Taking On Twins

Chapter Two

While he packed jar after jar into the crate, Jake tried not to regret agreeing to Coralee’s help. His first reaction had been to stay as far away from her offer as possible. He was weary to the bone and didn’t want to distract himself in such a critical time. And, despite his best efforts, Coralee was a distraction. But if he was honest, her actions with Mrs. Bernard had reminded him of why she was so good at what she did. She had a way with people that made them feel cared for and respected. And he needed the help badly.

Jake fitted a lid onto the full crate and turned to the ladies. “All packed. Are you ready, Coralee?”

“Yes, let’s go.” She was all business and that was fine with him. He couldn’t open himself up to emotional complications with this woman. He carried her case and the crate of camphor outside to the wagon and turned to help her climb onto the hard seat. He joined her and urged the horse into motion and they headed out of town in silence.

Through his exhaustion, Jake took in the familiar landscape he had missed during the years he’d been away. St. Louis was tight with buildings and people, unlike these rolling hills covered in swaying, knee-high grass. The late-afternoon sky above was endlessly clear, a blue so bright it almost hurt his eyes. As difficult as coming back had been, this was where he wanted to spend the rest of his days.

Coralee’s quiet words brought him back to the present. “How bad is this outbreak?”

He glanced over. She was staring straight ahead, more than a hint of worry written on her face. A sudden desire to fix the problem and erase that worried look took him by surprise. “I’m not sure yet. It seems confined to an area south of town. The fellow that helps out at the Wallace place came to get me first. They told me their neighbor, old Mr. Howard, was sick, as well.” Jake swallowed, trying to clear away the sudden dryness that was making it hard to speak. “He passed away before I got there.”

Coralee murmured, the gentle sound of sympathy making his eyes burn. He blinked hard. “I made some rounds to the neighbors after that, just to see if anyone else is ill. Mrs. Felder and the Smiths are sick. And Mr. Trask rode by the Wallace place when I was out there last night and told me the Rileys are ill, as well. I’m going out there after we see the situation at the Smiths.”

Coralee’s hand shot to her mouth, eyes growing wide. “Oh, no, not the Rileys. We see them at church every Sunday without fail. Their twins...”

Jake shook his head. “When Aaron started feeling sick a few days ago, Liza got Phillip and Louisa to the Trasks. I checked on them this morning and they’re fine.”

Relief flooded her face. The pure beauty of her expression hit Jake like a punch to the stomach, forcing the breath right out of his lungs. For a few moments he couldn’t pull his eyes away from her as she gazed at the wildflowers lining the well-worn dirt road. His hands itched to bury themselves in that mass of soft hair, to run over her smooth cheek. She must have finally felt his stare because she turned to him, a curious look on her face.

Jake twisted away and cleared his throat again, working to get a handle on his emotions and force them back into a corner of his mind. She might be beautiful, but he couldn’t afford to let her close enough to hurt him again.

They traveled in silence until he turned the wagon toward a log cabin in the distance. “There’s the Wallace farm. I haven’t been out to check on them yet today. They...” He hesitated, not sure how much to tell her, but realized she would have to know soon enough. “They aren’t going to last long, so I’m trying to make them comfortable.” She nodded somberly and they both stared ahead for the rest of the drive, each lost in their own thoughts.

After he pulled the wagon up next to the cabin, Jake helped Coralee down and grabbed their cases. He led her inside the small home, hoping their services were still needed. To his relief, Mr. and Mrs. Wallace were still breathing. But both had sunken eyes and a weak, irregular pulse.

He and Coralee worked with quiet focus. They spoke in hushed tones to encourage their patients to drink a bit of the tea Coralee prepared. They wiped the older couple’s faces with damp cloths and they changed blankets. They administered calomel and rubbed the patients’ stomachs with camphor to ease their discomfort. It wasn’t much, but it was all they could do.

While Jake was arranging Mr. Wallace’s blankets, the older man’s eyes fluttered open. He took a moment to speak with his patient. “Mr. Wallace, it’s Jake Hadley again. I’m here with the apothecary, Mrs. Evans. I want you to know...that is, I’m sorry, but I don’t think you or your wife will recover.”

