"Ez! How could ya do that to Nate? Just undercut him like that. Like he's nuthin' to ya. I… I defended you," cried Buck, as Chris glowered at the southerner and Vin looked shattered.
"But you don't understand. Let me explain. You see Archie was the doctor who saved my life when I was so grievously wounded in the late unpleasantness. I owe him everything. We've stayed in touch throughout the years and he's always been a staunch friend to me. When he wrote to me to tell me that he'd developed an incurable illness and only had a year or two to live, I knew that I had to help him. His current position as a lecturer at Harvard is very demanding and he doesn't really have the strength for his duties now, but will have even less reserves in a year. He cannot afford to live without working as he has never worked for the money, but rather for the joy of helping people, so he has no savings to pay for a sanatorium. Sadly, his wife has passed and they had no children," explained Ezra, pleading for their understanding. "I thought that he might like to retire from Harvard and spend his remaining years here."
"And that's all very admirable, Ezra. But what happens to Nathan when this doctor arrives? You know how much he loves being a healer here. What will he do when all his patients start going to your friend?"
"But you still aren't understanding. I haven't got to the really good bit yet," begged Ezra, reaching out to grip Chris' shirt in both fists to stop him from turning away. "You can become a doctor by being an apprentice to one. It usually takes three years, but Nathan already has so much knowledge and experience that I'm sure it could be whittled down to the time left to Archie. I thought that with Archie's teaching experience, he could assess Nathan's present knowledge and then begin to teach him what else he needs to know in order to become a qualified doctor. Then when Archie become too ill to practise medicine, Nathan could look after him and ease his passing. Don't you see? Don't you all see how perfect this opportunity is? How it's really Nathan's only chance to realise his dream?"
Pulling the emotional southerner to his chest, Chris hugged him tightly, too choked up to say anything. Vin and Buck had hurried to the gambler's side as his speech became more impassioned. Each of them put a hand on Ezra's shoulder, squeezing it in comfort.
"Aw, Ez. I'm sorry. Shoulda known ya'd have a damn good reason for bringing that doc here," said Buck gruffly, his voice affected by his pride in the southerner. He'd always known that a truly good man with a kind heart lurked under the flashy gambler façade.
Vin glowed with pride in his brother. Instead of spending his money on a showy gambling place in San Fransisco, he'd used it to better the lives of people who quite often looked down on him. Used his money to educate and heal folk and help his old friends to live out their lives feeling useful and wanted. Yes sir, no doubt about it, their Ezra was one in a million. Beaming with pride, his chest just about bursting, Vin slapped the shoulder he held and then threw his arms around both Chris and Ezra.
"Well hell, if you're all gonna hug, you're not leaving me out," cried Buck boisterously, throwing his long arms around the other three and squeezing mightily making them all squeak. Chris growled ominously, Vin whispered 'Ah Hell' and Ezra uttered a strangled 'Good lawd, Buck'.
Breaking up, they all coughed and looked everywhere but at each other as they hastily scrubbed at moist eyes with their sleeves.
"So y'all approve of what I've done?"
Chris turned back to look at Ezra who was looking at him with such naked hope in his emerald eyes that the gunslinger couldn't help but grin and say firmly, "Ya done good, Ez."
Ezra's smile was blinding.
Sobering as his thoughts went back to the healer, Chris told Ezra, "You'd best stay here for a while, Ez. I've got to get to Nathan and tell him to give you a chance to explain. He's hotter than a silver dollar in the summer sun at the moment, thinking you were out to replace him. JD's not much better, so Buck had better go and tell him what's happening. I know you'd probably rather show them everything, but they've got the wrong end of everything at the moment and won't be willing to listen."
Nodding sadly, Ezra murmured, "Yes, perhaps that is for the best. I really thought that I'd earned more trust from them than that though."
All three murmured agreement, ashamed of their own fleeting doubts. Then Vin suddenly said, "We got to see 'Siah too. Tell him 'bout Hannah."
"Hannah?"
As usual, the big man perked up at the mention of a woman.
Chagrined that he'd given away Josiah's secret, Vin looked beseechingly to Ezra for help out of the situation in which he'd landed himself.
