Chapter 6
It had been a long day. Most days were, when you were one of only a few doctors in a rural area. At least Medford was close. At least tourist season wasn't here yet.
The doctor paused, about to lock the door of the clinic, when he heard and saw the SUV screeching into the parking lot. "Liz!" he called, but he saw that his nurse had already climbed out of her car and was headed back towards him.
His days must be running together. He could have sworn he'd seen this group already.
In fact, he recognized that bandage, now soaking wet and threatening to fall off. He recognized those stitches as his own work.
He held the door open for the motley crew. "Back for more?"
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Jenna, bless her heart, had thought to bring him dry clothes. Charlie shivered in the bathroom of the clinic and awkwardly changed the bottom half, using one hand. His t-shirt had already been cut off, and he was wearing a gown, waiting for the local to take effect. He looked at his face in the mirror. Some vacation.
As he passed the waiting area on the way back to the exam room, Charlie took pity on Don. He looked so miserable even Sam was being nice to him. Or at least not being mean to him. He caught his brother's eye. "Do you want to come back?"
Don leaped up, was across the room in two steps. "Yeah, I'd like to. What are they going to do?"
Charlie raised his good arm in a wave to Sam and Jenna, gave them a tight smile. "I have to get some shots."
Don lowered his gaze. "Sorry. I know you hate that."
"Dry clothes, I see," said Liz as she herded them back to an exam room. "Smart lady."
The doctor was waiting for them — something Charlie would enjoy remembering the next time he spent the afternoon waiting for one. "Your friend tells me you've all been using multiple-barbed hooks," he said, as he checked the stitches over Charlie's eye to make sure they weren't compromised. "That means I'll have to advance and cut."
Don was all business. "What does that mean?"
The doctor waited for Charlie to stop coughing. He thought he heard a definite rattle this time, and decided to check his patient's lungs. When he finished, he explained to both of them. "This is not an unusual fishing injury," he said. "I'll just use this highly technical piece of equipment I have to advance the hook through the skin. Then I'll cut the eye free, and pull it out. Because it's a puncture wound, we'll give you a tetanus shot — unless you've had one in the last five years?"
Charlie was lying on the table now, but he was growing greener as the explanation went on. "Don't think so. Hate needles."
"I'd think you'd be used to them, if this is the kind of luck you usually have."
"Will he need more stitches?"
"No, these are very small surface wounds, but deep and painful. Usually an antibiotic ointment and dressing is all that's required, but because your brother's body is already trying to heal…well, a number of things…I'm going to prescribe some systemic antibiotics, as well. There's a pharmacy in the grocery next door — open until 9."
Liz came into the room then, holding the tetanus syringe and the doctor's highly technical piece of equipment. Charlie's eyes avoided the needle, stared at the other hand. "Are those pliers?" he asked.
"Yep," the doctor said, and he pushed up the sleeve of the hospital gown. Charlie squeezed his eyes shut, counting from memory the number of gray hairs in Don's head.
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It was obvious Charlie was exhausted by the time they all got back to the campground, but he insisted that they build a campfire at the tentsite and talk.
Don let Sam do the honors. He was the expert, after all, and the faster the fire was going, the faster Charlie would be warm. Still, he fretted. "You should be in the tent," he said. "You're sick."
"Or you can spend the night in the RV," Jenna offered.
Charlie tried to suppress his cough, so that they wouldn't worry more. "No, please, I want to hear the river. Our bags are warm."
"You hair is wet," Don continued, and Charlie felt his resolve evaporating.
"If I agree to sleep in the RV, can I say something first?"
Don was both relieved and worried — Charlie had given in way too easily. "Sure, Buddy." He sat opposite the firepit from Charlie, so he could see his face clearly in the firelight. Sam placed another log and joined Jenna, who was sitting so close to Charlie he would have been annoyed if he hadn't known she was just trying to warm him up.
Charlie started to lift his left arm to run through his wet hair, thought better of it and clutched it tighter to his side instead. "Look, Donnie, Sam…loving both of you does not negate one of you. I've been blessed both by the brother I was given…" he looked at Don, then sneezed and turned toward Sam, "and the one I've chosen." He shuddered once and looked at the fire. "But if you guys don't stop whatever it is you've been doing all week, you're going to kill me."
Don dropped his head, ashamed. "Buddy…" he started, but Charlie interrupted him in a voice so tired he knew his brother had to finish fast.
"I'll sleep in the RV. But you two have to promise me something."
Sam was embarrassed, now, himself. "Of course."
Charlie waited until Don was looking him in the eye again. "Tomorrow morning, bright and early…the two of you are out of here. Together. Alone." He turned his gaze to Sam. "I don't care where you go. But don't come back until this is settled."