tChapter 6

When Eugene came home from his discussion with Dr. Shane, he reported that the doctor agreed that the procedure Eugene wanted to do was the most advisable, and if Victoria was willing, he and Eugene would do it the next day at the ranch. Her children were somewhat nervous about it, but Victoria was very calm, very sure that her son would take good care of her, and come the next morning, when Dr. Shane arrived, she was ready.

The next morning, Nick sent J.J. and Tony out to do their chores, as usual, but only after explaining to them what was happening upstairs with their grandmother. "Don't worry, everything is going to be all right," Nick reassured them. "Just get your work done."

"You're not doing yours," Tony said.

Nick heaved a sigh. His son was the most contrary of all the Barkley grandchildren, and the most vocal about it. "Right now, my job is here, and yours is out in the barn. Now get to it!"

The boys left, but as they went out the front door, Tony said to J.J., "Grandmother must really be sick. Uncle Eugene AND Dr. Shane are with her."

"Yeah," J.J. said, "And Uncle Heath and Aunt Audra are in there with your parents and my mother and they all look worried. Seems like they still don't realize that we know when something's going on."

"Yeah," Tony said.

"I'm not gonna worry about it, though," J.J. said. "We'll have to be worrying about these things soon enough. Remember when Uncle Heath told us how young he was when he went off to war?"

"Yeah," Tony said.

"Well, that's how old I am now," J.J. said. "Won't be long I'll be pretty much grown up, and you're right behind me. For now, I'm just gonna muck stalls and let them inside do the worrying."

Tony shrugged. J.J. had a point.

Inside, there was plenty of worrying going on. Nick paced a lot, and Heath stood up and paced now and then, but the women basically stayed still, sitting, drinking coffee. But then it was over so fast, Eugene was coming down the stairs so soon, that everyone jumped up, terrified.

But Eugene smiled. "She did fine. She's resting and she'll be good as new by tomorrow."

Nick couldn't believe it. "Really? That fast?"

Eugene nodded. "That fast. She'll probably wake up in the next few minutes, but then she'll sleep again until late afternoon. I'd give it until then before you go to see her."

"When will you do the other side of her neck?" Audra asked.

"A week or so. She needs to recover from this one and let some healing happen. But I'll stick around for the next one. Might even punch a cow or two while I'm here doing nothing else." He winked at his rancher brothers.

"Can't risk hurting those lily-white hands," Nick teased, but the choke in his voice gave away his worry about his mother.

Audra threw her arms around her younger brother.

"Reckon I'll go tell the boys she's fine," Heath said and headed for the door.

"They don't really know what's going on," Nick said.

Everyone else moaned.

"Nick, they know more about what goes on around here than you do," Maggie said.

Nick looked offended – for a moment. Then he admitted with a shrug that Maggie was probably right.

XXXXXX

Victoria woke up slowly, the fog of the drugs not willing to let her go too soon. She could hear voices but not what they were saying, until someone said, "Mother? Are you awake?"

"Sort of," she said, still not knowing which of her children was talking to her.

"You did fine, Mother," the voice said. "You'll be groggy for a little while, but everything is fine. The operation is over and you did fine."

Operation. Eugene. Victoria remembered they were going to cut into her neck, but it took a while before she remembered why. Then she put it together and smiled. "Is it all right if I go back to sleep?" she asked.

Eugene smiled. Victoria could hear it even if she hadn't opened her eyes to see it. "Go right ahead," he said. "I'll be nearby when you need me."

"I'm glad we sent you to medical school," Victoria said.

"Me, too," Eugene said.

XXXXXXXX

"Hello, Victoria," the voice said and she knew that voice and smiled. She felt him move around her, holding her while she slept, whispering to her. "I'm glad you did so well. Quite a young man, our son the doctor has turned out to be."

"Yes, he's wonderful," Victoria said and snuggled into her husband's arms. "I wish you could have seen him grow up. He was so young when you left us. There were times he wasn't sure about the road he should take. I was afraid for a while that he would never find his way, and I wished you were here to help him."

"He was in good hands. His older brothers looked after him. I knew they would. And he's turned out to be quite a young man."

"I've missed you so much, Tom."

"I know. But I've been here, and I'm here now."

"I love you, you know."

"Rest, Victoria. Rest here in my arms and get well."

XXXXXXXX

Victoria woke up from her half-drugged sleep, wishing she didn't have to wake up. Her dream was so real, so wonderful to feel her husband's arms around her again, and she did feel them. Exactly as they always were, she felt them enclose her and keep her safe. She knew it was only a dream but that was all right. It was sweet and real, and when she finally woke up for good, she was smiling.

"That's what a surgeon likes to see," Eugene's voice came to her again. "A happy patient."

She opened her eyes, and he was there, her youngest who had just operated on her. "My doctor son," she said quietly. "Your father is very proud of you."

Eugene smiled, thinking his mother was still half asleep. "Thank you for telling me that, Mother. How do you feel?"

Victoria said, "Very good. I trust the operation went well."

"Couldn't have gone better," Eugene said. "You've stayed groggy longer than I'd have liked, but that's nothing. You're awake now for good, I think."

"May I have some water?"

"Ice chips for now," Eugene said and put some into her mouth.

Victoria let them melt and swallowed the water. "When can I eat? I'm hungry."

Eugene laughed. "That's a good sign, but we'll let you have some soft food in a few hours."

"Where are your brothers and sister?"

"Downstairs, anxious to see you. Are you up to seeing them?"

"For a few minutes, yes," Victoria said.

Eugene went away, and Victoria concentrated on feeling more awake. It wasn't long before the faces of the rest of her children appeared, smiling and encouraging.

"It's good to see you did so well, Mother."

"Eugene said he'll get you up and moving around in a little while."

"That's quite a doctor our boy has turned out to be."

"He could stand to lose a little weight, but otherwise he's something else, isn't he?"

"All right, all right, time for you all to scoot and let my patient get more awake," Eugene's voice broke the chorus.

"I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast," Victoria said and watched her children, except for Eugene, retreat from the room.

At about that time, Victoria felt completely awake and tried to sit up, but Eugene kept her down. "Not just yet," he said. "Let's wait until you're more fully awake, and I'll walk you around the room a bit."

"Then can I eat?"

Eugene laughed. "Yes, then you can eat."

"Good, because I'm hungry."

"Well, now I guess we know where Nick got his appetite."

Victoria patted Eugene's midsection. "You too, apparently."

Eugene laughed again and kissed her. "Yeah, you're doing just fine, Mother."

Victoria patted his cheek this time. "Thanks to my son, the doctor."