Waiting for Morning (The Brides Of Last Chance Ranch Series) (26 page)

Molly stood outside her brother’s bedroom door, hands clenched. Donny’s frustrated protests coming from within made her want to scream.

Several times she raised her hand to knock and put a stop to the session. Each time she decided against it. Before starting the session Caleb had made her promise to give him full rein and not interfere, but it was harder than she thought.

“I’m not doing that!” Donny yelled. “I can’t.”

Caleb’s voice remained calm and patient. “Can’t or won’t?”

She couldn’t make out what Donny said next and the silence that followed was almost as unbearable as the protests.

Something hit the door with a thud and she jumped back. The
door flew open and Caleb stared at her a moment before brushing past her.

“Donny?” she whispered, rushing into the room. “What’s going on? What’s the matter?”

Donny refused to look at her. “Go away.”

“Donny, talk to me. Tell me what happened.”

“I said go away!”

She left the room to chase after Caleb, but she reached the road just in time to see the tail end of his auto disappear in a cloud of dust.

Chapter 24

M
olly circled the corral astride a horse named Midnight under Brodie’s watchful eye. Midnight was a black horse with a star-shaped white spot on his forehead and
had one white leg.

She tried to ignore Caleb’s vehicle parked in front of the ranch house. It had been nearly a week since Caleb stormed out of the house. She never thought to see him again but she was wrong. He was back the very next day and every day since, schedule permitting. He had even driven her and Donny to church Sunday.

She didn’t ask for Donny’s progress report, and neither Caleb nor Donny volunteered one. It was better that way. Avoiding the subject meant less chance of half-truths leading to false hope.

Still, she watched for signs of improvement. She couldn’t help herself. Did Donny seem stronger or was that wishful thinking? Did he seem happier, more content, less given to mood swings?

Brodie’s voice was like a knife cutting through her thoughts. “Keep the circle small. Don’t let him pivot.”

How to turn was one of the first lessons a horse had to learn. Another important lesson was how to back up correctly.

The horse’s natural inclination was to turn to the left and Molly had to train him to turn to the right.

“Watch his head,” Brodie called. The horse’s head had to be tilted with the nose slightly to the outside. “Keep the reins low.”

Molly rode the horse at an easy pace, alternating between a slow trot and walk until Midnight turned smoothly with little prodding.

“Not bad,” Brodie said as she dismounted. “Not bad at all. Never thought I’d live to say this, but you have a way with horses.”

The unexpected compliment made her smile. “I have a good teacher,” she said.

Brodie ran a hand along the horse’s neck. “Too bad you’re so distracted. If Miss Walker is crazy enough to make you her heiress, you better figure out what to do about your brother. You can’t take care of him and run a ranch.”

Unable to deny the truth of Brodie’s statement, she said nothing.

Brodie grabbed hold of Midnight’s reins. “I think he’s had enough for today. Tomorrow we’ll teach him how to back up.”

Brodie led the horse away and she leaned her back against the fence, elbows resting on the top slat. In the distance the red tile roof of the ranch house glistened in the hot afternoon sun. Yellow rays glanced off Caleb’s motor buggy. Caleb had not left yet. That had to be a good sign. If Caleb succeeded in doing what he said he would do, life would be so much easier. But that was a very big
if.

Pushing her thoughts away, she walked to the fence to watch Orbit and Magic play. The two friends never failed to make her smile. Today Orbit came bounding toward her even before she had a chance to sing, Magic nipping at his heels.

Donny sat in his chair gasping for air. He hadn’t been able to crawl to his chair or anywhere close to it, but he had made progress.

“I moved,” he gasped.

Doc Fairbanks nodded. “Yes, you did.”

It took Donny several moments to catch his breath. “You promised to take me to Flagstaff.”

The doctor shook his head. “You’re not ready yet. It took you forty minutes to move a couple of inches. You gotta do better than that. You also have to learn to dress yourself and manage the privy. When we travel to Flagstaff, I’m not waiting on you.”

“I don’t want you waiting on me.” Donny folded his arms across his chest. There was no pleasing the man. “Tomorrow I’ll move a foot, maybe even farther.”

“A foot won’t get you in the chair.”

“A foot is as good as a mile when you’re a—”

Doc raised a dark eyebrow and waited.

Donny bit his lip to stifle a grin. “You thought I was going to say cripple, didn’t you?”

“Were you?”

“What I was about to say is when you’re under the thumb of a slave-driving, ninny-hammering, know-it-all doctor!”

Doc Fairbanks thought for a moment, then shrugged. “I can’t say that’s a better choice of words, but it will do. For now.” He tossed a nod at the door. “How about some fresh air? It’ll help you breathe better. It might even improve your disposition.”

“Fresh air is your remedy for everything.” The doc hardly ever walked into a room without flinging open a window.

“Fresh air and sunshine are God’s greatest healing gifts.” Without waiting for an answer Fairbanks pushed him through the house and outside, settling him in a shady spot on the verandah. “See you tomorrow.”

