Dorothy Garlock (10 page)

Now, why did she think this? Was it the sadness she saw in his eyes when occasionally he let down his guard?

April pulled her gaze from Jack’s and spoke to Doc. “Is the river still rising?”

“Don’t think so. It’s s-still level with Coleman’s d-dock. If it comes up over that, it’s time for folks d-down there to get out.”

“It’ll go over the banks if they get a lot of rain up north.” Jack was suddenly serious, his eyes on Doc. Obviously Doc was worried about the possibility of the lower part of town flooding. “There’s nothing we can do about it, Doc, but wait and watch. The folks living down there have been through this before. They’ll know when it’s time to leave.”

Doc snorted and looked down at his plate.

“Ready for the cobbler?” April asked.

“You serving?”

“Sure. I’ll give myself the largest portion.” April had been in Doc’s kitchen several times during the past week and knew where things were kept. From the icebox she took a bottle of milk.

“Shall I pour off the cream, Doc?”

“The spoon thing you put in the bottle to hold the milk back is in the drawer on the right.”

April sank the spoon, shaped like a small ladle, in the narrow-necked bottle and fitted it snugly in the indentation. She poured the cream into a pitcher. After dishing up the cobbler she set their servings, the pitcher and the remaining cobbler on the table.

“Don’t get on the bad side of Mrs. Maddox, Doc. This cobbler is delicious,” April said after taking the first bite.

Doc chuckled and shook his head. “I feel almost guilty taking her cobblers when there’s not a s-snowball’s chance in hell that she’ll ever find me on her doorstep.”

“Are they after free doctorin’?” Jack winked at April. “Or is it because you’re so handsome?”

“Horse hockey!” Doc snorted and got up to answer a knock on the door. He came back to say that he was going next door to the surgery to treat a boy’s foot cut by the jagged edge of a can.

“I’ll come help.” April got quickly to her feet.

“No. I can handle it. Stay here and see that Jack doesn’t eat everything in sight.”

April and Jack finished eating, then washed the dishes. She enjoyed his company. He told her about the neighborhood baseball games they’d had in the pasture beside the house back when he was a kid, and about being asked to play on the town baseball team.

“Doc had just come to town. Your landlady’s husband, Ron Poole, was on the city council and was coaching the town team. He brought Doc to the playing field. He tried out for shortstop and was pretty good. We played a traveling team out of Chicago that summer. We didn’t win but had a hell of a lot of fun. After the game we all went out to the farm and had ice cream. Evan brought out his Victrola, Pa hung up some lanterns and we danced.”

“It sounds like you had a very enjoyable childhood. I’ve often wished for brothers and sisters,” April said wistfully.

Jack laughed. “Oh, we had our ups and downs like any family. Joe and I were usually kept out of mischief. We worked with Pa. Our sister Julie was the hub of the family wheel. She had to leave school when our mother took sick. After she died Julie looked after the house and the little ones.”

“I was lucky enough to have my grandparents after my mother died.”

“Did your father die, too?”

“I saw him last when I was four years old. I only vaguely remember him.” April emptied the dishwasher, wiped the pan and slipped it under the sink. “Well, that takes care of that.”

When April returned from the bathroom, where she washed her hands and ran the comb through her hair, Jack was squatted down in front of the radio fiddling with the dial.

“Doc’s got a pretty high antenna. I was hoping to get Nashville and the
Grand Ole Opry
. I like to listen to Uncle Dave Macon and his Fruit Jar Drinkers.”

“I’ve heard of them.”

“Not exactly Paul Whiteman, but fun.” Jack turned the dial a few more times. “I guess we’ll have to settle for
Amos ’n Andy
.”

Doc came in, followed by Joe.

Doc asked Jack, “Did you eat all the cobbler?”

“It’s on the table,” April answered, trying not to look at Joe. The first time she did, his eyes snared hers. “My, you look bodacious, Miss April. Doesn’t she, Doc?”

“I know how to p-pick ’em. Business is booming s-since she came. My social life, too. I’ve even got c-company on Saturday night.”

Although April knew that Joe was teasing, her heart skipped a beat and heat turned her cheeks warm. She went to the kitchen and released a breath she hadn’t even known that she was holding.