To Jake’s surprise, the older man’s pale face broke out in a peaceful smile. “Young man, that news isn’t as bad as you think,” he rasped as his eyes slid shut. “My hope isn’t in this life. It’s in Jesus and He doesn’t quit when I do.” The older man fell silent and Jake stared at his sleeping patient as stillness washed over him.

Jake’s spirit stirred at Mr. Wallace’s confident faith. Where Jake had always struggled to live out his convictions, this man was bold even in the face of death. A longing lodged in Jake’s heart. Could he learn to rest in his faith so completely that even death didn’t frighten him?

It was late by the time Jake and Coralee finished caring for the Wallaces, but they headed toward the Smith farm. Driving through the falling darkness, Jake didn’t realize he had been wrapped up in his thoughts for too long until Coralee broke the awkward silence. “What was it like working at such a large hospital in St. Louis?”

“It was a great experience. There was such an interesting variety of cases. At such a large institution, we saw some rare diseases that were fascinating to study. And with so many patients there was something different to study every day.”

Remembering his time at the hospital, Jake felt enthusiasm welling up. It was nice to share that experience with someone who understood medicine. Even if that person was Coralee. “At the practice here, I only see a few patients at the office. I’m out making house calls most of the time for the same farm injuries or common illnesses.”

Jake glanced at Coralee and saw her eyes were wide, lips slightly parted in rapt attention, encouraging him to continue. “Most of the physicians at the hospital studied the newest medical research to use in their treatment plans. That aspect fascinated me. And that’s how I ended up connecting with Samuel. He always visits the hospital on his trips so he can keep up on the most recent advances.”

Coralee tensed at his mention of Dr. Jay. “Jake, I understand you’ve spent time with the man and you trust him. But you’ve known me since we were children. Why can’t you believe me when I tell you that Dr. Jay is doing everything in his power to close down my shop?”

Jake felt frustration growing and tried to fight against it. He needed her help. How would they be able to work together if they kept fighting every time they talked? “Are you sure you want to get into this right now? I already told you my opinion.”

“Yes, I believe I know your opinion of Samuel Jay.” Coralee pursed her lips, brows knitting together.

He had to get the conversation back on solid footing. He ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. No one else got under his skin as fast as this woman.

“Listen, Coralee, I’m sorry.” He wasn’t about to budge on his opinion, but he could put aside his pride to defuse the situation. He turned to look into her eyes, hoping she could see his sincerity. “I need your help right now. Maybe after we get the outbreak under control, we can sit down and talk about this.”

She nodded and her eyes softened at his concession. The azure pools drew him in, flooding him with memories of the days when he had been in love with her. Carefree days when he’d thought their hearts would beat together forever. As it turned out, her heart had never beat for him in the first place.

It was nearly the middle of the night by the time they arrived at the Smiths’ cabin, but light pooled on the ground under the windows from a lantern lit inside. Jake knocked on the door and Mrs. Smith came to welcome them, looking weary. They followed her into a single room, stifling, thanks to a fire crackling in the large fireplace. Little Timothy Smith was sleeping soundly on a blanket laid out in front of it.

“Thanks for coming, Doc. My oldest two, Sarah and David, are in the loft. James is back there.” She gestured at a bed in the farthest corner, where they could just make out the shape of her husband under the mound of quilts.

Together, Jake and Coralee examined each patient. They found that the three sick members of the Smith family were in the earliest stage of the illness. Jake was confident they would recover with the right treatment. But Mrs. Smith continued to look worried in spite of his assurance. He set her to making a hearty broth while Coralee fixed a batch of chamomile tea. Jake encouraged each patient to drink as much tea and broth as they could handle.

“Doc, are you sure this is good for them? My ma always said the only way to cure the cholera is a spoon of castor oil every hour.”

Jake shook his head. “I recently trained in St. Louis, ma’am. One of the most successful doctors at the hospital taught that taking extra fluids could improve the outcome of many ailments. I’ve seen it work myself. I hope you’ll trust me that it won’t hurt your family to try.” The woman nodded and let Jake continue, but she stood close by, looking wary.

