A Prescription for Love (26 page)

“Smile, Heidi,” the woman directed. “You’re a bride.” She tsked and drew the waist in, fastening pins with vigor. “I swear, at every fitting I have to take in more.” She shook her chubby finger in Heidi’s face. “You’ll faint right there in the church if you don’t eat more.”

Heidi sighed and stared out the window. Tiny pale green buds appeared on trees no longer caught in winter’s clutches. From her position, she could see yellow and white flowers poking through the new grass in front of the dress shop.

Three weeks had passed since she’d said goodbye to Michael and instead of lessening, the pain grew every day. Her dresses hung off her, testifying to her weight loss, and the dark circles under her eyes that peered back at her each morning from her bedroom mirror confirmed the nights she lay awake. Wishing.

It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered. She cried into her pillow every night, muffling her sobs to keep her parents from hearing. No matter how she tried, she didn’t fool her mother. Had she received a nickel every time her mother asked if she was sure, her pockets would hold enough money to bribe Clarence.

Clarence. When she’d sat across from him in her parlor two nights a week, she called on all her years of training in good manners to keep from spitting on him. He smiled at her, and she shivered. He touched her hand, and she had a compulsion to scrub herself. Last night when he’d kissed her goodnight on the cheek, she walked up the stairs to her room, pulled the chamber pot from underneath her bed and vomited.

“I agree, Mrs. Fenwick, I keep telling Heidi she must eat more. Why, she’s fading away to nothing.” Mother’s comment drew her back to the dress shop, where she suffered another fitting, her mother and Mrs. Manfred looking on. With the dressmaker’s frown at the material she pinched, Heidi’s sadness, and her mother’s perpetual look of concern, Mrs. Manfred appeared to be the only cheerful one in the room.

“Once we’re finished here, we need to stop at the hotel and check on the menu for the wedding breakfast.” Mrs. Manfred perched on the edge of a spindle-legged chair that looked as if the dainty piece would collapse under her weight any minute.

Mother frowned and glanced in Heidi’s direction. “Do you feel up to a visit to the hotel this afternoon, dear?”

Heidi smiled. Mother remained the only person not fooled by Heidi’s decision. Hardly a night would go by that her mother didn’t stop in her room at night with a cup of hot chocolate in her hand. Once she settled on Heidi’s bed, assured her daughter would drink the nourishing beverage, she’d ask the same question. “Why are you so unhappy?”

She hated lying to her parents. Sipping the chocolate, which in fact caused her stomach to roll, she tried very hard to be convincing that she couldn’t wait to marry Clarence. Then Mother would sigh, kiss her goodnight, and Heidi would sob into her pillow.

After speaking with the dining room manager at the Alamo Hotel and going over the elaborate wedding breakfast her parents planned, they returned home and Heidi started up the stairs.

“Heidi!” A warm, familiar voice echoed from the parlor, causing Heidi’s heart to speed up. Before she caught her breath, strong arms engulfed her, rocking her back and forth.

Ellie leaned back and regarded her, her gaze roaming over Heidi’s face. “I’m sorry, honey, but you look terrible.”

Tears sprang to Ellie’s eyes, her humiliation complete when they spilled over the lids and ran down her cheeks. “Ellie.” She quickly wiped her eyes. “What in heaven’s name are you doing here?”

Ellie linked her arm through hers. “I came for a visit. I understand you’re getting married?”

Heidi glanced in her mother’s direction, who appeared as surprised as Heidi felt. Recovering her hostess skills, the older woman greeted Ellie. “You must be Michael’s sister.”

“Yes, ma’am,” she said with a smile. “His baby sister, to be exact.”

Papa had joined them from the parlor where he had apparently been keeping Ellie company.

“Michael talked a lot about you when I kept house for him.” Mother waved in the direction of the parlor. “Won’t you visit in here? And you must stay for supper.” She faced Papa. “Tell Cook to prepare something special for our guest.”

“Already done, my dear.” Papa patted her hand.

Ellie eyeballed Heidi. “Actually, I hoped we could stroll a bit. I’ve only been to Oklahoma City a few times, and I think I’d enjoy seeing a little of the town.”

Mother shooed them toward the door. “You girls go on and have a nice walk. The fresh air will work up your appetites.”

“I have no problem with my appetite.” Ellie smiled, then glanced at Heidi, her eyes narrowed. “However, my friend here could use a few pounds.”

