by Barbara Ebel
The sun spilled into her bedroom windows. She glanced out, amused at the weekend quiet below. Downtown Nashville still slept after a Friday night of honky-tonk and country western bars. Bell meowed from Joelle’s bed, reminding her to say hello.
“Spoiled thing,” she said, embracing the cat. Bell purred while Joelle stepped into her closet and picked out casual clothes. After showering and dressing - and deliberating the other avenue her PAM research should go - she decided to call another researcher who had a lab under hers on the medical campus … a veterinarian. Sometimes their paths crossed, including the potential use of the animals housed on the rooftop.
After Joelle placed the phone call, the veterinarian agreed to come by her lab in the afternoon. Joelle made a brunch of yogurt, a bagel, and orange juice. She rinsed her dishes, cuddled Bell again, and headed to the lab.
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Joelle flipped the lights on in the darkened lab and pulled the shades up all the way. Turning on the transistor radio stuck in the corner, she changed the dial from country to easy rock. She looked over her current PAM projects which bore no good or new discoveries. As far as she was concerned, nothing was fruitful because neither Ralph’s people at the CDC or her team were on the right track to finding a cure.
Joelle knew more information from the CDC had been reported to the media that morning. The evening news would announce to the world the major scare patients, the public, and the medical community were facing. Would it be clear that curing, if not stemming, the epidemic at present was hopeless? For anyone prone to panic, the reports should give them justification for alarm.
After putting samples back into refrigeration, Joelle grabbed a bag of lab materials and rode the elevator to the roof. She exited outside to the cacophony of barking dogs. She faced two rows of six large kennels with an aluminum roof over each. A tanned and toned vet student busily cleaned out a cage while its resident enjoyed his freedom.
Behind her, against the elevator, the door opened from a small office which held supplies and furniture for personnel looking after the dogs.
“Hey, Joelle,” a young woman said with a bounce to her step. “I just got here.” Rhonda Jackson, the veterinarian, was no more than five feet tall. Even though she sported a nose ring and pink-squared fingernails, her eyeglasses were traditionally preppy.
“Good to see you,” Joelle said. “As I mentioned on the phone, this has to do with the meningoencephalitis outbreak. I figure you deal with dog saliva more than I do.” She shook her head. “Actually, I’ve never worked with dog saliva, but there’s a first time for everything.”
Rhonda eyed the young man ahead of them. “You can say that again.”
“I see your point,” Joelle said, looking at the student. “Anyway, it’s a long shot but we have to acquire samples to see if there’s anything in a dog’s saliva which thwarts or kills this horrific amoeba.”
“Joelle, I’m all too happy to help. Since he’s got that one out already, why don’t we sample him first?”
“That’s fine,” Joelle said, approaching the dog.
“Here, you write while I gather samples,” Rhonda said, pressing a notepad and pen into Joelle’s hand. “It may not be necessary to do this but at least we’ll be keeping track, especially if we need to redo any. Write Sample 1, Golden Retriever.”
Rhonda pulled a sterile swab packet from the contents of her lab bag. “This is different than getting a DNA sample where I’d use a smaller swab and run it in between a dog’s gum and cheek.” She nodded at the young man. “We won’t disturb you, we’re just randomly picking out three dogs for an experiment.”
The student tapped the small shovel’s waste into a lined, aluminum can. “No problem, Dr. Jackson. Holler if you need help.”
“By the way,” Rhonda asked, “when did they last eat?”
“Long time ago, probably six hours.”
“Thanks,” she said and turned to Joelle. “That’s good, we can harvest pure saliva without contaminants. Here, hold his head while I open his mouth. Don’t worry about any of these dogs. They’re all friendly and should be in someone’s living room, not here.”
Rhonda swiped a large, spoon-like swab in the dog’s mouth and smeared the contents into a sterile container. “The kid’s working to help pay his tuition,” she said. “Plus he gets experience with canines. I was in his shoes just a few years ago.”
