Chapter 10
CHAPTER TEN
Emily went out to the backyard where Mikey played. The boy ran to her arms, and she held him tight, finding comfort in his hugs. The doctor couldn’t help her. She might never regain her memory.
Gram straightened from cutting flowers. “Where’s Jesse?”
She let Mikey resume his play and then explained about the robbery. “What if it’s the same men?” Her limbs were brittle as glass at the thought.
Gram moved closer. “Is there any reason to think it might be?”
“I suppose not.” She didn’t think the three who stopped them on Sunday were the same as the ones who robbed the stagecoach, but she wasn’t sure why she thought that.
Was it something about the way they rode or spoke?
She couldn’t be certain. But there were too many bad men around, and it made her nervous. “I’m overreacting.”
“What did Dr. Baker say about your memory?”
Emily relayed the information in a shaking voice. “What will become of me if I never get my memory back?”
“Someone will be looking for you. When they find you, I suppose you’ll have to make a choice as to whether or not to return to the life you don’t remember or start a new one here. And that, my dear, will depend on who is looking for you.”
“I’m almost certain I’m not married.” Except how could she be so sure when she didn’t know who she was?
The conversation ended with Annie coming around the house with Evan in tow. The two little boys began to play together.
“I’ll leave you young ladies to visit and enjoy the sunshine. I have things to take care of.” Gram went inside.
“I should help,” Emily said, but she didn’t follow.
“Like she said, let’s enjoy the sunshine.” Annie went to the bench Emily had shared with Jesse and patted the spot beside her. “Jesse told me about your visit to the doctor. I’m sorry there wasn’t better news.”
All the turmoil and uncertainty escaped in a rush of words. Finally, she slowed. “It’s so unsettling.”
“I can’t imagine. Jesse said the doctor told you not to dwell on it, so let’s talk about something else.”
Emily gave a weak grin. “I have little else to talk about, seeing as I don’t remember my past.”
Annie chuckled. “That’s okay. I can talk enough for the two of us.
” She proceeded to do so, regaling Emily with stories of growing up with three older brothers, the pain of losing her mother, and then the fun of watching her brothers court the women they married.
“My best friend, Carly, recently married, too.”
“And so did you.” Emily laughed. “Maybe they should change the name of the town to Wedded Bliss.”
Annie chuckled and got to her feet. “It’s time for me to leave.”
“Thanks for visiting. I needed to talk.”
She grinned. “Seems you mostly listened.” She collected Evan, and they departed.
Emily took Mikey and the dog inside. “Gram, I need to be busy. What can I do?”
Gram studied her a moment. “Very well, right after dinner, I am going to my sewing room. There are things there you can do.”
After they’d eaten, Gram led the way. “I don’t know if anyone told you, but I am one of the seamstresses in Bella Creek. In fact, I am the best. I have as much work as I can handle and often turn down requests.”
“And I’ve been keeping you from your work.”
“Not at all. I did some work while you were out.” She pointed out the projects she had under way. “I don’t know how good you are, so I’ll start you out on easy things. Here are the buttons for this shirt. Can you sew them on?”
Emily sat and took up the task. It felt familiar. Of course, she would have sewn on buttons before. But as she cut the thread and attached them, she knew it was more than that.
She willed the memory to return, but she found nothing but black emptiness.
“These are done. What else do you have I can do?”
Gram examined the buttons. “Very neat. How do you feel about hemming a skirt?”
“I can do that.” She spent the next hour doing so, and Gram looked at the finished project.
“I couldn’t have done better myself. Let’s see if you can set the sleeves in this shirtwaist.”
“I know I can.” They spent the rest of the afternoon sewing, taking the work out to the yard so they could supervise Mikey playing.
“That’s enough for the day.” Gram folded up the dress she was making and waited for Emily to do the same.
Emily returned the garment to the sewing room and paused to look out the windows. When would Jesse return? What news would he bring?
Gram joined her. “He might not be back for supper. If he’s on their trail, he’ll stay on it until he finds them or can no longer track them.”
“Don’t you worry about him?”
“I try not to. He’s smart and careful, and when I get to fussing, I remember God can see him and is better able to take care of him than I.”
They ate supper without him returning. Emily put Mikey to bed, but he went under protest because he wanted Jesse. She stayed up an hour after Gram had bid her good night but finally accepted that Jesse wouldn’t be coming before she fell asleep, and she went to her bed.
