Chapter 32

Glad you got organised lainielou. It's always a worry when you don't know why something isn't happening the same. Welcome Ms Sari and fli714 and thank you for following this story. And of course everyone else. Many thanks.

Two days later everyone was gathered together to organise Adam's journey home. Hoss had arranged to borrow Mr Sturgess' wagon again with a promise of its speedy return once they got Adam home. Paul organised a mattress to be laid on top of a lot of straw and then between them they carried Adam out on a stretcher to the waiting wagon. Once Adam was secured comfortably in the wagon they gently started off for home with Alex in the back with Adam, Hoss driving, with Chubb tied securely on the back, Ben and Joe riding beside the wagon and Doc Martin following behind in his buggy. It took them much longer to get home because of the slow speed they were travelling. Doc Martin had given Adam something to make him sleep and sleep he did during the whole ride home.

Hop Sing ran out when he heard the wagon arrive and asked what had happened. Ben gave him a brief account of what had happened and he immediately went into action as Hoss and Joe got Adam upstairs and into bed just as he was beginning to wake up.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"You're home Adam and we've just put you to bed," Joe told him.

"Where's Alex?"

"Don't worry, she's just downstairs," Hoss answered, and seeing how anxious Adam was, said, "She'll be up in a minute."

"Can we get you anything, Adam?" Joe asked.

"I'd love some coffee."

"Sorry, Adam, doc says only water for a couple of days, then you can have as much coffee as you like," Joe explained. "Something to do with the medication he gave you today."

"Oh, great," Adam sulked.

"Don't start," Hoss stated. "You could still be in town and resting there for two weeks. Things will settle down for you in just a coupla days."

"Yeah, we brought you home instead. So be grateful," Joe added.

"Okay. Sorry. I'll try and behave myself," Adam told them.

"Okay. We'll leave you now and send Alex up with some water," Hoss said. "When you need some personal doings, tell Alex."

"Uh, Hoss," Adam mumbled.

"Yeah?"

"It's a little difficult to say, but I'll need you and Joe to help me with that."

"What?" Hoss said, a little shocked.

"Alex and I have only been married a little while and we're still shy around each other." Adam hoped that lie would seem reasonable.

"Oh, okay," they said. Then they left him and headed downstairs where they found the others grouped together.

Doc Martin had been telling Alex and Hop Sing what would be required of them and for Hop Sing to start mixing his magic concoctions to aid Adam in his recovery. Doc Martin respected Hop Sing, and had a lot of confidence in his abilities in that respect.

"Adam's settled in quite well, but needs Alex," Hoss told them as he approached.

"Oh, and Alex, can you bring some water to Adam, he's in need of a drink," Joe added.

"I bet he asked for coffee," Ben said, laughingly.

"So right, Pa," Joe agreed.

"No coffee for a couple of days," Doc Martin informed them. "When I come again, we'll see then. In the meantime I'll go and check on him before I return to town."

"Thanks for everything, Paul," Ben told him. "I'm sure we've taken up all of your time with this."

Alex was listening to all this.

"Not a problem, but you're right. I do have other patients needing my attention," Paul agreed, as he moved towards the stairs. "I'll just go up and check on Adam. He left them then.

"He's a good man, isn't he," Alex spoke up. "He needs assistance."

"He sure does, but doesn't have the means to employ anyone else," Ben told her. "We even tried to persuade him to take a gift for that purpose, but he refused."

"A stubborn man, just like everyone else around here, especially the one upstairs," she stated. They all chuckled at that remark.

"Well, I need to see to the horses and arrange for the wagon to go back to Mr Sturgess," Hoss said, and made his way outside.

"And I'd better get that water for Adam," Alex stated, and went into the kitchen with Hop Sing.

"Adam will get better quicker here at home with all of us looking out for him," Joe told his father.

"You're right Joe. I just hope Adam will appreciate it."

"I think he'll be a better patient this time with Alex around."

"Again, you're right Joe, but no asking questions about their story 'til they're ready to tell us."

"Okay, Pa. But aren't you eager to learn their story, just as Hoss and me are?"

Ben didn't bother to correct his grammar, but agreed that he too was anxious to learn their story.

Alex came through then with a jug of water and glass and said, "Nurse Alex is now working her shift. You all relax and I'll call if I need you."

"Okay," Ben said. "We're not going anywhere today."

Alex made her way up the stairs and into Adam's bedroom where she found Doc Martin still examining Adam's wound.

"The wound looks good. By that I mean it's as it should be at this stage. Hop Sing is preparing a drink for you to help with pain. Please take it. If you want to get well sooner, rather than later, you'll do what is asked of you. I will return in a couple of days or less if anything untoward occurs."

"Thanks, Paul." Adam's eye caught movement by the door. "Oh, Alex, you're still here."

Doc Martin looked up at that and thought it was a strange thing to say.

"Of course. I've brought water for you."

"Very good, Alex," Paul said. "I've finished here and will leave you two alone. Bye for now." He left the couple alone.

"Have some water, Adam." She poured some into the glass and very carefully lift his head so he could swallow the liquid. "Are you feeling a little better?"

"Yes, better for being home. I will recover quickly here." He took a couple of sips of water.

"Not too quickly, Adam. You rush it and you'll be back to square one. You have to be patient. We want you whole not a semi invalid.

"You too?"

"Well, of course. You were injured because of me; so therefore I'll be here for you as you recover." Adam finished the glass of water and she put the emptied glass on the top of the set of drawers next to the bed. "Hop Sing is already busy making his drink for you which he told me you dislike. But you will drink it and without comment. We've also been told the best food for you in helping improve your blood levels and you'll eat it like a good boy."

