Dorothy Garlock (39 page)

“I don’t know how to thank you. We were so scared.” “I’m sure you were. It upsets parents to see their children suffer.”

“I don’t know how we’re going to pay, but we will,” Mr. Harvey said when they were ready to leave. “Put it down on the books, and I’ll be back.”

“It will be a dollar, Mr. Harvey. Pay when you can.”

“Thank you, ma’am, and I’m sorry I was sort of owly before.”

“I understand. Bye, Connie. Come back and see me sometime when you’re not sick.”

After the Harveys had left, April entered the office call in the ledger with notes about Connie and the treatment she had given her. The next half hour was spent in putting the surgery back in order and ready for another patient. With that done, she sank wearily down in her chair and looked at her watch.

I would gladly give my eyeteeth not to have to go out with Harold.

There was nothing fancy about Bergstrom’s restaurant. It was family-operated. Mrs. Bergstrom was the cook with the help of her daughter-in-law. Her daughters were waitresses, her son and husband scurried around removing dishes and seating the customers. Business was good on Saturday night.

April and Harold were the center of attention when they walked in. He spoke to several people only after they had spoken to him. April saw George Belmont and waved to him, then paused to speak to Fred, who sat alone at a table.

“Hello, Fred. How are you?”

Fred immediately got to his feet. “I’m doing all right. You? I hear Doc had to leave suddenly.”

“Yes, he had to go to Tennessee.” April felt Harold tug on her arm. “I’ll get the rest of my things out of your house in a few days.”

“No hurry.”

April wanted to jerk her elbow from Harold’s grasp, but she did the polite thing and moved away with him.

Harold was unhappy about the table where they were seated because it was in the middle of the room. He apologized and said the next time they would dine at the Bistro in Mason. April didn’t mention to him that there would be no next time.

The meal of meat loaf and scalloped potatoes was delicious, and April was hungry. She ate with relish, while Harold moved the food around on his plate as if he expected to find a worm. April thought the evening would never end.

When they left the restaurant, Harold asked her if she would like to go to the picture show.

“I’d rather not, Harold. This was my first day without Doc, and I’m really exhausted.”

“Then we’ll just ride around for a while and get acquainted. It’s a pretty drive along the river road after you get past Shanty Town. Fertile would be a nice little community if not for the undesirables who live along the river. But I guess there must be a place for the shiftless and the ne’er-do-wells. It’s the same in most towns.”

“Why do you say that? I’ve met some really nice people who live down there. Not all of them live there by choice. They’re doing the best they can to get along.”

“They’re a bunch of ignorant troublemakers. The fools went down to Calmar to blow up the rock pile. It was stupid of them to try to take the law in their own hands. Look what one of them did to Jack Jones. Shot him for no good reason at all.”

“You can’t blame a whole community for the actions of one man.”

“You know the old saying that birds of a feather flock together.”

“That may be true about birds, but not necessarily about people.” He had opened his mouth to argue when she said, “Harold, I’d really rather go home, if you don’t mind.”

“I mind, but if that’s what you want.” He drove slowly around the block and stopped in front of the clinic. Before she could get out, he placed his hand on her arm. “Sit with me for a while. It isn’t every day I have the prettiest girl in town all to myself.”

“Are you sure you don’t need glasses?”

“You are beautiful. Haven’t you looked in a mirror lately?” “That’s very nice to hear even if it’s not true.”

“The first time I saw you, I knew that you were the girl for me.” He slid over in the seat and let his arm rest on the back behind her shoulders.

“You don’t really know me, Harold.”

“I know enough. You’re pretty; you’re smart; you stand head and shoulders above the yokels in this town.” His hand had dropped to her shoulder and was pulling her toward him.

She resisted. “I don’t consider the people here yokels.” “Compared to you, they are.” He pulled her against him and bent his head to kiss her.

“Hey, wait a minute.” She pushed against his chest but was no match for his strength.

“I’ve been looking forward to this for weeks.” His hand grasped the back of her head, and his mouth smashed down on hers. His lips were hard, urgent. She tried to turn her head, but it was held in a vise. “Just as sweet as I thought you’d be.”

“Let me . . . go!”

