Page 29 of Magnolia Summer

“He’ll already be at his office.” Will spoke through clenched teeth. “He gets there at 6:30.”

Celia’s head pounded. She needed to get Will to Dr. Beverly’s office. Did she know how to hitch the horses up to the wagon? Will needed to get to Dr. Beverly as soon as possible. “Keep up the pressure to stop the bleeding, Lizzie, and I’ll get the wagon.”

Celia ran to the barn and led two horses out to the wagon.

Someone was coming up the lane. Ruby Pritchard, her brother, and her grandmother. But at that very moment, Harley and Tempie bounded out of the house toward Will and Lizzie. When Tempie saw the bloody towels around Will leg, she screamed—not once, but over and over. Harley added to the confusion by yelling, “How’d you do it, Will?”

Ruby’s brother, who was a couple of years older than Will, ran over to help Celia hitch up the horses. Tears of gratefulness pricked Celia’s eyes as he quickly did the job that would have taken her so much longer.Thank you, God.

With Nathan’s help, Celia picked Will up and placed him on a quilt in the wagon bed. She turned to Ruby. “Can you watch Harley and Tempie while we take Will to the doctor?”

“Of course. We’ll take good care of the little rapscallions.”

Ruby’s grandmother called, “You just take Nathan here with you to Doc Beverly’s, if you need him.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Pritchard. We’ll manage.” Celia climbed onto the seat and took the reins while Lizzie scrambled into the back with Will, holding a fresh towel.

Not wanting to jar Will around too much, Celia set out at an easy but steady speed. Every moment her brain screamed at her that they needed to hurry, but when she turned to look at him, his face was so pale and tight with pain, she forced herself to keep the horses at their slower pace.

It seemed to be taking so long to get there, she began to wonder if the town were moving away from them. Every muscle in her limbs was tense, as if straining to get there faster. Finally, they rounded the bend that brought the town’s main street in view. She shuddered with relief and glanced back at Will. “We’re here. How are you holding out, Will?” Her breath hitched in her throat at his quivery attempt at a smile.

“Not too bad, sis.”

“Are you sure? Because you look . . . scary.” The light-headed feeling was back.Oh, God, take care of my brother. I couldn’t bear it if he lost his leg.

Celia pulled the wagon up in front of Truett’s office. She jumped down from the wagon and ran toward it. Truett was already coming out to her.

The relief of seeing him there, looking so strong and capable, made the air rush back into her lungs. “Will’s hurt. He’s in the wagon.”

Truett was striding to the wagon before she could blink. He jumped onto the spokes of the wheel and reached over the side. He hefted Will out and carried him past Celia as she held the door open.

“What happened?” Truett laid Will on the table, which was covered with a white sheet, in the small examination room.

Lizzie sat down in one of the chairs along the wall. Celia hovered beside Will.

“He was splitting wood and the ax came down on his leg.”

Truett removed the towels around Will’s leg.

“We were trying to stop the bleeding.” Celia was unable to take her eyes off what Dr. Beverly was doing, even though the blood-soaked towels and trousers made her stomach turn over sickeningly. It was Will’s blood, blood that he spilled obeying her grouchy order to split wood.

“You did well. It looks like the bleeding has stopped.” The doctor leaned closer to the wound.

Celia leaned away, her face beginning to tingle again.

What was wrong with her? She wasn’t one of those silly girls who fainted at every little thing. She’d never fainted in her life, and she didn’t plan to start now. But she wasn’t sure how to get rid of this strange feeling. She tried taking a deep breath, but that seemed to make it worse.

She had to be here for Will. She took his hand from where it lay beside him on the table. He squeezed slightly. He was half-sitting, propped on his elbows, staring at Dr. Beverly as he gently probed the wound. Celia wondered how either of them could stand the sight of the ghastly open flesh and fresh blood.

Oh, God, why did I send Will to split wood this morning?This never would have happened if she hadn’t been in such an irritable humor. Why did she always have to be so grumpy and irritable in Bethel Springs? Will never complained, never sulked, never refused to do what she asked. What if his leg got infected, turned gangrenous, and had to be amputated?

Celia tried to keep her eyes off the wound, but they were drawn like moths to a candle.Poor Will. You didn’t deserve this.

Celia’s vision began to cloud and then spin. The room grew hazy. “I think I better sit down.” She let go of Will’s hand and concentrated.I will not faint. I will not faint.

Through her clouded vision, she saw Dr. Beverly looking at her.Don’t look at me. Take care of Will . . . Oh, God, don’t let me faint. It would be too humiliating.But the dark edges closed in on her. She felt herself being lifted, and then she didn’t feel anything.

Chapter 9