Graciously Ginny (Letters Of Change Series Book 5)(COMPLETED)

Chapter Seventeen

Graciously Ginny

Chapter Seventeen

~~ ~~

Thomas stepped forward and pulled his daughters from a now hysterically crying Ginny. He held both girls as both of them sobbed into his shirt.

"Ginny- "

"Goodbye Thomas" she said whipping her tears as she bit her lip to keep from crying her eyes seemed to appear more blue then gray in that instant "Girls I will always love you." She turned towards the door; her hair came loose from the green ribbon she had used to tie it. It cascaded down her back in a beautiful mess of red curls.

She stopped when she saw Reba standing by the door.

"I hope you can live with what you've done... tearing apart a family like this..." She shook her head at Reba and for a moment he thought she would hit her, but she didn't instead she stepped past her and walked out the door.

He followed her still holding both his daughters.

"Virginia, you've got it all wrong!" He called after her "I only love you!"

She didn't stop instead she somewhat ran down the hill in the dying light. He wanted to go after her, but he knew he couldn't. She didn't love him, she had made her choice.

He turned and carried his daughters inside, both still cried as he carried them to their room. He sat them down on Wilhelmina's bed and told them to get ready for bed, promising to return shortly. He took long strides towards where Reba still stood shocked in the entry way.
"Miss Roberts I implore you to leave now." He said simply. She nodded and went out the door, he had no idea what she was even doing in his house or what had been said to Ginny to make her so angry, he shook that thought he had his daughters to worry about now. They needed him.

He picked up the green ribbon that had only moments ago been tied into Ginny's curls and put it into his shirt pocket as he made his way up the stairs.

Both girls were in their new flannel nightgowns Ginny had made for them. He sat down on Lorelei's bed and looked at his daughters who so favored their late mother. Elsie had the exact same color of hazel eyes and the same color of pale blond hair. Lorelei's lower lip was puffed out as she gave him a pouty expression. Callie lay near Wilhelmina and Lorelei's feet with a sad look in her puppy eyes.

"She's not coming, back is she?" Wilhelmina asked looking him straight in the eyes.

"I don't know..." He said honestly. He still wasn't sure what had happened.

"Is she going where our first Mama went?" Lorelei asked in her small husky voice. He couldn't believe she could say so much, when he'd last heard her speak, she was still learning her words at only two years old. Now here she was almost four and able to understand and reply to the conversation.

"No honey your first Mama went to heaven to live with the angels" He told her taking her small hand in his "Is that why you stopped talking?"

"I missed Mama... I didn't want to talk anymore." She said with a small shrug.

Thomas nodded understandingly, he had missed Elsie so much it drove him to become a workaholic and a drunk so he didn't have to deal with his feelings and didn't have to be with his thoughts... until a certain governess changed everything.

"We'll talk more in the morning" he promised them "Let's get you two to bed."

"I'm sweeping in Willa's bed tonight" Lorelei said mispronouncing words just as every normal three year old seemed to do. He smiled at the new nickname for Wilhelmina, it fit her.

"Alright" he agreed tucking the two into the same bed. He picked up the book on their nightstand Alice's Adventures in Wonderland a gift from Ginny's family.

"Mama had just finished reading to us about the Mad Tea-Party... it was Chapter 7." Wilhelmina said sadly.

Thomas nodded and read to them until they fell asleep. And then he left and made his way into Ginny's room. He lit a lantern and made his way over to the bedside table where the ring he had most recently given her. He opened her wardrobe sighed as he spotted the bonnet, he'd given to her when she first arrived. A few dresses were still inside as if she packed in a hurry or hadn't had enough room in her carpetbag.

He sat down on the edge of her bed and let himself cry. He would never do so in front of his daughters or anyone else for that matter- he had to be strong. But not right now. He ran a hand threw his hair, was he really going to give up and let her go?

~~ ~~

Ginny never felt so awful, and so angry all at once. She wished she could take the girls with her, but the reality was they weren't really hers, they belonged with their father. She wiped her tears as she boarded the train going towards her aunt and uncle's house. She had wired her aunt and uncle hoping someone would be there to pick her up when she reached her destination.

She leaned against the dirty glass window and started crying once again. The train was half empty and barely anyone paid any mind to her, just as well they'd probably think her mad.

It was when the familiar pain resurfaced in her heart that she knew she was indeed in love with Thomas. She felt her heart breaking all over again.

She put her hand on her stomach and realized she had to make a new life for her and her unborn child... she wished it would have gotten to be born into a loving family instead of a broken one.

It would never know its father or sisters. Why did he have to go and ruin their marriage? Why did she fall for him? Why had she believed him?

"Excuse me?" A woman close to her own age spoke to her from her seat across the aisle "Are you alright?"

"I... don't...know..." she said between tears.

The woman got up and took the seat next to Ginny "I'm Rose Watson" she said putting her hand out for Ginny to shake.

"I'm Ginny Clayton." She said shaking her hand.

Rose smiled sympathetically. She was pretty in an unconventional type of way with her dark brown hair that was pulled back into a simple bun at the nap of her neck; she wore wire framed glasses over her dark brown eyes that almost matched the color of her hair. The most striking feature was her lips- they were bright red like a rose, no doubt the reason behind her name. She was kind and instantly Ginny felt she could trust her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Rose asked, "Whoever broke your heart?"

"How did you know?" Ginny questioned wiping her eyes.

"I've travelled a lot... when a woman is crying alone on the train it's almost always of a broken heart."

"My husband... I found out our whole relationship has been a lie! He never loved me, and yet I have fallen for him... and now I haven't a clue of what I should do..."

Rose nodded thoughtfully before she spoke once more "What does your heart say?"

