She took a deep breath and stepped inside.
TWELVE
He loved this time of the day on the porch. The sun was peaking over the horizon, creating pink hues unique to Texas, yet somehow never exactly the same on any given day.
Lance rubbed his hand across his face, tired from a week of seeing men, women, and children weak and dehydrated from a stomach bug. His thoughts moved to the orphanage—he’d told the Sister to let him know if any of the children were sick beyond twenty-four hours, but he hadn’t heard from them, so maybe it had stopped with the few children who had been ill.
It was Sunday and his office was officially closed today. The cases he’d seen yesterday had slacked compared to earlier in the week. He could only hope that meant it was on the downswing.
“Good morning,” Lee Jamison, his medical school buddy greeted him, a cup of coffee in his hands. “Rough week, huh?”
“It was busy, for sure. Thanks for your help, Lee. You didn’t have to in light of the fact that you’re on vacation—,”
“Don’t mention it. It’s not a bad thing to be reminded of just how good I have it in Philadelphia, and it has been good to be brought back to the foundation of why we started this journey to begin with. Mrs. Collins said breakfast would be ready shortly,” he added.
“I’m thinking about taking a ride to Mary Trost’s farm after breakfast—care to join me?”
His friend’s face lit up with a wry smile. “Really? Want to tell me what would take you there today? Missing a beautiful teacher, by chance?”
Lance laughed. “I think we both might have a vested interest in this visit, although I can’t use Jim’s injury as an excuse any longer, so we’ll need to think of another.”
“Three months isn’t a lot of time, and nearly two weeks have passed,” Lee commented. “You’ve got to make hay while the sun shines, my friend.”
“Don’t I know it,” Lance agreed, his tone thoughtful.
“Doctor Holloway? Breakfast is ready,” Mrs. Collins announced from the front door.
“Thank you, Mrs. Collins, we’ll be right there,” Lance confirmed.
“She’s something, isn’t she?” Lee asked.
“She’s a lifesaver, literally.”
“According to Mrs. Collins, you saved her after her husband died.” Then Lee added, “She’s grateful, you know.”
“I know she is. She tells me every day, but the truth is, having her here has made an enormous difference for me.”
“Let’s go eat. My stomach can’t wait to experience what she’s made for us today.” Lee grinned at his friend. “Think she’d have any interest in moving to Philadelphia?”
“Don’t even think about it,” Lance growled.
* * *
When Lance and Lee reigned their horses in, the farmyard appeared empty apart from the longhorn in a side corral—the one Claire had affectionately named Colossal.
“There’s the infamous longhorn,” Lee commented with a chuckle.
“Sully has his work cut out for him, that’s all I can say,” Lance confirmed. “The barn door is open, let’s tie the horses and check there first.”
Once the horses were secured, the men turned toward the barn and then moved to a full-out run when they heard a huge crash from inside the barn. They rushed toward the door in tandem, then stopped.
“Mary!” Lee exclaimed, his eyes moving up to a support beam ten feet up in the air, where Mary sat straddling the beam. Wisps of hair framed her face, red from the effort. “Are you all right?”
“What on earth is going on?” Lance asked, moving toward the stall she balanced above.
Mary chuckled. “If you could see your faces.”
Suddenly Jim popped up from inside the large horse stall. “Hey docs,” he greeted. “Your timing is impeccable.”
Lance’s eyes roamed over Jim’s body. Everything seemed to be working perfectly.
“I’m fine,” Jim confirmed, “but the beam I spent hours making yesterday is not.”
He was right. The beam had a split right down the center, deep enough to compromise its integrity.
“What, may I ask, are you doing?” Lance looked at Jim like he had lost his mind.
“Mary, come down from there,” Lee Jamison demanded.
Mary cocked an eyebrow at Lee and then jumped off the beam, landing gracefully on two feet beside Jim.
“I was trying to get the beam up to Mary. We need extra support if we’re going to get Colossal in a stall for winter.”
