TURNING BACK
MIXED BAG
CHAPTER 9
The adults had come to town for the second time so Abby could do some badly needed shopping for the new baby.
After collecting the mail Adam joined his father and brothers at the Sage Brush Saloon.
When he sat down across from Joe, his younger brother immediately demanded Adam tell the story of meeting the Queen. He started recounting the story in detail, but was distracted when two men came out of the doctor's office across the street. One was huge and the other small, but both were obviously deeply distressed.
The smaller man held the other by the arm and guided him to sit directly behind Adam, who was at the part of his story where he gave Victoria some advice she didn't want to hear, when the smaller man came back with two large whiskeys.
"John, what exactly did the ...?" was all he could hear over the laughter.
Adam was aware Joe had asked him a question, but he had turned his head and was trying to listen to the two men.
Joe repeated the question, and his older brother only glanced at him and shook his head while putting a finger to his lips. His family just stared, not understanding.
Adam glanced over his left shoulder to see the larger man's hands were shaking and had spilled a large quantity of the whiskey on the table.
"I'm telling,,,Jimmy the...said...craniotomy..."
Adam's head came up at that last word and he stood to sweep his eyes around the table. "Do any of you know the doctor across the street?"
"I do," Joe answered completely baffled by this time.
"Good," his older brother said shortly and came around the table to pull Joe up by an arm.
"You're coming with me," Adam said, and dragged Joe out the door.
Ben and Hoss just looked at each other, then watched the two men go into the doctor's office.
When some time had gone by, Abby appeared at the door to the saloon and was surprised to see only Ben and Hoss, and it seemed like every man in the saloon turned to look when she came in. Benn and Hoss started to stand.
"Where are Adam and Joe?" she asked her father-in-law with a smile as she motioned for them to remain seated.
Ben was quick to answer her, not being sure whether or not the answer would wipe the smile off her face.
"Across the street at the doctor's office."
Abby nodded her head, seemingly not surprised at all.
"Something big must have happened," she said softly, almost to herself, and hurried out the door and across the street.
Ben and Hoss stared at each other again and settled down to wait some more.
Not more than an hour later they saw Adam and Abby come out of the doctor's office supporting an obviously shaken and white faced-Joe.
Abby helped him into a chair next to his father and stood behind him with her hands on his shoulders, while Adam went to the bar. Then he came back with a shot glass full of what looked like bourbon.
He picked up one of Joe's shaking hands and put the glass in it, but kept his over his brother's to help him raise it to his mouth and toss it back.
Joe bent over coughing and Abby thumped him on the back. When he straightened up, Adam was pleased to see some color had returned to the younger man's face.
"Better?" he asked and Joe just nodded his head, seemingly not yet ready to speak.
Abby laughed. "I think we should go home now, the children have been left alone with Hop Sing for a long time and I fear for his safety."
Adam chuckled, obviously agreeing, as Ben and Hoss stood.
Just then, a tall, thin young man, who was obviously the doctor came through the door and hurried over to Adam, who sighed with resignation. His wife couldn't help but smile at his reluctant expression.
The doctor seized his right hand and began shaking it vigorously, saying, "Thank you!" over and over until Adam put his left hand on top to stop him.
"You're welcome," he said shortly, then looked around the room. Spotting the baby's father he nodded in his direction and said low, "Don't you have something you need to tell him?"
The doctor smiled widely and let go of Adam's hand to hurry over with the good news.
Adam gestured toward the door and herded his family out.
When the young doctor had delivered the good news and sent the baby's father across the street, he went to the bar to talk to the bartender.
"Who was that man?" he asked the bartender, pointing to the table where Hoss and Ben had spent the afternoon.
"Which one?"
"The tall one, with the dark hair. He was at that table with Joe."
"Oh, that was Joe's brother Adam. He disappeared from these parts about thirteen years ago, and just showed up at the ranch one day last month." The bartender glanced around the room, then leaned in to speak in a lower voice.
"Yep, came back home towing a wife and ten kids!" he laughed at the doctor's expression.
