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first.” Hawkins adjusted his hat and moved away.
       Jed latched onto Hannah’s arm and
herded her across the street to the little church. She looked down at the hem
of her dress. It had turned brown from the street dust.
        Benches dragged from the school were
lined up outside for a reception. They entered and took a seat in a middle pew.
Hannah whacked at the bottom of her skirt.
       “What are you doing?” Jed’s low
voice rumbled.
       “Shaking dirt off my skirt.”
        “Dirt is your new friend. Get used to it, but don’t bring it into the
surgery.”
       After a few minutes the doors
closed and an older than usual couple walked to the front of the congregation.
Hannah saw a minister appear from a side door. The ritual commenced, and it
lasted only ten minutes. The bride cried after she repeated her vows.
       “They have a sweet story,” Jed
whispered. “I pulled a bullet from Ned’s leg.” His voice was hoarse.
       “Come on,” he jumped up at the end
of the ceremony. “Let’s get to the front of the line so we can get through and
leave early, if we have to, of course.”
       “It’s ok. I don’t mind. Really. I
like meeting new people.” She couldn’t figure what he thought he’d rescue her from;
maybe he was trying to save the town from thinking she’d become be a permanent
citizen, but then why drag her to the wedding in the first place? After all, the
job was about getting to know people, and their lives. Hannah had always enjoyed
delving into the whole person -- and that included Doc Rutherford . . . if she
could pull down the wall he put up to shield himself from authentic feelings.
       They moved through the door,
hugged the bride and groom, and shook hands with the best man, Cal, and his
wife, Sarah, and the minister. As they edged down the line Jed formally introduced
“Doctor Hannah Sutton”, and she received a warm clutch and curious welcome from
each guest. More importantly, she observed the respect shown to Jed. It seemed
he’d touched nearly every life in some way; the truth about his position in the
community shone in young and old eyes alike. Finally, after a man with scars on
his hands thanked Jed, she jokingly asked her colleague if he’d be turning
water into wine. He laughed, deeply, and she realized it was for the first time
since she’d met him.
       The crowd spread into the
churchyard for the toast and reception. She was soon separated from Jed, and, despite
her best efforts, Hannah attracted a swarm of bachelor men. Some simply smiled
shyly, but the bolder amongst them lit up about manly work injuries and
ailments they’d conquered. They weren’t given to flowery prose but their
message was clear: They were lonely and starved for womanly attention. Affection
flowed easily from these prairie suitors, yet Hannah was embarrassed and responded
awkwardly.
       After waiting an appropriate
eternity, Hannah excused herself from the circle of men, and she pushed toward
a gaggle of women, where there was much cooing over Sarah Easton’s new baby.
Jed appeared again and introduced Hannah to Sarah Easton and her young sister,
Emily. She remembered Ella Wright from the bank, and for the first time she met
pretty Nelda Rose Hawkins, wife of the innkeeper she’d met on the way to the
wedding.
       Nelda Rose was visibly in the
family way, and she pulled Hannah aside.
       Taking a shaking breath, the tiny
woman with auburn hair and green eyes made an odd request. “Doctor Hannah, I
want you to bring this baby. Rutherford speaks highly of you, and --”
       Hannah’s eyebrow arched. “He said
that?” She checked herself. “This is your first?”
       Nelda’s round face tightened and
her eyes filled. “Third. I lost two.”
       “I’m sorry.” Hannah reached down
and touched the woman’s shoulder. ”Miscarriage?”
       Nelda Rose frowned. “The f-first
one. Then my boy died after three days.”
       Oh God . Hannah was careful to