Chapter 13

Melody was surprised to see Charlie sitting with her father outside the tent. She was still seething over Jason Oberling's reaction to an innocent dog invading their picnic. A part of her knew she'd overreacted. It was a good excuse to make it clear to him that she wasn't interested in furthering their relationship, but she felt guilty for treating him poorly. Her guilt only served to make her all the angrier. And then there was Da and whatever was going on with him. That was starting to make her just as angry. How dare he not be honest with her?

"Well, yar back early and without the fella who took ya," Da observed. "What seems to be the trouble? Did he harm ya?" Da's expression turned from curious to concerned.

"No, Da. He didn't harm me, but he tried to shoot a stray dog, and it made me mad. I can't believe a starving pup deserves to be shot. He was just trying to get a free meal." She shook her head. "People can be so disappointing, and I'm tired of their nonsense. I don't intend to go out with any more of these men. If they come calling, you'll just have to let them know I've changed my mind and will remain with you. When the railroad sends you west, then I'll be at your side."

Da shook his head. "Ya shouldn't be lettin' one bad-tempered fella spoil ya on all of them. Why, Charlie here is a good man and doesn't deserve yar rage."

She gave Charlie a slight smile. "Sorry. I feel no malice toward you. You've been a dear friend."

"I'm glad to hear that," Charlie said, grinning. "And just for the record, I'd never shoot a stray dog. I would have invited him to the picnic."

Melody glanced into his eyes, and for a moment, she forgot about her anger and worries. He really was the best of friends. No doubt he was here to try to help Melody figure out Da's situation.

"Did ya have lunch yet, Charlie?"

"No. I did bring a couple of roast beef sandwiches, though. You'll find them on the table inside. But how about I take you and your father out to eat at one of the cafés? You can save the sandwiches for later."

Melody looked at her father. Maybe with Charlie's invitation to lunch, Da would eat a decent amount of food. "What do you say, Da?"

"Maybe Charlie could be eatin' his sandwiches and take ya to supper this evenin'. I'm wantin' to spend some time talkin' to ya first."

Melody nodded. Maybe she would finally get some answers about what was going on with her father. She looked to Charlie. "Would supper work?"

"I'd be happy to take you to supper. Your father too, if he wants to come along."

"We can be seein' about that later," Da replied.

Charlie got to his feet. "Then I'll get my sandwiches and take my leave. I'll return around five thirty, if that suits you, Melody." He disappeared into the tent and quickly returned with a dish towel–wrapped bundle. Unfortunately, it reminded her of the picnic.

She pushed the thought aside. Da wanted to talk to her. Hopefully he'd tell her what was going on with his health. Of course, she couldn't be sure that's what he intended to talk to her about, but she prayed it would be in regard to his condition.

"Until this evening," Charlie said and took his leave.

Melody watched him go, then turned back to her father. "What do you want to talk to me about?"

Da smiled. "What would ya be wantin' me to tell ya?"

She took the seat Charlie had vacated. "I want to know how you're feeling and if something more is wrong than what you're telling me. People keep saying you don't look well or that they're concerned about your health. I know you aren't eating or sleeping well, so I figure something must be wrong."

Her father nodded. "I've been meanin' to find a good time for this discussion. I didn't want to worry ya none nor give ya cause to be grievin'."

Melody laced her fingers together and lowered her gaze. She already knew the news wasn't going to be to her liking. She could sense it and had been afraid of knowing since people had first started mentioning her father's condition.

"Go ahead then, Da. I want to know it all."

"Me kidneys are not farin' well. Doc says they haven't been for some time. It's the reason I've lost me appetite and make the frequent trips out in the night. It's also causin' me some pain."

"Along with the back injury from when you fell?" she asked, not wanting him to continue but certain he must.

"There wasn't any real injury from the fall. Nothing more than some pulled muscles, anyway. The fall wasn't that far. No, most of it has been me kidneys."

"Why didn't you just tell me that? What can we do about it?"

"Well now, that's the point to all of this. I know ya won't want to be hearin' this, but there's nothin' that can be done. Me kidneys aren't good."

"But surely there's something someone can do. We don't have much in the way of doctors here, but we could go to Denver. Or better yet take the train east to Chicago. There are some very good doctors there, I'm sure. Charlie could probably recommend someone who would know. A big-city doctor might know how to help you." Melody was already thinking of how the railroad would give them free passage at least as far as Omaha. Maybe Charlie's family could offer them guidance once they got to Chicago.

