Melody

by Caroline Clemmons

  “Yes. I wasn’t certain whether or not to say we’re married or just say I work for you as housekeeper and cook and sometimes help out in the clinic.”

  His face grew red and a frown appeared. “Why would you say that? Good heavens, woman, you’d ruin your reputation if you said something like that. Are you thinking clearly?”

  “I was going to add that ours is a paper marriage. Then you could talk to the girls and see if there’s one you prefer. I know you’re still upset that I’m not a hospital nurse. And, I’m upset that you’ve judged me harshly.”

  “You’re being ridiculous and… and maudlin. I’m going to the clinic. I’ll be here to go with you to meet the stage.” He grabbed his jacket and slammed the door as he left.

  Melody reacted as if he’d slapped her. How could he accuse her of being ridiculous when she had no idea where she stood with him? Tears filled her eyes and ran down her cheeks as she washed the breakfast dishes.

  Hurit appeared in the kitchen with the bedroom water pitcher. Melody hadn’t heard her approach and quickly brushed aside her tears. Hurit pointed at Melody’s eyes and then hugged her. The sweet action almost undid Melody’s resolve.

  Instead, she returned the hug and then said, “Thank you, Hurit.”

  The other woman stepped back. “Man, phfft.”

  Melody laughed. “Yes, men, phooey.”

  At least Melody would be able to wear her new blue mohair dress to meet the stage. The weather was cold enough she could wear her nice cape too. She had to admit she would wear the cape even if it weren’t cold enough. After so many years of being dressed by charitable donations, she wanted to look her best for her friends.

  She’d made a hat from remnants of dress fabric. Maybe not Paris or New York style, but not too tawdry either. At three she went to the master bedroom and changed into her new dress. Hurit and Wapun watched with fascination as she donned her new underthings and then her new blue garment. She’d made the dress with buttons in the front so she could get dressed alone. The style was not complicated. She’d trimmed the sleeves and neck with black velvet and used jet buttons.

  After she was dressed, she took down her hair.

  Hurit and Wapun both went “Ooh” when they saw her hair down her back.

  Melody brushed until it shone. She smiled at them and twisted it into a chignon at the back. She set her new hat on her head and fastened with two hatpins. She turned slowly for the other two to see.

  Both clapped their hands in approval. Sometimes having other women here was nice.

  Flora came in. “Oh, don’t you look lovely? You’ll be the envy of all the other Southern Belles. I’ll wait here until you return. How can I tell them I’m just here in case they need something?”

  “I don’t know.” Melody had wondered about that all day. She couldn’t expect Quinn to show up every time she needed a translator. She took some of the brown paper she’d saved and drew the floorplan of the house. After drawing in the bedroom and parlor and kitchen furniture, she showed Hurit.

  “See, here is Wapun.” She pointed to a girl in bed then to a woman on the small bed. “Here is Hurit.”

  Hurit and Wapun laughed at her artwork. She never claimed to be an artist.

  She drew a woman in the parlor seated by the fireplace. “Here is Flora.” She gestured to her neighbor.” This is Flora. If you need help, call Flora.”

  Flora pointed to herself. “Flora. You call, I’ll come.”

  Hurit nodded as if she understood. Who knew whether she did or not?

  The sound of Nick’s footsteps echoed down the hall. He poked his head in and grinned. “Uh oh, looks like a ladies club.”

  Melody picked up her purse. “I’m ready and Flora will sit in the parlor and read unless her help is needed.”

  Flora held up a book. “One of yours I’ve borrowed.”

  Nick offered his arm. “Shall we go? I believe we’ll arrive at the stage depot on time.”

  She waved at Hurit and Wapun. “We’ll see you later.”

  The Blackfoot women waved.

  Melody, Flora, and Nick left the bedroom.

  Nick made sure there was enough wood on the parlor fire before helping Melody with her new cloak. “The weather isn’t really cold enough for this. It’s a balmy forty degrees with only a light breeze.”

  “As if you even considered for a moment I would not wear my new cloak.”

  He laughed and opened the front door. “No, I knew you would. I may not know how to talk to women but even I’m not that dense.”