“Let’s finish off the c-cobbler, Joe. Then April and I will skunk you and Jack in a game of c-canasta.”

“I get to partner April,” Jack protested. “I was here first.” “Whine and complain. That’s what I’ve had to put up with all these years.” Joe slapped his younger brother on the back before taking a seat at the table. “I’m the eldest son. I’ll partner April. Now, I’ll hear no more about it.”

Jack wasn’t giving up so easily. “Then I’ll walk her home.” “How’re ya gonna do that with a broken leg?”

“Lately there’s always someone wanting to break my legs,” Jack complained.

“Good,” Doc grunted. “More business for me.”

April couldn’t remember having a more enjoyable evening. Doc seemed to enjoy himself, too. She and Joe won three games out of five. When the clock struck twelve, she was surprised the time had gone so fast.

A good-natured argument erupted between Joe and Jack about who would walk April home.

“I brought Pa’s car. You can take it and go on home, or you can wait.” Joe took April’s arm.

“I’ll wait.”

“Suit yourself. Come on, April. I’ve been waiting all evening to get you alone in the dark.” His hand slid down her arms, his fingers laced with hers. Even knowing that he was teasing, April felt a thrill run down her spine.

“Don’t be g-getting fresh with my nurse,” Doc called. “Doc, you take all the fun out of life.”

“There’s really no need for you to walk me home. I’m not afraid a bogeyman will jump out of the bushes and get me.”

“If anyone jumps out of the bushes and gets you, it won’t be the bogeyman. I’ve got a reputation to uphold.” Joe’s arm beneath hers held her close to him. He shortened his steps to match hers.

“I’ve heard about that reputation. According to Fred, it’s no secret that the Jones boys chase every new girl who comes to town.”

“He told you that?”

“Uh-huh, and more.”

“You believed him?”

“I’m considering—”

“Stop considering and consider yourself chased. How about me taking you out to meet Julie and Evan tomorrow afternoon?”

“Shouldn’t you check with your sister first? She may not want visitors tomorrow afternoon.”

“She’ll want to meet
you.
I’ll tell her we’re coming when she and Evan stop to pick up Pa and Eudora to take them to church in the morning.”

“Do you live with your father?”

“Part of the time. My place, such as it is, is out where you found me. I want to build a decent home out there someday. I put my feet under Julie’s table or Jill’s or Eudora’s. They all feel sorry for me and feed me.”

“And you manage to look as pitiful as possible.”

“Of course.” They walked along in silence until they came to the walk leading to the front porch of the rooming house.

“Good night. I think I can find my way from here.”

“It’s ending too soon. Shall we walk up to the library and see what’s going on?”

“It’s midnight. What could be going on?”

“They could be having a poetry reading or something. We wouldn’t want to miss out on that.”

“I’m disappointed. I thought you could do better than that.”

“I had to think fast. We could sit for a while in the porch swing.”

“It squeaks.”

“I forgot that. I sat there today while waiting for the mutt. How about the porch steps? I’d like to tell you the story of my life.”

“It’s late. How long will it take?”

“I’ll start it tonight, add on to it tomorrow and try to finish it off after we go to the pictures next Saturday night.”

“You must have led an interesting life up to now.” April sank down on the next to the top step and leaned back. Joe sat on the step below hers and turned so that his face was level with hers.

“It hasn’t been all that exciting. I spent a couple of years in Oklahoma, working the oil fields. I got my clock cleaned a time or two until I learned there was no such thing as a fair fight with a roustabout or a wildcat driller. They are tough. They have to be to do the kind of work they do.” He chuckled and squeezed her hand.

“After all that excitement you came back here to this slow-moving little town?”

“There’s no place like home.” He was serious. “Thad Taylor and I were going to pool our money and start a ranch down there in Oklahoma. We got homesick and decided to come home, farm and raise cattle.”

“You’ve not regretted it?”

“Not for a second. Home and family are a man’s greatest possessions.”

Gone was the devilish, teasing grin. She heard the sincere tone in his voice and believed him. This was a different side of Joe. He was a man who treasured family and friends.

“Thad and I discovered the value of family while we were in Oklahoma. We were tired, sick and hungry part of the time, and no one gave a damn. We had to get out and scratch or starve.”

