Leo (Romancing the Ponderosa Book 3)

Chapter 11

Walkin' down the stairs the next mornin', I cain't help but wonder again what today's gonna bring. Yesterday was purty uneventful with us just tryin' to get Cherry's fever down an' then tryin' to get her stubborn mama to eat. That dadburn woman just wouldn't eat! Everytime we tried she would insist that she was fine an' wasn't hungry, but she ain't had anythin' but coffee since the day Cherry fell an' that was two days ago.

Pullin' out my chair from the table, I hear a strange noise come from outta the bedroom. I open the door to see a very pale Leo tryin' to make her way to the door. She's usin' the footboard to hold herself up as she tries to get to me.

"Leo!" Hurrin' across the room, I grab her so she don't fall.

"Oh, Hoss." She sobs out as her whole body goes limp in a faint. Catchin' her, I carry her out to the livin' room.

"Pa!" I yell, layin' her on the sofa. "Pa! Come quick!"

Runnin' outta the kitchen, he sees me over by the sofa an' hurries over. His face falls when he sees Leo layin' pale an' small on the sofa. "I had a bad feeling this would happen. You better go into town and get Doc Martin."

"Yes, Pa." Grabbin' my hat an' gun belt, I run out the door. Pretty much throwin' CHub's saddle on, I skeddle to town. Seein' an' feelin' Leo faint dead away like that in my arms scared me more than I care to let on. It scared me nearly as much as Cherry's seizure did.

I've been tryin' and tryin' the past few days to fight a certain feelin' that's been swellin' up inside of me. I know it ain't the time to let myself catch that type of feelin' with everythin' goin' on, but I've not been able to fight an' keep 'em away, especially after Leo fainted like that. I love that purty gal an' both of her little 'uns. I know I've only known them for a few days but I feel like when a person goes through somethin' like this, it cain't help but bring out their true colors. Plus I cain't help but recall the words Pa told Joe an' Hannah when they wanted to get hitched after only knowin' each other for a little over a day. He'd said, "Sometimes you don't have to know a person that long to know they're that special someone in your life who you find yourself not being able to live without."

I never realized that three days ago I had found that special someone who I can't imagine livin' without. Leo's just special somehow. She's real pretty, but stubborn an' somehow meek at the same time. Of course her young 'uns helped out, too. That spunky little gal an' towheaded boy that both look like miniature versions of their mama. I've loved an' lost gals in the past, whether it be to another man or to the Maker, but I know for a fact I'm not gonna let this one get away without a fight!

'Bout fifteen minutes or so later I'm jumpin' down from Chub in front of Doc Martin's. Walkin' in, I see him through the window separatin' his office from the sittin' area. He's busy sortin' his medicines but hearin' me, he turns in my direction.

"Hello, Hoss. Is something wrong?" He hurries towards me. "Has Cherry taken an even bigger turn for the worse?"

"No, Doc, it's Leo, she fainted an' is doin' poorly." Takin' off my hat, I fiddle with it in my hands.

"It's probably from not having eaten and then the stress and shock of Cherry's condition." He grabs his bag and follows me outside. "Have you gotten her to eat anything since I was out there last night?"

"No, sir. The only thing she's had is a few cups of coffee. She makes the most dadburn excuses an' then if they ain't workin', she waits until somethin' distracts us an' then sneaks back into Cherry's room."

"The girl's stubborn, that's for sure!"