“Get paid for doing what you like,” Joelle said. “That’s the trick to a well-chosen field.”
Rhonda stood up. “Do you have a preference as to which breed is next?”
Joelle pointed. “How about the docile little one down there?”
“Put Sample 2, mixed Collie.” Rhonda opened the cage and Joelle watched, amazed when the vet practically got in the crate with the dog and procured her sample. “Thanks, cutie,” Rhonda said. “She doesn’t have a name but such a sweet dog. Who’s next?”
Joelle glanced to the set of kennels behind them. “That’s a huge dog over there. How about him?”
“Excellent choice,” Rhonda responded. “That’s George. He’s got plenty of saliva to spare. Put Sample 3, Newfoundland.”
With specimens in tow, both scientists left the dogs and their caretaker, went back to Joelle’s lab, and hunkered down during a supposed day off.
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“I would have taken you all out to lunch,” Danny said, holding Julia in his arms as they piled into the kitchen at home, “but Julia needs a nap.” Dakota sprinted into another room and came back dangling his pillow like a true retriever.
“What that poor baby has been through,” Mary said.
“I’ll go put her in her crib,” Danny said. When he came back downstairs, Annabel and Nancy had taken Dakota out.
“What do you plan on doing,” Mary asked, “if your lawyer doesn’t call you back?”
“I don’t have a clue. The more I think about it, I realize lawyers like him don’t return weekend calls. Otherwise, they’d never get a break.”
Mary slipped off her sandals and slid onto the stool. “I’ll listen for Julia if she wakes up. I’m going to go paint for awhile.”
“Thanks. I’m going to jump on the riding mower and cut the front lawn. I have to divert my rampant thoughts for an hour or two. My own child’s torture and a deadly epidemic are consuming me.”
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At six o’clock, Danny announced to Mary and the girls that his pizza level had been low and he’d called for two large take-outs. They sat out back with the large cardboard boxes and a six-pack of coke.
“Thanks for feeding Julia,” Danny said.
“You’re welcome,” Nancy said.
Julia played in the small portable playpen Danny had pulled outside. For the first time that day, she interacted with a toy rather than looking scared at her surroundings. A simple brown bear captivated her attention as well as Dakota who sat alongside the netting, guarding her.
The evening hours brought more discomfort to Danny. His heart felt pain and he twisted his hands as he thought about Sara. Tonight was a big night for her, one that made Danny cringe. He wished she were here and not on her first real date since their divorce.
As if reading Danny’s thoughts, Annabel interjected. “I wonder if Mom is having fun tonight with the principal.” She had her pizza folded in half, waited a second to drip some oil off, and took a small bite.
Danny’s expression soured. He made a feeble attempt to act natural as he looked down.
Nancy swiveled toward her sister, her hazel eyes dancing. “I wonder where they went and what Mom wore.”
Danny had eaten two slices. Suddenly, he wasn’t hungry anymore.
“I must check on what news the CDC released today,” he said leaving the table. As he turned on the TV and glanced at his Rolex, his stomach churned with his cheesy, oily meal. Mark Cunningham still hadn’t called. What was he going to do about Julia’s return the next day?
Chapter 19
Sara beamed into the mi
rror, admiring her streaked-blonde hair which looked as good as a professional salon’s highlighting job. She tried a new look by putting on a thin, multi-colored headband. It made her look more youthful than her already young-looking forty-four years and realized that just getting ready for the date had been a lot of fun.
After putting on a light lip gloss, she left the bathroom to hang up the two blouses and pants she had decided against wearing. A dress had won out. It buttoned straight down the front with matching buttons on the end of the three-quarter-length sleeves. A solid rich brown, the hem stopped at her knees. Maybe not lightweight enough for late summer or early fall but restaurants were always more air-conditioned than they should be and the dress looked smart on her. Downstairs, she grabbed her purse and made sure it was stocked with things she needed.
