Turner's Rainbow 2 - The Rainbow Promise (13 page)

❧

It was glorious to be back on a horse. Micah smiled when he touched his heels to Jo-Jo's side and the gelding leapt forward. He urged the horse into a run, relishing the thrust of powerful muscles beneath him and the rush of air past his face. When the horse reached the main road, however, Micah slowed Jo-Jo's pace. No matter how urgent the matter, he couldn't run him all the way into town.

Micah supposed it was wrong to enjoy the ride, considering the reason for it. He felt sorry for Mrs. Turner. She was a kind lady, and there was a certain sparkle about her that was appealing. Micah liked her and her husband better than he'd ever liked any white people. It was obvious that she was in trouble. Her skirts had been soaked in blood. It'd practically kill Turner if anything happened to her. Even so, Micah couldn't help but enjoy the ride.

He passed a farmer in a wagon and farther down the road went around two men walking together. All of them stared at him as he rode past, and he knew they wondered what a black man was doing on a beautiful animal like that. They would suspect that he had stolen it. When he reached the edge of town, the number of stares increased. He rode past everyone without a glance, keeping his eyes straight ahead.

"Hey, boy!" someone called from the sidewalk. Micah gritted his teeth and pretended not to have heard. But the voice came again. "Hey, I'm talking to you."

Reluctantly Micah reined in and turned to look at the man who had called to him. He was a tall, spare man in a dark business suit. Micah carefully looked to the side of the man and down. "Yessir? Sorry, but I—"

"Where'd you get that horse? It looks familiar."

"It Mr. Luke Turner's horse. I work for him." The man hesitated, his face doubtful. "I got to go now. Mrs. Turner, she need the doctor bad."

The man turned away, still frowning, but he said nothing else, and Micah seized the opportunity to leave. He kicked the horse into a trot down Main Street.

It wasn't hard to find the Banks house. It was just as Julia had described it. To one side a smaller, one-story section jutted out from the house, and beside its door hung a small wooden sign that read "James R. Banks, M.D." Micah dismounted, tying the reins through the ring of a black wrought-iron hitching post. He ran up the narrow gravel path to the office door, knocked, and walked in.

A woman with a child and another, older woman were seated in the waiting room. They both turned, their eyes widening a little when they saw him. "'Or. Banks here? I need to see him, bad."

The older woman frowned. It was apparent she didn't find his manner satisfactory. People often didn't. Though in the recent past he had, through sheer self-preservation, adopted many of the mannerisms he saw in the blacks around him, he knew that there was something different in his stance and attitude. That was one reason he had found it comfortable around Luke Turner. Turner didn't seem to expect him to be anything but what he was.

"There's a door at the back of the house—" the woman began, but at that moment a man walked into the room from the back.

He looked at Micah inquiringly. "I'm Dr. Banks."

"It Mrs. Turner. Mrs. Luke Turner. She need you right away."

"What happened?" Already the doctor was rolling down his cuffs and reaching for his suit jacket on a hook on the wall.

"I don't know." Belatedly Micah remembered to add a "sir." "The boy called us in from the fields and when we get there, she be bleedin' a lot. Mr. Turner say to fetch you."

"I'll come immediately. I have to get my instruments." James started away, then turned back. "You rode, you say? Can you saddle a horse?"

"Yes."

"Good. Go to the stables behind the house and saddle the bay. I'll be there as quickly as I can."

Micah nodded and hurried out of the office. He cut across the front lawn to the drive on the other side and followed it down to a small carriage house and stables. Quickly he saddled and bridled the bay gelding and was leading it out when Dr. Banks joined him.

"Good. Thank you." James hooked his medical bag to the saddle horn and swung up into the saddle. He touched his heels to the horse's sides and trotted down the drive.

Micah went back to close the stall door, then started out of the stables, too. He stopped, his eyes on the driveway. The woman he had seen Saturday was strolling down the drive toward the stables. What was she doing in this part of town?

Micah crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway to look at her. She moved slowly, as though she was tired, and she rubbed the back of her neck with one hand. As he watched, she reached up to unfasten the top two buttons of her high-necked blouse, exposing the soft flesh of her throat down to the hollow. She undid her cuffs as well and rolled them up, then pulled the pins out of her hair. Her hair tumbled down in a thick black mass and she shook her head to settle it around her shoulders.