“And you did.”

“We did everything from helping a rancher skin out a bunch of dead cattle so he could sell the hides to moving out-houses for a drilling crew.”

She wanted to tell him how lucky he was to belong to a large, caring family, but she didn’t want him to stop talking. He told her about the Kickapoo Indian they met who had the unlikely name of Randolph Bluefeather.

“Blue took pity on us and pulled our tails out of the fire more than once. We learned a lot from him. He liked for people to think he was a savage, but in truth he was well educated and one of the smartest men I’ve ever known.” Joe ran his thumb over the knuckles of the hand he held in his. “I’m talking too much about me. I’d rather hear about you.”

“I was born in Independence, went to school in Independence, lived with my grandparents in Independence. I went to nursing school in Kansas City and worked in the hospital there until I came to Fertile to work for Dr. Forbes. Not a very exciting life compared to yours.”

“Whoa! There’s a lot of filling in to do. Have you ever been in love?”

“More times than I’ve got fingers and toes. When I was little, I was in love with the iceman who gave me chips of ice. Then it was the grocer who held me up so I could put my hand down in the candy jar. It would take all night for me to tell you about my love life. It’s late and time I was going in. If Jack goes off and leaves you, how will you get home?”

“Walk. It’s only a mile.”

April stood and stepped up onto the porch. She was searching her mind for something to say when he reached for her, pulling her close, and her world narrowed suddenly to that small space on the front porch.

“Will you be mad as a wet hen if I kiss you?”

“Probably.”

“I think I’ll risk it. It would be nice if you put your arms around my neck.” When she didn’t move, he said, “That’s asking too much, huh?”

He lowered his head and pressed his lips to hers softly, gently, quickly, then lifted his head and looked into her face.

“That wasn’t a real kiss, just a trial run.” He kissed her again, this time harder and longer. “Doggie,” he said when he stepped back. “I could get addicted to that. I’ll be here tomorrow about two. Is that all right?” He held her hand tightly so she couldn’t leave before giving him an answer.

“All right. Good night.”

He smiled and her heart did handsprings. “See you tomorrow,” he whispered.

She slipped inside and watched him leave the porch and go down the walk to the street.

The car was not where Joe had left it. He cussed his brother briefly, but was too happy to get very upset about Jack leaving him. The street was deserted. The clock in front of the barbershop said one-thirty.

On the way up the hill to his father’s house on the edge of town, Joe relived the past few hours. He had met women of many types, but not one of them had tied him in knots as Doc’s nurse was doing. She had a quick wit and a soothing manner. She possessed a dignity and a freshness he’d not discovered in another woman. Something about her made him want to be with her. Every night since he met her, he had lain awake thinking about her, wondering how it would be to have a woman like her love him.

April crept up the darkened stairway. Her heart beat in a strange and disturbing way. She went into the bathroom at the top of the stairs and closed the door before she turned on the light. When her eyes became accustomed to the light, she looked at herself in the small mirror over the lavatory and was surprised that she looked the same.

Joe had kissed her. Although he’d acted flirty, she had to believe that it wasn’t a flirty kiss. She hoped that he hadn’t been aware that her heart had raced like a runaway train.

Don’t get carried away,
she cautioned herself.
It probably meant less than nothing to him.

She went to her room, turned the lock in the door and carefully pulled the window shades to the very bottom of the glass panes. After kicking off her shoes, she removed her dress and slip and sat down at the dressing table to clean her face. While wiping off cold cream with a soft cloth, she had the eerie feeling that she was not alone.

For a moment she was frightened. She looked around the room. The shades were down, the door locked. There wasn’t room in the wardrobe to hide anyone. Feeling silly but determined, she looked under the bed. Nothing was there.

After removing her panties and bra and placing them in the dirty-clothes bag, she went back to the bed and searched under her pillow for her nightgown. It wasn’t there. She reached over and snatched away the other pillow. There it was, folded neatly.

What was going on?

She was sure she had crammed her gown beneath the pillow on the side of the bed where she slept as soon as she took it off. Had Mrs. Poole been in her room to straighten the bed? But she always made her own bed before leaving a bedroom.