Luke
has to make another visit to Doc Starbuck's. They talk about how Doc
and his wife met.
"As
if that made it acceptable," Dollie teased.
"Exactly!"
Ethel chimed in. "But he was dashing and handsome. And I was a
sucker for a man in uniform. I finally allowed him to persuade me to
go out. He took me to the park and pushed me on a swing. It was a
very romantic swinging," she replied, blushing.
"Never
let it be said that I can't show a girl a good time." Her
husband took her hand, kissing it. He stood in silence a moment, eyes
admiring his wife. Abruptly, he turned to Dollie. "Miss Belloit,
he's not to use that hand anymore than absolutely necessary. I've
written him an excuse for work. I believe he has plenty of time off
for sick days he hasn't used."
"Yes,
Doctor."
"And
that note gets filed with you, is that correct?"
"Yes,
sir. Send it down to me in the morning. I'll put it through. He's got
at least seven days, if not longer. I'd have to check."
"Great.
Give him the rest of the week."
"He's
got a few days bereavement as well as sick days."
"Excellent,
not until after I see him on Monday. You got me, young man?" He
shook his finger playfully under Luke's nose. "I'd best see
you've taken care of it this week. No lifting, carrying or hitting.
No milking. No using the pump with that hand. No driving either
unless absolutely necessary. Dollie can drive you."
"Yes,
sir. Believe me, I want this to stay sound as much as you. I don't
like Ma's fever tea one lick!"
Doctor
and Mrs. Starbuck chuckled at that. They said their goodbyes and left
together. They'd decided not to head up to the Henry house for the
night. Much of the family were staying over and the beds would be
needed. Luke and Will didn't much feel like sleeping with the cows,
so they would get up early to drive up and do the chores.
Dollie
and Patty found sheets and blankets for the men. They bid a brief,
heartfelt goodnight and all went to bathe. It had been a long,
exhausting day. The men were filthy and tired beyond belief.
In
the large, echoing bathroom, the men showered and dressed in clean
clothing Will and Patty had picked up at their house before coming
back down to the girls' dorm. Once they were in bed, the men lay side
by side in the airy dorm room, the fan placed do it gave maximum
coverage. The night was muggy and still.
"Feels
like storm weather," Will mused as he gazed out the window.
"Lookie there, clouds gathering. What'd I tell ya?"
"You've
always had an uncanny knack for the weather, Will. You reckon it'll
blow over?"
His
brother shook his head. "It's a bad un. We need to check that
all the windows upstairs and down are closed. We can leave ours,
they're protected by the bushes and eaves, but upstairs, it'll blow
right in."
"Let's
tell the girls what we're doing or they'll panic hearing us move
around."
"Good
idea."
They
reported to the women and headed to opposite ends of the big, stone
building to check that everything was secure. On the second floor,
they separated, going opposite directions down the hallways. Each
room stood open, mattresses rolled up and waiting for the girls to
return in the fall. All the windows were closed and latched. They met
again at the main staircase and went to the third floor. Same as the
second, all secure. On the fourth floor, Will found a window open and
the screen damaged.
"Looks
like it was torn from the outside," he said when he caught up
with his brother. "Not bad, but I reckon it'll need fixing 'fore
the girls come back."
"We
do an inspection during the summer, fix it all up. I'll let Patrick
know."
They
were heading downstairs when lightning flashed, thunder roared and
the lights went out. Both women screamed. The men gasped, stumbling
on the stairs. Will grabbed Luke as he lost his balance, nearly
toppling head over heels down the staircase. A flickering of light
and the women came with flashlights. Laughing at themselves for their
fear, they found the men in the dark and saw them down to the main
floor. A quick check of the rooms on that floor and they went to the
apartment.
"It
may just be the storm," Dollie said. "But this gives me the
creeps. I don't want to be alone."
"You're
not alone, you've got me," Patty teased.
"You
know what I mean. Together, we're only slightly less scared. With the
men, we aren't afraid at all. I don't like being scared."
"Dollie
never did like storms," Patty told the men. "We used to
build a fort from the sofa cushions and the quilts off our beds. Mama
used to fuss so!"
"You
didn't like them much either," Dollie snipped. She smarted from
her sister's tone and her confession of Dollie's secret. "But
she's right. I hate thunderstorms."
Luke
patted the couch next to him. "Scooch on over, babydoll. I'll
keep you safe."
"But
who'll keep her safe from you?" Patty teased.
"Reckon
that's your job, Patricia," Lucius replied with a sly wink.
"That's if you can keep my big brother at bay long enough."
©
2019 Dellani Oakes
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