by Cyndi Raye
“Settle down, Betsy. We do not act up at the table. Don’t worry, you shall attend the party.” Ellie wanted her to be a part of everything from now on. She hoped James would feel the same way.
Miss Addie adressed Betsy. “There’s lots to do for a party, little one. What if you and I go shopping today. Would you like that?”
The little curls bobbed even harder. “Nurse Ellie come too?”
“Nurse Ellie must go to work, so, while she does that, I am in charge of you. As long as it is okay with Nurse Ellie?”
“Thank you, Miss Addie. I wasn’t sure if the office would be a proper place for her to spend the day until I spoke with Doctor James.”
“This will give you time to become acquainted better. I never had children. I don’t mind keeping her at all.” Miss Addie spoke soft enough no one but Ellie heard her confession.
“Thank you, Miss Addie. Now, Betsy, dear, let’s get you presentable to go shopping.”
The child pushed herself away from the strawberries while Ellie cleaned her up.
“I’ll bring her by the doctor’s office when we are through shopping, along with some lunch for the three of you. It will give her time to spend with the doctor unless he is busy. I noticed you shut down the office while he took a lunch break yesterday?”
Did Miss Ellie notice everything that went on in Wichita Falls? “He was exhausting himself, not taking time to replenish. So I took it upon myself to make sure the doctor doesn’t take ill himself.”
Miss Addie patted her shoulder. “Good for you. Take good care of our doctor. While you are there, would you mind buying some fresh eggs? I’m almost out.”
“You buy eggs from the doctor?”
“Yes. There are some patients unable to pay so he accepts chickens as payment. I’m afraid he may have taken in more than his share. He can’t eat them all so I buy them to serve here at the boarding house. Of course, he gives me a special discount since I buy in bulk.” She shuffled around in the kitchen, pulling out a small basket with a cloth to cover the eggs in question. Miss Addie took some money from her pocket and placed it inside a small cloth purse, placing the purse in the basket.
“On your way, then, Nurse Ellie. Your daughter and I have some shopping to do.”
“What’s a daw-ter?”
The two smiled at each other. Ellie was humbled by Miss Addies words. Indeed, it would be an honor someday to have the child think of her as a mother instead of her nurse.
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Ellie swung the basket back and forth while crossing the street, happy to be meeting the doctor again for another day of work. The sun had cracked over the horizon about twenty minutes earlier, warming up the prairie. Townsfolk were hurrying about, stirring dust from the street.
There was already a crowd waiting on the doctor’s porch, along with a large woman who stood out from everyone else. She was wearing a man’s hat, its large brim covering the top portion of her face. She also wore mens britches, a long sleeve shirt with a tan vest and let out a puff of smoke after pulling a pipe from her mouth. The rocker she sat in creaked from the weight of her. The closer Ellie got, the louder the sound.
Ellie remembered seeing those types of pipes in Charleston society. Men would be huddled together on the street outside of a building, their mouths puffing on pipes while the ladies were shopping, horses and carts waiting in a long procession.
“Well, lookie here, it must be Nurse Ellie.”
The loud, shrill voice stopped her dead in her tracks. Ellie wasn’t sure if she was being hollered at or welcomed.
“Come along, girlie, give your future Auntie a big old hug!” The woman stood up, her high topped boots clopping on the boards of the wooden porch while she came at Ellie like a locomotive off its tracks.
Ellie almost dodged the woman, except those big arms came around her and pulled Ellie and her basket in to a big bear hug.
“Aunt Lucy, don’t scare my bride-to-be.”
Ellie strained her neck to peek around the woman’s shoulder to find James standing at the door, his hands low on his hips. Shaking his head, he grinned at her while trying to reprimand his aunt.
“Oh, sonny, now you know I’d never harm a lick of hair on her head.”
Ellie mouthed the name sonny and giggled.
James answered with a grin. “She likes to call me all kinds of names. Come on, now, Auntie, let the lady go.”
Aunt Lucy slackened her arms but then she grabbed hold of each of Ellie’s cheeks and gave her a pinch. “You sure are a looker.”
