Mail Order Doctor

by Cynthia Woolf

  “Hello.” Julia walked to the counter. “I’m looking for an appointment book to use in a doctor’s office.”

  “Well, hello. Are you Dr. Jefferies’ new nurse?”

  “No, I’m Julia Reynolds. Dr. Reynolds wife. I’ll be helping him in his practice.”

  “Oh, well nice to meet you. I’m Hazel Bishop. My husband and I own this place. Hence the name, Smith’s General Store.”

  She laughed at what must have been an inside joke.

  “I’ve never ordered appointment books for anyone but Dr. Jefferies. I’ve got two in stock, I’ll have to order more.”

  “Oh, yes, please. We’ll be using them regularly from now on. I’m determined to get Matthew, organized. Folks pay for Dr. Jefferies services don’t they?”

  “Oh, yes.” Hazel nodded. “Always have. Dr. Jefferies doesn’t take many charity cases.”

  “I see.” Oh boy, did Julia see. Dr. Jefferies got the wealthy patients and Matthew got the poor. That wasn’t bad, but he needed to make a living and so did she if she was going to stay. “So they come to Matthew, knowing he won’t turn them away. I understand that now.”

  Hazel took a cloth and wiped down the counter. “I hope Dr. Reynolds isn’t changing his policies. We need a doctor for everyone and Doc Reynolds is the best.”

  “No, I’m not really changing his practice. I just want to help him so he does better and can get rest, too.”

  “That’s a good thing. I worry about that man. A thirty-nine year old man shouldn’t be getting gray like he is. He works too hard.”

  Julia grinned. “I don’t know, I find the gray attractive.”

  “Well, now, you should. You’re his wife.” Hazel stopped and cocked her head. “When did the doc get married? I haven’t seen any notices.”

  “Oh, there weren’t any. I arrived just yesterday from New York. We were married six weeks ago.”

  “I see.” She frowned. “Well not really, but enough I guess.”

  Hazel was clearly confused, and Julia was not in the mood to enlighten her. She wanted to finish her order and get back to the office. “Matthew doesn’t eat well, and I intend to put a stop to that right away. Are you ready for my order?”

  “Hold on let me get my pad and pencil.” Hazel produced a small note book from a pocket in the white apron she wore. The pencil was tucked behind her ear. “Okay, shoot.”

  “I’ll take the two appointment books, a large calendar, if you have one, four pencils, two erasers, and one bottle of ink. I also want a loaf of bread, jar of orange marmalade, three tins of peaches, a can of green beans and one of peas. I’d like all that delivered except the appointment books. I’ll take those and a pound of penny candy, the butterscotch disks I think, with me.” She looked toward the back of the store. “Can you direct me to the butcher?”

  Hazel wrote as fast as Julia spoke, and Julia would bet she didn’t miss a thing.

  “Sure it’s just four doors down on the left. Place is called Frank’s.”

  “What about milk delivery?”

  “I can set you up with that, but the doc already has both milk and bread coming once a week.”

  “Can you change the frequency to twice a week? There are two of us now.”

  Hazel continued writing everything down. “Sure thing, hon. Is that all?”

  “Yes, for now. Matthew said I could put it on his bill. Can I get someone to deliver all this for me? I’m not prepared to carry it.”

  “I’ll have one of my boys bring it down. I’ve got four strapping boys who help us out around here, when they aren’t working in the mines. Got three daughters-in-law and six grandkids, too, with the seventh on the way. So someone is always here to help with deliveries.”

  “That’s wonderful. It must be nice to be in a big family.”

  “Don’t you have brothers and sisters?”

  “No,” she shook her head. “I had a twin sister but she died when we were ten. I don’t think my parents ever got over it.” She swallowed hard.

  Hazel reached across the counter. “As a parent, I can tell you, you never get over the loss of a child.”

  “But sometimes they forget they have another child,” whispered Julia, amazed at how hurt she still felt after all these years. “But,” she took a deep breath. “That’s something that can’t be changed. My parents are both gone now. Thank you for visiting with me today, I find it’s been a little cathartic.”

