Heart Healer

by Leslie Bowes

  “I don’t ever want to leave,” she whispered.

  “You don’t have to. You can be whoever you want to be, do anything you want to. You’re the answer to every prayer I prayed for. You are the wish that I wished for. You’re my dream come true. I love you, Catherine, and I always will.”

  “Christopher,” she whispered, pulling him to her, needing him more than she needed anyone.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Blake

  President Davis was in Charleston making a speech, but Blake could not stand listening to him. President Davis was weak and would kill the Confederacy of America before it had a chance of greatness. The only reason Blake had come here was to see who had become president of the Confederacy instead of him. He had worked so hard to become president, but gossip had spread like fire. Everyone knew that Rose was gone again. Only this time no one gave him sympathy. He could tell by how everyone was looking at him today that they would rather have a president who was weak than one with no family, which was fine by him. He hated everyone who gave him sympathy! It just showed how weak they were. After Christmas, he decided he was through waiting for Rose to come back to him. He would find her himself, but he only had so much manpower. He needed someone to help him—someone with power. Suddenly he recalled Nicholas saying that Uncle Charles would be more than happy to represent Jessica, the slave girl. Charles! Yes! Charles would be just the man he needed.

  Blake’s carriage pulled up to the home of Charles and Colleen Phillips. They were Rose’s sister and brother-in-law. Charles was a lawyer in England who had helped to abolish slavery there. After Rose was gone the first time, Blake had written to Charles and Colleen asking them to come to Rose Hill in Charleston to help him. At first, they acted like family. Colleen helped Blake with Nicholas but when Blake found out that Charles and Colleen were helping the slaves run away up north and Charles was hiding them at Rose Hill, he was furious. Blake threw them out and planned to send Nicholas to boarding school. Colleen begged Blake to let her take Nicholas, which he’d agreed to. Now he needed Charles’s help to keep up appearances. He had to pretend that he was heartbroken over his son’s death. Blake tried to force tears in his eyes as he knocked on the door.

  You could have heard a pin drop as the slave showed Blake into the parlor where Colleen and Charles were waiting for him. They did not look happy to see Blake.

  “What can we do for you, Blake?” Charles asked coldly.

  “As you may have heard, my wife Catherine is gone and I need your help to find her,” Blake said, feeling the ache inside.

  “Why would we help you? Nicholas was murdered because he was in love with the slave girl Jessica and was trying to help her win her freedom, and you did not tell us. We had to read it in the newspaper! Why is that, Blake? Maybe because you had something do with it? And if you did, I hope Catherine gets as far away from you as she can. Something my sister never could do!” Colleen yelled.

  “Well, Colleen. I could not help but see that you have blacks working for you.” Blake attempted to change the subject.

  “They are free servants who want to be here. They are not forced to be,” Colleen responded.

  “So, I suppose you pay them a salary.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  Blake started to laugh. “That is ridiculous!” He laughed as though that was the funniest thing in world.

  “Blake, I think it’s time for you to leave,” Charles said as politely as he could through his anger.

  Blake suddenly stopped laughing, knowing he was not keeping up appearances.

  “I am so sorry. This is no laughing matter. I did everything I could for Nicholas and Jessica but in the end, it was not enough.”

  “Then why did Nicholas write to me asking for my help?”

  “Because there was only so much I could do at the time. I am doing everything I can do to protect Jessica now that Nicholas is gone. That is why I have not freed her. God only knows what they would do to her if she was free. But please, I need to find Catherine. Will you help me, Charles?”

  “I am sorry, Blake, but there is nothing I can do for you.”

  Blake felt his anger rise and he stormed out of the house. By the time he reached his home, he was boiling.

  “Jessica!” he screamed.

  “Master Blake,” Jessica called out, coming into the foyer.

  He grabbed her by the throat, making Jessica gasp.

  “My bed, now!” he said, gritting his teeth.

