Heaven Must Wait

  ***

  Ralph removed his wide brimmed straw hat and wiped the sweat from his brow with the large bandanna from his pocket. He looked into the sun, still a bright orb in the sky, while Jed, his draft horse, took a long drink from the water trough. He stopped plowing early this afternoon, because he wanted time to do the chores, wash up, and dress for his visit with Leann. He jerked at Jed's harness and traces, trying to pull them over the horse's head while the animal drank. Jed snorted and shook his head with water dripping from his large lips.

  "Sorry boy, but I'm in a rush tonight. I've got a date to keep, and I'm not gonna be late for this one." Ralph gave Jed a rub on the ear and led him toward the barn.

  Ralph put the horse in a stall and filled the feed trough with oats. A workhorse like Jed needed good food to eat. They would work hard tomorrow to make up for quitting early tonight. Grabbing the empty burlap oat sack, Ralph rubbed Jed's back and large flanks. The horse's flesh quivered with the rubbing, while he devoured the oats. Ralph smiled at Jed. His farm couldn't survive without the faithful horse. Maude, the mare, snorted and stomped in the nearby stall. Ralph left Jed to feed Maude some oats. She had not worked hard like Jed, but he would ride her to visit with Leann, so she needed to be in tip-top shape.

  Maude whinnied when Ralph rubbed the large brown head and filled her feed bucket with the golden grain. "I'll be back to saddle you in a little bit, girl. We have an important date to keep tonight." He left the stall, closed the gate, and secured the clasp while smiling to himself. "Yep, the prettiest girl this side of the Mississippi is waiting for me."

  Maude snorted as if she understood her importance in the scheme of Ralph's plans. He squinted in the afternoon sunlight when he left the shadows of the barn. He stopped to listen. The cry of a wounded animal came from the direction of the cabin. The cry came again, a little louder. It sounded more like a moan or muffled scream. He ran. Rounding the corner of the cabin, he stopped short.

  A woman in a torn, tattered blue velvet gown and golden hair askew, lay on the ground with her head resting on the porch step. She lifted her head to emit a small cry for help. Ralph rushed to her and squatted beside the battered, dirty body. He turned her in his arms to look into a beaten, bloody face. Matted blood from a gash on her grimy forehead coated her hair. The blood ran down onto a closed purple and black eye, then formed a half-clotted stream to her shoulder. The other eye of hazel flecked with gold gazed at him. Purple bruises covered her filthy face, neck, shoulder, and arms. The torn, grass-stained dress revealed bruises across her chest.

  Ralph lifted the woman and cradled her in his arms. She rested her head on his shoulder. Her warm blood soaked his shirt. He carried her up the steps, opened the cabin door with one hand, and shut the door with a foot when he was inside. He took her to his bedroom then gently laid her on the bed. The new quilt his mother had given him would probably be stained with blood, but he didn't care at the moment. It could be washed later.

  "Who did this to you, Pearl?" He asked the question, knowing the answer.

  Pearl moaned and turned her head away from him. A large bruise lay across swollen lips where the attacker hit her with a fist. Her tongue was probably swollen and bleeding. He shouldn't expect her to talk.

  Ralph went to the washbasin and poured the last of the water from the pitcher over a towel. He returned to the bed and sat down beside Pearl. The hazel eye stared at him as he began to wash the gash on her forehead. She moaned and tried to turn away, but he held her chin with his free hand. The gash began at her hairline and ended in the eyebrow of the swollen left eye.

  "I know it hurts, but I've got to clean this cut." He carefully wiped the blood away from her eye. "I can't do nothing with this cut. Dr. Reynolds needs to put some stitches in it." He wiped at her face, then released it when she moaned.

  Ralph lifted Pearl's battered arms and cleaned them the best he could, but the gash still oozed blood. "I'm going for the doctor."

  She grabbed his hand, shook her head, and managed to utter, "No doctor."

