Do Not Forsake Me(63)

“I thought…it might just go away and not come back.”

“Well, no more secrets, all right? You’re too important to all of us. And take off all your slips. I can’t feel anything through all that crinoline. You can leave your dress on. I know this is hard for you. Just lie down on the bed.”

Jake came inside the room. “Go hold her hand,” Brian told him. “This might hurt.”

Jake moved around to the other side of the bed and carefully sat down on it, taking Randy’s hand. Brian knelt close and began pressing on Randy’s abdomen, asking if it hurt. It didn’t until he hit one particular spot. She cried out and gripped Jake’s hand.

Jake watched the expression on Brian’s face when he pressed the other side and got the same reaction. He didn’t like what he saw in Brian’s eyes. “What is it?” he demanded.

Brian straightened. “Jake, I can’t touch her once and know exactly what’s wrong.” He leaned closer to Randy. “How long has this been going on?”

She curled up. “I’m not sure. Maybe six months.”

Jake felt a black dread. “Why in hell didn’t you tell me?”

“Jake, don’t get upset. I just wasn’t sure if it was anything important, and I don’t like worrying you when you have to be out there, watching your back all the time. You have enough on your mind.”

“Worry me? For God’s sake, Randy, I’ve been giving you things to worry about for twenty-six years, and you don’t want to give me something to worry about?”

“Jake, why don’t you go into the kitchen and see if there is any leftover coffee you can heat up,” Brian suggested. “I wouldn’t mind more of that pie we had earlier today, if there is any left. I’ll give Randy something she can take for pain when it’s bad.” He turned to Randy. “Mom, I’m not the doctor for this. I think Edward Rogers is the best to examine you more thoroughly. He specializes in these things.” He glanced at Jake and spoke with a hint of sarcasm. “I just burn out and sew up knife and bullet wounds.”

“You do more than that, Brian,” Jake shot back. “You’ve done lots of surgeries.”

“Not on someone as close to me as Randy. If it was Evie we were talking about, I’d send her to Rogers too. This truly isn’t my usual doctoring.”

“Are you saying I need surgery?” Randy asked.

Brian closed his doctor’s bag. “I don’t know that at all. I’m just saying someone who knows what they’re talking about should examine you, that’s all. It might be nothing. Either way, I can tell you’re very tired. You’ve had a long day of cooking and running after grandkids and walking down to Peter’s office, and now this news about Marty Bryant.” He put some kind of powder into a glass and poured water into it from a pitcher beside the bed. “Drink this. I want you to get some sleep.”

“But I have things to do.”

“Drink it! For crying out loud, you’re as bad as Jake when it comes to listening to a doctor’s orders.”

She sighed and sat up, drinking down the mixture and then making a face. “Tastes awful.”

Brian gestured to some peppermint candy lying on the bedside table. “Eat a piece of that candy. That should help. And for heaven’s sake, lie down and go to sleep.” He glanced at Jake. “You shouldn’t leave candy lying around. Little Jake already eats too many sweets.”

Jake glanced at Randy and they smiled at each other. “Well, I happen to like peppermint,” he told his son-in-law. “Sometimes you need something to freshen your breath real quick.”

“Jake!” Randy put her hands over her face.

Jake walked over and pulled the covers over her. He leaned down and kissed her lightly. “Get some sleep. Big day tomorrow.” He put a hand to the side of her face. “You’ll be all right.”

She grasped his wrist. “Stay calm, Jake. Don’t leave yet.”

“I won’t. You’ll have me around at least another week, I suppose.”

She closed her eyes and Jake watched her a moment. What would I do without you? How would I breathe?

Scowling, he got up off the bed and walked out, going to the kitchen, afraid to look at Brian. He took the metal box that held his ammunition from the top of the icebox while Brian poured some coffee.

“You want some coffee?” Brian asked him.

“No.” Jake opened the box of ammo and took out two slugs. He picked up the shotgun Lloyd had left on the kitchen table and shoved two slugs into it.

“No buckshot?” Brian asked.