Come Home To Me (Wild Creek Ranch Book 1)

Chapter Twenty-Five - Unable To Decide

Seeing that Sera was up and feeling quite fine, River and Rhett sat down with her in her room at the hospital. Baby Zion had gained the required weight and would be released the next day.

"Okay now spill. What's bothering you Sera?" asked River, wanting to hear it from her.

"Nothing important, River. Please, can we talk about it later?" she said, embarrassed by Rhett's presence.

"No, Sera. Even I want to know," insisted Rhett.

Sera looked down at her hands. "I don't want Zion to be called an illegitimate child when he grows up," she said in a small voice. "But Zachary might not want to know about his existence. He might be already married and settled down with his fiancée."

"We'll think about that when the time comes, Sera. Right now, concentrate on your recovery and taking care of Zion," said River. Even Rhett agreed, but the thought of Zion being called an illegitimate child made him feel guilty that he wasn't able to decide and take responsibility for Zion legally. He knew he had no future with Adelaide, but he still waited for her.

The next day, Rhett completed the discharge formalities and carried Zion home while River escorted Sera. The moment they reached Wild Creek Ranch, granny, and granddad came out to welcome them home, ecstatic to see baby Zion at last. With granddad being unwell, granny Jenny hadn't been able to go to the hospital to see him.

"He resembles Zachary a lot," said River's mom, and Rhett looked closely.

"Yeah, you're right," he said with a grimace.

Rhett carried baby Zion as if he was his to love and cherish. He bonded with Zion just like a dad would. He had found a new meaning for his otherwise dreary existence as being with Zion made him happy, and made him miss Adelaide a little less.

Every day Sera watched how he played with Zion, feeding him, cleaning him, bathing him, taking them for check-ups. In his own way, he was more a dad to Zion than his own father. Sera was still worried about Zion's future. She didn't want him to go to school and be teased as an illegitimate child. Why should he suffer for his dad's irresponsible nature? As days passed, Rhett clung to Zion more for his mental solace. He was very possessive of him and preferred to look after him all on his own.

"Marry her already, Rhett. You're already his dad," said granny, getting frustrated when he wouldn't give Zion to anyone.

Rhett stilled and looked at everyone, pondering over his granny's suggestion. He didn't love Sera, but she was far better than the other women in Fordsville. In a way, they both needed one another. Sera and Zion needed someone to take care of them while he needed them to fill up his lonely life.

For the next three months, he kept thinking about the idea. He wanted to ask Sera but somehow couldn't, as it would mean that he would have to bury all hopes of reuniting with Adelaide. He knew Sera still loved Zachary, but maybe, for Zion's sake, she would agree to marry him.

New York

Adelaide wanted to work like she used to before, and Thomas didn't object, as he just wanted her to be happy. She had broken all relationships with her brother and they, too, never bothered her. Having found work as a nurse at a hospital nearby, Adelaide was finally settled but she wasn't happy. Her mom's condition deteriorated instead of improving and although they changed the course of treatment, she still didn't show any signs of improvement. Kayla, as she insisted Adelaide call her, was good with her, and Adelaide was glad that her mom was in capable hands.

Thomas didn't take her up on the marriage proposal she had made being upset with Rhett. Adelaide was thankful because she really wasn't ready to marry him. She noticed a change in Thomas's behavior every time Kayla was around. She still shared a wonderful friendship with Thomas and sometimes felt guilty for causing a breakup in his friendship with Andrew.

When Thomas went away on a business tour to Germany, Kayla sat with Adelaide at the dinner table to eat. "Would you mind if I asked you something?" she asked hesitantly.

Adelaide smiled, knowing that Kayla would ask something about Thomas since she could feel something cooking between the two. "Shoot," she answered. Kayla smiled, feeling a little relaxed.

"Do you love Thomas, Adelaide?" she asked hesitantly with wide eyes as if dreading her answer already.

"No, Thomas is my brother's best friend and also mine. I love someone else who lives far away, in Montana," she said with a sad smile, but Kayla's face brightened up at the information.

"That's great news. I mean, it's sad that you love someone living so far away from you," said Kayla, and Adelaide sighed, knowing that it was an unrequited feeling now.

"It's okay. He isn't mine anymore. He has moved on," she said.

Kayla looked at her with sympathy. "Did you see him with someone else? Don't believe till you really see him get married with your own eyes," said Kayla. It got Adelaide thinking. She should go to Montana and see Rhett get married with her own eyes. It would give her the closure she really needed. She couldn't marry Thomas or anyone else in this life, so it was actually useless even thinking about it. She could spend her whole life working at a hospital nursing people to health.

"You're right, you know. I think I'll go to Montana and see if he is married and happily settled down with my own eyes before moving on with my life," said Adelaide, deep in thought as she ate absent-mindedly.

"Then will you marry Thomas?" asked Kayla with apprehension.

"No no, don't worry Kayla. You can marry Thomas. I will dedicate my life to my work," said Adelaide with a laugh, but Kayla's eyes clouded up and she looked upset.

"He doesn't want me. I can't even tell him my feelings. He's way out of my league, Adelaide. I come from a very poor family with two small siblings to take care of. My mom struggled to bring us up all on her own after my father left her. She works as a housekeeper the whole day. We somehow manage. He will never believe that I love him. He might think that I'm after his money. I'm better this way, Adelaide. He's my employer and I can hide my feelings inside me for as long as I'm here," she told her in a small, dejected voice.

"Thomas has an enormous heart, Kayla. Maybe he likes you too. How will you know his feelings if you don't tell yours?" she asked her gently.

"No, please. I don't want him to know. Promise me you won't tell him, Adelaide," she asked her with a pleading look at her. A throat cleared behind them and they turned around and, to their horror, Thomas stood there with his luggage. He gazed at Kayla and she blushed to the roots of her with embarrassment. Adelaide was confused. Hadn't he left for his trip to Germany? Then what was he doing here listening to their conversation?

"Hi, Thomas. Didn't you go?" she asked him while Kayla picked up her plate and rushed to the kitchen to escape him.

"No, the meeting got canceled, so I just canceled my flight and came home directly from the office," he said with a smile.

"Oh," said Adelaide.

"So, what were you talking about?"

"You heard what we were talking about? Didn't you?" asked Adelaide. Mrs. Higgs served him his dinner while Kayla remained hidden in the kitchen. Thomas colored and nodded his head, having heard everything. Unknown to them, he had been standing there for the last twenty minutes, listening to their interesting conversation. He kept glancing towards the kitchen, but Kayla didn't emerge once out of embarrassment.

"Ask her to come to my study for her salary," Thomas told Adelaide after he finished his dinner.

"Are you throwing her out, Thomas? I apologize on her behalf. Please don't throw her. She needs this job," she pleaded with him.

"No, I'm not throwing her out. Just send her," he told Adelaide and walked away to his study. Mrs. Higgs carried his luggage to his bedroom. Kayla peered out of the kitchen after he left.

"Has he gone?" she asked with a pale face and Adelaide nodded.

"Did he hear what we said?" asked Kayla with worry.

"Yes, and he's asked you to go into his study now to collect your salary. No, he's not sacking you," said Adelaide. Kayla nodded but stood like a statue, not able to budge even an inch.

"Go, he's waiting," said Adelaide, giving her a push. Kayla walked with baby steps towards the study, praying in her mind.