Joy Takes Flight Page 24

  “It’s been awhile.”

  “Right through those doors,” She nodded to the left. “Turn down the first corridor to the right and the lounge is on the left.”

  “Thank you.” Paul made his way down the corridor, passing a nurse along the way. She looked familiar, but he only nodded and kept moving. When he reached the lounge, it was empty, which was okay. He needed time to collect himself.

  The door swung open behind him and Walter walked in. He wore a broad smile and his pale blue eyes were bright with pleasure, making him look younger than his fifty years. He extended a hand. “Wonderful to see you. I’m grateful for your help.” He swung open a narrow closet door in a row of closets. “While you’re working here, you can keep your things in this locker.” He stepped back, revealing a place for hanging clothing, with a shelf on top for personal items. He fished out a white coat hanging inside and handed it to Paul. “I guessed at the size. Hope it fits.”

  Paul shrugged out of his overcoat and hung it up in the locker, then put on the white jacket. He held out his arms. “Feels about right.”

  “And I thought you might need this.” Walter lifted a stethoscope out of his jacket pocket and offered it to Paul.

  He took it and draped it around his neck. “Now I feel at home,” he said with a smile. And he did—the white coat and the stethoscope made him feel like he belonged.

  Walter clapped him on the back. “Glad to hear that.”

  Paul set a lunch pail on the shelf. “Carolyn.” He grinned. “I think she’s decided I need mothering.” The thought that he no longer had a mother broke over Paul like a wave crashing against the shore. “I guess maybe I do,” he barely managed to say.

  “I’m sorry, Paul. She was a fine woman.”

  “She was indeed.”

  “So, you ready to go to work? I thought you might like to make rounds with me later today.”

  “I’d like that.” He sucked in a breath.

  Walter reached out and gently squeezed Paul’s shoulder. “Relax. You’ll do fine.”

  Paul raised his brows in a way that said he wasn’t sure he believed Walter. “The last time I was here—”

  “I know. It was a bad day, a terrible day. But this is a new beginning.” He headed for the door. “I’ll introduce you around. We’ve got a lot of new doctors and nurses.”

  The introductions were easy enough, except for a doctor called Craig Alden. His mood seemed intense as he gazed out from beneath heavy dark brows. When he shook Paul’s hand, he said a clipped, “Glad to have you.” Then he returned to his scrutiny of a chart he’d been going through.

  Walter steered Paul down the corridor and away from Dr. Alden. “Don’t worry about him. He’s all work and no play.” He rested a hand on Paul’s back. “He’s a fine doctor, though.”

  “That’s good to know.”

  After rounds, Walter said, “I’ll need you in the emergency medicine department today. The waiting room is filled to overflowing with sick people. You’re a godsend. Tomorrow, I’ll need help with my private practice. I’m spending so many hours here I can’t get to my regular patients. Will that work for you?”

  “Sure. I’ve done a lot of emergency work the last several months.”

  “Good. I’ll see you later, then.”

  With a wave, Walter ambled down the corridor and disappeared through a doorway. Paul remained where he was, as if rooted in place. Now what? He imagined his cabin on the homestead, and a longing for the simple, quiet life he had there enveloped him. He and Kate were happy. A craving for her became so intense it hurt. Maybe she’d come for Christmas.

  “Doctor! Please! I need a doctor,” someone shouted.

  The brittle voice snapped Paul back to the present. He ran down the hallway. When he entered a waiting room, he immediately found the source of the frantic shouting. In the midst of a sea of coughing, sniffling, and fevered patients a man sat in a chair with a bandaged hand clutched to his chest. A thin woman with her hair all askew and grasping her coat at the neckline stood beside him. A pretty young nurse was trying to straighten the man’s arm so she could look at his hand.

  The woman with the wild hair shrieked, “He just nearly cut off his finger with an axe.” She caught sight of Paul. “Help him!”

  As Paul hurried across the room toward her, he noticed a pink lace nightgown sticking out from beneath her coat. He placed a hand on the woman’s shoulder. “Everything’s going to be fine. We’ll take care of him.” He made sure to keep his voice calm. He turned to the suffering man. “Sir, I’d like to have a look at your hand. But we’ll need to go into an examination room.”

