by Kate Morris
As she is stepping back from him, the screen door to the clinic slams and Simon comes onto the front porch.
“Bye!” she blurts and fast walks away from Henry, not bothering to wait for a response.
By the looks on John and Kelly’s faces, they’ve seen the kiss. What she’s not sure of is if Simon has. She hopes not. He was already in a bad, confrontational mood before she left.
“Well, well, well,” Kelly says and whistles for good measure, causing her cheeks to redden. “No wonder you haven’t been coming around for visits as much.”
Sam would like to slap some duct tape over his mouth, but she loves Kelly too much to be angry with him. He’s also clueless about things like this unless Hannah is telling him what to think about it. Maybe Reagan is right, and all these big warriors are deaf, dumb, and shell-shocked. Sam usually admonishes her friend for such comments, but maybe Reagan hit this one on the head. She only wishes Hannah was here to stop Kelly from meddling and making things worse. She’d probably club him in the back of the head with something or give him one of her words-are-not-even-necessary looks she gives that puts him right in his place. Man, she misses Hannie.
“What? No, I still love coming to visit,” she lies through her teeth.
She avoids eye contact with Simon until she reaches the porch. Then she allows her eyes to drift slowly up to his as John asks her a question she barely hears. Simon is furious. The cold hatred she saw earlier for Henry has turned into a black flame of murderous intent. She is truly afraid for Henry’s life. Simon must’ve seen him kiss her. However, it wasn’t like she’d asked him to. Henry had obviously felt his own motivation to do it. She hadn’t encouraged it. None of these facts make Sam feel any better about the way Simon is staring her down.
“So? What are you thinking?” John repeats.
“’Bout what?” she croaks.
He chuckles and says, “We’ll talk later, kiddo. Anyway, the Hulk and I gotta go question another prisoner. Stay with the Professor today, ok? After the other night, we’re not sure what to expect if they decide to regroup and retaliate. I’ll see you later.”
She wants to beg John not to leave her alone with Simon but doesn’t. Sam bids him the same cordial farewell and turns to climb the stairs to the clinic. Two people ride by on horses and wave to them, recognizing them both from the clinic. Sam sends a wave back. She feels like these townspeople that she barely knows are easier to understand than Simon and his strange behavior.
“Too bad he didn’t say for you to stay close to your boyfriend that I see you’re still interested in,” Simon states angrily.
“Simon, don’t,” she says and tries to brush past him. He allows her onto the deck with him but stands in front of her. “I don’t need you judging me right now. I have enough on my mind with taking care of our patients right now. And you. You’re stressing me out, too. What the heck was that earlier in Grandpa’s office? What’s wrong with you?”
He sighs as his eyes drift off to the side to stare at something only he can see, something that must be unpleasant because he frowns.
“That, that, my dear Samantha is what I’ve tried to warn you about, what I never want to show you,” he confesses softly.
Sam shakes her head and says, “I don’t understand. What do you mean?”
“You wouldn’t understand. You’re too innocent,” he says angrily, his mood shifting.
“I’m too innocent? Um, I don’t think so, Simon.”
“You’re so young and innocent,” he argues. “And…and I don’t want you to hate me.”
“Simon, I could never hate you,” she admits. “I get mad at you and frustrated, and then I want to choke you, but I could never hate you.” She reaches for and takes his hand. “We’ve been through too much together.”
Simon strokes the top of her hand gently with his thumb. Then he pulls away as if he has been burned.
“That’s the problem, isn’t it?” he asks as if she understands his meaning.
“What is? What we’ve been through? That only makes us stronger and closer, Simon,” she says softly.
Simon looks over her head, scanning the area. His jaw flexes as if he is clenching it tightly together to keep from speaking. His eyes harden when he looks at her next.
“Let’s get to work,” he states coolly, his controlled demeanor having returned.
“I’ll work with Grandpa,” she says in an equally cruel tone.