She had waited only because she wanted to be sure he was safe and wondered if he’d apprehended the bad guys. Not, she insisted to herself, because she missed him or because she felt empty inside with him gone.
Jesse had not returned the next morning. It required a great deal of effort on Emily’s part to pretend everything was normal, and maybe she didn’t quite succeed, for Gram hugged her.
“I’ve gotten used to him being gone overnight. It isn’t anything to worry about. He’ll be back when he’s finished his business.”
They went to the garden and picked peas and baby carrots, then sat side by side against the house and shelled peas while Mikey played with Muffin. The morning hours dragged, but it was soon time for dinner. Gram tried to engage Emily in conversation, but Emily kept losing track of what Gram said.
“Do you want to help with the sewing again?” Gram asked as they did the dishes.
“I’d love to.” Something about the activity seemed familiar. Perhaps it would trigger her memory. She asked to work on a bodice with tiny pintucks. “I can do this.”
Gram looked uncertain. “It’s very detailed.”
“I’ve done it before. I don’t know where or when, but I have.”
“Very well. Do a little, then show me your work.”
Emily did so.
“I’m impressed,” Gram said. “Perhaps you were a seamstress.”
Emily nodded. “I wonder. It seems so familiar.” But still, no details came.
It took a couple of hours to complete the bodice. Gram declared herself pleased.
“Maybe you can help me with this.” Gram opened a closet to reveal a beautiful wedding gown.
“It’s for Amelia Strong. Her family owns a ranch some distance from here.
They seldom come to town, but she’d heard I was the best seamstress around and wanted me to make her gown.
We chose the style together, but I didn’t realize how difficult it would be to get the lace inserts perfect.
My eyes don’t work well enough. Would you have a look at it? ”
Leaving the dress on the padded hanger, Emily examined the lacy parts Gram indicated. She saw how Gram had caught a thread of the lace. That was all it took to keep it from lying perfectly.
“I can fix this if you like.”
“I’d be most grateful. I promised to have it done in three weeks. I’m running out of time.”
Emily checked the rest of the gown. There were more lace gores to be sewn into the skirt, sleeves yet to be set in, buttons to attach, and button loops to make.
After that, the final fitting would come before the hem could be done.
“It won’t take long to finish.” Though she hoped she would be back with family and loved ones before the three weeks ended.
She closed her eyes against the fear that she had no family and no one who cared about her.
She carefully took the dress down, spread a clean white sheet over her lap and work area, and painstakingly set about removing a few stitches, straightening the material, and, with tiny, precise stitches, putting it correctly in place.
She’d worked on such a gown before. She knew it with certainty. A rush of emotions flooded her. But was it anger or sorrow she felt? Happiness or sadness?
A tear dropped to the back of her hand. She dashed it away, thankful it hadn’t fallen on the dress. Hurriedly, she pulled the sheet over the fine silk. Why was she crying?
Jesse stomped the dirt off his boots and strode into the house. Mikey greeted him at the door, and Jesse swung him into the air and rubbed his whiskered face on the boy’s cheeks, careful not to rub hard enough to give him a burn.
The door to the sewing room stood open, and he crossed toward it.
He ground to a halt at the sight before him, and his heart stalled. He put Mikey on the floor and eased forward.
Emily sat, her hands entangled in a white sheet and tears flowing unchecked down her cheeks in twin silver tracks.
He took a step toward her before remembering he had two days’ worth of trail dust on him. Gram would have his hide nailed to the wall if he soiled any of her work.
“Gram,” he said softly.
She’d been so engrossed in her work that she hadn’t paid any attention to his entrance, thinking he would head straight for the kitchen and a cup of cold water. She jerked toward him at his call.
He tipped his head toward Emily. “Can you take away the sewing?”
“Oh, my. I didn’t realize.” She set aside her own project.
Emily didn’t give any indication she was aware of the movement.
Gram carefully laid the dress and sheet on the table. “I’ll take care of Mikey.” She hurried out of the room and closed the door.
Jesse hunkered down in front of Emily, uncertain how to proceed. If she was regaining her memory, he wouldn’t want to do something that would interfere with that.
“Emily?” He spoke softly, afraid to startle her.
She appeared not to notice.
“Emily.” He spoke louder. Touched her shoulder.
She jerked, blinked, and sobbed.
He did the only thing he could think of. He stood up and pulled her into his arms, letting her cry.