Ten days later…
"Are you sure there is nothing I can say or do to convince you to stay?" Diego asked.
"No, young man. Manuel may be feeling better now, but I am not sure he will ever completely recover after his ordeal. His life is in Monterey. He wants to marry the young woman he is courting but, considering his health issues, I fear he might not be able to return to a normal life, nor be as successful in his career. He needs me and that is where I also need to be: by my son. I can at least help him give that senorita of his a carefree life, or as carefree a life as possible, at least. Perhaps I might even help him buy that house he is set on acquiring. He has such big plans my Manuel…I just hope they might come true for him, despite all he's been through recently."
"I understand your wish to take care of your son, but how about the people in this pueblo? There are many here who need a doctor and you are not an easy man to replace."
"I have been corresponding for a while with a young American doctor, Jessie Kent. His father was an Ambassador, so he was educated in Madrid and has quite an impressive experience, despite his young age. In his last letter he told me that his parents had recently passed away and he decided to come to California to make a new life for himself. He was hoping to join my practice here, in Los Angeles. I have just written to offer him to take it over from me permanently and I have every certainty he will accept. Something tells me you two will get along very well. I never met the young man but, judging from his letters, he has as an inquisitive mind, just as you do, and a similar fascination for science. Until he arrives, though, I was hoping you might consider acting as the pueblo's temporary doctor."
"Me?"
"You are the only one qualified. Look…I know you have other things on your mind and the weight of the world on your shoulders, but, since you are also in the business of saving lives, I am hoping you would say yes…After all, it may also keep you out of trouble for a while..."
Diego grinned at those words.
"You know…" The doctor continued. "I finally understand why you have decided not to share your secret with anyone. However, now that I know, I don't think I could just stand by and pretend, Diego. I almost shouted your name a few days ago when that bounty hunter took a shot at you. Frankly, it is but a matter of time until I would end up betraying you somehow. It is better for us both that I get away from Los Angeles. And…with you acting as the pueblo's doctor, not even Ignacio de Soto would decide to execute you, should you be captured."
"I believe you might underestimate him. But, not to worry. I have no intention of giving him the opportunity to take such a decision."
"And you had no intention of dying anytime soon, but you came quite close only a few days ago! It is not always up to you, young man."
"It wasn't the first time I came close. Yet, here I am, alive and well."
"Yes…Here you are." The doctor answered with a smirk.
"In my experience, things have a way of working out…"
"Your legion of angels makes sure of that, I suppose…So? Do you accept?"
"Father? Are you ready? We should be at the tavern soon. It is not polite to let everybody wait for us." Manuel interrupted the two at entering the office.
"Yes, I do, Doctor." Diego stated, smiling at the older Hernandez.
"Excellent! Now, senores, how about we go enjoy that party?" The doctor suggested.
ZZZ
"If I may have your attention!" Don Alejandro asked and the music stopped as all those in the tavern focused their attention on him. "It is a sad thing to say goodbye to such an important member of our community as Doctor Hernandez. We all owe him a great debt of gratitude for all his care and dedication. Some of us, me included, certainly owe him our lives. He has always been there when we needed him, no matter the time of day or night, always doing all he could to help. Throughout the years, this good man has shared our joys and sorrows, and has, to some extent, become an informal member of each family in this pueblo. His departure will certainly leave a hole in our hearts. We will miss you, my friend!" The old don stated. "To Doctor Hernandez!" He encouraged everyone to raise their glasses and drink.
"To Doctor Hernandez!" Others uttered in a choir.
"Speech!" Don Alfonso encouraged the doctor from the middle of the crowd and his request was met with further encouragement from the other people present.
"Alright." The doctor agreed. "Thank you, Alejandro, for your kind words. I am not one for long speeches, as you all know. Except for when your health is concerned." The statement was met with chuckles by the audience. "I have built a life here and I will always consider this pueblo to be my home. I was privileged to have the opportunity to put my life in your service. Now…I know that many of you are preoccupied that my leave will mean that the pueblo won't have a doctor for a while, so I want to take the opportunity to put your minds at rest. A young doctor, senor Jessie Kent, has already accepted to come to Los Angeles and should arrive in three months' time."
"A gringo?" The Alcalde asked.
"A brilliant young doctor, educated in Madrid, with ties to the Crown, from what I know about him." The doctor informed the Alcalde, but could hardly erase the frown on De Soto's face. "Meanwhile, Don Diego has accepted to step in and temporarily act as the pueblo's physician. I cannot imagine a better man for the job and I leave with a light heart, knowing that you will be in good hands." The doctor continued and the announcement surprised most of the people present there, except for the Alcalde who was counting on his former university colleague to take over as the pueblo's doctor.
"You will make a good doctor, Diego!" Don Alejandro assured his son once he suppurated the shock of the announcement.
"That is true. I can't imagine anyone else who could take over from Doctor Hernandez!" Victoria confirmed.
"I will do my best to rise to your expectations!" Diego assured them.
"Well…you can start by telling me what on Earth is this! I have a similar one on my other hand and on my legs." Don Alejandro exclaimed, rolling up his right sleeve to show Diego the bruise which had appeared around the small mark left by the needle the doctor had used a few days earlier for the blood transfusion.
Diego did his best to hide a grin and, looking seriously at his father told him:
"Father, I believe you were bitten by a blundell…"
"A what?"
"A blundell…it just wanted some of your blood. I am sure the bruises will pass within a few days by themselves…"
Don Alejandro looked at him as if he was talking nonsense and decided to ask the doctor the same question, mentioning Diego's answer. Doctor Hernandez glanced to Diego, hid his grin, and agreed with the diagnostic.
ZZZ
"Manuel!" Diego called his friend as he was about to follow his father in the stagecoach, taking out a box wrapped in colored paper and handing it to him. "This belongs to you."
"Diego…I can't possibly accept a gift from you. I already owe you too much, my friend!"
"You owe me nothing! And this is not a gift, actually. It is just something that belongs to you and which I happened to have in my possession."
"Should I open it now?"
"No…I think you'd better wait until you get to Monterey. But do take good care of it."
"May I know what it is, then?"
"Your share of a certain treasure you unwillingly helped recover." Diego whispered in Manuel's ear.
"My share?"
Diego just nodded.
"Take care, my friend! I am looking forward to visiting your new home in Monterey!" He uttered just before his baffled friend was forced into the stagecoach, moments before it departed.
The End?
Author's note 1: The so-called "blundell" in the dialogue above is a reference to James Blundell, the famous obstetrician who performed the first blood transfusion in 1818.
Author's note 2: Dear readers, I know you might have expected a reveal of some sort but I cannot give you that for a very good reason. You see, as some of you already know, this story is part of a series starting with A Close Call and ending with The Man Behind the Mask. The series also integrates (chronologically) the stories A Carol for De Soto, GorundFox Day, The Fox and the Hound, The New Doctor, and Mama Mia but (mea culpa), was written and published in a different order.
The good news is that I am decided to integrate all the stories (although a little modified, since I hate repeating myself and I don't want to take anyone's pleasure of reading the shorter stories, as well) into one long saga, so they will make better sense once I do that. The bad news is that I am not sure when I will actually get to that since I already have three more stories I am working on.
Anyway…if you enjoyed it, please leave a comment. If you have suggestions, please leave a comment. Finally, if you hated it, please leave a comment to tell me what you disliked about it, so that I can improve on that. I tend to welcome constructive criticism.
Thanks for reading and I do hope you enjoyed it!