Taking on Twins Read online

  Coralee examined her dear aunt, the woman who had been such a mainstay in her life. Sitting there in her nightdress with a loose braid pulled over her shoulder, Lily Holbrook looked older than Coralee had noticed before. Maybe even a little frail. All the more reason she had to get the shop back on track. Cat depended on it for her livelihood and soon enough Aunt Lily would, too. She was a strong woman, but she couldn’t run the café forever.

  “Well, my dear, something must be bothering you. After the week you’ve had, you ought to be sleeping like a baby.”

  Coralee considered brushing her aunt’s concern aside. She wanted to. But she was humble enough to admit when she needed wisdom. “It’s been years since I’ve spent so much time around Jake. I’m...having a hard time understanding my own feelings about him right now.” The words came out more faltering than she’d intended, but they were out, all the same.

  Understanding filled Aunt Lily’s face. “You have so much history with him, dear girl. Not all good, though, I’d guess. I never did understand why he took off and you started spending your time with Alan.”

  Coralee twisted a lock of long hair between her fingers. “The last night we talked before he left... Aunt Lily, he never even told me he was applying to medical school. Never bothered to ask my opinion. I thought...” Her voice broke, raw emotion rising to the surface. “I thought he was going to tell me he loved me that night. I was so sure he felt the same way I did.”

  “But, instead, he told you he was leaving.”

  Coralee stared into her tea, focusing on the tiny bits of herbs settling in the bottom so she wouldn’t lose her composure. “He was so excited. Of course, I knew he’d planned to become a doctor. But he had already applied and been accepted in St. Louis, without ever considering what would happen to me.”

  Lily sipped her tea thoughtfully. “You were both young and impulsive, dearest. Are you sure he meant to leave you out of it? Could it be that he didn’t realize how his actions would seem to you?”

  “If he was in love with me—planned to spend his life with me—how could he make such an important decision and not want to include me? His medical training took him away for seven years, Aunt Lily. If he had professed his love, that choice would have affected my life, too. It wasn’t a priority for him to include me.”

  The older woman shrugged, unconvinced. “I’ve known Jake Hadley just as long as you have. He’s always been an honest, kind man. I can’t imagine that he meant to hurt you.”

  “Well, he did hurt me.” Coralee was getting a bit tired of the way Aunt Lily kept defending Jake. Shouldn’t she be taking her niece’s side? “If he loved me, why did he just leave? Yes, we had a misunderstanding. But after that night, he didn’t try to clear things up with me, didn’t even say goodbye. He just left.” Tears were threatening to overflow. Coralee tried to blink them away but they spilled down her cheeks anyway. “He abandoned me. Just like Papa. Just like Alan. They all left.” She rested her head on her arms as a sob escaped.

  She felt Lily’s arms come around her and turned into the older woman’s shoulder. Since Mama had died when Coralee was four, Aunt Lily had been a mother figure in all the girls’ lives. Now her comforting embrace broke open the floodgates. Coralee let all her frustration with Jake and the situation at the shop flow out with her sobs.

  Eventually the tears slowed and Aunt Lily pulled away to look into her eyes. “Dear girl, I’m so sorry. You’ve had your share of loss already at such a young age. Now, it may be hard to swallow, but losing people is part of life for all of us. Don’t sell Jake short because of past mistakes or the chance of losing him in the future. All you have is today. Try to be open to what the good Lord is telling you.”

  Aunt Lily patted Coralee’s back gently as she headed for the door. “I’m going to try to get some sleep. I’ll offer up a few extra prayers for you and Jake.”

  The late-night talk didn’t calm any of the worries in Coralee’s mind. The next day she was more determined than ever to make the shop profitable again. A few hours into the work, she was stopping every few minutes to stretch her aching back and rest her strained eyes. She wanted to push through Papa’s list as fast as she could, but she kept mixing up the measurements and grabbing the wrong herbs. Her conclusions would never be accurate with mistakes in the process. A break was in order.

  She stepped out of the workroom and joined Cat at the counter. Coralee had always loved mixing remedies at the shop’s counter. The recipes were so ingrained in her mind that she could relax while her hands did the repetitive work. No customers were waiting, so the sisters set to work putting together some of the basic restoratives that were always in demand.

  Sometime later, the bell above the shop door jingled as an elderly woman in stained calico and a worn sunbonnet shuffled in. Coralee couldn’t contain her grin. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Bernard. I’m glad to see you’re able to make it to town again.”

  The old woman’s thin lips stretched in a smile, revealing several missing teeth. “This fine weather is giving me back my strength. I told that son of mine that he was bringing me along to town and that’s final. Good boy still listens to his old ma, most of the time.”

  Coralee felt her tension melting away as she spoke with one of her favorite customers. She enjoyed visiting with the people who frequented the shop, building trust with each of them. “He must be a smart man. All due to good parenting, I’m sure.”

  Mrs. Bernard’s leathery skin wrinkled even more as she cackled in response.