"Is this how you're going to treat me, like a five year old?"

"If it's necessary. But I hope you will be patient and improve slowly, which will be all to your good."

"I will, I promise."

"Good."

"This is going to be a very boring time for you though. What will you do with your time?" Adam asked.

"Well first, I have a good excuse to arrange for another bed to be brought in here. I wouldn't want to disturb your rest or knock your shoulder in my sleep."

"Yes, I suppose so. It will probably be accepted as appropriate until such time as I'm well and we tell them our story."

"But we still won't need to tell them about our sleeping arrangements though, would we. That's between us."

"True. They'll just think we an ordinary married couple getting on with life, so to speak," Adam told her. "So, what else will you do?"

"What?"

"You said, 'first', so there must be other things you want to do."

"Well, I have to think about what to do with the money and I have some ideas, but I'll let you know if the outcome is approved."

"That sounds intriguing. Why can't you tell me what's going on in your head?"

"Because if it comes about, it'll be a nice surprise. Now do you want anything?" Alex asked.

"Nothing but you reading to me. Would you do that?"

"Of course. I was reading to you in the surgery, but you were unconscious at the time."

"Would it have been The Taming of the Shrew by any chance?"

"How would you know that?"

"I don't know. I seem to recall thinking about the play."

"Did you hear anything else?" Alex asked, worried that he had heard her words of love.

"No, nothing. Why did something else happen?"

"No, no. Just me reading. Of course Ben, Hoss and Joe may have spoken to you when I wasn't there." So Alex changed the subject. "What would you like me to read?"

"I think a novel, let's give Shakespeare a rest for the moment. You choose one, one that you would like."

Alex got up and went across to Adam's shelves where he had many books.

"You have many books on architecture and such."

"You're not going to read one of those are you?"

"No. Just saying you have quite a few on the subject. And you have an architect's table I see."

"It's called a drafting table. I use it when I'm designing."

"What have you designed so far?" She asked, taking a great interest in what he is telling her.

"Not a lot, mainly our ranch and a couple of small buildings in town. I was hoping to get some work from Carson City. The town is building up fast. Lots of people moving into that area."

"When would you find the time for this type of work with all that is required of you on the Ponderosa?"

"There's the rub."

"Quoting Hamlet I see."

"Well, what I mean is, there very little time for me to enter into that world. I just love the nature of it all. When I think of the wonderful creations made by man, I get envious. I guess I shouldn't. I would love some day to travel abroad and see the buildings that are in those books, but I don't see that ever happening."

"Don't give up hope, Adam. Maybe one day you will." Alex put the book she was looking at back on the shelf and looked for one more appropriate. "How about this one, David Copperfield?"

"Good choice. You were reading it on the train."

"Yes, but I didn't read too much of it. Shall we begin again?"

"Yes, that would be grand." Adam agreed.

So they settled into David Copperfield as Alex began…. "Chapter 1: I am Born - Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life, or whether that station will be held by anybody else, these pages must show…" ….

A week had passed and Adam had been visited on occasion by Doc Martin, who was happy with his progress and ordered one further week in bed then, with help of course, could come downstairs where he would begin exercises daily. He would see improvement from that moment on. He told him there would be pain involved but had brought some rubbing in liniment, gently of course, which would heat the area and help while exercising his shoulder. Alex's would be the masseur with her gentle hands, which should be less painful for Adam.

Alex was a little nervous at the thought of touching Adam's body and told him that night in their room.

"Well, it's something you'll have to get use to. It's only my shoulder after all. Nothing too terrible in that is there?"

"I will shoulder it just as any medical nurse would do. Pun intended," she answered. Adam chuckled. …..

The following week came about and Adam was seated on the couch in front of the fire without his shirt, waiting for Alex to administer the liniment.

"I think this is going to smell somewhat and burn a little before you start with the exercises, just for a little while each day and increased as and when it can be managed," Alex told him. "These are the instructions from Dr Martin.

"Fine, let's begin. And while I'm relaxing afterwards, you can tell me about what you've been up to."

Once the burning sensation began to ease, Alex gently lifted his arm, still bent at the elbow, up and down slowly, five times. Waited for Adam to relax and repeated the exercise. She then put his shirt back on and put the sling back in place. Adam then relaxed back onto the couch.

"How is that feeling," she asked. "Are you in a lot of pain?"

"Not too bad. I can endure this pain. I'd rather not take anything for the pain at the moment. I'll see how it feels a little later on." He paused. "But now I want you to sit and relax yourself and tell me about your week that you are keeping hidden from me."

"I told you I'd tell all when you are fully recovered," she told him. "But I will give you a hint."

"Oh, and what's that?"

"I'll be needing you to use your architectural skills."

"Really? What have you got in mind?"

"It's all about some changes in Virginia City. But arrangements are not complete yet."

"Is someone with you doing all this?"

"Oh yes."

"Well, who?"

"Never you mind. It would give the surprise away. And besides you can't do anything for a while yet."

"My God, you're irritating," Adam whined.

"Let's change the subject," she said, getting up to get David Copperfield from the low table. "Now put your feet up on the cushion and read to me. We've nearly finished. Or would you like some coffee first?"

"Coffee first, please."

"Okay. I'll go and get some. Hop Sing always seems to have some on the go." Alex went to the kitchen and returned a little later with a coffee pot and two cups. "Want some before you start?" She asked.

"Yes please. My throat is a little dry."

Once they had drunk their coffee, they settled down again and Adam began to read the last of David Copperfield.