Sara drove the fifteen minutes into the downtown area rethinking her decision to meet Ross there instead of his invitation to pick her up … but she didn’t regret it. It would save any awkwardness of him taking her home, even seeing her to the door. She couldn’t think that far out - if she even wanted a man kissing her yet. She wanted to get to know him better first. Anything physical between them could wait, especially since they would be working under the same roof.
Seafood & Steaks Galore had customers spilling between the two sets of front doors. Sara craned her neck looking for Ross, then felt a hand on her arm. She turned and smiled at him as he guided her around the couple between them.
“Not exactly a quiet place is it?” he said, raising his voice. “You sure look nice! I told them to page us at the bar when our table is ready.”
Not only did he wear a warm smile, but his teeth were white as clouds. As they neared the occupied stools at the bar, one person left so Ross signaled for her to sit. Several people ambled around but there was still enough room that it didn’t seem overly-crowded.
“What can I get you?” he asked as the bartender slapped down two napkins.
“A white Chardonnay,” Sara replied.
“A Calfkiller beer for me,” Ross said.
She could feel the Saturday night party spirit and the busy surroundings put her at ease. A wide-screen TV over the liquor bottles and mirror played local news.
“This is an excellent place in case you haven’t been here before, Sara. The steak or seafood will melt in your mouth. I used to take my wife here at least once a month.”
“I haven’t been. I should get out more than I do, especially since the girls are older now. We pop into less expensive places maybe once a week. Otherwise, I’m a pretty good cook.”
“My wife was a good cook, too.”
Sara thanked the bartender as he placed down a tall wine glass. The evening news shifted to national news as she glanced up. Other patrons listened to the concerned reporter and watched the streaming banner, both signaling a national health alert not seen since the influenza pandemic many years ago. The current PAM made that outbreak seem like a sneeze during the flu.
Smelling the sweet aroma of her Chardonnay, she thought of Danny, deeply immersed in the biggest and most far-reaching event stemming out of their own Nashville.
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The house was quiet. Even Annabel and Nancy were sound asleep. They had watched a short rental movie and had gone to bed before eleven. Danny had rolled in an old but comfortable desk chair from the other room and sat next to Julia’s crib. The curtain was parted all the way and he stared out at the black night, the moon, a crescent figure brilliant behind the trees. He had always been fascinated with the night sky, especially when he’d had late nights at the Caney Fork River, and suddenly regretted never having a telescope to scan the stars.
He looked over at Julia, off in some dreamland. That’s what he’d do if he ever got to spend substantial time with her; he’d purchase an optical instrument to enhance their understanding of astronomy.
Danny studied her little face … angelic with snow-white, blemish-free skin. Her dark-blonde hair was fine and already a good inch long; her wide-set eyes were a dead giveaway from her mother. Rachel’s eyes were spectacular – the color bordering on aqua blue - and Danny guessed his daughter would follow in her footsteps.
His dilemma hadn’t changed because his lawyer still hadn’t called. While pondering what to do the next day, he faintly heard the garage door open and close. He hoped Casey would stop in before going to bed.
The lowest setting of the three-way bulb from the dresser lamp was on so a faint light spilled under the door. Casey saw it as he made his way down the hall and he tapped on Julia’s door, quietly pushing it open.
Glad to see him, Danny prompted Casey forward with a wave. “Come on in. How was work?”
“Are you making up for lost time with her?” Casey asked back. “It’s pretty late.”
“I believe I am. I feel so guilty about her situation.”
Casey nodded with understanding, and went to the windowsill and sat in the alcove.
“Guess where we went to pick up a patient today?” Casey asked.
Danny shrugged. “Opryland?”
“No, but you’re on the right track. A movie theatre ... in the aisle, in a crowded showing, while the movie still churned along. By the time we left, they had stopped it but I don’t know how they were going to make it up to the customers.”
