Dorothy Garlock (32 page)

“There is s-something eating at that woman. When I first c-came here, Mrs. Poole was quiet and p-pleasant. I felt so sorry for her when her husband was killed. He was the center of her life. But g-gradually over the years she has become bitter. I don’t know h-how Fred puts up with her.”

“He’s kind of strange, too, Doc.”

“He’s probably so glad to have a pretty young woman around. He’s overfriendly.” Doc chuckled.

“For some reason she finds fault with everything I do, and she hates the Joneses.”

“If you can w-wait another week, you can m-move in here. I can’t leave until the d-danger of an epidemic from the water wells is over. Then I’m taking Caroline away.”

“Won’t you wait until you’ve heard from Canada?”

“I can’t depend on that. I’m thinking s-strongly of going to Mexico and taking a chance on finding a p-position. I was there once. Life is simple there, and Caroline would like the w-warm weather.”

“Any village or town would be lucky to have you, Doc.” After a moment of silence April said, “Julie can’t spend the night here with Jack without using the bathroom. She’ll have to come into your part of the house.”

“I thought of that. I was hoping Joe w-would come back and s-sit with him.”

“He didn’t get any more sleep last night than you did.” “If s-someone has to discover Caroline, I’d j-just as soon it be Julie.”

“Caroline’s a lovely girl, Doc.”

“Thank you for understanding. It’s much m-more than I had hoped for.”

A car came around the corner and stopped. A girl with dark hair hanging to her shoulders got out and hurried up the walk to the porch.

“Jack?” The name burst from her. “Is he all right? Is he here?”

“Hello, Ruby May. I w-wondered when you’d show up. Yes, he’s here, and y-yes, he’s about as all right as a man can be who has caught a .22 rifle b-bullet.”

Tears of relief flooded the girl’s eyes. “Can I see him?” “Sure. Have you met April? April, this is R-Ruby May Jacobs, Jack’s g-girl.”

“I don’t know if I’m his girl . . . anymore, Doc.” Ruby could hardly talk for the sobs.

“Well, s-straighten up and don’t l-let him see you bawling over him.”

She grabbed his hand. “If I didn’t already love Jack, I’d fall in love with you.”

“You’d have to get in line behind a dozen women in town,” April said. “Come on, I’ll take you to Jack.”

Julie stood up and moved out of the way when Ruby came through the door. The girl had eyes only for the man lying on the narrow bed. Jack opened his eyes as she bent over him.

“Ruby?”

“Yes, Ruby, you dolt. Why did you have to go and get yourself shot?”

“I didn’t do it on purpose.”

“I know.” She held his hand between both of hers and brought it to her cheek.

“Why’re you cryin’?”

“Because . . . because when I heard that you had been shot, it scared the living daylights out of me. That’s why.”

“I never thought you’d care.”

“Not care? It about tore the heart right out of me. If this is what being a police officer means, I don’t know if I’ll be able to stand it.”

“You haven’t kissed me yet.”

She held her palm beneath his chin and kissed his lips again and again.

“Oh, Jack. I’ve missed you . . .”

“You ...had the lineman.”

“Don’t mention him. I love you. I’ve loved you since school days when you’d give me a ride home on your horse. You love me, too. I know you do.”

“If I tell you, you’ll get the . . . big head.”

“Tell me anyway, you lunkhead.”

“I love you, Ruby May. I’ve been sick over losing you.” “You never lost me, sweet man. I just went away for a while. But I’m back and I’m staying.”

“I’ll have this job. Corbin is going to take over until I’m on my feet. If we marry, you’ll be out of a job. They’ll not let a married woman teach.”

“There’s no
if
about it, buster. We’re getting married even if we have to live in a one-room shack down on the river.” She kissed him hard on the lips.

“Getting bossy already. But you always were . . .” He was smiling and she kissed him again. “I kind of like that. Suppose you can do it again?”

“Greedy little pig,” she teased. “There’s going to be a lifetime of kisses. You’re not getting away from me again. I’ve been too miserable.”

Julie had come into the reception room to give Jack and Ruby May time to be alone.

“They’re back together?” April asked.

“And I’m so glad. Both of them have been wretched.” “Doc said they’ve known each other for a long time.” “Since they could walk.”