  “Always glad to help. Come on back, even if you just want to talk.”

  “Thank you, Hazel. I will.”

  Hazel was a kind woman, and Julia might very well take her up on her offer.

  She left the general store and went to the butcher shop. There she picked up a slab of bacon, a beef roast for tomorrow and pork chops for tonight. She’d seen some potatoes in the pantry and figured she’d mash those, make a nice gravy, and add the green beans for dinner. If nothing else, Matthew would start eating better.

  Ten minutes later, she arrived back at the office and found three people in the waiting room. She set the bag from the butcher on the desk, along with the sack of candy.

  “Well, hello. Does the doctor know you’re here?”

  “He ain’t been out since we come in,” said a skinny young man, with his hand wrapped in a bloody rag.

  “Well,” said Julia. “I see you have cut yourself. Did you cut anything off?”

  “No ma’am, just got a deep cut needs some stitchin’.”

  Matthew came out of the surgery, wiping his hands with a towel. “Ah, you’re back. Good. I could use your help. Looks like we have newcomers.”

  “Yes, I was just getting a piece of paper so they could sign in. It will help with patient flow.”

  “Whatever. First I need you.” He jerked his head toward the surgery.

  “Yes, doctor.” Julia grabbed a sheet of paper out of the desk drawer and a pencil. “Please number and sign your names on this paper. Thank you.”

  “Julia!” Matthew called from the back room.

  “Coming.” She hurried back to the surgery where a young girl of about five, with her arm in a splint, cried as her mother held her. Both mother and daughter wore ragged brown skirts and striped blouses. Their boots had holes and neither one had probably bathed in the last week or longer.

  Julia went to the mother. “I’ll take care of her now. You can go to the waiting room.”

  The woman shook her head. “I need to be here for my Maudie.”

  Julia had seen this behavior before and knew that the parent wanted assurance their child would be fine. She put her hand on the woman’s shoulder. “It will be easier on Maudie if you go up front. Then the doctor and I can get her arm taken care of and have her back to you more quickly.”

  “I don’t know…” The mother hesitated.

  “What’s your name?” she asked the woman.

  “Ethel. Ethel Bridges, and this here is my girl Maude. She’s all we got, me and my husband. We wasn’t able to have no more kids.”

  “I promise, Ethel, I’ll see she’s well taken care of. Trust me.”

  Ethel looked at Matthew and back at Julia.

  “Please Mrs. Bridges.” Matthew stood at the end of the examination table. “The longer it takes for us to set Maudie’s arm, the more likely the damage is permanent.”

  “Ethel,” Julia held out her arms. “Let me have Maudie. I’ll take good care of her, believe me. We only want to set her arm and stop her pain.”

  “All right.” She relinquished her daughter. “Maudie, I’ll be right up front. You be good and do what the doctor and…” she looked over at Julia.

  “Nurse Julia,” she answered figuring there was no need for the child to know she was Matthew’s wife.

  Ethel continued, “Whatever Nurse Julia says for you to do, you do it. Hear me?”

  “Yes, Mama,” Maudie sniffled and tear ran down her face.

  After watching Ethel leave, Julia looked at Maudie. “Let’s take off that splint and then your blouse so Doctor Ma
tthew can set that broken arm. It will feel so much better when he does.”

  Maudie nodded.

  Julia undid the splint and released the broken arm.

  Because of the movement of the arm, Maudie started crying again.

  Julia hurried to undo the buttons on her shirt, slid it off her arms and put it to the side.

  Now that she and Matthew could see the break, they could tell it wasn’t a compound fracture. The bone had not gone through the skin.

  He quickly aligned the bones and bent the arm at the elbow so the bone would heal in the right position. He had the plaster mixture ready in a bowl. First he put a sock over her arm and then wrapped it in pieces of cloth dipped in the plaster. All told the casting procedure took about twenty minutes.

  Maudie quit crying as soon as they aligned her arm. Now she just sniffled. When they reunited mother and daughter in the waiting room, Maudie was in fine shape.

  “Here you are, Maudie.” Julia handed her a butterscotch candy. “That’s for being such a brave girl today.”

