I’m a Missourian born and bred. My home state has many places of note from the urban scene in both St. Louis and Kansas City, history in places like my hometown of St. Joseph, Missouri where the Pony Express began and outlaw Jesse James met his end, natural wonders like the Ozark region (where I now reside), the mighty Mississippi and the Missouri River, lakes, caves, amusement parks…the list could be almost endless. One of my favorite places to visit, however, is the small town of Hermann located on the banks of the Missouri River in what’s known as the Missouri Rhineland. Grape arbors dot the landscape and there are several wineries, some still family operations. Founded by settlers from Germany, Hermann retains a distinct German flavor even in the 21st century.
The setting for my upcoming release, Scrooge and Marlee, from World Castle Publishing is Hermann. Add to that an affection for English author Charles Dickens and his Christmas masterpiece, A Christmas Carol, stir in a hard-headed chef named Theo Scrooge who had an English father, a teacher who hails from Saint Joe, a German mother and grandmother, a best friend who is the local sheriff, a cousin or two, and an idiot who has been comparing Theo to Ebenezer since grade school. Blend in a budding romance between Marlee and Theo, some angst about his business, a restaurant and pub called Bah Humbug!, and there’s a story.
It will be available as an Ebook, in paperback and in hardback. It will also be available as an audio book. Links are below and yes, it can be pre-ordered now and delivered to you on July 11!
I like to try before I buy when possible so here are the first two chapters, followed by links!
Enjoy – and if you want more, pre-order now or buy when it releases July 11!
Chapter One
He wasn't old, and most of the time he wasn't cranky, but in one way he was like the fictional Ebenezer—Theo Scrooge disliked Christmas. He hadn't always. As a child, he'd loved the holiday with all the traditions and trimmings, but as he grew up, that changed.
Theo didn't care much for Charles Dickens, either. In lit classes, he'd been forced to read classics like Oliver Twist and A Tale of Two Cities, but he balked at reading A Christmas Carol, taking an F on a class assignment in high school, which brought his grade down by a full letter.
He wished the author had chosen any other surname for the miserly old character who had a life changing revelation after three ghosts came to set him straight. If Dickens had just called him Ebenezer Smith or Sands or Sims, things would have been different for Theo.
Instead, for as long as he could remember, people joked about Scrooge, especially in December. From elementary school through college, Theo always knew when an instructor reached his name on the class roster. There was a pause, then a frown, and then a hesitant, "Theo SCROOGE?" And especially from junior high onward one classmate pushed hard, and this continued even into adulthood.
It made matters worse that his dad died in December when Theo was still in high school. That sad event provided more reason not to find joy in the Christmas season.
Growing up in a small Missouri river town where most of the residents had German names made Theo stand out even more. Nestled in the Missouri Rhineland, Hermann paralleled the Missouri River, with the older businesses located along First Street, and the remainder on the highway that traveled into town over the river and headed north as a two-lane road leading to I-44.
Several wineries were located within the town limits, and others were in the surrounding countryside. One belonged to Theo’s mother’s family. A drive in any direction on any of the winding country roads was picturesque, with vineyards boasting acres of grapes and old country farmhouses that looked as if they had transported from Europe.
Hermann had an Old-World atmosphere as well, from the brick courthouse towering over the river to St. Morand's (the patron saint of wine) on another hill to the downtown district. In the spring and summer, the town bloomed with flower gardens in almost every available space. Multiple bed and breakfasts and two motels provided tourists the chances to stay, and many did. The Amtrak train also roared through town, traveling between St. Louis and Kansas City. Some of the older residents still spoke at least some German
Theo loved his hometown most of the time. He hadn't intended to stay. He had once thought he'd move off to a city, maybe St. Louis or Chicago or Los Angeles, or even New York. Despite his old English surname, his mother's family had been descended from the early settlers who came from Germany. His mom had been raised at one of the smaller wineries outside town, where she now lived with his grandmother, Oma. His dad, who bequeathed him the Scrooge name, had died during his senior year of high school.
Although it was early April, spring sunshine brightened up the old town and chased away the shadows as Theo made his morning walk down to the river. With coffee in hand, he made his way along the bank and then settled down on his favorite bench to enjoy a few quiet moments before his day got underway.
"Morning, Theo." Abe Tucker, who ran Brunhilde, one of the most popular B&B's, with his wife, called out as he bicycled past. "How goes it?"
