As soon as Rosie was ready to ask him why he hung up on someone, she turned her head in the direction of a truck. As it rounded the bend, Rosie could see the trailer carrying her horses.
She let the tears come out and ran to meet the truck, then ran back to Francesco and kissed him, then ran back again to the truck. She helped Amos back the horses out and led them to their new home. The barn and stable area were spacious and beautiful.
Francesco thanked Amos and waited until he was gone, then told Rosie he would like to go pet the horses.
"Oh, Francesco, they're going to be so happy here!"
"I hope so, Rosie. I'm even happier with you here."
She smiled and walked over to the horses. She couldn't believe how her life had completely turned around from where it had been, and it was all because of this kind man who loved her so much.
"Francesco, we're going to have to get some carrots down here for the girls. Do you have any?"
"Rosie, I had a special treat made. Look in the satchel. I think both you and they will approve." Francesco held onto a post and waited.
Rosie looked around and found the beautiful satchel. She reached her hand in and pulled out a box. She looked at Francesco quizzically and opened it. Inside, there was a smaller box. As Rosie opened it up, Francesco held tightly onto the post and lowered himself to one knee. He held out his hand, and Rosie, with tears in her eyes, walked toward him and gave him the small box. Francesco removed the ring and held it. The small golden band had a two carat, brilliant cut diamond. He knew that if it was a larger stone, Rosie would have protested.
Francesco lovingly looked into her eyes. "I thought I would be alone for the rest of my life. Before I met you, I thought the inside of me was dead. But you melted my heart the first time I met you. I know that it's soon, but I'm too old to be waiting for something that I know is already perfect. When you took my son under your wing, I thought you were special. When I brought you into my home, I was positive. You belong here, Rosie, forever. You belong in my life. I want to give you all my love, and I never want your beautiful mind to ever have another worry. I love you, Rosie. Will you make me a proud man and marry me?"
Rosie let Francesco hold her shaking hand and slide the beautiful diamond ring on her finger. "Yes, Francesco. I couldn't be happier. You have given me more love in just the short time I've been here than I ever got during my entire life."
Francesco held onto the post and pulled himself back up. He gently wrapped Rosie in his arms and kissed her.
Chapter 14
Katherine walked back to the motel room, slightly ahead of Daniel. Her face looked concerned, her mood was heavy.
"Katherine, what's bothering you?"
"He's not going to leave Prairie."
"How do you know?"
"Because I know him. If he chooses to stay back in that small town, I'll have to stay with him. I can try to help you get your tuition money back."
"You need to finish your education, Katherine. It's been your dream, and now you can go to the finest design school. Your uncle hasn't said he wants to stay."
"Daniel, the bar could easily be shut down. It's in severe need of repair. The apartment upstairs where I stayed? The bathroom floor is starting to give in. The place is a fire hazard. He loves being around people all the time and he gets that running the bar. I just wish it wasn't costing him more to run it than what he brings in. There's no way he'll ever get enough money to fix the building. I did a few things, but I could only do enough to keep the bar open."
"What can I do to help? Just let me know, Katherine, and I'll do it."
"I want you to go back to New York and enjoy yourself. Since you met me, look how much trouble I've caused you."
"Katherine, on the twentieth of December I take over the family business so my father can retire. I can't stay in Tennessee even though I'd rather stay with you. Our main offices are located in New York."
"Daniel, I've said this before. I'm not your problem."
"You're not a problem, and I believe I've said that before." Daniel could sense impending doom approaching. "Look, all we can do is wait and talk to your uncle. We have to go by whatever he wants to do. But I promise you I'll help as much as I can."
When they arrived at the motel, he knew there'd be no way that Katherine would allow him to sleep in her bed. He just went and got a different room so he wouldn't have to hear the words from her mouth. Daniel couldn't make her come back to New York with him, and he couldn't make Andy come there either. If he lost her again, he didn't know what he would do. How could he fix this? How could he make Andy's life better so Katherine wouldn't have to stay in Tennessee? He decided to call the man who was way wiser than Daniel had ever given him credit for being.
