by Rose Dumont
“I did fall in love with you. But I cannot ignore the fact that you lied to me. Everything that I thought I knew was happening between you and I was based on a lie. I cannot forget that.”
“But can you forgive?”
“I don’t know, Cheryl. And now Charlotte wants me to spend time with her for one week and then choose between the two of you.”
“What! But I am your wife. You are married to me. She has come too late. You cannot do such a thing.”
“It sounded crazy to me too. But I fell in love first with the woman in the letters. The woman named Charlotte.”
“But what about me?”
“I don’t know anymore. I’m so confused. But I think I owe it to Charlotte and myself to at least get to know the woman my marriage proposal was meant for.”
“And what if I say I don’t agree with this.”
“You can disagree. I understand that much. But what about me? Can’t you see where I’m coming from? The woman I thought I married is actually someone else. And the one I was supposed to marry, I’ve barely even spoken to. I’ve got to know who she is.”
“And what happens after the week is over?”
“I’ll decide what’s best for me and Jenni.”
“I really have no say in this?”
“Under the circumstances, no.”
“Just know that I love you with all my heart. I love Jenni too. And know that I’m sorry for what I’ve done. I didn’t want to hurt you. That was never my intention.”
“I know. Well, I guess I think I know, but at this moment, I really don’t know what to think.”
“Can I at least give you a hug?”
“No. I think I just want to be alone now. I need you to pack a bag so you can stay at the hotel for the week.”
“And she’s going to stay where?”
“Here. In a room by herself. I can’t be riding back and forth to town everyday to spend time with her.”
“This is just preposterous. I’m your wife and you’re going to have another woman in the house while I stay in a hotel?”
“I don’t see any other way. Please don’t argue with me anymore.” Grayson left the table and went outside to the barn. Cheryl went upstairs, sat down on the edge of the bed and began to cry.
***
Grayson took Cheryl to town later that evening and got her a hotel room.
“Which room is my sister in?”
Grayson whispered angrily, “You’re not going to see your sister. Not at least until the end of the week. I don’t want to see or hear any confrontation between the two of you. It will just make things even more complicated and difficult than it already is.”
“Well I never…”
“Not now you won’t.” Grayson carried her bag into the room, gave her some money for the week and went to close the door behind him, but Cheryl stopped him before it could close.
“Aren’t you at least going to say goodnight?”
“Goodnight, Cheryl.”
“That’s it?”
“For now it has to be.” Grayson walked away as Cheryl closed the door behind him, sat on the bed and began to cry again. Cheryl thought about knocking on the hotel room doors until she found her sister, but it was very late and she didn’t want to wake the wrong person up. She would listen in the morning when Grayson picked Charlotte up and confront her then.
***
Grayson did not want to give either Charlotte or Cheryl the chance to wake up early and find each other so he arrived at the hotel before dawn. He lightly knocked on Charlotte’s door and whispered her name a few times before she finally cracked the door.
“Grayson?” Charlotte peered through the door crack with squinted, sleepy eyes. “Why are you here so early?”
“Get dressed so I can take you back to my ranch.”
“Where’s Cheryl? What did she say?”
“I’ll tell you on the way back to the ranch.”
Charlotte put on a dress, gathered her belongings and went down to the buggy with Grayson.
“The sun hasn’t even risen yet. Are you always up this early?”
“Not always.” Grayson grabbed the reins and they headed out of town back to the ranch. On the way he told Charlotte what Cheryl had said to him and that she agreed to a week.
“I’m surprised she agreed to that. I’m also surprised she admitted to lying.”
“Well she didn’t exactly confess outright. I had to force it out of her. She had no choice when I asked her about the letters.”
“I guess she feels guilty enough for what she did to give me and you this chance. Now it’s my turn to get to know you. I feel like I already know a lot about you, but it’s different being with you in person.”
“This is all so weird to me. Like it’s not really happening. Give me a day to adjust.”
“I understand. I just want us to have a chance. After all those words we said to each other, I can’t just walk away. Not like this. Not the way my sister manipulated both of us.”
“But I do have feelings for your sister. Yesterday, before you came, I was undoubtedly in love with her.”
“And today?”
“Confused.”
“Well I hope by the end of this week you won’t be confused anymore.”
“God willing.”
***
Jarrod and Miss Jean were on the porch when Grayson and Charlotte arrived. They did not know about Cheryl yet.
“Jarrod, Miss Jean. This is Charlotte.”
“Yeah, we know who Charlotte is. Did you forget?” Jarrod chuckled.
“It’s a long story, but this is Charlotte Chadwick, Cheryl’s twin sister.”
“Who’s Cheryl?” Miss Jean asked.
“Cheryl is the one I married. Charlotte is the one I had been writing to. There’s been a mix-up of sorts.”
“Mix-up? What?” Jarrod scratched his head.
Charlotte extended her arm to greet Miss Jean. “Pleasure to meet you, Ma’am.”
“Why you look just like Charlotte, but you speak a little differently.” Miss Jean slowly put out her hand to shake Charlotte’s.
“Yes, Cheryl is my identical twin. Nice to meet you Jarrod.”
