard time getting here this early in the morning, but she usually managed to get close.
He went to the first passenger car and greeted the dozen or so passengers who had shown up.
“Can we still go in the rain?” someone asked.
“As long as the tracks are clear,” he answered.
“Does it often rain like this here?”
“Not so much.”
“Shouldn’t it be snowing instead?”
“It’s probably snowing in the high country.”
This got the attention of not only the young ones, but also the older folks. “Do you think we’ll see some snow?”
“I would think so.”
Ignoring their pleased responses, Daniel gazed outside again. This time, he was rewarded with the sight of Madison wading across the depot, a bright red umbrella held over her head. He went to meet her at the platform.
“I’m sorry I’m late,” she said.
“It’s ok. It’s sort of my fault,” he said, “for keeping you up late.”
“Well, that’s true,” she said with a sideways grin.
He took her umbrella with one hand and her hand with the other to steady her climb up the steps. “Did you sleep well anyway?” he asked when she was safely aboard.
“Yes. All four hours of it.”
“I apologize Madison. It won’t happen again.”
“Not until tonight, I hope.”
He laughed. “You’re a woman after my own heart.”
She looked at him quizzically. “If you didn’t already have it, I’d have to give it to you.”
“You scared me there for a minute.”
“Don’t even go there. You’re my girl.”
“I sure do hope so.”
Mike blew the whistle indicating that the scout car was back. “Let’s go find out if we’re going up the hill today.”
“It’d be nice to have a day off to just sit by the fire.”
He gave her a strange look. “My sentiments exactly.”
Against his better judgment, they headed up the hill. Daniel had gone in worse. He figured it was just the dreariness of the day and his desire to be with Madison that had him feeling out of sorts. And there was the small detail that he had gotten only three hours of sleep compared to Madison’s four last night.
At least they would be back by mid-afternoon and that left plenty of time to shower and have a long evening just the two of them.
Last night with his friends had been nice enough, but he wasn’t ready to share Madison. And, it seemed, she had been a little stressed out by the whole thing, too.
Maybe they’d spend the evening at his house. Rover was getting lonely and he had a fireplace - and plenty of firewood.
As he collected train tickets, he carefully assessed each passenger, perhaps a little more than he usually did. The last thing they needed today was another gunman. He wondered if that was another reason, besides the rain, that they had so few passengers today.
“We just got married,” a young man said, as he took his ticket. Daniel congratulated the young couple - they couldn’t be a day over eighteen.
“Not this morning, I hope.”
The girl laughed. “No, last night.”
“And you’re here, on the train?”
The girl blushed. “It’s the only way to get to the inn. We wanted to have our first time there, you know?”
Then Daniel felt his own face flush. “I see,” he said. “I think that’s... a really romantic plan.”
“We thought so,” the girl said, though Daniel had a feeling it was more her idea than his. Daniel was the only man he knew who would put off sex with a beautiful woman for some seemingly inane reason like - she had no memory.
He moved on to the next car. How long would they have to wait? Was he really going to be able to hold out until she got her memory back? Then, what if her memories didn’t include him? Then what? He would have missed out.
He reeled himself back in. This wasn’t about having sex with someone he was attracted to. This was about spending the rest of his life with the woman he was in love with.
Madison was standing next to the door, looking out the window behind her sunshades. Fire was just as dangerous in the rain as when it wasn’t raining.
“Are you asleep in there” he asked.
“Not entirely,” she answered.
“I wouldn’t blame you if you were.”
“Daniel, is it really safe to be traveling in this much rain?” she asked, quietly, only for his ears.
“I sure hope so,” he answered. It was the best he could do. “Mike is the best we have. If there’s a problem, he’ll be on top of it.”
She nodded. At least he thought she nodded. “Keep your eyes open,” he said.
“Funny,” she answered and turned back to the window.
When they reached the cliffs, as usual, Mike slowed the train to a snail’s pace as it wound its way up the slope, then just as slowly started a descent before going up again. She could see below where a train had gone off the tracks years ago. No one hardly even remembered it anymore. A chill went through her and, suddenly, for the first time, when she had first ridden the train, what was it, two weeks ago? She felt a tingle of fear.
She was surprised when the train sped up. It shouldn’t have. It was too soon. They were still going downhill. Then it was traveling far too fast.
She wasn’t sure when she knew, but it seemed to happen in slow motion. The train was traveling over the side of the cliff. They were hitting trees on their way down, but nonetheless, they were about to end up in the river.
The sound of the cars going off the tracks was deafening. But worse, were the screams of the tourists as they realized what was happening.
