The Train Ride Home
"Colleen! Andrew's here!" Brian yelled.
"What do you mean?" Colleen asked, coming down the stairs. It was
very early in the morning for Andrew to be coming to the homestead.
Perhaps someone had gotten very ill and he needed Michaela.
"Well he's drivin' like a crazy person, that's for sure. I never
knew horses could go so fast!" Brian said, setting the table for
breakfast.
"I'll go see what he wants," said Colleen to Michaela. She went out
the door just as Andrew pulled up. He hopped out of the carriage,
and nearly ran to the front door. Then he saw Colleen, and stopped
dead in his tracks.
"Colleen!" Andrew exclaimed. There was silence, and he didn't move.
Colleen smiled and walked over to where he had stopped.
"Morning Andrew!" Colleen said, hoping to get him to talk about why
he had come.
"Morning Colleen," was all he said. He looked down at his shoes,
feeling foolish. She must have seen him driving like a mad idiot a
few seconds ago.
"So what brings you out here?" asked Colleen.
"Oh, I came to uh ask you something," Andrew said. Colleen waited
for him to go on.
When he didn't she asked, "Well what were you going to ask me?"
"Well," Andrew gathered up his courage, "I've received an
invitation to a meeting in Denver. The speaker there will be Dr.Tom
Charter. I was wondering, if um, you....knew him..."
"Know him!? We learned about him at college! He's a great doctor
from Boston, just like Ma," Colleen was happy for Andrew but didn't
quite feel like that was the thing he had wanted to ask her.
"Will you go?" she asked.
"Go where?" Andrew had gotten lost in Colleen's excitement. His day
seemed brighter once he had made or seen Colleen smile.
"To Denver! When is it anyway?" asked Colleen.
"Oh, well I'll leave in two days. The meeting lasts for two days as
well, so if I leave on Wednesday, I should be back early on
Saturday," Andrew explained.
I have to find a way to ask her, he thought, and next time I will
ask her.
"You'll be back just in time for the Sweethearts dance!" said
Colleen with a smile. Then she thought of last year, when she and
Becky had gone together. Becky, her dearest friend, now gone...
Andrew sensed her sorrow and took her hand. "I'm sure Becky will be
watching from Heaven," he said quietly.
Colleen shook her head and looked back up to Andrew. "So is there
anything else..." she asked.
"Well, would you be able to come out to the hotel for lunch
tomorrow, you know, to uh talk about Dr.Charter and the trip and
everything?" Andrew asked casually.
"Sure, I think I can," Colleen answered. She noticed how she didn't
feel uncomfortable having lunch at the hotel as she once had
before. She had actually been going over there more often then
she'd noticed.
"Okay, well I'll see you tomorrow then, bye Colleen," Andrew said,
climbing back into his carriage. He road off and Michaela came
outside to stand beside her daughter.
™
"So what did Andrew want?" asked Michaela.
"He just wanted to know if I knew this one doctor," Colleen
replied.
"Oh," Michaela said, sensing it was more than that. It wasn't that
she didn't like Andrew, she did. It was just that Colleen was
finally going off to college to become a doctor, her dream.
Michaela wanted Colleen to be free to try new things, she didn't
exactly want her to feel tied to Colorado Springs. It was a
wonderful town, but Colleen deserved to see more of the world. That
was only if she wanted to...
*
Colleen carefully washed her hands and dried them in the towel. She
then carefully took of her apron and folded it. Michaela walked
into the room.
"Going somewhere?" she asked.
"Yes, I'm going to have lunch with Andrew at the hotel," Colleen
replied.
Michaela looked as if she were about to say something, but changed
her mind.
"I hope you have a wonderful time Colleen," she said quickly, and
left the room.
Colleen left the clinic and got on her horse to head out to the
hotel. When she got there, Preston was yelling at Andrew in the
doorway of his clinic.
"I wonder what Andrew did now," she muttered, "Did he help someone
who couldn't pay, or did he help someone that wasn't a guest?"
She hopped off her horse and quietly approched the two men.
™
"What am I supposed to do Andrew?!" Preston exclaimed.
"It's only two days Preston," Andrew said calmly.
"Two days that my guests need a doctor. Andrew where will I send
them?" Preston asked.
"I'm sure Michaela would help," Andrew said.
"Michaela!? First of all, I wouldn't send them to her even if she
was the only doctor in town and second, my guests don't want to
have to ride into town to see a doctor. That's the whole purpose of
you being here!" Preston yelled.
Andrew gave Preston a cold hard stare, "Preston, I've not taken any
days off, have I? I've not gone to Boston to see my family, have I?