  Maudie grinned and popped the treat in her mouth.

  “What do I owe you, Doctor Reynolds?” asked Ethel.

  “How about two chickens when next you come to town?” said Matthew.

  Ethel nodded. “Yes, sir. I’ll send my husband with them tonight, first thing. Kill ’em fresh for you. Have them to you in time to cook for dinner.”

  “You don’t have to hurry, Mrs. Bridges. Tomorrow is just fine,” said Julia, knowing she already had tonight’s dinner in the bag on the desk.

  “Thank ye ma’am. I’ll bring them myself cleaned, plucked and ready for the oven.”

  “Could you do me a favor?” asked Julia, hoping to use the woman’s expertise.

  Ethel nodded. “Sure, if I can.”

  “Can you cut up the chicken for frying? I never learned how, and I want to make fried chicken for dinner tomorrow.”

  “Sure. That’s no problem at all.”

  “Thank you so much.”

  The two of them walked out, Ethel’s arm around Maudie’s shoulder.

  Julia wished her mother had been that caring.

  “Who’s next?” Matthew’s question brought her out of her reverie.

  “Let’s see, the first name on the sign-in sheet is Ernie McMillan.”

  The skinny man stood. “Do I get me a candy when yer done?”

  Frowning, Matthew snapped his gaze to her. “Candy?”

  She ignored Matthew’s unspoken question. “Yes, Ernie, you do. Let’s go and take care of that hand now.” She turned to Matthew. “I can do this Doctor if you want to see the next person on the list.”

  The routine went that way for the rest of the day. Julia and Matthew each saw patients. She made sure that Matthew ate lunch by bringing him a fried egg sandwich at noon.

  After a hurried thanks, he gulped it down between patients.

  At five o’clock, Julia put the closed sign on the door and locked it. Two patients remained to be seen but that would be all for tonight.

  “I’ll go make dinner. You can handle these last two without me.”

  She turned to go.

  But Matthew stopped her holding her by the arm.

  “Thank you, Julia. You were a great help to me today. I’d still be hip deep in patients if not for you.”

  “You’re welcome. See you wash up before dinner.” She turned and went through the door to the house.

  About an hour later, Matthew came in.

  She had just finished with the gravy and was setting the table.

  “Smells good. Pork chops. My favorite.” He rolled down his sleeves and buttoned them at the cuffs. He sat at the table and looked over the dishes of food.

  “We also have mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and fresh bread.”

  He smiled. “You were busy at the store today.” He filled his plate with the succulent offerings.

  “You were pitifully low on most food,” she said while she cut her pork chop. “And I was tired of eggs. I should have picked up something for lunches. I’ll fry those two chickens for dinner tomorrow and we can eat those for lunch as well, for a few days. Then I’ve got a roast for dinner day after tomorrow and we can have sandwiches for lunch and dinner as long as it lasts.”

  “Whoa.” He set down his knife and fork. “You’ve got everything planned like you’ll be living here. I haven’t told you yes or no yet.”

  “I assumed your answer would be yes. It’s the only logical thing to do. You can still file the papers for an annulment, but until then I’m your wife. I’ll try not to tempt by my beauty. Ha!”

  Matthew covered her hand with his. “You do tempt me. I’m not lying when I say that.”

  “Not enough to want to be married to me.” The words hurt and she shook off his hand. “That says a lot, but I’m undeterred. When you get to know me, you’ll like me. Too bad you didn’t read the letters I wrote.”

  “I wish I had, too. Knowing how to deal with a stubborn, obstinate woman would be helpful. In any case I decided you can stay here. I’m not a rich man I couldn’t afford for you to live at the hotel.”

  She flashed a smile. “I knew you’d come to your senses, as far as this particular housing matter was concerned. I wonder if Walt kept the letters I sent.” She leaned back in her chair, finished with her meal. “Can we go look for them?”

  “I wouldn’t know where to begin.”

  “Maybe Dan does.”

  “All right we’ll go after dinner.”

  “Thank you.” Her heart cheered.