“You’ll work by my side and not leave it,” he growls. “Do I make myself clear, Samantha? And you won’t be hanging out playing kissy face with your boyfriend anymore today, either.”
Sam glares at him but knows that John already told her to stay with Simon. She’s not even sure where Grandpa is at the moment. Simon makes her so mad she’d like to slap him in the face. Again.
“Well, Simon,” she starts in a huff, “I sure as hell won’t be playing kissy face with you, either!”
She stomps past him into the clinic. He meets her at the counter, and, at once, she can see a switch come over him. He is being a professional doctor again.
Sam stares at him, frowns, and says, “What’s going on with the Campbell Kids?”
“They’re very ill. They now have six children who are sick over there. Doc is having them moved to a quarantined house where we can care for them without infecting others.”
This makes Sam forget all about their petty argument on the front porch, and she asks, “What is it?”
“He thinks Scarlet Fever,” he says in a serious tone that shows his concerns.
“Oh, my,” she says, feeling the same level of worry.
“We’re safe. Doc already confirmed that he and I would’ve been vaccinated for it,” he tells her in a gentler voice. “We need high potency antibiotics for treatment, but we’re going to be forced to use the homemade tonics we’ve concocted. This illness could lead to other problems like rheumatic fever.”
“Oh, dear,” Sam says, knowing that such an illness can also lead to heart and nervous system deterioration. “Where do they think it came from?”
“He’s not sure. It spreads very easily, though, which is why he ordered the quarantine,” Simon answers. “We’re taking preventative measures by suiting up with gloves and masks when we take care of the kids, too. Melora said she and Hardy were up to date on all their vaccinations before the fall, so she’s going to take shifts there, too.”
“And Grandpa and you? Are you staying in town longer to take care of them? And me, too?”
“Yes, we are, but we weren’t sure about your vaccines. Do you know?”
“My uncle made sure we had everything, remember?” she answers, to which he nods.
“Doc said you were probably vaccinated for it,” Simon tells her. “I’m sure you were. We just don’t want to take any chances. I know for sure that I was.”
“Of course, you do, Simon. You’re Simon! I’m sure you were annoyingly in control of everything around you even when you were a little kid.”
Simon regards her with irritation boldly plastered to his handsome face. A stray lock of auburn hair falls over his forehead, and Sam pushes it back.
“I’ll help with our patients,” she says and walks away. She says over her shoulder, “Then I can help with the sick kids, too.”
Simon follows her to the storage area where they take bandaging and tape, antiseptic solution and scissors.
“We’ll get started across the street first,” Simon tells her. “I checked them all this morning but didn’t change any of their bandaging.”
“That’ll be just fine. Where’s Grandpa?”
“Working with your uncle,” Simon answers.
She frowns, “Oh, I didn’t know he was here. What are they working on?”
“Baby Daniel has a hernia. Your uncle may have to perform surgery,” Simon explains. “He came to the farm to check on him, and I think they’re bringing the baby to town later today to do the procedure.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“He came down to the clinic when you were gone on your date.”
Sam furrows her brow at him as he hands her another sterile towel.
“We could go on a date, too, you know. If you asked me.”
Simon looks shocked at this. Sam is more shocked that she said it.
“Maybe we could go to my old house again. That might be interesting.”
Simon looks down at her, but this time there isn’t surprise in his eyes but something different.
“It was the last time,” Sam reminds him. By the look in his eyes, he remembers just fine that night.
“What part? Getting shot at or me getting stabbed or hiding in the snow together?” he asks with unhidden irritability.
“Kissing upstairs in our game room. And when you touched me,” she whispers hoarsely.
Simon swallows hard and looks as if he’d like to do those things with her again. The corner of his mouth twitches.
Sam has to find some sort of fortitude when it comes to Simon, so she says, “Come on, Mr. Kissy Face. Let’s go.”