"Does anybody know where he was?"
"Nope."
The young doctor looked out the door as though expecting to see Adam there.
"Well, wherever he was, he must have spent all that time becoming one hell of a doctor!"
Not noticing the bartender's surprise, he turned away, left the saloon and went back to his office.
Later that evening Ben, Hoss, and Joe were sitting in front of the fireplace when Abby came down the stairs and Adam came in the front door.
He took her arm, sat down, and pulled her into his lap.
"All the stock down for the night?" he asked her and she nodded laughing and snuggled into him.
"Don't beat yourself up," she said taking in his glum expression, "you couldn't help it."
"I know," he answered and had to smile when she chuckled. "Damn oath!"
They both turned their heads when Ben cleared his throat.
"I'm just saying he couldn't let that doctor do a craniotomy without being sure it was necessary."
"Craniotomy?" Ben asked.
Abby looked down at her husband, to meet his eyes and he gave her a slight nod.
Her expression turned serious as she began to explain.
"When the child's life is no longer viable, it is forceably removed in an effort to save the mother."
"You mean when the child is dead," Ben said softly and the two in the one chair nodded.
Ben thought about that for a moment. "How?"
Adam shook his head, "Are you sure you want to hear this?" and his father nodded.
"The skull is broken, allowing the body to pass through the birth canal," Adam said and his eyes became darker and unfocused in memory.
Abby gave him a small shake, and he came back to give her a smile.
"The only thing worse than a craniotomy is an embryotomy," he said to his father and everyone turned to look at Joe when he spoke.
"Please don't explain what that is!"
"Okay," Adam said, giving Joe an approving look. "You did a very good job assisting today."
"Are you crazy? I almost passed out!"
Everyone laughed at that but Joe, who was looking down at his clasped hands dangling between his knees as he sat on the edge of the sofa.
"Joe, look at me," Adam said, still looking at his younger brother with approval.
"More experienced and bigger men than you HAVE passed out at the sight of that much blood."
Joe gave him a dubious look.
"That's true Joe," Abby cut in, "and Adam wouldn't lie to you." She gave him a chiding look, and he flushed slightly when he answered, "Yes Ma'am."
"What I don't understand is why you would be 'beating yourself up' over saving what I assume are two lives."
Adam shook his head, "I was hoping to stay incognito for awhile longer, hopefully until we moved and I set up practice."
"MOVE!" Joe and Hoss said at the same time.
Adam rolled his eyes, "Yes, move. We can't stay here forever, and I'm sure we'll wear out our welcome any day now."
When Hoss and Joe shook their heads Abby laughed out right.
"You say that now, but what will you think the next time someone slips something into bed with you," to Joe.
Then she turned to Hoss, "And what about the next time you get a face full of urine?"
Laughing deeply, Adam said, "Alan got you already?" Hoss couldn't help but laugh too.
"Addy says you call that gettin' baptised,"
His older brother nodded, "I've been baptised SO many times, and not just by my own."
Everyone was laughing by that time.
"It's only fair," Adam informed Hoss. "My son 'baptised' you and I can't even remember how many times you 'baptised' me!"
When the laughter faded away, Adam turned to his wife.
"And speaking of babies wasn't that the biggest baby you've ever seen?" he asked her and she nodded asking, "Even bigger than Hoss?"
"I do believe so, Ma'am," he answered and looked up at the ceiling when they heard Alan's loud cry.
"Odds or evens," Adam asked, and Abby answered, "Evens." They both shook a fist three times and on the third time Abby straightened two fingers while Adam only put out one.
Huffing a little with temper she slid off his lap, and looked down at him.
"One of these days I'm going to figure out how you do that," she said and started up the stairs after giving him a sharp look and he just grinned.
His eyes followed her as she went up the stairs, then his grin widened when he saw the amusement on his father's and brother's faces. He spread his hands and shrugged.
"I swear, I have no idea why she always loses!" he assured them, and Ben just shook his head again.
