by DiAnn Mills
I didn’t question his comment because I didn’t have enough of my wits about me to speak on the matter.
“You must be exhausted,” he said.
And experiencing profound emotions. “I am. I’ll have no trouble sleeping tonight.” But I knew my thoughts would be filled with him.
“Do you need for me to build you a fire?”
The thought of having him inside my cabin with such intimacy gave me chills. “No, thank you. Charlotte has one of the ranch hands take care of that chore. But I want to learn to take care of myself.”
“An independent lady.” He chuckled, an alluring sound that I sensed would stay with me forever.
“I’m doing my best.”
“Eva, I’m convinced you could do anything you set your mind to.”
Maybe not everything, for tonight my mind wrapped around my heart, and I was afraid.
CHAPTER 22
Tahoma opened the door of his home and clinic, confusion and frustration filling his spirit. Nothing in his life looked simple. Those who objected to his medical practice had succeeded in turning others against him. Claude had denied him the opportunity to talk to Yanaba, and Tahoma wanted to see if she was healing properly. Willencia had convinced those women who were pregnant not to seek his care. All those years of medical school wasted. His mother’s words had cut deep, and he struggled with where he fit among his own. When he returned each day from guarding Eva, no one waited for medical attention. He hadn’t even been called to neighboring ranches for minor ailments or an accident.
Tonight, like so many other nights, he read his Bible and prayed for guidance. He’d wrestled with the decision of moving among the whites to serve as a doctor or help those in need on the reservation in Arizona. The latter made sense—after the killer was caught.
He also prayed about Eva and where his emotions were leading him. She was yet another complication he didn’t need. At least, that’s what he told himself. They often talked along the road to the Monarch home, discussing everything from the cold weather to what he liked about Chicago. And he watched her until Pete took over in the evening. Mr. and Mrs. Monarch’s bodyguard, Mr. Whitman, kept an eye on the house around the clock. The plan looked perfect, but Tahoma understood that the minds of devious men could discover where she hid. After all, Walt had found her.
He wanted to dislike Eva, but she fascinated him with the creative ways she taught the boys. She was unlikely to consider him as anything more than a friend, while his feelings raced after her heart like an unbridled horse. She had more wealth than he could imagine, and he had nothing. Yet each day he found it increasingly hard to leave her. He ached to touch her face, hold her, and tell her he’d die defending her against whoever wanted her dead.
He tried to tell himself that a white woman would break his heart like before, but Eva had none of the traits of the woman who had nearly destroyed him in Chicago. Instead, he chose to keep his emotions bottled up rather than risk the agony of losing something he never had.
The sound of a car engine tore his attention from his musings to what might be going on outside. Before he marked his Bible where he’d been reading and made his way to the door, someone pounded hard.
“Tahoma, I have a sick man.”
He recognized Charlotte’s voice and flung open the door. The headlights on her truck lit up the black night. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Rex.” Clearly out of breath, she inhaled deeply. “I’m afraid it might be his appendix. He’s complaining of pain in his right side.” She gasped. “Juan said he’s been throwing up, and he’s hotter than a firecracker. Eva’s in the car with him.”
Alarm pounded through his veins. Tahoma hoped Charlotte had misread Rex’s symptoms. He inwardly groaned at the thought of surgery by lantern and candlelight. Hadn’t he and Eva just discussed this? The patient’s chances of survival always lessened during this kind of emergency.
“Let’s get him inside. Maybe he ate too much supper.”
“He didn’t have supper. That’s when I went looking for him.”
Not good news. Tahoma hurried to the car. Time was wasting away and a man’s life flowed out. Lately, his luck in saving his patients hadn’t been good. And now Eva and Charlotte would witness it all. He opened the car door to see Rex’s head on Eva’s lap. In the shadows, he could see her stroking his whiskered face.
“Hey, old man. What did you do, decide to eat your weight in pork chops?”