  "You need something done to that gash on your forehead. You'll be okay here. I'll lock the doors while I'm gone." Ralph looked at Pearl's torn dress that hid little of her body. "I'm getting you out of that dress so the doc can tend to your back. Can you stand?"

  Ralph helped Pearl stand on shaky legs. She pulled the dress down over her body and stepped out of it. Ralph turned her around and looked at her back and buttocks, where large red and purple welts crisscrossed on them. Some of the marks reached the top of her legs and the back of her arms.

  Ralph Wade never used profanity but he said, "Damn, Pearl, someone beat you with a belt."

  He pulled back the bedcovers and helped the battered woman to lie down, then pulled the top sheet and quilt over her. His mother had taught him to use a top sheet along with the bottom one to keep the quilts clean. He was glad he had one to cover Pearl. It would feel cool and smooth on her bruised skin.

  His thoughts now turned to fetching Dr. Reynolds and getting help for the woman. Ralph went to the washbasin, threw the bloody towel in the bowl, and retrieved a clean one. He placed the clean towel on the gash. The towel would catch the blood until the doctor could stitch the wound.

  Pearl smiled at him. "Thank you," she whispered then closed her eye.

  Ralph patted her hand and turned to leave the room. He rummaged through a small box on the mantel in the parlor until he found a silver key. After quickly securing the lock on the front door, he grabbed his felt hat and left the cabin through the back one. Thankfully, he had put a deadbolt lock on both doors to secure his home against the outlaw bands roaming the countryside after the war. He seldom used the locks, but was glad they were available now. Ralph rushed to the barn to saddle Maude.

  When he lifted the saddle to the horse's back, he remembered Leann. She was waiting for him, but he had to fetch the doctor for Pearl.

  Ralph led Maude to the barnyard, mounted, then quickly urged her into a full run. He reached up to pull his hat tighter around his head before it flew off. The five miles into town went quickly while the setting sun began to paint gold, red, and violet streaks across the sky. Leann expected him about now, but what could he do?

  The church's steeple came into view. He passed the school and rushed on down Main Street to the doctor's office. After dismounting without taking time to fasten the reins on the hitching post, Ralph took the steps to the porch in one giant stride. He twisted the doorknob, but the door was locked. He went to the large window, and placing both hands to his face to shield against the glare, peered into the doctor's office. Nothing moved inside.

  Ralph jumped from the porch, grabbed the reins, and mounted his horse. Riding to the doctor's house at the edge of town didn't take long. He quickly dismounted, leaving Maude to graze on the long grass under a tree in the front yard. He knocked louder than intended, but wanted to make certain the occupants of the house heard him the first time. Soon, the door opened and Mrs. Reynolds stood in the doorway.

  "I've come for the doctor," Ralph blurted out before she could speak. Her lips pursed. "It's a dire emergency," he said and then thought to remove his hat, twisting it around in his hand by the brim.

  "Dr. Reynolds is eating his supper right now." The lady seemed reluctant to move from the doorway.

  Ralph understood her protection of the doctor's privacy, but Pearl lay battered and bleeding in his bed at the cabin. She had already lost a lot of blood.

  "I need the doctor, Mrs. Reynolds." She didn't move. "Would you tell him I'm here?"

  Ralph thought his determination to see the doctor may not best the good wife's determination to protect her husband's supper. He continued to twist his hat and thought he may have to leave when the doctor appeared behind his wife.

  "What's the trouble, Agnes?" Dr. Reynolds inquired. Agnes moved aside while the doctor wiped his mouth with a large napkin, but remained close enough to pounce on Ralph if need be. "Ralph, what do you need at this time of the e
vening? I'm just sitting down to enjoy Agnes's fine cooking." He turned to smile at his dutiful wife, who returned the smile with tight lips.

  "I have a injured person at my house who needs your care right away, Doctor." Agnes's ears seemed to perk up. He hesitated to say more and twisted his hat harder.