His mouth was on hers again, his tongue inside her lips against her clenched teeth. She moved her head from side to side in an attempt to dislodge him, but he was relentless. Finally he lifted his head.

“What’s the matter with you?” he growled. “You’re a nurse. You’ve seen plenty of naked men and know what they need when they’re with a woman. Here, feel this.” His hand forced hers to the erection between his spread legs. “You’ll not be disappointed in that. Bet it’s bigger than Doc’s.”

“You’re disgusting. Let me go!”

He laughed. “You don’t need to put on an act with me. I know you want it. I’ve lived in the city and know that nurses, pretty nurses, hand it out every day, if not to doctors, to their bed patients.”

“That’s not true!”

“Come on, now. You don’t have to put on an act with me.” “If you don’t let me go . . . I’ll hurt you!”

He chuckled. “I could have a different woman in my bed every night. And I chose you for tonight.”

His mouth moved across her cheek to hers and clamped over it. It was wet . . . sickening. April forced herself to relax for a few seconds, then knotted her fist and brought it down hard on his crotch.

“Ohhh!” he yelled and grabbed his member. The instant she was free of his arms, she was out of the car. “Bitch!” he yelled.

“That should tell you how much I
want
it, you small-town billy goat. You come around me again and I’ll fix you good.” She ran up the steps, unlocked her door, entered and slammed it shut.

She sagged against the door and rubbed the back of her hand across her mouth in an attempt to wipe away the taste of his slobbery kisses.

Chapter 31

A
PRIL MOVED THROUGH THE DARKENED HOUSE
to the bedroom. Mechanically she unbuttoned her dress and changed into the nightgown she had thrown across the bed before she left the house to go to dinner with Harold. She desperately wanted to forget the whole sordid event, the hateful things he had said, the groping, his slobbery mouth . . .

She sank down on the edge of the bed. Hot tears burst from between her thick lashes. She could no longer hold them back, though she strained every muscle with the effort. She felt as if she were standing on the edge of a precipice, and if she moved, she would topple into oblivion.

It was too much to hold inside. Huge racking sobs came from deep within her and disrupted the silence of the dark room. She couldn’t have choked them down had her life depended on it.

She had been alone since her grandmother died, but she had never felt such overwhelming loneliness as she did now. It was as if she were entirely alone in the world without another human being to care if she lived or died. She collapsed back on the bed and cried because she faced a long, loveless, desolate future. The one person she had thought was right for her turned out to be not so right, after all. She vowed to never expose herself to the hurt again.

“What will I do in the years ahead?” she whispered into a silence that gave no answer.

Holding her hands to her face, she allowed herself a moment of self-pity. She felt as if she had been battered by a terrific storm, her insides torn apart with hurt. The family she had longed for was as remote as the moon.

She cried until her pillow was wet with her tears, then, exhausted, she dozed. She nodded off several times only to awaken again and find herself still crying. Later, much later, she awakened once more, but this time it was different.

Someone was kneeling beside the bed, murmuring endearments, wiping the tears from her cheeks with a warm finger.

“Don’t be scared. It’s me. Joe.” The soothing, familiar voice brought on fresh tears.

“Why ...are you here?”

“Why are you crying?”

“I don’t . . . know,” she sobbed.

When she was lifted and held close, she clasped her arms tightly around him. There was no question of her rejecting him. He was all that was dear and familiar to her, and he had cared enough to come. She burrowed her face into his shoulder, and soon it was wet with her tears.

“Shhh . . . don’t cry. Hush, little sweetheart . . .”

“I’m so tired of being . . . alone.”

“You’re not alone, darlin’. I’m here. I’ll always be here if you want me.”

His fingers played lightly with the straggling wisps of hair that stuck to her cheek, then he caressed the nape of her neck. Soon the sobs that shook her were replaced with faint grieving moans. She felt drained and empty.

“Why are you here? How did you get in?”

“I’m here because I had to make sure you were all right. I got in with the key Doc gave me.”

“I didn’t hear you knock.”

“I didn’t. I was going to tiptoe in and see if you were all right, then leave. I couldn’t leave when I heard you crying.”

