Fifty Years of Peace (Abrupt Dissent Series) by Charlotte Andrews Page A

bathed Lenora’s stomach, then looked up.
     
    “I’m sorry,” he said to George and Aiden’s concerned faces, “but this is going to hurt her.”
     
    Jenny steeled herself and watched as the doctor cut into Lenora’s abdomen, fascinated by his skill. The doctor didn’t waste a moment, his movements pre-planned and calmly executed. He asked each of them to help as the surgery progressed. George held a mirror to reflect the sunlight onto Lenora’s stomach. Jenny used a squeeze bulb to suck blood from the wound while Aiden held clamps out of the way as the doctor searched for the bullet. After he’d found it and thrown it aside, Doc Stinson began the process of repairing the bullet’s damage, using foot after foot of thread to stitch Lenora’s insides back together.
     
    George tried not to look at the wound, and every time Lenora moaned, he shot a frightened look at his father. Aiden stayed focused on his wife, sponging off her forehead or smoothing her hair when he could, helping the doctor as much as possible with his one good arm.
     
    “Hang on Lenora,” he whispered. “Just hang on.”
     
    Finally, as the sun grew hot and sweat soaked Doc Stinson’s apron, the doctor finished his last stitch and leaned back on his heels.
     
    “Bring the water,” he said.
     
    George lifted the pot from where he’d nestled it against the hot rocks and brought it to his mother’s side. Then he dipped a rag and cleaned the last of the blood from his mother’s stitches.
     
    “Now it’s up to her,” the doctor said. He stood, stretched his back, and washed his hands with soap he’d brought in his bag. Then he turned to Aiden.
     
    “It’s time to look at that shoulder,” he said.
     
    Aiden’s surgery went much quicker. The doctor gave Aiden a piece of bark to bite into and a log to grip with his other hand. The bullet that hit Aiden’s collarbone hadn’t done major damage. Doc Stinson removed the slug, stitched the incision, then fashioned Aiden a sling out of gauze, and was finished.
     
    “It’s going to hurt for a while, but the bone should knit well enough. Your pitching career might be over though.” Jenny heard both men laugh as she found a seat against a tree trunk where she could hold Lenora’s hand. A tattoo of what looked like a coastline snaked up George’s mother’s arm. Jenny had never seen anything like it, and she nodded off wondering at its significance.
     
    When she awoke, she found George’s hand had slipped into her other palm. An electric feeling flowed through her. She didn’t remember him settling next to her, but something about it felt right. She watched him as he rested his eyes, and could see that George had used some of the extra water to clean up a little as the mud and dirt that once covered his face was gone, revealing smooth, lightly tanned skin. She had noticed he was handsome before, but was amazed at the difference a little water made.
     
    Jenny thought about everything George and his family had been through, and marveled at how strong people could be. She wished that she could be strong, but the truth was she worried for her grandfather, the only parent she’d ever known. He could be gone in an instant, and then what would happen to her?
     
    Jenny glanced down at Lenora to see her eyes had cracked open. Color filled her cheeks for the first time and she was smiling.
     
    “I don’t believe I’ve been introduced to my son’s new girlfriend,” she said.
     
    Jenny blushed and let out a sheepish smile, then quickly pulled her hand from George’s grip.
     
    Lenora let out a soft laugh and smiled as Doc Stinson made his way over to check on her.
     
    ***
     
    The rich aroma of chicken broth filled the air. George used a bouillon cube from his pack and added a little of the barley Jenny had to create the meager soup for his mother. Lenora drank, nodded her thanks, and then turned her eyes to her husband.
     
    “And how are you?” she said.
     
    “I’ll be