Working together, Jake and Coralee cleaned up and cared for each of the sick family members. Jake managed to convince Mrs. Smith to get some sleep while he and Coralee kept watch over her family. Each patient needed to have tea and broth around the clock, so he and Coralee settled into the rocking chairs near the fireplace, hoping to rest between rounds. But after several hours, they found themselves awake and reminiscing as soft light from the sunrise began to filter into the cabin.

“Remember when someone dared Cat to climb that huge tree by the creek?” Coralee’s eyes sparkled as she recalled the incident. “She was so determined to get all the way to the top, she never even thought about how she’d get down.” The quiet laugh that accompanied her story captivated Jake. It felt just like the hours they’d spent at Holbrook’s when they were younger, laughing and teasing as they’d cleaned shelves.

“I remember the look on her face when she realized she had to come back down the way she went up.” Jake grinned. “She was more determined to get down with her dignity intact than she was to climb it in the first place. And you were downright panicked when she started sliding down that lower branch to show off.”

“Papa would have never let me hear the end of it if she’d hurt herself doing something that silly. And you know we would have had to tell him, since he was the only one in town then who could have stitched her up.” Jake chuckled along with her. It felt good to share an easy moment together. The intensity that had colored all their interactions since he’d returned home had left him on edge.

Jake was proud of how hard Coralee had worked over the last few hours with him. She was compassionate and gentle with the patients, but efficient at the same time. Where another woman might have recoiled at the things they had seen that day, Coralee remained unaffected by the ravages of cholera. She hadn’t balked at any of the unpleasant tasks they’d had to perform to care for their patients.

Listening to her gentle voice reminiscing about their shared childhood, Jake’s imagination took over. He could see them like this, working side by side, sharing their days and nights, healing their community together. But memories of the pain she had caused him surfaced again. The past was always right there, reminding him that she had shattered his dreams once already. He couldn’t put his heart into her hands again.

* * *

Coralee noticed the moment the shuttered look passed over Jake’s face. She had been enjoying their companionable conversation more than she’d expected.

During their five years of marriage, she and Alan had been the best of friends. She had known him as long and as well as she had Jake. When Jake left so abruptly for medical school, Alan had been there. His support had helped heal her shattered heart. She still ached from losing the one person she could share the most personal parts of her life with. For a few moments, talking with Jake had felt almost as intimate as talking with Alan.

She wasn’t sure what she’d said to make Jake shut her out this time, but she felt bereft the moment he did. Maybe it was time to clear the air between them. “Jake, what’s wrong? Why do you always push me away? Is it the situation with Dr. Jay? Because I—”

At that moment Mrs. Smith stirred as she woke, cutting Coralee’s words short. They each went to tend to their patients one more time before they moved on. Upon leaving, Jake gave Mrs. Smith instructions so she could continue caring for her children and husband. Coralee left some camphor and chamomile with her to help ease their discomfort.

They loaded up in the wagon again and started out in the pale early morning light. Jake went over his plan for their visits that day. “If you feel comfortable on your own, I think today we’ll split up. Mrs. Smith said her youngest visited Mrs. Felder last night and she wants someone to check in. I’ll leave you with her for a few hours while I go check on Aaron and Liza.” He glanced over, one eyebrow raised in question.

Coralee nodded. “That sounds fine. How was Mrs. Felder when you were there last?”

A mischievous smile crossed Jake’s face. “I think you’ll see for yourself.”

Try as she might, Coralee couldn’t pry any more information out of him. She didn’t know Mrs. Felder well, but had heard talk around town. The older woman had come west with her son just the year before, built a sturdy cabin and started farming a plot. But her son had soon heeded the call of the frontier and headed farther west, while his mother had refused to leave. Coralee could imagine what the woman must be like to stay and hold the claim all on her own. She smiled to herself. A day with Mrs. Felder might be an interesting experience.

