Angel In The Saloon (Brides of Glory Gulch) by Jeanne Marie Leach Page A

they’ll tailor them to fit. And we’ll buy all the
trimmings too. We leave on Tuesday’s stage, about twelve-thirty and will arrive
in Glenwood Springs around five. We’ll come back on Friday around eleven thirty
in the morning. I’ve made this trip so many times before, but it’ll be so much
more fun having you with me, Sweetie.”
    “My goodness, Aunt Corrin! Don’t you think you should
take a breath every now and then?” Amelia said with a smile, but inwardly was
regretting the trip. She had just completed a long journey and wasn’t looking
forward to another one so soon. But her Aunt was excited and Amelia wouldn’t
think of disappointing her.
    “I know I was rambling, honey.” Corrin giggled and
affectionately stroked her niece’s hair. “But I’m just so glad to have someone
to share my life with. I didn’t feel that way when you first came, I’m sorry to
say it. But I do now. You’ve become my extra ray of sunshine because you
brighten my day so much. I’ve got my very own grown-up daughter that I can
pamper and do things with. I’m just so glad you’re here, and I’ve grown so fond
of you in such a short time.”
    “Thank you, Aunt Corrin. I love you too.” Amelia
leaned forward and put her head low on Corrin’s shoulders and wrapped her arms
around her. Teardrops trickled down her cheeks only to be absorbed into her aunt’s
shirtwaist. Although Aunt Corrin hadn’t said she loved her, Amelia knew the
bond between them would only grow stronger with time.
    They held each other for a couple of minutes. Amelia
was grateful for her aunt, and for the changes that were brought into their
lives that both of them had resented only one week ago. She allowed the hug to
bathe them with love---the kind that heals old hurts, fills empty hearts to
overflowing, and renews the human spirit with a hope for the future. Then she
felt something wet fall onto her head.
    Her aunt was crying! The longer they clung to each
other, the more Amelia knew they were becoming the family they always were, but
never knew.
    When Amelia finally withdrew, she noticed for the
first time that the shoulder of her dress was wet also from her Aunt’s
teardrops. She now knew what to give Aunt Corrin for her birthday---the same
gift her mother had asked from her every year for her own birthday. But she
would have to practice the piano before next Saturday. The two ladies rubbed
their eyes and began to laugh. Amelia from the overwhelming joy that had
overtaken her, and she hoped her aunt’s laughter signified the same thing.
    Just then an extremely loud crack of thunder crashed
through the air directly above them. Startled, Amelia screamed. She blushed and
quickly explained that there just wasn’t any way for her to be forewarned about
such noise.
    The rain pounded down upon them as the three packed up
the picnic as quickly as possible and headed back to the saloon. Paul tried to
hurry Amelia through the forest, but she wasn’t able to negotiate the trees as
easily as he could. She was soaked by the time they were able to join Corrin in
the kitchen. They decided to warm up and dry off in the parlor.
    Amelia and her aunt went to their rooms and changed
into dry clothing while Paul toweled off in the parlor. The ladies soon joined
him and they relaxed in the coziness of Corrin Dannon’s home.
    It surprised Amelia that she had come to think of the
top floor of the saloon as her home. Molly had heard stories of how the top
floors of saloons were not nice places, but she’d been wrong, at least about her
aunt’s saloon. In fact, Amelia hadn’t heard anyone upstairs except for Aunt
Corrin and Paul and Jeremiah, and they were only there upon invitation.
Obviously, Molly had been wrong about a lot of things. Amelia realized she’d
been childish far longer than any of her friends due to her blindness. Why had
others sought to keep her that way?
    Later in the afternoon, Paul announced it was time for
him to leave to finish some