Hi friends. As I write, the weather is cold and neighborhood kids are ice fishing on the town’s lake. It may not be a huge adventure, and the fish may be small, but they’re having fun. Meanwhile, I’m staying toasty warm inside. I hope you all are, too. Enjoy this next chapter!
Chapter 7
Ethan had fastened the car seat into my little Toyota. Lifting Ramie into it and fastening the belt securely, I smiled and kissed his cheek.
Tatum wanted to come along, but I patted her head and told her to go back to the house. She whined but did as she was told.
“Bye, doggie,” Ramie called, waving his hand.
Tatum turned and barked. Yes, their friendship was off to a good start.
Lord, help me bless Ramie and Ethan. I want to help them heal. It won’t be easy. But I’m willing.
A few minutes later, I pulled into the parking area next to Ethan’s clinic. Helping Ramie out of the car and letting him help me carry the basket, we walked up to the door and entered.
Ethan’s receptionist was Heather Lovel, a pleasant, middle-aged woman from church.
“Hello, Skye. Who’s this you’re bringing in with you?”
“This is Ramie.”
“Hi, Ramie. Did you come to see the doctor today?”
Ramie looked up at me with a puzzled expression on his face.
“We brought lunch for Ethan,” I said. It was up to Ethan to explain. I wasn’t going to say anything until he did.
“I see,” Heather said, looking puzzled. “Let me tell him you’re here. Why don’t you sit down in those chairs?”
A moment later, Heather returned. “Dr. Russell will be here in a couple minutes. He’s finishing up with a patient.” She was clearly dying to know what was going on.
“Thank you.” I smiled.
Ramie picked up a picture book with a puppy on the front and handed it to me. Lifting him onto my lap, I opened the book and began reading to him about the puppy.
A few minutes later, Ethan came out of the exam room ushering a mother and child toward Heather while his nurse assistant walked toward the file cabinet with a patient’s chart.
“Have her take this medicine three times a day until it’s gone. If she doesn’t get better in a couple days, call Mrs. Lovel and we’ll see her again.” He smiled and patted the child’s head.
“Thank you, Dr. Russell,” the mother said, sending him a quick smile.
Ethan stooped to the little girl. “Now you get better soon, Carla.”
“Okay.” The little girl coughed and sniffed.
Patting her on the head, Ethan turned toward us.
“Skye! Ramie!”
Ramie ran over to Ethan, who picked him up and smiled.
“You’re a doctor, Daddy?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Oh. Are you going to give me a shot?” He looked apprehensive.
Ethan laughed. “No, son.” He turned toward Mrs. Lovel, who was openly curious. “Heather, I’d like you to meet my son, Ramie.”
“Your son!”
The nurse assistant turned, surprise written across her face.
“Yes. I’ll explain later. Ramie, say hi to Mrs. Lovel and Mrs. Brown.
Ramie tucked his head against his father’s shoulder and murmured, “Hi.”
Heather came around her desk and smiled. “What a sweet little boy, Ethan. He looks just like you.”
“So I’ve been told.” Ethan grinned.
The assisting nurse, Mrs. Brown, came over to meet Ramie, too.
I walked over to the desk and smiled. “Hi, Heather.”
“Skye?” I could see the curiosity on her face.
“I’m home for the summer and volunteered to take care of Ramie while his daddy works.”
“How nice.” She smiled. I could see the wheels of speculation turning in her mind.
“It’s convenient. I’m used to working with children, and I live across the meadow from Ethan.” I shrugged. “It works out well for everyone.”
“I see. Well, I’m glad to see this little darling has someone so nice to spend the summer with.”
“Thank you.”
Ethan turned to his assistant. “Skye, this is Mrs. Brown.”
“Call me Diane,” she said smiling and shaking my hand.
“I’m pleased to meet you, Diane.”
Turning to Ethan, I held up the basket. “We made lunch for you. I thought it might be nice for Ramie’s first day in town. Are you free for lunch? Or do you have other patients now?”
“Heather, when’s my next appointment?”
“Not until two. Mrs. Turner is coming in to have her blood pressure checked and to have you look at her foot.”
“Okay. Then I’ll take lunch now. Heather and Diane, you might as well start your lunch breaks now, too.” Ethan sat Ramie down, took off his clinic coat and glanced at me. “Let me wash my hands. I’ll be right back.”
Mrs. Lovel smiled at Ramie. “It was nice of you to come visit your daddy at work.”
The little boy clutched my hand and moved close.
“Tell Mrs. Lovel about the garden, Ramie.”
“I dug lots of dirt today.” His face lit up. “’Kye and me are gonna put bwoccoli an’ tomatoes in the dirt.”
“That’s our after-lunch chore.” I smiled. “I think he’s going to make a great gardener.”
Ethan came out. “Ready to go?” He scooped Ethan up.
“Weddy!” Ramie said, wrapping his arms around his daddy’s neck.
“There’s a picnic table in the park down the street.” Ethan led the way.
As we walked toward the crossing, a woman with long, blonde hair sauntered toward us.