"One can't really just listen to their heart." Ginny said shaking her head instantly. Her heart yelled at her to return to Thomas, but she knew that would only lead to more heart break.

"I believe they could. It's the brain that holds you back, but sometimes Its best to not think everything should be so logical, sometimes it's good to just go with what you know to be true in your heart." Rose said offering her a lace handkerchief "But if you're not comfortable with that I find returning home can be just as good, home to your family of course not to the man who broke your heart."

The two of them talked the rest of the way to Denver City, Rose was a great help in taking her mind of things. She told her of her own family "I have only one sister- Lorraine, I love her very much, but I find that we barely if ever agree on things. And then there are my parents Helena and Jake. I'm very excited to see them."

Lorraine, that name seemed to stand out more than anything and she realized her own cousin was dating a Lorraine; it was a common name, so she highly doubted they were talking about the same person.

"Where are you traveling from?" Ginny asked.

"California" Rose told her with a smile "I was staying with some family friends we have down there... it's a beautiful state and it was an absolute treat to be able to spend time on the beach every day."

Ginny smiled, she had always loved the ocean. Her family had traveled here and there but she often craved to travel more often.

"It must be wonderful!" Ginny said, "to travel so much, to see so much of the world."

"It is, but it does get lonely from time to time." Rose said readjusting her glasses.

Ginny wanted to tell her that she'd find the right person one day, but honestly, she didn't know if she believed in "The One" anymore. She had always imagined herself growing old with Fergus and then when he died, she thought that was it. And then Thomas happened, he was so different then she had originally thought. And somehow the two of them worked together, the fit like two pieces of a puzzle, but she had been wrong about that as well.

"You haven't met my sister" Rose said "She has stolen the attention from all of my beau's in the past... so I decided to travel. It was something she always hated, but I always loved."

"I have sisters" Ginny sympathized with Rose; she had often felt that her sisters were better looking than she was. "So, I know how you feel... but it's not true Rose, one day it'll be different. There's a man a man out there that was designed by our maker just for you."

Even if she didn't believe it for herself, she believed it for Rose.

"Thank you Ginny." Rose said sincerely.

The two of them spoke the rest of the trip and exchanged addresses so they could stay in touch.

"Thank you Rose" Ginny said "It's been a pleasure meeting you... I hope that one day our paths will cross again."

"As do I." Rose said with a smile as she hugged her.

Ginny was relieved when she saw Gideon standing on the platform "That's my cousin... although he's more of a brother really." She told Rose "Do you need a ride home?"

"Actually I think I might... if it won't be too much trouble."

"Not at all" Ginny said as she walked towards Gideon "Gideon Wade this is Rose Watson... if it's alright I told her we could take her home."

"No problem" he said with a lazy smile "Miss Watson it's a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure's mine Mr. Wade." Ginny smiled as she noticed the way Gideon looked at Rose, she wondered if her cousin would ever settle down. He had often said how he wanted a family and yet he never courted anyone.

Rose lived in a very large house only five miles or so from the train station. She said her thanks as Gideon helped her down from the carriage and she had also promised to write to Ginny.

She tried not to cry on the way to her Aunt's house, so she instead questioned Gideon.

"I thought you lived at a ranch with Isaac now." She said biting her lip.

"I do but we've got some work to do on the house so me and Isaac are staying at home until we can move out."

"I see..."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Gideon asked awkwardly "You and Thomas I mean..."

"He lied to me... I found him with Reba Roberts in our home."

"H-he cheated on you?"

"I think so... her mother- Mrs. Roberts told me that Reba was Tom's mistress."

"You don't believe that do you?" Gideon asked, "I mean I saw him at Christmas, he was a man in love- in love with you."

"I don't know what to believe anymore Giddy. But I need you and Isaac to go get the rest of my things and my dog Callie before I go back to Kansas."

"Alright, you just say when."

Ginny gave him a half-smile, she was happy to be in such a supporting family. Of course, just like every family they had their ups and downs, but they were always there for one another in the end.

~~ ~~

It had been nearly a month since Ginny had left. Both Wilhelmina and Lorelei were very sad as was Thomas. His house felt completely empty without Ginny in it.

He missed everything about her, the way she talked, the way she talked, the way her hair fell around her face in curls. He missed her eyes, the blue-gray ones no one else had. He sat in her favorite chair while he looked at his pocket watch. Her picture still sat inside it and it was the only thing that proved he hadn't imagined everything.

"Tom?" he heard Albert call as he opened the door "Tom are you here?"

"Yes" Thomas said closing the watch and putting it back into his pocket "I'm in the parlor."

Albert smiled as he saw him "I was just checking to see if you need anything."

"No." Thomas said with a shrug, he appreciated everything Albert had been doing in the business and with taking on more responsibilities.

"Alright... Oh Agda wanted me to ask and see if you and the girls would join us for dinner."

"Tell her thank you but... I've got a lot to do here."

Albert nodded understandingly "Alright, but if you change your mind, our doors always open."

"Thanks Al." Thomas said before his friend left. It wasn't four minutes later when a knock sounded at his door.

"Albert you were just here you obviously don't need to..." his sentences trailed off when he saw Gideon at the other side of the door.

"Thomas" Gideon said taking off his hat "These are my brothers Isaac and Josh...we've come to collect Ginny's things."

Thomas nodded opening the door wider "Of course, come in... how is Ginny?" even her name seemed to make his heart ache. He felt empty, as if part of him was missing.

"She's been better... look I think I know you well enough to tell you if you didn't do anything with that Roberts girl, you should tell her... she's emotion to be sure but I think you should talk to her."

"Is that what she thinks happened?" Thomas asked halfway shocked "I would never betray her like that."

"Well you've got to tell her, or at least write her a letter."