Chapter 31

Otis meandered through the bright mansion. Every curtain was open, letting the sunlight in and changing the ambience of the

once gloomy prison. It'd been over a week since the masquerade, and he'd seen no sign of Sadie other than the letter to the

editor. Her strong words moved him and left him completely unsure why she'd defended him and deserted him. But they'd been

kind words that soothed his pain like ice on a bruise. Not curing it but easing it.

Once he put distance between himself and Monticello, he'd be able to start driving thoughts of Sadie from his mind and heart...

somehow. It would take time, that much he knew.

"Is there anything else that you want to keep?" Leon closed the large trunk full of heirlooms Otis had decided were worth

saving.

"No. Sell the rest with the house."

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

Otis shrugged. He wasn't thrilled about his plan, but it made sense. Sadie was gone, and Elisabeth didn't need him. "I came

here with the intention of selling. It's time. I've handled Reginald's affairs. There's nothing left for me here."

"You've done well." Leon patted him on the shoulder. "I was proud of you as a boy, and I'm proud of you now." He pulled his handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his large nose. "Your mama would be proud too. She'd say that you know more about love than most of us."

"I couldn't take Elisabeth," he said, thinking of the way Elisabeth had looked at Peter. "I wanted to."

"You could have if you were a more selfish man. You had the right to." He wiped at the corner of his eye. "You're a good man."

"If you could see inside, you might not think so. I wanted her—I still do," he said. "I wanted her to be mine. I didn't want

to be alone anymore. I wanted someone to love. It's all harder than I thought. I used to know how to be alone, but now..."

"Wanting someone in your life doesn't make you selfish." Leon ran a hand through his thinning hair. "You could start a family

of your own. Elisabeth isn't the only one you came to love."

"Sadie didn't love me back. She left, and it was her choice." He turned toward the window and watched the creek ripple by.

He'd first seen her there, a streak of white in the morning hours. Everything had started there. "I'm glad I came back."

Otis turned away—he'd made up his mind. He would sell up here, go farther west, and start over. Purchase a little piece of

land in a part of the country full of men and women who worked hard to survive and didn't have time to care about the way

a man looked. He had reservations, but it was time to begin again.

"We'll be sorry to see you go," Leon said.

"I'll write you." Otis couldn't look at his friend. There had been too much loss already. "I will. I'll write you."

Otis left Leon then. He had to. He called Wolf to his side and went outside, walking to the creek, where he sat at the edge of the water. Wolf ran past him and leaped from the bank into the creek. The dog splashed and barked, sending water high in the air and all over Otis, who watched without bothering to wipe the moisture from his brow. He was going to miss this place. He'd hated it for so long, but now he saw it all so differently. The emptiness that was coming already hurt and scared him. It hurt just thinking about this season of friendship and love ending. He wanted to hold on but didn't know how.

"Excuse me." Mildred's voice startled him. "Leon said you came out here."

"I needed some fresh air."

"Peter dropped off a letter for you," she said, handing it to him. "He said that he hoped you were doing well."

Otis's hand shook as he took the letter. For days now he'd wanted an explanation, or at the very least a goodbye from Sadie.

"Take your time," Mildred said. She patted his shoulder before walking away and leaving him with what could be the last words

he ever read of Sadie's.

Rule number ten: when a man is gone for a very long time, give him a proper welcome home.

He turned it over, but there was nothing else. A riddle, but what did it mean? "Leon!" he shouted, surprised by the intensity

in his own voice. He left the calming waters and stormed through the house. "Leon!"

"Leon... had to... go to..." Mildred panted as she followed after him.

"Where is Leon?" he asked, hoping to speed up her thinking. "He was just here."

"Yes, he was... He went... he went to the see the lawyer." Mildred smiled as though it was a great victory to have remembered.

"He'll be back soon."

"He went to see the lawyer?" Otis scratched his forehead. "Why?"

"Umm... he didn't say. Come on down to the kitchen. I've made you beef stew with no carrots because I know you don't like

them. Let me feed you while I still can."

Something wasn't right, but he complied, following Mildred to the kitchen just like he had when he was a little boy.

"Rule number ten: when a man is gone for a very long time, give him a proper welcome home."

What did it mean? He stirred his stew without eating a single bite, too distracted to eat.

"I guess I'm not hungry," he said when she narrowed her eyes at him. He stood up, too restless to sit.

"Oh no you don't." She hurried over and gave his shoulder a nudge. "No skipping meals on my watch."

For two hours he sat at the table, barely eating but unable to leave. Mildred struck up conversation anytime he thought their

kitchen rendezvous was coming to an end. He had nowhere to go, and so he stayed, doing his best to cherish this time with

his beloved housekeeper.

Leon returned, interrupting Mildred's reminiscing about his mother's favorite recipes.

"What did the lawyer want?" Otis asked.

"Lawyer?"

Mildred gave him a look.

"Ah, the lawyer. Nothing to concern yourself with. But you best come with me. I've something else that needs your attention."

"I'm coming too. Wait for me." Mildred untied the knot in her apron.

The three of them, with Wolf at their sides, headed out the door. When he asked where they were going, they said it was easier to show him than to tell him, so he followed. They took the well-worn path from the house to the old factory.

He expected to walk by, but they stopped at the door. Leon pushed it open and motioned for him to follow. Otis stalled, unsure

he wanted to enter the factory and its plethora of memories.

