Montana Morning (27 page)

“We have some good
timber in the north quarter section,” Jack commented as they passed the logging
trucks turning into the mill at the edge of town. “I considered harvesting some
of it, even had a fellow come up and take a look at it, but he said by the time
they built skid roads and moved all their equipment in, it wouldn’t pay.”

“Too bad they
couldn’t log it with horses.”

“I didn’t know
anyone even did that kind of thing anymore.”

“There was an
article in the Sunday paper a few years back, about a family doing it for
people living in the timbered subdivisions.  I think they were from around
Spencer someplace.  Red would know.  He was really intrigued by
it.  In fact, he even went down and took a look at the guy’s
operation.  He said you could hardly tell they had cut on the places.”

“I’ll ask Red
about it when I see him tonight.” Jack turned into the medical center’s parking
lot.  “Do you think this is really going to do any good?”

“We need to let
them know we haven’t forgotten our debts and are doing our best to pay
them.  Even if it doesn’t make them feel better, we’ll feel better.” She
took the stack of folders out of the back seat and they walked into the
building.  Jack had to admit; Addy was certainly more organized than he
was when it came to papers, folders and bookkeeping.

“Where to first?”
He stood with his arm around her waist, as they looked at the directory showing
all the offices.

“Let’s try the one
we’re most comfortable with first.  Dr. Rodgers.”

“Sounds good.”
They rode the elevator to the second floor and talked to his nurse. 
Luckily, he had a patient cancel at the last minute and could see them right
away. 

“So far so good,”
Jack whispered in her ear, as he ushered her into the office.

“It’s nice of you
to stop by.” Dr. Rodgers shook Jack’s hand and pulled out a chair for Addy.
“How’s my favorite patient doing?”

“He’s good as new,
Doc.  Growing like a bad weed.” Jack smiled in Addy’s direction. 
“Must be Addy’s cooking.”

“What brings you
to the hospital?” Dr. Rodgers asked, as he sat down and put his feet up. 
Jack took the folder Addy had just given him and handed it to the doctor. 
Dr. Rodgers pulled his feet off the desk and putting his glasses on, studied
the contents of the folder carefully.

“I had no
idea.   This sheet in the back . . . it shows what you owed to begin
with, what you’ve paid and what you still owe.  Is that correct?” he asked
Addy.

“Yes, sir,” she
reached over and put her hand on Jack’s.  “That’s what we owe you.”

“WE owe you?” He
looked at Addy and then to Jack.

“Yes, Doc.” Jack
said and grinned at Addy.  “That’s what WE owe you.”

“Congratulations,”
Dr. Rodgers smiled over the rim of his glasses.  “I can’t say I’m
surprised.”

“Nobody seems to
be, but us.” Jack admitted with a slight blush.

“Those other
folders you’re clinging to Addy, are they also medical bills?”

“Yes, Sir.” Addy
looked at the stack in her lap.  Dr. Rodgers put his folder on the desk
and reached for the others.

“Mind if I take a
look?” Jack nodded approval, and Addy put them all on the desk.

Dr. Rodgers pushed
his intercom.

“Sarah, could you
bring us some coffee, please, and hold all my calls accept emergencies.” After
what seemed like hours, Dr. Rodgers laid his glasses on the desk and walked to
the window. He stood looking down into the town square.  Turning he stared
at the desk top and then asked Jack, “How on earth do you plan on paying all of
this?”

“Best I can. To be
honest, Doc, I’m between a rock and a hard place.  I can mortgage the
ranch and cover most of it, but I suppose you’ve heard the ranchers are
boycotting Western Pacific. Even in the best of times, I don’t honestly know if
we could pay these off.” He looked at the serene lady sitting at his
side.  A calmness he hadn’t felt before washed over him.  “Doc, we’ll
do the best we can by you.  I guess that’s what we came to town to tell you
fellows.  You all did the best jobs you could do and you deserve to be
paid.  I can’t tell you how, but WE WILL get it done, and that’s a
promise.”

“You intend to see
all these people?”  Doc Rogers peeked over the rims of his glasses,
raising his bushy eyebrows in amazement.

“We realized it
would take a few days, but yes, we intend to talk to each and every one of
them,” Addy assured him.