  She stopped on the porch and stared at him.

  He held up a gloved hand as he offered her his other arm. “Don’t say anything, please. Let’s just get ambling along. I know I mess up a lot. You have to be patient with me.”

  She laid her gloved fingers on his sleeve. “I thought I was the one who messed up often.”

  “So, neither of us is perfect. I think that makes us human, don’t you?”

  She considered for a few seconds. “I suppose so. I sort of pictured you as superhuman.”

  “Is that good or bad? I mean am I a Greek god or a demon?”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “Sometimes I think one, sometimes the other. I haven’t come to a final conclusion yet.”

  He laughed. “Let me know when you decide, will you. If it’s a Greek god I might be able to use it to my advantage.”

  At the stage depot, they joined others waiting for the newcomers. In addition to a couple waiting for their daughter’s arrival with their grandson, the four Southern Belles from last year, Caroline, and Melody from this year waited with their husbands. A group of men of various ages waited, apparently in hope of viewing the new arrivals, including Glenn. The minister was there as well as a few ladies from the church.

  Nick whispered, “They definitely have a welcoming committee.”

  Before Melody could answer, the women arrived.

  Lots of squealing and laughter ensued until Melody had greeted each of her friends. She was surprised she was ready to go home as soon as she was. She supposed all those years living in the kitchen on the fringes of society had made her more of a loner than she’d realized.

  “We’d better leave, Nick. Flora will want to go home and Hurit and Wapun may wonder what’s happened to us.”

  Relief spread across his face. “I appreciate that. If you’re sure, I would like to leave. We’ve both had a tiring week. Are you certain you don’t want to go to the Eatery?”

  “Positive.” She called, “We have to leave because we have houseguests. We’ll see you all later.” She waved goodbye.

  They walked home slowly. Snow was falling again and she thought it fortunate the others had arrived today. Soon there would be heavy storms and travel would cease for the winter.

  “We’d better make certain we have enough food on hand. Our pantry is looking bare and we don’t want to be snowed in with nothing to eat.”

  He grinned at her. “If you insist on inviting your Blackfeet friends, what can you expect? Now they know you’re a good cook and will return again and again.”

  “Oh, that breakfast was awful. The eggs were cold, so were the biscuits. The meat was only barely warm. I was so embarrassed. At least the five braves got a good breakfast.”

  Nick laughed. “I was amazed you produced so much food on the spot. You are a very resourceful woman. I hate to give you a swelled head, but Chief Mingan complimented you.”

  What a surprise. “Thank goodness. I don’t think he likes us very much.”

  “He doesn’t trust us which is different. He has no reason to trust whites after so much of his land has been stolen again and again.”

  “I know and I have to agree with him that some whites are a sorry lot. Not us, of course. Well, I say that even though we are living on what was once his land. We aren’t the ones who promised and reneged on that promise.”

  “That’s beyond our realm. We are to serve the sick and remember the first of the Hippocratic oath, ‘First, do n
o harm’. I believe I abide by that.”

  “You certainly do, Nick. You’re a compassionate doctor. I’m proud of you. For instance treating that family who can’t pay and never reminding them of their debt.”

  “Thank you, Melody. I’m proud of you, too. I don’t know of anyone else who would have gone toe to toe with a Blackfoot chief in full war paint to protect his daughter from him. You had to be terrified, yet Quinn said you looked completely calm. You also projected calm toward that wild medicine man.”

  “You’re kind to say that.” She thought her heart would burst with pleasure from his praise. After savoring his words a few seconds, she said, “I wonder what Apisi means.”

  “You’ll laugh. Quinn said the word means coyote.”

  She did laugh. “Fitting. He didn’t even bother thanking us for the food.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  As they approached the house, they saw Flora running toward them. “The girl, she’s bleeding and needs you.”

  Nick patted Melody’s shoulder and took off running. She thanked Flora and the two hurried after Nick. When they got inside, Hurit was loudly weeping and Wapun was lying on the bed, silent but with tears flowing.

  Melody threw her cloak on a trunk. Until Nick told her what to do, she hugged Hurit in an attempt to comfort her.