  "An injured person, you say? How bad is the injury, and what kind is it?" The doctor turned and handed the napkin to Agnes. He glanced at Ralph who shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Agnes, why don't you go on back and clear the table. I'm finished with supper." The woman frowned. "And it was delicious, as usual."

  A smile replaced the frown on the lady's face as she turned to leave the room. Ralph felt certain she would know the truth of the matter soon enough, but for now, he didn't want to say more than necessary.

  "The injury is pretty bad, Doc, and you'll need some thread for stitching a cut." He couldn't explain right now. The doctor would have to see for himself.

  "I see. I'll get my bag." Dr. Reynolds turned to walk away then looked back. "Will you go to the barn and hitch my buggy to save time?"

  Relief that he didn't have to answer more questions washed over Ralph. John Clark would never let Ralph court Leann if John found out about Pearl. Surely, the doctor would be discreet and not share the information. He was already in trouble with Leann and her family by not showing up at their home tonight, as promised. Ralph replaced his hat and jumped from the porch when the doctor closed the door.

  Dr. Reynolds came to Cuba several years ago, before the war. He took care of the citizens of Cuba, whether law-abiding, outlaw, Confederate or Yankee. He never denied a person in need of his services. The doctor was a good man in Ralph's eyes.

  Ralph made haste in hitching the buggy to the doctor's faithful old horse. He ran a hand over the sway in the boney back of the mare. Gray hair outlined her nose and stretched up to her pointed ears. Surely the doctor made enough money to buy a younger animal, but maybe he was attached to the aged mare and didn't want to put her to pasture. Ralph understood why the doctor's rounds took so much time—his horse.

  Dr. Reynolds came through the barn's door dressed in the usual black serge suit with silk fronted vest, wrinkled coat, white shirt and black string tie, carrying a physician's bag. Ralph guessed the suit to be the doctor's only one, but what did the man's clothes matter? Ralph didn't own a suit, and most men in Cuba didn't own one either.

  "What's going on, Ralph?" Dr. Reynolds asked. "Why all the secrets?"

  Ralph secured the last trace on the horse's harness then turned to the doctor. "Do you know a girl by the name of Pearl? She works in the saloon?"

  The doctor's immediate answer surprised Ralph. "Yes, I know Pearl. I set her broken nose about two months ago. Someone, probably a jealous customer, hit her with a fist."

  Ralph shook his head as the doctor climbed into the buggy and took up the reins. "I found Pearl on my doorstep this afternoon. She's been beaten with a belt, cut across her forehead with a knife and hit in the face. She's lost a lot of blood and is in a bad way. Someone probably left her for dead, but she made it to my doorstep." He patted the doctor's horse on the rump. "I feel sure I know who did the beating, but Pearl will have to tell me, and she can't talk right now."

  "I see," was all the doctor said. He had probably seen beaten up saloon girls before. "Let's get on then. The girl needs attention. You ride ahead and see to her until I get there." Dr. Reynolds popped the reins and his horse began plodding along.

  Ralph mounted Maude and, in a short time, overtook the doctor to ride ahead. Pulling his hat snuggly on his head, he soon had Maude at a full gallop. The sun dropped below the horizon, replacing the beautiful golds, reds and pinks of the sunset with the gray tints of dusk. Trees of the forest took on a dark shadowy hue.

  The milk cow stood at the fence lowing when Ralph rode into the barnyard. He quickly dismounted Maude and left her at the water trough. "I'll take the saddle off in a little bit, but right now I need to go check on Pearl." He patted the horse on a firm flank then opened the barnyard gate for the cow. "You'll have to wait awhile, ol' girl. I've got pressing business right now."

  Ralph rushed to the back door of the cabin, unlocked the deadbolt and entered a dark, quiet room. He unlocked the front door, lit two kerosene lanterns sitting on the kitchen table, then made his way to the bedroom door with one. Pearl's dark form could be seen in the bed. She must be asleep. Ralph turned to leave.