"Good so far."
Theo watched the never still surface of the river as the waters flowed past, en route to join the Mississippi near St. Louis. The Missouri was far from placid. There were always eddies, and a strong current that could turn deadly.
Lisa Muller sat down on the opposite end of the bench, her leashed dog in tow.
"Hi, Theo," she said. "What's the special today?"
"Beef rouladen," he said. "And bangers and mash."
His restaurant, styled after a traditional English pub, offered both German and English dishes. He served German beer and wine, but also some English ales. And, with more than a little sarcasm and some wicked humor, he called it Bah Humbug! The idea had first been his late grandfather’s.
"I'll be there for lunch," Lisa said.
"I'll keep your favorite table open, then."
Theo ambled his way back to First Street, where Bah Humbug! stood at the end of the block. The front faced the main thoroughfare, and the back overlooked the Missouri. A wide covered area to one side offered seasonal outdoor dining. Across the street, Lisa's florist shop and an auto parts store stood, and down the block, there was one of the town's only two grocery stores. Since Bah Humbug! wouldn't open until eleven, Theo dashed up the stairs to his apartment above the place. He spent thirty minutes on the computer, checking emails and posting the day's special on the Facebook page. Then he headed down the back stairs to his restaurant.
Theo had multiple roles—owner, chef, wait staff, even dishwasher. He did whatever needed doing. His mom, now in her fifties, would arrive soon. Theo got started with some of the basic prep work. Although rouladens often included pickles as one of the ingredients used to stuff the beef, Theo seldom used them. Oma had told him that every German cook put their own twist on the dish, and he'd created his own version that included chopped onions, mushrooms, and a bit of bacon with some seasonings.
As he chopped the veggies, his mom came through the back door, arms filled with two containers of cookies. Theo took the load from her and kissed her on the cheek.
"What kind of cookies?" he asked. She and his grandmother often baked cookies or other sweets at home to serve.
"Gingerbread and vanilla crescents, and keep out of them."
Theo laughed as he popped the lid and snuck a gingerbread cookie. The tender, spicy treat melted in his mouth. "Taste test."
"Do they pass?"
He put his thumb up and nodded. "Specials are rouladens plus bangers and mash. I started on the filling for the rouladens. Do you want to help?"
"You're the boss," she said, and donned an apron. In her late fifties, Liesel Schubert Scrooge remained slender, her hair lightly touched with gray.
Theo pounded round steaks thin and then cut them into portions that would be filled. He peeled potatoes to mash later, and signed for a delivery of black bread from a bakery in Jefferson City. By ten the rest of the staff had arrived, so Theo headed for the front of the house where he made sure every table had folded napkins and silverware in place, that each vase held a fresh flower dressed with greenery, and that the daily specials had been written on the chalkboard.
"Ready to unlock the door, Teddy?" Autumn, the youngest of his servers, asked. He wouldn't allow anyone else to call him anything but Theo, but she'd been like a younger sister to him. Her parents and his had been close friends, the kind that spent every Saturday night together dining out or playing cards.
"Yes, but don't call me that unless you want to look for a job on campus."
Autumn was in her second year at Columbia University in Jefferson City. She giggled and unlocked the front door with its etched glass. "We're open!"
Although most tourists wouldn't arrive until Memorial Day, there were always a few in every season. Theo counted on their business and local repeat trade. A few people would make a day trip from either of Missouri's largest cities to visit some wineries and eat at Bah Humbug! The spring sunshine after a week of rain would bring the locals out, Theo thought, and prepared to greet them.
The first sour note of the day arrived when local insurance agent and alderman Todd Blevins walked through the door, his too small slacks hitched up beneath his burgeoning belly. Theo caught the overwhelming stench of Blevins' trademark cheap cologne and held his breath. They were familiar, classmates who had grown up together, played on the same youth teams, and served on various local committees together. Since the sixth grade, Blevins had been a pain in his life.
"Well, if it isn't Scrooge himself," Blevins blared, his eyes small in his wide face. "And not even Christmas time."
Theo tamped down instant anger and forced a faux smile. "Table for one?"
"No, the mayor and his staff are joining me," Blevins said. "I'm working on an insurance deal for city employees."
