by Zoe Matthews
“Take whatever time you need. I’ll help Dr. Thomas.”
Chapter 3
Keegan left early the next morning. After saddling his horse, he loaded two saddlebags with empty burlap sacks for the herbs he would be collecting. Kimberly had been a nurse before she married his brother, Patrick. She had helped Keegan plant a large herb garden at the beginning of the summer. Keegan used many of the herbs in helping people with different ailments. He loved the idea of using plants in his medical profession and had spent much of his time learning about how to use them properly while he was in college.
After adding a bag with clothes and supplies to his horse, he was quickly on his way. He was soon out of Denver, heading towards his family ranch. It used to take almost four hours to travel from Denver to the ranch, but a small group of people had started farming about halfway between Denver and his ranch, and it soon grew into a small town that had been named Deer Creek. Because of this, a road had been built from Denver to Deer Creek.
Soon after the road had been built, Keegan and his brothers had spent almost two months widening the path from Deer Creek to their own ranch. It now only took about two hours to get to his ranch from Denver. They could even travel in a wagon or carriage instead of always on horseback, a change he knew the women in his family were grateful for. When Keegan was about a mile away from the ranch, he guided the horse off the dirt road and onto a path that ran along a wide river. The river led to the ranch and then continued deeper into the mountains. The sun shone through the trees that grew near the river, sparkling on the running water.
He directed his horse into a fast trot, and he arrived at the ranch in no time at all. As he guided the horse to the barn and dismounted, a couple of his nephews spotted him.
“Uncle Keegan!” Richard and Jonathon yelled as they ran towards him. The two cousins were three years apart, but they were best friends and could always be found together.
“Hello, boys,” Keegan said with a grin as he ruffled their hair.
“How long can you stay?”
“We didn’t even know you were coming!”
“Can you take us riding?” the boys asked, talking over each other.
“Whoa,” Keegan laughed. “Settle down, boys. I’ll answer you one at a time. I’m staying for about a week. No one knew I was coming. And yes, I’m sure we can go riding sometime while I’m here.”
Keegan started for the large family cabin as the boys continued their chatter. A woman poked her head out of the door and smiled.
“Why, look who the wind blew in,” she exclaimed.
“Hi, Kimberly,” Keegan greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.
Kimberly looked at the two boys. “I know you are excited that Uncle Keegan is home, but don’t you have chores to do? Why don’t you finish them? You will be able to spend time with Keegan later.”
The two boys looked disappointed, but they each muttered, “Yes, ma’am.
Kimberly looked up at Keegan as Richard and Jonathon walked away dragging their feet. "You would think they would rather finish their chores quickly each day so they could enjoy their afternoons, but they would rather goof around all morning instead. How are you? Is everything alright?" she asked, a hint of concern in her voice.
Keegan smiled. "I'm just fine. I missed you all, and I'm running out of herbs for the office. I thought I'd come and spend a week or so catching up with everyone."
"Well, I won't complain about that." She looped her arm into his, leading him into the cabin with a big grin on her face. "Why don't you rest a minute; lunch is almost ready."
They walked into the large family cabin and Katherine, Kimberly's eldest daughter, glanced up from a sewing project she had in her lap. "Keegan!” she exclaimed, running over to jump at him for a hug. "What are you doing here?"
Keegan laughed. "Am I not allowed to come visit my family?" He enjoyed teasing Katherine, and they picked up their usual banter easily.
"Well, I guess so… but only if it’s for a good reason. Did you get fired?" Katherine said with a mischievous grin.
"Katherine!" Kimberly said, appalled at the rude behavior. "Go finish that apron you’re fixing, and leave your uncle alone. It doesn't look like you've done much in the last few hours."
"Mom, Keegan knows I'm only joking. And sewing is so boring. Can't I finish it later?" Katherine did a convincing job at looking dejected.
"Oh, hush. You could have fixed that tear in fifteen minutes if you tried. Maybe next time, you'll remember to take it off before you go play with the dogs again. Then, you won't have to patch it up."
