“Reasonable? Are you insane? I turn over running this place at six every day so I can be a family man.”
Elias gestured toward the tables. “You’ll also notice there are no women serving drinks. Dixon’s sons change the atmosphere, but I haven’t had many complaints.”
Adam slapped the bar. “See, women always have to change your life. Why can’t they leave things as they are? A man has a right to do what he thinks is best.”
Elias smiled and laid a hand on Adam’s shoulder. “Because sometimes a man is dead wrong, Adam.”
Adam drained his mug and slammed it against the bar. “Judas.” He turned and stomped out of the saloon.
Elias watched the sheriff leave. “Whew, guess I struck a nerve. He and Lydia must have had another spat.”
After a swallow of beer, Riley set down his mug. “He might as well surrender and marry her. Everyone in town knows he’s in love with her and she’s in love with him. Don’t understand why he resists.”
Elias shook his head. “He always says he’s not good enough for her, which is a bunch of bull.”
Riley had heard Adam spout his faulty reasoning. “Sure is. She thinks he’s good enough and that’s what counts. He worries because she’s got that big house and the ranch and money.”
“Don’t see how that could matter if it doesn’t to her.”
Riley swallowed the last of his drink. “Guess I’d better head home and check on my patient.”
Elias walked toward the door with him. “You have someone staying over?”
“Nancy Lyons had surgery this morning. She’s doing well, but I want to check her frequently.”
“See you later then.”
Riley walked toward his home. Late afternoon on a summer day meant dirt kicking up on the road. Sunlight highlighted the dust particles floating in the air. Seemed as if the wind always blew in Tarnation. At least there wasn’t another tornado in sight.
The storm that had brought destruction to Tarnation had been severe. Luckily, only a small part of the town had been hit. Tom Boyd and Elmer Hubbard, each of whom went out during the storm, had been killed by debris. Poor Mrs. Arrenton had died inside her home because her heart had given out during the turmoil.
When he approached his home, Prudence was sweeping the walk in front of her place. He gave a small wave and turned in at his home’s front walk. Perhaps she wasn’t quite as much a hazard as he’d first believed.
***
A couple of days later, Riley was about to have lunch when Dobber Hankins rushed in, gasping as if he’d run from his home instead of riding a horse.
“Doc, you gotta come real quick. Ola Mae’s havin’ the babies and somethin’s wrong. Hurry, please.”
“While I hitch the buggy, go across the street and ask Miss Lynch to come with us. Tell her I’ve requested her to bring whatever she takes to midwife.”
Dobber rushed out and left the door open wide.
Riley’s mom shut the door. “I’ll make up a food basket. No telling how long you’ll be there or what they have to eat.”
By the time he had his buggy ready, Prudence and Dobber were there. Before Riley could offer to help her into the vehicle, she’d climbed in and scooted her medical bag under the seat.
Dobber yelled, “I’ll ride on home.”
***
Prudence had been shocked when a strange man in a frenzied state told her Riley had asked her to accompany him and act as midwife. The poor man was so upset she didn’t question his request.
Sophie rushed from the back door with a basket. “You’ll need this. Don’t think the Hankins will have much on hand.”
Prudence accepted the container. “Thank you, Sophie.”
They were off at a clip.
Prudence set the basket under the seat with their medical bags. “He didn’t tell me his name or what’s wrong, only that you wanted me to come and bring my midwife things.”
“His name’s Dobber Hankins. He and his wife Ola Mae are expecting twins, her first pregnancy. Dobber said something’s wrong and I took his word.” He shrugged. “Her delivery may be normal and then you’ll be mad at me for taking you away from your business.”
Her business, not her practice? He hadn’t intended his comment as an insult she was sure, so she let it slide. “No, you did the right thing. You can’t take a chance. If she’s in a bad way there might not be time to send for me.”
This was the first time she’d been southwest of Tarnation and she enjoyed the ride. They drove by pastures dotted with cattle and by an occasional farm. Not as many trees dotted the landscape this way, but there were groves here and there.
“Do we cross the river?”
