Chapter 32

The girl said, "He is good to us, Ma. I'm glad Daddy's brother found us when the war was over, he even brought me a brother with him and gave us another baby."

The lady said, "Yeah, we have another baby, but he isn't right somehow. I hope he'll grow out of being slow."

I heard people coming and stepped back, afraid of being seen. There was no need to worry, as they walked right past me. I watched all the people go into the house.

Bud, Eliza's mate, smiled at me and said, "Still using my old truck, are you? Take care of it and it will take care of you, you'll see."

I sat up in bed because I thought I was about to cramp up. Whew, what a dream. That was a terrible dream and what could really be considered as a totally bad dream. I suppose I know more about this mountain than just about anyone now, if I was to believe my dreams.

Nature was calling, so I got up and went to the bathroom. I thought I heard crying and followed the sound to Mom's room. The bedside light was on low and she was curled up with a Kleenex on her eyes.

I went to her and pulled her into a hug, "What's the matter, Mom? Anything that I can help with?"

"No, Michael, I'm just having a spell missing your father. I've thought of him a lot since I've been up here with you. There are so many things you do that remind me of him. But really, Mike, I think you are helping me say goodbye better than anyone has. A lot of folks have tried, but none have had me relive what your dad and I did for so many years. You've given it to me, right along with building on the house just like your dad did. You have become a good farmer and are making this little farm pay. I'm just missing him, Son, and it's saying goodbye too."

What could I say? I hugged her tighter and tried to project my love for her. "Loosen up a bit, Son. You're still a mite strong. Come on, let's get in the big bed of yours and go back to sleep."

She had me hug Millie's back this time, as she hugged mine. I went to sleep with mental flashes of Eliza and Ben, then from out of nowhere, Dad was standing there for a second, smiling at me.

It was surprising, but I was very refreshed when I woke just after five. As soon as I moved, Mom whispered, "Come on; let's try to make two runs up there this morning."

I slipped from bed and dressed before going into the bathroom to shave and brush my teeth. I looked at my hair and thought that I needed to stop in to see Martha or go to the barber shop.

Mom had coffee warming for me in the microwave as we stood by the stove. I had let the dogs out to do some running as soon as I got up, and they were already back at the door ready to do something exciting.

I always hated to tell them to stay, so this morning, Mom suggested, "Let them come with us. They'll have fun running around."

The trip to the cavern was fast, but I had a small hand-truck with balloon tires this time that I was able to use to haul six chests out of the cavern. The only problem was the dogs. They wanted to keep running in and out of the opening as I pulled the hand-truck through the water.

The whole trip took about forty minutes, so we decided to make another. I told the dogs to stay this time.

This trip was as easy, and it was only six forty-five when I had all twelve of the newly rescued chests in Mom's closet. Six more and we would be done. I asked Mom about another trip and she told me we might do it later, but others would be coming in now.

The Latino ladies came from the barn and two younger ones came from the chicken house. They were dressed a little fancy and I didn't recognize them. D was coming from the wine caves and waved to me.

The girls giggled as they passed me, joining Anita and Rosita as they went in the house. D came up and said, "Those are two of the ladies that got away from the brothel they were in. If you look at their wrists, you can see the marks from the handcuffs and shackles they had on them."

Mom was standing beside me and asked, "How did they escape if they were cuffed and shackled?"

"The girls will have to tell you themselves," D said. "They could go to jail if some people were to find out. They are my responsibility, and I will watch them closely. They come from a variety of homes, but mostly from poor families who were documented migrant workers. These two girls lost their families over the years and had no one looking out for them."

D pulled me to the side, "I need to take all of the girls to the doctor to make sure they are healthy and not badly injured. Can you help me get them there? You know I have no car yet."

"Of course, D, but the person who will help you even more is Mom. We'll ask her to help and you'll see how good she will treat them. Do they have their documentation, or do they need Benson to request duplicates?"

D shrugged and said, "If you will help me, you and I can go through that with each of them. I was told most are citizens, but from poor families. I promise to watch them and to make sure they act appropriately. I've made the same promise to the people who live in the houses below. It is my responsibility."