“Why, thank you. It’s a pleasure to meet a relative of Doctor James.”
“Doctor James!” she hollered. Then she got close to Ellie’s ear and whispered loud enough everyone on the porch could hear. “You should be calling him honey and sweetums, not doctor, especially if the two of you are to be married.”
A blend of ten shades of pink covered Ellie’s cheeks by the time she was released from Aunt Lucy’s grip.
James had to pull her away. “Forgive my aunt, she over reacts at times.”
The older woman laughed. It was one of those blusterous laughs that boomed through the air like a shot from a gun. Aunt Lucy pulled back her vest to show off a pair of striped suspenders holding up her pants. She stuck her thumbs in her waistband and cackled. “I’m one of a kind, that’s what they tell me. Take it or leave it, don’t much matter to me.”
Ellie was so intrigued by this woman, she smiled so wide her face felt as if it would crack. “I’ll take it,” she told his aunt. “I’m very pleased to meet you. Would you care for a cup of coffee before I get started?”
“Sure will.”
The two went ahead of Doctor James, while others on the porch began to question the good doctor. “You getting married, is this true?”
“Doc’s getting hitched!” Another of his patients yelled.
“I hope we’re all invited to the wedding, doc!”
He turned back to his patients, ignoring their outbursts. “Fred Ramsey, follow me in. Let’s see what you got going on.”
Ellie ushered his aunt in to the kitchen where she started to heat up the stove. “I’ll be right back. Do you mind putting the kettle of water on when it’s hot enough, ma’am. Miss Addie wants some eggs.”
“Ma’am? Ain’t no ma’am here. I ain’t never run a brothel in my life.” She cackled at her own joke, slapping her thigh so loud it sounded like a whip cracking through the air.
Ellie wondered how pink her cheeks would be until the end of the day. She slipped out the back door, holding the basket in one hand, while picking up eggs with the other. When she had her fill, she dusted off her skirts and went back inside to find two cups of coffee simmering on the table.
“Sit down, girlie.”
Ellie cleaned her hands then sat across from the oversized woman. She didn’t know what to say. His aunt was obviously happy and content with herself. Ellie had no idea what to make of her. She had never seen anything like her before.
“You may be wondering how I got to wearing men’s britches.”
Ellie nodded, taking a sip of coffee. “It is highly unusual. I have heard stories on the train ride here about the wild west and certain character types.”
“I’m sure you have. Folks like talking and it’s people like me and my friends that help make that folklore true. Let me tell you this, Missy, I can hunt, trap and fish as good as any man in all of Texas.”
“I don’t doubt it. What would you like me to call you?” Ellie didn’t want to make the mistake of calling her ma’am.
“You can call me Aunt Lucy. All my friends do. And considering you caught my nephew’s heart, I reckon we’re on a first name basis.”
“Thank you, Aunt Lucy. It’s a pleasure to meet a family member of James.”
“Why, you’re much welcome. I didn’t always dress and act like this. But, I adapted. That’s what you gotta do in the West. I bet you find it hard to believe I was a city girl at one time, huh?”
Ellie flus
hed. “I, um, well, I don’t know.”
Lucy laughed. She slapped a hand against her thigh again. “Well, Miss Ellie. I lived in polite society in the city of Baltimore. I could curtsey and wear fancy dresses and say yes, and please, and oh pardon me like the rest of those society women. Then I smartened up and came out here where I could be me. That’s what you see in front of you and I ain’t changing for nobody or nothing.”
Ellie was speechless. She was also intrigued. The woman sitting across from her at the table seemed so secure in her lifestyle. She held herself proud. “I’ll be honest, Aunt Lucy. I’ve never had the pleasure to meet anyone quite like you but I admire your honesty. You have a confidence that I would love to have someday. Thank you.”
Lucy smirked. “Ain’t nothing to it, girlie. You just figure out what you want from life and you jump up, shake your fist and tell everything else to get lost. Then you find a way to live the way you see fit. I never would’ve done this if I had stayed in Baltimore, that’s for sure.”