“No, thank goodness. The Brazos has some nice beach-like areas, but it also has plenty of quicksand. Since I’m only out when I’m on a call, I haven’t investigated. I only cross where there’s a ferry.”
“No bridges nearby?”
“Not in our area. Someday there will be, of course, but not yet. When the railroad comes through, at least they’ll build one for the trains.”
“That won’t help you. How far is our destination?”
“Only a little further. They don’t have a big place or much money. I hope you won’t be disappointed if you don’t get paid—or if we get a chicken each.”
“No, that’s often how Granny and I were paid back in Virginia. Only a few families offered cash.”
“Guess that’s the way it is in all small towns.” He nodded. “There’s the Hankins’ cabin.”
Cabin it was. The house appeared sturdy, but small.
Dobber must have been listening for the buggy because he came out to meet them. “I’ll take care of your horse. You hurry on in and help Ola Mae.”
A woman’s scream sent them running. Prudence grabbed her medical bag while Riley carried the food basket and his bag.
Inside, Prudence let Riley lead the way. He set the basket on a small table then removed his jacket and tie. He scrubbed his hands with carbolic acid and dried them with a pristine towel from his bag.
She slipped on her apron and sleeve protectors then echoed his actions. The interior was dark for afternoon. The home was all one room.
Prudence and Riley hurried to a curtained-off area. The curtain was thin and offered only minimal privacy. She went to side of the bed opposite Riley.
Ola Mae lay sweating and red-faced. The young woman appeared exhausted and the state of her distress terrified Prudence. Ola Mae’s feet were swollen the size of tree trunks and she gasped for breath.
Ola Mae tried to rise from the bed and gripped Riley’s hand. “Doc, help me. I’m splitting in two.”
“I’ve brought Miss Lynch with me. She’s an experienced midwife and will help me deliver those twins.”
The young mother-to-be sagged back against her pillow and released his hand. “I was so scared I’d die before you got here.”
Prudence saw two cradles. “Do you have blankets and diapers for the babies? I’ll also need a basin and water to clean them.”
Dobber stuck his head around the curtain. “The blankets and diapers are stacked on that chest. Basin’s on the washstand and there’s fresh water in the pitcher. I already put an oilcloth sheet on the bed ’cause I heard you’re supposed to or the mattress gets ruined.”
“Thank you for being so organized.” Prudence forced a smile for the father then watched Riley, hoping for direction from him.
He met her gaze and she saw his horror matched hers but his movements were swift and professional. After listening to the mother’s stomach, he examined her cervix. When he looked up, he motioned for Prudence to approach.
He spoke low while watching Ola Mae. “Both these babies are breech. One’s heartbeat is already slowing. The only way to save them is a caesarean. Have you heard of that method?”
She nodded. “The first one in the U.S. was done in 1794 in West Virginia by a doctor on his wife. Granny and I read all we could about birthing procedures.”
&
nbsp; He wiped his forehead with his sleeve. “Thank God! Are you willing to assist me?”
She supposed he asked because he was so disconcerted. “That’s why I’m here, isn’t it? Shall I start the ether?”
“First, I have to explain to the parents. Making Dobber understand will be difficult.
“Dobber, please come here by Ola Mae.”
The young man appeared instantly. “What’s wrong? I heard you two whispering.”
“What’s wrong?” Ola Mae cried out again, “Am I dying?”
“No, Ola Mae. Dobber, wash your hands good with lye soap and dry them with a clean towel then bring a chair and set it by your wife’s head. Hurry.”
The clattering from the kitchen area sounded as if Dobber had knocked over furniture in his haste. In the meantime, Ola Mae punctuated the air with frequent screams. Soon he was back and sat by Ola Mae’s pillow, holding his wife’s hand.
Prudence assembled the gauze and ether then cleansed Ola Mae’s abdomen with carbolic acid. She decided since Riley knew the parents, she should let him do all the talking.
Ola Mae’s cries stopped long enough for her to stare at Prudence then back at Riley. “Why is she working on my stomach like that? The babies are inside of me.”