Katherine made a face at Keegan, who chuckled, as she walked back to her apron.
"How is work going? Is everyone in town getting used to the idea of you practicing medicine on your own?" Kimberly asked as she walked into the kitchen, where one of his nieces, little Sophia, was found hiding in the corner. At three years old, she was incredibly shy, but after a couple of days, Keegan knew she would warm up to him. Kimberly started cutting some leftover beef for sandwiches. She had never been good at cooking, so when Nicky, Keegan’s other sister-in-law who was married to his brother, Shaun, was too busy to cook lunch or dinner, Kimberly would usually just make sandwiches or warm up some bottled stew for everyone. Keegan knew that Nicky was usually in charge of the meals while Kimberly enjoyed working outside in the garden.
“Not yet, but it looks like it’s getting better. Dr. Thomas wants to retire and wants me to take over his practice.” Keegan watched Kimberly closely for her response.
“That’s wonderful!” Kimberly turned to look at him and noticed the hesitation on his face. “Or, not? Doesn’t that show you how much Dr. Thomas trusts you, despite being a new doctor?”
“It’s flattering, and I know it’s a big opportunity. Dr. Thomas has the most patients out of any doctor in town. If I took over his office, I would get all those patients, and would keep them until I’m ready to retire myself. I don’t understand why, but something is making me hold back. I wonder if taking over Dr. Thomas’s practice is not the direction my life is supposed to go.”
“I understand that feeling. I experienced that myself, right before I answered Patrick’s ad in the newspaper.”
Keegan sighed with relief, glad that she understood. Kimberly was actually from the future, from 2005 to be precise. He knew Kimberly must have wanted a change in her life, since she had decided to go back in time to meet a man she had only exchanged letters with. Patrick had contacted Victoria and asked her to place a mail-order bride ad in a newspaper. It took him so long to get to and from town, it had been hard for him to be able to court anyone.
Victoria had secretly used a set of keys she owned to place the ad in a newspaper from 2005. The keys held a strong power that allowed a person to travel anywhere and to any time period they wanted. Kimberly had found the ad, eventually traveled back in time, and married Patrick. That had started a chain reaction. One way or another, all three of Keegan’s older siblings had married someone from the future. Kimberly’s best friend from the future, Nicky, had traveled back in time to marry his brother, Shaun. Keegan’s sister, Bridget, had used the keys to travel to the future with the intent to enjoy a fun adventure and met Nicky’s brother, Justin. They ended up back in Keegan’s time, along with Justin’s young son and Nicky’s and Justin’s parents.
“What else would you want to do? Are you thinking of moving to another town or city to start your own practice?” Kimberly asked, interrupting Keegan’s musings.
“I don’t know. I can’t imagine living far away from you all. I think I just needed to come out here to clear my head. Maybe by the end of the week, I will feel better about taking over for Dr. Thomas.” Keegan hoped that was what would happen. It had always been his dream to be a doctor. He knew it was a blessing that Dr. Thomas had enough faith and trust in him to give him his practice. When he first left for college, he was determined to come right back to Denver when he was certified. He never imagined that his dream might move him
away from his family.
“I’m sure you’ll figure everything out. Now, everything is ready for lunch. Can you go ring the bell to call everyone in?” Kimberly wiped her hands on her apron and began to set the table.
Keegan did as he was asked, and soon his two brothers, Nicky, and his other nieces and nephews came in to greet him with big hugs. Douglas and Michelle, Nicky’s parents also joined them, and Keegan’s doctor eyes noticed how Douglas was moving slower than usual. Very quickly, everyone crowded around the large wooden table. Kimberly and Patrick had three children; Katherine and Richard, who were twins, and Josephine. Shaun and Nicky also had three children; Jonathan, Patricia, and Sophia. Shaun’s oldest daughter, Colleen, was now an adult and no longer living on the ranch, having moved into Denver.