"Will a table for six work?" Theo asked. Blevins, back in the seventh grade, had been the worst one to stir the Scrooge pot, and Theo hadn't forgotten. "If so, follow me."
He led the other man to the far corner and seated him. He listed the specials of the day, but Blevins snorted. "I'll choose from the menu. But hey, Scrooge, bring me a Newcastle Brown Ale."
Although he wasn't a server, Theo did, and by the time he returned with menus, the others had joined Blevins.
"Thanks, Ebenezer," Blevins said. "Don't overwork Bob Cratchit."
He tittered at his own remark, but no one else laughed. Theo shot him a long look but kept his lips together. "Traci will be here to take your order in just a moment," he told them.
Theo took up position at the door after beckoning to Traci. The seasoned staff member nodded, and he didn't doubt she'd handle Blevins and his group with the right blend of distance and professional courtesy.
After that, the restaurant got busy and he almost forgot about Todd. After the rush, Theo visited the kitchen. His mom's shift ended now, and he always took a few minutes to eat lunch with her. He fixed his own plate with rouladen and mashed potatoes, a blend of both cuisines.
His mom ate bockwurst on a bun, smeared with mustard and topped with a heavy dose of sauerkraut, then another. If he ate that much kraut, he'd suffer with indigestion all afternoon, but it never seemed to bother her.
"This is good," he said, indicating the rouladen.
"Isn't it always?"
"Of course. The cookies were a hit—I believe they sold out."
"I'll bake more soon, but for tomorrow, I'm making apple strudel. Will that work with the specials?"
"Yes, tomorrow is pork schnitzel and potato dumplings."
She nodded. "And for the English side?"
"Shepherd's pie, I thought. It's supposed to rain, so I thought comfort food would be a good choice."
Theo ate the two cookies he'd saved. Liesel removed her apron and hair net, then plucked her purse from the shelf by the back door.
"Did Todd give you his usual nonsense? I saw he was here with a group."
He shrugged. "A little, but he always does."
She patted his shoulder. "You shouldn't let it get to you."
"I don't." But he did, and Theo knew it.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Schatz."
"Jawohl, Mutti."
Theo usually kept the specials the same for dinner, although the evening menu also included some steaks, chicken, and seafood dishes. He usually did most of the cooking, although Liz Vogel, a widow in her late forties, would arrive at two to assist.
Bah Humbug! closed between three and five each afternoon. Around four-thirty, Theo made a ham sandwich on black bread with a side of German potato salad. He ate, savoring the taste. Just before he reopened, Jonas Kaiser strolled in through the kitchen, still in uniform.
"How goes it, Theo?"
"It goes, Sheriff Kaiser, it goes. Are you off duty?"
"Not until eight, so no wine with dinner. Can I get a bratwurst and some of that potato salad?"
"Sure. Got plans after work?"
"Not yet. What are you thinking?"
"Chess and wine upstairs at my place after I finish here," Theo told him.
"Sounds like a plan."
Jonas and Theo had grown up together, classmates from kindergarten through high school, in church together on Sundays. They grew up two blocks apart in town. Summers, Jonas spent almost as much time at his grandparents’ winery as Theo did, chasing through the arbors, hunting in the woods when they were older. They'd fished in the little stream that ran across the Schubert's property, and later in the Missouri River. They'd camped out, discovered girls, tasted their first beer together, and double-dated at prom. Even though they went in different directions after graduation, Theo to study business and culinary arts at MU, and Jonas to earn a law enforcement degree, they remained friends, brothers of the heart.
With the restaurant about half full, the evening crawled, but finally, around a quarter to ten, Theo hung up the last dish towel, washed his hands, and headed up the interior back stairs. A short hall led to a compact kitchen. With a full restaurant downstairs, he only needed space for a stove, fridge, a microwave, a wine rack, a few cabinets, and a coffee maker. A tiny table rested against the front windows that overlooked Front Street. Across from the kitchen, his living room held a leather couch, a matching recliner, a big screen television mounted on the wall, and some bookshelves.
His bedroom, the largest room of all, faced the river with fabulous views. The small bathroom had enough space for a walk-in shower, sink and vanity, and a commode. A stackable washer and dryer stood in one corner. The place was large enough for Theo, but far from spacious. He had moved in when he opened the place almost ten years earlier.