“It’s nice to have roots.”

“Do you think Doc would mind if I used his bathroom?”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. I always stick my head in the door and call out before going in.” April opened the connecting door a small way. “Doc, are you decent? Julie wants to come in.”

“Almost d-decent. Tell her to wait a minute, then come on in.”

When April heard the bedroom door close, she nodded for Julie to go in, then went back to her desk. She had no more than sat down when Jack’s father and stepmother arrived. She took them back to where Jack lay and apologized for the lack of chairs.

“We’ll be here for only a few minutes,” Eudora said. “Keep your seat, Ruby May.”

April almost groaned aloud when she got back to her desk. Miss Davenport stood ramrod-stiff just inside the doorway.

“What can I do for you?” April asked pleasantly. “Nothing. I want to see Dr. Forbes.”

“Won’t you sit down?”

“No, I won’t sit down. He’s in his rooms, but he refused to answer the knock on his door.”

“How do you know he’s in his rooms?”

“I saw him at the back door giving a plate of food to that nigger who’s been hanging around.”

“Well, for crying out loud.”

When Miss Davenport headed for the connecting door, April sped across the room and stood in front of it.

Julie opened the door from the other side. She was startled to see April and Miss Davenport confronting each other.

“Hello, Hattie.”

“Miss Davenport to you, Julie Johnson. It seems I’ve caught you. And you a married woman! For shame! You needn’t think you’re the only woman he’s got on the string. There was another one in there this morning.
She
fed the nigger out the back door.” The longer she talked, the shriller her voice became until in the end she was almost shouting.

“What in heaven’s name are you talking about?”

April said, “Miss Davenport has been spying on Dr. Forbes, Julie. She thinks that you are one of the women he keeps in his rooms.”

Julie gasped. “She’s . . . crazy!”

“Crazy, am I? Well, we’ll see who’s crazy. You just wait until the women in this town discover—”

“Please leave, Miss Davenport,” April said firmly. “We have a patient in the surgery. If you wish to speak to Dr. Forbes, I’ll ask him to come to the porch.”

“That won’t be necessary. I’ve seen all I want to know. His name will be mud in this town when I get through with him.”

“Oh, my,” April said after the irate woman had flounced out the door.

“What got into her? She’s always been opinionated and hateful, but I’ve not seen her this bad.”

“You know what they say about a woman scorned. She tried desperately to snare Dr. Forbes. He continued to dance away, trying not to hurt her feelings. Finally he had to tell her that he wasn’t interested in her. She’s out for revenge.” April glanced out the window to see Miss Davenport walking angrily up the street.

Julie’s eyes met April’s and held them. “What Dr. Forbes does in his own home is his business and his alone. I’m glad it was I and not Miss Davenport who used his bathroom.”

April studied Julie’s calm face and knew that she had seen the evidence of Caroline’s presence.

“He loves her, Julie.”

Julie nodded. “I smelled the scented soap in the bathroom and saw the pile of yarn and the knitting needles. I’m glad he’s found someone to love. He’s a good and decent man.”

“I agree. Only Joe and I know. I’m not sure about Jack.” Julie nodded again. “Do you think Doc would let us move Jack?”

“I’m sure he’d be against a move just now. Maybe tomorrow. It would be better, however, if a male member of your family sits with him tonight. He will more than likely need to use the bedpan.”

“I hadn’t thought of that.”

“I would stay with him, but I didn’t get any sleep last night, and I’m afraid that I’d fall asleep and he would need me.”

“Joe didn’t get any sleep, either.”

“Nor did Doc.”

“I’ll ask Pa to stay part of the night. I’ll take Eudora home, and Evan will come back and relieve Pa.” Julie touched April’s arm. “Don’t worry about it. One of us will be with him throughout the night. And I agree, it should be one of the men.” She smiled. “If they have to use the bathroom, they can go out the back door.”

It was dusk when April unpinned her nurse’s cap and placed it on her desk. She was tired and hungry but had decided that she would starve before she ate another meal at the rooming house. She knocked on the connecting door, opened it and called out to Doc.

“I’m leaving, Doc.”

“Come in, April.”

She stepped into the room and turned the key to lock the door. Doc and Caroline were in the kitchen. As she walked through, she saw the yarn and the knitting needles on a chair.