  The gentleman looked up, his hand still clutched to his chest. “Whatever you say, doc.”

  Paul helped him to his feet. “Right this way.” He glanced back at the nurse. “Has he been signed in?”

  “No. They just got here.”

  “Ma’am, can you fill out a little paperwork for us while I have a look at his hand?”

  Seeming slightly calmer, she asked, “Where do I go?” She clasped her hands against her abdomen.

  “Just down there.” Paul pointed at a desk where a clerk sat, watching the commotion. “She’ll have some questions for you, and when you’ve filled out the paperwork, a nurse will bring you back.” He gave her a reassuring smile. “Your husband’s going to be fine.”

  She let out a wheezy breath and seemed to deflate. “George, will you be all right without me?”

  Her husband nodded. “You go ahead, Edith.”

  Edith walked toward the clerk. Paul steered George to a treatment room. “Here we are. Now, sir, can you lie down for me?”

  The nurse rolled a table with instruments alongside the examination table. “It’s nice to see you again, Dr. Anderson.” She smiled. Something about her looked familiar.

  Paul stared at her. “Patty?”

  “Uh-huh.” Her smile broadened and two dimples appeared, one in each cheek.

  “I thought I knew you. You’ve grown up.”

  “I was just out of nursing school when I came to work here.” She tossed blonde hair off her shoulder.

  Paul turned to his patient and unwound the bloodied cloth that had been wrapped around his hand.

  “I heard you were in Alaska,” Patty said. “What are you doing back here?” Her pale cheeks turned pink. “I’m sorry. That came out wrong. I’m glad you’re here, I’m just wondering why. You don’t have to tell me, of course. It’s none of my business,” she prattled.

  Paul finished with the wrappings and dropped them into a bowl Patty held out for him. “My mother was sick so I came down. She passed last week. I’m working here temporarily, just to help out.”

  “I’m terribly sorry to hear about your mother.”

  “She lived a good long life.”

  “You two done getting reacquainted? Or do I need to call another doctor?” George held up his bloodied hand.

  “Sorry, sir.” Paul examined the hand. “I’ll need something to clean away this dried blood.”

  Almost before he could finish speaking, Patty handed him a wash basin with sudsy water, along with a cloth that had been soaking in it.

  “Thank you.” He washed away the blood from the fringes of the injury. “I’m sorry. This is going to hurt.”

  As he cleaned the nearly severed finger, George sucked air in through clenched teeth and let out a quiet moan.

  “Whoever wrapped this did a good job. The bleeding’s pretty much stopped.”

  “That was my wife, Edith. She did real good, until we got here. She’s like that. When you need her, she’s steady as a rock, but once the crisis is over, she falls apart.”

  Paul smiled. “A lot of people are that way.” With the damaged finger clean, he examined it more thoroughly. George’s index finger was sliced clear down into the bone, between the knuckles and the hand. Paul manipulated it to see if it was broken.

  George yowled. “What’re you trying to do? Rip it the rest of the way off?”


  “Just checking to see if it’s broken. I’ll need an X-ray to make a determination. The cut’s deep, and since it was an axe blade that did the damage, we’d better get a thorough look.”

  Paul sent George off to get an X-ray done, then moved on to the next patient—a boy with a high fever and cough, like most of the patients waiting . . .

  As the day wore on, his confidence grew. Paul eased into the rhythm of hospital life and his role as a doctor. Moving from patient to patient was similar to the kind of doctoring he did in Alaska. He liked it and here he had everything he needed for each procedure, the assistance of a trained nurse, and sterilized equipment.

  It was close to two o’clock when there was a break in patients. Paul could scarcely believe the day was nearly over. He was hungry and went to the cafeteria to get a drink to go with his lunch.

  Walter was already there, seated at a table. He waved to Paul and said, “The soup’s real good today—bean.”

