Page 298 of Conveniently Wed
When the door opened and the doctor stepped out, followed by a grim-faced Garrett, Aundy set her cup on the low table in front of her and stood.
“Mrs. Erikson, perhaps you should sit down,” the doctor said, taking her right hand in his. When she shook her head, looking at him wide-eyed and fearful, he took a deep breath. “I’m terribly sorry, but Erik isn’t going to make it.”
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Garrett watched Aundy’s face turn white and her knees give way as she sank onto the chair behind her. Hearing her quick intake of breath, he saw her press her lips together, as if she could hold back her grief.
The pastor stepped beside her, awkwardly patting her shoulder while the doctor took the chair next to hers.
“I wish I had better news for you, Mrs. Erickson, but the accident crushed several vital organs and resulted in internal damage that is beyond healing. Erik’s lungs are filling with liquid and soon he won’t be able to breathe. In addition, his right leg is broken, but I’m not going to put him through the agony of resetting it,” Doc said. He rubbed a weary hand over his tired eyes. “I don’t know how long Erik will linger, but considering his injuries, I would think no more than a day or two. I’ve given him some medication to help with the pain, but that’s about all anyone can do at this point.”
“I see.” Aundy looked at the doctor with unshed tears in her eyes and unasked questions she was afraid to voice.
“I don’t have the supplies with me to put a cast on your arm tonight, but we can splint it until I get back out here in the morning. I’ll bring more medicine for Erik.” Doc reached overand carefully examined Aundy’s broken arm. The doctor knew from experience the pastor was practically useless when it came to medical situations and looked to Garrett. “I’m going to need some help setting this. Shall we do it in the kitchen?”
“Certainly,” Nora said, getting to her feet and leading the way to the kitchen where she still had water boiling on the stove.
Garrett retrieved the doctor’s bag from Erik’s bedroom and set it down on the floor by the kitchen table. The doctor washed his hands at the sink while Nora handed the pastor a cup of coffee. The pastor sat at the far end of the table while the doctor motioned Aundy to take a seat on the opposite end. After pushing her sleeve high above her elbow, the doctor thoroughly probed her skin.
Gently pushing on her arm, he glanced at her. “As broken bones go, you have a clean break that will heal nicely, Mrs. Erikson.”
“Please, call me Aundy,” she requested, glancing at the doctor with eyes that held determination and fortitude.
“Aundy.” Doc smiled kindly as he placed her arm on a stack of towels Nora set on the table. “This is going to hurt and if you need to scream, just go right ahead.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Aundy sincerely hoped she wouldn’t embarrass herself.
Garrett watched Aundy grasp the edge of the table with her good hand and brace her leg against the table before scooting back in her chair. He would help hold her shoulder while Doc set her arm. Nora had the splints and bandages at hand, ready for Doc to wrap her arm. Pastor Whitting hastily excused himself to sit with Erik.
“Ready?” Doc asked, waiting for Aundy’s nod. “Okay. On the count of three. One, two…”
The doctor pulled on two and Garrett felt Aundy tense at the painful tugging. To her credit, she didn’t scream or evencry. Garrett wanted to yell for her as he helped the doctor pull the broken bone back into place. She clamped her lips tightly together and gripped her right hand against the edge of the kitchen table so tightly her fingers turned white.
“Good lands, honey, I’d have been bawling and screaming so loud, people in town would hear the racket,” Nora said with a smile. While the doctor wrapped the broken arm with the splints, Nora placed another steaming cup of fragrant tea in front of Aundy.
Aundy wasn’t sure the tea would stay down and instead took a deep breath, followed by another. She wanted to scream and shout, maybe even throw something at how bad her arm hurt, but she’d learned long ago to quietly accept what had to be done without complaint.
“Will it hurt her more to cast the arm tomorrow?” Garrett asked, feeling pity for Aundy. She took having her arm set better than most men he knew could have handled the pain. He’d broken his arm once when he was a kid and he yelled like Lucifer himself touched the break when the doctor set it.
“No. The worst of it is over. I’d leave it like this, but something tells me Aundy isn’t one to sit idly by for the next six weeks or so while it heals. A cast will protect it and give her more mobility. I think the best thing you can do is eat a little dinner and get some rest. I’ll be back early in the morning.” The doctor gathered his supplies and gulped down the cup of coffee Nora handed him. He walked to the front of the house, checked on Erik, then put on his hat and coat.
Garrett ran out to the barn to get the doctor’s horse and buggy.
“Thank you for coming.” Aundy stood at the door with Nora’s arm around her waist. Although she’d only just met the woman, she appreciated the familiar and comforting gesture. “And for splinting my arm.”
“You’re welcome,” Doc said. He looked compassionately at Erik’s wife. Pastor Whitting told him she was fresh off the train when Erik brought her in so they could wed. The farmer had talked of little else for weeks, since Aundy agreed to be his bride and travel to Pendleton. It was such a tragedy for their newly married life to end so harshly before it ever started. “Try and rest. There isn’t a thing you can do to help Erik, so get some sleep.”
“Yes, sir.” Aundy couldn’t sleep with Erik lying so injured, broken and alone, in another room. The least she could do was sit with him. No one else needed to know if she did that instead of slept.
“Aundy, I’m so sorry at the way things have gone this afternoon, but remember God has plans for our good, even when it might not seem like it at the time,” Pastor Whitting said. He gave Aundy’s back a gentle pat as he said his goodbyes. “Erik’s a good man, a good Christian, so don’t you worry about him.”
“Thank you,” Aundy whispered. Fear that the tears burning the backs of her eyes would escape and roll down her cheeks prevented her looking at the pastor. When she bit her tongue to keep a sob from escaping, Nora gently squeezed her waist, making it even harder to hold back her tears.
“I’ll return tomorrow with the doctor,” Pastor Whitting said, tipping his hat. “Rest well.”
Aundy lifted her gaze long enough to watch him walk out the door then Nora led her to a chair by the fire.
“Why don’t you sit and rest. I’ll bring you a plate of food.” Nora added another log to the fire. The warmth the sun added to the day dissipated when the evening settled in, leaving behind a cold, black night.
