Chapter 6: A Long Hard Day

We had arrived at the Galager Memorial Hospital, which was really nothing more then a very large Victorian style house converted into a medical facility. It had belonged to Keegan Galager, a lumber baron from a hundred and fifty years ago, and had been donated by the Galager family back in the early 1950's. Larger then the medical clinics I had seen in the big city, but nothing like the behemoth hospitals they have.

We sat impatiently in the waiting room, staring out a large bay window overlooking Hightower Lake - Jodi on my left, Kate on my right. We were sitting there holding hands, waiting for some news on Ron's condition. Kate was a wreck; her grip on my hand was like she was holding on for dear life. More than anything, I wanted to put my arm around Kate and comfort her, but I was sure she would fall apart. I was not used to being the rock others anchored to, to weather out a storm. I was getting a dose of what being a man was all about.

Some time later, we were pulled from our private thoughts when Dr. Nelson, the doctor from our small town, walked into the waiting room. Kate looked as if she might cry. As we stood up to receive the doctor's news, I gave Kate's hand a squeeze as just a little check on her mental and emotional moorings.

Dr. Nelson was a kindly old man. He had been a surgeon in the Korean War, becoming a general practitioner after getting out of the army. He had volunteered to go to Vietnam late in '66 staying until the spring of '69. Now he was just a country doc, with a hell of a lot of trauma and surgical experience; he was also the family physician of everyone I knew.

He put his hand out to Kate. She took his hand still holding mine with her left.

"Kate, you can smile. He is going to be fine."

I watched the tension drain away as Kate's body started to relax.

"He has had a rough morning, and he will take a bit of time to heal, but he will completely recover." Those were the words she needed to hear. Jodi let go of my hand and put her arms around Kate.

Kate and Jodi were busy de-stressing so I asked, "Doc, how is he? Anything broken?"

Now that I had the ladies back on track, Dr. Nelson gave me a smile and looked at Kate. "Ron has a broken arm and three cracked ribs. He also has a small hairline in his collarbone, but I think the rest will keep him immobile enough to give it adequate time to heal itself without any hardware needed. He also suffered a slight concussion; we will be keeping him over night for observation, but that's really just a formality. If all goes as it should, I'll let you take him home tomorrow evening."

He looked at his watch. "I think he should be situated in his room now; would you like to go up and see him?" He started walking leading the way, not waiting for an answer. Kate fell into step with him while Jodi and I followed behind hand in hand.

Following the doctor, I vaguely heard him talking about not finding any internal injuries. I was deeply buried in my own thoughts, thinking of planting corn, cutting and baling hay. Ron would be well enough to run the combine to pick corn in the fall. Would he be able to run the chopper in September? How would I chop and do everything else that needed to be done?

Jodi gave my arm a little tug, snapping me back to the here and now. We entered a small room whose windows overlooked the town of Waterford. Hell we must be up in the third story. I had to silently laugh at myself; I didn't even remember climbing one flight of stairs.

Ron looked like he was only half there. His eyes slightly hooded, but the intelligence that usually shone brightly through them was dim.

As Kate went to him, her moorings were torn loose, setting her emotions adrift; she'd been tossed by the storm of uncertainty. As she silently wept, a tear rolled down my cheek. The strength of her emotions had pulled me into their wake; I couldn't help being effected. I felt more then heard Jodi sob. Pulling her to me in a tight embrace, I leaned to her and whispered. "It's all right, sweetie; he'll be okay."

"Kate, I'm going to be fine," Ron said in obvious discomfort, trying to put his wife at ease.

"We have him sedated, to help him relax. I will leave you folks for a bit," said the doctor, turning to go.

"Thanks, Doc," I said as he left. I released Jodi and she went over to give her dad a hug.

"Daddy, we were so worried."

"I'm sorry, baby," he said giving her a weak smile.

Kate had pulled herself together a bit. "That bull is off the farm tomorrow!" she said, leaving little room for argument. Without giving Ron a chance to speak, she said, "I know we paid a lot of money for him, and that his genetics will improve the herd, but they won't replace my husband, and God forbid should something happen to Jodi or William."

"You will get no arguments from me about him having to go, Kate, but as to when is another matter," Ron labored. "Where is the bull now?"

"The sheriff's deputies put him back in the box stall. They thought they might have to shoot him, but finally got him in the stall without getting hurt," Kate told him.

"Then please, Kate, give me enough time to get out of the hospital and advertise him in the farm journal. Don't sell him for beef at the auction. Just keep him in his stall. Okay?"

"Okay, dear, I won't. Just please get rid of him as soon as possible," Kate said with a hint of pout in her voice.

"There is no reason for anyone to go in that stall. He can be watered and fed without going in; don't worry about the rest," Ron said looking around at each of us, stopping his gaze on me, not breaking eye contact until I gave him a nod of agreement.

I didn't talk with Ron much beyond assuring him the work would get done as it should, that it would be hard, but not impossible with the three of us. I just stood back, giving Jodi my silent support as she and Kate talked with him.

