Chapter 4

There was a flurry of activity in the car, during which Dub managed to roll his window down.

"Well what do we have here?" asked the policeman.

"Uh ... um ... I can explain!" stammered Angela. Dub was still attempting to get his pants done back up and put his penis away. Angela pulled her blouse together and tried to button it.

"You're the new doctor, ain't you?" asked the officer.

Angela felt dread settle in her stomach. "Yes," she admitted miserably.

The cop looked at Dub. "Things seem to be looking up for you, Dub."

"Howdy, Ezra," said Dub.

"I can explain!" moaned Angela again.

"No need," said the policeman Dub obviously knew on a first name basis. "You're free, white and over eighteen, and so is old Dub here. I thought you might be kids. They come up here to park sometimes. Never seen no adults neckin' up in here, though. Mostly folks do that sort of thing at home."

"We didn't come here to neck," objected Angela.

"I could see that," said Ezra, grinning widely. "I'll just be getting along and leave you two love birds alone again."

"But..." Angela spluttered.

"Unless you want me to stay and watch," offered Ezra.

"No!" barked both Angela and Dub at the same time.

Ezra laughed and stood up. "Didn't think so, but you never know. Welcome to town, Doc. Might bring my wife over to the clinic one of these days. She could use some pointers on what you wuz just doin' to Dub."

"PLEASE!" yipped Angela frantically. "You can't tell anybody about this! This is a treatment for Dub's condition!"

"Sure it is," laughed Ezra. "Is this condition he has catchin'? Cause I don't think I'd mind havin' that problem, seeing as how the treatment looks like it might not hurt at all." He grinned again.

Angela was terrified, and it quite possibly showed, because the lawman put up a hand to stop her from saying anything else.

"What you and Dub do is your business. You probably ought to keep it indoors if you want it to stay your business, but I won't spread it around. Dub and I grew up together, and it's high time he had him a lady friend. I was startin' to get worried that he didn't like girls. Your secret is safe with me."

"Thank you," Angela almost sobbed.

"I wasn't kidding about bringing Chelsey around to get some learnin' though," said Ezra. "Would that be all right?"

Angela, grasping at any hope that her life could go on without scandal, nodded frantically. She would agonize about that later, but all she felt at the moment was relief.

"Good," said the man. "Y'all have a good day now, hear?"

Angela stopped in front of the faded, but neatly kept house. As Dub got out she saw the curtains move in the window facing the car.

"Thanks for the ride," said Dub. "I'm sure sorry about Ezra."

"It would have helped if you'd have told me that was the local makeout place," said Angela, still grumpy.

"I ain't never been there before," he said. "I just heard about it all the time, so when you said something that's where I thought of. Don't be mad at me, please?"

She sighed. "I'm not mad at you."

"Good," he said, sounding relieved. "And thanks for helping me out with my problem again."

"You're welcome," she said automatically.

"I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to make you feel good too."

"That's all right, Dub," she said patiently.

"An I'm really sorry I didn't get a chance to kiss you too."

"Dub, go inside. You have chores to do."

"Right!" he said, standing up. "OK. Don't forget to get that tire fixed."

"I won't. Good night, Dub."

"Night Doc. I mean Angela."

He smiled, and then turned and ran to the front door, which opened for him as he got there. His mother was standing there peering out toward the car. Angela waved, and got what might have been a nod from the woman.

Then she drove home, trying to decide whether what had happened was a catastrophe, or something she'd remember for the rest of her life. She corrected herself as she parked. She would definitely remember it for the rest of her life. The only thing in question was whether it would end up being a good or bad memory.

The next day was Saturday, so Angela didn't have to go to work. After a liesurely brunch she decided to get the tire taken care of. It wasn't until she was walking in the door of the sales area of the feed mill that it occurred her that her secret might not be a secret any more. She was fully aware that men liked to brag about their conquests, particularly to those they worked with. She almost turned around to leave, but a man was already approaching her.