She squeezes past him, ducking under his arm where he has rested his hand on the shelf above her head. It takes all her strength to resist him, but Sam can’t keep letting him kiss her with no accountability. If he’s just looking for someone to sew his wild oats with, then he’ll have to find someone else to practice on. Melora had looked at him with interest. Maybe she’ll suggest that to him later. For now, she has to get away and catch her breath. No matter what Henry does or says, she cannot deny that Simon makes her feel different than Henry. There is something deep and raw within her that wants to be set free, and Simon seems to be the only one who can do it.
Part of the reason she wants to go to her old house with Simon again is that Sam needs him to explain the strange and bizarre things he says to her sometimes, and it is usually hard to find time alone with him. He starts to talk to her about their relationship, but then he’ll throw something weird into the conversation that she just doesn’t understand. Later today, she’s hoping for some clarity.
Chapter Twenty-six
Cory
Three days have gone by since their battle with the highwaymen, and Cory is itching to get back out there. They’ve inherited a mortar launcher, a grenade launcher, and a trashed drone, which he has been working with Derek on repairing since they found its remote by one of the dead highwaymen. He has to admit, he was a little jealous of their toys. They’ve had meetings throughout each day and have questioned the prisoners multiple times.
They haven’t given anything up, and John and Derek are having a meeting tonight about what to do. Cory is pacing the street in front of the courthouse waiting for them. They finally sent Simon back to the farm yesterday to get some rest and to clean up at home. Sam and her uncle also returned to Dave’s for rest and showers, but she is coming back later tonight or first thing in the morning. Simon will also return soon but for different reasons. None of the doctors, with the exception of Simon, know yet, but they may have more bodies to sew up by morning. He and the others are heading out soon to set up their first ambush on these assholes. Robert’s men are still with them, Dave is coming and sending another four men, and K-Dog insisted on being a part of their next move.
While Simon had been in town taking care of the patients, Cory had made an attempt to speak privately with Paige, but she’d avoided him. This morning he’d tried again to talk to her before he left the farm, but Simon was having none of it. He’d caught them in Gram’s rose garden. She’d been doing some weeding, and Cory had approached her. It lasted a nanosecond before the Professor had come upon them and started making accusations and forced Cory to leave. Paige hadn’t argued with her brother, either. The look on her face let Cory know that she agreed with Simon and that she wouldn’t put up a fight. For some reason, she acts like she is carrying a burden of guilt over their relationship. Cory isn’t sure why, but he doesn’t like it. She shouldn’t feel that way.
Last night at the clinic, Sam’s uncle and Doc performed the first, invasive surgery there. Between their supplies, items they brought back from Robert’s compound, and Dave’s contributions, the two doctors performed a hernia surgery on baby Daniel and put him all the way out for it. They also performed his circumcision while he was out. Cory felt bad for the little dude. He’s bound to wake up pissed. He sure as hell would be if someone messed with his junk while he was out. Unless it was Paige, of course. There’s always an exception to everything.
John and Kelly come out of the building with the sheriff on their heels. They shake his hand and leave him.
“What’s going on?” Cory asks.
“We’re rollin’ at seventeen-hundred hours,” his brother answers. “I’m callin’ the farm now.”
Kelly walks away to use the radio while John stays with Cory.
“Get anything from them?” he asks his friend.
“Nada,” John answers. “They aren’t budging. I think they’re mostly scared.”
There are three men, two of which are teenagers, who they are keeping in the newly built jail inside the town hall.
“I don’t think we need them,” Cory says. “If they’re still operating on the east to west and back again thing, then we’re bound to be able to run into them with an ambush tonight.”
“The only thing I got outta’ the one kid is that they usually do their work during the day and head home after the sun sets or close to it. Lately, though, they’ve had to change it up, which is what we’d already guessed.”
“They haven’t retaliated yet. I don’t think it’s gonna happen. I don’t think they know who we are or where we’re from.”
“Maybe,” John says. “If they find out, we’re gonna have trouble on our hands.”