  He dragged Jessica up the stairs and threw her onto the bed. When he was done with her, he kicked her out of the room. Blake was still furious. He knew that if he wanted something done right he would have to do it himself, and he knew just where to start.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Christopher

  The next few months passed by in pure bliss. Christopher felt a sense of excitement that he had never felt before each time he saw Catherine. She was taking classes at the college to get her teaching degree. He was also teaching her how to drive. On the first warm day, they took Ryan to the beach and had a wonderful family day. Later that night, when all was quiet, he and Catherine sat in front of the fire sipping hot apple cider and talking about nothing in particular. Christopher loved these quiet moments with Catherine.

  Ryan loved spending time with Catherine as well. They spent hours reading and playing games together. Ryan was so excited about having a little brother or sister. He even called out for Catherine whenever he had a nightmare. Christopher loved Catherine all the more for the love she gave his son.

  The next day was the day they were going to find out what the sex of the baby was. Christopher and Catherine anxiously waited in the OB-GYN’s office with Ryan. When they were finally called back, the sonogram technician began the sonogram. Catherine was amazed that this little miracle of life was growing inside of her. She could see the baby’s features—a nose, and chin, and eyelids. They both counted fingers and toes. Their baby looked absolutely perfect.

  “Would you like to know your baby’s sex?” the technician asked.

  “Yes!” they both said at the same time.

  The technician moved the hand piece and pointed at the screen.

  “Congratulations! It’s a girl.”

  Christopher’s smile deepened. He leaned down and kissed Catherine.

  “I love you.”

  “I love you, too. What do you think, Ryan? You are getting a baby sister.”

  “I’m getting a baby sister!” Ryan said excitedly.

  Christopher couldn’t believe that he was looking at his daughter, and she was perfect. The rest of the appointment went on without a hitch. They left the doctor’s and went straight to a bookstore and bought a baby name book.

  ****

  When they got home they put the DVD of the sonogram in and tried to pick a name while Ryan went outside to play soccer. Every time they liked a name, they would look at their daughter and find that it just didn’t suit her. Catherine set the book down and looked over at the image of her daughter and the perfect name came to her.

  “What about Caroline?”

  “That was my mother’s name,” Christopher whispered.

  “Well then, I cannot imagine our daughter having a more perfect name.”

  He leaned in and kissed Catherine.

  “I can’t either. I love you, Catherine.”

  “I love you too, Christopher.”

  He then leaned down and kissed Catherine’s stomach where she was just beginning to show.

  “And I love you, Caroline.”

  Suddenly he saw a small spot on her stomach bulge involuntarily. But it happened so quickly that he wasn’t sure what he saw.

  “What was that?”

  Catherine smiled and reached out, taking his hand. She put his hand on her stomach.

  “That is someone who gets very excited every time she hears her daddy’s voice. I think she is going to be a daddy’s girl.”

  A few seconds later he felt the baby kick and he grinned.
In moments like these, he knew that he had been unknowingly waiting for Catherine. He was truly touched that she had chosen him to be the father of her child.

  “Thank you for sharing this with me,” he said in amazement as he continued to feel the baby kick.

  “I did not have a choice.”

  “You always have a choice.”

  “Not this time, not with you.”

  “I knew that something was missing in my life but I didn’t know what that was until I met you,” Christopher said, his voice tender as he brushed his lips against hers. She put her hand against his cheek.

  “You are what I have been searching for too, Christopher,” she whispered and leaned up to kiss him just as Ryan came into the room.

  “Have you picked out a name for my baby sister?” Ryan asked as they pulled apart.

  “Yes. We have. Her name is Caroline.”

  “I like that name. What are you doing, Daddy?”

  “I’m feeling Caroline kick. Would you like to feel too?”

  “Yeah.”

  Ryan came over and put his hand on Catherine’s stomach. “Wow! She kicks hard.”

  “She is pretty anxious to be born and meet you.”