Desire sizzled through Micah. He had thought this woman was beautiful the other day, taut and restrained as she had been. With her hair wild around her face, she took his breath away. He must have made a sound, for she looked up. Her eyes fell on him, and she scowled as she hurried to refasten her blouse and sleeves.

"What are you doing here?" she snapped, pushing ineffectually at her thick, unruly hair.

"What you doing here?" he countered, grinning.

"I live here." She gestured toward the small house beside the carriage house.

Micah glanced at it. "The quarters? You work for the doctor?" A grin touched his lips. "You sure don't look like no maid."

"I'm not!" Her voice was crisp with irritation. "I teach school."

"I believe that."

"I live with my mother."

"Oh. And she's the maid."

"She is the Banks's cook and housekeeper and has been for the past twenty-five years."

He pursed his lips, amused. "La di da. Don't that make you high class? Not like the rest of us poor old niggers." He snatched off his hat and bent his head with mocking servitude.

The woman's mouth tightened. "Well, I'm certainly not like you. As I said, what are you doing here? If you want a job, I can tell you that Dr. Banks already has a gardener and handyman. If you want a meal, go to the back door of the main house, and my mother will give you a bowl of soup, I'm sure.

"I done got a job. Now, a meal with your mama sounds real nice, but not now." He gave her a little bow and set the hat back on his head. "Good afternoon, miss."

Dovie glared at him, and he gazed blandly back at her as he sauntered past. He could feel her watching him all the way down the drive and across the lawn to where Jo-Jo was hitched. He didn't mind her seeing him mount the big horse, and he couldn't resist lifting his hat to her as he rode past the driveway.

❧

"Where the hell is that doctor!" Luke strode to the front window of the bedroom, then back to Sarah's bedside. "What's the matter with him? Why doesn't he come?"

"Luke, please." Julia leaned over Sarah and wiped away the sweat from her brow. "It hasn't been long. There hasn't been enough time for Micah to have gotten to town and for Ji—Dr. Banks to have ridden back."

Luke glanced at the clock on the dresser. Julia was right. Even if Micah and Banks both rode quickly, he couldn't have gotten here this soon. And what if Banks hadn't been in when Micah got there? What if he was out tending to another patient? Micah would have had to chase him down. It could be another hour, even more. He looked at Julia with agonized eyes. Julia looked back at him, her gaze strong and steady. He knew what she was telling him: Calm down. You'll upset Sarah.

"I'm sorry. Of course, there hasn't been enough time." Luke sat down on the bed beside Sarah and took her hand. It clenched tightly around his.

Sarah clamped her jaw together. A little whimpering sound escaped her lips. It tore Luke apart. She was having another contraction. They'd been coming steadily for an hour. Now they were almost one right after the other. Sarah's hair was lank and damp with sweat, her face ghostly pale. She had chewed her bottom lip almost raw, and there were deep red scratches in Luke's hand where her nails had dug in during the pains. Luke felt her agony all through him.

But even her anguish wasn't as bad as the blood. She just kept on bleeding! Luke glanced down at Sarah's legs. There was blood all over the towels and sheets. How could there be so much blood in her? How could she continue to lose it and still live?

"Luke?" Sarah's voice was pitifully thin. Her eyes were closed and she breathed in quick, shallow pants. "Luke, it hurts."

"Oh, Sarah. Sarah." Tears sprang into his eyes. "Sweetheart, I—" If only he could do something! He felt so awful, so helpless, just sitting here watching her suffer.

"Please, get the doctor. I need the doctor."

"I know. Micah went to fetch him. He's on his way."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

"It hurts."

"I know it does." Her face contorted with pain, and she moaned. "It's all right, sweetheart. Let it out. Scream."

Sarah's jaw jutted out and she shook her head. "I won't scream. I'm not—"

"—the kind of woman who screams," Luke finished for her. "I know. But there's nobody here to think badly of you for yelling. Hell, if it was me, I'd probably shout the house down."

A faint smile touched Sarah's lips, and her hand relaxed in bis as the contraction faded. But her face was still drawn, and Luke knew the pain hadn't receded entirely.

"It's so different from last time," she mumbled, wetting her lips.

"I know."

Julia bent over Sarah again and placed a damp rag between her lips. "Here, this will help that thirst."

Sarah nodded gratefully and sucked on the rag. Julia went back to her task of knotting strips of rags together. When she had finished two long, braided strips, she tied them around the foot posts of the bed. Then she wiped Sarah's face again. Her voice was low and soothing. "The doctor should be here soon."