“Did they give you any indication of who their leader is?” Cory asks.
“Nothing yet,” John tells him. “We aren’t done with them, though.”
“Want me to take a crack at it?”
“Maybe later,” he says. “Right now, we need to get ready to mount up, brother.”
Cory walks down to the clinic to let Doc know what’s going on before they leave. He is with Reagan reviewing notes of some sort in a file when he gets there.
“You’re leaving soon?” Reagan asks, concern in her green eyes.
“Yeah, we’re just waiting on the Professor and Dave’s men to get here. Then we’re out.”
“Be careful, son,” Doc says with a firm nod. “Tomorrow we’ll start on that project.”
“Yes, sir,” he answers Doc, knowing what he means.
He and Herb have drafted and sketched out a design for a metal brace that he will fabricate for Derek’s leg. It is something that Doc discussed with the orthopedic doctor up north at Robert’s compound. She told him some techniques she’d had success with while at her practice in Boulder, Colorado, using similar braces for disabled vets, a cause she kept close to her heart. They have the rough sketch ready, and he will work with Doc doing the metal fabricating. He’s anxious to get it started. They both are because they know how frustrated and depressed Derek has been.
Doc says, “Besides, you need something to occupy your time while a certain redhead we all know and love comes to her senses, right?”
Cory’s eyes dart to Herb’s quickly before he chuckles nervously and says, “Yes, sir.”
“Yeah, right,” Reagan says with a snort. “I think she’s worse than me. She’s never getting married.”
“We’ll see about that,” Herb says with a playful wink. “Until then, we need to keep you busy. Idle hands and all.”
Cory grins sheepishly, feeling put in his place with just this one simple turn of phrase. They have been so busy dealing with the family problems, highwaymen, travel and everything else that the lecture he full anticipated never came.
“I can think of some chores that need to be done back at the farm,” Reagan chimes in.
Cory shoots her an unappreciative glance, getting a cocky grin in return.
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br /> “Now, where’s my idiot husband? I need to say goodbye in case he gets himself shot later.”
“He’ll be fine, my little honey,” Herb says and pats her shoulder.
Reagan snorts and leaves the clinic. They follow and meet in front of the town hall building again to go over plans. Minutes later, Henry arrives with Samantha and a truckload of men, including Dave the Mechanic. Simon pulls in at the same time, having caught a ride with Chet Reynolds, who will also be helping them.
“Hey, Professor!” Dave calls out to Simon.
Simon walks over and shakes their friend’s hand, “Hello, sir. How are you?”
Cory shakes his head and chuckles at Simon’s formality. He was definitely born in the wrong era.
“I brought a little present for you,” he says to Simon with a grin that reveals he is up to some sort of mischief.
“A present?” Simon asks.
“Got a few of the women to work on something for you and my other sniper,” Dave tells them and yanks something from the bed of their truck. It’s a full-length ghillie suit.
“Oh, wow. That’s awesome,” Simon says with appreciation as he takes it from Dave’s grip. “This is perfect. Thank you, sir.”
“No problem, brother. We gotta keep our snipers hidden,” Dave says. “Don’t want our snipers to get fuckin’ sniped, right? I heard General McClane’s sniper was killed the other night. Can’t have that happening to these dudes.”
He says this to Cory, who bumps his fist to Dave’s, who in turn smiles widely and nods. Cory notices that Dave’s sniper is also with them and talking to Kelly about something. He walks over to join them.
“Yeah, they’re hot as shit but definitely do the job,” his sniper, Lucky, says. “Looks pretty much the same as the one I used fighting the rag-heads.”
“Really?” Cory says. “Cool.”
“We’re movin’ in ten!” John shouts from the front of the building where he is talking to Reagan and the sheriff.
“Get ready, you rangy, mean, sons-a-bitchin’ bastards!” Dave calls to his men and walks away.
“Hey, kiddo,” Cory says to Sam and gives her a hug.