Bandit the dog lifted his hind leg, and, taking expert aim, made a direct hit on the base of the Mineral clinic's mailbox.
"Bandit!" hissed Jack, as he rang the Doctor's doorbell. "What are you doing!? Stop that at once! Bad dog! Bad!" He stabbed an accusing finger at the small, yellow mess that now ran in rivulets between the steps of the Clinic's sidewalk.
Bandit lowered its tail between its legs and slunked over to hide behind a fence post. Its large, black eyes gestured into a pathetic, sorry look, its brow furrowed and tilted sadly, just as the Mineral Clinic's door opened inwards.
"Yes, who is it?" came a female voice just as Elli's head appeared. "If it's not an emergency, could you please come back when the clinic is-- oh, hello, Jack!" Elli's cheeks colored. "What brings you here today? You're not ill, are you?"
"No, no! That's not it at all," laughed Jack, although he didn't keep her from placing her hands all over his neck and head, to see if he was hot. Truth to tell, he rather liked it, though he couldn't say why for sure. "I just wanted to drop off some produce for you and the Doc," he said, hefting two large plastic bags. "And some cheese for your grandmother Ellen. How is she, anyway?"
"Fine, although she could use the company. I was about to see her in a little while," smiled Elli. "But please!, do come in! And is that Bandit with you?"
Behind the fence, peeking his head around the corner of the post, Bandit let out a happy energetic bark, and began wagging his tail.
"Why are you hiding? Jack, Bandit actually looks guilty!" She laughed. "What on earth could that dog have done to... done to...." Her voice trailed off as her eyes spied on the puddle beneath the mailbox. "Oh, my," was all she could say.
Beside her, Jack rolled his eyes and sighed, then pointed again to the mess. "Bad dog!"
***
"Really, Jack, you should have gone through all the trouble." The Doctor was weighing two large cheese wheels, stacked atop each other, in his hands. Approvingly, he nodded, and put them into his refrigerator. "Elli," I'll put your cheese in here, along with mine, if you don't mind."
"Of course not, Doctor! That should be all of it, then-- huh?" Elli looked into the plastic bags. "Jack, there are two bottles of honey in this bag, next to the cheese."
"Oh, that! Can you please leave just one bottle out on the counter there, Elli? I'm going to give it to the new guy; the other is for Stu to share with May. I know those two kids would like it a lot. Thanks for reminding me," he said, smiling sincerely. "Doc, I was wondering if you'd like to join me this afternoon, since the clinic is closed. What do you say? Are you as curious as I am about what Jamal is like?"
The doctor rubbed his chin pensively, as he always did when thinking about something, then nodded. "Yes, I suppose I am. Curious, that is, about Kai's brother." He stood from his stool and went over behind Elli's reception counter, then removed a large jar containing bubbly green liquid from a glass-faced cabinet. "I suppose it wouldn't do if we both showed up and only you had a welcoming gift. Do you think he'd like a Turbojolt?"
"I don't see why not, Doc. The first few weeks will probably be strenuous for him, as he copes with learning how to run the Seaside Lodge. I'm sure a Turbojolt would pick him right up when he's feeling run-down."
Elli nodded at the Doctor, agreeing with Jack. She crimsoned slightly, as she realized that right before her, and in private, she had the two men she cared for the most in this village. Her cheeks heated and flushed a little bit more as her thoughts wandered and let her imagination take over....
"Elli? Are you okay?" The doctor snapped his fingers, and she gave a start. "Elli?"
"I'll be fine," Elli said after a moment. She shook her head and glanced between the doctor and Jack, both of whom were giving her very strange looks. Strange looks, but she recognized the sincerity and the concern behind them. "I was just daydreaming, that's all. Nothing wrong with that.
"Well, if there's nothing else, I'll be on my way." She stood and placed the plastic bag, minus one jar of honey, into a wicker picnic-style basket and looped the basket over her arm. "There's still some groceries I should pick up at the store before I see Grandma. Take care, Jack! Doctor, if you need me, you know where I'll be!"
"Of course, see you tomorrow, Elli," said the doctor, at the same time Jack said, "Enjoy your day off! Say hello to the two of them for me!"
"Goodbye! Goodbye! She gave them a final look and smiled hopelessly as she closd the door behind her. Imagination, indeed!
The two men stood staring at the door for a long time before either of them moved or said anything, but it was Jack who broke the silence. "That was certianly...odd, wasn't it?"
The Doctor nodded slowly, but said nothing. Shrugging his shoulders, he turned to find a bag under the counters where he could put his welcoming gift in.