"Daniel! I'm so glad you called, I was getting worried about you."
"Katherine's uncle had a heart attack and I just don't know what to do."
"Is he okay?"
"Yes, Father, but he feels like he's imposing. I've offered him the chance to come to New York, but Andy's pretty stubborn. Katherine agreed to come back with me and go to fashion design school in New York, but now she wants to go back to Tennessee to take care of him if he won't agree to come with us. I love her and I don't want to lose her again."
"Does she love you?"
"She said we're just friends."
Francesco could hear how tired his son was and how sad he'd become. Now was not the time to let him know that he proposed to Rosie. "Do you want me to talk to Katherine's uncle for you?"
"Father, he's a very stubborn man. I wasn't exaggerating."
"Good, so am I. I'll see you in the morning, Daniel."
"I'm not sure when I'll be back, Father, things are kind of in the air."
"No, I'm flying there. What hospital is he in?"
"I don't mean to be disrespectful so don't take this the wrong way. He might get angry, and he isn't supposed to be getting upset."
"So you think I got this far in business by not knowing how to talk with men like him? Daniel, watch and learn. I love you."
Daniel knew there'd be no stopping his father.
Katherine sat in her motel room staring out the window. Why did he leave? She knew that once Daniel got to know her, he would run. Today it's a different room, and tomorrow it'll be a different state. It's better this way, thought Katherine. She would have to go back to Prairie, and his life was in New York.
Her heart felt so heavy. She didn't want him to leave. Opening the sliding door wall, Katherine stepped out on her balcony. She was alone. Just like she always ended up. Why should she go back to Prairie? Where did her responsibility end? If Uncle Andy chooses to jump off a bridge, do I follow him knowing how unsafe it is? He knows he shouldn't be going back to that situation but chooses to do it anyway. If I follow him, my life will be nothing. Katherine continued to struggle. She felt an obligation to take care of her uncle at all cost, but didn't want to bury her dreams.
Katherine went back inside and put on her warm coat. She smiled when she remembered all the packages that Daniel bought and wrapped for her. She crossed the street and walked up to the cardiac intensive care unit. She found her uncle sitting up in bed, reading the paper. It was time for the two of them to have a heart to heart talk.
"Hi, Uncle Andy." Katherine stepped up to the bed and kissed his cheek.
"Hey, Katherine, where's your partner in crime?"
"I wanted to talk to you alone." Katherine pulled up a chair and sat next to the bedside. She didn't know how to begin. Her fingers began to gently run through her curls.
"Okay, spit it out, sweet one." He knew when something was bothering his niece. She would pick at her fingernails or play with her curls. The last thing he wanted was to have her worrying about him. She always put herself last.
"Uncle Andy, I'm not sure if I can go back to Tennessee with you. I feel really bad about saying that."
"You thought you'd have to come back with me? You thought I'd actually let you?"
"Who's going to take care of you? How are you going to run the bar and get the building fixed? I have so much guilt." Katherine tried not to cry, but a small tear ran down her face.
Daniel knocked on Katherine's door for the fifth time and didn't get an answer, so he got the office to check on her. She wasn't in the room. He sprinted to the nearby restaurant and she wasn't there either. Finally, he took off to the hospital. Daniel had a feeling he'd find her there. When he got close to Andy's room, he heard two voices; Katherine's tearful voice and Andy's soft, comforting one. Daniel was surprised that the man could talk soft for any reason. He decided to stop and not enter the room. He didn't want to eavesdrop but he needed to know that Katherine was okay by herself. Daniel knew the man could get a little brass and pushy.
"Katherine, you don't have any reason to feel guilty. When you came to my house, shortly thereafter, your Aunt Patricia died. Even though you were young, just a little girl, you automatically assumed the role of caregiver. When I got pneumonia, you dropped out of college and came to take care of me. Now you want to do that again? I won't have it. Besides, I love the folks in Prairie. If we could get some good things to happen in that town, it would be a great place. I know there's not much left in Prairie, but it's still my home."