Sarah nodded. Her eyes opened suddenly. "Emily?" She tried to lift her head.

"She's fine. Bonnie and Vance are looking after her. Don't worry about her. I told them to stay down by the barn. She won't hear anything."

"Thank you. Oh!" Sarah tightened as a fresh wave of pain hit her.

Julia stepped back, patting Luke's shoulder as she passed. He gripped Sarah's hand, willing strength into her. He wanted to somehow grab this enemy that was hurting her and beat it to a pulp. He wanted to run. He couldn't bear the sight of Sarah in pain. But this was the only thing he could do for her, so he made himself stand it. He thought he'd rather be eight years old and facing his father's belt again.

There was a noise out front, and Julia hurried to the window to look out. "It's him!" Relief sounded in her voice. "I'll let him in."

She flew down the stairs and yanked open the front door. James was getting off his horse. He looked strong and capable. "Jimmy! Thank God you're here." All awkwardness at seeing him again fled in the face of her relief.

James looked at her. He couldn't quell a funny little leap in his chest at the sight of her, even under the circumstances. "Julie. How is she? What happened? The hired hand said she was bleeding." He grabbed his bag and trotted up the steps to her.

"Yes, a lot. I've never seen so much blood at a birth."

"Have you been at many?"

Julia led him into the house and up the stairs. "A few. Usually I just helped the midwife, but I delivered the last one myself. The midwife didn't make it in time."

"Good. Then you'll be able to help me."

"If you'd like."

"Here. Sterilize these instruments in boiling water and get me some towels, while I go up and see the patient."

He handed her several metal tools and went up the stairs to Sarah's room. Luke stood up and turned at his entrance. James checked his steps at Luke's white, stricken face. For a moment he thought Sarah must have died, from Luke's expression, but then he saw her head move upon her pillow.

"You gotta help her," Luke said.

Suddenly James had a picture of Luke's contorted face as he had rushed at him that time on the Fourth of July, the doubled-up fist slamming into him, and he knew Luke was thinking of the same thing. He was scared to death that James would hold that against him and not save Sarah. James's mouth tightened. "I'll do everything I can for her. You must know that."

He stepped around Luke and looked down at Sarah. He picked up her hand and took her pulse, running his eyes over her clinically while he talked in a soothing voice. "Hello, Mrs. Turner. Looks like you've had an accident here."

"I didn't do anything," Sarah panted. "Julia lifted everything. I didn't. It just happened."

"Of course you didn't do anything. It's not your fault. Now, I'm going to examine you. I'm afraid it will hurt a little." Sarah tried to smile. "It already hurts more than that." James smiled. She had pluck. "I'll try to be as gentle as possible." He pulled off his jacket, rolled up his shirtsleeves, and washed his hands at the washstand. Then he poured carbolic acid over them to sterilize them. He came back to the bed and began to examine her.

"Luke?" Sarah's voice rose in pain and fear.

"I'm right here, honey." Luke went to the other side of the bed and reached over to take her hand. Sarah closed her eyes and clung to him, bracing herself against the pain.

"I'm afraid this baby is coming whether we like it or not," James said, stepping back and wiping the blood from his hands.

Julia walked in the door and silently handed James a hot, wet rag and towel. She carried the instruments on another towel. He glanced at her, surprised. "That was quick."

"I already had the water boiling. I figured you'd need it."

"Good. How long has she been bleeding?"

Julia described concisely and clearly what had occurred from the moment Sarah started bleeding.

"Have you touched her abdomen?"

"Yes. It's been hard like that the whole time."

"Constantly? Even when her contractions let up?"

"They don't seem to ease up all the way. She's been feeling the pain right along."

James nodded. He looked across at Luke.

"I think what has happened is what we call a placenta abruption. The placenta has torn loose from the wall of the uterus and is now between the baby and the cervix. That's why there's so much blood. Unfortunately, it usually sets premature labor in motion, and that is what is happening now. She's dilated quite a bit already."

"Am I—going to lose the baby?" Sarah asked.

James hesitated. He looked at her, his face sad. "I'll do everything I can to save both the baby and you, ma'am." He glanced at Luke.

Luke went cold inside. He knew what that involuntary glance meant. The doctor didn't think he could save the baby. Maybe not the mother, either. Luke squeezed Sarah's hand. "It'll be all right, sweetheart. It'll be all right."