Smiling gently, Ezra explained to Chris and Buck, then asked that they not say anything to anyone. Just as they'd made their promises, a knocking sounded on the door.
"Mr Larabee, sir? Are you still in there?"
"Yeah, Ted. What can I do for you?"
"Nothing for me, sir. But I thought you should know that Mrs Travis and Mr Jackson are both looking for you and young JD is looking for you Mr Wilmington," explained Ted, hat in hand.
"Mary doesn't know anything about any of this, does she?"
"No, I asked the Judge to keep my plans to himself. I was going to inform all of y'all first and then have Mrs Travis publish something the week before the new clinic, bakery, library and school opened. I'm still waiting for Archie, Miss Adelia and the new teacher to arrive, of course. Although, Archie should be here on next week's stage and I think Miss Adelia will arrive the week after that. I'm not sure where the Judge is at with the recruitment of a schoolmarm," explained Ezra. He couldn't really explain his reluctance to tell Mrs Travis about his enterprises. The blonde widow sometimes reminded him of his mother and because of that he found it hard to trust her.
"Hey, where are we gonna get our hair cut now," exclaimed Buck indignantly as the thought suddenly occurred to him.
Chuckling, Ezra replied, "Relax Bucklin, Albert hasn't left town. Mr Heideigger from the hotel offered him a job over there. There wasn't enough business for Albert on his own and he isn't always able to work with the rheumatism in his hands. So, for room and board, he's opening a small shop in the hotel cutting hotel guests' hair for free, but anyone else can get their hair cut for the usual fee."
"Well that's okay then. Shoot, thought I was gonna have to ride all the way to Eagle Bend, or grow my hair out like Junior here," teased Buck, ruffling Vin's long hair playfully.
"Less ya want ter lose them hands, yer'd best be keepin' 'em ta yerself, Bucklin," growled the tracker, ducking his head out of the way and slapping at the taller man's hands.
Buck's booming laughter was the only response as he slid a hand forward to tickle the younger man. Suddenly it was on for young and old as the two men began a wrestling war for dominance and tickling rights, whilst Ezra and Chris stood back smirking and trying to prevent damage to furnishings and friends alike.
Ten minutes later saw Chris striding determinedly towards the clinic and Buck striding just as firmly towards the jail, both intent on sorting out their doubting brothers.
Just as he was scaling the stairs to the clinic and thanking Ezra for providing them with new premises that were on ground level, the door burst open to the sound of Josiah's ragged coughing. Then the giant of a man was on the porch, growling in what was left of his once magnificent, rumbling voice, "I told you I wasn't staying if you continued to badmouth my boy, Nathan. I'm going back to the church and that's that!"
Chris scowled at the thought of Nathan's ongoing vendetta against Ezra. It seemed that no matter what the gambler did, what his friends said, or what the healer witnessed with his own eyes, Nathan was determined to think the worse of Ezra. Reaching the porch and snaking a strong arm around the trembling form of the preacher, the dark clad man suddenly smirked as he pictured Nathan's face when he found out the truth. Oh yeah, that would be worth seeing.
"Oh good, Chris, can you help me get this stubborn fool back into bed?"
Chris looked at Nathan, then looked at the older man clinging to him and wheezing and nodded once. Much as he would have liked to aid the preacher in his glorious exit, he doubted very much that Josiah would make it halfway down the steps without collapsing. If it had been Vin, he may have been willing still, but Josiah was a big, muscular man and weighed more than Chris could rightly carry. Heaving the almost deadweight of his older friend more securely onto his shoulder and hip, Chris hauled the protesting man back towards the rumpled bed. Once he was securely tucked back in, Chris leaned down and whispered something in Josiah's ear and smoothed the grey hair back from the sweaty forehead.
Josiah looked up into Chris' intense hazel eyes and grinned widely at the fierce protectiveness and humour that he saw there. Settling back, he turned to Nathan and announced, "I think I could do with some of Gloria's delicious broth, Nathan."
Grumbling about stubborn men who wouldn't know what was right if it danced naked in front of them, Nathan left for Mrs Potter's. Chris followed close behind, almost stepping on the tall man's heels. Once they were at the bottom of the stairs, he yanked Nate around and slammed him none too gently into the side of the livery.