Adam thought about it for a moment. "Maybe it's a matter of me knowing her just a little bit better than she knows me," he mused.
Ben looked at his eldest son, obviously pleased. "I think that happens sometimes with couples who have been married a long time."
Adam was nodding at his father when Joe spoked up.
"What was that called, the operation you did today."
Lifting one brow, Adam said, "You've forgotten already?"
Joe chuckled, "By that point I probably wouldn't have known my own name!"
"It's known as a 'cesarean' and the procedure has been around since ancient Roman times."
He looked at his father and saw the question written on his face.
"That's when a doctor delivers the child surgically," he explained, then his father gave a quick nod and changed the subject.
"Have you decided between Virginia City and Carson City?"
"Not yet," Adam answered. "You see, Robert is coming and I have to talk to him about it before any choice can be made.."
"Robert?" Hoss asked.
"My partner," Adam explained, "Of course, he may decide he wants to settle in San Francisco."
"And if he does?" Ben asked and his eldest son shook his head.
"No, we won't be going that far."
Hoss and Joe seemed to relax then and they just smiled.
"Well," their father said, "in my opinion you and Abby seem to be very well matched and I understand your reasons for not staying here."
Adam smiled, "Trust me Pa, if we were to stay, you WOULD go insane."
Ben chuckled and gave him a sharp look.
"I'm serious," Adam insisted. "And then I'd have to commit you." He looked at his brothers,
"And you two would end up being committed right after him."
"No, it's better that we have our own asylum, and you can visit whenever you like. Besides, Abby needs her own home."
Joe and Hoss seemed to think this was hilarious, but when they quieted down Adam stood and shook his head at them.
"I'm sure you two will find out some day, when you find the right woman who can be your wife and partner." He started going up the stairs, but stopped on the landing.
"I truly believe Abby and I are...beschert...that's yiddish for 'meant to be'." He went up the rest of the stairs, giving them a backward wave. "Good night, folks."
In the early hours of the morning a few days later a scream brought all the adults abruptly awake.
Ben was the first to make it downstairs, followed closely by Hoss.
The sound came again from outside and the two men were about to go out and see when Adam spoke from the head of the stairs, "Who's screaming?" He was fully dressed and held a lit lantern up as he came down the stairs.
When the agonized cry came again, he only glanced at his father before going out the front door. Ben and Hoss hastened to catch up.
Hop Sing lay on the ground, his mouth open and his eyes bulging from pain.
Adam handed the lantern to his father and Ben held it up as his son knelt to examine their friend.
"Hmmm..." he murmured as he quickly ran his hands over the smaller man and shook his head. He turned to Hoss and opened his mouth to ask his brother to fetch his bag, when Abby came hurrying out the front door, bag in hand.
Giving his wife a grateful smile, he turned back to Hop Sing and the smaller man screamed again when Adam touched his left hip.
"Chloroform?" she asked.
He nodded and she quickly opened the bag to take out a bottle and a white cloth mask.
Adam put his hands on either side of Hop Sing's head and spoke calmly.
"Don't fight it, just take a deep breath," as Abby put the mask over his mouth and nose and began to apply drops of the pungent liquid to the center.
The little man soon went limp and Adam picked him up carefully and quickly carried him into the house. Ben, Hoss, and Abby followed closely.
Setting Hop Sing down on the low table in front of the sofa, Adam lifted one side of his patient's night shirt to expose his left hip. He flinched when he clearly saw the joint was badly distorted, the head of the femur pressed up against the skin. Hop Sing's left foot was pointing out to the side.
Abby looked over his shoulder. "Anterior?" she asked and Adam nodded. "No wonder he was screaming," she said and came to kneel at Hop Sing's head when she saw his eyelids flutter. She put the mask back over his mouth and nose to apply a few more drops of the chloroform.
"I don't think it's fractured," Adam said softly and stood to wrap his right arm around the little mans left thigh and pulled the leg to his left while pressing his left hand on the femural head, pushing it to his right.
When the head wouldn't clear the socket he looked up at Hoss.