“I don’t think so.” Rex’s voice sounded weak. “But I do like Miss Eva taking care of me. I think I’m now ready for my Maker.”
“Not if I have a say in it.” Tahoma reached into the car to help him out.
Within ten minutes of getting Rex into the clinic and onto the examining table, Tahoma confirmed the man was in trouble. Rex’s fever registered at 102 degrees, and he had no bowel sounds. Tahoma removed his stethoscope and touched the tender area in the lower right quadrant then quickly let up. Rex winced and broke out into a sweat.
He leaned over the man. “Rex, I’ve got to take your appendix out. It’ll require surgery.”
Rex didn’t even blink. “Then do it. Can’t work feelin’ like this.”
He wouldn’t live either. “I’m going to put you to sleep. And you won’t feel a thing. When you wake up, it’ll be all over.” He glanced up at the women. Charlotte nodded slowly, but Eva offered her response in the way of wide-eyed terror.
“What do you need for us to do?” Charlotte spoke as though they were about to brand cattle.
“We need to get him into my surgery room. I’ll need one of you to hold a lantern and the other one to hold a cloth of ether near his face.” He reached under Rex, and the women did the same on the opposite site. “When he’s in place, I need to wash up. Then I’ll want you to do the same, clear up to your elbows.”
Rex moaned, and Eva drew in a sob. She shouldn’t be there. A woman of her caliber had assuredly never seen a man cut open. Then he remembered. She’d seen her grandfather shot. Perhaps she’d surprise him…she often had in the past.
Once Rex lay on the surgery table, Tahoma hurried to wash. “One of you could gather up the two lanterns and the candles out here. Light them all. Matches are on my desk.”
When he’d laid out his instruments and needed items and the women had scrubbed up, he dipped cheesecloth into the either. “Who’s going to handle this?”
“I will,” Eva said.
Good. That way she didn’t need to steady the lantern over the incision. He handed her the cloth. “Do not touch his face. It’ll burn him.” He demonstrated the correct position, and she took the cloth.
“You’ll do a good job, Miss Eva,” Rex whispered. “I believe in ya.”
She smiled into the man’s face—the look of an ancient goddess.
Tahoma washed Rex’s abdomen with soap and water. Then he used a solution of carbonic acid to disinfect the area.
“Eva, would you pray for all of us?” He picked up the instrument to begin the incision.
“I will—until this is over.”
“Thanks. Now, Charlotte, hold the light steady over where I’m working.” He chose not to mention the seriousness of a ruptured appendix and the danger of bacteria spreading throughout Rex’s abdomen.
He made an incision through the skin, subcutaneous fat, muscles, and the thin membrane that enclosed the abdominal cavity. Immediately he noted the diseased organ had not ruptured. Relief flooded through him.
“God is on our side,” he whispered. “Let me get this troublemaker out of here.” Eva hadn’t said a word. He gave her a quick look and saw she was deathly pale. “Are you all right?”
She nodded and swallowed hard, but he didn’t have time to assess her condition. “If you feel faint, call out.”
“I’m fine,” she managed. “Rex is the one who’s important. I’ll do my part.”
“This old geezer will live to be a hundred.” Tahoma worked quickly to clamp the base and remove the appendix.
&n
bsp; “He outworks the other ranch hands.” Although Charlotte sounded tough, viewing surgery had to be a bit trying on anyone’s nature, at least those with no medical training. “How much longer?”
“Does your arm ache?”
“Very funny. I’m watching it all, and my stomach is a little squeamish.”
The two women were beginning to look as pale as his patient. “Soon. My concern is making sure the abdomen is clear of infection.”
“How long are you going to keep him at the clinic?”
“A few days. I don’t want him moved until I’m sure he’s healing properly.”
“I think we’ll cancel the tour for the Monarch boys,” Eva said.
He’d been thinking more about his responsibility to her than three boys visiting his clinic. “I agree. I need one of you to contact Pete about my inability to leave Rex for the next few days.”
