Chapter 18
Zeke pulled into the urgent care clinic parking lot. Helene sat in the front seat next to him and much to Dougall’s dismay, she never once spoke to him or looked back at him.
“You can leave us here. We’ll get a cab home,” Sara said as she stepped from the car.
“You sure?” Zeke asked.
“Yeah. I’ll talk to you later.” She held the door open and Logan stepped out next.
Dougall leaned forward and touched Helene’s shoulder.
She jumped, as if she were frightened of him.
“Helene, I’m going back. I’m going to leave tomorrow morning.
If ye wish to come with me, meet me at sunrise at the spot where ye arrived.
I’ll wait for ye there.” She didn’t respond.
“Helene, I love ye more than life itself. I thought ye loved me, but mayhap I was wrong. If ye do love me, if ye still love me, then I hope to see ye then. If ye don’t come, I’ll know ye dinnae and perhaps never did. ”
Helene sniffled and sat up straighter. He knew she was crying, but had no idea what to do about it.
He was so confused by her behavior. All this time they’d been together they’d never spoken harshly to each other.
When they were together, the world faded away and it was just the two of them.
He didn’t know if he would ever understand what had changed her mind so swiftly.
He waited a moment or two longer and then departed the car, closing the door and knowing that this was possibly the last time he’d see Helene.
The car pulled away and Dougall stood there until it was out of sight.
“We should go get you taken care of,” Sara grabbed his arm and pulled him in the direction of the doors.
He was numb to the pain his body was feeling. It was the pain he felt inside that was killing him. How would he ever go on without her? He didn’t know if he could.
***
“Are you okay, Helene?” Zeke asked, concern evident in his tone.
“Aye,” she sniffled, but before long the sniffles turned into full blown sobs.
“I don’t think you are.” Zeke reached over and clasped her hand. “Do you want me to pull over?”
“Nae. I want to go home,” she cried.
Zeke wasn’t sure which home she meant, but thought she must surely mean her home at Breaghacraig. He knew she had to miss it terribly. He also knew she still loved Dougall and that any chance he thought he might have with her had never existed.
“Are you going to meet him tomorrow?” he asked.
“Nae. I cannae.” She wiped her eyes, but he could see the tears as they continued to fall.
“We’ll talk about it more when we get home.
” He knew he had his work cut out for him, but he was going to try his best to convince her to go back.
He saw how much she meant to Dougall. Whatever he had done to cause Helene to react this way, was obviously not done with malice.
Zeke could tell from the little time he’d spent in Dougall’s company that he would never do anything to hurt Helene, at least not on purpose.
Maybe he had been careless in leaving her alone with his father, but he probably never thought things would turn out the way they did.
He parked the car in front of the house and walked around to open Helene’s door.
She took the hand he offered her and then fell into his arms. He wanted to protect her and care for her, but he knew she wasn’t his.
He had to wrap his mind around the fact that he was giving up on her.
He was sending her back where she belonged and to the man she truly loved.
It was the right thing to do. He wouldn’t take advantage of her current vulnerable state.
“Come on. Let’s go inside.” He gently held her and guided her up the stairs and through the front door. “Sit and let’s talk.”
“I cannae. I must go to me room.” She wouldn’t look at him.
“We’ll talk later then.”
“Aye. Later.” Helene headed upstairs, never looking up and with tears still streaming from her eyes.
“Well, Zeke, now what do we do?” he asked himself before heading to the kitchen to make himself something to eat and to wait for Helene to be ready to talk.
***
Hours later Helene descended the stairs to find Zeke on the sofa reading a book.
“Zeke?” Helene spoke softly so as not to startle him.
His head came up at the sound of her voice and he closed his book. “Are you okay?”
“I will be.” She joined him on the sofa.
“Are you ready to talk?”
“Aye. I’m so confused, Zeke.”
“I understand. I guess I am too.”
“You? Why?”
“Because as much as I want you to stay, I’m telling you to go. Go back to Dougall. He loves you and I believe that no matter what you say, you love him too.”
Helene didn’t speak right away. Zeke was right. She did still love Dougall. It was tearing her apart to pretend otherwise. “I’m so sorry, Zeke. I didnae wish to hurt ye. I truly believed I’d never see Dougall again and I still dinnae believe I should keep him from becoming laird.”
“Maybe that doesn’t matter to him as much as you think it does. Maybe you matter more.”
“I don’t see how. I’m nothing more than a servant. I’m nae a lady.”
“You’re wrong, Helene. You are a very special woman and even though you don’t hold the title of lady, you easily could. You are strong, intelligent, sweet, loving, kind. I could go on and on listing all of your good points.”
“But I have bad one’s too,” she interrupted.
“If you do, I’ve never seen them and I’d be willing to bet neither has Dougall.
He loves you, Helene. Enough to make a journey that I don’t think I’d be brave enough to make.
He ventured into the unknown to find you.
I know it’s not in my best interest to say this, but don’t push him away because of some crazy idea you have that his life will be better without you. It couldn’t possibly be.”
Helene wasn’t sure how to respond to this. She took Zeke’s hand in hers. “Yer a good man, Zeke Barrett. I appreciate all ye’ve done fer me. I’ve had the best time here with ye. Ye’ve taught me much and I’ll never ferget ye.”