"Hey now…"
"No! I talk. You listen. You've been a sanctimonious jackass towards Ez long enough, Jackson. I know I've been just as bad, but that man has more than earned our friendship, loyalty and respect. I will not tolerate you bad mouthing him all over town any more and neither will any of the others. Vin's already told you to shut your mouth and open your mind, but seems you just aren't willing to learn. So I'm telling you the same. You've got Ez all wrong, in general and in regards to that damn telegram that the kid had no business reading, let alone shouting to the rafters about. When Ez explains what it's all about, you just shut your mouth and let him get on with it, ya hear me, Nate?"
Mouth dropping open in shock before he snapped it shut, the lips thinning in anger, Nathan nodded tightly.
Standing back and allowing the healer to collect himself, Chris glared at the clearly unrepentant man and growled in disgust, "Ah, ta hell with it. Get back up to the damn clinic. I'm going to collect the others and we'll see you up there shortly. I warn you now, you'd better be prepared to eat a lot of crow."
Frowning at the departing blond, Nathan wondered if he had misjudged the southerner. Everyone else seemed to think Ezra deserved the benefit of the doubt. Most of the time, he and the gambler were able to put aside their differences, even going so far as to call each other friend. But sometimes, he just wanted to punch the smug smirk off the man's face. Rubbing his hand over his head roughly and wincing when he encountered the small lump at the back where he'd hit it on the wall of the liver, Nathan sighed and headed back up the stairs. When Chris Larabee issued an order in the tone of voice he'd just used, it was only a fool or a dead man who ignored it.
Sitting beside his old friend on the bed, Nathan sighed again and whispered, "Why do I always think the worst of that man?"
''Cos he expects you to," rasped Josiah, his eyes still closed as he lay comfortably warm and drowsy on the bed.
"Yeah," agreed the healer sadly. According to Vin, Ezra did expect Nathan to hate and belittle him as so many others had because of his southern accent and the colour of his skin. It came as a rude shock to Nathan every time it was brought to his attention that he was guilty of the same bigotry of which he himself was often a victim.
At the jail, Buck had entered to find JD still reading his book. Stalking over, the tall cowboy snatched the book, threw it into a drawer and slammed the drawer shut. Grabbing the boy's silly hat off the desk, he crammed it on the dark shiny hair and then yanked JD up by the collar, dragging him out the door towards the MacPhail place.
"Dammit Buck, just what do you think you're doing? Ya got no right to be draggin' me around! Let me go!"
No matter how hard the kid struggled, he had no choice but to follow the taller, stronger, older man. Finally turning down the alley beside the barber's, which was now closed, he continued to protest until he was bodily thrown into the back of the MacPhail building. Staggering to straighten up and not fall to his knees, he noticed Ezra and Vin staring at him with a mixture of shock, wariness and amusement. Pulling his suit jacket straight huffily, he turned to Vin and said, "Hey Vin, good to see you back."
A fleeting look of sadness passed over Ezra's face at the obvious slight, before he murmured quietly, "Not happy to see me too, JD?"
"You? You're … I just… I never… Can't… Dammit, how could ya do it?"
Before anyone could say anything further, Chris stomped in the back door and glared so hard at JD that the boy backed up until he hit Buck. Looking back, he was surprised to see the hostile look on the moustached face that always looked kindly on him before. Getting the feeling that he was missing something very important, he kept quiet.
"We're going up to the clinic and sort this mess out once and for all before I shoot someone," snarled Chris, still riled at the healer and now unimpressed to hear JD's accusation and witness Ezra's hurt. Expecting obedience, he spun on this heel and took off with the sound of his duster slapping around his calves and his spurs jingling.
Snorting with amusement, Vin stood up and slapped the gambler on the shoulder, drawling, "C'mon Ez, don't want ta keep 'em waitin'."
Standing and smartly snapping his cuffs down, Ezra walked out regally, displaying none of the inner turmoil that he was feeling. Buck and Vin exchanged a sad glance and followed him out, making sure that the door was locked behind them and that JD was firmly pushed in front of them.