They were a large group now, almost too big to fit in the kitchen, but he knew that none of his family would ever think about changing their living situation. It was crowded and noisy, but that was how everyone liked it. He couldn’t help himself and had to sit back and smile at his family as they ate. He watched how Richard and Jonathan slugged each other until Patrick gave them a stern look. Patricia and Josephine giggled over a joke Shaun told everyone. Sophia kept her eyes on her plate, but every once in awhile she would look at him through her lashes.
He picked up a roll, spread butter on it, and placed it on Sophia’s plate. She smiled shyly at him. Keegan leaned back in his chair and sighed with contentment. He was glad he had decided to visit his family. He would figure everything out this week regarding his job. Spending time with his family always helped him get through his ruts.
Chapter 4
October, 2015 (The day after the bad news)
Megan took a large breath of the fresh mountain air, and let it out in a huge sigh of contentment as she looked around at all the trees. Fall was her favorite season because the mountains were so full of color. The leaves were changing from green to brilliant shades of orange, red, and yellow. The air was brisk enough that she knew she wouldn’t overheat and would be able to push herself on the trail today.
Her destination was a federally owned set of hiking trails. The most popular trail was part of a set that was very family friendly and that led down to a small picnic area and a river. The trail she was choosing to take was longer and more difficult. It wasn’t maintained as well because there weren’t many who liked to use it. It was her favorite trail because each year the rain and runoff from winter snows would change the trail just enough to give her a new experience; a tree would fall in the path, and she would need to find a way over or around it, or the river would flood enough that she would need to wade through it. She enjoyed the challenge. After about ten miles, it ended at a crystal clear small lake surrounded by mountains. It was a natural lake formed by the runoff from yearly snowfalls.
She started on the trail, keeping Apollo on his leash until they were deep enough along the path, and she knew they wouldn’t run into anyone. He was a well-trained dog and always came when she called. She knew he may run ahead of her, but he always came back. Apollo ran around happily, jumping in the long grass and nipping at the bugs he scared into the air. She worked up a good sweat after about an hour when Apollo plopped down under the shade of a pine tree, panting heavily.
All the stress of her mother’s shop eased out of her with every minute she spent in the mountains. There wasn’t a place that made her happier. She took a minute to stretch.
“I suppose it is time for a break, isn’t it boy?” She was out of breath herself and sank to the ground next to him. She pulled off her small backpack, grabbing a granola bar and some water. She knew this was about the time she would normally turn around and start heading back. Apollo would get his energy back once they rested, but he would tire again quickly. Once he decided he needed to rest, it was hard to get him moving again. The stubborn dog would lie down and refuse to get up until he had a nice nap.
Today, however, she had different plans. She
knew if she continued up the trail for another half hour, she would run into the large meadow full of different herbs. She really wanted to see what she could harvest for her mother’s shop. The last time she visited the meadow, she had seen some of their bestselling herbs such as turmeric, hawthorn, and chamomile. She hadn’t picked any, as she wasn’t sure if they actually belonged to anyone. She did some research the night before and decided the meadow was definitely located on federal land. That meant that the herbs were probably planted a long time ago and had miraculously continued to grow.
She looked over at Apollo, trying to see if he would have enough energy to keep going. He was already up and sniffing around, so she figured he should be alright. Standing up, she climbed over a fallen tree and continued on the path.
“Come on, boy.” She patted her leg and Apollo jumped over the tree with one big graceful leap. “Crazy dog,” she chuckled out loud.
She had to jog to keep up with Apollo, so she adjusted her backpack to keep it from bouncing around. I’m going to sleep well tonight, that’s for sure, she thought to herself, a contented smile on her face.
Huffing, she got to the meadow sooner than she thought she would, since Apollo had been running half of the time, and she had been moving faster to keep up with her dog. She bent over, trying to catch her breath for a moment. Once her heart rate came down a little, she stood up straight to get a better look at the herbs. The meadow was bigger than she remembered it being; either that or it had grown larger. She swung her backpack off her shoulders to get some more water. Since the river was further away now, she pulled out a collapsible bowl for Apollo from her backpack and poured him some water as well. Once the dog drank two bowls of water, he laid down and fell right to sleep.