“Does that mean you’re going back?”
“Aye. It does.”
“Well, then I think we should both get a good night’s sleep. Dawn comes awfully early.”
***
Zeke escorted Helene to her room and kissed her forehead, taking a moment to breath in the scent of her.
He was going to miss her. Why was doing the right thing so damn hard?
He’d never been one to worry over much about other people’s feelings.
It wasn’t until he met Nick Mackall that it all changed for him.
Nick taught him what it meant to be a man of honor.
It was a lesson he took to heart and he lived his life every day with that in mind.
Helene belonged with Dougall, not with him.
As hard as that was to accept, he would.
He’d let her go without the fight he’d once thought he’d put up for her.
He’d find the woman he was meant to spend the rest of his life with, but not today and probably not tomorrow.
It would happen when it was right and he’d know it.
Until then, he had his studio and his students to keep him occupied.
He’d go back to his life the way it had been before Helene had entered it. What else could he do?
***
A light drizzle hit the streets as the cab pulled up to Sara’s apartment.
“Thanks,” Sara said as she paid the driver.
She gazed sympathetically at Dougall, who was heartbroken about Helene. The injuries he’d sustained battling with Zeke were nothing compared to the emotional pain he was in.
“You must be hungry,” Sara said to Logan.
“Aye. I’m always hungry.” He grinned and those adorable dimples appeared.
“Let’s go upstairs and I’ll order something for delivery. Are you sure you’re okay, Dougall?”
“I’ll live.”
“I have no doubt you will.” Sara smiled to herself and shook her head.
He was a tough guy, but underneath it all she caught glimpses of the man Helene loved.
He wasn’t always the big bad highlander he allowed people to see.
There was more to him hiding under that gruff exterior.
She was sure that was the side Helene saw.
Sara hoped her friend would make the right choice tomorrow morning.
Zeke would be heartbroken, but he’d get over it.
He’d only known her a brief time, Dougall and Helene had a history not easily forgotten by either of them.
She unlocked the door to the apartment and her two misplaced men followed her in. Dougall immediately went to the sofa where he stretched out, covering his face with a pillow.
Logan appeared at a loss as to how to handle his friend’s sadness. Sara felt the need to distract him.
“Tonight’s your last night here. What would you like to eat?”
“Something I’ve never had before.” Logan always perked up at the mention of food.
“Okay. I’ll order Chinese.” Sara took out her phone and began punching in the number to her favorite take out place.
Logan furrowed his brow in confusion.
“Don’t worry. You’ll like it.” She held the phone to her ear waiting for someone to answer. “Yes, I’d like to place an order. Delivery please.” She gave them her address and hoped she’d ordered enough food to feed these two.
“When will it come?” Logan asked.
“You’re that hungry, huh?” She went to the kitchen and retrieved a beer for him and one for Dougall. “Here. Maybe this will help.”
He examined the can and she realized he probably wasn’t going to be able to figure out how to open it. She went to take it from him and much to her surprise he pulled the tab and began drinking.
“Wow! I’m impressed. You figured it out.”
“I’m nae an idjit.” Logan seemed hurt by her comment.
“Sorry. It’s just that you don’t have cans like that and I guess I thought you might need some help.”
“’Tis fine, lass. Ye should remember just because I’m from another time doesnae mean I’m nae as smart as ye.” He winked at her to let her know it was alright.
Sara beamed a happy smile back at him. She’d be sorry to see him go. She really liked him. It figures, the one time she meets someone she could fall for, he’s from another time.
Dougall was still reclining on the sofa, pillow over his eyes, but now with a beer in his hands.
Very twenty first century of him. Logan made himself comfortable on the loveseat, while Sara headed back into the kitchen to get herself a soda.
All she could think was that she wanted to have fun with Logan and Dougall tonight.
She wouldn’t be seeing them again after tomorrow morning, but she’d sure have some memories to look back on.
Dougall finally sat up just as their food arrived. Sara paid the delivery guy and set the food on the dining room table. She got out some plates, silverware and serving spoons. Logan was hovering over her shoulder as she set everything out.
“Grab a plate and help yourself,” she said.
She sat back and enjoyed watching them examine the food. She was sure it had to be the strangest they’d ever seen, but they took some of everything and were happy enough to go back for seconds. She made a small plate for herself.
When they were done she packed up the little bit that was left and put it in the refrigerator. “What do you guys want to do?”
They both looked at her with blank expressions.
“We can watch a movie, or play cards, or listen to music,” she suggested.
“Music,” Logan said.
“Okay.” This will be fun, she thought as she flicked a switch and music came out of speakers she had strategically placed around the living room.
She chose fun, dance music and began moving around the room to the beat.
Logan joined her and did his best to imitate what she was doing.
Loud laughter came from the sofa as Dougall was almost doubled over watching them.
Sara was happy to see him enjoying himself.
She’d been quite worried about his state of mind.
Sara reached out a hand to him and he took it, joining them on the makeshift dance floor in her living room.
Luckily, the coffee shop downstairs was closed and they really didn’t care how much noise she made.
They danced long into the night and when it was finally time to head to bed, Sara was sure they’d have no problem sleeping.
She’d done what she set out to do. She took everyone’s mind off of tomorrow morning. Everyone but hers.