She gripped the back of the nearest seat where she was standing. She didn’t know where Daniel was. She didn’t know if he was in front of her or behind her. That was all she could think about as they plummeted toward the fast-moving water.
She slid against the side of the train as it fell, forcing her into a sitting position.
It was a chain reaction. The front cars going off the tracks pulled the back ones along with it. Fortunately, there were only four cars today, including the engine. She was in the third car, in front of the concession car. The slow-moving nightmare came to deafening silence with only echoes of the disaster ringing in her ears. There was water everywhere - icy, cold water.
And rain came down in torrents.
Madison sat there for a precious few seconds, trying to get her bearings, then she moved into action. “Stay calm,” she said. “We’re going to get out of here. Is anyone hurt?”
As far as she could tell, just about everyone answered. That was good. If they could answer, they were alive. �
��Let’s see if we can climb out,” she said. “Then I’ll help those of you who are too injured to move.”
She didn’t allow herself to think about Daniel. Not in that moment. In a few minutes, she would go find him. It was one of the hardest things she had ever done - not going to find him right at that instant. She focused on her obligation to the passengers.
They must have landed more softly than she thought, because outside of one broken arm, everyone in her car was able to climb out and head for land.
After she got them all heading out, she debated on which direction to turn. She had to find Daniel. If only she’d been paying more attention to which direction he had gone.
Going with her gut, she went toward the front. They hadn’t fared so well further toward the front of the train. There were two people unconscious and one was wedged in his seat.
She got them helping each other, and moved forward to the engine. Daniel had to be there.
When she saw him, she must have screamed because everyone turned to watch as she ran toward him.
“Daniel,” she called. “Daniel,” she knelt next to him, holding his head in her lap.
“I’m okay,” he said, but she could tell that he wasn’t. He was bleeding. She just couldn’t tell how bad it was without an examination.
As she began to check him for wounds, she had a flashback. She was in an emergency room checking a man for broken limbs.
She was in an operating room, cutting into someone.
She was examining a pregnant woman.
Delivering a baby.
“Ow!” Daniel yelped as she moved his leg.
“I think you will be okay, but I think you may have an internal injury.” her voice sounded foreign to herself. “You mustn’t move.”
“Ok,” he said. “Madison, are you alright?”
“Yes,” she answered. But she wasn’t. She wasn’t all right.
In a flash, she remembered everything. Her medical practice. Her fiancé. Her parents. Her townhouse. Her cat, Fluffy.
I’m Dr. Madison McKivitz.
When Daniel woke, it took him a minute to process where he was. He didn’t recognize the room. He definitely wasn’t at home, his parents’, or Madison’s house. When he looked down at the needle in his arm, he knew. He was in the hospital.
He closed his eyes and tried to think back. He didn’t know how long he’d been here. The last thing he remembered was Madison kneeling over him, holding his head. Then she was telling him that he had an internal injury. How had she known that? She had looked so serious.
He wiggled his toes and his fingers. He seemed to still have all his body parts. Everything was intact the best he could tell.
He needed a nurse. He needed to know what had happened to him. He needed to know that his passengers were all alright.
He needed to see Madison.
“Nurse!” he called, becoming agitated. “Nurse!”
A few minutes later, a heavy-set woman in a white outfit came to his door and glared at him, her arms crossed. “What’s wrong with you?” she asked.
He glared back. “What’s going on?”
“You’re in the hospital.”
“Please,” he said, feigning acquiescence. “Tell me something I don’t know.”
“Getting yourself all worked up ain’t gonna get you any information.”
Why did he always have to get the cranky one, the battle ax? “Where’s my girlfriend?”
“Your girlfriend?” she repeated with a raised eyebrow.
“Yes, my girlfriend - Madison.”
“Do you see her here?”
“Has she been here?”
The nurse took a deep breathe. “She was here.”
“Where is she?”
“She left.”
“When is she coming back?’
“Now how would I know?”
“Has anyone called my parents?”
“What do you think we are?”
“I wonder.”
“They’re on their way.”
He rubbed his eyes with his fingertips. “Finally,” said to himself. “What’s wrong with me?” he asked, louder, but when he looked up, the nurse had left.
Frustrated beyond words, he thought about getting up, but since he didn’t know what was wrong with him, he was afraid something might go seriously wrong if he tried it.
If he waited long enough, someone had to come check on him - to take his temperature, check his vitals, something. And with any luck at all, it would be someone besides Battle Ax Nurse.
So, he laid there and he waited. And he fell asleep.