I'm just taking two days to go to a medical meeting. What I learn
may even help me out here at the clinic."
Preston stared back, then finally looked away. "Fine, but be back
on Saturday or..." Preston walked away.
Colleen walked up to Andrew who had turned around to watch Preston
leave.
"Andrew?" she said quietly. He turned around to face her.
"What's goin' on?" she asked.
Andrew shook his head, "Nothing Colleen, let's go have lunch."
He led her to the hotel and they got some lunch. As they sat and
ate Andrew nervously tried to figure out how to ask Colleen what he
wanted to ask her. It wasn't that big of a deal, so why did it seem
so hard?
Andrew cleared his throat, "Colleen?"
She looked up, "What?"
"Well you know I'm going to that meeting in Denver," Andrew
began.
"Yeah, what about it," Colleen asked, taking another bite.
"Well, the invitation said I could bring along a guest. And since
you know him, and your studying to be a doctor, I thought maybe you
might like to go," Andrew said.
Colleen almost choked on her food. Andrew wanted her to go to
Denver...with him?
"They would book two separate hotel rooms, and the meeting is only
for two days," Andrew went on. Colleen had her head down. He
wondered if he had asked too much, or if it had been wrong of him
to ask.
I can't go with Andrew, thought Colleen, what will Ma say. Wait a
minute, it's my decision. I'll talk with Ma later. I want to
go...but.....
"Andrew," Colleen said looking up, "I'll go with you. I mean I've
always wanted to meet Dr.Charter...and I already know my way around
Denver..."
Now it was Andrew's turn to almost choke on his food. She said yes,
she actually said yes. And he wasn't improper or anything.
He grinned, "Well then I'll wire Denver about another hotel
room."
Colleen smiled. But what will Ma think, she thought.....
*
"Colleen! Where have you been?" demanded Michaela.
Colleen closed the door behind her. It was nearly supper time, but
it was still light outside.
"After lunch, a little boy came into Andrew's clinic. He needed an ™
operation, so I offered to help Andrew," Colleen said.
"Well you should have sent someone to tell me! I was worried!"
Michaela nearly yelled.
"Ma, I'm not a little girl. If I want to stay at the hotel to help
Andrew I don't have to tell you," Colleen snapped and went
upstairs.
Brian and Matthew were at the table, silent. Colleen hardly ever
fought with Michaela. Or was it Michaela fighting with Colleen.
Sully walked up behind Michaela, "Just let it be."
Michaela slowly nodded and sat down just as Colleen came down the
stairs.
Everyone sat at the table and grace was said. Then everyone started
to eat.
"I've got good news!" Colleen said, "Andrew invited me to go with
him to Denver for that medical meeting."
Michaela's mouth dropped open. "And you told him yes?" she
exclaimed.
"Yes," Colleen answered.
"You didn't ask me," Michaela said.
"I didn't think I needed your permission," Colleen replied.
"Well you can't go," Michaela said bluntly.
"What do you mean?" asked Colleen.
"I forbid it. You are not going with Andrew to Denver," Michaela
said.
"Ma! I practically live in Denver. Why can't I go?" Colleen
asked.
"Because I said you can't," Michaela replied.
Ś"Well you can't tell me what to do and you certainly can't tell me
if I can go with Andrew or not. I'm makin' my own decision and I
decide that I'm goin' with Andrew whether you like it or not!"
Colleen stormed out of the room.
Michaela looked helplessly at Sully, then sat back down. Brian
looked back and forth between Sully and Michaela. Again, the house
was silent.
*
Colleen sat on her bed. Was it so wrong for her to go to Denver
with Andrew. They were just friends, even though sometimes Colleen
wished they were more. But she was so unsure of Andrew's
feelings... There was a knock at the door.
"Come in," Colleen called. Michaela entered. Colleen turned her
back.
Michaela winced. Colleen was angry. And she had every right to be
angry. Michaela picked up Colleen's brush and sat on the bed behind
her. She began to brush Colleen's hair. Colleen turned around.
"Ma, you can't just come in here, brush my hair, and think I'll do
anything you say!" Colleen said.
"You're right," Michaela said with a small smile.
"I am?" Colleen asked, "About what?"
"About everything. It was wrong of me to forbid you to go. You can
make your own decisions, I'd just like to be a part of them,"
Michaela said.
Colleen felt her chin trembling. "Ma, I'm so sorry I said all those
mean things back there. I was going to talk to you about it
tonight. If you really don't want me to go, I won't©"
Ś"Colleen, I want you to go. I want you to experience things. Only
too much," Michaela said with a sigh.
"What do you mean?" asked Colleen.