“What about the patient?”
“He probably had a stroke.”
“What was playing?”
“Don’t know exactly, but I think it was one of those superhero things with far too much action and violence.”
Julia squirmed with restlessness for a minute while they sat in silence.
“So what’s going on with Julia?” Casey asked.
“I never heard back from Mark. If I don’t by tomorrow morning, I don’t think I should bring her back to Rachel.”
“You’d be doing the correct and moral thing by not returning her to an abusive situation but you could get in a heap of trouble, too. I have off tomorrow. I’ll come with you for the exchange if you decide to meet Rachel, or I’ll help in any way you need.”
Danny took a deep breath. If he gave Julia back to Rachel tomorrow, he could be putting her into a perilous situation. He would never forgive himself for that. “What would you do, Casey?”
“I wouldn’t let her set foot out of this house, metaphorically speaking, that is.”
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Sunday morning, Danny dangled his arm alongside the bed, feeling for Dakota’s wavy coat. The dog wasn’t to be seen and he wasn’t lying next to the bed. Danny couldn’t remember when that had ever happened before. He swung his legs off the side of the mattress, got up, and walked in his underwear to the bathroom. He slithered toothpaste on his brush and, as he swished it around his mouth, he peeked out the back window. As far as he could tell, his furry friend wasn’t out back either.
Danny threw on shorts and deck shoes and pulled a tee-shirt over his head as he walked quickly to Julia’s room. It was almost nine o’clock so he’d certainly slept in. Julia wasn’t there. He smiled at the dependability of living with a joint family.
“Will you look at that?” Danny said with a big smile when he got downstairs. Julia had an advanced toddler grip in Dakota’s neck hair, sharing the same space next to the coffee table. Dakota didn’t even get up to greet him.
“They are precious together,” Mary said, rinsing dishes at the sink. She still wore pajamas and slippers and looked backwards towards her brother.
“Thanks, Mary. Looks like you took care of Julia this morning. I didn’t mean to sleep in.” Danny went over, planted his arm around her shoulder, and gave her a squeeze.
“You’re welcome,” she said as the garage door opened and Casey came in with Annabel and Nancy, each of them with a grocery bag. As they said good morning to Danny and shoved the things on the counter, Casey went back out and brought in a dog food bag.
Nancy yanked at her hair, pushing one side in front of her ear. She peered into the bags and found what she wa
s looking for. The six-pack of glazed donuts came out while Annabel’s hand was already flipping open the top.
“You pig,” Nancy said as her sister took a first bite as soon as the box made contact with the counter.
Annabel rolled her eyes and turned her back.
“We need a joint discussion,” Danny said. “As Casey knows, I’m not giving Julia back to Rachel today; I’m calling her to let her know. So, I have a dilemma about taking care of Julia when I go to work as I don’t know how long I’ll have her or what’s going to happen.”
“Hey, Dad. Look at that,” Nancy said after she swallowed. “Dakota can take care of her.”
“You idiot,” Annabel said.
Nancy’s shoulders moved up and down. “Just kidding, you moron.” She put a donut on a paper napkin. “Dad, school starts this week. Otherwise, you could’ve paid me to babysit all summer.”
Danny took the dog food bag, turned around and put it in the bottom of the pantry. “Yeah, bad timing. Thanks for the offer anyway.”
“But we could still do it once in awhile,” Annabel said, “if she stays with you.”
Danny stepped back up to the counter and also took a donut as Mary placed a cup of coffee before him. “Thanks Mary.”
“The lady who cleans here every two weeks,” Mary said, “has watched her grandkids part-time all summer. But the kids go back to school so I could ask her if she’d like to come in every day and help out. I could take care of Julia until around nine a.m. every day and fill in, too.”
“And between the two of us coming and going,” Casey chimed in, “we could look after her. After all, she’s part of the family now.”
“Dakota is even helping out,” Mary said, pointing to the scene on the floor.