To be continued...
"Bandit!" hissed Jack, as he rang the Doctor's doorbell. "What are you doing!? Stop that at once! Bad dog! Bad!" He stabbed an accusing finger at the small, yellow mess that now ran in rivulets between the steps of the Clinic's sidewalk.
Bandit lowered its tail between its legs and slunked over to hide behind a fence post. Its large, black eyes gestured into a pathetic, sorry look, its brow furrowed and tilted sadly, just as the Mineral Clinic's door opened inwards.
"Yes, who is it?" came a female voice just as Elli's head appeared. "If it's not an emergency, could you please come back when the clinic is-- oh, hello, Jack!" Elli's cheeks colored. "What brings you here today? You're not ill, are you?"
"No, no! That's not it at all," laughed Jack, although he didn't keep her from placing her hands all over his neck and head, to see if he was hot. Truth to tell, he rather liked it, though he couldn't say why for sure. "I just wanted to drop off some produce for you and the Doc," he said, hefting two large plastic bags. "And some cheese for your grandmother Ellen. How is she, anyway?"
"Fine, although she could use the company. I was about to see her in a little while," smiled Elli. "But please!, do come in! And is that Bandit with you?"
Behind the fence, peeking his head around the corner of the post, Bandit let out a happy energetic bark, and began wagging his tail.
"Why are you hiding? Jack, Bandit actually looks guilty!" She laughed. "What on earth could that dog have done to... done to...." Her voice trailed off as her eyes spied on the puddle beneath the mailbox. "Oh, my," was all she could say.
Beside her, Jack rolled his eyes and sighed, then pointed again to the mess. "Bad dog!"
***
"Really, Jack, you should have gone through all the trouble." The Doctor was weighing two large cheese wheels, stacked atop each other, in his hands. Approvingly, he nodded, and put them into his refrigerator. "Elli," I'll put your cheese in here, along with mine, if you don't mind."
"Of course not, Doctor! That should be all of it, then-- huh?" Elli looked into the plastic bags. "Jack, there are two bottles of honey in this bag, next to the cheese."
"Oh, that! Can you please leave just one bottle out on the counter there, Elli? I'm going to give it to the new guy; the other is for Stu to share with May. I know those two kids would like it a lot. Thanks for reminding me," he said, smiling sincerely. "Doc, I was wondering if you'd like to join me this afternoon, since the clinic is closed. What do you say? Are you as curious as I am about what Jamal is like?"
The doctor rubbed his chin pensively, as he always did when thinking about something, then nodded. "Yes, I suppose I am. Curious, that is, about Kai's brother." He stood from his stool and went over behind Elli's reception counter, then removed a large jar containing bubbly green liquid from a glass-faced cabinet. "I suppose it wouldn't do if we both showed up and only you had a welcoming gift. Do you think he'd like a Turbojolt?"
"I don't see why not, Doc. The first few weeks will probably be strenuous for him, as he copes with learning how to run the Seaside Lodge. I'm sure a Turbojolt would pick him right up when he's feeling run-down."
Elli nodded at the Doctor, agreeing with Jack. She crimsoned slightly, as she realized that right before her, and in private, she had the two men she cared for the most in this village. Her cheeks heated and flushed a little bit more as her thoughts wandered and let her imagination take over....
"Elli? Are you okay?" The doctor snapped his fingers, and she gave a start. "Elli?"
"I'll be fine," Elli said after a moment. She shook her head and glanced between the doctor and Jack, both of whom were giving her very strange looks. Strange looks, but she recognized the sincerity and the concern behind them. "I was just daydreaming, that's all. Nothing wrong with that.
"Well, if there's nothing else, I'll be on my way." She stood and placed the plastic bag, minus one jar of honey, into a wicker picnic-style basket and looped the basket over her arm. "There's still some groceries I should pick up at the store before I see Grandma. Take care, Jack! Doctor, if you need me, you know where I'll be!"
"Of course, see you tomorrow, Elli," said the doctor, at the same time Jack said, "Enjoy your day off! Say hello to the two of them for me!"
"Goodbye! Goodbye! She gave them a final look and smiled hopelessly as she closd the door behind her. Imagination, indeed!
The two men stood staring at the door for a long time before either of them moved or said anything, but it was Jack who broke the silence. "That was certianly...odd, wasn't it?"
The Doctor nodded slowly, but said nothing. Shrugging his shoulders, he turned to find a bag under the counters where he could put his welcoming gift in.
To be continued...