Sabrina (Big Sky Dreams 2) (12 page)

Sabrina turned to the woman in the bed and went a little closer.

"Thanks for taking care of my baby."

"You're welcome. Crystal's going to come tonight. I'll check on you tomorrow."

Eliza stared at her but didn't comment. Sabrina didn't either. She turned and walked from the room and found Rylan waiting for her. Without a word, he led the way outside, clearly planning to walk her the short distance home as he'd said.

"How did you come to be in that house?" Rylan asked when

102 they both stood at the bottom of Sabrina's stairs. There was a bit of a moon, but they were basically talking in the dark.

"I heard a woman cry out and went in."

"From your apartment?"

"No, I was walking by."

More retorts than Rylan could keep track of sprang to his lips, but he didn't utter any of them.

"Does Sheriff Kaderly always send for you?" Sabrina asked, finding this rather interesting.

"Yes. He has for so many years that it seems normal to me." "And what do you do?"

"Just what I did tonight. I come and I pray with folks if they want it."

"Do they ever?"

"Some have. In fact some folks in the church family are people I met with during times like this."

Sabrina wanted to ask if any were former prostitutes, but she kept the question to herself.

"Are you all right?" Rylan asked.

"Yes, are you?"

"I didn't get hit tonight," Rylan explained. "And unless I misunderstood what happened, you haven't even had time to put a cool cloth on your face."

"You're not like I thought," Sabrina said thoughtfully, feeling safe to admit it in the dark.

"How's that?"

"I don't know. I just didn't picture you being so kind." "It's easy to be kind when you care about people."

"I can see that you do."

"I think I would have to say the same about you. After tonight, I don't know how I could think anything else."

"That's a good thing, isn't it?" Sabrina asked, suddenly feeling uncertain.

"I think it is," Rylan said, even as he wanted to tell her that she

103 couldn't keep breaking up fights, that tonight she might have gotten off easy.

"Thank you for walking me home, Pastor Rylan."

"You're welcome. I hope you sleep well."

"Thank you. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Sabrina."

Before he could move away, she told him she would see him Sunday. Rylan didn't correct her, but he planned on seeing her before then. He would be at Jeanette's tomorrow, as soon as he could manage it, to check on her face.

Rylan was at Chas' door first thing in the morning. Chas was the elder he was closest to, the one who tended to ask him the toughest questions and hold him most accountable. Rylan was feeling things about a woman he barely knew, and he needed prayer. He started by explaining his evening to Chas and then waited.

"She went in and stopped this man's attack?"

"Yes. I haven't seen her today, but he hit her and there was some bruising."

Chas stared at him, and Rylan's heart spilled over.

"There's something special about her, Chas. I've never been drawn to anyone like this."

"And your heart wants to gallop."

"It does," Rylan agreed, laughing at the very words he'd used in the pulpit many times. mostly stopped today to talk to you because I need your prayers. I need to think clearly and not be blinded by emotion."

"Well, you certainly have my prayers. Do we know what happened with this woman or the man?"

"No. My next stop is the sheriff's office. The woman was not open to talking about God, so I probably won't see her again. However," Rylan remembered, "Sabrina was headed back today."

104 "She said this?"

"Yes, and she had another woman go there last night." Rylan had to stop and shake his head. "I wish you could have seen and heard her. I've never seen the like."

Chas didn't know what to say. There was certainly a whole lot more to Sabrina Matthews than a tall woman with a pretty face, but finding out the facts and details might not be so easy.

Chas felt speculation coming over him and knew there was no point. As he'd told his friend he would do, he started to pray.

Sabrina knocked softly and carefully opened the front door of the house down the street. Not looking at all good, but on her feet, Eliza stood in the living room, the baby in her arms.

"How are you?" Sabrina asked.

"How do I look?"

"Awful." Sabrina didn't mince words. "I assume that's how you feel."

"Have you got a cigarette?" Eliza asked.

"No, sorry."

"Crystal probably does."

"Did she come last night?"

"Yeah. She left an hour ago."

"Can I get you anything? Maybe some breakfast?"

"No, but thanks."

There was a note of finality to her voice that Sabrina could not help but hear. The baby gave a little squeak of a cry then, and Sabrina, seeing no help for it, backed toward the door. She knew how resilient women in this life could be and also that she was looking at one. It wouldn't have surprised her if the man from last night was already back in the bedroom, sleeping off a rough night of beating his woman.

Seeing that there was nothing left for her to do or say, Sabrina went

105 on her way. She had to slip back into her apartment to get her reticule and then get to Jeanette's. Eliza did not want her help, and she had a job to do. She was almost to Jeanette's before she remembered that she could pray for Eliza and the baby every time they came to mind.

"How is the machine working, Jeanette?" Rylan asked as soon as he was in the door of the shop.

"Just great, thank you," Jeanette answered with a smile. "I'm glad to hear it. No Sabrina today?"

Jeanette's smile disappeared. "She's in the back. She insisted on working back there."

Rylan started that way, but Jeanette was not done. She called after his retreating back, "I might not be done with you, Rylan Jarvik. I might want someone else's side of the story."

Sabrina had certainly heard all of this, so she wasn't at all surprised when Rylan appeared. There was one small window at the back, and Sabrina had positioned herself under it to give her the best light to sew.

"How's the eye?" Rylan asked the moment he saw her. "I'll live," Sabrina said lightly.