His gentle hands held her and rocked her as if she were a small child. She cried until she had no more tears and lay limp and lifeless against him.

“I’m glad you came,” she whispered.

“Did something happen today to upset you?” His voice was close to her ear.

“Not really. I just don’t know if I can handle this job. It’s too big.”

“Doc had enough faith in you to leave you to take care of his patients. He said you were the best nurse he’d ever known. And you had the best possible references from the hospital in Kansas City.”

“But . . . what if I make a mistake?”

“It wouldn’t be intentional. You’ll do the best you can do, sweetheart. It’s all anyone can do.” He looped the hair behind her ear. “I know how you feel, honey.” His voice was the merest whisper. His thumb made a swipe beneath her eyes and wiped away the wetness there.

“You can’t know how I feel. You’ve got a wonderful family who love you. You’ll never be alone. They’ll stay by you through thick and thin.”

“You’ll never be alone if you’ll let me take care of you.” His lips moved lovingly across her face.

“I . . . can’t.”

“You know that I have deep feelings for you. I think I’ve made it plain enough.” His voice lowered into a husky, urgent whisper. “Is it that . . . you could never care for me the way I want you to?”

She wasn’t dreaming this conversation, because she could feel his breath, cool on her wet face.

“I don’t want to love you,” she blurted. “You’ll get tired of me and . . . go chasing around.”

“Why do you think I will do that? Have I given you a reason to think I would be unfaithful to you?”

“You don’t have to give a reason. You’re handsome, you flirt; you like women. They chase after you. It’s enough.”

“I don’t understand. I’m glad you think I’m handsome. I think you’re beautiful. But as for the rest of it . . .”

“My father was a handsome man. He liked to flirt and he liked women, lots of women. He flitted in and out of our lives when he was between women. He broke my mother’s heart.”

“And . . . yours,” Joe added sorrowfully. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I can only say that I’m not like your father. I’ve fallen head over heels in love with you, and if you’ll trust me, I swear that I’ll never betray that trust.” His cheek was pressed tightly to hers as he whispered in her ear. “I’ve never been so miserable in all my life knowing that you were going out with Harold Dozier, a man who could give you everything, while I have only a heart full of love to offer you.”

“If you loved me, why have you been so cold for the past week?” She pulled back so she could see his shadowy face. “You acted as if I was a . . . just a friend of Doc’s.”

“Not when I kissed you outside the hotel. When I heard that you were going out with Harold after the kisses we had shared, I thought you had been just playing around with the farmer who didn’t even have a car to take you on a date. Then Doc told me that you’d never take me seriously. He said that you thought I was a flirt and a ladies’ man. I was trying to reform so you’d see me differently.” He pulled her back into his arms and held her tightly. “Dear Lord, it hurt.”

“I just said that I’d go with Harold on the spur of the moment. I didn’t want you to think I was one of the women chasing after you.”

“Then tonight . . . knowing that you were with him . . . was like a knife in my heart. I wanted to kill him.”

“So did I. I don’t like him . . . at all.”

“He can give you much more than I can.”

“I don’t care if he’s rich as a king.”

“Are you willing to take a chance on me?”

For an answer she moved her hand up to the back of his head and tugged.

“Joe . . .” His name came from her lips even as she was searching for his. “Kiss me . . . please . . .”

His lips, warm and gentle, explored her mouth, her eyes, her throat. She could feel his fingers on the rounded flesh of her breast, fondling the stiff peaks.

“Yes! Oh, yes.” Her lips, soft and eager, sought his that were firm yet gentle, hardening with passion only at the insistence of hers. Something deep within her was stirring, bringing an ache to the nether regions between her legs. She moved restlessly, an unfamiliar hunger gnawing at her relentlessly.

“I’ve been in hell all day. I had to come—”

“You love me? You’re not just saying that?”

“If love means thinking about you every minute of the day, wanting to be with you, worrying about you, scared to death that you’ll see me as just an ignorant yokel, thinking I’ll die if you don’t love me back ...then I love you, my sweet girl.”

“Ah . . . Joe . . .” A sudden flood of tenderness overwhelmed her, and she turned her face to his and kissed his lips with sweet, lingering softness.