Well, good. She needed a friend. Given that something was obviously going on with Da, Melody had already decided to put an end to the scheme of finding a husband. She wasn’t going to leave Da until she knew he was well and able to take care of himself. She knew there was another outing with a new prospective husband slated for today around noon. Jason Oberling wanted to take her for a picnic near Crow Creek. She would have to endure it, but then she’d let Da know that she didn’t wish to have any more outings arranged.
But what reason will I give him?It wouldn’t be easy to convince him, but she supposed she might as well tell him that she just wasn’t ready to leave him. Not because of his needs but because of her own. That wasn’t a lie. She felt the need to see him through whatever physical problem he was dealing with, and if it turned out that she would have to move down the line with him ... well, so be it.
Charlie came to mind again. She wouldn’t like leaving him any more than she would Marybeth or Granny. He’d become such a good friend. She sighed and closed her eyes. Maybe once morning came, she’d feel better about all of it.
But morning shed no more light on the matter. Because of the night’s interruptions and the fact that it was Melody’s day off, she didn’t wake up until nearly six. Da hadn’t even gotten up yet. However, he wasn’t long to follow her. But he seemed tired and looked pale.
“Are you feeling all right, Da?”
“Me back is always sore after a night on that cot. But don’t ya be worryin’ about it, darlin’ girl.”
But she did worry, and her concerns were growing every day. “Coffee’s on, and I’m getting ready to make breakfast. Are you hungry for anything in particular?”
“No, can’t say I am.” He sat down at the table. “Coffee will suffice for me.”
“You haven’t been eating much lately, Da. I’m worried about you. You’ve lost a lot of weight. I’ll fix something you’ll enjoy.”
Her father chuckled. “Ya worry too much.”
She honestly didn’t know what to say to that. Maybe she did worry too much. After all, Da had never been sick a day in his life. Or maybe she should say, a day in her life. Seeing him dealing with the effects of the accident was also different. The other accidents he’d had with the railroad work had been different. Most didn’t even require a doctor’s long-term care. So maybe she was just giving in to her fears.
When Melody put breakfast on the table with Da’s favorite flapjacks and ham, she whispered a prayer that he would eat. Instead, he only picked at it while telling her about the man she’d see later.
“Jason is a good fella. He’s partners with his cousin and co-owns Oberlings’ Mercantile. Ya know the place.”
“Yes, I do. It’s a very nice store.” Melody poured her fathermore coffee, as it seemed to be the only thing he was interested in.
“Jason plans to be stayin’ in Cheyenne, and even now he’s buildin’ a house.”
“That’s good news.” Melody sliced into her flapjack. “You should eat your breakfast before it gets cold, Da.”
“I’ll be gettin’ to it. Don’t fuss.”
She nodded and focused on her plate. Whatever was going on with him, he wasn’t going to say a word. She knew it. It sent a sense of sadness washing over her. If Da wasn’t speaking about the matter, it must be bad.
Melody could almost hear Granny Taylor admonishing her not to borrow trouble. The Bible would tell her the same. So why was it so hard not to worry?
Da cut up the flapjack and ham and took a bite of each. He pushed the food around as he talked to Melody about the day and what he planned to do while she was away on the picnic. He didn’t take another bite of food.
Melody cleaned up after breakfast, mended some clothes, and then went out to check the community garden. There wasn’t much to be done, however. Waiting for things to grow was hard. At least it was right now. Melody desperately wanted something to focus on besides her father’s health.
She returned to the tent and readied herself for the outing she would have with Jason. Since it was a picnic, she dressed in a simple brown serge skirt and calico-print blouse. The calico had blues and browns as well as bits of rose and gold. It seemed to draw out the blue in Melody’s eyes, and she’d always liked the blouse for that reason. But she didn’t want to attract Jason and gave some consideration to choosing a different top. Finally, frustrated by her own jumble of thoughts, Melody kept the calico.
Jason was prompt and showed up right at noon. He and Da talked outside the tent for a few minutes, discussing the weather and railroad. Melody found herself wishing she could just cancel the entire affair but knew that was hardly the polite thing to do. Jason had already gone to the trouble of packing a picnic. The least she could do was go along and eat it.
“Well, here ya are,” Da said when Melody stepped from the tent. “Melody, this is Jason Oberling.”
She squared her shoulders. “Mr. Oberling, I’m pleased to meet you.”
“Pleased to meet you, Miss Doyle.”
She didn’t suggest he call her Melody. There didn’t seem any sense to it. No use getting the man’s hopes up.
“Well, ya best be off, then,” Da said, seeming almost anxious to get rid of them.
Jason helped her up onto his buckboard, then sat beside her, taking up the reins for the dappled gray horse.
“That’s a lovely horse you have,” she offered.