As it turned out, she was right about that. Jake introduced Mrs. Felder to Coralee at the door of the cabin, then left to visit the Riley family. Coralee could see immediately that the woman wasn’t in much danger of expiring from cholera. Mrs. Felder talked from the moment Jake left, with hardly a pause for breath. She led Coralee inside, then promptly lowered herself into a rocking chair and directed Coralee to cover her with a quilt.

“Now, if you’ll just straighten my dishes over there on the shelves. Everything has gotten to be such a mess while I’m incapacitated.”

Coralee examined the neat stacks of plates and bowls on the indicated shelf. Had Mrs. Felder set Jake to unnecessary chores during his visit, too? She shrugged and moved to do her patient’s bidding.

“That young doctor tells me you’re the apothecary. I approve of a young woman taking on a venture like that.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Felder. The shop was my father’s. He trained me and left the shop to me when he passed last year.”

“Ah, a wise man. A woman alone needs means of supporting herself. Take me. That son of mine has a wandering spirit something fierce. But I can make my way fine without him. I work my vegetable patch and grow the finest produce you’ve ever seen. That and eggs from my prized chickens keep me just fine.” The older woman kept up a steady stream of conversation as she handed Coralee a cloth. “For the dusting. This furniture is in an awful state.” Coralee examined the fine wood pieces scattered around the cabin, trying to hide an amused grin. There wasn’t a speck of dust anywhere in the room.

“Young Dr. Hadley sure is a handsome fellow. You have a beau, Miss Evans?”

Coralee flushed at the direct question. “It’s Mrs. Evans. My husband passed two years ago.”

“Oh, well, I’m sorry for that, my dear. My Fred’s been gone five years. He was a good one and I miss him every day.” She looked at Coralee with compassion. “How are you handling life by yourself?”

Coralee’s eyes welled with tears at the question. But, to her surprise, the ache in her heart was much less painful than usual. She focused on the lighter feeling for a moment. “You know, for so long I thought it would be unbearable forever. But maybe it’s starting to be a little less difficult.”

The older woman nodded, looking quite pleased. “That’s the way, Mrs. Evans. You’ll always miss him, but it gets easier. Now, about the handsome young doctor...” She paused, eyebrows raised and eyes glittering with interest.

Coralee wasn’t sure what to say. Yes, Jake was handsome. Spending time in such close quarters while they worked, how could she not notice his broad shoulders and arms thick with muscle? Or the short beard that made her long to trace his strong jaw to feel the texture?

She managed a strangled laugh as she tried to dismiss the older woman’s obvious hinting. “Oh, yes, Dr. Hadley is a fine man. But as you know, a widow must be prudent. With my position as Spring Hill’s apothecary, I can hardly go chasing after a man.”

Mrs. Felder’s eyes narrowed and Coralee got the impression the older woman wasn’t fooled by the forced airiness. She motioned Coralee into the chair beside her. “Seems to me you might think you’ll be a widow forever. At your age and as lovely as you are, that’s a bit like giving up on the good Lord. You don’t strike me as one to give up so easily.”

Coralee swallowed hard at the blunt words. Was she giving up on what God might have for her? She decided to repay Mrs. Felder’s bluntness with some honesty of her own. “I’m not sure I can risk loss like that again. Losing Alan was...it was terrible.” Mrs. Felder nodded, understanding and compassion written on her wrinkled face. “How can I take that chance again? What if God takes everyone I love?”

“Oh, my dear.” Mrs. Felder placed her hand on Coralee’s. The gentle touch relaxed a tension she hadn’t noticed growing. “We’re guaranteed to lose ones we love now and then. But that doesn’t mean loving them isn’t worth the trouble. The people in our lives that we love are precious gifts, and the Lord says good and perfect gifts are from Him. So I can’t help but believe they’re worth it, even for a short time.”

The words stuck in Coralee’s mind. Knowing the hurt she had experienced, would she go back and choose to not love Alan? Never. Every day with him was a beautiful memory to her now. So maybe opening up to love again was worth the risk of heartache.

“Now, there’s a broom in the corner. The floor is terribly dirty.” Coralee stifled another laugh at the woman’s obvious overstatement as she reached for the broom.

