Farmer's Daughter
Chapter 3
"Daddy, help me." Amanda Grace pleaded, physically exhausted from trying to keep herself and the injured man atop the horse.
Her father reached up in the nick of time, as Amanda Grace lost her grip and the unconscious man fell into his arms. After adjusting to accomodate the man's dead weight, Bill, Sr. began carrying him into the house.
"Donna Jo. Take Jet into the barn and rub him down real good." Bill, Sr. began. "Give him a couple treats if you'd like. He's certainly earned them."
"Ok, Daddy."
"But, just a couple, mind you."
"Yes, Daddy."
"Billy, run on in and call Doc Jenkins. Tell him to get here as fast as he can."
"Yes, Pa."
"Amanda Grace."
"Daddy."
"I'll talk to you later. Now, g'on and get cleaned up before Doc gets here. You're filthy."
"Yes, Daddy." she replied, staring at the ground as her eyes welled up at her father's chastisement. Here she thought she'd done the right thing by bringing aid to someone hurt. 'I guess Daddy doesn't think so.' she thought to herself.
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"William Charles Myers! What in the name of the Lord our God do you think you're doing?!"
"Lizzie, darlin', I'm putting this man on the couch, as you can plainly see."
"Husband of mine, you will do no such thing. Now, you bring him up to Billy's room this instant!"
"But -"
"No but's, now git!"
If there was one force more formidable than William Charles Myers, Sr., it was his wife of 24 years, Lizbeth. Just as everyone in town knew it, Bill knew it too, and he quietly made his way upstairs, laying the man out on top of Bill's bed. He turned to leave the room as Lizbeth entered, carrying a basin, a jug of hot water, soap, and a washcloth.
"Bill, I'm gonna clean 'im up for Doc. Be a dear and fetch the first aid kit from the linen closet, please."
"Of course, love."
"What are we going to do about 'him'?" Bill, Sr. asked as he came back into the room.
"What do you mean? I already told you. I'm gonna clean him up -"
"No, darlin. I mean, what are we gonna do about him being near Amanda Grace?"
With an exasperated sigh and a chuckle, Lizbeth turned to him, hands on hips "Bill, as YOU can plainly see, this man is unconscious. What damage, praytell, do you think an unconscious man is going to do to our daughter?" She held her hand up as he started to speak. "If this man's state of consciousness changes, we will discuss our daughter's virtue at that time."
"ok." he replied, none too pleased.
Lizbeth began to gently wash the man, cleansing away dirt and dried blood so that his injuries could be better assessed.
"Well" she said to the man, "you got beat up pretty good, near as I can tell."
She very carefully cleaned around the gash on his head, at times using tweezers to remove the mats of dried blood and hair, so as to not reopen the wound.
She cut away what was left of his shirt and washed him, using the gentlest of touches around the deep purple bruises above some obviously broken ribs.
Doc Jenkins arrived just as she finished, placing his bag on the nightstand and retrieving his stehoscope.
"What've we got here, Lizzie? Another of Amanda Grace's callers?"
"No, Mike," she replied, smiling "I don't have the whole story yet; but, Amanda Grace DID bring him back with her from her ride. Prob'ly found him in a ditch or near a tree or under a rock or some such thing. That girl's always bringing something injured back to the house to tend." Lizbeth said, with more than a hint of pride in her voice.
"Doc checked the man's pulse, nodding at the strong, steady heartbeat. He gave a cursory check of his face and chest, before intently examining the head wound.
"He's gonna need x-rays and possibly a CAT scan at some point. His vitals are strong, which is a blessing; so, let's bandage him up and re-set his ribs for now."
The man groaned as they began to tightly wrap his ribs, holding them in their proper place; yet, he didn't awaken, which Doc and Lizbeth were thankful for as they knew he'd be in for some serious pain once he did.
"Have Bill run this prescription up to my office and Nadine will fill it. Once our friend here wakes up, give him one pill every 4 hours and no more than that. I'll come by tomorrow afternoon to check on him. Now, if he's not awake by first light tomorrow, gimme a call at home and I'll come by then. I'm also gonna give a call over to County General and give them the head's up. If he doesn't need to be moved, don't."
"You're not taking him with you?" Bill asked from the doorway.
"Can't." Mike replied, turning to face him "We just set his ribs and they need a little time to mesh before we can move him without re-breaking them."
Doc handed Bill the prescriptions and Bill made his way out to the car, stopping as he met Amanda Grace in the hall, heading towards her brother's room.
"Amanda Grace, you're coming with me."
"Where are we going Daddy? I wanted to check on -"
"We're going to town; and, I was gonna wait until later to tell you this. Now's as good a time as any. Your mother will tend to that man in there, d'ya hear? You are not to go in there under any circumstances."
"But -" at the look on her father's face, she knew the subject was closed. "Yes, Daddy" she finished dejectedly, obediently following her father out to the truck.
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