"No, the doc already checked into such things. I'm afraid there's naught to be done."

Melody wasn't ready to accept that thought. "I'm sure someone, somewhere has better information regarding your problem, Da. We can't just give up and not try. We just need to get to a bigger city."

"Melody, me darlin', no one wishes more than me that I could be givin' ya more time. But the truth must be faced."

She met his gaze. "The truth?"

He smiled wistfully. "None of us lives forever. I won't be here much longer."

"No!" She shook her head. "It can't be that bad."

"Aye, but it is." He reached out and took hold of her arm. "Ya need to be strong, me darlin' girl."

Tears came against her will. Melody wiped them away with the back of her sleeve, then took hold of Da's hand. "This can't be. I won't let it be." She drew his hand to her cheek. "You can't leave me, Da."

"Oh, me darlin', I wish I didn't have to. Ya know that to be the truth. Ya've been me pride and joy." He paused, causing Melody to look at him once again.

"Yar mam used to ask me if I regretted not havin' a son, and I told her I had no need of a son. I had yarself, and that was more than enough. Ya've always been a hundred times better than a son."

"Da, you can't leave me. Not yet."

"I still want to see ya married. That desire hasn't changed. Ya need someone to take care of ya."

"No. I won't be husband hunting while you're so sick. Let's work to get you well, and then we can worry about my need of a husband. I'm not convinced that there isn't someone who can help us."

"Melody."

Her name was almost spoken like a command. She didn't want to accept that there was no hope. She couldn't. She prayed silently for God to intervene and give them answers. There had to be hope.

"Melody, look at me."

She did as he bid. "I've had a good life, and ya've made me happy every day ya've been here. Don't make this harder than it needs be."

"But it is hard, Da. It's the hardest thing I've had to face since losing Mother. You tell me there's nothing to help with this problem, but I can't let that be the end of it. I'm certain there must be something we can do."

"I wish there were, but Doc has already tried to find other answers, and there aren't any to be had. Now, what I need from ya is to be strong. We can't be stoppin' what's going to happen, but we can walk this journey together ... or I can walk it alone."

"No! I won't let you walk it alone. You know I won't."

"Then be me strength. Be strong in the Lord."

A thought came to her just then. "Does Charlie know?"

"Aye. I told him. We've been talkin' about all sorts of things since I first met him. I like Charlie a great deal. I think he's a good man. Honorable and godly. He's helpin' me with the money that's comin' from Ireland. There will be an account set up to take care of yar needs."

She didn't care about the money. It wouldn't keep Da alive. Hearing that Charlie knew about her father but said nothing bothered her. How long had he known? The thought of him lying to her was more than Melody wanted to consider. She hated to think Charlie would keep something that important from her.

She got to her feet and swallowed down the lump in her throat. After dealing with Mr. Oberling and the dog and now this, she felt the need for a long cry. Of course, she couldn't have it. Not in front of Da.

"I'm going to go see Marybeth. She said she'd have some eggs for us today. Do you think you might be able to eat some?"

"I'm not hungry, darlin'. But ya should go ahead and see yar friend. Maybe she can bring ya some comfort."

Melody looked at him for a long moment. "I can ... stay if you need me to."

"Gracious no. Go on with ya. And go to supper with Charlie tonight. Ya'll be needin' him now more than ever."

She almost wished she'd never asked for the truth. If she hadn't asked she could pretend nothing was wrong. Never in all of her thoughts had she figured anything could be this bad.

She made her way to Marybeth's, where she found her outside with Carrie. They were hanging up clothes. Carrie, only two years old, was handing Marybeth clothespins and laughing. She was such a happy child.

Melody joined them and immediately went to work helping Marybeth with the laundry. Her friend gave a nod, but Melody said nothing. She was almost afraid to open her mouth. What if she started to cry in front of Carrie?

Marybeth picked up the last of the things, a large sheet. "Glad to have your help." She glanced at Melody and frowned. Melody looked away and pinned the sheet in place.

"Carrie, it's time to go inside for your nap. You bring the clothespins, and I'll get the basket."

"Don't wanna nap." Carrie pointed to Melody. "Wanna play wit Melody."

"Not today. You take a good nap, and I'll let you help me make cookies when you wake up."

"Cookies!" Carrie clapped her hands. "I get cookies."

"Yes, but first bring the clothespins and take a nap." They headed to the house with Carrie nearly running. The bag of clothespins thankfully had a drawstring that kept them from spilling out as she ran.