  Ryan leaned down and kissed Catherine’s stomach. “Hi, Caroline. I am your big brother Ryan, and I will always look after you.”

  Christopher sat back, watching Catherine and his son together. He felt completely content. All he had to do to make their happiness complete was ask Catherine to marry him. And that was just about to happen.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Catherine

  Catherine felt as though her life had truly just begun, and in the most wonderful way. She had thrown herself into the river with a broken heart, but somehow, she had traveled in time over a hundred years to find a man that made her happy and safe and wanted to make all her dreams come true. And then there was sweet Ryan. She no longer thought of him as the son of the man who saved her life, but as her little boy. On Sunday after they went to church, they packed a picnic and took it down to the river. She loved watching Christopher and Ryan rowing the rowboat together. Christopher was an amazing dad. Ryan could not stop laughing, as they were splashing each other more than they were rowing the boat. Later that night, she and Christopher cuddled under a blanket and watched a movie, holding hands the entire time. She and Christopher made love before they went to sleep. A few days later, Christopher asked her to go out to dinner with him. Catherine smiled. She could hear Christopher and Ryan whispering in the hallway while she was in the bedroom getting ready for dinner. When Ryan came running into the room, she started to think tonight was more than just dinner.

  “Catherine, look! I did it all by myself!”

  She looked down and saw that he had done his tie.

  “Wow, you look very handsome. Do you know how much I love you?”

  Ryan smiled. “All the way to heaven and back.”

  “That’s right, and that’s never going to change. You know that right, Ryan?”

  “Yes, I know. I can’t wait until baby Caroline comes. Caroline is going to call you mommy, right?”

  “That’s right, sweetie. She’s going to call me mommy when she can talk, but that does not mean that I will love you any less.”

  “Then, can I call you mommy?”

  “Of course, you can, sweetie!”

  She engulfed Ryan into a hug as the tears rolled down her cheeks. She thought her heart would burst. Ryan pulled back and wiped her tears.

  “Are you okay, Mommy?”

  She smiled, loving to hear Ryan call her that.

  “I am better than okay. Are you ready? Your daddy is waiting.”

  “Yep.”

  ****

  The Beaufort Inn’s lights were twinkling. There were red roses everywhere. They were seated on the outside deck. All of a sudden, Christopher removed a small box from his pocket. Dropping to one knee, he opened the box. He held before her a beautiful diamond ring.

  “Oh my!” She gasped.

  “Catherine Andrews, I love you. Will you marry me?”

  She looked down at him with shining eyes.

  “Yes!”

  Christopher slipped the ring onto her finger. They kissed and the whole world seemed to disappear, but Ryan’s enthusiastic clapping brought them back to reality.

  “Do you like your ring, Mommy? I helped Daddy pick it out.”

  “I love it, sweetie, and I love your daddy too!”

  “I love you too, Catherine.”

  As if on cue, Emma came out onto the deck. “I believe I’m here for a special pick-up. Ready to go, Ryan? We are going to give your dad and Catherine some grown up alone time.” She winked as she led Ryan out.

  Catherine could not believe Christopher had done all this. For the rest of the evening, she and Christopher danced under the stars. All she felt was Christopher’s touch and the warmth of his body against hers.

  Chapter Twenty

  Christopher

  Ryan burst through the door, his laughter filling the house. Catherine was not far behind him. Christopher hung back, feeling himself beginning to relax. He had been so nervous about tonight, but even though he was standing in the doorway, he didn’t feel the chill in the air. He felt the warmth and love that was in the house. Catherine was so right for him, of that he was certain. She was wonderful with Ryan and Ryan loved her. She had given him such wonderful gifts. He had hoped that this was a start to thank her.

  Christopher went into the family room where Catherine and Ryan were watching the Never Land Pirate special. He took a seat next to Catherine while Ryan focused all his attention on the TV. Christopher brushed his fingers lightly up and down Catherine’s thigh.

