Read A Week From Sunday for Free Online Page B

right? By the way, my name is Mildred Bacon.”
    Adrianna held out her hand. “Hello, nice to meet you. I can get my own coffee if you tell me where to go.”
    “The kitchen is just down the hall. I’ll go with you. I’m not busy now. Gabe put a bell on the door to let us know when someone comes in. Now I’m not so tied to the desk.”
    Adrianna followed the woman to the pleasant kitchen. The rain had stopped during the night and the sun was shining through the east windows. Peering out the window, Adrianna could see that the doctor’s office was close to the business district of town. She turned to Mildred, who was pouring her coffee and putting a cinnamon roll on a plate.
    “Is this a very big town?”
    “It depends on what you consider big. I think the population is somewhere near two thousand. Compared to Baton Rouge or New Orleans we are really small.” Mildred pulled out a chair from the table and motioned for Adrianna to sit down. “Most of the people here work in the timber business. About half of the population is Cajun.”
    Adrianna sat down and picked up her napkin. She hadn’t realized that she was hungry until she smelled the warm roll.
    “The doctor was called out this morning. One of the timber men cut his foot with an ax. His boy was waiting on the steps when she got up this morning.”
    “I’ve never before met a woman doctor.”
    Mildred poured herself a glass of iced tea. “Dr. Bordeaux came here about eight years ago with her husband, who was also a doctor. Folks around here resisted being cared for by a woman. But she gradually became accepted, and when her husband died, she stayed and took over the practice. Now folks don’t know what they would do without her.”
    At the jingle of the bell on the door, Mildred set her cup down and hurried from the room. Adrianna heard the voice of a man demanding to see the doctor.
    “Where’s the doc?”
    “Dr. Bordeaux?” Mildred plainly didn’t like hearing the doctor called “doc.”
    “Is there another doctor here?” the man asked irritably.
    Mildred ignored his sarcasm. “Dr. Bordeaux isn’t here right now, Mr. Thatcher. She should be back shortly.”
    “Exactly how long is ‘shortly’?” The man looked as if he hadn’t shaved in a week. His eyes were bloodshot. The hands holding his worn felt hat moved nervously around the brim.
    “Is there an emergency?”
    “Hell yes, it’s an emergency! My wife is bleeding. It’s not yet time for the baby.”
    “The doctor went north of town to the Kilburn farm. Mr. Kilburn cut his foot with an ax.”
    “Kilburn’s place? I have to go right by there going home. I’ll stop and tell the doc.”
    “That’s a good idea. If you miss her, I’ll tell her as soon as she gets back.”
    The man slammed his battered hat onto his head and hurried out the door. Mildred turned to look at Adrianna standing in the doorway.
    “Poor man. He looks worried,” noted Adrianna.
    “He should be. His wife is only sixteen. He’s old enough to be her father.” Mildred shrugged. “The men around here seem to marry younger and younger girls.”
    “Why is that?”
    “Who knows?” Mildred answered the ringing telephone. “Dr. Bordeaux’s office.”
    “Mildred, this is Quinn.”
    “I know who it is. What’s on your mind, Quinn?”
    “Tell that prissy woman that ran into me that I’ll be by when I get through with work to take her to the house.”
    “You’re not nice, Quinn.”
    “Who said I was?”
    “Don’t give me any back talk, Quinn Baxter. I’ll box your ears the next time I see you.”
    “If you do, I’ll kiss you right on Main Street.”
    “You’re all talk, Quinn Baxter. You wouldn’t dare!” Mildred hung up the telephone and turned to Adrianna. “He’ll be by for you later.”
    “I’d like to talk to the doctor before I leave.”
    “Why don’t you go back to your room and rest for a while? She may not be back for several hours if she has to see about Mrs. Thatcher.”
    “I