"What can I do for you, Miss?" he asked.

She hesitated briefly, but saw nothing in his eyes except interest in making a sale. "I ruined a tire," she said.

"Well we have tires," the man smiled. "Let's just go take a look."

She took him to the car and opened the trunk.

"Yup, it's ruined all right," he said. He leaned over, running his finger along some numbers printed on the tire. "I think we got something that size in stock. Let's go see."

She followed him back inside, where he went behind the counter and started pecking at the keyboard of a computer.

"Haven't seen you before," he said casually. "You from out of town?"

"I just moved here a few months ago," she said.

"You do much highway driving?"

"Probably not," she said. "I mean I'm not planning any trips or anything."

He stopped typing. "I've got a Uniroyal in stock that's pretty close to that tread pattern. It's a mid range tire. I could get something cheaper, but I'd have to order it. I don't think you need anything fancier than the Uniroyal."

"How much is it?" she asked.

"Mounted and balanced I can give it to you for a hundred and twelve even."

"That seems like a lot," said Angela, who had never actually bought tires before.

He smiled politely. "I just quoted you the one I have in stock. I can get you the cheaper tire by next Thursday. It's up to you."

"OK," she said. "I just need it fixed so I don't have to worry. Let's do it today."

"Good enough," he said.

She gave him the keys and wandered around, looking at all the things that most farm stores have, but which she had never seen before. She began to have fun trying to figure out what things were used for when the man approached her again.

"I'm sorry," he said. "It turns out the garage is kind of full up on the schedule. It's going to be some time before we can get to your car."

"How long?" she asked.

"Might be three or four hours," he said, "I'm real sorry."

"I don't want to hang around here for three or four hours," Angela moaned.

"I could make you an appointment for later next week if you want," he said. "Or I could get one of the boys to give you a ride to wherever you want to go, and then we'll come get you when your car is done."

"That would be all right," she said. "Giving me a ride, I mean."

"No problem," he said. "Be right back."

She felt a chill when she looked up and saw the man heading toward her with a big smile on his face ... followed by Dub Fisher. She expected the man to make some kind of snide comment, but was both surprised and relieved when he said "Dub here will take you wherever you need to go."

"Hi, Doc!" said Dub, artlessly.

"Doc?" asked the man.

"This here is Doctor Webber," said Dub.

The man looked at her. "Oh, you're that new doctor in town, right? The one that Doc Kimble took on?"

"Yes," she said, fighting to keep the tremor out of her voice.

"Well Hell, why didn't you say so," said the man. "I'm sure I can shave a few dollars off that tire. Got to take care of those that take care of us, don't you know." He grinned widely and stuck his hand out.

She shook it, relieved that he apparently didn't know how Dub knew her, or didn't care.

"Take her anywhere she needs to go, Dub," he went on. "We don't have any big deliveries scheduled. You can run her on all her errands if you need to. Her car won't be ready until closing time." He turned to Angela. "You can trust Dub, ma'am. He's a good boy. And he can introduce you around too, so folks will know who you are. We take care of our own in Turkey Hollow."

Angela climbed into a dusty, rusty pickup truck with the logo of the feed mill on the side in faded and chipped paint. Dub got in the driver's seat and started the motor, which started smoothly and was surprisingly quiet.

"I didn't think I'd see you again for a while," he said.

"You didn't tell them about us," she said.

"Tell who?"

"That man back there, for one," she said.

"Willard? Of course not. You told me not to tell anybody, so I ain't."

She looked over at him. He had his eyes on the road as he maneuvered the truck out of the parking lot and onto the road.

"Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome," he responded, completely serious. "Where to?"

"The tire was all I had planned," she said. "Home, I guess."

They rode on in silence that, rather than being tense, was somewhat companionable. Eventually Angela spoke.

"So ... how are things at home?"

"They're fine," said Dub. "Mamma's keeping a tight rein on the girls."