“Well, I’ll be.” Jarrod took off his hat and lightly cupped his hand under Charlotte’s. “Pleasure, Ma’am. Boy, you would have fooled me!”
Grayson took Charlotte inside and showed her to her room. He then went outside to talk to Jarrod and Miss Jean on the porch.
“What in the world is going on, brother?”
“Charlotte has a twin sister, Cheryl. The woman who I thought was Charlotte and married was actually Cheryl. She stole my last letters to Charlotte, pretended to be her so that I would marry her. Charlotte didn’t even know that I proposed. She thought I stopped writing and wasn’t interested in her. But one letter came after Cheryl left. And now she’s here.”
“And she knows you’ve already married Cheryl?” Miss Jean asked.
“Yes.”
“So why is she here at the ranch? And where’s Cheryl?”
Grayson further explained to Miss Jean and Jarrod about Charlotte staying the week so they can get to know each other.
“Well aren’t you in a mess.” Jarrod consoled Grayson with a pat on his shoulder. “Women. I told you you’re better off without them. They just cause trouble.”
“I feel like I’m stuck in some horrible nightmare. I don’t even know what I’m doing is the right thing to do. I thought I loved Cheryl, but I also thought she was Charlotte. Any advice, Miss Jean?”
“Don’t you want my advice?” Jarrod asked.
“Thanks, but no thanks.”
“Well fine. I’ll let you figure it out. And I’m sure Miss Jean has some sensible words for you. I’ll see you later. Good luck, brother.”
“Yep. See you later.” Jarrod walked off the porch and headed towards the coral. “So Miss Jean, what should I do?”
“You love Charl…I mean Cheryl, right?”
“Yes.
”
“If Charlotte came knocking at your door a year from now instead of yesterday, would you be doing the same thing as you are now? Would you have put Cheryl aside for a week to try out Charlotte?”
“Try out? That’s a strange way of putting it. But, no. Probably not. Too much time would have passed.”
“What’s too much time?”
“I don’t know. A few months.”
“And what happens at the end of the week? Is that enough time for you to decide between the two of them?”
“It should give me some idea.”
“Some idea isn’t enough. You married Cheryl, for better or for worse, not for maybe until her sister comes around.”
“But she lied to me. Our marriage was based on false pretenses.”
“That is true. She has sinned and will have to settle that with God. And she will have to ask for your forgiveness. But can you forgive her?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well that is what you have to figure out, not whether you like Charlotte better than Cheryl. You made a commitment to Cheryl, not Charlotte. The question is, do you love Cheryl and if so, can you forgive her?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well you need to figure it out. You can’t play with these girls' hearts. It’s unfair to them. It’s like you’re trying out a horse to see if it is better and can replace the one you already have. Would you even consider trying out a new horse to replace Buck?”
“No, of course not.”
“Exactly.”
Grayson was now, more than ever, confused. Miss Jean was right. What he was doing was wrong. It wasn’t fair to no one.
Charlotte was the one he wrote to and liked enough to want to marry, but Cheryl was the one he fell in love with. He knew it was possible to love more than one woman in a lifetime. He loved Laura, his wife and first true love. But then he fell in love with Cheryl. It doesn’t mean he wouldn’t have fallen in love with Charlotte; he likely would have since she has many of the same characteristics, both inside and out as Cheryl. But likewise, he could probably say that of another woman he may have met while single during his lifetime. Miss Jean’s right. He said “I do” to Cheryl, not Charlotte.
CHAPTER TEN
Charlotte came out onto the porch where Grayson was sitting alone.
“It’s so lovely here. So peaceful. And the air is so fresh. It’s so different from the city.”
“Yes. I love living here. It was where I was raised. Where I learned everything from my parents and why I am the man I am today.”
“I would have liked to have met your parents.”
“Yes. They were good parents to me and my brother. They taught us all the important stuff in life liking working hard, being kind to your neighbors and living righteously.”
“I wish both our parents were still alive.”
“Yeah. I am grateful though for Miss Jean. She is like family to me. And she gives me good advice like an elder would, which reminds me… I thought I was doing the right thing by bringing you here and leaving Cheryl in town, but it isn’t. Cheryl is my wife. I gave her my word in my vows to her as a husband to be there for her forever, no matter what.”
“But you thought she was me. She lied to you. Doesn’t that matter?”
“Of course it does. But she is still my wife and you are not. I’ve been living with her for over a month now. We have been intimate, you know. Doesn’t that matter to you?’
“Well I didn’t want to ask. I actually didn’t want to know. It would be something I would have to overlook. It wouldn’t stop me from marrying you though.”
“That’s beside the point. I cannot abandon Cheryl, especially not after a week’s time.”
“Well I can stay longer if you need more time. She will just have to accept it.”
“No. That’s not what I mean. It is very possible that I may find that I like you very much by the end of this week. That doesn’t change what I already have with Cheryl. It’s just not fair to you, Cheryl or myself, not to mention Jenni.”
“What are you saying? Do you not want me? You haven’t even given us a chance.”