Ellie leaned forward. “How did you happen to find Wichita Falls?”
Lucy cracked her hand across her thigh again, grimacing when she did so. “I came out here like you did, as a mail order bride. It was the only way to get away from my parents. They were overly strict and thought I was mentally impaired because I wanted to come out west to live. Threatened to put me up in one of those mental institutions in New York City if I kept harping about living where I had the freedom to hunt and trap like any man. So I ran away when I found a mail order ad in the paper. Miss Addie was just starting up her agency. She sent me money and I took it, thinking I’d pay her back as soon as I done some trapping. Boy was I a yellow-belly. Didn’t know the first thing about trapping, fishing, or hunting.”
“You took Miss Addie’s money didn’t follow through?”
Lucy shook her head. “I was ashamed that I fooled her but she confronted me and lectured me for well over an hour, right there on her front porch. I was humiliated at first, standing there blushing like a scared little woman. Then she called my bluff. She hiked up her skirts, grabbed me by the ear and told me I owed her some money and I’d live in the boarding house and work until I paid it all back.”
Ellie grinned. “I can see her doing that.” It didn’t take long for everyone in town to learn Miss Addie was a no nonsense woman, especially if you crossed her.
“She did, embarrassed me like heck. I obeyed since I was so green and all. Then, when she found out that I wanted to hunt and trap, she threw pants and a shirt at me and told me I can’t be doing those things in a dress. So I got used to wearing man clothing. It’s right comfortable and I ain’t never wearing a dress again.”
“I’m surprised it was acceptable to wear them.”
“People talk for awhile but then they get used to eccentric ways. After awhile, no one whispered behind my back like they did at first. Then I met the trapper and when me and Ben hit it off, the rest is history. He took me along with him to teach me how to trap and my life has never been the same.”
So there was a man involved. Interesting. “Where is Ben?”
“Oh, he don’t come down here much. He has a cabin out yonder along the creek where we hole up now and again. I come and go as I please. Got lots of friends here since they like to hear my adventures and I like to visit with my nephew. I’m the only family he’s got, have to keep that in mind. Otherwise, I’d be still out on the prairie.”
“Your life sounds fascinating, Aunt Lucy.”
“It is and that’s why I love coming back here because other people love the way I live too, even if they act like they are shocked at times. But Miss Lily invites me to her weekly group sessions where they talk books and interesting adventures. She lets me speak at them and tell about my adventures, so I make a special trip to town when I can for that reason alone.”
Ellie smiled. “It sounds as if you are quite famous already.”
Lucy grinned. “You could say that. Don’t tell Ben, he’d be jealous.”
Somehow Ellie didn’t think so. “I think he’d be downright proud of you.”
She shrugged. “Who knows. He is a loner. Only puts up with me cause I can cook like nobody’s business and he’s getting old. Doesn’t like to slave over a hot stove much no more.”
“Well, you invite your Ben here for our wedding. We haven’t discussed a date yet but we’ll make sure to give you time to go fetch your man.”
“Thanks, I appreciate the thought and kindness. The way James speaks of you, I’d say you better get married sooner than later. I doubt the man is going to wait much longer.”
“Do you think so?” Ellie paused, wondering if she should hurry with the plans. After all, there really was no reason to put it off.
“Yep, I’d not go over two weeks if I were you. No reason to wait, dearie. Life flies by before you know it. Don’t putter around and let it drift by.”
Ellie got up and gave Lucy a hug. Her big arms wrapped around Ellie, but they were gentle this time. “Thank you for the talk, Aunt Lucy.”
“You are quite welcome. I’m gonna stay over night, then head out at daylight to get my Ben and bring him back for the wedding.”
“I must still speak to James about the date.”
“No need to ask him. All you have to do is tell him when the wedding is and what time and he will be there.” She slapped her hand across her thigh, this time doing it twice. A guffaw rose from her throat.
Ellie giggled. She was going to enjoy having this frontier woman for a relative.
Now all she had to do was suggest to James they move up the date. She wondered how he’d react?