Riley patted her leg. “That’s why I asked Dobber to come beside you. There’s a problem, but we can still deliver them. I have to make an incision in your stomach to get them out. Otherwise, one of them isn’t going to make it. You might have heard of a caesarean birth.”
Dobber’s fright set his homely features in a pale mask. “You plan to cut her open? That’s awful scary, Doc. I never heard of such and it couldn’t be safe.”
“As safe as childbirth ever is. I assure you I’ll be as quick as possible. Ola Mae, Miss Lynch will help with ether so you don’t feel pain during the operation.”
Ola Mae cried again then gasped. “Couldn’t be worse than what I’m having now. Get on with it, please. I can’t stand this no longer.”
Riley nodded at Prudence.
She placed the gauze loosely over Ola Mae’s mouth and nose. “Take deep breaths and you’ll soon drift off to sleep. When you wake, Dr. Gaston will have delivered your twins.”
She stroked the mother’s forehead as she dripped the sweet yet sharp smelling ether on the gauze. Looking up, Prudence smiled at Dobber, whose head was close to his wife’s.
“Don’t lean in too close or you’ll be dropping off to sleep too.”
He scrubbed a large hand across his face but sat up straight. “Reckon I’ll need all the sleep I can get from now on.”
When Prudence judged Ola Mae was asleep, she nodded to Riley.
He took a deep breath and she sensed his apprehension. In spite of that, his actions were perfect. When he laid back the outer layer, he revealed the twins were fraternal in separate sacs
Chapter Seven
Prudence kept close watch on the ether to insure Ola Mae received an amount sufficient to keep her asleep so she wouldn’t react to pain but not enough to harm her.
Riley slit the first sac, clipped and tied the natal cord, and handed the crying infant to Prudence. “Dobber, this one’s a boy.”
The father smiled like he’d just won a fortune, which in Prudence’s opinion he had.
Dobber peered at the squirming, bawling infant. “Well, I’ll swan. He sure sounds healthy, don’t he?”
Prudence wrapped the baby securely in a blanket before she laid him beside his mother’s shoulder. “We’ll clean him up later. Right now he needs to stay warm.”
By this time, Riley was handing her the other baby, the one who was weaker. “A little girl this time, Dobber. Nice to have one of each, isn’t it?”
“Sure is, but we don’t care, Doc. I just want Ola Mae and the babies to be all right.”
“They appear to be healthy.” He paused. “Has Ola Mae complained of pain when she has her monthly flow?”
“Somethin’ awful. Sometimes she doubles over from the ache.”
“She has a growth on one of her ovaries. I need to remove that ovary and the tumor. You understand if I do it will decrease the likelihood of another child?”
Dobber shook his head and waved away Riley’s explanation. “We don’t want no more babies, Doc. We only wanted two afore this. Now I sure don’t plan to have her go through this again.”
“I’ll get on with the job, then.” He was quick. “Now, I’ll close Ola Mae’s incision and she’ll be on her way to recovery.”
When he’d sewn Ola Mae’s abdomen closed, Riley wrapped his tools in cloth and put them into a pocket of his medical bag. “Ola Mae’s going to be sore and tired. She’ll have to stay in bed for at least a week. For the next two months she should rest most of the time. Is there someone who can stay with you and help care for the house and babies?”
Dobber peered at his children. “Soon as her mama learned about the twins, she set out to come. We thought she’d be here in time for the births. She’s arrivin’ from Strawn on tomorrow’s stage.”
He puffed out his chest. “I give Dubicki the money to bring her here ’n I made a cot for her a bed. We’re ready for her to be here long as she needs to stay.”
Prudence looked at Riley. “I can remain until then. I’ll ride back with Mr. Dubicki.”
Riley shook his head. “I’ll stay awhile and make sure she comes out of the ether all right. She’ll be in pain then so I’ll give her some laudanum.”
Dobber stood and stretched. “Sorry, now I see Ola Mae and the babies are doin’ fine, I need to take care of my stock. Can’t afford to lose none of them, specially now I have two more mouths to feed.”