The two women descended the steps arm in arm into the late afternoon sunshine. Only a few houses away Ellie began her attack. “What’s going on here, Heidi?”

Heidi inhaled deeply. “What do you mean?”

“Michael’s been so miserable and grouchy, even Tori can’t stand him. He won’t talk to anyone beyond saying you came back here to marry Clarence.”

Before Heidi could respond, Ellie dragged her across the street to continue in the opposite direction. “And now I arrive here, expecting to see the happy bride and frankly, my friend, you look miserable.”

“Well, thank you for all the compliments.”

“Ah, I’m sorry.” Ellie stopped and faced her. “Tact has never been my strong point. I’m really worried about Michael. I’ve never seen him so despondent. And now I’ve seen you and I’m more confused than ever.”

Heidi shook her head. “Don’t, Ellie. There’s no secret here. I’m afraid you’ve wasted your time.” She took Ellie’s arm again and moved her forward. “It’s really very simple. I’ve been engaged to Clarence for quite some time and I needed to come home to plan my wedding.”

Ellie slowed them down, her eyebrows disappearing under her bangs. “Are you going to stand there and tell me you have no feelings for my brother?” She held up her hand. “No, wait. Before you lie to me”—Ellie narrowed her eyes—“remember I saw you and Michael together.”

Heidi shook her head. “You didn’t see anything, Ellie. Please, leave it alone.” She hugged her closer and continued. “I must admit I’m very happy to see you, though. Tell me about your family. How is everyone?”

Ellie reluctantly began a recitation of Cochran and Henderson news. Warmth spread through Heidi when she imagined all the goings-on Ellie related. How she missed Guthrie and Ellie’s family. But nowhere near as much as she missed Michael. Oh God. She brought her fist to her chest. The ache resurfaced, stronger than ever.

They strolled for a couple of hours, Heidi pointing out various sights in the city. Eventually they wound their way back to the house in time for supper.

Despite Heidi and her parents’ pleas to spend the night, Ellie requested they drive her to the train station, where she waved goodbye before climbing the steps of the eight o’clock train back to Guthrie.

An hour after the train had departed, a light tap on Heidi’s bedroom door interrupted her as she ran a brush through her unruly hair.

Mother entered and laid the cup of hot chocolate on the white wood table next to Heidi’s bed, then settled on the soft mattress. “How nice of Ellie to come for a visit.”

Heidi narrowed her eyes and glanced sideways at her mother after dropping the brush on the dresser. “Yes. It was.”

“Quite a surprise, actually.” Mother fussed with a thread on the bedspread.

Heidi settled next to her, sitting cross-legged. “A surprise, certainly.”

Her mother took Heidi’s hands in hers. “Please tell me what’s going on, Heidi. I have the feeling you’re in some type of trouble and I want to help.”

For one crazy instant, Heidi thought to pour out the whole ugly story to her mother. Instead, she shook her head and drew her hands away. “No trouble, Mother. I’m planning my wedding. That’s all.”

Her mother stared at her for a minute, ran her hands down Heidi’s hair, then cupped her chin. “Every motherly instinct in me screams you’re lying. I just wish you’d talk to me,” she whispered.

Chapter 24

“Where’s Heidi?”

Michael’s gut clenched as he heard the same question for what seemed the hundredth time that week.

“She moved back to Oklahoma City,” he said through gritted teeth and continued to wrap the package for Katherine Russell. He yanked the string so tight, she would probably need a sword to open it.

“I’m so sorry to hear that. I loved seeing her smiling face.” Katherine’s eyes grew wide as she noticed the package Michael held out to her. “I’m sure you must really miss her.”

Michael grunted his answer and turned his back, climbing the two steps to the prescription area. Once the door closed behind Katherine, silence descended. The worst time of the day. With the stillness, came anger. In the almost four weeks since Heidi had left, he’d gone through shock, pain, sadness, and now anger. Outrage directed toward himself.

How could he have let himself care again? Not only care, but fall deeply in love and plan a future. With the one woman who made him feel whole again. He checked his pocket watch and retrieved the ring of keys from his pocket, then strode to the door. Once he secured the door and flipped the ‘Closed’ sign, he ran his fingers through his hair.

What would he do with his evening? Another visit to The Blue Belle Saloon? He winced and his stomach rolled a warning regarding his last visit.
The day Heidi left.

