Hi All! Next Installment should be up this weekend, if I start feeling better! 'Tis the season to feel crappy! Hope you enjoy! B
Rhett Butler walked up to the Meades' house and knocked on the door. His large over coat was obstructing all views of the reason for this call. Truth be told, his makeshift bandaging had held fairly well, and aside from the fact that he was not using his left arm to do anything, he looked fairly normal.
Dr. Meade had just awoken from his nap, after the long night he'd had prior because of Melanie Wilkes. He just happened to be walking into the Foyer when Rhett knocked on the door. Opening the door, he was surprised by the sight.
"Captain Butler, what brings you by my house today? Please, come in." Dr. Meade said, trying to be cordial, and ushering Rhett into the foyer.
"Well, Dr. Meade, I'm in need of your services and thought, since I got myself into this predicament, that I should make a house call to you, and not you to me. Besides, I'm not sure I would want my wife to see my little quandary." Rhett said light heartedly. He then proceeded to shrug off his over coat, displaying the blood that was seeping through his shirt. "It seems that my card playing prowess has made me a few enemies. Lucky for me, the fellow was not the best shot, and it would seem did not have a very good gun. I hope you aren't too busy at the moment and can give this a look."
"Well Captain Butler, please, go and sit in the parlor. I'll prepare the necessities and be right in to assist you in your 'predicament.'" Dr. Meade said, though failing to see the humor.
When Dr. Meade returned, he immediately started working on Rhett's shoulder. Rhett was attempting to sustain the light mood, and remembered a similar situation. "Dr. Meade, do you remember the last time we were together for a gun shot wound?"
"Ah, Captain Butler, I don't think that's a night I could ever forget. I see you were up to your old tricks, using the large dark over coat to hide the wound? My wife is still intrigued by the fact that we were at Ms. Watling's. I assume that is where you were for this wound?" Dr. Meade said, with a flash of mischief in his eyes.
"Unfortunately, yes. As I said, I do not think my wife needs to know the details, just that I was wounded at some point last night. It's not too bad, is it Doctor?"
"No, Ashley's was much worse, and he healed up just fine. You don't smell as though you have been drinking though, Captain Butler. I'm surprised you aren't in great pain."
"Ah, Doctor Meade, I've been through much worse than a little bullet hole in my shoulder. I also have much greater scars than the one this one will leave. I suppose I just have a high threshold for pain, and it increases considerably when I don't have time to be in pain." Rhett joked. "As it is, so long as I don't move it too much, it doesn't ache."
Dr. Meade made quick work on the wound, and found the bullet itself skillfully. After working on gun shot wounds for the many years of the war and afterwards, he really was an expert. "You're really lucky, Captain Butler. It seems as though the gun had been altered, or perhaps was old. This bullet did not seem to have a lot of power behind it. It did go through the muscles, but does not seem to have done much damage to anything major. It did not hit bone, or any major veins or arteries. It seems as though the good Lord was protecting you, this time. Since it was a shoulder wound and did not hit any of the major blood passages, it seems that you did not lose a lot of blood either. I believe Ashley's wound was deeper than this one, but he did not lose much blood, just from the nature of the area. The muscle should heal relatively fast, and the less you move it, the faster it will heal."
When Dr. Meade had finished with Rhett's shoulder, the two men stood up and Rhett prepared to leave; however, standing up too fast reminded him that he most likely had a concussion. Dr. Meade confirmed his suspicions and gave him instructions on caring for his shoulder and his head.
"Dr. Meade, I thank you for your speed and proficiency." Rhett said, handing the old doctor a stack of bills, totaling over $100. "I believe this should compensate you for your troubles, but if not, please, don't hesitate to send word to me. Again, I thank you, but I must be on my way." And with that, Rhett Butler was on his way to the train station.