Once Marybeth had Carrie put to bed, she motioned Melody to sit in the front room and joined her. "What's wrong? I can see in your eyes that something isn't right."

"Oh, it's all more than I can bear." The tears came again. "Marybeth, my father is dying."

"What?"

"You know I've been worried about him being sick. Today he was finally honest with me about it. Apparently, his kidneys are failing. The doctor says there is nothing to be done. Da said he doesn't have much time."

"How can this be?"

"I don't know." Melody shook her head and let the tears fall. "What will I do without him?"

"You have us. We won't let you be alone. In fact, I bet if I ask Edward, he'd go and talk to your father about moving in here with us. That way you could take care of him in his ... his ... final days. And I could help as well."

"Da would never come here. He wouldn't allow himself to be that kind of burden." Melody sniffed back tears. "I just can't believe this is happening. Why would God take him from me? Where is the good in that?"

"I've often asked myself that question about losing my mother, stepmother, and father," Marybeth replied. "It hasn't even been a year since my father died, and I miss him very much. Seems you and I have a lot in common."

Melody nodded. "That's why I came here. I knew you'd understand. I don't even know how much time we still have. And worse yet, he told Charlie about it, and Charlie said nothing to me. Charlie even knew I was worried about Da."

"When did he tell Charlie?"

"I don't know. I just know that he did. Da admitted that much. I just feel it's a betrayal of our friendship that Charlie said nothing. I know we haven't been friends that long, but it seems like I've known him forever. We were able to talk about everything. Goodness, I even tell him about my outings with the men who want to marry me. Of course, there will be no more of that. I told Da that I have no desire to marry now."

"What did he say?"

Melody leaned back on the sofa. "That he still wants me to marry. He wants to have me taken care of so he can die in peace." She sighed and shook her head again. "I can't be courting someone with this weighing on my heart."

"You know what? We need to pray." Marybeth reached out to take hold of her hand. "We need to do it right now. God always has answers, and He won't fail to show you the right direction this time, just as He always has."

Melody knew she was right. "I agree. We need to pray He heals Da." She thought of Charlie. "And we need to pray that Charlie will be honest with me about why he said nothing."

Charlie was actually glad that Clancy Doyle wanted to stay home that evening. He wouldn't have been able to have an outing like this with Melody otherwise, and he was very much looking forward to it.

They walked to the restaurant, and Charlie told Melody about his day of going over bank ledgers. He said nothing about his fears that Jefferson was doing something underhanded and instead shared some of the things he'd learned about banking over the years.

"Of course, you already know that banking isn't where my heart lies."

"Does your heart lie, Charlie?" she asked him most unexpectedly.

"What?" He frowned, completely uncertain what it was she wanted to know.

"How long have you known about Da?"

"What exactly are you asking me?" He stopped on the boardwalk and faced her.

"How long have you known that Da is dying?"

He frowned. "He confided in me a week ago."

Melody studied him for a moment, then her shoulders sagged a bit. "Why would he do that? Tell you and not me?"

"I don't pretend to entirely understand, but I think it was a man-to-man kind of thing. He came to talk to me about the money coming from Ireland."

"You lied to me."

"I would never lie to you, Melody. And I told your father that when he asked me to keep his secret until he could talk to you about it."

"You knew I was worried about Da's health, and yet you said nothing." She glanced down the street. "I thought you were my friend."

"I am your friend and Clancy's too. I didn't want to betray his trust, but had you asked me directly if I knew what was wrong with him, I would have told you. I swear I would have. But you never asked. You talked about him and what might be going on, but you didn't ask me if I knew."

"That's just a game, Charlie. It's still not right."

"I am not playing games with you, Melody. My intention has only ever been to keep your father's trust until he was ready to tell you the truth."

"He's known since he fell. Why didn't he just tell me the truth then?"

"You'd have to ask him that question. My guess is that he didn't want to spend his final days dying."

She frowned, drawing her brows together. "What do you mean?"

Charlie wanted so much to comfort her. "If I were him, I'd want to spend my last days living to the fullest, rather than spend them dying a little at a time with people crying over me or being sad." Tears were in her eyes, and despite it being in the middle of the boardwalk, Charlie put his arm around her shoulders. "I'm here for you, Melody."

She pushed him away. "I don't want you to be. I can't trust you to tell me the truth."

She stormed away, leaving Charlie to watch her go. He longed to run after her but knew it wouldn't do any good. She needed time to think through all that had happened and calm her anguished heart.

"God, please go with her. She's in such despair," Charlie whispered.