  "Don't go," a faint garbled voice spoke to him out of the shadows.

  Ralph approached the bed and placed the lantern on the bureau. The acrid smell of stale blood and burning kerosene burned his nose. He sat on the straight chair, pulling it closer to the bed. Pearl lay with the bloody towel on her head just as he left her. He removed the towel to look at the gash. A small amount of blood oozed from the wound, so he wiped it away with the towel. "The doctor is on his way. He'll take good care of you."

  "I don't need a doctor, just time to rest for awhile." Her voice was so low, Ralph had to strain to hear her. "I don't want no one to know where I am."

  "Don't worry about Dr. Reynolds. He won't tell no one you're here. You're safe now. I won't let anything happen to you." Ralph patted Pearl's hand.

  "May I have a drink of water?" Pearl licked her swollen, cracked lips.

  "Sure. There's no more water in the pitcher. I have to go to the kitchen, but I'll be right back." Ralph rose and took the bloody towel to the kitchen. He threw it down beside the back door. Tomorrow, he would clean up the soiled quilt, sheets, towels, and whatever needed washing.

  Ralph pumped a fresh glass of water from the kitchen pump then took the kettle from its rack over the fireplace and filled it. He stoked the fire in the fireplace and hung the kettle on the rack over the fire. He felt sure Dr. Reynolds would need warm water to wash Pearl's wounds. A knock sounded on the front door, so Ralph rushed to open it.

  "Come on in, Doc. Pearl's in the bedroom." He closed the door behind Dr. Reynolds. The doctor removed his hat and hung it on a peg beside the door. Ralph grabbed the glass of water from the table then led the way to the bedroom.

  Dr. Reynolds moved the chair and stood beside the bed. He spoke quietly, "Pearl."

  She opened one eye and looked frightened. Ralph wanted to give her a drink so her throat wouldn't be so parched. He moved to the opposite side of the bed, sat down beside Pearl, and gently lifted her head. She sipped the water when he pressed the glass to her lips. After a few drops, she turned her head away.

  "Dr. Reynolds is gonna take care of you now. I'll be close by if you need anything." Pearl shook her head. "You can trust the doctor, Pearl. He needs to sew up that gash on your forehead and tend to those cuts on your back." Ralph patted her hand and rose.

  "I need to take a look at your wounds, Pearl. I see the one on your forehead needs suturing," Dr. Reynolds said as Ralph left the room to fetch the hot water and more towels.

  He heard Pearl moan when the doctor touched her. His heart thumped in his chest. He hated to see anything hurting and in pain, especially a defenseless woman. If he ever ran across Wesley Snipes, Ralph would give Wesley what the man gave Pearl, and Mac wouldn't be around.

  Ralph filled the bedroom basin with hot water and put several clean towels and rags on the bureau where the doctor could reach them.

  Dr. Reynolds examined Pearl's back and shook his head. "Thank you, Ralph. Wet one of those towels in the water for me. I need to wash Pearl's back."

  Ralph quickly did as the doctor directed, threw the dirty water in the basin out of the back door, and rewet the towel. They repeated the process several times, until the kettle was empty. Pearl moaned and cried out, but didn't fight the doctor as he washed the wounds on her back and then applied tincture of iodine.

  "I need to heat some more water, Doc," Ralph said, grabbing the kettle and walking toward the door when the doctor turned Pearl over to begin the process on the front of her body.

  "Leave me one wet towel. I see only a co
uple of places that need washing on her arms. Her belly's okay." Dr. Reynolds pulled the sheet over Pearl's exposed body, leaving her arms on top. "You've done a good job of washing her face and neck. I'll just need to apply some iodine to the cuts and suture that gash. You'll need to hold her head, Ralph."

  His gaze met Pearl's imploring eye, so he spoke to her, trying to give the frightened woman encouragement. "You're in good hands." She didn't seem to take much comfort in his assurance. "I'll be right back with the hot water, Doc." The doctor nodded in affirmation.