“Serves you right for running so much, silly boy,” she murmured to him as she patted his head fondly. After taking another few big gulps of water, she pulled out the bags she had brought with her to harvest the herbs in. She also pulled out her cell phone to check the time. She wanted to make sure she gave herself plenty of time to head back down the trail before it started to get dark.
“Good, I have plenty of time to collect what I need,” she muttered to herself after noting that it was close to two o’clock.
Carefully stepping through the tall grass over to where the herbs were growing, she looked to see if there were any signs that someone had been taking care of them. She felt a pang of guilt at taking something that wasn’t hers and wanted to make sure no one would miss them. She saw several weeds growing tall alongside some of the hawthorn and pulled them out to make sure they wouldn’t kill the precious herbs. Once she was convinced that no one would miss them if she took some, she started carefully harvesting. She wanted to make sure they would grow again after she left so she could come back in the spring in order to gather some more.
Feeling awfully proud of herself, she gathered two large zip-lock bags of chamomile and lavender, one of hawthorn, and another of peppermint. She sat back on her heels, calculating how many bags of tea the amount she gathered would make. It would easily supply them for a couple weeks.
Smiling, she looked around, hoping to find something else useful. She saw some beautiful purple flowers right outside the field, directly across from the pathway, and made her way over to them. She figured they didn’t have healing properties, but she wanted to gather some of them so she would have something pretty to put on her kitchen counter. As she walked closer, she thought they looked familiar.
“It couldn’t be…” she murmured in shock.
Megan leaned in and smelled, hoping the familiar scent would be there, and when it was, she gasped with delight. It was red clover bush. The blossoms were used by many of their women customers, as it helped with menopause symptoms and clear skin. It was mostly grown in Asia, so it tended to be expensive. She carefully and quickly grabbed as many blossoms as she could, ending up with three small zip-lock bags.
Gathering them up, she put those bags into her backpack on top of the others and z
ipped it up tightly. She slung it over her shoulder and made her way back to the trail where Apollo was starting to wake up. She stopped when she saw an opening in the trees out of the corner of her eye. The opening seemed manmade, so she thought maybe there was another clearing just behind the line of trees. She only had a few more bags, but maybe there would be some more herbs.
She called Apollo over to her and started to walk closer. She soon realized it wasn’t a clearing, but just a gap in the trees caused by a large circle of rocks about five feet in diameter. The rocks were clearly methodically placed and the circle was almost completely perfect.
That’s odd, she thought, trying to figure out why someone would have placed rocks in a circle. Maybe to be used as a fire pit? They looked like they had been there for a long time. Some of them were almost buried in the ground and grass grew between each rock. Other rocks sat right on top of the ground as if they had just been placed there. Apollo came over to her then, having rested long enough to be interested in exploring his surroundings again. He froze, having seen something in the trees just beyond the circle of rocks. Growling, he crouched, then jumped toward the trees to catch whatever creature he had seen. As he was in midair above the circle, he suddenly disappeared with a silver shimmer right in front of Megan’s eyes.
“Apollo!” Megan yelled as her heart pounded. What had just happened? “Apollo, come!” she called again, doing her best to sound stern but was far too terrified. Her words came out in a squeak. Where did he go?
When Apollo didn’t reappear, she carefully stepped closer to the circle of rocks. She held her breath, and reached her hand into the circle, being careful not to step on it. She felt an intense, but not unpleasant, vibration. Pulling her hand back with a jolt, she tried to decide what to do. She spent a few moments putting her arm into the circle and then pulling it back, doing this over and over. Each time she felt the intense vibration which stopped the minute she pulled her arm away from the circle of rocks. There was definitely a power in the circle, although she had no idea what it was. Somehow that power had made Apollo disappear. She had no idea what had just happened, but she couldn’t just let her dog disappear. She just couldn’t.