  “For what?”

  “Giving me a chance.”

  CHAPTER 5

  When they arrived at Walt’s house, Matthew walked right in as usual.

  “Danny? Hello, Danny?”

  “Quit your bellowing I’m here. What do you want? No, let me guess. Julia’s letters to you…er…Walt.” Danny walked down the hall toward then a cup and dish towel in hand.

  “Looks like you were doing dishes,” smiled Julia.

  “Somebody’s got to. We don’t have a lady that comes in or a wife,” grumbled Dan.

  “Maybe you should get one. A wife, I mean. There are lots of benefits.” She winked at him.

  “Wha…What?” said Dan, eyes wide open.

  Julia smiled. “How many of you live here?”

  “Walt, me, George and Will. We never had the good sense to leave home, like Matt did. We all work this ranch and each owns a part of it, including Matt.”

  “Will you two stop and help me think.” Matt paced the little foyer. “Where would Walt have kept those letters he got from Julia? You know he didn’t throw them away.”

  “I thought about that when you left and I went into Walt’s office. He had them all wrapped up pretty for you with this note.” Danny handed Matthew a piece of paper.

  Matt,

  Don’t be mad, but I got you married to a wonderful woman. She’s a nurse and beautiful. She’ll be a good helpmate to you and I think a good wife. I had you sign the proxy papers when you were signing all the paperwork for the changes in my will. I thought this way would be easier all around.

  Before you decide to hate me, read her letters. You might be surprised.

  Walt

  “The old codger.” He looked over at Julia. “I told you he did it.”

  “I know you did and it turns out you were right. That doesn’t change our situation at all. We are still legally married. You still signed those papers and I traveled here in good faith. Walt must have paid my travel expenses.”

  “Well I sure didn’t. Besides, I might get lucky and your good faith wouldn’t hold up in court.”

  “Ha! What did the judge say? He’s the one who’d be presiding wouldn’t he?”

  “Yes, he would,” said Dan.

  “You seem awfully eager to see me married,” growled Matthew.

  “Sure I am.” Dan grinned from ear to ear. “That takes the pressure off the rest of us to produce great-grandchildren for Walt. I don’t wan
t him doing the same thing to me.”

  “He probably already has. We all had to sign those papers. Just a little something to think about,” said Matthew, with a cock of his head.

  “Gentlemen, now that Matthew has the letters can we go back home. Tomorrow comes quickly around here and I have news for you. Lizzie Brandon could give birth at any time in the next month or so. She was having false labor, but I told her she wasn’t dilated and I lied. I didn’t want Mal to have a meltdown. She had dilated just a bit. Enough for me to notice.”

  “Well, we better get back then. That’s where they’ll be looking for me.”

  “If you teach me how to drive the buggy, you wouldn’t have to go with me. You could get some rest.”

  “I wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway, not with you out in the dark alone. You don’t know the roads and would probably get lost.”

  “That’s true, but I’ll learn and then I can go out alone.”

  “No.” said Matthew and Dan together.

  “If I can’t go with you,” said Matthew. “You come get Dan.”

  “That’s right. I’ll take you wherever you have to go,” agreed Dan.

  “And what if Matthew has the buggy? What then?”

  “We’ll figure this out later. In the mean time, I’ve got some letters to read. Let’s go.” Matthew ushered her out the door.

  “Goodbye, Dan,” said Julia, waving over her shoulder.

  “Goodbye.” Dan closed the door behind them.

  When they arrived home, Matthew took care of the horses, and then came inside.

  Julia was waiting with tea. “Thought you might like some before bed.”

  “I would. Forgive me if I’m a bad host, I’m starting with your letters. I find even though I have no intention to stay wed to you, I’m curious as to what Walt saw that would convince him you were perfect for me.”

  “Since I don’t remember what all I wrote, I can’t help you.”

  * * *

  Matthew went to his bedroom that night and every other night for the next twelve days and read Julia’s letters. There were more than two dozen and he only read a couple each night, making notes about what he learned in them. Though he didn’t know why he bothered really. She’d probably leave just like Amelia did.