The morning after his drunken spree, he’d had no idea why he awoke on Jesse and Tori’s couch. A brown knitted blanket covered him and, except for his shoes, he was fully dressed. He sat up and groaned at the little men who’d invaded his head during the night and pounded away with their not-so-tiny hammers. He gazed around the room with painful eyes, wondering why Tori allowed so much sunlight in her parlor.

“Good morning.”

Michael winced at Jesse’s booming voice. Didn’t he know about the little men? Most likely not, because Jesse smiled, appearing fully rested and ready for the day. He’d dressed in his lawyer suit, his tie correctly centered on his shirt, his hair slicked back.

“‘Mornin’.” Michael groaned. Apparently a frog had taken up residence in his throat as well. God, what he wouldn’t give for a glass of water.

Jesse strolled into the parlor and sat in the dark green damask chair next to the fireplace.

He laid a polished booted foot over his knee and straightened his jacket. “Want to tell me what happened?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Why didn’t Tori have a sink in the parlor?

“Three people stopped by last night to tell me my nephew sat in the Blue Belle Saloon drinking himself into oblivion. Since my nephew doesn’t drink much as a rule, it kind of made me a bit curious.”

“Drop it, Jesse.”

His uncle leaned forward. “What happened with Heidi?”

“Nothing.” Michael moved to stand, then sat back down when his stomach protested. Vehemently.

“So she’ll be at the pharmacy today, waiting for you?”

Michael shook his head, and then clasped it with both hands as the room became a carousel. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

Jesse slapped his knees and stood. “All right. I won’t force you.” He headed toward the door, then stopped. “I just want to remind you about how much trouble your aunt gave me years ago.”

“This is different. Just leave me alone.”

Michael collapsed onto the couch. Only duty to his customers forced him to crawl away from the sofa and leave. The long walk from Jesse’s house in the cool, crisp morning air cleared his head enough to get through the day.

Despite the ever-present pain, he’d not visited the saloon after that. Most nights he walked for hours after supper, trying to tire his body so he could sleep. The exercise rarely helped.

He ran his palm down his face and headed for home.

Heidi sat in the parlor, the only sound her thudding heart and the ticking of the grandfather clock. Across from her Clarence viewed his pocket watch, then closed it. “I’ll be leaving early tonight, my dear.”

She nodded and moved to stand.

Clarence held out his hand. “Not yet, though.” He rose, then settled next to her on the sofa.

Heidi shifted away and tugged her skirt closer when his leg touched her.

He smirked. “No worry there, my dear. I have no desire to touch you.”

“Nor I you,” she muttered.

“But I’ll bet that shopkeeper had his filthy hands all over you.” His voice was low, menacing.

“I won’t discuss him,” she bit out.

“Tsk, tsk, Heidi. So grumpy this evening?” When she ignored him, he continued. “With our wedding only two days away, I hoped you would be a bit more cheerful.” He flipped his watch open once more. “No matter. Today, I made the arrangements for our honeymoon trip to Dallas. The tickets will be delivered to me tomorrow. You’ll have your own compartment, down the hall from mine. Be sure to pack enough gowns for two weeks. There will be suppers and parties in our honor, and I expect you to present yourself as a proper, loving wife.”

“Go to hell, Clarence.”

“Heidi! Such language. Did you learn to talk that way from your shopkeeper?” He leaned close to her ear, his breath on her cheek. “Did he utter dirty words in your ear while you rolled around in his bed?”

She reared back, and before she could stop herself, cracked her palm across his face. “I hate you.”

Clarence smiled, his jaw tightening. “Don’t ever slap me again, my dear. I can return the favor. Which I will, tenfold, if you try that again. Remember, once we’re married, you’ll be under my control. You
will
do what you’re told, or take the consequences.”

Heidi stood and smoothed out her skirts. “I believe you said you were leaving?” She headed to the parlor door, yanking it open with such vigor it slammed against the wall.

“Heidi, is everything all right?” Her mother hurried down the hallway, her brows furrowed.

“Yes. Fine, Mother. Clarence is on his way out.” She moved ahead of him, threw the massive wooden door open, then glared at him. “Good night.”

Clarence bowed and kissed her on the cheek. “Don’t forget Senator Cochran,” he mumbled. Then wishing her mother good evening, he stepped onto the porch and closed the door.