“I’ll handle it,” Charlotte said. “I can keep an eye on Rex if needed.”
He laughed. “Let’s see how he’s doing in the next forty-eight hours. I wouldn’t want his sutures to break and his insides falling out while you’re here.”
“Tahoma!” Charlotte squealed her words like a child, prompting a giggle from Eva.
He chuckled. “Should I ask Eva? She hasn’t fainted yet.”
“I’d gladly help you,” Eva said.
He finished tying off the sutures. “You’d be unchaperoned.” He grinned at both of them, at last feeling a sense of relief.
“Very inappropriate arrangement.” Charlotte shook her head. “Someone might find out you two were spending time alone.”
“I’m right here, you two,” Eva said. “And we’d be with Rex. I could be a nurse, which would handle the whole problem of who’s going to be my bodyguard. That way Tahoma could take care of any patients who needed his care.”
The temptation would drive him crazy because there were no other patients. “What would Murdock say?”
“That you were taking care of your responsibilities, and I was assisting you on both counts. Before you give me one more argument, Charlotte could send word through Pete to let the Monarchs know the boys can have a holiday for the next few days.”
“Why not?” Charlotte held the lantern with both hands. “I can bring her by in the morning, and Pete can pick her up tomorrow evening, and we can do the same the following day.”
Tahoma wiped the blood from his hands and stared into Eva’s face. He couldn’t refuse her, but behaving himself would be difficult. “We could try it for one day and see if it works out.”
Within twenty minutes, he had his instruments and his surgery room in good enough order until he could see better in the morning.
“Could I have a word alone with you before we leave?” Charlotte said.
Tahoma was too weary to question her. “If Nurse Eva can keep an eye on Rex, I can walk you to your car. Then both of you need to get back to the ranch.”
Outside, the cold air blew reality into his mind. “Thanks, Charlotte. You saved Rex’s life tonight. I appreciate all your help.”
“I think you did all the work. All I managed was bringing him here. Do you think he’ll pull through all right?”
“He’s got a good chance.” He opened the car door.
“Tahoma.”
He whipped his attention back to her.
“Does Eva know how you feel about her?”
He hesitated, searching for the right words to respond. Tonight, Eva’s eyes had given away her heart. He welcomed it and feared it and regretted it all in the same breath. “You and I know a relationship between us is a catastrophe in the making.”
“Love’s pretty powerful.”
“Not that powerful.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
He blew out a weary sigh. “No reason to. The subject always has the same ending. She needs to return to New York and resume her life there.”
“And what about you?”
“I have a practice among my people.”
“I’ve heard rumors about your family turning against you.”
“Well, you’ve heard right. Haven’t figured out what I’m supposed to do yet.” He stepped back from the car door so she could scoot inside. “I don’t want Eva to know about the problems here.”
“She won’t hear a word from me. Just remember, you have a place at the ranch if you need it.”
“Thanks. I hope I don’t. I’ll send Eva on out.” He shut the door and listened to her start the engine. Now to get Eva on the road so he could keep an all-night vigil on Rex. Tomorrow was another day, and he’d deal with fighting his attraction to Eva then.
That night, I slept fitfully, all the while wondering how Rex fared. I wanted him to live, and I prayed continuously for God to heal his body. I feared He wouldn’t hear my prayer, because I didn’t think I’d done all I was supposed to do to be a Christian. I wasn’t sure why I held back. I believed in the Gospel, but was that enough? A part of me worried that if Rex died, it would be my fault. So I lay awake and thought about far too many things.
Fear had walked with me every moment since I’d witnessed Grandfather’s murder. Although I did my best to hide the frightened little girl inside me and be resourceful, my distress manifested itself when I was alone…like tonight. In the quiet darkness, with only the sounds of the crackling fire and the steady click of the clock, I imagined the killer coming through the door after me. Would it ever end? Charlotte had told me repeatedly that I had tapped into unknown strength. But just because I’d learned to hit a target didn’t mean my stomach stopped churning at the memory of the killer.
