COLLEEN: A Sweet Western Historical Romance by Ashley Merrick Page A
Authors: Ashley Merrick
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this, is it?" she asked.
Elizabeth bit her lower lip. "No. It happened one day last week, too, but we didn't notice right away because he was just off working as usual. He always feeds the animals and brings in the eggs first thing, then sits down to have breakfast with us. When he was more than a half-hour late, my mother started worrying and sent a few of the boys out to find him." Elizabeth paused for a moment and then continued. "They found him sitting by the pond, staring off into space. Once he saw the boys, he snapped back and said he'd just been resting his eyes, that he was tired, but they knew something was off."
"Maybe he'll be there again," Colleen said, but as the pond came into view there was no sign of Jed anywhere. They were about to turn back when Julia stopped and said, "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Elizabeth asked and then they all heard the sound of footsteps and twigs cracking underneath. It was coming from just beyond the pond. They started walking toward the sound, into the woods, and then they saw him. Jed was walking in the opposite direction of the house and every few feet he stopped and changed direction slightly.
"Dad?" Elizabeth called out. At the sound of her voice, he turned and stared at her blankly. "Dad, it's me, Elizabeth."
A confused and panicked look flashed across his face and it broke Colleen's heart. It was as if he knew that something was wrong, that it was happening again, but then the moment was just as quickly gone and it was as if suddenly all the pieces clicked together and he smiled.
"My favorite daughter. What are you doing out here?"
"Your only daughter, silly. I was looking for you. Mom wanted me to come find you so we can all sit down to dinner."
"Oh, all right, then." He walked over to them and smiled. "I am getting kind of hungry. Beautiful day, isn't it?"
They walked back to the house and ran into Joshua on horseback. He took one look at them and just said, "I'll see you all back there." He rode off in the opposite direction, though, and Colleen guessed he was going to find the others and tell them to hurry back.
When they arrived back at the house, Elizabeth fussed over her father, telling him to have a seat and making him a cup of hot tea. As she was setting it down in front of him, Naomi came rushing into the house and then slowed down when she saw him sitting safely at the dining room table. She looked as though she wanted to give him a big hug, but she restrained herself and, instead, smiled cheerily.
"Now that everyone is all here, let's sit down and eat."
The rest of the afternoon passed peacefully and it was almost as if Jed's disappearing act never happened. No one mentioned it, and he was the same lively Jed that they always saw.
Later on, while the men were discussing the latest farm news in the other room, the women gathered around Naomi in the kitchen. She looked tired and worried.
"Elizabeth said this has happened before?" Julia asked.
"Yes, the same day that Emma and I went in to see the doctor. I tried to get Jed to come, but he's in denial that there's anything wrong. It's just as well, though. No sense in getting him upset, since the doctor said there's really nothing we can do about it."
"Nothing at all?" Colleen asked. She couldn't begin to imagine how difficult that must be for Naomi and how terrifying for Jed.
"Nothing. He said it's just going to get worse, but it could hold off for a long time. He could stay at this level for years. It's impossible to say. We'll just have to keep a closer eye on him, and pray that it doesn't get much worse."
"We'll do anything we can to help," Emma said.
"Thank you." Her eyes grew misty for a moment. It had been an emotional day. She shook it off, though, and forced a smile. "So, let's change the subject to something more cheerful. We have a wedding to plan!"
Ricky stopped into Donovan's pub a little before four on Monday. He wanted to catch Colleen before she left for the day and he
Elizabeth bit her lower lip. "No. It happened one day last week, too, but we didn't notice right away because he was just off working as usual. He always feeds the animals and brings in the eggs first thing, then sits down to have breakfast with us. When he was more than a half-hour late, my mother started worrying and sent a few of the boys out to find him." Elizabeth paused for a moment and then continued. "They found him sitting by the pond, staring off into space. Once he saw the boys, he snapped back and said he'd just been resting his eyes, that he was tired, but they knew something was off."
"Maybe he'll be there again," Colleen said, but as the pond came into view there was no sign of Jed anywhere. They were about to turn back when Julia stopped and said, "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Elizabeth asked and then they all heard the sound of footsteps and twigs cracking underneath. It was coming from just beyond the pond. They started walking toward the sound, into the woods, and then they saw him. Jed was walking in the opposite direction of the house and every few feet he stopped and changed direction slightly.
"Dad?" Elizabeth called out. At the sound of her voice, he turned and stared at her blankly. "Dad, it's me, Elizabeth."
A confused and panicked look flashed across his face and it broke Colleen's heart. It was as if he knew that something was wrong, that it was happening again, but then the moment was just as quickly gone and it was as if suddenly all the pieces clicked together and he smiled.
"My favorite daughter. What are you doing out here?"
"Your only daughter, silly. I was looking for you. Mom wanted me to come find you so we can all sit down to dinner."
"Oh, all right, then." He walked over to them and smiled. "I am getting kind of hungry. Beautiful day, isn't it?"
They walked back to the house and ran into Joshua on horseback. He took one look at them and just said, "I'll see you all back there." He rode off in the opposite direction, though, and Colleen guessed he was going to find the others and tell them to hurry back.
When they arrived back at the house, Elizabeth fussed over her father, telling him to have a seat and making him a cup of hot tea. As she was setting it down in front of him, Naomi came rushing into the house and then slowed down when she saw him sitting safely at the dining room table. She looked as though she wanted to give him a big hug, but she restrained herself and, instead, smiled cheerily.
"Now that everyone is all here, let's sit down and eat."
The rest of the afternoon passed peacefully and it was almost as if Jed's disappearing act never happened. No one mentioned it, and he was the same lively Jed that they always saw.
Later on, while the men were discussing the latest farm news in the other room, the women gathered around Naomi in the kitchen. She looked tired and worried.
"Elizabeth said this has happened before?" Julia asked.
"Yes, the same day that Emma and I went in to see the doctor. I tried to get Jed to come, but he's in denial that there's anything wrong. It's just as well, though. No sense in getting him upset, since the doctor said there's really nothing we can do about it."
"Nothing at all?" Colleen asked. She couldn't begin to imagine how difficult that must be for Naomi and how terrifying for Jed.
"Nothing. He said it's just going to get worse, but it could hold off for a long time. He could stay at this level for years. It's impossible to say. We'll just have to keep a closer eye on him, and pray that it doesn't get much worse."
"We'll do anything we can to help," Emma said.
"Thank you." Her eyes grew misty for a moment. It had been an emotional day. She shook it off, though, and forced a smile. "So, let's change the subject to something more cheerful. We have a wedding to plan!"
Ricky stopped into Donovan's pub a little before four on Monday. He wanted to catch Colleen before she left for the day and he
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