  He looked at their neighbor. “Flora, I hate to ask you, but would you go to the Eatery and ask Quinn to come here? I can’t speak Blackfoot and he can.”

  Flora had removed her coat but she donned it quickly. “I’ll hurry but then I’ll go home unless you need me.”

  Melody took Hurit by the shoulders. “Can you tell me what happened? What was Wapun doing when the blood started?”

  Hurit shrugged her shoulders. Melody looked in the chamber pot and gasped. “Nick, she must have pulled something loose when she relieved herself.”

  Nick collected his medical bag and cleaned his hands. “Can you let her mother know in signals that I’ll have to check Wapun inside?”

  Melody tried sign language but her mother frowned as if she didn’t understand. Melody touched Wapun to get her attention. She made the sewing motions and pointed to her private area.

  Wapun nodded and spoke to her mother.

  Hurit clasped her daughter’s hand and wailed.

  Melody rubbed the mother’s back and spoke soothing words.

  Hurit would not be consoled.

  Quinn rushed in gasping. “Got here as fast as I could.”

  “Sorry to interrupt your dinner with friends but I can’t find out what happened here. Can you just get the story before you go finish your meal?”

  “Nice to see my wife so delighted but I was glad to leave the hen party. Never heard so much chatter in my life. Aw.but, as long as Sarah’s happy, I don’t mind.” He spoke to Wapun and Hurit.

  Wapun answered him.

  Her mother was too upset.

  “Chief Mingan asked his wife to see if their daughter was well enough to leave. Hurit tried to help Wapun walk. That’s when she started bleeding. They tried to stop it on their own then called Flora when they couldn’t.”

  “I suspected something like that. Will you wait until I check her so you can tell them how much damage there is?”

  Quinn looked at the women. “I’ll wait in the hall. Yell when you’re ready for me.”

  Melody tugged a trunk away from the wall. “Why don’t you sit on this and face away from the bed? No point you having to stand around while you’re waiting.”

  Quinn dropped onto the trunk and rubbed his chest. “Whew. I must be out of shape. All this running here is going to kill me.”

  Melody stood beside him and stabbed a finger against his shoulder. “Then you’d better get in shape, Sheriff Cassidy. Don’t you make Sarah a widow and Becca an orphan. They love you and need you alive.”

  He grinned at her. “Yes, ma’am. I’m right fond of them, too. I plan to be around long enough to play with my grandchildren.”

  “See that you are.”

  Nick dug out the chloroform bottle and a white pad. He moistened the pad. “Melody, you know what to do with this.”

  She took the bottle and pad and stood by Wapun’s head across the bed from her mother. She laid the pad over Wapun’s mouth and nose. Then she smoothed one hand on the girl’s hair. “It will be all right, Wapun, dear. Relax.”

  Wapun stared at her with what Melody hoped was trust. The girl’s lovely dark eyes soon fluttered closed. Hurit leaned her head on the bed and continued to sob while holding her daughter’s hand.

  “As I suspected, she’s pulled loose the most serious stitches. I’ll repair the sutures but now she’s going to take much longer to heal. Quinn will you tell her mother that?”

  Without turning around, he spoke to Hurit. Her sobs increased to wails.

  Melody didn’t take her eyes off the chloroform drips but she said, “Hurit needs a sedative.”

  Nick snapped, “Thank you, Dr. Walker. I’ll take your diagnosis into consideration.”

  Melody snapped back, “Be respectful or I’ll smack this pad on your nose and mouth when you’ve finished sewing up Wapun.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “I believe you would.”

  Quinn chuckled. “I believe she would, too. Better watch what you say, friend.”

  After over an hour, Nick sat upright and flexed his shoulders. “Damage is repaired as well as I can. She shredded herself pretty badly.” He left the covers down while he tossed his instruments into a pan to be cleaned. “Her shift is bloody so let’s change her while she’s asleep.”

  Melody glanced at her husband quickly and then back to the pad over Wapun’s face. “Shall I tell you where the clean ones are or do you want to take over the chloroform?”

