The McEllis Boys

Chapter Forty-Two

Chapter Forty-Two

"Nicole!" Cavanaugh exclaimed as he looked around at the clouds surrounding them.

"Where's Bethany?" Andrew demanded with a touch of panic as he spun in fast circles, looking around for her.

"Cavanaugh?"

Cavanaugh turned quickly and saw Nicole and Bethany step out of the clouds. They were holding tight to each others arm but quickly let go and ran to their men when they saw them.

"Thank God," Cavanaugh sighed with relief as he wrapped his arms tight around Nicole's soft body and held her close.

"Happy reunions always make my heart smile."

Cavanaugh and Andrew turned toward the voice they recognized, "Mary," they said in unison.

"Are you ready to go home boys?" she asked as she folded her wrinkled hands in front of her, her gaudy rings knocking together.

"Home?" Andrew asked. "You mean back to 1875?"

"Of course that's what I mean," Mary replied.

"Mary, why did you let my brother die?" Cavanaugh asked suddenly. The anger and the sadness both still fresh in his mind and causing a war of emotions.

"Yes and what's going to happen to Leslie and Madeline?" Nicole added.

"Do we get to go back too?" Bethany chimed in as she motioned toward Nicole.

Mary shook her head and took a seat on a cloud bench, "If you don't mind, I've had a rather busy morning and would like to sit down and rest my old bones while I address your barrage of annoying questions."

"My brother, Mary," Cavanaugh urged. "You could have gotten him out in time just like you did me."

"You are a foolish man. Pulling a gun and killing a man while surrounded by police! What were you thinking?" Mary scolded.

"That I had lost enough in my life that I hadn't been able to avenge and I was going to avenge my brother," Cavanaugh replied and Nicole moved closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder. She should be angry with him for the sacrifice he had nearly made but she couldn't. Cavanaugh was a proud, protective man and she would expect no less than what he had done.

"Yes well, Frank is dead. Your shot was good," Mary assured him, "And Ian is alive. He, Leslie and Madeline have been sent to Dodge City in 1875, though I am rather sure they are all still sleeping soundly at this point. Time travel makes one feel rather exhausted I'm afraid."

"Ian is alive?" Andrew asked happily. "Really?"

"Of course he is. What kind of woman do you think I am?"

A very pointed silence followed that comment, "Do you really want an answer to that?" Andrew asked and then he grunted when Bethany elbowed him in the stomach.

Mary raised a bushy brow and shook her head, "He is alive and well. And I am going to send you to Dodge City to be with him. Jamison is there as well and you will need to speak to him, Cavanaugh, before you go anywhere."

"Nicole and Bethany are going with us," Andrew stated. "Right?" he added

Mary nodded, "Of course they are."

"M..Mary?" Bethany asked nervously.

Mary turned her translucent blue eyes on her, "Yes?"

"Will my papaw be okay?" Andrew's arm tightened around her waist and Bethany leaned into him.

Mary nodded as she adjusted the folds of animal skin covering her legs, "Silas will be okay."