Between Two Worlds (33 page)

She started at the beginning, from that fateful morning when
everything went wrong, up to the afternoon when Fletcher asked the hospital
nurse for a steak. Delaney told him she knew right then that Fletcher was
cured, and the anguish over leaving Gabriel had all been worth it.

When she finished her story, she received the third surprise—the greatest
gift of all. Her father didn’t question any part of it. He believed her. As
she’d related her tale, he’d shaken his head in amazement and set his chin in
his hand several times. A few times he’d mumbled, “You don’t say.” But he
believed her, every last word.

After all the years of trying to be what she thought he wanted her
to be, it had taken a trip back in time for Delaney to realize her father had
always believed in her. She simply had to believe in herself.

“Dad,” she asked, when he stood at the door ready to leave, “why
didn’t Mom ever talk about her Celtic side? How come she never told me about
Fiona or the legends about the O’Reilly women having second sight? Do you think
she knew about Aislinn O’Reilly and her ability to put curses on people?”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry honey, but I can’t answer those
questions for you. Your mother was a very private woman. She never talked much
about her family, and I never pushed it. I don’t recall seeing many family photographs.
Perhaps you can do some research and learn more about that branch of the family
tree. Those Irish are an interesting bunch.”

“You can say that again. Dad?”

“Yes, honey?”

“Do you believe there’s someone for everyone?”

“You mean, like a soul mate?”

It surprised her to hear him use that term. He’d always been such
a practical man, not prone to romantic notions. “Yes. That’s exactly what I
mean.”

He thought a minute. “I’ve never been a mushy kind of guy, as you
well know. But after hearing your story, I believe anything’s possible. Do you
think Dr. Whitman could be your soul mate?”

Her eyes widened. She’d described Gabriel in great detail, and
told her dad how they’d met and how she’d worked with him in the clinic. She’d
confessed that he was the reason for her choosing to go into medicine now, but
she hadn’t said she’d fallen in love with the frontier physician. Thoughts of
Gabriel and their times together brought tears to her eyes once again.

“Yes,” she answered quietly. “But it’s not meant to be. He lives a
hundred and twenty-four years in the past, and I can’t go back.”

Her father grasped her hands and gazed deep into her eyes. “You’ve
just recounted a fantastic story to me, Delaney. So
what
if he lives in
1888? You found him once. You can’t let him slip away forever. You must do
whatever it takes to be with him. If he’s your one chance at true love and
happiness, you must make it happen.”

“I don’t think it’s up to me,” she responded sadly. “I don’t have
a choice in the matter. I made my wish when I came home with Fletcher. Besides,
I haven’t seen Samuel since I returned. I think he’s gone for good.”

Her dad flashed her a warm smile. “Honey, if it’s meant to be,
then it will happen. And you’ll have my blessing, no matter what your decision
is.”

She hugged him tight, and they kissed each other goodbye, not
knowing when they’d see each other again but secure in their bond. “Have a nice
trip!” she called as he hurried down the sidewalk.

“You, too, sweetheart!”

When she cocked her head in question, he winked and blew her a
kiss before jumping into his rental car and disappearing around the corner.

The next day Delaney visited the Pendergrass Advertising Agency.
When she turned in her resignation, Mr. Pendergrass wished her well. “It seems
that vacation I forced upon you helped after all. I’m happy you were able to
figure out exactly what you wanted, or didn’t want to do with your life.”

“I’m grateful for your honesty, Mr. Pendergrass. I didn’t
understand when you suggested I take the short leave, but now I appreciate your
wisdom and intuition. You knew me better than I knew myself. And a vacation was
just what I needed to give me a new perspective.”

“Glad to hear it. By the way,” he said, “I received an email from
your dad telling me about his and Robin’s new adventure. I sure envy him. Maybe
I’ll travel to some far-off place someday when I retire—if I ever retire, that
is.”

“I’d recommend it, sir.”

He reached out to shake her hand. “Good luck, Delaney. I wish you
much success in your new endeavors.”

When she stopped by Meredith’s desk, the two friends hugged each
other.