"Come on," Mildred said.

He nodded. He hadn't planned on saying goodbye to his homemade rink right now, but there was no reason to wait. Standing tall,

he braced himself for memories of Sadie.

"I'm coming." One more deep breath, and then he stepped over the threshold.

"Welcome home!" Shouts from every direction stunned him. What was happening? A mob of people stood in his factory, smiling

and shouting welcoming words. He looked behind him, but there was no one there. They were smiling and shouting at him . Their faces blurred together. He blinked, still trying to understand.

Finally, his vision cleared. He spied his old childhood chums with their families beside them; Violette, Molly, and Flora;

Dr.Henry; Elmer Hoag; and a woman who, if memory served, had taught him in school. New faces, old faces. All smiling faces.

Slowly he brought a hand to his forehead as he stared at the crowd.

This was for him. He took slow breaths, attempting to stay calm. He failed. The sight was so beautiful, it unnerved him. And

then he saw her. There was Bessy. Beautiful, perfect Bessy.

She stood on the far side of the room with Peter and Nina, wearing a yellow dress. She waved at him. He grinned and waved

back. A vise tightened around his heart, squeezing tighter and tighter. And then out of nowhere Sadie was there, and the vise

constricted so much, he thought his heart might burst.

"Rule ten—"

"A proper welcome." He choked on his words. "I thought you were gone. I thought I would never see you again."

"Gone?" She tilted her head, questioning him. "I left you a note. You never came. I thought you—"

"What note?"

"I put it on the piano. I knew you'd find it there. I explained—"

"Gah!" He could kick himself. For the first time in his adult life, he'd avoided the music room, afraid to face the many memories

he'd shared with her within its walls. "I should have known." Pivoting, he turned toward the door, ready to go and find it,

but she stopped him.

"Look around," she said. "All these people want to be with you. Enjoy it."

"It's... it's remarkable," he said. And he meant it. No western sunset could ever trump this view.

She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the crowd. "Come with me. I want everyone to know you the way I do." She reached

up and put her hand on the brim of his hat. "May I?"

"If I'm to settle back into Monticello, I'd best remember my manners." He nodded toward the crowd, then took off his hat.

Some eyes lingered, but no one scowled, no one ran, and the smiles of homecoming did not leave their faces.

"Alta chose not to come," Sadie said with a wink.

"I read your letter to the editor. She is probably hiding under a rock somewhere." He laughed, the vise gone, replaced by

an embrace. "I can't imagine a finer welcome home. Thank you, Jane Squatter, for coming into my life."

"Thank you, Mr.Rochester, for not sending me away."

Others came closer, and the private conversation became a shared one before it was complete. Guests began eating food off tables that lined the walls, and the band from Dr. Henry's began playing. Children and a few couples danced, and soon others joined in. The atmosphere was jovial. Otis partnered with Violette, Molly, and Flora, with Mildred and a woman named Catherine. He'd never felt so wanted. When at last his turn came to take Sadie in his arms, he bowed and held out his hand. "May I?"

She took his hand and let him pull her close.

"How did you do this?" he asked when she was close enough that he could smell the familiar scent of rose water.

"I have sisters." She melted into his arms, fitting beside him perfectly. "We put our heads together and came up with a plan.

It's what West women do."

"There is nothing as fine as a West woman." His cheek brushed hers as he whispered into her ear. "Don't tell your sisters,

but you're my favorite West woman."

"Ah." She tipped her head up and smiled. "That is fitting, because you are my favorite Taylor."

He tightened his arm around her as they swayed to the music. In low voices they shared what had transpired since they'd last

seen each other. After telling her about his plan to move, he said, "I don't feel as keen on leaving as I did before."

"Monticello needs you," she said matter-of-factly. "What will you do with the factory?"

"Perhaps it should become a button factory. My mother would like that and"—he looked around until he spotted Peter—"I could

see if Peter wanted a job here."

She pursed her lips. "It's perfect."

"Will you skate with me, at least once more, before then?"

"Only if you promise to follow all the rules."

"I promise."

She bit her lip. "I may think up a few more."

"Whatever they are, I'll follow them."

He may have promised a great many other things if Bessy hadn't come near them and tugged on his pant leg, interrupting their

dance. He smiled down at her. A ripple of pain and sadness swept over him, but he didn't let it show, because stronger than

the pain was his love for Bessy. It would take time to grieve what might have been, but beside the grief was happiness. Somehow,

pain and joy were walking side by side. He did not understand it, but he felt it.

"Mama says you're my uncle." She fidgeted with the end of her golden braid.

"Yes, and do you know what that means?"

She nodded. "It means you can play marbles with me and that I can like you, and I do."

"It does mean that." He reached out his hands. "It also means that if you are willing, we can dance together."

She stepped into his arms and let him pick her up. More joy, more pain. He smiled at Bessy—she was worth every emotion. Sadie

sniffled, her eyes filled with shining tears. He pulled her closer, too, and the three swayed to the music. Every time thoughts

of what might have been tried to sneak in, he pushed them away and embraced what he held in his arms—a niece and the woman

he loved. "Well Bessy-girl, it also means that if you come to see me, I can give you bags of penny candy and rides on my rocking

horse. And we can go to the soda fountain anytime you like."

Bessy grinned, and then she surprised him by wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and declaring in a delightfully charming

voice that she liked having an uncle.