“Sit and eat, April. Caroline has made s-something she calls a macaroni skillet. I think it’s edible,” Doc teased, his eyes on her, loving her.

Caroline blushed and swatted his arm. “You like it. You ate enough of it.”

“It smells good.”

Caroline looked pleased. “It’s just bacon, onions, green pepper, tomatoes and macaroni. Anyone can make it. Even Todd.”

They were so happy together it made April yearn to have such happiness herself.

Before she and Doc went back into the surgery, she thanked Caroline for the meal and told her Doc was lucky that she was such a good cook. She could tell by the way Doc smiled that he was pleased.

“Doc, Miss Davenport was here,” April said as soon as they were alone. “She was watching the back door and saw Caroline give Silas breakfast. She saw you give him his supper. She as much as accused Julie of being one of your ‘women’ when she came from using the bathroom. She’s sure to cause trouble.”

The smile left Doc’s face. “What did Julie s-say?”

“Julie is all right with it. She knew someone was there because of the scent in the bathroom and the pile of yarn in the chair. She understands and will say nothing. We decided that it would be best if the men in the family spent the night with Jack.”

“They can take him h-home tomorrow, then you or I will have to go out a couple t-times a day to check for infection and change b-bandages.”

“What can we do about Miss Davenport, Doc?” “Nothing. I’m going to Mason t-tomorrow to see a doctor I know and find out if he w-would be able to care for patients here until another d-doctor can take over. I hate leaving you, April. I can pay you for a m-month or two.”

“Don’t worry about it. Go and make a life with Caroline. You two deserve to be together.”

“Thank you.” His voice was husky. He squeezed her arm and walked into the surgery, where the Jones family were gathered about Jack’s bed.

Fred was troubled. He waited until the uptown crowd had thinned and the streets were almost vacant before he put on his hat and left the store. He had spent the day searching his conscience and had come to the conclusion that he wasn’t much of a man.

When he first came to Fertile, he’d been so pleased to be in charge of the store and a respected merchant that he had allowed his sister to browbeat him. Until now he’d been nothing more than her flunky.

But that was the least of his self-disgust. He hoped to God that no one ever found out that he had become so perverted that he spied on Miss Asbury. The only excuse he could find for himself was that the spying was the result of his urgent sexual needs. And in order to gratify them, he had stooped so low as to invade the privacy of a very nice young lady.

Fred had stood in the window and watched the farmer hurry down the street to his wife sitting on the box in front of the store. She stood up as he approached, and he enfolded her in his arms and nuzzled the side of her neck unashamedly to show his love and affection for his family. The little girl wrapped her arms around one of his legs. After hugging his wife, he picked his daughter up in his arms and whispered something that made her giggle.

The man was poor and tired, and he probably didn’t know how he and his family would survive the winter, but he was still far richer than most others would have imagined, Fred thought with regret. He was loved.

Because Fred coveted his position in town and feared his sister, he had been denied the chance to have a wife and family. He had found an outlet for his craving for sex in the fantasy world of dirty pictures and magazines and then the eventual act of spying on Miss Asbury, of which he was now sincerely ashamed.

Fred entered the house, hung his hat and coat on the hall tree and headed for the stairs. Shirley called out from the kitchen.

“We’re having a cold supper.”

He continued up the steps to his bedroom and, after locking the door, went into the closet, where he had scraps of wallpaper and paste. He worked for half an hour carefully covering the holes he had made in the closet and bedroom walls. When he finished, he went to the storage room and restacked boxes covering the hole that had allowed him to see into the bathroom.

“What are you doing?” Shirley’s voice broke the silence just as he lifted the last box into place. “That’s my stuff in those boxes.”

“No. Your boxes are over there by the window. These are my boxes, and I will stack them any damn way I please.”

“Well, who stepped on your tail?”

“You, Shirley. You’ve been stepping on it since the day I came here ten years ago.”

“That’s a lie. I gave you a job, a place to live.” Fred moved past her and went down the hall to his room. Shirley followed, still talking. “Without me you’d still be back there in Springfield sweeping out old man Gipson’s grocery store or riding a freight train looking for a handout.”

“And without me, Shirley, you would have lost the store years ago.”