Prudence cleaned each baby while trying to prevent the newborns from getting chilled. The boy fussed, but the girl sucked her thumb. Next she cleaned the mother and the bed.
Riley carefully examined each baby then gave Prudence an admiring smile. “Obviously you’ve done this many times. You managed with minimal fuss.
“Thank you. Your surgical technique was impressive. Had you ever done a caesarean before?”
He shook his head. “Saw one while I was training and I’ve read about others. Frankly, I was scared spitless. I hope there’s no sepsis.”
“That’s the first one I’ve observed. From what I saw, no one could have done a better job, Dr. Gaston. Although, I worry her ankles were so swollen and her face so red. Since I haven’t seen Ola Mae before, I don’t know if that’s her normal color.”
He raised his eyebrows. “No, she worries me, too. I’ll stay here until her mother arrives. I hope you don’t mind. I certainly won’t blame you if you choose to drive the buggy back to town. I’ll catch a ride with Dubicki. Your customers will be wondering why you’re not available.”
She smiled at him. “You haven’t read my closed sign. It says that if I’m not there in daytime hours, I’ll likely be attending a baby’s delivery. Do we need to send Dobber to let Sophie and Lydia know?”
“Mother won’t expect me and she’ll tell Lydia where you’ve gone. I’d already expressed concern about the twins’ delivery. Shall we see what she sent for us to eat? I’m starving.” He opened the basket.
Prudence slid the thin curtain along the ropes holding it. “I’ll pull this out of the way so we can watch Ola Mae from the table. She should be waking soon.” She poured water into three tin mugs and set them on the table.
She and Riley sat at the table with a view of the sleeping woman. Her babies were snug in their cradles.
Rather than wait for Dobber’s return, Riley handed her one of the sandwiches. “You think you could call me Riley since we’ve been through two surgeries?” He bit into his food as if he really were starving.
She’d always thought of him as Riley, so his request was easy. “I’d like that if you’ll call me Prudence.”
“Thank you. I appreciate your help. I’d hate to have been here on my own. Men have performed this procedure without help, but I believe the survival of mother and babies is more likely wit
h assistance.”
She recalled that the operation in West Virginia had been a doctor on his wife. “Imagine delivering your own child that way.”
He shook his head. “Must have been terrifying for father and mother.”
“Yes, but presumably the mother had faith in her husband’s ability. That means the father bore the most fear.”
He took a drink of water. “You plan to have children?”
“If I marry, I’d like to. At least, I do until I’m at the first of a delivery. Watching the pain and blood always dampens the appeal, but only until I hold the baby. Then I’m convinced again.”
He chuckled. “I’m glad I’m a man and don’t have to go through that experience firsthand.”
***
By the time Ola Mae’s mother arrived, Ola Mae had recovered enough to complain about the pain and coo over her infants. Apparently the new mother produced plenty of milk to accommodate both babies. Leaving the grandmother in charge with a list of instructions, Riley and Prudence left.
On the way to town, Prudence stretched. “Thanks for letting me sleep longest last night. You must be exhausted.”
“I don’t envy Mrs. Marcus sleeping on that cot, do you?”
“She and I are shorter than you are. I didn’t find it uncomfortable. Of course, my feet didn’t hang off the end. I hope she understands the directions I left for her to help Ola Mae.”
He shook his head. “You need not have bothered. I gave her instructions.”
“I mean for the things I left.”
A frown furrowed his handsome brow. “What do you mean? What did you leave?”
“Herbs to help fight infection. There were also two teas to help her heal and one to ease the pain. Don’t worry, none of them will interfere with your treatment or her nursing the babies.”
His face clouded with anger and he halted the horse. “I’ve a good mind to go back and gather up all that snake oil.”
The nerve of the man. “You’ll do no such thing.”
She reached over and flicked the reins to set the horse going again. “Do you think for a minute I’d risk that mother’s life—or that of her precious babies since she’ll be feeding them? What I left for her is much safer than laudanum for a nursing mother, and that’s a fact.”
Prudence Page 7