He figured it would be temporary until he found a house he liked and a woman, but neither had materialized. Theo dated, but few of the woman from his hometown appealed. The ones who didn't marry at a young age moved to one of the big cities.
By the time Jonas, changed into cut-off denim shorts and a St. Louis Blues T-shirt, arrived, Theo had the chess board set up in the kitchen and wine ready to pour.
"I thought a dry white?" Theo said. "Or would you rather a sweeter Vignoles?"
"Let's go with sweet," Jonas said.
They played four games, and Theo won three.
By then, it was midnight and Jonas yawned. "Good thing I'm off tomorrow," he said. "I'd never wake up to the alarm, although I'm on call."
"Aren't you always?" Theo had a nice buzz from the wine, pleasant and warm.
"Most of the time, but tomorrow I'm taking Shannon to St. Louis."
"Cardinals playing?"
"Probably, but she wants to go to the aquarium at Union Station, so I said okay," Jonas said. "You're still on for best man, right, with the reception at your place?"
"Yes, to both."
Jonas and Shannon, his long-time girlfriend and high school prom date, were getting married on June 12 at St. Morand's, with an evening reception at Bah Humbug! Theo would stand beside his friend, wear a tuxedo, and drink toasts to the bridal couple's future, but his heart wouldn't be in it. Once married, Shannon would come first, as it should be, but Theo had few other friends.
"Good," Jonas said, rising and stretching. "I'm heading out. Thanks for chess and the wine, Theo. Got a hot date for next weekend yet?"
Theo laughed, but it rang hollow to his ears. "Not yet, but it's only Monday."
"Dude, you need to get back in the saddle."
His cheeks flushed hot, but it was probably the wine. "I've dated since Theresa."
"Yeah, about every blue moon or so. How many years has it been since her, anyway?"
"Three or four,” he replied, although he knew it had been six. "It's not like I have a lot of free time."
Jonas smirked. "Make some."
After his best friend left, Theo finished the second bottle of wine and sat, staring out over First Street, empty at the late hour. Sometimes he craved a woman, someone he could cherish and kiss, laugh with, and share his deepest thoughts. His mostly full life still had empty places but at thirty-five, Theo had settled. This was his life and he expected this was how it would always be.
If not for the loneliness, it would be tolerable, he thought. But then that old Ebenezer had been a bachelor too. Maybe I'm cursed, after all, just a sour old Scrooge.
Chapter Two
He woke to the sound of rain and wished he could stay in bed to savor it. One look at the clock told him it was a no go. Theo rose, stretching, his mouth dry and head aching, the result of too much wine. It didn't help he'd stayed up late, but he'd enjoyed the respite from the daily routine.
Because of the rain he didn't take his usual walk, but he showered and drank black coffee until he felt human. Theo craved a big breakfast, with sausage and eggs, maybe pancakes. Although the downpour hadn't slacked, he decided to head across the street and down the block to a small, classic cafe. Maybelle's dated back to the 1920s or 1930s—he never could remember which—and although the owners had changed over the decades, the menu hadn't.
The cap he put on failed to keep him dry, and Theo dripped as he entered. He took the far corner table, tucked at the end of the counter, and used some napkins to dry his face.
"You look like something the cat dragged in, Theo," May, the owner for the past thirty years, said as she poured him a cup of coffee. "I haven't seen you in two weeks."
"I manage to stay busy," he said. "I want a Farmer's Platter, eggs over easy, sausage, pancakes, not biscuits."
"You want the hash browns with gravy too?"
Theo shook his head. "I'll pass, or I'll be too full to walk back to my place."
"I'll have it out in a few."
He sipped the coffee, dark and robust the way he liked it. The cafe was less than half full, probably due to the rain and the fact tourist season hadn't started. Theo nodded at the familiar faces, but paused when he glanced at a table for two across the room. The woman who sat there solo caught his eye and Theo stared.
Her light brown hair, close to the color of maple syrup with lighter strands, was twisted up with a clip at the back of her head. Her petite nose turned up slightly at the end. She studied the menu, her full lips pursed with concentration, and when she glanced up to give her order, Theo noticed that her eyes were a deep blue. Pretty, he thought, so pretty.
Theo wondered if she were a tourist. If so, she'd be passing through and he'd never encounter her again. But it was early in the season, he thought, and she didn't fit the usual look. A number of the visitors who came to Hermann were mature, often retired. A few families, some with young kids, came and so did the occasional honeymoon couple.