When he next opened his eyes, his mother was sitting next to the bed, her hand on his head, toying with his hair.
Blinking, he focused on her face. She’d been crying. It must be bad.
“What’s happened?” he asked.
“You were in an accident and you’re in the hospital.”
Does everyone think I’m an idiot? “I know that, Mom. What’s wrong with me?”
“You’re going to be ok. You had an internal injury.”
Just like Madison had said. How had she known that? “Where’s Madison?”
His mother glanced across the bed. Daniel turned to see his dad standing there. “What’s happened? Is she hurt?”
“She’s okay,” his mother told him. “As far as we know.”
“What do you mean? Where is she?”
“We don’t know where she is.”
“Did you call her? The nurse said she’d been here. Maybe she just went home to sleep.”
“Daniel, you’ve been here for three days.”
“Three days! How can that be?”
“You don’t remember harassing the nurses?”
He laughed hollowly. “I remember the Battle Ax Nurse harassing me.”
“Madison left this for you,” his mother told him.
He slowly took it from her and examined the white envelope. “What is it?” he asked.
His mother shrugged. He looked at his father who said, “it looks like a letter or a note. Open it and see.”
“It can’t be good,” he said. “You haven’t seen her?”
“Not since we got here three days ago.”
“She hasn’t been here in three days?”
She shook her head.
Daniel studied the envelope. It was not a good sign. She should be here. If she cared about him, which he was convinced she did, she should be here. Unless something happened. Slowly he broke the seal on the envelope and pulled out a sheet of paper with a handwritten note.
Dear Daniel,
First of all, please know that I am convinced you will be ok. You have to know that if I didn’t believe that, I would not have left you - could not have left you. These past couple of weeks have been the best of my life. But I can’t stay here. There are things I must do. I have no choice. You must go on with your life, without me. I am sorry. I am so very, very sorry. I love you deeply with all my heart and soul and I always will. I will never, never forget you Daniel Beaumont.
Love always,
Madison McKivitz
Daniel held the letter, rereading it through twice.
He knew what it meant. It meant she had regained her memory. She had regained her memory and his worst fear had come to pass. She had obligations that would not allow her to stay with him.
What could be so strong that she could give up what they had together? She was probably married. Probably had children. That was the only explanation. The only thing he could think of that would be enough to take her from him.
He had to let her go. He knew that. She had made her choice. She had her reasons and he had to respect that.
He had to.
Chapter Eleven
Madison stood in what she had grown to think of as her living room. She recognized the townhouse, now, of course. She had visited her parents there a time or two. She had been there for two days now, frozen, in indecision.
She wasn’t really sure
if she had eaten anything or not. She didn’t care.
Life was no longer the way she knew it.
Wrapping her hand around the little aspen leaf necklace that Daniel had given her, she allowed herself to think about him - to wonder how he was doing. Was he still in the hospital? Had her read her letter yet? What did he think? Did he believe her? Did he hate her now?
She couldn’t stay with him. She was engaged to marry Timothy O’Donnell. They had every detail of their lives planned out. She had a job in a women’s hospital - she had patients who were counting on her. Her parents would doubtless go crazy wondering what happened to her. Fortunately, they were traveling in Europe, so they most likely didn’t even know that she was missing. There was, however, her sister to contend with. They didn’t always get along all that well, but they cared about each other. Had her sister tried to contact her? Probably not. Sometimes they would go a couple of months without any contact.
Nonetheless, she couldn’t remain living here in her parents’ vacation home and expect to go undetected. Already, Mrs. Crandall had questioned her. She doubtless knew that Madison was still there, but she hadn’t tried to contact her again.
Madison was a mess. And she knew it. She hadn’t showered but once since she got home after the accident. She just didn’t care. She was immobilized. Caught between two worlds. She knew she had to give this one up, but she just couldn’t bear to do it.
She went to sit on the sofa, stretched out, hugging a pillow to her, and closed her eyes. The only refuge she had found was sleep.
It was later, though she didn’t know how much later, that her doorbell started ringing. It was dark now. She checked the clock over the television. It was two thirty in the morning.
Getting up, she stumbled to the door and peeked out the window. She blinked. She recognized the people on the other side of the door. The man and woman frantically knocking on the door, unsuccessfully trying the key. Madison had the internal deadbolt on, so not even someone with a key could get inside.
It was her parents.
Her parents? How could that be? They were in Europe.
“Madison? Are you in there?” her dad called out. “Open the door!”
Pretend You'll Stay (Winter Kisses Book 2) Page 13