In
Sickness and in Health
Sheriff
Jalen Brooks came into the Sheriff’s office wiping his brow with his
handkerchief. It was late summer and the last few days had been cooler than
usual with a chilly wind blowing through the town. Deputy Brett Montgomery
looked up as the man entered. “Are you sweating?” He asked a note of
incredulity in his voice. He had lit the stove to take off the chill.
The
older man said, “I get warm walking around town doing my rounds.”
Brett
studied his partner with a critical eye. “You looked flushed to me.”
Jalen
waved a hand at Brett. “It’s nothing. I guess the cold wind reddened my face.”
The
young Deputy said, “A cold wind made your face red and you’re sweating? That
doesn’t add up Sheriff.”
Jalen
tried not to bite his lower lip like he used to when he was younger and caught
not being quite truthful. He hadn’t been feeling very well and hadn’t wanted
Brett to worry. “I’m all right.” He insisted.
Brett
shook his head. “No, you’re not and you’re goin’ over to Doc Mac’s office right
now and get checked out.” The young Deputy replied firmly.
Jalen
raised an eyebrow. “I’ll go if I feel the need to and right now I’m just fine…,
see I’m not sweating anymore and I’m not as flushed as when I walked in.”
Brett
looked the Sheriff over with a critical eye. What he had said was true. He
still didn’t like the way the older man looked. “All right.” He said and
returned to his paperwork.
The
Sheriff began taking care of some mail he had retrieved from the post office at
the General Store and sifted through it. He posted a couple of newly arrived
wanted posters on the wall as he usually did, took down ones that were no
longer needed as the person had been caught and either killed or imprisoned.
Brett
looked up from time to time and still didn’t like the looks of his partner.
“I’m goin’ over to the Café for one of Miss Maria’s tasty pastries. Want me to
get you anything?” He asked.
The
Sheriff shook his head. “No thanks, you go along.” He said.
Brett
did just that, heading for the Diamond Café.
Doc
McNamara had stopped at the General Store and after making a few selections
brought his items to the counter for Jim Duncan to check him out. “Doc…I think
you should stop over at the Sheriff’s office and take a look at our esteemed
Sheriff. He didn’t look very well and insisted he was all right. We can’t have
our Sheriff falling sick. I know we have a perfectly capable Deputy, but I’m
concerned.”
Doc
Mac quirked an eyebrow. “Well…as he is an official of the town and hired by us
I suppose it would be our duty to check in on him…I’ll stop by and have a look
at him.
Jim
nodded. “Thank you, Doc Mac.”
The
doctor nodded. “You’re welcome.”
*****
Jalen
was sitting in his chair at the desk and glanced up as the doctor entered.
“Somethin’ I can do for you Doc Mac?” He asked.
Doc
nodded. “Yes, young man, you can come with me into your back room and let me
have a look at you.”
Jalen
got to his feet. “That little snitch!” He growled. “I told him I was perfectly
fine!”
Doc
raised an eyebrow. “Sheriff, if I didn’t know better I’d say you are close to
having a tantrum.”
Jalen
blushed red at the rebuke. “It’s just that I’m perfectly fine and everyone
seems to think otherwise.”
Mac
said, “Then why don’t we go into the back bedroom and have a look so we can
tell everyone you are just fine then?”
Jalen
knew he was caught and had no choice but to go with the doctor. If he refused
then the man would be suspicious and demand he submit to an examination as he
was a town employee and he as the town doctor had the right to check his
fitness for his duties and going with him would reveal he was having problems
and not feeling well. He sighed and followed the doctor obediently into the
room he had used as a bedroom for most of the time he had lived in Diamond
Springs.
The
doctor examined Jalen and discovered he had a temperature of one hundred and
one. He shook his head and said, “Young man, I should take you over to my
infirmary. I want you to go home and get into bed.
I
want you to stay there and drink plenty of fluids and not come back to work
until your fever is gone.”
Jalen
tried not to pout at the doctor’s instructions, and nodded. “Yes Doc.”
*****
Brett
walked into the office, having had his treat and heard voices in the back room.
When he got closer to investigate he heard the tail end of the doctor’s orders
to his partner. “I’ll make sure he stays in bed Doc and does everything you
said.” The young Deputy and former outlaw told the doctor.
Jalen
couldn’t help but glare at his young partner. “I can handle it myself.”
Brett
shook his head. “I’ll help you and I’ll get Mrs. Hawkins to make sure you do as
Doc Mac here has told you while I’m here in town takin’ care of things.”
Jalen
looked from Brett to the doctor and back and realized he wasn’t going to win
this battle. “Okay.” He said resignedly.
Doc
smiled and nodded. “I’ll let Mrs. Hawkins know and when she arrives you can
come back to finish out the day.”
Brett
nodded. “Thank you, Doc.,”
Later
that evening Mrs. Hawkins stayed with Jalen while Brett took care of things in
town as well as the barn chores etc.
When
Brett came home that night he came to Jalen’s room. He watched as the man slept
and was relieved to see his color better and him sleeping peacefully. He was
glad his partner was on the mend.
*****
Three
days later…Brett smiled at Jalen as they went out to the barn together to do
the barn chores. The Sheriff was well again and Brett was happy. “Jalen, don’t
scare me like that again. If you’re sick I need to know so I can help.” He told
the older man.
Jalen
pulled Brett into a hug and kissed him soundly. “I promise I will…I have a
feeling that if I don’t the whole town will come and make sure their Sheriff is
taken care of.” He grinned.
Brett
smiled back. “If that were me you’d have swatted me.” He pouted.
Jalen
nodded. “Yes, I would have.”
“Sometimes
I wish Dallas were still around to swat you when you don’t do what you’re
supposed to. I think you need someone like that.”
Jalen
looked a bit shocked. “I don’t need someone to be watching over me like that.
Dallas was my mentor, not my partner like you are.” He told the younger man
hugging him tight. “He taught me things I needed to know so when you came into
my life I could be just the person for you.”
Brett
smiled up at Jalen. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, but I still worry when
you don’t take care of yourself like I’m expected to.”
Jalen
gave this some serious thought and then nodded. “Yes and I promise it won’t
happen again. I want to be around for a long time with you at my side.”
Brett
snuggled up to Jalen and sparks began to fly between them.
Jalen
said in a husky voice, “Let’s take this into the barn.”
Brett
nodded and the two men made their way into the barn and into the loft which was
one of the places they liked to engage in the age-old activity they were both
very fond of.
The
end.
