Read Dances Naked for Free Online

Captain MacLeod, but he gave me the same creepy, crawly feelings.
    Wallace ran to catch up with me as I scurried to the house. “Hold on,” he said as he pulled me away from the porch steps, away from Rachel and Jenny who were sharing a big mug of milk. “What’s going on?” he asked.
    “That, that…creep! God! Are you sure he’s only Rachel’s brother? He, he, he leered at me just like Asshole!” I was wiping my arms with my hands, trying to erase the feeling of insects crawling all over me.
    “Her name’s Rachel?” he asked, “Rachel MacLeod?”
    “I guess. I mean, I know her name is Rachel , and her baby is Atholl Grant MacLeod, Jr. , but I don’t know if she is , or was , married to him . I didn’t ask , but that seems to be the usual way of doing things around here, I mean now , shoot, you know what I mean!”
    I was getting exasperated and he knew it. He put his arm around me and held me tight despite the heat. I didn’t care either— I hugged him back even tighter. “It’s going to be okay,” he said. “It has to,” he added as he let me go. “But I have to tell you. The man’s name is Grant MacLeod.”
    “What?” I exclaimed too loudly. I looked over and saw Jenny and Rachel looking over at us. “It’s okay,” I lied to the women. “What?” I repeated to Wallace, softly this time but with just as much curiosity and amazement.
    “Well, it looks like the three of them are siblings. At least that’s the only way I can see that Rachel and Grant are siblings and the baby is, um, ‘A.M.’ junior. Lord, how old is she? She looks like a child.”
    “She’s only fourteen and this is her third baby. I don’t think I want to know what happened to the first one. But , I do know that we’re here to help her with this third one and also the second one. He has an infection , but I’m sure cleaning him up and keeping him that way will help. Rachel will get milk again after she delivers this baby, the dead part doesn’t make a difference, and then she can bring the boy back up to speed.”
    “Huh?” Wallace asked, not recognizing the 21 st century slang that I had lapsed into.
    “I mean, he’ll catch up on growth and weight gain with nursing if she eats right and gets rest. She was on her way to live with a relative in New Bern when Sarah saw them on the road. Hopefully , she’ll get rid of Grant along the way. Please, don’t leave me alone with him, not even for a second.” I realized that I was subconsciously rubbing my still tender left shoulder as I asked, rather begged. Time may heal all wounds , but there hadn’t been nearly enough time for the emotional and physical wounds of being intentionally shot by a lecherous child molester to even scab over my injuries .

 
4 Delivery
     
    “S
    o, what do we do now?” Rachel asked glumly .  “I want it to be over with. Ooh,” she groaned as she suddenly grabbed her stomach and leaned forward . “I think it’s starting . My belly hurts now .”
    Sarah cut a glance over to me, a trace of fear in her eyes. I doubt that the tea had had a chance to work yet. That meant either Rachel was losing the baby on her own or there were complications. The words ‘detached placenta’ flashed into my mind. I reached out and grabbed Sarah’s hand with my right and Rachel’s with my left. “Lord, please help us in this, this procedure. We know you have the baby with you now , but please keep Rachel safe here on earth. She has the other baby to see to still. Thank you in advance for taking care of all our needs; in Jesus name, Amen.”
    I breathed a deep sigh of relief. “There, now I feel better. Everything’s going to be fine.” I turned to Sarah. “Excuse me, but if you don’t need me, Sarah, I’ll go get dinner started.”
    “Thanks. Go ahead— I’m fine for now. Rachel, would you lie down here, please. Let’s see what’s going on.” She patted and prodded her patient and talked softly to her as I gathered up the plates and