The pretty boy doctor had returned.
"Oh, good golly! How did I ever forget that good looking piece of man?" I glanced at Ruby and saw her sizing the doctor up and down. Her eyes followed the same route they had on my body not even two minutes ago. That's just another reason why Tomato Head and I would not work. Once I figure out the girl for me, you can bet your ass she will be the only one for me, for forever. Ruby Mulligan had a different way of thinking, considering she's willing to go after a married father of seven and all.
"Mmm-mm-mm, Dr. Cullen. He is a piece of work, ain't he Emmett?"
"Well now Ruby, I don't really go around commenting on other men." I looked at her like her hair done caught on fire. What did she think I was gonna say? Oh yes, he is mighty fine! I sure as hell don't think so!
While Ruby was checking out the pretty boy, I was watching Georgie. He finally reached the doctor and launched himself into his arms. I swear the doctor flinched, but he still caught Georgie with no problem.
"George McCarty! How are you young man?" Now, I have to remind you that I am in no way complementing the pretty boy but, he not only looked like he belonged in the movies, he sounded like it too. Dr. Pretty Face was new to me. When he rode into town last year and saved everyone I hadn't been here. I had gone with my three older brothers on a hunting trip to good old West Virginia. They have some mighty fine wildlife up in those woods. I noticed then that the doctor quickly put Georgie down.
"I'm just dandy, Dr. Cullen! But are you okay? You feel awful cold. And really hard. Do you do special exercises to get that hard because you should teach my brother Emmett. He's big as a house, but he's always trying to get bigger and stronger." Georgie was chattering away and the poor doctor couldn't get a word in. I couldn't help but notice that he looked uncomfortable at what Georgie was asking.
Since Georgie mentioned me, I walked over to meet the famous Dr. Whatshisname.
"Hi there", I said as I grabbed his hand. "Emmett McCarty." Georgie wasn't kidding. This guy was freezing! Weird. And his eyes…God, what am I? A girl? I now notice a complete stranger's eyes?
I dropped his hand and Ruby took the chance to squeeze in between us.
"Well, hello there Doctor. Please tell me you're here to interview for the town doctor position. This little place could use a fine man, I mean doctor, like you." I swear if she batted those eyes any harder they were gonna pop out of their sockets.
"Actually Miss Mulligan, I promised your father last spring that I would come back and help him interview potential candidates for the physician position." He noticed Georgie's boo lip come out. "I'm glad to see that pout still works, son." He patted Georgie on the head with his left hand. Mine and Ruby's eyes went to the same thing: a simple gold band on the all important ring finger.
"You're married!?" Ruby shrieked. "Where is she? Where is this woman who stole you from- off the market?"
Dr. Pretty Boy paused for a moment. "She's uh, up in Charleston. We're thinking of settling down there. We may just travel for awhile though. You know, while we're young."
"Why can't you stay and be our doctor?" Georgie broke in. "I'm sure your new wife would love it here. Momma could teach her how to live here and make stuff for you to eat. Em could show you how to hunt, too. He's the best hunter in the family."
The doctor chuckled. "I'm a fairly proficient hunter."
At that, I had to chuckle. First of all, he was pulling these seventeen letter words out of his ass. Second of all, there is no way on God's green earth that pansy face here is a better hunter than me. I can hear and smell a beast coming from a hundred yards away and get a good clean shot from any angle.
God love Georgie. He would defend me to the death. "I don't know Dr. Cullen. Em bagged a twelve pointer last fall. And once he got a black bear that was too close to the still." Damn straight. That sucker made a nice rug for Momma. There was no way I was gonna let a damn bear trample our still.
The bears here are awful, especially around this time of the year. Their sleepy time is over and they're having babies and being all protective and shit. There's nothing more dangerous is these hills than a pissed off momma bear.
"I take it the McCarty's are hunters then. Emmett, you would love to hunt out in the west. The bears and deer are so much larger there, and much more filling. There are elk too, and mountain lions."
"Ooo, we have those! We have all kinds of wild cats here, Dr. Cullen. Last summer, Daddy and Em had to chase a mountain lion away that got too close to the house. We weren't sure what it was at first. We heard it just cryin-"
"Ok, I can see this conversation has died the death of a door nail. I'm going in to powder my nose. See ya sugar." Ruby rubbed her hand down my arm as she walked by. Honest to God, I didn't mean to cringe as she did that. It just happened. Ruby flounced into the house without another look back.
"So what number son are you, Mr. McCarty?" Now the pretty boy wants to get to know me?
"Number four."
"But he's the biggest!" Georgie piped up.