  Soup sounded good, so Paul decided he’d eat in the cafeteria and save his packed lunch for the following day. He chose a cheese sandwich and a root beer to go along with his soup. He carried his lunch tray to the table where Walter sat. “Mind if I join you?”

  “I’d be offended if you didn’t.” Walter leaned back and lit a cigarette. “So, how’s the day been for you?”

  “Good. But I’m not sure I’ve ever seen so many sick people. And some of them are really sick. I’ve had at least four cases of pneumonia so far today.”

  “It’s a bad bug. And with each week there seem to be more who are sick.” He took a drag off his cigarette. “Patty’s working with you?”

  “Yes. She’s a big help. Knows what she’s doing.”

  “When I told her you’d be here today, she was thrilled, maybe too much so.” Walter drew his lips into a tight smile. “I don’t think she knows you’re married.”

  “What difference does that make? I barely know her.”

  “As I recall, when she was a very young student nurse, she was quite taken with you. And she’s never married. She may see you as the latest most eligible doctor in this place.” He took a drag off his cigarette and blew the smoke toward the ceiling. “My guess is she sees you as an attractive catch.”

  “Nah. I doubt that.”

  Walter shrugged. “I’ll bet I’m right.” He grinned.

  Paul took a bite of his sandwich and the sharp flavor of cheddar swept his mind back to the first meal he’d shared with Kate. It was the night she’d gotten them thrown out of the restaurant in Anchorage over the way a native couple had been treated. Paul smiled. She was really something. With no dinner, she’d made them cheese sandwiches. His heart swelled at the memory.

  “So, do you think you might be interested in staying around for a while? I could use someone like you in my practice and even without this epidemic the hospital is shorthanded.”

  Paul didn’t answer right away. Now that he was here, he wasn’t sure what he felt. He’d run away to Alaska to escape. Now the reason no longer existed. He recognized that the guilt and anger wasn’t in this place, it was in his heart. No matter where he went, he took it with him. He gazed out the window at the city rolling across the hillsides, reminding him of heavy timbered forests. “I have a homestead in Alaska. I don’t think Kate wants to leave. And the people who live in the bush need a doctor.”

  Walter nodded. “I understand. But you’re a good doctor and this hospital is one of the finest in the country. At St. Francis you’ll be challenged—every kind of injury and disease comes through here. And we have the best technology available. Your skills will be tested and tried. They’ll be expanded.”

  Paul took a drink of his root beer. The idea of working here was enticing. Maybe Kate wouldn’t mind so much. They already had a house if they wanted it.

  Kate sorted mail, her mind preoccupied with Paul. When would he come home? She didn’t understand why he had to stay so long. He had two brothers and two sisters who could see to the tasks of his mother’s estate. And why was he working at the hospital? Did he want to stay? Had he decided San Francisco was his home and not Alaska?

  She felt as if he’d deserted her. During one of the most difficult times in her life, he’d left her to tend to his family. She understood the original urgent need, but now it was the hospital. Did they need him more than she did? It was time for him to come home. She couldn’t decide if she was more angry or hurt, but tears stung as she tried hard to blink them away. She didn’t want the guys to see her crying.

  The sound of the shop door being opened and then closed summoned her curiosity. Alan said something she couldn’t quite distinguish. Wiping away the tears, she moved to the door. Angel lay beside the woodstove, clearly more interested in a nap than a conversation between pilots.

  “I’ve got a run up to Kotzebue,” Sidney told Alan. “Can’t take anything else.”

  “What about Donald?” Alan asked.

  “I’m ready,” Donald said. “Talkeetna’s not so far, and if Jack’ll give me a map, I can find the landing strip.

  Kate stepped into the room. “I don’t know. It’s locked in by mountains and the weather during the winter is pretty unpredictable. And by the looks of things today, I’d say a more experienced pilot would be better.”

  “You ought to know by now that this territory’s nothing like what you’d been flying down south.” Sidney grinned. “In fact, you sure you don’t want to skedaddle on home? You look a little wet behind the ears.”

  “I’m not leaving.” Donald stared hard at Sidney. “I’m ready to fly this territory.” He glanced at Kate. “She can vouch for me. She knows I’ve been doing okay.”