Chapter 6
Ellie felt a bit shy as she entered the doctors office. She had knocked softly after leaving Aunt Lucy in the kitchen to finish her coffee. James looked up from his patient, his face softening when he saw who was at the door.
“Welcome to a second day, Nurse Ellie. Are you ready to work?”
“Yes. I’m ready.”
“Good. Glad to have your help. This is Pete, he broke his finger this morning and is in quite a bit of pain. We are going to have to set it with your assistance, Nurse Ellie.”
Ellie squared her shoulders and got to work. The task of resetting his finger would be quite painful. Her job was to wrap the finger afterwards and offer comfort. She went to the small door where the doctor kept his medicines and proceeded to portion out some morphine to help the patient relax. The doctor appeared beside her.
“Not too much, Nurse Ellie.”
Even though he spoke nice enough, his blunt order made her turn aggressively to stare him down. Yesterday, he allowed her to make her own decisions when it came to the patients, knowing she had their best interests at heart. Now, his words took her back to a time at the hospital when she was reprimanded for taking matters in to her own hands. The doctors had been so selfish with any kind of pain medication, most patients had to do without, causing them to scream in agony. As a loving nurse, she had hated hearing their screams. Then the patient would be taken to task for crying out. Was he becoming like the others in his field? Had she made a mistake coming out here?
Ellie kept her voice low so the patient didn’t hear. “There is plenty of medicine available, why should he suffer if he doesn’t have to?”
“Our next shipment isn’t for two weeks.”
When she raised her eyes to glare at the doctor, she stopped in her tracks. Ellie realized in that very moment he wasn’t trying to shame her or keep any medicine from a patient. The stark realization shook her from the top of her head to her pointy-toed boots. The doctor had no choice but to be selective in case he ran out and someone was in dire need. It wasn’t as easy getting medicine here like it was in Charleston or any big city. Why hadn’t she realized that truth?
Ellie closed her eyes, shaking her head. Jumping to conclusions and not taking orders well was why she had been replaced twice over. “Forgive me, James, I assumed you were like the doctors at the hospital who gave ord
ers because of their giant egos.”
James faced her, laying his hand gently on her arm. “Ellie, don’t be fearful of making a mistake here. I hope I’m not too forward in saying that I try to be understanding as much as I can, but I have my limits. I am only one man and the money I make all goes back in to my practice. The medications we buy each month have to last until the next shipment comes in.”
Ellie nodded in understanding. She reached out and placed her hand over his. “I’m so sorry, James. Forgive me, I know you are not like those city doctors. I have a tendency to get upset when I don’t get what I want. Perhaps it is my downfall.”
The patient coughed, then began to squirm on the table. “You two gonna fix my finger?”
Ellie pulled her hand back. “Yes, we are.”
“We do this together, Nurse Ellie. I won’t have it any other way.”
Ellie almost burst in to tears at his words of encouragement. After setting the patient’s finger, the two worked side by side until Ellie heard the doctor’s stomach rumble. “Excuse me, I’m going to put on some water for coffee. It’s almost lunch time, James. I’ll expect you to close for an hour. Betsy wants to stop by and have lunch with us if you don’t mind.”
James leaned over and placed a hand on her cheek. “You’re awful bossy, Nurse Ellie.”
At first she stood perfectly still, his warm hand making her heart flutter, among other things. He stood so close, his broad shoulders towering over her. Ellie was a tall woman, more so than normal and yet she still had to look up.
Luckily, the front door burst open and a sweet little voice cried out. “Nurse Ellie? I’m here!”
Ellie lifted her shoulders, placing a few fingers over her mouth, holding back a smile at the little girl’s sing-song voice. She didn’t want Betsy to see how amused she was because the small child needed to be reprimanded for just barging in. “Now, Betsy,” she began, but then the good doctor took right over.
“Miss Betsy, how do you do?” He bowed low, holding out his hand. She stopped in her tracks, curtsied as if she were born in to high society and held out her hand. James took it and placed a small kiss on the back of it, causing Ellie’s heart to melt even more.