“We have a staff
meeting late this afternoon.  Most of these people will be there. 
Would you feel comfortable letting me talk to them for you?  It would save
you a lot of running around, waiting and making appointments.” He could see
they were hesitant. “I’ll be sure to explain you are more than willing to talk
to each one of them personally, if they’d like.”

“Addy?” Jack
asked.

“Whatever you
think is best, is okay.”

“Thanks,
Doc.  Are you sure you want to do this?   It’s a lot to ask of
you.”

“You didn’t
ask.  I offered.  Meet me back here tomorrow about lunch time and
I’ll let you know what happened.  Meanwhile, don’t do anything rash. 
There has to be a way to deal with all of this.” He shook his head, looking the
pile of folders on his desk. 

As they stepped
out into the hospital parking lot, Addy stopped and looked back through the
door. “That sure didn’t go exactly like we had planned.  What happened in
there anyway?”

“I haven’t a
clue.  The only thing I know for sure is Doc just freed me up to spent
some time with my favorite girl.” Jack grinned down at her.

“Just exactly how
many girls do you have, Mr. Kilbourne?” she teased.

“Only one
favorite.”  Jack squinted into the sun. “Man it’s going to be a scorcher!
 Do you have some shopping you want to get done before lunch?”

“As a matter of
fact, I need to get some stamps and I want to pick up some jeans for Scotty in
the store across the square.” Addy told him, as she looked over her list.

“I have an errand
or two myself.  Why don’t you walk over and get your shopping done, and
I’ll meet you for lunch at the small cafe on the corner.”

“It’s a date. Do
you feel as good about our meeting with Doctor Rodgers as I do?” 

He thought about
it for a minute.  “Yeah, I can’t exactly explain why, but I do.” He
started to give her a kiss and then realized he didn’t know how she would feel
about that in such a public place.  As he pulled back, Addy saw the
unasked question in his eyes. 

“I love you,
Cowboy,” she whispered softly, giving him a peck on the cheek, “And I don’t
care who knows it; I’ll see you later.”

***

Addy had mailed
the letters and was in front of the mercantile when a woman sitting on the park
bench caught her eye.  She looked deathly ill and Addy walked over to see
if she could help.

“Helen?” She
recognized Mike Simpson’s wife from the party at the grange hall.

“Mrs. Banks?”
Helen’s voice was choked with tears and she was white as a ghost.

“Can I help you?”
Addy sat down beside her on the bench and took the packages the woman was
holding.  “Helen, what’s wrong?”

“I’ll be
fine.  I just need to rest for a few minutes.”

“Somehow, I don’t
think so,” Addy said, as she smiled into the tear filled face.  “You wait
right here.  I’m going to get something cold for you to drink.  You
stay right here, and that’s an order.”

Addy found herself
practically running to the concession stand and back.

“I’m going to be
fine, really I am,” Helen assured her, with not much conviction.

“Yes, you
are.  Now drink this and then we’ll find a place out of the sun.” Addy
handed her a Kleenex out of her pocket. They sat quietly until Helen drank most
of the juice and was calmer.  “Let’s find a place in the shade.” 
Addy suggested, looking around her.  “Over by the fountain, it will be
cooler.”

Helen was dragging
her feet, but she went along.

 They sat on
the edge of the fountain in silence and Addy found a cloth in her purse. 
She dipped it in the cool water and handed it to Helen.  “Put this on the
back of your neck. It will help with the nausea.”

 Helen’s eyes
flew up to Addy’s face.  “How did you know I was . . .?”

“Pregnant?” Addy
paused and then laughed.  “Been there, done that.”

“Oh my word,”
Helen burst into tears once more. “If you could tell, soon everyone will know.”

“That’s bad? 
I’ve met your husband.  I can’t imagine him being anything but
thrilled.”  The floodgates opened and Addy knew immediately she had said
the wrong thing.  “He doesn’t know, does he?” 

Helen shook her
head and taking a deep breath, fought for
control.            “No,
he doesn’t know, and please don’t tell him.  Please.”

“I seriously doubt
I would see him, let alone tell him, Helen.” Addy did her best to reassure
her.  “Look, this is none of my business.  We don’t really know each
other, but I remember having children and I can’t really imagine unless . . .
Doesn’t he want children?” 

