By Any Other Name

Chapter 26

"Why are trains always late?" I complained as Abigail and I stood outside of the train station, waiting for Levi to arrive.

Honestly! The month that he originally estimated for this trip was bad enough. Two months was completely ridiculous! And now the train was twenty minutes late. If I'd realized that it would take so long, I would have said I didn't care what happened to Charles' estate. It could sit there and rot for all I cared.

I kept telling myself that nothing mattered but that Levi was safe. I'd worried myself sick, thinking of everything that could go wrong on this trip of his. I hadn't cared when I did it because of what I was escaping, but having Levi make the trip twice seemed like an unnecessary risk.

I'd been so relieved when he wired from New York to let me know he'd be coming home today.

"Patience." Abigail smiled. "He'll be here soon and you two can exchange your surprises."

Smiling at that, I hugged my little bump.

After Levi left, I discovered that I was pregnant. Of course, I didn't want to tell him about it in a letter, so I only told him I had a surprise for him when he got home. He'd written back to say that he had a surprise for me too. And while I was curious, I almost didn't care what it was. I would love anything he thought to bring me, but I just wanted to see him.

"Ah!" Abigail said, tilting her head.

In another second, I heard the whistle too and I expectantly watched for the train to arrive around the bend.

It was an eternity before the engine pulled to a stop in front of the station and I eagerly waited for the doors to be opened. Once they were, people began emerging from the cars and I quickly scanned over them, starting to feel annoyed that I had to sift through so many.

Suddenly, Levi appeared from the third car. I smiled and rushed to meet him. He spotted me right away and opened his arms as I flew at him.

"I missed you so much!" I said before I kissed him. "You're never leaving me ever again."

He laughed and hugged me again. "I am very willing to agree to that."

He pulled away and stared into my eyes for a moment before turning to hug Abigail.

"So about this surprise." Keeping an arm around his mother he turned to me again.

I smiled, wondering if he'd noticed the bump yet.

But he wasn't looking at my stomach, he was looking at something behind me. Curious, I turned around. When I saw who was there, my eyes widened and then filled with tears. I was completely frozen and was only able to move to wipe my eyes after my vision blurred. A second later, I was in my mother's arms, clinging to her and crying hysterically.

Reluctant as I was to let go of her, once I calmed down a little, I hugged Lily and then Violet. I couldn't believe they were really here.

"How..." I tried when I pulled away to look at the three of them. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, we live here now," Violet said with feigned nonchalance.

"You do?" I gasped, smiling.

"There'd better be more like him," Lily said, eyeing Levi. "Or I'll be very upset that you got the good one."

I choked out a laugh. Abigail and Levi chuckled from behind me.

"Levi tracked us down," Mama said, touching my face. "He explained everything and asked if we'd come back with him."