Chapter 8 #2
With some effort, Ethan got Andrew into the buckboard, and they rode to Andrew’s house. Then he accompanied his friend inside and made sure he went upstairs to bed. Andrew was oddly complacent and let Ethan help him with his boots. He was so unnervingly docile that it left Ethan shaken.
When he got back to the apothecary, Ethan found that Diane had moved into the new space and there was a line outside the door already. It made him proud to know he had done something good. Perhaps this would make things just a bit easier for her.
For the rest of the afternoon and evening, Ethan and Ben and a handful of others braved the cold wind and cloudy weather to take medicine and food to the sick.
It was a never-ending list of places to go and things to do, it seemed.
He would come back to the apothecary, and Emily would give him another list of people to visit.
While out, he would feed those too sick to do it themselves, change cold cloths on foreheads, and bring water and tea to those in need. He built up fires, covered folks in blankets, and generally tried to make people as comfortable as possible.
That night he slept like the dead and woke to find it was raining. However, people were depending on him, so he got up, donned his oilskin coat, and set off to deliver meals.
So it went for over a week. Ethan got up each day, dressed, faced the weather—which got steadily worse—and took food and medicine to those in need.
Sometimes, he took Julie or Diane to see a particularly sick person who couldn’t come to the apothecary to seek help.
It was about the only time he saw Diane.
She looked tired and drawn, her face permanently set in an expression of concern.
The rain turned to snow, which made everything harder.
The temperatures dropped so much that Ethan began to worry folks would freeze in their homes.
Despite their trip to San Antonio, things began to run out, and everyone was becoming just a little desperate.
Michael even authorized dipping into the emergency food and heating supplies in the town storeroom.
He never did that. Those were for what he called “real emergencies.” That put things into stark perspective for Ethan.
“Don’t know how much more we can take,” Michael said. “With everything at a standstill, we’re running on empty.”
Ethan had to agree, but there was nothing he could do.
He couldn’t fix this problem. All he could do was try his best to help.
He could only support Diane and the others valiantly trying to keep everyone in town alive.
He didn’t know how many more days he had in him to do it, though.
He was just so desperately cold and tired.
It was Wednesday. Ethan opened his eyes and found something strange.
He was lying in a patch of watery, weak sunlight streaming in through his bedroom window.
At first he wasn’t sure he was awake and actually looking out of his window.
He had to throw it open and stare at it a while before it sank in.
The clouds had finally broken, showing a brilliantly blue sky.
The wind had stopped blowing, and the air was crisp and cold, but it felt warmer somehow.
Diane greeted him with a smile that morning when he met her at the boarding house.
“I was hoping the sun would come out soon,” she said. “There’s nothing like a clear day to lift one’s spirits.”
“It seems to have worked on you for sure,” Ethan said, grinning foolishly.
Diane took his hand, and they set off for the apothecary. “Seeing you helps. I’ve missed you this last while. I feel like we’ve only seen each other in passing to hand things over.”
“That’s true,” he said, thinking of how he’d brought her meals and taken medication to people, stealing a moment here and there to hold her hand or share a quick conversation.
“Well, now the flu will ease its grip on folks, you’ll see,” Diane said, taking a deep breath of the fresh air. “It’s always worse to be sick when the weather is fine. Folks will start to get better in droves.”
And she was right. By next week, almost everyone was on the mend. In fact, most of them were better. The mine reopened, and Ethan was allowed back at work, although he told Andrew he was taking off until Monday and got no resistance at all.
Diane and Julie also took time off, putting a sign in the apothecary door that said they were only available for emergencies.
“I didn’t think we would get through that,” Diane said. She was sitting on the sofa in what would hopefully soon be their parlor and smiling at Ethan.
“Me either,” he agreed. She was leaning against him with his arm around her, and he could imagine this being how they would spend many evenings together. Ethan was happier than he had ever been.
It was Sunday evening, and after all the craziness of the weeks leading up to today, they were taking some time for themselves.
“I’ve decided to train Sarah to be an apothecary’s assistant,” Diane said, breaking the silence.
“I think that’s a wonderful idea,” Ethan said. “She was very helpful.”
“Yes, and she’s quite bright. I think if she had stayed in school, she could have gone far,” Diane said a little sadly.
“How far did she get?” Ethan asked.
“I’m not sure. She can read and write well and shows a lot of interest in medicine. I think she might enjoy it. Anyway, she will have to find work. I doubt that Mildred and Anders will be here forever and they seem to have adopted her.”
“How is Anders?” Ethan asked.
“Still resisting me and the changes I want him to make to the way he lives his life,” Diane said with a chuckle. “Do you know that he flatly refused to go for his afternoon walk yesterday? Outright put his foot down and wouldn’t budge off the sofa.”
“You’ll have to get Ben to lift him off it,” Ethan suggested.
“I know you’re joking, but it might come to that,” she said with a shake of her head. Then she snuggled into his shoulder more and looked up at him. “But let’s not talk about that now. All of those people have had enough of our time lately. This is our time for us.”
“Yes,” Ethan agreed. “Our time for us.”
He had so many questions about that. Most of all, he wanted to ask if there was an “us” and if the “us” was planning on becoming something permanent.
Obviously, he was very keen on that happening.
In fact, he’d gotten out a ring he’d picked out a couple of years earlier in a jewelry store back east. He’d walked past it and liked it so much that he’d felt compelled to buy it despite the lack of a lady in his life at the time.
Would Diane like it? Would she want a different one? Would she even agree to marry him? She was such an independent, self-assured woman that Ethan was worried she might not want to get married at all.
Their letters hadn’t really dealt with that aspect.
She had agreed to come out to meet him with the possibility of something not specifically stated.
Surprises weren’t something he liked, but he understood that they had needed the option of leaving one another should they find their relationship unpalatable.
However, all of that seemed silly now. He was head over heels in love. Yes, completely taken in, madly desirous, couldn’t imagine loving anyone else, crazy for Diane. All of those things applied to him with no reservations at all.
The question was, how did she feel about him?
She was clearly fond of him, but fond was a far stretch from what he felt.
So, how to ask? That was the question. Blurting out, “Do you love me?” seemed childish and ridiculous.
Perhaps he would just have to wait. Perhaps at some point she would say something that would enlighten him as to where she stood and what she wanted.
But how long could he wait? Ethan didn’t know.
Diane smiled and laced her fingers between his as she settled back down, resting against him.
It was a good feeling, and Ethan let himself enjoy it.
Who knew what the future was about to unleash on them.
This was Unity, after all. Quiet, peace, and happiness never lasted for too long.
There was always something waiting around the next corner.
He just prayed they would have a little more time together before the next round of El Aguila’s madness was unleashed.