I no longer missed home, and my peace was due to the wonderful people who cared for and protected me. Another reason I wanted to help Tahoma with Rex. I needed to return the graciousness extended to me. Especially Tahoma. He’d made sacrifices, and I felt extremely selfish in keeping him away from his patients.
Tonight he’d been magnificent. I’d never forget the intensity in his face while he fought to save Rex’s life. Never. Someday when this was over, I wanted to help others too.
I didn’t have any of his skills, only an education that was designed to attract a husband and assist me in maintaining a commendable position in society. Could I ever be good enough for a man like Tahoma?
CHAPTER 23
The next morning, I stood beside an eastern window inside Tahoma’s clinic and watched a ray of sunlight cast an ethereal glow onto Rex’s sleeping face. He looked almost angelic—if a leather-skinned, fence-post-thin man could be a heavenly being.
“He will live, won’t he?”
Tahoma studied Rex’s face and glanced up at me. The same sunlight focused on his bronzed features. “The critical hours are passing with no signs of stress or infection. Looks like a good recovery to me.”
“Why don’t you sleep, and I’ll sit with him?”
“What I need to do is watch for infection.”
“What does that look like?”
“Red, like a burn. And the skin would be tight. Fever and swelling would accompany it.”
“I can keep a watchful eye. You look exhausted, Dr. Benally.”
He gave me one of the sweetest smiles I’d ever seen. “Eva, I’ll take a nap soon. But I can’t sleep if I’m worried about him.”
“I’m not much of a help, am I?”
“Your company is worth very much to me. In fact, it’s priceless.”
I brightened with his compliment, but I did want to assist him in some way. “I can cook a little.”
“How little?”
I laughed despite the circumstances. “I’m learning. Cook taught me how to scramble eggs, and we’re working on biscuits.”
“I’ll bet you haven’t mastered mutton stew.”
I tried to hide the horror of what lamb did to my stomach, but he must have seen my revulsion. “I could try.”
“I wouldn’t put you through it. I saw how you picked at your food at my parents’.”
Defense rose
in me. “I ate every bite and thanked your mother.”
“Ah, but a doctor can tell when his patient isn’t feeling well.”
“I didn’t know I was your patient.”
“Always. It’s in a contract between your father and mine.”
I loved his teasing, and I loved the way he could tell little peculiarities about me that I attempted to keep from others.
Oh, Tahoma, what would I do without you when I returned home?
I stayed with Rex at Tahoma’s clinic for the next two days. He didn’t have any patients, so we had hours to talk about many things. But never about us. I wanted to know if he had feelings for me, no matter how fragile. I guess my heart had taken a terrible fall.
Mr. and Mrs. Benally came both days and kept the three of us company. I loved taking care of Rex and helping Tahoma. Yet it ended all too quickly. On the third morning, Tahoma arrived at the ranch with Rex before Charlotte could take me to the clinic. The dear, sweet man wanted to regain his health there, and thanks to Tahoma, he was making a rapid recovery.
No longer did I saddle up with the Monarch boys for an afternoon filled with adventures and games to reinforce history and geography facts. Instead I lassoed in their lessons to the courtyard of the U-shaped house and the surrounding area of the Rancho de los Burros. Today Alex was Teddy Roosevelt, and the other boys and I were the Rough Riders. We’d studied about the Spanish-American War, and this was their time to show what they’d remembered.
Alex took the Teddy Roosevelt stance—left hand on his hip and a slight bend to his left leg. “You men have trained hard for the fight ahead. I’ve watched you ride, shoot from horseback, and practice skirmishes. Yes, you’re ready. In three days, we’ll leave Tampa for Cuba. And we’ll show them how a real man fights. However—” Alex walked back and forth in front of his men. “I do regret the loss of those who have given their lives to malaria and yellow fever. Our ranks have been thinned, but we will take what we have on to victory!”
I clapped my hands at Alex’s speech and so did the others.
