Cheryl St.John - Cowboy Creek Christmas - Mistletoe Reunion

“How was your day at school?” Sam said as they approached.

August glanced uncertainly at Marlys and then up at his father. “Fine. Mrs. Johnson made a pie for our supper. She let me help.”

Sam knelt and awkwardly touched August’s cold cheek. The child smelled like fresh air, chalk dust and flour. Things had been strained between them ever since he’d returned to his mother’s home at the end of the war. Thanks to his years in the Army, they’d spent too long apart—too many years he’d missed getting to know his son. He believed bringing August here where they could start a new life together would be the answer to bringing them closer. The boy had never known his mother, and his grandmother had been his caregiver until a few months ago. Sam’s mother deserved the opportunity to travel and see friends. And Sam needed time with his son to re-create and repair their relationship. But the relationship was slow to heal. August was reserved and withheld feelings and affection. Sam’s heart ached at the chasm of years and uncertainly between them.

“Dr. Boyd!” Hannah said, drawing his attention back to Marlys. “It’s nice to see you.”

Sam straightened. Hannah was a seamstress with her own dress shop, so it wasn’t unusual that Marlys would already have met her during her initial weeks in town.

“Mrs. Johnson,” Marlys acknowledged, but her attention was on August.

“Hannah, please.” The other woman glanced at Sam and handed him a covered pie. “My husband came home to be with the baby, and I thought a brisk walk would do me well, so I accompanied August.”

“Thank you. And thank you for getting him after school and keeping him for a time.”

“My pleasure,” she assured him. “I need to stop by the mercantile before heading home, so I’ll take my leave.” She nodded at Marlys and departed.

“August, this is Dr. Boyd,” Sam said. “Dr. Boyd, this is my son, August.”

August politely removed his wool stocking cap, and his dark hair stood up in disheveled curls. “How do, ma’am.”

Chapter Two

The boy child’s shy expression was enchanting. He had shiny black hair and thick lashes like his father. Who was his mother? If things had gone differently, Sam’s son might have been her child. Nearly a decade had passed since she and Sam had been engaged. He had wanted a family. Of course he had married.

What kind of woman had Sam chosen? Surely someone with all the admirable feminine qualities Marlys’s father wanted her to possess. Someone focused on a marriage and not schooling and a career.

Marlys remembered meeting her father’s colleagues as a child, recalled her self-conscious feelings of inadequacy and the discomfort of being stared at. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, August. How old are you?”

“Eight, ma’am.”

“Do you enjoy school?”

“Yes, very much. Miss Aldridge lets me bring home her very own books. I’m careful with them.”

“I should like to meet Miss Aldridge.”

“Do you have any boys or girls?”

“No, I don’t. But if I did, I’d be proud if they were smart and liked to read, like you.”

August tilted his head to glance up at his father.

Sam clamped a hand on his shoulder and grinned. “Why don’t you hang your coat and go see if Israel needs a hand sorting the type.”

“Yes, sir.” August dutifully hung his coat and headed toward the room in the rear with the open door.

Marlys caught the wistful expression on Sam’s face. “He’s a bright boy,” she said.

“Yes. He is.”s

“Do you have other children?”

“No. My wife died when August was born. My mother helped care for him. He stayed with her during the war, and she continued to look after him when I returned. Until just a few months ago actually.”

There was a whole history of love and loss in those few words. “I’m sorry to hear about your wife.” She wrapped her scarf around her hair and buttoned her coat. “I will return tomorrow. I would like to pay for an advertisement.”

“I’ll look forward to seeing you.”

She lifted her gaze to his midnight blue eyes, puzzled. Fascinated in some unexplainable manner. “Your wife must have been...” She grasped for something comforting because it was expected. Yet she was always at a loss for words in these situations. “Just what you wanted in a life mate.”

“She was a lovely young woman.”

“Will you want to do another interview then?”

“Yes, perhaps in another week or two. We’ll generate interest with this first article, and with your advertisement, and then follow up so people don’t forget.”

“I read your book,” she said. She hadn’t been going to admit it, but there was no reason to withhold that bit of information. “It’s not my usual reading material, but it held my interest. You’re a very good writer.”

“I don’t know whether or not that’s a compliment. Your usual reading material is medical journals and field experiments.”

“I read history and—” She stopped abruptly. He was teasing her.

He was smiling, the corners of his dark-lashed eyes crinkling. The resulting flutter of anticipation was one she’d only experienced when facing a particularly stimulating curative challenge. How strange. But maybe she was responding to the challenge of convincing him to write about her in a way that would help grow her practice? Sam was no inexperienced journalist looking to make a name for himself. He’d been a city editor in New York, and the book he’d written about his Army experiences had been highly successful. He was well-known and admired.

“I’ll see you when you return to schedule your advertisement,” he said.

Pete held open the door for her, and she stepped onto the boardwalk, where the frigid air stole her breath. She glanced back into the newspaper office in time to see Sam’s tall form disappear into the back room where his son waited.

When faced with the choice between a life as someone’s wife and the challenge of learning and a career, she’d made her decision. She rarely paused long enough to consider what she may have missed. The past was the past, and both of them had moved on. She was satisfied with the path she’d chosen.

And now here he was, back in her life. Samuel Woods Mason. Still fascinating. Still charming. Still enigmatic and charismatic.

Still her one regret.

* * *

In the days that followed, Marlys’s plans didn’t go as expected, but such was the life of a doctor. She was surprised but gratified when three uniformed soldiers showed up in her office.

The shortest soldier removed his hat upon seeing her. “How do you do, ma’am. Is the doctor in?” A second man was occupied keeping the third fellow upright, with no free hand available to remove his hat. The patient grimaced and stood on one foot, leaning all his weight on his friend.

“I’m Dr. Boyd.” She hurried forward. “What is the injury?”

“You’re the doctor?” the first man questioned, but was cut off by his comrade.

“It’s my leg and foot,” the man in pain barked. “Horse reared and crushed me against a building.”

“Let me take a look at it.” She gestured to a narrow hallway. “Take him into the first room.”

“You sure about this, Ben?” his friend asked, eyeing Marlys.

“Get me to the room like she said,” Ben demanded, and hopped forward.

“His name’s Benjamin Cross,” the first man told her. “That’s Enoch, and I’m Jess. There was a note on Doc Fletcher’s chalkboard saying he’d be out all morning. Sheriff told us you were here.”

“Are you able to remove your trousers, Mr. Cross?” she asked.

Pain wasn’t enough to dull his discomfort with the suggestion, because the patient flushed, glanced around but finally unbuttoned his uniform pants. His friends helped him remove them and got him situated on the examining table. Marlys took a pair of shears and cut the leg of his gray flannel union suit from ankle to knee. “How long ago did this happen?”