  Her joyful spirit was infectious, lifting the weight that had been on Coralee’s shoulders the last few weeks. “Now, what can I help you with today?”

  “It’s that cough again. Keeps me up at night, it does.” Coralee could see the woman searching for words. She wouldn’t meet Coralee’s eyes. Was something else wrong this time?

  “If there’s something you need, I can help you. You just have to tell me.”

  Mrs. Bernard sighed. “My boys didn’t find much in the mine last year. Made this a hard winter. I’ve held off awhile, but the cough’s getting worse. Maybe you have something that costs less than the Ayer’s?”

  “Ah.” Understanding dawned. She couldn’t afford the Ayer’s Cherry Pectoral that she always came to get when the cough started bothering her. “Well, I could pick out something else for you.” Coralee leaned over the counter and lowered her voice. “Or, you could do me a favor and try a new mixture I’ve been working on. Of course, not knowing how well it will work, I couldn’t charge you for it.”

  A flash of relief washed over the old woman. Then she straightened and pursed her lips. “Yes, I do believe that would be a fine arrangement. Thank you, Mrs. Evans.” Her shaky voice was laden with genuine gratitude. This was the reason the shop had to stay open. Papa had been right: the people of Spring Hill needed a place they trusted for their medicine, a place that cared about them.

  Coralee turned toward the shelf that held the Ayer’s Pectoral. Her step faltered when she caught sight of Jake watching from a table, almost sending her smashing into the bottles. How long had he been there?

  She grabbed several bottles, one full and one empty. With her back turned to the counter, she poured the curative, sealed the bottle and wrapped it in brown paper.

  “All ready, Mrs. Bernard.” She walked the old woman to the door and handed her the package, thanking her for stopping by. Then she turned to Jake. He looked tired, but there was a hint of approval in his eyes.

  “I saw that.” He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms as that warm hint grew into full-fledged admiration.

  She shrugged and moved behind the counter with her head high. “You saw me fill an order for Mrs. Bernard? It’s for the cough that keeps bothering her. She comes in every few weeks.”

  He laughed, the enthusiastic sound contrasting with the weariness in his features. “You know what I mean.
I saw you pour the Ayer’s Pectoral into the bottle you told her was a test mixture. A free test mixture.” She flushed under his direct gaze. “That was commendable, Coralee. It was something your father would have done.”

  She brushed at the tears that threatened to fall when he likened her to Papa. “Mrs. Bernard is a lovely woman. I hate to see her suffering and not do something about it. Now, what brings you in today?”

  In an instant his mirth disappeared and weariness flooded his features. “I came to ask for your help. I’ve been out south of town for the last few days, caring for several families. It’s cholera.”

  A knot formed in Coralee’s stomach. There hadn’t been a cholera outbreak in the area for years. Would this one turn deadly, as so many others had? Though she’d never seen it herself, Papa had told her about his experiences with the sickness. She knew how it could ravage a town in no time, starting with stomach pain and nausea, progressing to fever, pale skin and lethargy. If the patient didn’t show signs of recovery in the earliest stage, they most likely wouldn’t pull through.

  Jake ran a hand over his face before continuing. “Samuel left for St. Louis right before I received word. He’ll be gone for at least six weeks, caring for his sister, so I’m handling this on my own. The youngest Smith boy found me this morning. Mr. Smith and the oldest two children are sick now. I’m out of camphor and hoped you could spare whatever you have.”

  “Yes, I have quite a bit. I’ll get a crate.” She was a bit hesitant to continue. Every time they were together, they fought. But he looked so worn out. What if things took a turn for the worse and he was out there alone? “Several families with cholera is a lot to handle on your own. I could ride out with you and help. If you want.”

  “No.” Jake drummed his fingers on the counter, refusing to meet her gaze. “If I can just get the camphor from you, I’ll be on my way.”

  She came around the counter to stand in front of him. “Jake, you need help. I know what to do out there.”

  “I don’t doubt your abilities. But I can’t expose you to cholera.”

  She planted one hand on her hip, searching for the words that would convince him he couldn’t do this alone. Coralee wanted to keep her heart as uninvolved as possible, but she couldn’t leave him to handle an epidemic on his own. “But you’ll expose yourself without any concern for your own health? Exhaustion will make you more susceptible, after all.”

  With a sigh, he raised his hands in surrender. “If you’re sure you want to do this, then I guess you can come. I have to admit that I could use the help. Thank you.”

  Coralee flashed him a smile in the hope that he would see she was confident about helping. Then she turned her focus to the task at hand. Handing him an empty crate, she directed him to a shelf filled with jars of camphor. Then, with Cat’s help, she started gathering supplies to stock her travel case.

  Conflicting emotions churned inside Coralee now that she had a minute to think through what they were facing. She wanted to help. And Jake needed someone out there with him. But was she ready to take on the long, emotional hours ahead with her former love by her side?

  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 Je
sus 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?”