“I guess this is it,” Meredith said, frowning. “You’re really
leaving me.”

“I’m not leaving you, just the ad business. We’ll stay in touch,
Mare. I promise. Who else would I go to when I get into a pickle?”

“Hey!” she exclaimed. “You never sent me a postcard while you were
on vacation. Where’d you end up going, anyway? Did you meet any sexy eligible
bachelors?” Her eyebrows wiggled, and she tilted forward on her desk with her
elbows, waiting expectantly.

Delaney considered her words carefully before answering. Although
Meredith was a good friend, she’d decided not to share the details of her time
travel adventure with her, or anyone. “I went somewhere very special. So special,
in fact, that being there changed my life.”

“What about men? Did you meet anyone?” Meredith asked again.

Delaney smiled. “I’ll let you in on a little secret.”

“Okay. What’s the secret?” Meredith’s eyes twinkled, anxious to
hear some juicy details.

“You were right about one thing. You said there are no
old-fashioned men living in this century. And you’re absolutely correct.”

Meredith sighed. Obviously, it wasn’t what she’d hoped to hear. “Oh.
I’m sorry, hon. I was hoping a change of scenery would bring you better luck
where men are concerned. Oh well, I guess it’s back to the ‘ole nose pickers
and gropers, huh?”

Delaney shook her head, “Nope. Not for me. I have some news that
may shock you.” She missed Gabriel so much, the thought of never seeing him
again brought a pain that shot from her midriff straight to her heart. The ache
was unbearable at times, but she didn’t want to share all that with Meredith.
It would only make her depressed. Besides, Delaney knew if she even spoke Gabriel’s
name out loud, she might break down and never stop crying.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to be a nun!” Meredith cried.

She laughed “No. I’ve decided to apply to medical school. I want
to be a physician. I’m going to be too busy to date.”

“Oh my gosh!” Meredith jumped up and down and squeezed Delaney’s
shoulders. “That trip really did change your life! Congratulations, kiddo.
That’s wonderful!”

The intercom on Meredith’s desk crackled. “Miss Kline. Would you
please come to the conference room? At once!”

“Yes, sir.” She shrugged. “Sorry, I’ve got to go.” When she stood
up, the two women exchanged hugs once more. “Take care, and call me soon!” With
her fingers, Meredith made the sign of a phone next to her ear.

Delaney took the elevator downstairs and stepped into the
sunshine. The day was hotter than a jalapeño soaked in Tabasco sauce, but she
felt a lift in her shoulders and a kick in her step. She’d just told Meredith
she was going to apply to medical school. Medical school! Yes! It was hard to believe,
but she’d made up her mind. She was really going to do it. It was what she was
meant to do—help the sick and the injured. Gabriel would be proud of her.

It was as if the weight of the world had been lifted off her. She
couldn’t wait to get back to the apartment and start pulling medical school
applications off the computer.

“Excuse me, miss. Would ye care for a ride? It’s a mighty hot day,
and me cab is air conditioned.”

Delaney’s head slowly turned. There was no mistaking that lilting
brogue. There, standing on the curb was a wee little man with mutton chop
sideburns, wearing a handmade green jacket. His shoes were of the finest
leather with silver buckles on top. When he tipped his cap, red corkscrew curls
sprang out from underneath.

She held her breath and took a step toward him.

“Looks like it might start to rain, lass,” he said, peering into
the cloudless sky. “Have ye got an umbrella with ye?”

She looked up, and the turquoise sky began to darken. “You know I
don’t carry an umbrella with me, Sam,” she answered in a shaky voice. “It
hardly ever rains in Phoenix.”

“No need. Ye can borrow mine. Or better yet, I’ll give ye a lift
home. Wouldn’t that be the ticket?” He grasped the handle of the cab door,
flung it open, and winked.

Feeling like she’d fallen into another dream, Delaney climbed in
and drew her long legs inside. When he jaunted around the front of the car, he
tapped on the hood three times and then popped inside and jammed the key into
the ignition.