"Nothing. Why don't you get some rest? You're going to have to
leave tomorrow," Michaela kissed Colleen and left the room.
Sully was waiting downstairs. She walked over and sat down next to
him.
"I wanted her to, I don't know, to see the world. Colorado Spirngs
is a wonderful town, but I want her to see more than that, I want
her to know that there is more than that. How can she possibly do
that if she's tied to something, or someone here?" Michaela
asked.
"Michaela, she can still do those things, even if she fells tied to
something here," Sully said.
"Are you so sure?" asked Michaela.
"Then there's one other thing. Did your ma want you to come out
here? Did she really enjoy it when you choose to marry me? I don't
think this is what she had in mind for you. But you choose what you
wanted, not what your ma wanted for you. And now you gotta let
Colleen decide her own path. Anyway, her and Andrew seem to think
they're nothin' more than friends," Sully finished.
"Yes, but Sully you can see as well as I that they are©"
"Michaela, it don't matter what we see. Colleen simply wants to go
see a doctor with a fellow doctor. There's nothin' more," Sully put
his arm around her, "Now don't go fretting over somethin' that
ain't a problem."
"Alright. I mean, what could happen? We're talking about Colleen
Śand Andrew here," Michaela chuckled.
*
Michaela hugged Colleen one final time.
"Don't forget to be careful," Michaela said.
"Ma! This is Denver. It's not like I'm goin' half way around the
world," Colleen said with a smile.
"I know, just come home safe," Michaela tried to smile.
Andrew gently approched the two women.
"It's time to go," he said quietly.
With one final smile to Michaela, Colleen stepped aboard the train.
She took a seat by the window and Andrew sat next to her. She waved
to Michaela until she could see her no more. Then she turned to
Andrew.
"Was she angry?" he asked.
"At first, but then I helped her to see that this was going to be
a fun, and safe trip, and she understood," said Colleen.
"Yes, well, speaking of the meeting, I'll come to your room around
seven o'clock and we can get some breakfast, okay? Dr.Charter
doesn't start his speech until about ten o'clock," Andrew
explained.
"Well that's perfect, we'll have a chance to have a nice breakfast,
and maybe a walk around town," Colleen smiled. This was looking
better and better every minute.
*
Colleen looked in the mirror. Today was the day. Not only would she
get to meet Dr.Charter, but she would be with Andrew. She carefully
pinned up her hair and was almost ready when there was a loud knock
at her door.
™
"Colleen! Open up!" someone shouted.
Colleen rushed to the door and threw it open. Andrew barged in.
"You'll never believe what they did!" he exclaimed.
"Who? What? Andrew, slow down, you're makin' no sense," Colleen
said, placing a hand on his arm. He sat down in a chair, and after
a few moments, continued.
"They canceled the meeting. Dr.Charter wasn't feeling well, so he
went back home to Boston. Just like that. I'm so sorry Colleen. I
had our tickets changed to the noon train, looks like we'll be
heading home today," Andrew said sadly.
Colleen's face fell. This was horrible. Well, at least they had
until noon.
"Let's not talk about this anymore. We'll go have some breakfast,
and then you'll take me on that walk you promised," Colleen said,
pulling Andrew up.
"Alright," Andrew said, a smile slowly growing on his face.
They went to a wonderful cafe for breakfast.
"It's not as good as Grace's, but it's better than anything I could
make," smiled Colleen.
"Oh, it's better than Grace's, but to tell you the truth, I like
your's more," Andrew said.
Colleen blushed and looked down at her plate. After they were
finished eating, Andrew and Colleen went walking around town.
Colleen showed him her college and the places she knew well. Before
going back to the hotel, Colleen bought some candy for Brian and
Katie, and picked up some medical supplies Ma had asked her to get.
After that, they went back to the hotel for their luggage, then on ™
to the train station.
"I can't believe we were just here yesterday, and now we're here
again," Andrew muttered.
"Well, think of it this way, now we'll be back in plenty of time
for the Sweetheart's Dance," Colleen said, looking at Andrew.
"Colleen I" Andrew began.
"All aboard!" shouted the conductor.
Colleen and Andrew boarded the train. It wasn't very crowded. A
woman and a man with a baby, three elder couples, three men riding
alone, and two women riding together. It wasn't the usual train,
rather a new train that had just arrived. It had some goods all the
way from back east on it.
They had been riding for a half an hour when the train skidded to
a halt. The passengers were almost flung from their seats.
"Are you okay?" asked Andrew, with concern.
"I'm fine, you?" Colleen asked.
"Okay, let's see if anyone else is hurt," Andrew suggested.
