Johnson Junction

by J. W. DeBrock

  The women smiled, Lupe’s a little broader than usual. “Yes, Doctor Auggie. I take very good care of her. Her room is ready for her.”

  “Great, then. I’ll leave you to it. Have a nice day, ladies.” Auggie left them and went to visit Richard in his office to return the key to the dungeon.

  The women embraced warmly.

  Auggie heard Corazon in her nursery domain after he’d gone back downstairs. He stood filling the doorway. “Good morning, Cora. How are you today?”

  She looked up from the tablet she was writing on. “Good, Doctor Auggie. Y usted? And you?”

  “I’m great!” He said brightly.

  Corazon looked at him closely, her expression curious. She stepped around her work table and approached him, sniffing the air as she faced him, and then stood on her tiptoes and took a whiff of his neck. She backed up a little and looked him up and down. “Is that cologne?”

  He smiled.

  “Where’s your usual cologne – the one you get at the liquor store?”

  He chuckled, turned around, and walked into the delivery room. She followed him. “Augustus Blackburn.” He stopped in his tracks and she grabbed his arm, coming around face to face again. “I do believe you are actually sober this morning. Que pasa?”

  Auggie’s smile broadened into a grin. “I’m just having a good day today, I guess.”

  “No – no. There is something more to it than that, I am thinking.” She peered at him closely, smiling.

  “Can’t keep anything secret around here, can I?” He laughed.

  “Not from your Corazon. Now, confess!”

  He sat down in the desk chair, bending slightly forward and resting his forearms on his thighs. His big hands dangled between his knees. “I’ve met someone.” He looked up at his friend, his blue eyes dancing.

  “Gracias a Dios, amigo mio. Oh my God. Where?” She paused a moment and then added, her eyes narrowed, “You never leave this godforsaken place.”

  “I can’t believe it myself. She works for Evelyn in the office, been here about a month.”

  Cora sighed deeply. “Well, Doctor, if I am seeing you fresh and clean and without a drink this morning, then she must be very special. I am so very happy for you.” She went to him and bent down to hug his broad shoulders.

  “She is,” Auggie said as he embraced his nurse.

  “I am so very happy and I hope this will turn out to be wonderful. I have not seen you look this good – well – ever since I’ve know you.” She patted his back. Gently she bent over and kissed him on the cheek. “You are a good man, Augustus. A GOOD man. The right woman would be so wonderful for you.”

  He patted her arm. “Thank you, dear Cora. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see. She has a little one, too – a son. That’s how we met.” He shared Bry’s story.

  “Aye, pobrecito. Sounds like he will have a scar the rest of his life, no?”

  “Oh yes. It was every bit of third degree. But, it’s healing nicely and we managed to keep it from becoming infected. That’s the most important thing.” He rose from his chair.

  “Well, bueno, Auggie. You deserve something more out of this life.” She glanced at the delivery table. “Oh – this morning, Juanita called up here. She is at the gift shop, but told me that she was uncomfortable most of the night. Said she hoped you could check her this morning.”

  Auggie looked at her, concerned. “Of course. I’ll send Manny to bring her back. Call the shop and tell her he’s coming.”

  Manny helped Juanita down from the van and they went into the House through the back door. Auggie was coming up the stairs. “Buenas dias, Juanita. Corazon said you’re a little uncomfortable?” He placed his arm gently around her shoulders.

  “Si, Doctor. I didn’t sleep well at all. Do you think it could be time?”

  “It’s a bit soon, dear, but come downstairs and we’ll check on the baby.” He preceded her down to make sure she didn’t fall.

  Corazon held her arm, guiding her over to the delivery table where she helped ease her down and get comfortable. Auggie went to a cart that held a small machine with several vinyl-coated wires and a couple of rounded instruments attached. He pulled the cart near the table. “You remember this machine, yes, Juanita?” She nodded. “We’re going to do an ultrasound, just to check things out. Cora, take her blood pressure, please?”