Settling in spots around the clinic, everyone took a deep breath. Nathan had immediately stood and gone to stand in a spot near his shelves of herbs, his back to the room as he tried to gather his composure. Josiah had opened his eyes and warmly greeting Vin and Ezra, who returned his greeting and went to sit on the bed on either side of the big man. Buck pushed JD in with him and they stood over by the window, whilst Chris slammed the door shut and leaned against it, scowling at Nathan's back.
Josiah clasped the gambler's hand and asked eagerly, "How was Hannah? Was she upset that I didn't come? Is she in good spirits and health?"
Waiting whilst the coughing fit prompted by the eager questioning ran it's course, rubbing the preacher's damp back gently, Ezra quirked an eyebrow at Vin who patted a pocket and nodded. When silence descended again, the gambler said, "Hannah was in good health, 'Siah. In fact, she sent something back for you."
Everyone watched as the tracker pulled a roll of paper from his pocket, carefully unrolling it and smoothing it out over the older man's lap.
Sucking in a breath of wonder, Josiah ran his long calloused fingers over the precious painting. Looking up at Ezra and then Vin, he asked, "Hannah painted this?"
"Yes."
Relating everything that had happened on their trip, Vin and Ezra watched as tears of joy and thankfulness rained down Josiah's face. Finally, the preacher sat up and threw his arms around his boys and squeezed them tightly, choking out, "Thank you. It's nowhere near enough but thank you."
Hugging the man back awkwardly, Vin and Ezra tried to discretely wriggle into a position where they could breathe and not have their ribs cracked. Buck was wiping tears from his face too and grinning like a loon. Nathan and JD kept their eyes on the floor.
After being released from the bear hug, Ezra and Vin fussed about making sure that his pillows were fluffed and he was completely covered. Then, with a long look at Vin for strength, Ezra stood up and fixed a stern look on JD.
"John Daniel Dunne! Look at me!"
The ringing authority was back in Ezra's voice, forcing JD's head to snap up and his eyes to focus on the disappointed emerald eyes of the gambler.
"I'm sure that you've been taught better manners than to read the private messages of others, Mr Dunne. I'm equally certain that you were taught that it was unacceptable behaviour to spread unsubstantiated rumours, or information of which you are not in complete possession. Or am I wrong in assuming that your mother raised you with morals and integrity?"
Flushing red, JD's eyes welled as he realised how badly he had acted.
Nathan thought that Ezra was trying to redirect the attention from his own poor behaviour by singling out JD, so started to interrupt, "Don't go …"
A single low growl that issued from five individual throats made the words stick in his throat, halting his diatribe.
"Futhermore, your rude and inconsiderate actions caused considerable distress to Nathan, who then spread the misery to Buck, Chris and poor Josiah by setting off one of his self-righteous, self-pitying tantrums, didn't it?"
Nodding miserably, JD felt tears start to sting his eyes as his throat tightened.
"And all of this upset and anger for something that isn't even true."
Ezra found himself pinned by the eyes of both Nathan and JD, whilst Josiah just smiled and closed his eyes in vindication. He'd known that his boy would never have treated Nathan in such a callous manner.
"Ya mean ya ain't got some hot shot doctor coming to take over from me?"
"I have invited a very dear friend to come to this dusty little burg to spend the remainder of his years, yes. Said friend is indeed a highly skilled and experienced doctor, yes. HOWEVER! I intend for him to take you as an apprentice, so that you may eventually earn your own medical degree and become a fully qualified doctor," explained Ezra, making sure to maintain eye contact with the healer.
Stunned, Nathan staggered back until his back hit the wall and he slid down to sit cross legged on the floor. He must have been mistaken. Surely he hadn't heard the gambler saying that his friend was willing to take him on as an apprentice. There were no black doctors. Looking up with huge, luminous eyes that begged his friend not to be lying or conning him, Nathan repeated, "A doctor?"
"Yes, Nathan. A doctor. Most apprenticeships are for three years, but given your experience and current knowledge, I suspect that the time could be reduced significantly," assured Ezra.
The others looked on as one of the most beautiful smiles they'd ever seen spread across Nathan's face, even as tears ran down his cheeks.
TBC