Rylan went to the window and bent in such a way that he could see her face in the full light. She had a shiner high on one cheek bone and a scratch on the same side. Sabrina watched him take in the marks and then look her in the eye.

"I don't think I want you to do that again," Rylan said slowly. "Well, I don't plan on it," Sabrina said.

"But it might happen?" Rylan asked.

Sabrina had to smile a little at his tone, and Rylan did not press her. Instead he asked her if she'd seen Eliza and the baby. "Yes. She was on her feet but looking as awful as she felt."

106 "I stopped to see Kaderly. They found a very drunk man with scratches on his face and hauled him in."

"She won't press charges," Sabrina said.

"But you could," Rylan said, having already discussed this with the sheriff.

"Not if she cares about him. As soon as he gets out, she'll welcome him back."

Rylan nodded, knowing how true it was. Sabrina thought she might try talking to her again but wasn't sure if that was a good idea.

Both were still thinking to themselves when Jeanette made an appearance.

"What am I going to do with her?" she asked Rylan. "Getting herself hurt like that! I tell you, Bri, you need to move home with me."

Sabrina smiled at her but didn't comment. Rylan had all he could do to keep his mouth closed. She was not the least bit afraid after what happened, and she lived in that neighborhood.

"Well, ladies," Rylan said, feeling a need to get out before someone asked him what he thought. Also, Jeanette's back room was not a large place. He barely fit on his own without two other people joining him. "I've got a sermon to work on. If you need me to check that machine again, Jeanette, I'll be at home."

"Thanks, Rylan," she said, still a bit put out. "I hope you preach on folks letting others take care of them."

Sabrina laughed out loud over this. Rylan would have joined her, but he caught sight of Jeanette's scowling face and decided to make his exit.

Sabrina found herself glad that folks only saw what they wanted to see. By Saturday afternoon when she was working at the mercantile

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the bruises had faded but the scratch was still slightly discernable. Jessie had noticed, and Sabrina had given a brief explanation, but not until late in the day did anyone else say a word. Unfortunately the person who paid the most attention was Bret Toben. He wanted more tobacco and a razor, but before Sabrina could find what he needed, he'd stepped in front of her.

"Who scratched you?" he asked quietly, all charm and teasing gone. Indeed, he looked angry or concerned; Sabrina could not tell which.

"It's a long story," Sabrina answered as she slipped around him to find the razor. But Bret wasn't done. He followed Sabrina to the back of the store.

"I think I AAT.nt you to tell me about this. What time are you off?" "It's kind of you, Mr. Toben, but I'm fine."

Her tone and expression told Bret he wasn't going to get anything out of her, but he still wasn't done. Bret got and paid for his things, but he left with a whole lot more. He didn't care how long it took, he was determined that someone was going to tell him what happened to Sabrina Matthews' cheek.

"How are you doing with your memorization?" Rylan asked at the end of his sermon, having assigned a new verse from Colossians each of the last few weeks. "Does anyone want to give chapter two, verse six a try? Okay, Franklin," Rylan said, smiling at how fast the boy's hand went up. "Let's hear it."

"Colossians 2:6," the little boy stood and started. "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him."

"Excellent," Rylan praised. "How about chapter one, verse ten? Heather, go ahead."

"That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God."

108 "Very good," Rylan praised. He called on several others to say the verses as well and then assigned a new one, Colossians 4:5, for the following week. When he was done, Chas came to the front.

"The Fourth of July is just about a week away," he announced. "Token Creek will have its annual picnic and races, and we hope everyone will be there. That, however, is not the last big event of the summer. I am pleased to tell you that we have saved enough money to paint our building."

Chas waited for all the laughter, cheers, and clapping to die down before continuing.

"We'll have certain days we set aside for painting, and if you can make it, we'll welcome you. If you have been working with your son or daughter, and he or she knows how to use a brush, that's fine. Otherwise we would like these painting sessions to be for the adults."

A few folks smiled and laughed at Chas' expressive face, but all understood.

"We'll organize the dates in the next week or so and let you know about those." This said, the congregation was dismissed. As might have been expected, nearly all talk was about the upcoming holiday and the painting parties that were sure to be just as good a time.

The next week sped by. The days were very warm now, and for some reason, the closer they got to the Fourth of July, the more raucous Token Creek became. Nate came for Rylan twice during the week, the first time when a gun went off by accident and a child was shot and injured. The second time the sheriff came for Rylan was on Saturday night. It wasn't that late, only about ten o'clock, and the crying woman did not want him there, so Rylan was headed home in fairly short order.

His mind was busy with the activities of the streets and praying for various people he saw. Not until he cut down a side street that

109

bordered the Lucky Nickel saloon did he hear a familiar voice. Rylan came to a dead stop and listened to Sabrina speaking.

"Do you want to come back to my place and talk, Paula?" Sabrina asked.

"Crystal said you would talk to me here."

"I will," Sabrina replied matter-of-factly, "but we're less likely to be interrupted if we're at my apartment."

"You're in Crystal's building?"

"Yes, upstairs."

"Hello," the woman said when she spotted the man coming near them. He did not look familiar, but in her line of work it was always good to be friendly.

"Do you want to talk to him?" Sabrina asked, having no idea that the man approaching was there for her.

"Sabrina," Rylan said, and she turned.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, well and truly surprised.
I could ask you the same thing,
Rylan thought, but he said, "Can I see you ladies home?"