“Dr. Russell! How nice to see you,” she cooed. “Who are your friends?”
Ethan’s smile was a little tight as he introduced us. “Jolene, this is my son Ramie, and this is
Skye.”
“Oh, hi,” she said glancing uninterestedly at me then turning her attention back to Ethan. “You said this is your son?”
“Yes. His aunt brought him to me.”
“My, isn’t he adorable,” she giggled, rubbing a finger against Ramie’s cheek. “Is this your auntie?” She glanced back at me.
Ramie turned his head away.
“No, Skye isn’t his aunt. She’s a family friend.” Ethan said. “Excuse us, Jolene. We need to move along.”
“Yes, Doctor. If you must.” She smiled coyly at him.
“Good-bye.” Ethan nodded his head politely and took a step forward, putting his hand at my waist, guiding me toward the crosswalk.
He’s sending her a message. I smiled and looked up at him. His eyes twinkled.
“Well!” Jolene muttered. She tossed her head and walked away.
“Thanks, Skye,” Ethan leaned over and whispered as she moved out of earshot.
We walked into the little park area surrounded by cottonwood and aspen trees.
I set the basket on the bare picnic table and pulled out a tablecloth to cover the rough boards.
“”Kye maked cookies,” Ramie said.
“How nice.”
“Yes, but first we’ll have sandwiches.” I unpacked the bag, placed napkins on the table, and set the sandwiches on them.
Ramie clutched his hands together and lisped, “Tank you, Jesus, for dis food. Amen.”
Ethan smiled gently and rubbed Ramie’s hair. “Good job, son.”
It was supposed to be a private picnic together, but we were not left alone. People from the shops and people driving by stopped to say hello. By evening, the entire valley would know that Doctor Russell had a son and possibly a sweetheart, for Ethan made it very clear we were both his. He did not explain anything in front of Ramie.
I smiled across the table, meeting Ethan’s twinkling eyes. Let them speculate. It’s one of the pleasures of small-town life.
After lunch, Ethan returned to his clinic and I took Ramie to the grocery store. It had been built back in pioneer days using native rock, as had several other local structures. Next to the store stood a modern, temporary greenhouse, our destination. I placed Ramie in the child seat on a grocery cart. “Let’s go find plants for the garden.” Steering between the rows of starter plants, we added broccoli, tomatoes, and strawberry sprouts to our cart.
“Punkin?” Ramie begged. “Can I have one?”
“Okay. But you’ll have to hold it very carefully. There isn’t any more room in the cart. I placed a container with three pumpkin sprouts in his hands and was favored with a smile of pure sunshine. What a precious child! I kissed his cheek.
At the register, Shirley Delaney rang us up. She and her husband Eli operated the store, with frequent help from their son, Justin, who would be graduating from high school next year. Their daughter, Violet, served as an EMT with the local fire department.
“Who’s your little friend?” she asked, smiling at Ramie.
“This is Ramie Russell, Dr. Russell’s little boy. His aunt brought him here.”
“Oh! How nice. Welcome to our store, Ramie.” She looked over at me, curiosity written all over her face. “Ethan tells us you have opened your parent’s home to our meeting Sunday evening.” She placed the plants into a spare cardboard box.
“I was glad to hear you’re part of the group meeting about the Crow situation.” I lifted the box into the cart. “It’s a terrible thing that’s been happening on the reservation. I’m hoping we can find a way to help.”
“Yes. Eli and I will be there. Pastor Barrett and Martha will be there, too. We feel it is something which needs our prayers and attention. We’ll be at there at the first meeting. I’m not sure how many meetings we can attend, but we’ll be part of the group.”
“I look forward to seeing you at the house.” I said, paying for the plants. “I’m glad to see our community helping the Crow.”
Back at the ranch, I carefully unloaded the plants and took them to the garden. Ramie, determined to hold onto the pumpkin plants, followed me. One by one, we planted all the small sprouts, digging holes in the soft soil together setting the various plants in the holes, patting carefully around them, and watering with a gentle spray.
Ramie, who had never planted a garden before, found everything fascinating. Tired from the excitement and work, he fell asleep on the living room floor next to Tatum after we washed our hands with the garden hose and went inside. He didn’t even open his eyes when I lifted him in my arms and carried him into the downstairs bedroom. Covering him with a light-weight quilt, I kissed his cheek and left the room, keeping the door open slightly.
Promptly at five-fifteen, Ethan’s Bronco pulled into the driveway. I stepped outside to meet him.
“How’d it go?” he asked anxiously.
“Fine. We had fun planting a garden, and now Ramie’s asleep in Mom and Dad's bedroom.”
Ethan walked across to the bedroom and quietly opened the door wider, looked inside for a long minute, then returned to me.
“Thank you for helping me, Skye.” His arms reached toward me, and I stepped into his embrace.
In the silence, I could hear his heart beating under my ear. His cheek rested on my hair as he held me gently.
“Skye,” he murmured. “You’re an angel. I don't know what I'd have done today without your help.”