uncomfortable discussing Griffin and his mother.
Doc didn’t seem to notice her unease. “Yeah, she was real popular with the men. Though not with the ladies. Her pa couldn’t see that she was hurtin’ anyone. He held Gus to a much higher standard.”
“A lot of fathers favor their daughters.”
“Yeah, but they exercise a little more discipline than her old man did. It sure caused everyone a lot of heartache in the end. Has Griff said who his daddy was?”
She looked up, surprised by the question. “No. I don’t think he knows.”
“Does he want to know?”
“Doc, you’ll have to ask Griffin that question. We haven‘t—I mean, we aren’t—We haven’t discussed things like that.”
“You’re right, of course. Maybe I’ll wait until Jake gets back before I speak to Griffin.”
“Do you know who he is?” she asked, suddenly realizing the significance of his questions.
“Maybe. There were a few rumors. And hindsight is always better. We’re a small community here, you know.”
“Yes. I think you’re right. Wait for Jake’s return. Griffin seems to be willing to hang around for a while, so—”
“Juice!” Elizabeth demanded, since Camille seemed to have forgotten her.
“Oh, okay, Elizabeth.” She got up from the table to refill the child’s glass, automatically checking on the other two, sleeping nearby. It gave her an excuse not to comment on Griffin’s plans. As she returned to set Elizabeth’s glass on her high-chair tray, she heard the truck returning.
“Griffin and the twins are back. I don’t think—”
“No, I won’t say anything now,” Doc agreed, much to her relief.
From what little she’d heard Griffin say about his father, she didn’t think he would be interested in hearing Doc’s opinion. Better to discuss it with Jake first.
Griffin entered with a twin on each hip, a smile on his lips, and Camille felt the attraction to him growing. “Did Toby get off to school okay?”
“You bet. These two little monsters cried to get on the bus, too. But I promised them a cookie when we got back to the house. I know it’s bribery, but—”
“It works,” Doc assured him with a grin. “I wouldn’t mind having one of those cookies myself.”
“I’m sorry, Doc, I didn’t think to offer you one. Griff, could you...?”
“Coming up. Come on, Richard, Russell, you have to sit at the table for your cookie. And I’ll pour you some milk.”
“Cookie!” Elizabeth declared, not about to be left out.
“I hope our supply lasts until their parents get back,” Griff said.
Doc asked about the vacationing Randalls, eager for news, and Camille told him about the phone calls. Then he asked about Red and Mildred, as if he had all the time in the world.
Camille enjoyed his presence. His expertise reassured her that the children were okay. And he provided a nice buffer between her and Griffin. One they needed after last night.
Finally, however, he stood. “Well, I’d best be on my way. You give me a call if you have any questions, Camille,” he ordered. “And I’ll get some things sent out from the drugstore.”
“Thanks, Doc. We really appreciate it.”
As he turned toward the door, Griffin halted him. “There’s just one thing, Doc.”
“Yeah?”
“I think I should tell you I’ve never had chicken pox.”
Chapter Nine
“L ord have mercy, boy, why didn’t you say so?” Doc demanded.
Griffin sighed. He’d debated even mentioning the fact, because he figured adults didn’t catch chicken pox. “I hoped it wouldn’t matter. Can adults get it?”
“Yes, they can. And it can be a lot more serious than it is with the kids.” Doc came back to Griffin’s side and reached out to feel his cheek, then look into his eyes. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine.”
“Well, listen up. If you start feeling bad, no macho stuff. You hit the bed at once and stay there.”
Griffin must’ve shown his skepticism.
“How serious will it be?” Camille asked, her
Doc didn’t seem to notice her unease. “Yeah, she was real popular with the men. Though not with the ladies. Her pa couldn’t see that she was hurtin’ anyone. He held Gus to a much higher standard.”
“A lot of fathers favor their daughters.”
“Yeah, but they exercise a little more discipline than her old man did. It sure caused everyone a lot of heartache in the end. Has Griff said who his daddy was?”
She looked up, surprised by the question. “No. I don’t think he knows.”
“Does he want to know?”
“Doc, you’ll have to ask Griffin that question. We haven‘t—I mean, we aren’t—We haven’t discussed things like that.”
“You’re right, of course. Maybe I’ll wait until Jake gets back before I speak to Griffin.”
“Do you know who he is?” she asked, suddenly realizing the significance of his questions.
“Maybe. There were a few rumors. And hindsight is always better. We’re a small community here, you know.”
“Yes. I think you’re right. Wait for Jake’s return. Griffin seems to be willing to hang around for a while, so—”
“Juice!” Elizabeth demanded, since Camille seemed to have forgotten her.
“Oh, okay, Elizabeth.” She got up from the table to refill the child’s glass, automatically checking on the other two, sleeping nearby. It gave her an excuse not to comment on Griffin’s plans. As she returned to set Elizabeth’s glass on her high-chair tray, she heard the truck returning.
“Griffin and the twins are back. I don’t think—”
“No, I won’t say anything now,” Doc agreed, much to her relief.
From what little she’d heard Griffin say about his father, she didn’t think he would be interested in hearing Doc’s opinion. Better to discuss it with Jake first.
Griffin entered with a twin on each hip, a smile on his lips, and Camille felt the attraction to him growing. “Did Toby get off to school okay?”
“You bet. These two little monsters cried to get on the bus, too. But I promised them a cookie when we got back to the house. I know it’s bribery, but—”
“It works,” Doc assured him with a grin. “I wouldn’t mind having one of those cookies myself.”
“I’m sorry, Doc, I didn’t think to offer you one. Griff, could you...?”
“Coming up. Come on, Richard, Russell, you have to sit at the table for your cookie. And I’ll pour you some milk.”
“Cookie!” Elizabeth declared, not about to be left out.
“I hope our supply lasts until their parents get back,” Griff said.
Doc asked about the vacationing Randalls, eager for news, and Camille told him about the phone calls. Then he asked about Red and Mildred, as if he had all the time in the world.
Camille enjoyed his presence. His expertise reassured her that the children were okay. And he provided a nice buffer between her and Griffin. One they needed after last night.
Finally, however, he stood. “Well, I’d best be on my way. You give me a call if you have any questions, Camille,” he ordered. “And I’ll get some things sent out from the drugstore.”
“Thanks, Doc. We really appreciate it.”
As he turned toward the door, Griffin halted him. “There’s just one thing, Doc.”
“Yeah?”
“I think I should tell you I’ve never had chicken pox.”
Chapter Nine
“L ord have mercy, boy, why didn’t you say so?” Doc demanded.
Griffin sighed. He’d debated even mentioning the fact, because he figured adults didn’t catch chicken pox. “I hoped it wouldn’t matter. Can adults get it?”
“Yes, they can. And it can be a lot more serious than it is with the kids.” Doc came back to Griffin’s side and reached out to feel his cheek, then look into his eyes. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine.”
“Well, listen up. If you start feeling bad, no macho stuff. You hit the bed at once and stay there.”
Griffin must’ve shown his skepticism.
“How serious will it be?” Camille asked, her
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