  “If I haven’t told you tonight, you look beautiful,” he whispered in her ear.

  She leaned forward and kissed him.

  “Thank you. You look very handsome yourself.”

  Later that night, while Catherine was putting Ryan to bed, Christopher went into the kitchen and got two crystal flutes from the cabinet. He then went over to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of sparkling white grape juice and a tray of chocolate-covered strawberries. He set everything up in the living room on a table. As he was lighting some candles, he saw Catherine appear in the doorway. He studied the graceful outline of her profile. He was certain that he had never seen anything more beautiful. He walked over to her and kissed her passionately. He was so in love with her and he wanted her to know that. His hands wandered past her waist, her lips were so soft against his. Catherine slipped her arms around his waist and pulled him closer. As they kissed and held each other, he marveled at how right she felt next to him. Catherine pulled back and, reaching up, touched his face.

  “I love you, Christopher,” she whispered, looking up at him. Her desire for him was shining in her eyes.

  “I love you too, Catherine,” he whispered back as his face inched closer to hers.

  When they began to kiss again, he wanted all of her, more than he’d ever wanted anyone. He kissed her one last time before bending down and picking Catherine up and carrying her slowly to his bedroom.

  ****

  Their love-making was different somehow. It still resembled their first time together: tender and unrushed. But Christopher felt her tongue against his as he traced his fingers over her face and down her back. He left a trail of feverish kisses across her eyelids, cheeks, and down her neck, then back up again to her lips. The way he looked at and moved about her with such love, made Catherine arch her back and cry out. It was as though they both knew how serious their relationship had become. It left them both breathless. Christopher held her against him, softly kissing her.

  “I love you,” he whispered, tracing her face with his finger.

  “I love you, too.”

  He rolled onto his back, pulling Catherine close. She rested her head on his chest. They lay there together for a long time, with Christopher tracing small circles on her lower back. When Catherine’s stomach beg
an rumbling, they both realized that they hadn’t eaten much at the restaurant. He went downstairs and got the tray of strawberries and the bottle of juice. They ate in between laughing, being serious, and teasing each other, and then staying silent. They savored each and every moment with each other.

  Just before dawn, Christopher and Catherine made love once more before falling asleep in each other’s arms, dreaming of their happy future together.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Catherine

  Catherine awoke to find Christopher curled around her. She laid her head on his shoulder watching him sleep. She studied his face as she brushed his cheek with her fingers. It was enough to wake him.

  “Good morning,” he said his eyes shining with love for her.

  “Morning,” she said lovingly back.

  She and Christopher kissed passionately, wrapped tightly in each other’s arms. When there was a knock on the door, they reluctantly pulled apart.

  “Come in,” Catherine said.

  The door opened and Ryan walked in.

  “Hi,” Ryan said happily coming toward the bed.

  “Hi, sport,” Catherine and Christopher both said.

  Ryan climbed into bed laying his head on the pillow.

  “What are we doing?” Ryan asked.

  ‘Well, we were just getting up,” Catherine said quickly.

  She looked happily upon her family. Leaning down she kissed both Ryan and Christopher. Just then rays of sunlight came through the window. It was as though God was giving her a piece of heaven and she wanted to bask in it for as long as possible.

  “So, what do my two favorite guys want to do today?”

  “Can we go to the park?” Ryan asked excitedly.

  “Sure, sport. We can go to the park, but how about we make a day out of it?”

  “Sounds like the perfect family day to me,” Catherine said

  ****

  The Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park was one of Catherine’s favorite parks, with all the trails weaving through towering trees that gave comfort and shade. Through the trees you could see the water. As she and Christopher stood together watching Ryan climbing up the ladder to the slide, Christopher scooted closer slipping his arm around Catherine. Leaning into him she rested her head against his shoulder. Catherine knew that there was nothing better than this moment. She had no idea of the dark and dangerous events that were about to happen.