When the doctor came in, he asked Ron how he was feeling as far as pain and discomfort were concerned. I had tuned all of it out. According to my watch it was just after three in the afternoon and I was itching to get home and get some work done.

"Kate?" I asked tentatively. "I am sorry to rush you. I know it's been a hard day for everyone, but we really need to head for home. There is work that needs doing before chores."

"You're right, William. We will go in just a few," Kate said regretfully.

"If you want to come back, I am sure Jodi and I can handle chores tonight. We just need to get there," I said.

Kate nodded her head. "Thank you, William."

I returned her nod. "It's okay."

"I am going to be heading home within the half hour," Doc Nelson said. "I wouldn't mind swinging by the farm and dropping them off on my way."

"If you are sure it wouldn't be an inconvenience, Doctor, that would be very helpful," Kate said happily.

"Oh, no; not at all. It's hardly out of my way," said Doc Nelson, brushing away Kate's reservations.

We had said good bye to Ron and Kate and headed out with the doctor, climbing into his car.

A while later, Jodi and I stood waving as Doc Nelson's old Buick retreated down the drive.

It was just about four o'clock by now, so we decided to grab something to eat before getting to work.

We sat eating. Jo looked pretty sad and was completely absorbed in her thoughts. I understood why, but hated seeing her so down. "Jodi, are you okay?"

Laying down her fork, she shook her head. "No, William, I keep thinking about what might have happened." Tears started rolling down her cheeks as sobs shook her body. I pushed away from the table and pulled her onto my lap. All I could do was comfort her and let her release pent up emotion, cleansing the fear and worry that been stored up to point of overflowing.

After crying herself out, she stayed in my lap, clinging to me. Again I was a rock, a position I wasn't used to. I had never had anyone dependent on me for support, moral or otherwise.

Turning her lips up to mine, her tear-filled eyes searching mine, my heart melted. I loved her and could have defined it, but at this moment, words didn't describe what I was feeling. I felt helpless, because I couldn't fix what was making her sad. The cause of her suffering was beyond my ability to repair.

I kissed her softly. I was starting to understand why adults would say "kids your age can't be in love, you don't even know what love is." I was beginning to understand that love had depth, beyond liking someone, beyond enjoying their company, and wanting to do whatever you could to help them. Under those simple guidelines, I loved all the Kollers, but now I could understand what it meant to be truly in love.

Looking into Jodi's eyes, I felt what she was feeling. The only thing I wanted was to take it into myself and spare her the grief, but I couldn't, and that is what made me feel helpless.

I kissed her again, "Why don't you go lie down for an hour and get a little nap? It'll help," I said brushing the tears from her cheekbones with my thumbs.

She nodded her head and got off my lap. I stood up, pulling her back to me. Scooping her up, I carried her upstairs to my room and laid her on my bed, our bed. Laying her gently down, I kissed her on the tip of her nose. "Get some sleep."

As I turned to leave, she said, "I love you."

I turned back, giving her a small smile. "You're such a girlie-girl." Giving her a wink, I left, heading out to start work.

"Thank you, William" she whispered.

By the time 5:30 had rolled around, I had laid down feed for the milkers, fed the dries and heifers, as well as the young stock, and had just finished throwing down sawdust bedding in the stalls. I was beat from working this break-neck pace. It had worn me out. I quickly fed the calves and started the pumps at 3 minutes to 6:00. "Not too shabby," I thought, letting the cows in.

As I was in a 45 second lull waiting for the first cow to get finished, I thought about the ill-fortune of Ron being injured. I was grateful that he had not been permanently crippled or worse, but I was also worried about how I was going to keep up with all the work.

As I stood there totally lost in thought, I felt two hands slide around my waist and a warm body hugging against my back. I could feel her breasts pressing into my lower back and her cheek lying softly between my shoulder blades.

"Did you sleep well?" I felt her cheek moving in what felt like a positive motion. "Emmhmm," she purred in response.

"Do you feel better?" This time she moved around in front of me, meeting my gaze. "Emmhmm," she purred again, reaching around my neck pulling me in for a kiss.

Our lips met in a soft moist embrace. It was loving, but becoming more urgent. I probed with my tongue; she opened herself willingly. Our tongues twirled, making love of their own. Her saliva was sweet and was bringing on my desire, my cock hardening rapidly. I was barely able to pull away.

"Damn, Jo," I said, breathing heavily. "We can't keep that up and get the chores done, too." Looking into her eyes, I said, "Don't turn it off. Just put it on the back burner to simmer a while."

Running her fingertips back and forth across the bulge in my jeans, she said, "I'll try, but if I disappear you better come find me quick or you might miss out."

Giggling, she pulled away from me and started switching milkers on cows. I was glad to see her feeling better. I remembered what it was like to have all of that fear and stress bottled up inside. I had felt it for both of my parents. I would never admit it to anybody other than Jodi and possibly Kate, but a good cry and a nap did wonders for a day such as this.