“Jim,” Lance stood eye-to-eye with him, “while I gave you a full bill of health, that didn’t mean that you should be lifting heavy beams by yourself, and certainly not hefting it up to your sister who was unsecured while sitting on a beam ten feet above a hard floor.”
Jim took a step back, looking sheepish, then glanced over to his sister. “You’re probably right, doc.”
“Not probably. I am right. Next time ask for help and take better care of Mary.” He added for good measure.
Lee moved to Mary. “Are you sure you’re all right?” He took her hands in his, and pulled them out slightly, his eyes roving over her from head to foot.
Mary blushed bright red, jerking her hands from his. “I’m perfectly fine, and perfectly capable.” She growled with narrowed eyes, turning away from Lee toward Lance. “To what do we owe the honor of this visit?”
Lance chuckled. If he didn’t know better, he’d think steam was coming out of her ears. God certainly had a sense of humor with the women he’d brought into their lives.
“Lee and I were out for a ride and—,”
“Magdalena isn’t here,” Mary announced with pointed looks at both men, “but you must know that already.” She brushed past them, moving out of the barn toward the house.
“Why would I know that?” Lance asked, following her as she moved out of the barn toward the house.
“Because she’s at the orphanage.” Mary stopped, squared her shoulders, and looked Lance in the eyes.
“Why is she at the orphanage on a Sunday?” His brow furrowed.
“Doc, I just assumed you knew. Magdalena hasn’t been home for three days. She’s staying at the orphanage to help with the sick children. Haven’t you been there?”
“No,” he growled.
Lance and Lee both moved for their horses.
“Wait!” Mary exclaimed. “Jim and I will come with you.”
“No,” Lee answered for them both. He stopped and turned back toward Mary, moving to stand in front of her and taking her hands in his. “No one else needs to get sick. You stay here with Jim, we’ll bring Magdalena back here.”
Mary looked down at her hands held by Lee.
“Do you hear me, Mary? Promise me you’ll stay.”
“I promise,” she whispered, looking up into Lee’s eyes. “I’ll have Magdalena’s room ready for her. I’m sorry—I just assumed you knew.”
“Let’s go,” Lance commanded. “We should stop at my office on the way.”
Lee nodded as he swung up onto the saddle of his horse, and they took off at a full gallop.
THIRTEEN
Magdalena groaned, pushing herself up from the edge of little Jose’s bed, pressing her hands into her lower back to quell the ache from sitting next to the weak, feverish child for two days.
Sister Theresa opened the door to the room, placing a glass of water on the table near the door, her eyes filled with worry.
“We’re down to three,” Magdalena confirmed, “but Jose isn’t getting better. I think we should call Doctor Holloway.”
Sister Theresa nodded. “Sister Constance is resting, but as soon as she’s up, she’ll come and relieve you.”
Magdalena nodded. She’d moved past exhaustion two days ago. The bug had made its way through nearly all the children and two of the sisters. Fortunately, it seemed to last for only twenty-four hours, well, except for Jose, who groaned at her side.
“Get the doctor, quickly.” Worry creased her brow, and she dipp
ed a cloth into a pan of water at Jose’s bedside, pressing it on his forehead and cheeks. Next, she moved to the two other children in the room. Both had stopped vomiting hours ago and were now sleeping. She touched their foreheads, both cool. She breathed a sigh of relief.
Brushing the hair back from her forehead, she washed her hands, then reached for the glass of water Sister Theresa had left for her, taking a sip. Exhaustion rippled through her body, and she felt nauseous, but she also felt certain the nausea was more from exhaustion than anything else.
Surely if she were going to get the stomach bug, she would have gotten it by now, right?
She moved back to Jose, taking the already hot cloth off his forehead, dipped it in the cool water, and gently wiped the sweat from the fever from his neck and face.
She turned when the door opened, surprised to see not just Doctor Holloway, but his friend Lee Jamison, as well. Relief flooded her veins before exhaustion seeped back into her bones. “How—?”