  “You mean since you hit the hangar?” Kate smiled.

  Donald’s face turned red and he stuck out his chin. “It could’ve happened to anyone.”

  “All right. All right,” Alan said. “I’ll take the run to Talkeetna and Donald can come with me.” He strode toward the door. “Let’s get a move on.”

  When they walked out, Jack stopped working and stared at the door. He sat and leaned back, picking up his cigar again and clamping it between his teeth. “I’ll bet he doesn’t make it a month before he turns tail and runs south.” He grinned, his gaze moving to Sidney and then Kate.

  She lifted her eyebrows, not sure how to respond. It didn’t sound like Donald had much experience. She had to agree with Jack—he’d probably pack it in after a while.

  A few days later, Jack had errands to run in town and he left Kate and Donald at the shop. Donald gazed out the window. Snow came down softly and the temperature was dropping. “I think I’m ready to make a run to Fairbanks or maybe even Nome. And I’d really like to get a look at the Southeast.”

  “This time of year, getting back and forth to those places is real dangerous,” Kate said, stroking Angel’s heavy coat. The dog leaned against her. “Be patient. Allow yourself time to learn.”

  “I’ll never make any money the way I’m going. I spend most of my time sitting in here and feeding the fire.” He took a sinker from a box that had been sitting in the shop for at least three days. He dunked the stale donut in his coffee and took a bite.

  “When I first came, I had a lot more experience than you, and all Sidney would let me do is the mail run. He owned the airfield back then. I was frustrated, like you, but it was good practice, which I needed. Flying this territory isn’t like any other place that I know of. It’s big and full of trouble. A pilot never knows what they’re going to come up against. I’ve had some close calls. Probably should have died a few times.” She reached out to him and gave his arm a pat. “Be patient. You’ve only been here two weeks. That’s nothing.”

  The door opened and Jack stepped inside. “Okay, who wants to make a trip to Palmer?”

  Knowing how much Donald wanted more flights, Kate said, “Give it to Donald. I’ll wait and see if something else comes in.”

  Later that morning, Kate wished she’d taken the run. There were no other trips that day. Di
sappointed, she headed for home. The house was quiet as usual. Kate tidied up, made herself a late lunch, and then sat down to write to Paul. There wasn’t a lot to say, nothing much had been going on. All she could think of was how much she missed him and wanted him to come home. But she couldn’t fill the pages with that. She rested her cheek on her hand. Hoping he’d be home for Christmas, she hadn’t made a reservation to travel south. Besides, she’d decided that if he didn’t come home, she’d fly down. The weather could be unpredictable, but it was unpredictable everywhere in Alaska. And surprising him would be fun. She looked back at the paper and started writing, telling him about her latest runs, the dogs, and the homestead. Maybe the reminders would bring him home sooner.

  When she returned to the airfield, the phone jangled just as she walked into the shop. It was a call from a passenger looking for a ride to Fairbanks. “Figure this is yours,” Jack said. “No one else is here.”

  Just as Kate spoke, Alan flew in.

  “When do I need to be ready?” Kate asked.

  “Your riders are on their way.” Jack glanced outside. “It’s late. You’ll have to stay over.”

  “No problem.”

  There were no more mishaps the next couple of days. On the third day, Kate and Donald were in the shop when a call came in from a homestead north of Palmer. “Ol’ Jacob Collins needs a lift into town. Kate, can you give him a ride after you finish your mail run?”

  She’d hoped to spend a little time at the cabin during the day. There were chores that needed to be done and she had planned on a visit with her neighbors. “Maybe Donald wants to take it.”

  “You know how that landing strip can be up there. It gets dicey in the gorge. Never know what the winds are going to do.”

  Kate looked at Donald.

  The young man got to his feet. “I can do it. I’ve handled every run you’ve given me—no problem.”

  “If the wind catches you up there, you can get in a heck of a lot of trouble real fast.” Jack studied Donald. “Guess you gotta learn sooner or later.” He leaned over his desk and rolled out a map. “Get over here and I’ll show you what you need to do.”