“There! You did it again, Samuel. You tapped on the hood three
times. Last time you said it was for luck. Is that really why you do it? For
luck?”

The engine started up with a roar. He twisted around in his seat
and looked her square in the face. “Not entirely, lass. Ye see, when Aislinn
O’Reilly put the curse on me, she also took away me cobblin’ hammer.” A forlorn
look crossed his face, and he sighed. “I miss me ‘ole hammer. The tappin’ reminds
me of it.”

She patted his shoulder thoughtfully and then buckled up and settled
back. She held on for dear life as he pressed on the gas pedal and drove like a
madman through the streets. There was a rumble of thunder, and rain splattered
the windshield when the sky opened up and released a torrential downpour.

Sam brought the cab to a squealing, heart-wrenching stop in front
of the wrought iron bridge. He bounded out of the car, opened the back door,
and held her hand as she exited. He eased the umbrella into her fingers. She
gazed up and saw the magnificent colors of a rainbow brighten the sky.

Nudging her, he said, “Go on, lass. Don’t disappoint me. I’ve got
a job to do, as ye well know. I can’t be lettin’ down the O’Reilly clan. It
wouldn’t be right.”

Delaney’s heart thundered. “I don’t understand, Sam.” Her eyes
began to well. “I used up
my
wish when you allowed Fletcher and Georgia
to return to the future with me. And Fiona’s gone. How can this be happening
again?”

He scratched a finger through his sideburns, and his bushy red
eyebrows wiggled. He grinned slyly, like the cat that had swallowed the canary.
“Someone else made a wish. A wish fer ye to return to where ye belong.”

She gasped. “Who? Only O’Reilly women can request such wishes.
Donovan told me so.”

“Aye,” Sam replied. “This
is
an O’Reilly. Charlotte
O’Reilly Quinn is her name.” He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for
the bombshell to sink in.

Delaney’s hand flew to her heart. A lump caught in her throat.
“Charlotte?” she whispered.

“Aye.”

“But how?”

He explained. “Charlotte and Fiona were half-sisters. Their da was
Ian O’Reilly. He had an eye for the ladies, even in his older years.” Sam
winked again. “There was twenty years difference between the two girls, but
they were sisters all the same. Lucky for you ‘ole Ian was a skirt chaser, eh?”

Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes. She grabbed him around his
beefy neck and gave him a smooch on the cheek. “Yes! Very lucky. Thank you,
Sam!”

He touched his cheek where her lips had left a pink impression.
“Aye, lassie. Hurry now. Yer destiny awaits ye. Just one more crossin’.”

Delaney ran as fast as she could across the bridge. When she
reached the other side, the rain stopped and the rainbow disappeared. She spun
around to wave, but as she’d expected, Sam was gone.

When she turned back, she saw Gabriel sitting on the bank of the
river, cross-legged on the grass, with his head bowed. Lady Godiva stood near,
nibbling short spikes of grass.

Her heart beat so hard and fast she thought it might fly right out
of her chest. She stepped softly toward him. When he looked up, she froze. His
hazel eyes expressed everything she’d hoped, and more.

“Is it…really…?” he began.

“Yes. It’s me, Gabriel.”

He scrambled to his feet, grabbed her, and nearly squeezed the
breath out of her as he pulled her to his chest. His fingers slid through her
hair. Her hands pressed against the taut muscles of his broad back. When he
kissed her, she melted into him like liquid silver. Their mouths moved together
urgently, passionately, in a heated frenzy. When they parted long enough to
take a breath, she whispered, “I’m home, sweetheart.”

He laid her down in the grass and their bodies melded into one—two
lovers, soul mates in perfect union.

Twenty-Five

The couple sat at the oak dining table in Quinn’s boarding house.
It was so quiet in the big house with only the two of them. Georgia and Fletch
were gone, of course, and Delaney had learned Lucinda had married Ike as
planned and moved into his small cottage behind the livery. And Charlotte…dear
Great Aunt Charlotte. Delaney still reeled  from the news. She stared  at the
envelope lying in her hands. Delaney’s name was scribbled on the front.