Lance reached her side, taking her face in his hands, studying her.
“It’s not me—I’m fine. It’s Jose,” she protested, standing, then swaying on her feet. She steadied herself on the corner of his bed. “He’s not getting better. H—how did Sister Theresa get you here so quickly?”
Lance swept Magdalena up into his arms and set her on the chair near the table. “Stay put. Don’t move.” Anger and worry flickered through his eyes.
Next, he moved to Jose’s side, opening his bag and taking out his stethoscope.
Lee moved to the other children, feeling their foreheads.
“I think they are both on the mend,” Magdalena offered, her voice weary.
“When did they last vomit?” Lee asked, looking back at Magdalena.
“At least four hours ago,” she confirmed. Her eyes moved to Jose. “Jose last vomited an hour ago, but his fever is still raging. I’m worried—,” she managed before dropping her face into her hands.
“Lance.” Lee got the attention of his friend, eyebrows raised, his head jerked toward Magdalena. “You take care of her. I’ve got Jose.”
Lance handed his stethoscope to Lee, moving quickly to Magdalena’s side. Tilting her head up carefully, he felt her forehead, then gently pulled the skin down beneath each eye.
“I’m fine,” she protested—“help Jose—," and then her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed into Lance’s arms just as Sister Theresa entered the room.
“Oh, my!” She exclaimed.
“Has she complained of nausea?” Doctor Holloway asked the sister, sweeping Magdalena up into his arms.
“Complained? No, not once. She has worked tirelessly caring for these children without a break for three days.”
“You should have called me,” Lance gently scolded the sister.
“Magdalena insisted you instructed that we should only call you if a child was sick for longer than twenty-four hours. Those were your words, but then two of the sisters got sick, as well. It was all Magdalena and I could do just to take care of the sick children while the sister who was well cared for those who were not sick. Magdalena insisted that I rest while she stayed with the children.”
Lance released a deep breath. “You look exhausted, Sister Theresa. You need to rest. Doctor Jamison and I will take care of things from here and we’ll bring some women in to help.”
“No, Magdalena said we shouldn’t risk exposing anyone else.”
“Yes, well, Magdalena isn’t the doctor—I am,” he clarified. “I’ll take her back to the farm and return with reinforcements. At this point, I think you’re all likely past the point of being contagious. Have you been sick?” He asked, examining Sister Theresa with his eyes.
“No, and I don’t think I will be. I’ve been with the first children who got ill, and all of those since.”
Lance nodded. “You still need rest.”
“I rested last night. It’s Magdalena who refused to leave their sides. She’s quite something,” Sister Theresa added, her knowing eyes locked on Doctor Holloway’s.
“That she is,” he agreed.
“Take her home, Lance,” Lee instructed. “I’ve got things here.”
Lance nodded, moving toward the door with Magdalena in his arms.
FOURTEEN
“Keep her in bed. Do not let her out,” Lance instructed. “I’ll return to check on her as soon as I can.”
“Is she going to be okay,” Mary asked, her worried eyes still on her friend. “She looks so pale.”
“She’s suffering from extreme exhaustion,” Lance confirmed. “Sister Theresa said she worked tirelessly taking care of the children without a break for three days.”
Mary gasped. “How is that even possible? I can barely stay awake for twenty-four hours, let alone three days.”
“Let’s just say not many could do it—but it appears she’s just stubborn enough,” Lance sighed as he turned toward Mary. “She needs at least twenty-four hours of bed rest. She can eat once she awakens, but I do not want her getting up until I have a chance to get back to check on her.”
“Yes, sir,” Mary agreed.
“We’ll make sure of it,” Jim confirmed.
Lance turned and left the room, muttering something about stubborn women under his breath.
“Wow,” Mary breathed.
“Yes,” Jim agreed. “That’s one very strong woman.”
“She’s Claire’s best friend—what would you expect?”