"Yes, I think you've mentioned that, son. I don't believe I had the pleasure of meeting you or your three older brothers during my stay in town last year." What is with this guy? He is just weird. Georgie seems to trust him though. Momma does too. If Momma says he's a good person, than he is. She has a built in bull shit detector.
"No, you didn't. We were out of town on a hunting trip."
"Ah, well it's a good thing. I imagine that the four of you would have gotten sick like the rest of the village."
"Oh, I don't know about that. I ain't never been sick a day in my life."
Then I heard the voice of the father of the devil. "McCarty! Where in the hot blazin' fires of hell is that recipe? I'm gonna slip some of it in Maybelle's lemonade and get that damn Cullen to drink it if it's the last damn thing on this Earth that I get to do."
At that moment, Mayor Mulligan bounded out the screen door and skidded to a stop when he saw "that damn Cullen."
"Oh, well how do you do Dr. Cullen? I didn't know you had arrived yet." Behind us we heard a giggle from Tomato Head. "My daughter doesn't think to tell her daddy important things such as this."
The old coot was getting redder with every word he spoke. "Are you warm Mr. Mayor? You're as red as a tomato!" Georgie always picks the best times to start that mouth up.
"It's quite alright, Mayor. I was just catching up with the McCartys."
"Come on, Georgie. You can help me get the recipe out of the car."
As we were unloading the boxes of the recipe that were filled with hay to keep the jars from busting, Mulligan led Dr. Cullen up the front steps of the Mayor's Mansion. At least, that's what they insist on calling it. It's just a two story house. Momma says the front porch is to die for though. It has big, wide steps leading up to the wraparound porch with swings on each end.
Georgie and I took the boxes around back to the door that led into the kitchen. We walked in and I could hear Ruby running her trap about the doctor. "Guess what, Daddy? Doctor Cullen is a newlywed! Isn't that just the most exciting news ever?"
Georgie whispered, "She doesn't sound very excited. I think she likes Dr. Cullen. Should we warn him, Em?"
"No buddy, I don't think so. Dr. Cullen seems like an okay guy. I think he can handle Ruby on his own."
The mayor's wife, Maybelle, came in then and began unloading the recipe. She slipped me the money with a wink. Georgie and I helped her put the jars in the pantry and I continued to listen in on the conversation that was happening in the sitting room.
"Why didn't you bring your new wife, Cullen? She was surely welcome." I heard Mulligan offer.
"I thank you, Mayor. But, Esme, that is her name by the way, is a little shy. She's not as experienced around people as I am."
"When are you going to have babies, Dr. Cullen? My oldest brother has a baby. You can call me Uncle Georgie now!" I whipped around when I heard Georgie's voice. He must have snuck away while I was making room on the shelves.
"I'm not sure George. We have Esme's younger brother and sister living with us now. We took them in when her parents passed on last year." Dear Lord, this guy must be pretty stand up. I don't know why I would ever bet against Momma's bull shit detector anyway.
I heard Maybelle say, "Oh, that is awful dear. Here, have some lemonade. It's my special recipe."
I walked into the sitting room just as Dr. Cullen said, "Oh, no thank you. I'll take just water, please."
"Too bad you don't get to experience having newborns around, Doc. I've been wanting grandbabies, but my daughter just can't seem to find the right man." Ok, time to hit the road before the Mayor sets me up with the spawn of Satan.
"I hate to interrupt" I interrupted, "but Georgie and I really need to be going."
"But, Emmm…"
"Georgie, I thought you wanted to get a coke. Lawrence's is closing in fifteen minutes."
"Oh, alright. Bye, Dr. Cullen. It was real good to see you." Poor Georgie looked like he was about to bawl again.
"Good-bye Georgie. Oh wait I almost forgot, here's something for you. I got a new one, so you can have this one. If you would like, of course." The doctor handed Georgie some metal tube looking thing.
"A STETHESCOPE?!? Oh wow, Dr. Cullen. Thank you so much!"
"You're welcome, son. It was nice to finally meet you, Emmett."
"You too, Dr. Cullen. See y'all later."
Georgie bounced down the stairs like a jack rabbit. "Can I listen to your heart, Em?"
"Is that what you do with that thing" I asked.
We got in the car and he said, "Yep. Here, put these in your ears." I did, and then he pressed the round end up to his chest. All I could hear was the gentle pumping of his heart.
"Ok, let me do you now!" He put the little ends in his ears and pressed the end up to my chest. "Wow, Em. Nice and strong! I predict you will live until you are two hundred and forty seven!"
I laughed and messed up the black curly McCarty hair on top of his head.
"I sure hope so, little buddy. Let's go get us some vanilla coke before old man Lawrence closes down the store. How does that sound?"
"It sounds super, Em! You're the best!"
No kid, I thought to myself. You're the best.