Dr. Morgan - Part 23

Good Morning Faithful Friday Fiction Fans!
And what a morning it is! The sun is coming up and it's supposed to be in the upper 60s today. I'm looking forward to getting outside for a bit later on.

I would have had this post up sooner, but I was listening to audio samples from someone who just contacted me about TCR-1. Yes, I finally got the first Triple Creek Ranch book listed on ACX yesterday and was praying for the right person to record it. We'll see what the audition sounds like. For those of you who are really hoping to be able to enjoy these books on audio, be praying. And those of you who aren't really into audio, can still pray too. :)

This week has been a good week for writing. Since just about everyone who voted has asked for "Dr. Morgan," that's what I worked on. I've been able to write every evening so far this week (except Sunday) and have already passed my 5k goal. In fact, I'm already at 6,617 words! And if I can write tonight and tomorrow night . . . :) I think I'm on the home stretch. When I get there, I always seem to be able to write faster and more at a time. Right now I'm about half way done with part 51. So, I'm guessing this book will be about as long as a TCR book. How does that sound? Keep praying.

And now the next part in this story. :)

Dr. Morgan

Part 23

    A few days passed and Amy seemed more content, more cheerful. Nothing had happened to upset or startle her and her smile was beginning to come readily when someone spoke to her. Though her leg was stronger, it still gave her twinges of pain now and then, at which times she was content to sit and read either to herself or to Danny who often demanded, “Read me!” When his demand wouldn’t work with Sara or Adam, he would dimple into a smile for Amy and say, “Read me peace.”
    Amy seemed unable to refuse his request and would read until her voice was gone or until the young tyrant felt the need for action and would run off.
    “Amy,” Sara chided one morning after Amy had read the same two stories to Danny ten times, “you spoil that boy. You can tell him no.”
    With a shake of her head, Amy turned to watch the sturdy figure drive his train recklessly down the track and into the tunnel. “Maybe I should, but I can’t seem to help it. I have a feeling of . . . well, I don’t know how to explain it. It’s almost like I’ve done the same thing hundreds of times before and it feels—right.”
    “You have read those books dozens of times at least. Aren’t you tired of the same ones? I am!” And Sara put the offending books back on the shelf. “I can’t stand to read the same one over and over like you do.”
    Amy didn’t reply. She knew she couldn’t make Sara understand the feeling she got from reading to Danny.
    The sudden barking of Captain out in the front caused both girls to turn and look out the large window. “That’s Justin’s truck! I wonder what he’s doing up here in the middle of the week?” Sara quickly stuffed the scarf she was knitting into a bag and disappeared down the hall with it.
    Still watching, Amy saw Adam come around the house and the two brothers stand talking. Neither had made a move towards the house before Sara came back.
    “The difficulties of making Christmas presents,” Sara remarked to Amy as she crossed the room to stand by the window, “is having to hide them every time that person shows up unexpectedly. Justin has always done that. Except,” she amended, “when he was in medical school. Here they come.”
    A few minutes later the brothers entered the room and Danny raced over to them shouting and waving his train. Tripping over his sturdy shoes, Justin caught him before he fell. “You wild Indian,” he laughed. “What do you have?”
    “Train!” Proudly Danny showed his engine by shoving it in Justin’s face. “Adam!” he shouted, squirming and wiggling in the arms that held him. “Play trains!”
    Setting the little tyke back on the floor, Justin laughed. “You’re in demand, brother.”
    “You’ll have to wait a few minutes, Danny,” Adam said in his calm, easy-going manner. “I have to fix the fire first.”
    At that, Danny forgot his train and ran over to watch. From the couch where she had been resting her leg, Amy looked on with a smile. Danny’s endless energy often left her tired, but it was a good tired, she decided. Suddenly she straightened.
    “Danny, no!”
    Amy’s words had been quick and firm. Danny jerked back his hand from the lovely glowing embers and turned to look at her. “Don’t touch,” was all she said, but Danny put his hands behind him and didn’t touch a thing until Adam was ready to play trains with him.
    “Well!” It was Sara’s surprised exclamation which broke the silence. “I thought you couldn’t say no to him. And I’ve never seen Danny obey so quickly when someone tells him no for the first or even the second time. How did you do it?”
    There was no reply from Amy for a moment. She herself was surprised and a little confused by the whole thing. She had never told Danny no in her life, had she? “I . . . I don’t know.”
    Justin must have read the look on her face, for when his sister started to say something else about it, he silenced her with a quiet, “Not now, Sare.” And it wasn’t until late that evening, after the little ones and Amy had retired to their beds that he brought it up again.
    “Adam, did you notice how quickly Danny obeyed Amy when she told him no?”
    “Yeah.”
    “I didn’t think Amy could tell Danny no.” Mrs. Morgan looked questioningly at her sons. “What happened?”
    Sara told the story quickly and added, “It reminded me of when Timothy tells Brandon not to touch something.”
    A log snapped and hissed in the fireplace. “Do you think it means anything, Justin?” Mr. Morgan turned from watching the flames to look at his elder son.
    “I’m not sure,” Justin began slowly. “It seems as though Danny knows he has to obey Amy, but that leaves the question of why.”
    “When they were out in the mountains?”
    “That doesn’t seem to fit, Sara,” Adam said slowly. “They might have been out there for days or a week, but the instant obedience seemed too engrained for so short a time.”
    “That leaves before they came to the mountains or at least before they got lost.” Sara tucked her feet up under her on the couch and folded her arms. “She isn’t their mother?”
    Justin shook his head. “No. If she was, Danny would have called her so, and Amy herself denied it. But she could be an older sister? A friend? A close relative?” With each suggestion, Justin looked around hoping for a nod or another suggestion.
    “I think I’d rule out friend.”
    “Why, Dad?”
    “How often do children obey a friend of the family as quickly as you said Danny obeyed Amy?"
    “Point taken. Sister? Relative?”
    “Probably a good guess. I did a little checking on Saturday,” Adam remarked.

What do you think is the right answer?

Did you enjoy this part?

What do you think Adam found out?