Jim chuckled. “Good point. Okay, I’m going to finish the chores. You stay here and watch over Magdalena. I want to get everything done so I can watch the fireworks show later.”
“Fireworks show?”
“Yes,” he confirmed. “This is going to get very interesting when the good doc returns.”
Mary laughed. “Oh, that fireworks show. Yes, I think you might be right.”
* * *
“Magdalena, you’re going to get me into trouble,” Mary hissed. “I’ve got strict instructions to keep you in bed until Doctor Holloway returns.”
“Well, he’s not here now, and I need to—use the facilities,” Magdalena declared, looking down at the nightdress. “What happened to my clothing?” She asked, her voice hoarse, her eyes wide.
“It was all very professional, and I was right here, Magdalena. We couldn’t exactly put you to bed in your corset and the dress you’d been wearing over the course of three days with children vomiting all around you.”
Magdalena’s shocked eyes looked into Mary’s. “He saw me naked? Without clothing?”
Mary bit her lip. “That’s kind of the same thing, don’t you think?”
“How can you joke about this?” Magdalena demanded as she threw back the covers, pushing Mary’s hands aside. “I will not stay in this bed any longer, and for the record, Doctor Holloway is not my doctor.” Her eyes narrowed into Mary’s.
Mary bit her lip again, but this time with worry. “Magdalena, it’s only been four hours, and he’ll be back any moment. Just stay in bed for a bit longer—“ Mary protested, but Magdalena pushed past her and rushed toward the dresser, grasping it with both hands once she reached it.
“See? You’re not well enough to be up yet.”
“I just moved too fast. I’m fine. Please, Mary. Please just help me to the toilet. I need to relieve myself, and then I’ll return to the bed, I promise.”
“All right,” Mary agreed, “but let’s keep this between us. Okay? And don’t pass out again, or I’ll really be in trouble. ”
“Deal.” Magdalena agreed with a weak smile.
Mary assisted Magdalena and then helped her back to the bedroom. “Do you want something to eat? It might give you strength.”
Magdalena pressed her hand to her stomach.
“Don’t tell me—are you feeling nauseous?”
“I am, but I don’t think it’s the stomach bug. Honestly, it’s probably just because I’m so tired,” she explained with a yawn.
“Here, drink some water.” Mary han
ded a glass to Magdalena. “I have a slice of cornbread. Do you think you could eat it?”
“Just a bite,” Magdalena agreed.
To her surprise, it helped to settle her stomach. “I’m going to rest for a bit more, but I want you to wake me within two hours, okay?”
“Why would I wake you?” Mary shook her head at her friend.
“Because I do not want to be in this bed when Lance—Doctor Holloway—returns. Please Mary, how would you feel if you were me and it was Lee who had seen you—,” She couldn’t bring herself to say it.
Mary nodded. That would be mortifying. “Okay,” she sighed, “but you’re going to get me into trouble, you know that don’t you?”
“No one owns me, Mary. What I do, and when I do it, is up to me. Understood?”
“Yes, I understand.”
FIFTEEN
Something cold pressed against Magdalena’s chest. She swatted it away, struggling to open her eyes.
“Hey there, it’s okay,” a deep voice assured her, and then she felt it press to her chest again.
I know that voice. Lance! She swatted it away again, pulling the blankets up to her neck, and slowly opened her eyes.
Lance, Lee and Mary’s eyes were all looking back at her.
Magdalena narrowed her eyes at Mary.
“It’s only been an hour, I swear.” Mary pleaded with her.
Lance looked at Mary with a question in his eyes. “Have the two of you been plotting?” He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Out! All of you!” Magdalena demanded, pulling the blankets tighter around her neck.
Lance chuckled. “Don’t be stubborn, Magdalena. I just want to make sure you’re okay,” he assured her in a calm, soft voice.
“Your bedside manner won’t work with me, doctor,” she huffed. “I’m perfectly fine, and quite capable of determining my wellbeing on my own, thank you.” Her cheeks flushed red.
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