Colleen checked on the elder couples and the small family while
Andrew checked on the men riding alone and the two women riding
together.
"One man has a cut on his forehead, and one of the ladies arms is
sore, but I don't think anyone is seriously hurt," Andrew said.
"Well one of the elder men over there has a long cut up his arm,
but that's about all," Colleen said, "I wonder why we stopped."
Suddenly the doors burst open, and four men came in. Three had
guns.
"Sit down in yer seats and shut up!" they screamed.
™
Andrew took Colleen's arm and led her back to their seats.
The man with no gun, who also seemed to be the leader, spoke first,
"Now everyone just stay calm. This has nothin' to do with you, so
if you cooperate, no one will get hurt. Now we need to get everyone
off the train. Don't worry about luggage. I'll make sure you get
it."
Everyone sat in stunned silence.
"Well ya heard him! Git off the train!" yelled one man, waving his
gun around. Andrew took Colleen's arm and headed for the door. Once
everyone had left the train, they were ordered to stand back. The
train started up once more and quickly sped away. On the other side
of the tracks they could now see horses tied to a wagon. The man
with no gun appeared again.
"Now we're gonna go on a little walk. We have this wagon here for
you elders and let's just call me Smith. Now I cannot tell you when
you will get back to your homes, but I can tell you that you will.
Just cooperate, like I said before, and nobody's gonna get hurt,"
Smith said.
After helping the six elderly people into the wagon, they began
walking, slowly. The sky had turned dark and the wind was blowing
stronger. Lightning flashed in the distance.
Colleen was scared out of her mind. Who were these people? What did
they want? Did Ma know what had happened? Did she even know Colleen
was on the train?
Colleen!, Colleen scolded herself, now you sent Ma a message before
you left. And nothing is gonna happen, Andrew's here too.
She reached down and took Andrew's hand. He squeezed it and she
Ślooked up. He gave her a small, reassuring smile. She noticed he
had an umbrella in his other hand. She nodded to it, and smiled.
That was Andrew, always thinking. But even Andrew couldn't stop
these people, who ever they were.
*
"Dr.Mike!!!" screamed Horace.
He ran into Grace's Cafe where Michaela, Sully, Brian, and Matthew
were sitting.
"Colleen's train!!! It's been stopped. They don't know what
happened to it or where the passengers are!" Horace said.
The color drained from Michaela's face. Her worst fears, coming
true.
"I'll go find some horses," said Sully.
"I'll get Loren, Jake, Hank, and who ever else I can find," Matthew
said.
Everyone sprang into action. People were put on teams, horses were
assembled, and everyone went off in search of the train, or at
least the passengers.
God let them be safe, thought Michaela, looking at the dark sky.
Sully rode up beside her.
"They'll be okay," he said, putting a hand on her arm.
"How do you know?" she asked, her voice shaking.
"She's got Andrew with her," Sully said.
Michaela gave a little laugh, "Even Andrew can't protect her from
this. Even I can't protect her from this. Oh Sully, how did this
happen? I shouldn't have let her go!"
"It wasn't your decision to make Michaela. You didn't know this was
Śgonna happen," Sully reasoned.
"We have to find her. We're going to find her," Michaela said,
clucking her horse.
I just hope before it's too late, she thought.
*
"Well at least we have the umbrella," Colleen said, as it began to
rain harder. Andrew nodded and pulled up the collar on his
coat.
One of the men tapped Andrew on the shoulder and said, "Hey, gimmie
that umbrella!"
Colleen looked up at Andrew with her mouth open. Andrew looked at
the man in surprise.
"I said gimmie!" the man said, shoving the gun in their
direction.
"Here," said Andrew. Slowly a smile formed on his face as he became
soaked. Colleen looked at him and a smile slowly spread onto her
face. They began to quietly laugh. But after a while, not having an
umbrella had made them very cold and wet. Finally Andrew took off
his coat when he saw Colleen shudder and pull her drenched shawl
more closely around her shoulders.
Smith, who was riding a horse at the front, moved back to check
things. When he saw Colleen and Andrew, shivering in the cold, and
their umbrella, safely guarded by the man with the gun. He got off
his horse. After saying a few word's to the man with the umbrella,
he grabbed a blanket and approched Andrew and Colleen.
"I'm really sorry folks. My men can sometimes be just plain idiots.
Here ya go. If there be anymore trouble, you's just call me," and
Świth that, he got back on his horse, and rode off.
Andrew put the blanket on Colleen's shoulders, but she took it off
and put it on him.
"Colleen, what are you doing?" Andrew asked.