“I’ve come to the conclusion that no chance should be given. It’s just not right. It’s not that I don’t like you. To tell you the truth, I really don’t know what I feel right now.”
“Will you stay with Cheryl then?”
“That’s something I have to figure out.”
“And if you don’t stay with Cheryl, then what?”
“I will be alone again.”
“So what I am supposed to do? Just turn around and leave. I just traveled for weeks on a train and then a long, uncomfortable stagecoach ride to see you. I’m not getting back on that stage or train. At least not anytime soon.”
“Well I can’t have you stay here. I guess the least I can do is put you up at the hotel. This way you can talk to your sister and perhaps resolve your relationship with her. That’s your family. That’s your blood kin. No matter what, you should always try to have a good relationship with your kin. Family should always have each other’s back because in the end, sometimes that’s all you got.”
“Yes, but kin shouldn’t hurt you and that’s exactly what Cheryl did to me.”
“No, they shouldn’t. But sometimes people make mistakes. You need to think about forgiving her.”
“Like you should?”
“I reckon. But I don’t want to talk about that with you. I need to get Cheryl back here. Please gather your things and I’ll take you back to town.”
“I don’t like this one bit, Grayson. But if you really don’t want to get to know me, I guess I can’t force you.”
“It’s not that, Charlotte. I don’t want to explain it again. Can’t you understand?”
“Perhaps in time, but not right now.” Charlotte walked away and went back into the cabin and packed her things. She came out back to the porch with her bag in hand and tears rolling down her cheeks. “If I have to go, then let’s go.”
Grayson saw her tears and the distraught look on her face. “Oh, Charlotte. I’m sorry for all this. I’m sorry for what Cheryl has done to you…and me.”
“Let’s just go.” Charlotte walked over to the buggy. Grayson took her bag and helped her up. They didn’t speak a word to each other the entire way back to town.
***
Grayson helped Charlotte to her room. “Cheryl is in room five. I’ll let you two spend some time together to talk things through and then return for her in the morning.”
Charlotte replied coldly, “Thank you. I’ll take care of things from here.”
“I’m sorry Charlotte. I…”
“No need to say anything more, Grayson. I’m sorry too. I’m sorry I came. I’m also sorry I ever replied to your ad.”
“You don’t mean that Charlotte, do you?” Grayson reached out to touch her arm, but she pulls away.
“After all this time and emotions invested in a man and what do I get in return? Nothing. I wanted a husband and all I got is a train ride back to Boston.”
“I don’t know what to say anymore.”
“Then don’t and please leave.”
Grayson closed the door behind him and returned to the ranch. He didn’t want to be present when the two sisters met again.
Charlotte immediately proceeded to room five and knocked on the door. Cheryl opened it quickly, hoping it was Grayson. “Gray…Oh, Charlotte. I wasn’t expecting to see you.”
“Let me in your room so we can talk. I don’t want the entire hotel hear us speak.”
Cheryl opened the door wide and Charlotte quickly walked in, turned around with arms crossed. She spoke angrily, but controlled the volume so others would not hear, “How could you do this to me? How could you steal Grayson away from me?”
“I didn’t steal him away from you. I came out here and he chose to marry me.”
“But he thought you were me!”
“But he got to know me and fell in love with me, not you. So d
oes it really matter who he thought I was?”
“Of course it does. It matters to me and it matters to him.”
“Well I thought that’s why I’m giving you two a week to decide.”
“He doesn’t want to do that anymore. He doesn’t want to get to know me.”
“What? Why? Does he not want me either?”
“He’s trying to decide on that. Apparently he thinks his word in marriage to you is more important than anything else. But he’s still not sure he can forgive you.”
“So where is he? Did he bring you back here?”
“Yes. He said he would come back tomorrow to pick you up. He wanted us to talk because we are sisters and we shouldn’t be estranged from each other since we’re family and all.”
“I guess he’s right about that.” Cheryl sat down on the edge of the bed.
“Well you have no reason to be mad at me. I’m the one who is hurt and betrayed.”
“I know what I did was wrong. I just wanted a different life than what we had. We both were answering mail-order bride ads and you were the lucky one to have someone like Grayson reply to you. At first I was just jealous. But then I was starting to feel desperate. Time was slipping away and I felt if I waited too long, no man would want me. I shouldn’t have stolen those letters, but once I did I felt Grayson was mine to have.”
“And how I am supposed to forgive you for that?”
“I don’t know, Charlotte. But I do know I want you to be in my life. I at least want to know I have a sister who doesn’t hate me.” Cheryl got up from the bed and tried to put her hand on Charlotte’s shoulder, but Charlotte brushes her away.
“And what if Grayson doesn’t forgive you?”
“I’ll be devastated. But even more so if I don’t have my sister by my side either. I know we haven’t gotten along in the past, but I really want things to change between us.”
“I’m starting to understand how Grayson must feel. I’m just as confused. I’m even more hurt. I cannot talk to you anymore right now.”
“I understand. I’ll be here if you want to talk later.”
“Grayson has been kind enough to put me up in this hotel for the week. I suppose I will see you during this time and perhaps we can talk again.”