LITMIR.BIZ

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level headed and wait for the doctor. Besides, I really have to finish plowing the south field this afternoon.”

      Maggie gave her lad a loving smile. “Yes, dear, you are so much like your Pa. He would have said the same thing. It seems that his Pa taught him to be responsible just as your Pa taught you.”

      2

      Birthdays Should Be Celebrated

      Dr. Charles dixon and his wife, Chelsea, finished up their work as soon as possible. They wouldn’t miss Charlie’s birthday celebration for anything, not if they could help it. That lad was the closest thing to a son that they had. Although they had wanted children, they remained childless. In the end, after Rory’s death, they both felt that it was because of Charlie that they had no lad of their own. Charlie would need all the support that they could give him.

      Charles had met Chelsea while they were in college. He was studying to be a doctor, and she was studying to be a nurse. Because her degree took less time than his, she graduated before him. The day after her graduation, they were married with Rory and Maggie McGee as witnesses.

      Chelsea worked as a nurse at the nearby hospital, so they could rent an apartment while he finished his doctoral degree. Once he graduated, they moved to his home town of Upton in Hart County to set up practice in his childhood home. Inheriting the home and with Chelsea as Charles’s nurse, it made things quite easy for them to get started. Neither of them had any siblings or living parents. Chelsea’s parents died of an influenza epidemic when she started her last year of college, and Charles’s parents died in an accident just before he graduated.

      Charles clutched his bag and Chelsea grabbed Charlie’s birthday gift. “Well,” Charles said as they headed toward the door, “I’m sure looking forward to this night.” He gave a chuckle. “I noticed that Charlie’s leather hat is quite worn out and doesn’t seem to fit him right anymore.”

      Chelsea straightened the bow on the package with her right hand. “I believe that he will be quite pleased. He is such a good lad.” She closed the door behind them. “I wish some of the other lads in this town were more like him, especially that Peter Smith. That boy is a disgrace; all he does is look for ways to annoy people.” Charles gave her a hand up into the buggy, and then he went around and took his place in the buggy next to her. “Of course,” Chelsea continued, “Colin Coyle is another good boy taking on the responsibility for that large family.” She paused rubbing her left forefinger behind her left ear. “But our godson just brings tears to my eyes at such devotion in helping his widowed mother. After all, she doesn’t have four girls to help around the house like Mrs. Coyle.”

      Charles Dixon took the reins. “Walk on, Daisy.” He sat back and made himself comfortable. “I know what you mean about Charlie’s devotion. He is the image of his Pa not only in that he’s Rory’s double, tall and strong-featured, with sky-blue eyes, and a head full red ringlets. But he has the same determination to fulfill his responsibility without complaints.” He paused and let out a deep sigh. “It’s still so difficult for me to talk about Rory, even after five years. We were more like brothers than friends.” He gave a laugh and went back against his seat. “I know you’ve heard this story a thousand times from Rory and me. But it still amuses me every time I remember the first occasion that Rory and I told someone that we were twins. The person didn’t believe us and asked our birth date. When we told him that we were both born on July 10, he scratched his head and told us that we didn’t even look alike.”

      As they travelled out to visit Charlie, Chelsea looked at her husband with such pride. He was a striking man of five foot eight inches, medium build and white hair. She was still amazed at how his hair turned white. When they received the news that Rory had an accident and was found dead, Charles went into temporary shock. The next morning, he walked into the kitchen for breakfast and his hair was completely white at the age of thirty-seven.

      Charles sat back in the buggy and enjoyed the scenery and found himself reminiscing about the old days with Rory. Outside of the Wilson spread of two hundred acres, Rory’s parents had inherited the next best acreage in Hart County. It had an excellent fishing pond that he and Rory fished regularly. There was also a pond with a spring in the center that kept fresh water bubbling up continuously. He and Rory used to love to swim in that cool water on hot Sunday afternoons. He never thought that he’d be heading to Rory’s house and there would be no Rory. Some things are just too hard to understand, but he would honor Rory’s memory by being the best godfather possible to Charlie. His thoughts were interrupted by his wife’s question. “Do you think that we could travel to Olney Junction? Shawn O’Hara sent a note that my shoes were ready.”

      “W-what did you say?”

      “I questioned if we could go to Olney Junction to pick up my shoes. Shawn O’Hara sent a note to say they were ready.”

      “Sorry, but my mind was off.” He turned to face his wife. “Of course, we’ll take a ride out there after Sunday Mass.”

      She patted her husband’s leg. “I’ll pack us a picnic lunch and we’ll just make it a nice leisurely day of rest.”

      By this time, they had arrived at Charlie’s. Both were taken aback by the green glow coming from the window in the door at the back porch. Chelsea was the first to speak. “That’s a strange light for a candle. I don’t believe that I’ve seen that color before. It sure is bright.”

      Dr. Dixon got down from the buggy, tied the reins around the column of the porch, and helped his wife step down. “It sure does glow. Talk about a strange . . .”

      Before he could finish, Maggie came running out to them. Her pallid face gave them both a start. “Please, hurry in. I don’t want Charlie to get concerned, but I’m all astonishment at this thing.”

      Dr. Dixon grabbed her arm. “What’s wrong? Is Charlie hurt?” By this time, his hands started to tremble. “Please tell me what’s wrong.”

      Maggie took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. “We don’t know what it is. That’s why we’ve been waiting for you both to arrive. It’s beyond our knowledge.”

      Chelsea grabbed the doctor’s bag and the present. “Let’s just get inside.”

      Maggie hurried to the door with Charles and Chelsea close at her heels. As she opened the door to the kitchen, the green glow became brighter and brighter. When they stepped into kitchen, they were both momentarily disarmed. Charlie looked like glowing green slime. Their years in the medical field enabled them both to keep their composure.

      Dr. Dixon addressed Charlie. “When did this happen?”

      “This afternoon,” Maggie replied.

      Before the doctor could say anything else to Charlie, he had run to his room. He immediately returned with the card in his hand and handed it to Dr. Dixon. “It all began after I read that card.”

      Dr. Dixon read the strange poetic message and screwed up his face. Before he said anything, he handed it to Chelsea. She read it and shook her head in disbelief. The doctor returned his attention toward Charlie. “Who sent it? Where did it come from?”

      Charlie shrugged his shoulders. “We have no idea. Mum thought it was a birthday card and gave it to me after Marvin delivered it just before we had lunch.”

      Dr. Dixon rubbed his forehead with his right hand. “Was there anything else in the envelope like a plant or an insect?”

      Charlie shook his head. “Not a thing. It was just the card. I’m just scared that it may be catchy.” He gestured towards his Mum. “But Mum doesn’t think it’s contagious, because she hasn’t turned green.”

      By this time, Chelsea was checking to see if he had a fever. “He’s not hot.” She gestured with her hands. “He seems fine.”

      “That was one of the first things that I did,” Maggie said as she turned her attention to Dr. Dixon. “Do you have any idea what it is? Can you

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