"Andrew look, you gave me your coat. You're more soaked than I am,
you need this," Colleen insisted.
"Yes, but you're wet and cold too," Andrew insisted.
Colleen gave him a look of despair. Then she put the blanket half
over his shoulders and half over her own.
"There, okay? I just hope the rain stops soon!" Colleen said. She
moved closer to Andrew, and suddenly was not so cold anymore.
Then there was a shot at the front and everyone stopped moving.
*
"Michaela, we're cold, and wet. We need to go back now," Sully
almost yelled. The wind was even stronger.
"No! I won't go back! Not 'till I find her! She's got to be here
somewhere. The train was found deserted. They must have moved the
passengers by foot. They couldn't have gotten far!" Michaela
yelled. She began to ride off.
Sully looked down, shook his head sadly, and followed. Suddenly
they both heard a shot. Michaela stopped and looked at Sully.
"Looks like it came over there," he said, and they rode off.
*
"Looks like supper to me!" said one of the men with a shot gun,
grinning. They all stood around the deer that was shot. Colleen
looked away, and Andrew led her to the wagon. They had set up a
sort of shelter there.
Ś"Maybe this pretty little lady'll cook it for us," one of the men
said, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Leave her alone," Andrew said quietly.
"Yeah, she can cook, somethin' special, just for us," laughed
another.
"I said leave her alone," Andrew repeated.
"What was that?" one asked, "You want us to leave her alone?"
The man pulled Colleen closer to himself.
"Leave her alone," Andrew said, pulling Colleen away.
"You know what I think?" another asked, "I think the man is lookin'
for a fight."
"You know what? I think you're right!" said the other.
Andrew gave a shaky laugh and backed away.
"Now gentlemen, I'm not looking for a fight. I just think you
should leave the lady alone," Andrew said.
Colleen looked at Andrew. He was so sweet, but this time, had he
messed with the wrong people? She soon found out.
The men began by shoving Andrew around, but then it turned into a
full blow©out fight. Colleen clamped a hand on her mouth, and
forced herself to breathe. She desperately sought help. Suddenly
there was a gun shot, very close this time. Colleen spun around in
terror.
"Andrew?" she called, racing back.
Smith stood there, with a gun, yelling at his men. Andrew lay,
slumped over, on the ground.
After his men had cleared out, Smith came up to Colleen, "I'm so
sorry. Nothin' is goin' quite like I planed it. Do you want me to
Śfind a doctor or somethin' for him?"
"No, that's alright, I'm a doctor," Colleen found her voice
again.
Smith nodded, and headed off, to give her some space. Colleen
slowly walked over to Andrew, who was trying to sit up.
"Here, let me help you," Colleen said. Andrew gave her a small,
thankful smile, then winced in pain.
"You're hurt," Colleen said in concern.
"It's nothing," Andrew said, holding his side.
Colleen gently moved his hand away and felt around the area.
"Andrew!" she exclaimed, "You have at least three broken ribs!"
Andrew looked away as Smith came back.
"Here, I thought this might help," he held up a doctor's kit.
"Thank you," Colleen said, taking it.
When he had left she began to clean up Andrew, and she tried to
remember what she was doing.
Stay focused, she told herself, but those moments, the shot being
fired, everything kept flashing through her mind. Finally she
looked down and saw her hands were shaking, and it wasn't from the
cold.
Andrew opened his eyes and looked at her hands. He put his own
hands around them. Colleen bowed her head, and could feel tears in
her eyes. Andrew pulled her over next to him and put his arm around
her.
As she sobbed into his shoulder he quietly said, "I'm so sorry
Colleen!"
She lifted her head, "You're sorry?! It's not your fault! These
people, they kidnap us, practically, and then they beat you up! No!
This can't be happening! This can't be happening!" She sobbed.
Andrew pulled her closer. He was angry and frustrated. He couldn't
help Colleen. There was nothing he could do. He couldn't even help
himself.
*
Sully was holding Michaela tightly, so she wouldn't go.
"Sully! Let me go! I've got to get to Colleen!" Michaela
yelled.
"Michaela, you can't do nothin'! If you go bargin' in there those
men with guns will shoot you!" Sully said.
They had watched the whole scene, and Michaela had tried to run
over to Colleen.
"No Sully!" she sobbed, she stopped struggling, "I have to get to
her!"
"Michaela, we can't do it alone," Sully said.
"Yes we can Sully!" Michaela insisted.
"I'm goin' for some help. You just stay here okay? I don't want you
gettin' hurt!" Sully got back on his horse, and with one final
look, rode off.
"Sorry Sully," Michaela said sadly, "But I can't do that."