After breakfast, Mom and D had their discussion, with me listening in. I could see Mom close her eyes while thinking of the cruelty of the men who had held the girls. After listening, she told D, "Let me call the doctor and have a private word with her. She might want to treat these women out here instead of at her office. That will give her a chance to visit with us as well."

Mom has to be one of the best salespeople around. She had Dr. Rivers planning to spend the entire afternoon examining the girls and have supper with us. We planned to have the doc use the little table with a couple of blankets for the exams. We put the leaf extension in the table, covered it with a couple of blankets for comfort, then placed a sheet over those. Mom and Millie came up with six twin bed sheets so that each of the women would have a fresh exam area.

As soon as lunch was over, the university people took off for Lexington, and the metal detection guys sadly left after a talk from me. I made them swear they would not disclose what they saw and what they knew. When we were done, I handed each of them an envelope with five hundred dollars and one of the gold coins. I told them that if they were ever broke and needed money, the coin would help them out. I think they were sincere in telling me that they would never tell anyone.

Doctor Rivers showed up shortly after Mom had gone to get the six women from below. None of them had other clothes, so what they were wearing was what they had escaped in. I could sense a shopping trip coming. One thing about the women was they were all clean and freshly bathed and their clothes had been washed.

I told D, "How about taking a ride with me to see how Ezra is doing? We might even run up to the Wal-Mart in Mount Sterling for some starter clothes for the women. Let me get Mom to give me some sizes for them. Actually, they all look to be the same size, skinny."

Mom hugged me and said, "That is so sweet of you to do. Just get them each a couple of pair of jeans and four tops. There are just two sizes, three and five, with three girls in each size. The tops can be T-shirts in small, or any other top you think that they can work in. We'll get them some Sunday clothes later. If you want to use cash, remember that I have a lot of cash from our trip to Cincinnati."

"No, let me use my debit card because D is going with me. He doesn't need to know I carry that kind of cash around."

Mom thought I should trust D more, but to me, he was still what I would call 'un-vetted'. I know what he told me, but there is no way to verify anything other than the word of the others. I'll have to try to check him out, along with these girls, to make sure we're not aiding criminals.

D and I made the trip to Mount Sterling and visited with Ezra for fifteen minutes on the way. We quickly did the shopping at the Wal-Mart, and I was surprised that D remembered to get a couple dozen pairs of panties, then looked at some inexpensive sandals. I called Mom, "What about shoes and socks to work in. We've picked up some sandals, but they will need work shoes. Let me get them some tennis shoes for right now. Find out the sizes and I'll pick them up."

Mom got the sizes and D and I were able to find six pair exactly alike so that the girls had twenty four tops they could swap around and three pair of jeans each to wear. I'm sure that if they stay, Mom will take them on a real shopping trip to Lexington. We found some lightweight jackets that should do them through this spring and fall, but then we would have to find them heavier coats and boots.

We remembered to get some big boxes of feminine products, as six of them would go through a lot every month. When our shopping cart looked to be overflowing, we stopped and tried to think of anything else they would need right away. D was happy, so I was happy and we headed for the checkout.

After checking out, D told me, "I will pay you back for all of this. I have had to use my money to bring the girls here. You may ask me why and my answer is simple. Two of the girls, the two you first met, are my brother's girls. After they legally immigrated here, they worked hard in the fields, but my brother was a drinker and a mean drunk. I had heard that he was wanted by the law after he beat his wife, my sister-in-law, to death. The girls tried to run, but he sold them to a brothel for more money to drink. Now I hear he died trying to escape the police. The girls have social security numbers and legal American birth certificates. I think they went to school through the second year of high school, but that's all. The youngest is sixteen, and the older girl is also sixteen, almost seventeen. I had to try to save them, and they made me bring the other four girls with them. Even bus fare from California is expensive for six people. I'm happy that they made it, so I can take care of my family. The other girls will have to be my family as well."

"So these girls all speak decent English?"

"Better English than Spanish," D informed me. "All went to American schools, but lived in a Latino environment. We'll have to see how they adjust. Hopefully, they are all healthy. It would be terrible for one of them to have any horrible diseases."

I called home as we neared the mountain. Millie answered and told me, "All of the girls have been examined and there are no terrible diseases. Just a couple of things the doctor was going to treat, plus they needed a lot of vaccinations. Mom and the doctor have taken down all of their personal information, and Mom sent it to Benson on the computer. I watched her and it was really neat the way she just typed everything up and sent it with the push of a button. Are you coming home soon?"