  Cora strapped a sleeve around Juanita’s left arm, held the arm close to her own body, placed her stethoscope on the inside of Juanita’s elbow, and began pumping the sleeve full of air. She twisted a knob on the sleeve to let the air hiss out of the bag. “It’s a little high, Doctor.” She removed the cuff and checked her pulse. “The pulse is a little fast as well.”

  Auggie had raised Juanita’s top up to her bra line, and had smeared her distended belly with a warm jelly-like substance. He took the larger of the two ultrasound wands and began easing them back and forth across her skin. “Have you been having any contractions?”

  Juanita sighed. “No, not really, Doctor Auggie. Just trouble sleeping, and seems like I am just not comfortable. And when I sit down, I feel some kind of pressure, down there.”

  Auggie concentrated on the screen as he moved the wand back and forth over the lower part of her womb. “Hmmm,” he murmured.

  Juanita watched his face as he worked. “Is there any problema?”

  “I’m thinking that there’s a little too much placenta where it shouldn’t be. Juanita love – when you had your son – was it sixteen years ago? – did you have anything wrong, any complications? Comprendeme?”

  “Si, Doctor. I understand. I don’t remember anything, really – of course I had him at home and mi mama helped me deliver him. Plus, I was really young.”

  Auggie nodded, transfixed on the ultrasound display. He pushed a few of the buttons on the machine and turned it off. With a towel he wiped down the wand. “Cora, love, will you help Juanita clean up?” The nurse wiped the conductor from Juanita’s brown skin and then helped her up, and off the table. Auggie said, “Why don’t you help her back upstairs to her room. I don’t want her to go back to work. He added, “And please come back after you’re done.”

  Corazon rejoined Auggie in the delivery room. “Que pasa con ella?”

  Auggie fixed his blue eyes on her. “Placenta previa.”

  Cora’s eyes widened. “Dios Mio, that means a C-section, no?”

  “Yes. And it’s not something I want to do under these primitive conditions. I need you to keep a really close eye on her today and tonight and call me immediately if she starts having any serious pain.”

  He paid a visit to Richard Waverly. Auggie was insistent that Juanita be sent over to the city for her delivery, imploring Richard to do the right thing for the mother and child. Waverly made his position clear to Auggie – no one left the Junction for medical issues of this kind – why, that’s why he paid Auggie the big bucks. Do the best you can. He dismissed the doctor with a wave of his hand.

  The same afternoon was the last of Bry’s treatments. I knocked on Auggie’s door, Bry in tow. Auggie answered with a big smile on his face, and ushered us in.

  “Well, how is the patient today?” He placed his big hand on top of Bry’s blonde head.

  Bry stood as tall as he could reach. “Great, Doc. I think I can go back to my tennis shoes.”

  Auggie and I laughed at him. “Let’s have a look, shall we? We don’t want to rush it along just TOO much. Mom, care to sit down?” I took what had become my usual seat at the dinette and saw a small glass of orange juice waiting, resting on a carefully folded paper napkin. “Why, Doctor. You shouldn’t have.” I grinned at him as I took a sip of the Screwdriver.

  Auggie kneeled before my son and carefully removed the dressing. “Well, Master Bryan, I think that looks just great. You and your mom and I have done a good job, yes?”

  Bry sat tall in his chair. “We sure did.”

  “I think you’re right about those tennis shoes – just be sure to wear very clean
socks for at least two more weeks with them, okay? And you can put a regular bandage on there if you feel you want one. Does your mom have some?” I nodded. “All-righty. You’re good to go.”

  “Do you mean I can go play? The girls are waiting for me.”

  Auggie and I laughed at his contagious excitement. Auggie raised his eyebrows at me and I said, “You can go. Just – no exploring dirt piles for now.”

  Bry stood up and headed for the door. “Nah, Mom, I’m helping the girls deliver the pinon nuts to the men. Then we might check out some stuff in the gift shop.” He shut the door behind him.

  Auggie picked up his own glass of juice. “How about we retire to the sofa?”

  He settled on the small couch, and as I sat down on the other end our legs bumped against each other. “Sorry,” I murmured.

  He raised his eyes to mine. “Quite alright.”