Helen laughed
softly through her tears.  “I’m thirty-four years old.  We’ve been
married for fourteen years.  We always wanted to have a family; we tried
to have one forever. We even talked about adopting, when we couldn’t seem to .
. .” she put her face in her hands and wept. “ Oh, Dear God.  Why
now?  Why now?” 

Addy put her arm
around the young woman sitting by her side.  She didn’t understand why God
put her in this place, at this time, but she’d found over the years it was best
not to question, and when the vendor came by she ordered two more drinks and waited
for Helen to gather herself once more.  She hoped Jack was going to be
late for lunch.  She surely was.

“Mrs. Banks?”

“Think you could
call me Addy?”

“Addy, I honestly
don’t know what to do, where to turn.”

“God would be a
real good place to start.  Have you tried talking to him?”

“Can’t see what
earthly good he could do now, besides Mike has been seeing Rev. Denning for a
month now.”

“Mike has been
seeing Mark Denning?”  Addy’s heart soared.

“Trying to figure
out how to leave me and not feel guilty.”

“What?  How
did you come up with that?  Is that what he told you?” Addy couldn’t
believe her ears.  She’d seen the way Mike looked at his wife.  She
also knew what he was going through at work to keep from hurting her. 
There had to be a mistake.

“Don’t look so
shocked, Addy.  It happens all the time to marriages.  Now you know
why I don’t want this baby right now.”

“Are you sure that
is what’s happening here?”

“How else do you
explain a husband who quits talking to you; a man who takes phone calls and won’t
tell you who it was, who takes
‘long walks’
in the middle of the night?”
Helen had tears gathering in the corners of her eyes again and wiped them
away.  “I’ve tried to talk to him about it. I wanted my marriage to last a
lifetime but he won’t let me in.”

“Have you told
Mike you think he’s having an affair?” Addy inquired smiling.

“Of course not.”
She heard Addy’s soft chuckle and was instantly angry. “I can’t believe you
think this is funny.”

“Believe me, a man
having an affair is no laughing matter.  Poor Mike, if he had any idea
what he was putting you through he’d be as sick as you feel right now.” Addy
ran her fingers through the water and prayed for the woman sitting beside
her.  “Helen, do you know where Mike is right now?”

“He’s at the
church with Reverend Denning.”

“I suggest you
wipe away your tears, gather your courage and grab a taxi.  You go to the
church and confront him, right in front of Mark, if necessary.”

“I haven’t got the
nerve.”

“Yes, you
do.  You want this baby to have a father, don’t you?  Aren’t you
tired of being miserable?”

“Yes, but . . .”

“No buts about
it.  Just do it.  I have a feeling the minute you tell him you think
he’s having an affair; he’s going to tell you what’s REALLY happening. 
You won’t be sorry; real problems are almost always easier to handle than
imaginary ones.”

“You really don’t
think the problem is another woman, do you?”

“Not really. And
Helen,”  Addy handed her the packages and got up from the fountain. “I
would like very much to consider you a friend, and so would God.  Don’t
you shut us out!  Okay?”

“I’ll try.  I
promise.  Thanks, Addy.  I mean it, thanks a lot.”

“Take care of this
baby.” Addy whispered softly, as she helped Helen get into the taxi. She would
add the Simpson’s to her nightly prayers.

***

“Began to think
I’d been stood up.” Jack smiled up at her, as she slid into the booth beside
him.

“I, uh, ran into a
friend.  She needed to talk.”

“Thank
goodness.  I was worried you were buying out the town.” 

Addy squirmed
guiltily.  “Actually, I took so much time talking I didn’t get my shopping
done.”

“Really?” Jack
could tell she was keeping a secret of some sort.  “Want to tell me about
it?”

“I can’t.” She
scanned the menu looking for something cool and ordered a salad. “How did your
morning go?”  Jack didn’t answer right away and she was worried he
misunderstood about her not being able to confide in him about her
morning.  “Jack, I wish I could explain.”

 He took her
hand and smiled.  “Honey, it’s okay.  You’ll tell me what it’s all
about when you can.  I know that.”

“Then why are you
so quiet?”

“Naturally shy, I
guess.” He laughed before biting into his burger.

“Right.  And
the sun comes up in the west.  Now what’s up?”

“I’ll tell you
when the time is right; now eat your salad.”

***

As they stepped
into the street, Addy asked if Jack would mind going into the mercantile with
her.