Mrs. Felder chatted about everything under the sun while Coralee cleaned anything that could be cleaned. Whether it needed cleaning or not. She finally convinced Mrs. Felder to have some lunch with her, along with chamomile tea in case there was some hint of sickness left in the woman after all.

Coralee answered a knock at the door just after they finished. A burst of warmth rushed through her when she saw Jake waiting outside. What would he think if he’d heard Mrs. Felder’s teasing? But as soon as she took in the look on his face, she sobered. Something was wrong.

“It’s Aaron and Liza Riley.” A chill swept over her. He met her gaze, pain radiating from his eyes. “I don’t expect them to last the night.”

Mrs. Felder gasped, a wrinkled hand covering her mouth.

Coralee wanted to break down in tears at the thought of those sweet two-year-olds, soon to be orphans. But this was not the time to be weepy and fragile. The children needed strong adults to stand in their parents’ place.

“What can we do?”

“I’m not sure we can do anything. I’ve given them what I can to make them more comfortable. But while I was there, Liza spoke to me about the twins. They don’t have any family to take them in since Aaron’s parents died three years ago. She loves their life here. This is where they chose to start their family. Liza wants them to grow up here, not be sent back east.”

Mrs. Felder clucked her tongue. “Of course they should have a family here, where their parents wanted to be. The poor darlings. Do you know of anyone looking to adopt a child?”

Jake shook his head and Coralee’s heart sank. “No, and even if I did, most families couldn’t take them both and I won’t have them separated. I...I promised Liza I would care for them until I find the perfect family to settle them with.” His voice cracked with emotion as he spoke.

Mrs. Felder nodded with determination. “Dr. Hadley, I appreciate your concern for an old woman these last few days. But I certainly wouldn’t expect you or Mrs. Evans to spend time around here when other people need you more.” Jake’s skeptical expression almost made Coralee snort in laughter. Mrs. Felder acted as if she wasn’t the one who had been adamant about needing their attention. “You two go on and find those dear children a home.”

Coralee and Jake bid the older woman farewell and loaded up the wagon. Jake sat for a moment, the reins loose in his hands, eyes focused far across the grassy hills. A pang of compassion hit Coralee. He had taken on a great deal of responsibility in just a few days and he was handling it with such grace. He looked so forlorn that she couldn’t help resting a comforting hand on his forearm.

He shifted to face her. “I need to check on the Wallaces again. But it might take some time to get word out about the twins and find someone willing to take them.” He ran a hand through his short hair as he turned toward the open prairie again.

“We’ll split up. If you take me back to town, I can go calling with Cecilia to start the search for a family. Then you can visit your patients again. And maybe get a little rest.”

Jake’s drooping shoulders straightened, giving him a new look of purpose. “Yes, that’s a good plan. Thank you. The lack of sleep is catching up with me.”

They rode in silence for most of the trip to town. He dropped Coralee off at Lily’s Café and immediately headed back out of town. Coralee went in search of her sister to see if she was free to start looking for the twins’ new family.

All afternoon, Coralee and Cecilia visited their neighbors in town. Their first stop was the mercantile, next door to Lily’s. Mrs. Collins was tending the counter and greeted them with a cheerful smile. After a few moments of small talk, Coralee got to the point. “I suppose you’ve heard about the cholera outbreak south of town.”

The older woman cringed. “Such a frightening thing, cholera. Is it contained? Do we need to worry here in town?”

“Oh, no, it doesn’t seem to be spreading very quickly. However, several families have been hit hard. In particular, it’s only a matter of time for Aaron and Liza Riley.”

Mrs. Collins gasped. “Oh, just terrible. What of the children?”

“That’s why we stopped in. The twins are fine, but Liza’s wish is for them to find a family here in Spring Hill. We came to see if you would be able to take them, or if you know of anyone who may be looking to add to their family.”

“Oh, my. Mr. Collins would never stand for another child. Our youngest just married last fall, you know. No, we couldn’t. But you know all the news filters through here. If we get word of someone who might be able to provide a home for the children, I’ll come right to you.”