The arrival of his breakfast platter interrupted his musings.
"Thanks, May," he said, inhaling the delicious aroma.
"You're welcome," she replied as she refilled his cup. "Need anything else?"
He almost said no, then he asked, "Do you happen to know who she is?"
Although there were several women of various ages in the cafe, May knew who he meant.
"No, Theo," she said, shaking her head. "But she's been in before, yesterday, maybe the day before."
"Tourist?"
May shrugged. "Search me, I don't know. Want to know what she orders?"
"Of course not," he said, flustered.
"If I find out anything about her, I'll let you know."
She winked and whirled away.
His eggs were perfect and the sausage tasty. He ate them first and finished with the pancakes, rich with butter and syrup. As he ate, Theo sneaked a few more glances at her. She ate coffee cake with a fork, bacon with her fingers, her movements graceful. She finished before he did and blotted her lips with a napkin. When she stood to leave, her eyes met his for a brief second.
Theo squelched the urge to toss down his silverware and go introduce himself, but that would be too much like a stalker, so he watched her go. When she reached the sidewalk, she turned left and headed west up First Street.
If it's meant to be, I'll run into her again, Theo thought.
She intrigued him more than any woman had in months, maybe more. He had to concentrate to remember the last date he'd had. After some thought he realized it had been the previous Fourth of July. Too long, much too long.
He made the pans of shepherd's pie before his mother arrived. Liesel came in, closing her umbrella as she entered the back door. Theo realized not only was it still raining, but he'd walked back to work in it.
"Your shirt looks damp," his mother told him. "Have you been out in the rain?"
Theo shrugged. "I walked over from the cafe after breakfast."
Her gaze focused on him and she nodded. "I see. You got much done?"
In the uncanny way she'd always had, he figured she probably did see more than he would like.
"Just the shepherd's pie," he said. "It's simple. I thought you could do the potato dumplings and I can start on the schnitzel. What's the dessert?"
Her gaze narrowed. "Apple strudel, like I told you yesterday. Maybe you should put on a dry shirt first."
"It's not that wet." He touched it to prove the point and found it damp. "All right, I will."
Upstairs, he switched shirts and marveled that he hadn't noticed. As he worked side by side with his mom doing prep work, talking, Theo still wondered who the girl was and if he'd see her again.
With the rain, the lunch crowd was heavy and the comfort foods proved popular. His mother ate early and left by one, but Theo didn't have a chance to sit down until almost three. His feet hurt and his back ached as he ate a serving of shepherd's pie, analyzing whether he'd used too much onion or just enough.
"Theo?" Autumn stood beside the table in the back. "If you want to go up, grab a nap or something, I've got this."
"Why would I want a nap?" he asked.
"You're distracted. I thought maybe you're sick or something.”
He laughed. "I'm fine. I'm almost never sick."
"Are you sure? You've been quiet."
"We've been swamped, and I was thinking."
Autumn sat down across from him and reached for his hand. "Your mom noticed, too. Is something troubling you?"
"No, no, there's nothing." Except wanting to know the woman's name and where he could find her.
"Theo, you're making me worry. You're like my big brother, you know?"
He squeezed her hands and released them. "I promise I'm fine. But if it will make you calm down, I'll take a walk by the river. It was raining too hard this morning, but it's quit now."
"Take your time, clear the cobwebs," she told him. "I've got this."
Since they closed each day from three until five, he had the opportunity.
Theo grabbed a jacket as he headed outside. Wharf Street lay between the back of his establishment and First. The sun peeked out from the clouds and the sight lifted his spirits. A walk, some fresh air was exactly what he needed. He strolled along the riverbank, hands in his pockets. Theo cleared his mind of the mystery woman and savored the light wind in his face.
Jonas had annoyed him by bringing up Theresa. His ill-fated relationship with her was ancient history. He didn't pine for her, never really had. She'd humiliated him, however, and caused him to question his worth. Theo was wary of relationships now, and even a casual date made him tense. It wasn't logical, but a date could turn into two, or a dozen, and then he'd be in a relationship. At the same time, he craved a companion.
Until today, he hadn't seen a woman that intrigued him in a long time. Whoever she was, she evoked old daydreams he'd almost forgotten. Since he didn't know her name and might never cross paths with her again, Theo reasoned he would be wise to forget about her.
