Just Over The Mountain by Robyn Carr Read Free Book Online Page A

Clarence?” Tom asked.
    “If it’s any of your business, yes.”
    “Good. What do you want me to tell Jurea?”
    He shrugged. “They’d be better off without me.”
    “I’m not telling them that! That’s just plain cruel!”
    “Well, ain’t it just the plain truth?”
    “I don’t think so. I can see how you might think so, after all the years none of ’em could have survived the day without you to take care of them. Did it never occur to you that, in addition to depending on you, they love you?”
    He didn’t answer, but had a look in his eyes thatbespoke of tragedy and longing. So, he had never presumed on more than his family’s dependence, but if he were honest, Clarence would probably say he hoped they loved him. He was a sick old vet though, and his self-esteem wouldn’t allow for him to even ask.
    “What should I tell them, Clarence? They want you home.”
    “Tell them… Tell them after a while they won’t hardly notice I’m not there.”
    Tom sighed deeply. “Clarence, you’re some load, you know that? I’m not telling them anything like that. It would scare ’em to death and break their hearts. And I know you don’t mean to hurt anyone. Do you?”
    “’Course not.”
    “Nor yourself?”
    “’Course not.”
    “Seems like you just need a little time to think about things. Seems like you might benefit from having someone come out and talk to you about things.”
    “I’d sooner be left alone,” he said.
    “So here’s what I’m going to do,” Tom said. “I’m going to tell Jurea and the kids that it was too much too fast and you’re taking a breather. You need some time to get adjusted.”
    “That’d work.”
    “Meanwhile, I’m going to tell Charlie MacNeil you’re having some trouble adjusting to the changes in your family…”
    “He that redheaded freckled fella from the VA?”
    Tom frowned. He didn’t like that Clarence couldn’tplace Charlie any faster than that. He’d spent quite a bit of time with Charlie. “The same. And you keep taking your pills. Remember, Clarence, without the pills, things get dark and confusing. The first time I came out here to your house, you thought I was Vietcong.”
    “That so?”
    “You don’t remember?”
    He shrugged. “The nicest part about the medicine is I don’t have to remember how crazy I was. Don’t worry, Chief. I’m taking the pills.”
    “Good.”
    “That why you came all the way out here? To tell me Jurea’s worried and to ask if I’m taking my pills?”
    Tom reached across the table and grabbed Clarence’s fist in a rough grip. “Well, Clarence, I consider you my friend. Friends look out for each other.”
    That made Clarence almost smile. “You were good in country, too.”
    That’s when he knew for sure. Tom had never been to Vietnam. Clarence was delusional. If he was taking his drugs, he wasn’t taking them as prescribed. He was missing enough medication to let the craziness creep back in. Or the medicine wasn’t working anymore and should be adjusted. Whatever the case, it was not good. Tom would hate telling Jurea that.
     
    The clinic was open beyond the usual 5:00 p.m. to accommodate the rush of school-age patients. June was doing the last of her paperwork a little after six, hurrying through it. She had received a note from Tomearlier asking her to meet him for coffee at the café after work and she was curious about what he wanted. Susan tapped at the door and waited for June to invite her in.
    She carried a few charts and a tablet upon which she’d made notes. “Here’s what you have scheduled for tomorrow, and if you have time I’d like you to review the notes I’ve made in these charts to be sure I’m doing it the way you want it done.”
    “I’m sure you are, Susan. I can’t tell you what a difference you’ve made around here. I can’t believe you haven’t worked in a family practice before.”
    She shrugged. “When John did his second residency in family medicine, I filled in a