  We sipped our drinks, and I felt him watching me. Secretly I was watching him too. He looked down into his glass, and then up at me. “I have really enjoyed getting to know you and your son, Madeleine. I’m sure you realize that we live in a very closed society here.” He swirled the juice in his glass.

  “Of course, Doctor.”

  “Please call me Auggie.”

  “Okay – Auggie.” I felt my cheeks tinge with blush.

  He paused a few moments. “Madeleine, I was wondering – would you like to have dinner with me? I mean – I’d like to cook for you. What I mean to say is, Bertie gets me some pretty wonderful steaks from time to time, and I’m awfully good with that old grill out on the deck.” I looked at him and noticed his own cheeks were a bit flush, as he stared steadfastly into his glass.

  I never hesitated. “I’d be honored.”

  He brightened immediately. “Wonderful! Um – are you busy this evening? I know it’s very short notice.”

  My stomach had knotted itself, but in a very good way. “That’s fine. It’s not as if I had a busy engagement calendar.”

  He laughed with me. “Of course. I guess none of us do. That’s the life here. What time would you like to eat?”

  I glanced up at a clock on his wall, mindful of leaving him enough time to prepare. “Would seven be too late?”

  “Not in the least. That works out just fine.” We simultaneously set our glasses on the small table in front of the sofa, and chuckled at our matching actions. He rose from the couch, offered me his hand, and as I took it I nearly tripped over the little table. He caught me as I started falling and as he held me briefly I felt a rush of energy go through me with a wonderful intensity – sweet and electric, an excitement I’d not felt in years.

  I composed myself with a red face. “See you at seven.” I walked to his door and he called out behind me.

  “Thank you, Madeleine.” My name never sounded so good.

  15

  I dashed straight to Donna’s door. She was done with work for the day and was helping her girls fill small baggies with the brown pinon nuts. Bry was sitting at the dinette, sealing the bags tightly with his little fingers and chattering with the girls. I opened her screen door and went in. “Donna, dear, friend, helpful person, help!”

  She handed the bowl of nuts to Jessie and turned to me with a twinkle in her eye. “And just what do you need help WITH, gringa?” Her grin was mischievous.

  “I have a date,” I whispered, leaning close to her.

  “Whoa! A date!” She whispered back into my ear. “With Auggie?” She straightened up, winking. My smile confirmed her suspicions. “Kids,” she announced to the work force, “Maddy and me are going to her room to see what we can find for her to wear. She has a date.”

  Bry looked up from his task. “Really Mom? With Doctor Auggie?” He smiled shyly and added, “I can tell he likes you.” Jessie and Julie giggled.

  I glanced at my little son, old beyond his years.

  In my room, Donna and I combed through my meager wardrobe. She said, “Man, you got problems. Lemme go see if I got anything you can wear, chica.”

  “Please,” I responded miserably. “I’ll jump in the shower.”

  She returned to her room, and I looked at myself in the tiny mirror over my bathroom sink. I rifled my hands through my badly cut short hair – I’d been whacking away on it for years with nothing but a pair of sewing shears. I inspected gray streaks I’d never really paid any attention to. I closed the bathroom door, and disappointedly undressed. I waited for the shower to warm and then slipped into my cheap rubber flip flops. Even after I’d cleaned it, the shower floor was so gross that neither Bry nor I ever stood barefoot in it.

  I washed and rubbed my body, thinking of my new friend. I felt the breasts that used to be so perky, now slightly deflated. I scrubbed my skin gently, softly with the soap, and in my mind imagined having his large hands touch me in places I’d committed to celibacy. My heart raced as I closed my eyes and turned my face up to the warm water. I rinsed the shampoo from my hair and tangibly felt my fingers meandering through his. As I shut off the water a tear joined the moisture on my face.

  I was drying off when Donna came back into my room. “Chica?” she called. “You’re saved.”

  I wrapped my one large bath towel around me and stepped out the door, still in my flip-flops. “Really?”

  She held up a cute little black skirt, and a pretty blue crocheted sweater. “Got any black sandals?”