Struggling with his thoughts, he tromped all the way down to the end by the bridge, idled for a few minutes on a bench overlooking the Missouri, and then started back. By the time he got there, he'd have to scramble to get ready for the evening trade. Even so, he didn't really hurry. Two junior high kids on bikes whizzed past, riding too fast on the pedestrian path. Theo turned, thinking he might tell them to slow down, and saw her.
The same woman he'd admired at the cafe stood near the river. The late afternoon sun accentuated the lighter strands of her hair. He paused, transfixed by the sight of her, just as the bicyclists neared her. Theo realized their path had veered toward her and he started to run, shouting, "Stop!"
Whether she heard him or not, Theo didn’t know, but the two boys didn't, and he saw her look up with an expression of horror. She leapt forward, out of harm's way, but one of the kids swerved toward her. She lost her footing and tumbled onto the grassy strip on the bank. Theo had almost reached her when she stood up, then lost her footing and slid into the river so fast she barely had time to scream.
At her cry, Theo kicked out of his shoes and dived into the river. His heart pounded as he hit the murky water, colder than he expected, and fought the swift current as he swam toward where she'd fallen. She surfaced, arms flailing, crying out for help as she bobbed helpless. The current took her under as she struggled against it just as he reached her.
Aware of the danger, he ducked his head beneath the surface and saw her. Theo swam forward, put his arms around her, and kicked to the surface. She struggled against him, and as he broke through the water, he said, "Stop or you'll drown us both. Just be still and I'll have you on the land."
Her head moved against his shoulder in what he took to be a nod, then he swam toward shore, weighted with her. It was farther than he expected—the river had carried them almost ten feet out into the swifter current. Before Theo made it, she went limp in his arms and he pushed hard, fetching up on shore, gasping. The taste of the brackish water was unpleasant in his mouth.
A crowd had gathered and one man stepped forward, offering him a hand up. He grasped it, still holding tightly to the woman.
"Did she drown?" Mrs. Ketterick, who had been his third-grade teacher, asked, her forehead bisected with a worry line.
Theo glanced down and realized she was still. Fear shot through him, icier than the spring wind that chilled him in his wet clothing. "Hey," he said, nudging her. "Hey, wake up. You're safe now."
If she died despite his efforts, it would mess him up for an awfully long time, but she coughed, spit up some river water, and opened her eyes. She moaned, then turned her head to retch, spewing river water in a small stream. Theo changed position, got behind her, and raised her head, letting her rest against his knees so she wouldn't choke.
She hacked again, then frowned. "I fell in the river, didn't I?"
Theo stroked her face. "You did, but you're safe now."
"You pulled me out." Her voice cracked a little. "Thank you."
She shivered hard against him.
"Someone get her a blanket," he said, and shuddered.
"Paramedics are on the way," old Henry Miller said. "Should be here any minute."
With his head muddled and ears filled with river water, Theo hadn't really heard the sirens until that moment. Within minutes, he had a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, and so did she.
"Theo, we're going to take you and the lady here over to the hospital to be checked out," Andy Jackson, paramedic, told him.
He shook his head. "No, I'm good. I need to go clean up before the dinner rush starts—"
"Your staff can handle it."
A sharp protest died on his lips when Autumn pushed through the crowd.
"Theo!" She knelt beside him and threw her arms around him in a tight hug. "Are you all right?"
"Perfect," he said through chattering teeth. "I'll be there in a few minutes."
"No, you won't. We can handle dinner. Go to the hospital."
"I don't think that's necessary," he said, then stopped. Less than three feet away, the mystery woman was giving Andy her name.
"Marlena Dupree," Theo heard her say. She used a German pronunciation for her name—Mar-lane-a—but the surname was French.
Marlena. He savored the name now that he had it, and liked it. It suited her, Theo thought, and decided if she were being taken to the hospital, then he might as well go too.
"All right," he told Autumn. "Promise me you'll do everything you can so that dinner runs smoothly."
"Of course," she replied. "It'll be fine."
Theo lacked her complete confidence, although he knew he could be a control freak. His desire to see more of Marlena outweighed his business concerns.