"Come here and put your hand over mine," he said, his throat tight from effort.
After only a seconds hesitation, Hoss came to do so, and when they pushed together the ball of the femur cleared the socket and Adam said, "Push down now!"
When he heard the sweet sound of the ball clicking into the socket, he pushed back against Hoss's hand and carefully lowered Hop Sing's leg to the table.
Stepping back from his patient, he looked at Abby with a grin.
"Beautiful!" she said with a happy smile. "I've never seen an anterior before.'
"Me either," her husband said cheerfully, "but there's always a first time for everything."
She applied a few more drops of the chloroform as Adam examined the smaller man's other limbs, his hands checking for fractures and moving them to check for normal range of motion.
Nodding, he slid his hands to the back of Hop Sing's head, then frowned when he felt blood seeping from a concussive gash high on the skull.
Probing carefully for fractures and not finding any, he sighed with relief.
Taking this as a good sign Ben asked, "Is he going to be alright?" and Adam turned to him with a smile.
"I believe so," he said and pushed his patient's nightshirt up to probe his abdomen and check for internal injuries.
Looking down at Abby, he gave her a nod and she rose to her knees to help him carefully turn Hop Sing over.
She sighed softly to see bruising beginning to form on the little man's posterior. "His behind is going to look like a fall sunset," she said as Adam ran his hands up his patient's spine and checked his ribs.
When he finished, they turned Hop Sing over again and she reached into Adam's bag to take out a small steel tool with a rubber end that looked like a hammer with a blunt steel bulb at the other end.
Running the blunt end up the bottom of Hop Sing's left foot, he nodded to see it flex downward. Grinning when he got the same response on his right foot, he stepped to the side and lifted his patient's right leg by the thigh and tapped the rubber head to his knee. When the leg jerked, he carefully laid it back on the table.
Stepping around, he tested the left leg and got the same response. Then he nodded at Abby again and they turned their patient over again.
She got to her feet and hurried into the kitchen to get water to clean the back of Hop Sing's head and Adam rummaged around in his bag to take out a straight razor, a small pair of scissors, and a jar of soft yellow soap.
On her way back from the kitchen with towels and a basin of water, Abby noticed Joe sitting on the stairs and gave him a reassuring smile. "He'll be fine, Joe," she said.
Joe just continued to stare, obviously distressed.
Adam was busily snipping at the hair around the cut and spoke without looking up. "She's right Joe, I expect a full recovery, barring any complications. It's just a matter of time."
Finished with the scissors, he took the wet cloth Abby held out to him, and began to wipe away the loose hair.
"How much time?" Joe asked as he stood and started coming down the stairs.
"He'll have to stay in bed for the first week, then use crutches for three to five weeks," was Adam's answer and the other three men exchanged looks. "I know what you're thinking, but don't worry. We have a house full of minions to help."
Taking in his father's dubious expression, he laughed. "Give us a chance," was all he said and took another jar full of a clear liquid out of his bag to fish out a curved needle already threaded with a length of fine suture.
Abby had finished shaving the hair stubble around the cut with the straight razor and cleaned it again with the yellow soap.
He quickly closed the long wound with a continuous suture, then stood to stretch out his back as Abby applied a stiff bandage. Looking around at his brothers and father he said, "Anybody have any idea why Hop Sing would be on the roof at this time of the night?" He stretched his back further and everyone could hear a crackling noise.
"Actually, why would he be on the roof at any time?" he asked and looked around to take in their blank stares.
"I'm assuming he was on the roof judging by the hip dislocation and the gash on the back of his head." He turned his gaze to his wife as she stood.
"Maybe he was sleep walking?" she offered and he nodded.
After thinking it over for a few moments, he said, "That's the only thing that makes any sense...a weird kind of sense, but still sense."
He bent down to take the little man in his arms. "Abby, help me put him to bed and then I'll watch him for the rest of the night."
She picked up his bag and said to Ben, and Hoss, and Joe, "Go back to bed, we'll take care of him." Then she hurried to follow her husband from the room.