Chapter 4

Novas carefully tilted the almost dead man’s head up and asked? “Water?” Even in her haste, she had managed to grab the ladle from the water bucket and spill most of it. Although it gathered some dust sitting on the ground, she didn’t think the dying man would notice. He didn’t.

He did choke a bit, so she tried to lift his head a little higher, watching him grimace at the effort. Although much taller than she was, he felt very light, as if all of his bones were filled with air. He finished the ladle and said, “Mulţumesc.” Thank you, she decided.

It was useless to think he would be able to stand, so she waved at the other sisters, all hanging back by the mission entrance, some still inside the door. “Please, come help me get him out of the sun. He cannot walk.”

“You are not to touch him,” Father MacClenny pronounced, as if some great insight. “You heard Tehpoe’s direction. He is not to be touched by any nun.”

“Father, we heard the same conversation. He is not to touch any nun or he dies. He is not to leave the compound or he dies. He is not to argue, voice displeasure, interrupt conversation, or he dies. He is at the bottom of the order, even less important than I am.”

She stood and glared at him, motioning for the others, although none had moved. “However, you know what Tehpoe meant by touching nuns, and it had nothing to do with caring for the dying. Besides, no direction was given to me. I can touch him. And so can the rest.”

She paused, turned to the others, and yelled, “Get over here!” They suddenly found their feet and all six came, some even in a trot.

“What are you planning to do with him?” the Father asked.

“Get him out of the sun, for starters. Look at his left hand, both his feet, they are broken. Even I can tell that. They need to be reset.”

“And you are going to do this?”

“Unless you want to. But I don’t remember you mentioning medical school.”

“You are a dentist. He needs to go to the hospital.”

Novas ignored him and directed the women on how to lift the dying man. The six of them carefully, gently, and easily picked him up, as if they were a pallet, locked hands under his body, and started for the mission doorway.

Watching them go, Novas gave the unmoved Father a last shot. “He leaves, he dies. So the hospital is probably not a good idea. I went to medical school; I can set bones. You got any better ideas?”

“If he stays here, you are responsible for him.”

“Fine, Father. I’m responsible. Maybe if he lives, he can help me do what Tehpoe wants, but he has to live first.

“Tehpoe said three weeks.”

“He has a broken hand. He isn’t going to revive, cure all of his ills, repair his bones, and be a dentist in three weeks. Maybe not even in three years.”

“What ills?” the Father asked.

“He has dysentery, among other things.”

“And you know this without examining him?”

“And so would you. You don’t have to be a doctor to smell dysentery.”

“His right hand was fine. Untouched. Tehpoe said so.” Father MacClenny was as unmovable in conversation as he was physically, not even attempting any assistance of the dying man.

“You ever try being a dentist with one hand?”

Novas spun and started away.

“He is your responsibility and you have three weeks to prepare him for Tehpoe’s son. Three weeks.”

“You can help, Father,” she shot over her shoulder.

“How?”

She turned and faced him. “You can walk to the hospital and get a doctor. Maybe one will come if they aren’t all buried in bodies. If not, you can pick up some Ipecacuanha and Arsenicum; they should have gallons of each, and some linseed tea. We are about out of all three anyway. And at least three splints, two for feet and one for hands. Unless you want me to go.”

She had him on the last sentence. None of the nuns was allowed in town.

“I can send Nyeayea.”

“And he is going to know what Ipecacuanha and Arsenicum are and get it right, if he even survives the trip? You remember the last time you sent him somewhere. Father, they won’t touch you. Have a little backbone.”

“And what did I just do with Tehpoe?”

“I think you said, ‘Good morning, sir’ and ‘Go away, please.’ Pretty tough on the last sentence, I do admit.” She caught his responding glare. “I know. Hail, Mary; Hail, Mary; Hail Mary.”

She turned and left him, noticing that he finally did something. He picked up the money.