“Don’t remind me,” Donny said, though secretly he looked forward to it. The doctor made him work hard but Donny liked him. Liked him a lot. He liked the company and the way the doc treated him like a real person. He even liked stumping Fairbanks with questions. The doctor knew a lot about science and the human body, but he didn’t know much about astronomy or cattle.

He watched Caleb walk to his car. He admired the way the doc carried himself, his shoulders back and head held high, his easy stride. That’s how Donny would walk if he could. Even now, he straightened his back and held his head aloft to imitate the doctor.

You could tell a lot by the way people walked. Some people judged others by their profession or how they dressed, but Donny judged people by the way they walked. Miss Walker didn’t walk as much as march, her boots hammering the floor like a carpenter with a stubborn nail. Rosita scurried around like a scared little mouse. Stretch bopped his head back and forth like a long-necked bird, and Feedbag’s feet splayed out at ninety-degree angles.

Molly didn’t walk as much as glide. Or at least she did when she wasn’t worried about him. Then she walked as if she carried a weight on her shoulders. She tried to hide it, but he wasn’t fooled. He knew he was a burden.

She didn’t look like she was carrying a load now. The moment she spotted the doctor she waved, her feet barely touching the ground as she hurried toward Bertha, a bright smile on her face. Donny almost expected her to jump in the air like Orbit.

Watching her, he frowned. It didn’t look like his sister but it was. No mistaking that. But why did she look so different?

Doc Fairbanks turned to face her and the two talked. Donny couldn’t make out what they said, but something in the way they
stood and looked at each other caught his attention. It was as if some invisible thread bound them together with a single knot.

Squinting, Donny leaned forward for a better look. The doc and his sister laughed and there was something . . . but what?

It took him a moment to figure it out. Caleb
liked
his sister and she
liked
him back. Donny gripped the arms of his chair. Why had it taken him so long to see what was as clear as the nose on his face? Now he knew why the doctor worked him so hard. The sooner Donny became independent, the sooner the doc could steal Molly away.

A cold sweat broke out on Donny’s forehead. He swallowed hard but already his breathing had become labored. A doctor in Dobson Creek had advised Molly to put him in an institution. For weeks Donny had nightmares about such a place. Even now, his body grew cold just thinking about it. Molly promised him she would never put him away, but what if she fell in love and got married? What then?

He mustn’t let that happen. He mustn’t let anyone take his sister away. Not even the funny and kind Doc Fairbanks.

Molly led Caleb to the far corral and called to Orbit. Both Orbit and Magic came running. Caleb talked soothingly to the young horse and petted him gently before taking his head in both hands. He studied first one eye and then the other. Magic watched with every bit of anxiety that Molly felt.

“What do you think? Is it moon blindness?” She’d heard of the disease but had no real knowledge of what it was.

After a moment Caleb released the horse. “It’s not moon sickness,” he said. “And it’s not cataracts. It looks like both retinas are detached.”

“Can anything be done?” she asked.

“I’m afraid not. It’s a congenital problem.” He gave her a look of apology. “I’m sorry, Molly. I wish I had better news for you.”

“I wish you did too.”

Magic barked and Caleb lifted him over the fence. The horse and dog chased each other around the corral. No one would ever guess by appearances alone that the little fellow lived in a world of darkness.

She rested her folded hands on the fence. “Is he in any pain?”

“No, he’s not.”

Relief washed over her. She couldn’t stand to think Orbit was hurting in any way. “What’s going to happen to him?”

Caleb turned to face her, his back to the fence, his dark brows slanted. “It’s hard to say. I guess it will depend on Miss Walker.”

That’s exactly what Molly feared. The ranch woman wasn’t about to keep a horse that didn’t earn its keep and Orbit couldn’t survive in the wild. A shiver ran through her and Caleb touched her arm.

“Are you okay?”

She nodded, her skin tingling beneath his hand. “I . . . I better let you get back to town.”

He released her arm but the warmth of his touch remained. “I’m sorry I can’t do more.”

She smiled up at him and his gaze held hers. “You’re doing enough already.” When he made no reply, she added, “Thank you.”

He gave her a smile that sent her pulse racing. “Donny did good today. We’re making progress.”

“You aren’t just saying that, are you? So I won’t worry?”

“I’m not just saying it. I swear.”

She chewed on her lip. “He still needs a great deal of help.”

“Be patient,” he said. “Miracles take awhile.”

She sighed. Her father always said that everything happened in
God’s
time. What about
her
time? Why couldn’t things happen faster? Why did she always have to wait?

“I would feel better if you’d let me pay you for your efforts.” At least if she paid him she would have some control. If nothing else she would have more say in the matter. “I can’t afford much, but I do draw a small salary from Miss Walker.”

He shook his head. “I don’t want your money.”

“Why not? What do you get out of this? Coming here day after day.” Surely he had better things to do, other patients requiring care.