"We'll be home in about twenty minutes. We have clothes for the girls."

"Hurry, Mike, we are all waiting for you."

When D and I walked in, each carrying several big bags, we were mobbed by women taking the bags and putting them on the table. The next event surprised me even more. Six very young Latino girls rushed up to me and began kissing and hugging me. They almost knocked me to the floor before I could finally hold them all off. With a red face, I told them, "Don't thank me, thank D and that lady over there."

When I pointed to Mom, I knew I had been set up. The six young girls all began giggling and crowded around D. He said, "Overwhelming, isn't it?"

Now I received my kisses from Millie, as well as a hug and cheek kiss from Marita. Karen gave me a hug, and Mom was right there to get one, too. When I let her go, Sheryl Rivers took me into a full body embrace, and laid a kiss on me that shook me down to the toenails. She pulled back and smiled before asking, "How's that to get the blood flowing, Mike? I've wanted to do that to you since we met. It was as good as I thought it would be. Millie is lucky to have you."

Mom told the girls, "The jeans are three pair each, and you can swap the tops around right now. I see the men bought you some sandals, sneakers, socks, and even panties. None of you look big enough for bras, but if you want some, we'll get some next time we go. Karen and Marita, take them out to the summer kitchen so you can begin washing all of these clothes. Let's get them some fresh farm clothes to wear."

Rosita and Anita gave Mom and Millie hugs for taking care of everyone. They said they would be over early tomorrow to do the chores again. The two left with a few covered dishes for their supper. Now that they had their own car, we didn't worry that they had to walk home.

Supper and the evening was like a party. Before the evening was over, all of the girls dressed in jeans and sneakers with various T-shirts. They were all able to sit around and talk with Karen and Marita, while Mom, Millie, Doc Rivers, and I chatted.

It was Mom that brought up what I wanted to know. "Sheryl, what would it take for you to be able to get another doctor down here?"

"Ha, ha, what's needed is the same as everywhere, money. The clinic is finally making a profit, but it is because more people are paying their bills in cash. Two of my nurses take goods to the market every Saturday and sell what we've taken in, but it never really matches the bill. I know what we received had a great value to the giver, but I can't pay for bandages with eggs or chickens."

Mom said, "If you were to be able to have a private donor help you build on to your clinic and help you hire that extra doctor or two, could you keep it quiet as to who provided the money?"

"In a heartbeat; just the idea of having another couple of doctors, about six more real nurses, plus about twice the amount of overnight and exam rooms, and I would be on top of the world. The only problem with someone doing something like that would be the way I would want to show my appreciation. I would be groveling at their feet."

Mom leaned over and quietly said, "We have recently come into some money and want to help the community. I'm going to tell Benson to begin helping you build the expansion onto your hospital and to help you hire the doctors you need. Search for some with your small town attitude so that they will fit in. Do the same with the nurses. Do it all starting tomorrow. Mike will call Benson and tell him to begin."

Sheryl was sitting up straight, with her eyes wide and an almost hesitant look on her face. "How much are you talking about here? Building on to a clinic is expensive, because I have to have the state come and inspect, as well as approve the plans and all the construction. I think I can lay my hands on a couple of doctors, one male and one female that are both hicks that want to practice medicine in a small community. As far as nurses, I'll begin hunting for them fresh out of school if I have to. With some help from the two doctors, we might find some they already know."

The doc looked at me and asked, "You haven't said a word, and I'm sure you have a great deal to do with this. What do you want to have happen, Mike?"

I smiled and said, "Probably the same as you. I want your clinic to be well-stocked, well-manned, and ready to help people all the time. With a couple more doctors, you can split up responsibilities. Like right now, you've been able to stay here while you have a couple of visiting interns sleeping in one of your patient rooms."

"How do you know that, Mike?"

"Easy, you don't have the money to put them up in the motel, and interns are used to sleeping wherever and whenever they get the chance. I'd say a patient bed would be better than a hospital cot."

That gave me an idea. "Say, Doc, if you don't have to be back in tonight, how about a glass of wine?"