  “The space where you’re standing is too narrow for us to change places easily. Tell me and we’ll get everything arranged before we stop the anesthetic.”

  She gave directions. “I imagine the sheets are soiled as well. Are we changing those?”

  “They need it but let’s just slide a folded clean one under her so she doesn’t have to move as much. Women do that for childbirth.”

  When everything was ready, Nick took a deep breath. “Quinn, please tell Hurit she needs to help me change Wapun’s soiled shift and tuck a sheet under her.” He stood beside Melody, ready to pull the shift from Wapun.

  Quinn spoke in a soothing voice and Hurit sat up. She nodded and wiped her eyes then helped remove the dirty garment and slide on the clean one.

  Nick said, “Tell her I’ll lift Wapun and she’s to slide the folded sheet under her hips.”

  Quinn folded his arms. “Look, I don’t know as many Blackfoot words as you think I do. Well, I’ll try.” He spoke aided with hand gestures even as he kept his back turned.

  Nick gently raised the girl’s torso as her mother slid a folded sheet under her. When he’d lowered her, he tucked in the sheet on his side of the bed so Hurit did the same on her side of the mattress. He pulled up the cover and nodded to Melody.

  She handed him the chloroform bottle but held the moistened pad in her hand for a few seconds with her eyes narrowed before tossing it into the trash bin.

  He grinned. “I got the message, Nurse.”

  Hurit was sobbing again.

  With a sigh, Nick filled a glass of water and added powder from a packet. Shaking his head he approached Hurit.

  “Quinn, one more time and I swear you’re through translating today. Safe to turn around now. Tell the mother to drink the liquid in the glass I’m holding.”

  Quinn looked at Hurit as he spoke.

  Hurit shook her head.

  He repeated what he’d said plus a lot more. He gestured to Nick and Melody and himself.

  Hurit’s posture slumped as if in resignation as she sat on the small bed. Hurit nodded and reached for the glass. She drank most of the liquid then shuddered and made a face.

  Melody signed sleeping and gestured to the small bed. With apparent reluctance, Hurit str
etched out and Melody covered her with the blanket and added the fur robe on top. She smoothed Hurit’s hair as she had the daughter’s. “Sleep will restore you, Hurit. Everything will look better tomorrow. Goodnight.”

  Quinn said, “Goodnight is right. I’m going home.”

  Nick clapped his friend on the shoulder. “Once again, thanks for your help.”

  Melody took a blanket from her trunk and pulled it around her shoulders. “I’ll roll up here on the floor.”

  Nick appeared appalled. “Nonsense, you can’t sleep on the hard floor.”

  “Of course I can. You remember Wapun ran fever before. Now I know what to do but I have to be here to care for her. You go to bed and I’ll be fine.”

  He shook his head. “I can’t let you sleep on the floor while I sleep in a soft bed.”

  “Nick, be practical. What would be the point of both of us sleeping on the floor? You’ll have a half day of patients tomorrow. If I need to, I’ll take a nap on your bed tomorrow afternoon.”

  “Surely there’s a softer, fluffier blanket to use.”

  “What, you don’t like my blanket? Hmm, and after it helped save my life.” She drew the ugly dark brownish-green blanket around her. “This is the one I wrapped around Nana Fraser so her white nightie wouldn’t show. That’s while we were hiding in the water while the soldiers burned our home and searched for us.”

  “Good heavens, what a reminder.”

  “We could tell they were coming so I wrapped this around Nana and hustled her into the water. Sadie helped me. Nana was mad as all get out, too. We didn’t have long to wait before the soldiers were there.”

  “You could tell they were coming?” He spoke as if he meant another thing.

  “Of course, we were watching, you see. The smoke from other homes was easy to spot and we knew we were right in the line they were making. We heard the artillery fire coming closer. For weeks I had planned what I’d do and hidden all I could. As we hurried Nana to the water, Sadie took a few things she could carry in a tow sack.”

  “Very resourceful.”

  “Nana was fit to be tied. She accused us of trying to drown her. I’m grateful the soldiers made enough noise to drown out her voice. Otherwise, we’d likely have died right then.”