Five long hours later, clean, dry, and warm, Theo prepared to walk out of the hospital. The wait had been extended after other patients arrived at the emergency room with more life-threatening cases—a heart attack, a snakebite, and a car crash victim. His hopes to see how Marlena fared had been dashed when she was taken to one cubicle and he went to another.
Fatigue dogged his steps. It had been a long day anyway, and his efforts to save Marlena had taken their toll. If being tired wasn't enough, his stomach rolled and cramped. The physician on duty had told him he'd most likely suffer a round of gastroenteritis from the nasty Missouri River water.
"My orders are to take a few days off," he told Theo. "Your body needs the rest, and you shouldn't be around food when you're sick."
"But I run a restaurant," Theo said.
"I know—best schnitzel in town. But you wouldn't want to work with the crud, would you?"
Theo sighed. He wouldn't.
"So go home, get some rest."
Dressed in loaner scrubs, his damp clothes in a bag, Theo wandered out to the admissions area and asked to use the phone. His cell had been in his pocket and he figured it was kaput. Bummed that he hadn't seen any more of Marlena, he called Jonas for a ride.
"We're on the way back," his friend said. "It'll be twenty minutes, maybe a little more, so hang tight."
Theo found a seat and slouched in the hard plastic chair to wait. He craved his own clothes, a long hot shower, and his bed. Although he hated to admit it, he didn't feel well at all.
Ten minutes into his wait, Marlena appeared, also in scrubs. She searched the room, located him, and sat down.
"You look like I feel," she said with empathy. "I wanted to say thank you again for saving my life."
He shrugged. "You're welcome. I'm Theo, by the way."
"Marlena."
"It's my pleasure, Marlena," he said. "Do you need a ride home?"
"Home is St. Joe," she said, naming the old river town north of Kansas City. "But I'll take your offer if you can drop me at The Vogel Haus. It's where I'm staying."
"Sure," he said. "My best friend will be here soon, but I'm sure he won't mind dropping you off on the way to take me home. So, you're just visiting then?"
Although he'd expected that, it came as a letdown. Up close, she was even more beautiful than he'd realized. He liked the quiet sound of her voice, and he would like to get better acquainted, but he didn't want a long-distance relationship.
"Yes and no," Marlena said. "I came to check out the town and for a job interview. If I get hired, I'll be moving here. Do you live here?"
"Born and raised here," Theo told her. "I live above my restaurant, Bah Humbug!"
Marlena nodded. "I love the name. I haven't been, but I was hoping to try it out. Why did you call it Bah Humbug!?"
Theo hesitated for a moment, then spilled it. "Because I'm Scrooge, Theo Scrooge."
In his experience, most people laughed or made a joke, but she didn't. "It's a fine old English name," she said. "I won't forget it, that's for sure."
No lame jokes about being stingy or Christmas or Tiny Tim. He liked her more for it.
Jonas arrived a few minutes later, with his fiancée Shannon.
Although Theo had explained in brief on the phone, Jonas looked him up and down with a frown.
"Can't leave town for the day without you diving into the river," he said, shaking his head. He smirked at Theo, but his eyes were dark with concern. "Are you okay?"
"Ja, I'll live," Theo said. "Probably gonna be sick from the water, but it could be a lot worse. Do you mind taking Marlena by the Vogel Haus? She's staying there."
Jonas appeared to be about to laugh, but contained it. "Sure, no problem. Let's get both of you out of here."
His stomach twisted in a harsh cramp. "I'm ready," Theo said before he vomited or worse in front of Marlena.
At the bed and breakfast, he walked her to the front door, wishing he felt better and that he had something more to say. "How much longer are you here?"
"Till Tuesday," she answered with a grimace. "I have a feeling I'm not going to enjoy it, though."
"I'm on orders to stay away from my restaurant," Theo told her. "I hope you get the job. What was it again?"
"I'm a teacher," Marlena said. "A boring old teacher."
"Let me know if you move here. I'll buy you dinner or something."
Her lips curved upward. "I'd like that…someday."
Then she put a hand on her belly and he understood. His own guts were in knots.
"Thanks again," she told him.
Theo cupped her face in his hands. He wanted to kiss her, but they both felt rotten and it might be too soon. "No big deal. Go get some rest, Marlena.”
"Most people call me Marlee,” she told him. “You get rested too.”
She leaned forward and planted a swift kiss on his cheek, then left him on the porch, wondering.
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