  “Wow,” I said as I went to her and touched the garments. “These really are cute. And yeah, the only sandals I have happen to be black.”

  “I used to wear these, believe it or not, before I started putting on weight. Had them before I had the girls, that’s how old they are. I think they’ll fit you just fine.” She reached for a jar she’d set on the dinette table. “I found this too, chica. Smell.” She removed the lid and shoved it under my nose.

  It did smell wonderful and alluring. “Mmmmm. What’s in this?”

  “Egyptian Musk. Put it on all over. See, it has a little bit of sparkle in it, too.”

  I’d never had anything smell so wonderful, so desirable. I held the jar of crème and looked at the garments she’d picked out for me. I reached for her and pulled her close, hugging her for all I was worth. “Thank you, thank you so much.”

  I felt her hugging me tightly too. We held each other for several moments and as we parted, she placed her palm on the side of my face. “Chica, you are a good woman. You are a good human being. I am happy to do these things for you. Fix yourself up, for that good man. I take care of your boy, you don’t worry, and if you don’t come home tonight don’t worry about that either. Your friend Donna says so.”

  We hugged again and she left me to primp.

  I stopped in at her room when I was ready. As I opened the screen door and stepped inside, she gave a loud wolf whistle. The kids looked up at me with cries of excitement.

  The clothes fit me perfectly, and I felt like a new person. I’d picked out the best underwear that Evelyn had given me, and slipped Donna’s skirt and sweater over it. The Egyptian Musk crème was soothing and the scent made me heady. My makeup was simple and fresh. I’d found a pair of large gold earrings in my bag, and a simple band of a gold necklace I’d nearly forgotten I owned. My bare legs were going to be a little chilly – the fall night temperature had dropped – but I didn’t seem to care. Donna walked over to me to inspect, then rifled her hands through my hair.

  “Ay, chica, this hair. I always wonder why you don’t DO something with it.” She went back to her bathroom and returned with a skinny bottle of hair product. Squirting some into her hand, she rubbed her palms together and then reached for my locks with a vengeance. She worked it into the roots, then pulled her fingers through, styling as she went. She stood back from me, nodded approval, and fussed a bit more. She asked the kids, “How’s that?”

  Jessie and Julie approved enthusiastically. My son looked at me in a wise way, a light in his eyes I’d never seen. “Mom, you are so beautiful. I love you.”

  My heart flipp
ed over on itself.

  I approached Auggie’s trailer with a mixture of confidence and terror.

  His front door was standing open; I stood on the porch and called, “Auggie?”

  He was outside on the back deck, and came into his living room at the sound of my voice. Our eyes connected briefly, and then I watched as he took in all the details of my presence. He seemed as if he could not speak, for a moment. Then, he came over to me quickly, saying “Good evening, Madeleine. I must say, you look amazing. Forgive me for staring, but you almost look like a different person! In a wonderful sort of way, that is.” His cheeks tinged that becoming pink again.

  I smiled, from the heart. “Thank you. I haven’t been dressed up in so long, I almost forgot what it feels like.”

  He took my hand. “Would you like – ah – an adult beverage?”

  I squeezed his hand with mine. “Yes, please. Anything besides orange juice.”

  He laughed, and we went into his small kitchen. He retrieved a bottle of bourbon from a shelf, and a couple of shot glasses. He looked at me, a twinkle in his eye. “Neat?”

  “You betcha,” I replied. Soft jazz floated a hazy cloud throughout the rooms.

  He was right about the steaks Bertie had given him, they were succulent and both of us liked them prepared the same way, medium rare. He’d cooked a couple of large baked potatoes and a bowl of steamed veggies as well. We’d sat outside and chatted while he’d run the steaks across the grill, and the level of the bourbon bottle shrank. We had a few more in between mouthfuls of our meal, and the level of liquid was down by half. I helped him clear the table, and as we stood in front of his sink, we knocked down another. Both of us by then were quite happily giddy, and warm in several places.

  We ended up bringing the bottle and our glasses to the sofa.

  “Auggie,” I said, “what I really want to know is how in the hell did you end up in a place like this?” My THIS came out as THISH.