Luke sat in one of his barber chairs and skimmed the PEG. He saw a couple of articles that looked interesting and he made a mental note to buy the book that was reviewed, he then came across an ad for The Chateau. "When did a brothel open up in town?"

Corey glanced up at him. She was also sitting around waiting for a customer to come in. "Just before you were married. Don't tell me you didn't know that the Spanish girl you've been paired up with at square dancing is a-"

"You mean she works there?" Luke interrupted.

"Yep."

"Oh." A surprised Luke said. He then turned a page in the paper and sighed loudly.

"Okay out with it. What's wrong Luke?"

"It's Meg."

Corey's eyebrows rose. "You two have barely been married for two months. You can't be having problems." She narrowed her eyes. "Right?"

Luke shook his head. "No we're not having problems. I'm just worried about her."

Corey sighed in relief. "Why?"

"Where do I start?"

"Try the beginning." Corey said with a teasing smile.

Luke smiled. "Well it started after we met the dean at the medical school in Omaha. Since then, she's been studying non-stop for the entrance exams, and because of it she hasn't been sleeping or eating well. Then if that wasn't enough, she needs another recommendation and Daniel won't write one. She wants to spend more time with me, so she signed us up for those square dance lessons, and she�s worried cause she thought I wouldn't like that we weren't paired up for those. Then there's the fact that she wants to be this perfect wife so she's cooking and cleaning and mending . . ."

"Okay I get the picture." Corey said as she waved a hand at him. "Let's see, can she ask Serena to write her the recommendation?"

"No. The dean said it would look better coming from a well-established male doctor. Meg asked a colleague of her father's from Boston for one and he agreed but she was hoping her father would give her the second, but we all know how Daniel feels about Meg and medical school."

Corey nodded silently. Meg had come to her in tears after her father had flatly refused to help her. "So even if she passes the entrance exams, she might not be able to go?"

"It hurts her so much that her father won't support her in this. She cries about it. She tries to hide it from me, but I can tell. She's making herself sick too, and it kills me that I can't help her."

"Why don't you talk to Daniel? I know he doesn't want Meg to be unhappy, and if she's getting sick over this I'm sure he'd do anything to help."

Luke nodded, "Well it's worth a try. Let's hope he'll listen to reason."

"Now as far as Meg and her overworking herself is concerned, I want you to try to make her relax. So that said. I want you to go home, carry her upstairs and don't come down until breakfast tomorrow. A breakfast I might add that you will cook and serve her in bed." Corey said as she wiggled her eyebrows. "Don't worry about the shop. I can take care of it."

Luke smiled, "Are you sure?"

"Go!"

It didn't take Luke long to get to Willow Manor. He reined in Silver Tide and cooled him down quickly. As he entered the house he called out for his wife. When he didn't get an answer a worried Luke began searching room by room. Fifteen minutes later he saw her come out of the privy and head into the kitchen. Silently Luke watched as Meg washed out her mouth and patted water onto her face and neck.

Now cooler, Meg looked up and jumped slightly. Arching an eyebrow she stared at her husband curiously. "I didn't hear you come in. You scared me. Wait! What are you doing home? Did something happen at the shop? Oh no please tell me it's not Corey!"

Luke rolled his eyes and embraced his wife. "Would you please stop worrying about everything? I came home to be with you. I'm worried Meg."

"Worried? About what?" Meg asked innocently.

Luke pulled away and began pacing back and forth. "About you! You don't sleep, and you're always studying. You miss meals and what little you do manage to consume comes right back up! You cry yourself to sleep and you work yourself ragged here! Then there are the little things that you do outside, like visiting with Corey and helping your parents at the clinic, not to mention the square dance lessons. I want to help but I don't know what to do!"

Meg stared at him with her mouth open. She hadn't realized she had been doing so much. "I'm sorry Luke." She said softly then suddenly burst into tears. "I've been neglecting you. I'm a bad wife." She wailed.

Luke swore softly and embraced her gently. "Shh, honey. You're perfect. You're everything I ever wanted in a wife. I'm just so frustrated cause I feel like I can't help." He exhaled sharply and tilted her face up to his. "Meg I want you to go see your father. All this worrying can't be healthy and it's been making you sick."

"I'll be fine, it's just nerves. As soon as I take the exams next week I'll be okay." She said as she wiped her cheeks. "I promise we'll have more time together after that. I'll make this all up to you."

"And what if you're not better after the tests?"

"Then I'll go and see daddy or Serena."

"Promise?" Luke asked hopefully.

"Promise."