Angel's Song

Chapter Six

 What can I say? I am really sorry for being away so long, but real life, coupled with a dose of the 'flu, got me down and I'm only just recovering. Thanks for being so patient and for all the reviews and votes in the meantime. I can't believe I've reached 1K reads on this already! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Dedicated to WaitingForACowboy :)

Chapter Six

Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny. Angel got up early, excitement bubbling up in her chest as she dressed. "I'm going home," she whispered. I'm going home! She hummed softly as she washed her face and hands. Even though Lina was sleeping in her own room tonight, the walls in the homestead were paper-thin and Angel didn't want to wake the children just yet. 

Her joy over returning to Sweetwater for the weekend faded slightly as she started on the breakfast. Aidan had said nothing about her returning to the homestead as a permanent housekeeper. Apart from the occasional soft side she had seen around the children, he had to be one of the most frustratingly enigmatic men Angel had ever met. Her mind went back to Mr Shannon and she frowned. There was obviously no love lost between Aidan and the other man. Yet another one of the many mysteries surrounding Aidan O'Connor.

The sound of footsteps broke into Angel's thoughts and she turned around. "Mr O'Connor!" She smiled. "Sorry, I didn't see you there."

Aidan nodded. "That's alright. Just got in. Is breakfast ready?"

"Nearly."

"You're going back today, right?"

"Yes." It was on the tip of her tongue to ask whether she would get to keep her job or not, but then Aidan turned and walked down the hall and the opportunity was lost.

After breakfast, Angel packed her bag and headed out to the wagon where Aidan was waiting. Lina and Jesse came out of the house to see them off. Lina was blinking back tears, and before Angel climbed onto the wagon seat she wrapped her arms around the young woman's waist tightly.

Angel crouched down to her level. "Don't cry, sweetheart," she whispered. "I'll be back." 

Tears sparkled on Lina's lashes. "Promise?"

"I'll try." Angel stroked her cheek and then kissed the little girl on the forehead before turning to Jesse. "'Bye, Jesse."

He gave a curt nod and turned his face away. Angel sighed, wondering if she would ever be able to reach him.

"Stay out of trouble until I get back," Aidan instructed, and then the wagon pulled out of the yard. The last thing Angel saw through the cloud of dust was Lina running to the gate, her eyes fixed on the departing wagon.

Though the road back to Sweetwater was the same as the one she had travelled to the homestead, it seemed incredibly long to Angel. It was all she could do not to jump out of the wagon when she first saw the church in the distance, followed by the rows of rooftops. 

A few more minutes and they had pulled up outside Nellie's. Aidan helped Angel down from the wagon, before handing her her bag. 

"See you on Monday," he said as he climbed into the wagon seat. 

Angel froze. "What?" 

A grin, the first one she had ever seen on him, flashed across his face. "You're hired."

Angel bit her lip, unable to fight her smile. She waved as the wagon pulled away, and then turned and entered the boarding house.

It was very quiet for this time of the day. Usually Mr O'Hara would be sitting in the kitchen, chatting to Nellie as she baked something delicious for the night meal, or Hope, free from the shop, would be sewing by the window and keeping an eye on Maggie.