Everything There is a Reason

Doctor Duck

Jeremy kept Ross on his toes along with everyone else in the household. Demelza had found it extremely difficult to stop saying Judas. When Ross came home from the mine, he would tell him "Momma said Udas today again, while shaking his head. Ross had to hide his smile while giving Demelza a pretend look of annoyance! How many times Jeremy pick up his hand with all five fingers up? Ross said, "lets count, one, two, tree, four, five." Ross considered himself lucky he got one 'r' out of him. He said Well, I guess, I have to punish her, what should I do. Jeremy not wanting his mother to be hurt said "iss her." Ross shook his head, do you thinking kissing her will be a punishment for her or me? Jeremy looked at his mother for help. Demelza said, "don't look to me, you're the one that told pappa on me!" Jeremy looked down at the floor, "es." Ross said, "No kissing makes you feel better if your bad punishment isn't for pleasure, you said she said Judas five times, I will give her behind five smacks." Jenny and Prudie were holding in their laughter. Jeremy burst into tears. I don't want momma punished she is a nice momma. Ross picked him up and said, "don't worry son, pappa would never hurt momma. You must stop repeating bad words and tattling on them. Unless something they are doing, is going to cause harm or harm to someone else, we don't repeat it. Do you understand?" Jeremy sniffled, "you do not punish momma?" Ross looked at Demelza saying, "only if she wants me to!" Jeremy sniffed while shaking his head, "she no wants you to." Ross thought he is talking better we just have to pronounce our words better. Ross said, "OKAY get a coat on and Pappa will take you riding." He went to Demelza and put his arms around her. He pushed her hair behind her ear, his hand lingering on her cheek, "you are beautiful my love." He kissed her then grinned, "would you like to be punished later?" Demelza blushed, "Judas Ross." Ross smacked her behind, "that is one for that one, how many did Jeremy say." She said, "I am glad he can't count yet!"

They heard a bang from the front room, then Jeremy screaming. Ross and Demelza went to their son. Finding him on the floor Ross asked, "what amiss?" Jeremy said, "I fell I couldn't reach my coat?" Demelza noticed a small cut and said she was going to clean it. Jeremy yelled, "do not call doctor Duck!" His parents shared a look, "who" said Demelza?" Jeremy sighed exasperated he said, "you know the one pappa says he quacks!" Ross burst out laughing he could not help it. Demelza looks at him "Ross?" Ross answered her while picking his son up while he was still laughing, "Doctor Choak, I am always telling people he is a quack." Demelza started giggling, "Dr Duck is a perfect name!" They cleaned Jeremy's injury; Ross took him out to ride his pony. Every time Ross thought of it, he would chuckle. Dwight was just coming home from Mellon, seeing Father and son stopped to see them. "How are you doing my man," Dwight asked Jeremy? Jeremy said, "I fell and got a bo bo, but momma fixed it." Ross chuckled, "he didn't want us calling, "Doctor Duck." Thinking Jeremy meant him he said, "why would you not want me to fix you wound?" Jeremy was exasperated did they not know the man! Jeremy sighed, "no you Doc Duck?" Ross said, "tell him why that is his name, Ross said," chuckling. Now Jeremy was really getting upset, he threw his little arms up and said, "because he quacks." Dwight started to get the picture, Ross always told everyone Choke was a quack and useless. So, Jeremy thought his name was Duck. Dwight lost it he laughed until tears came to his eyes. Gasping for air he said, "best entertainment around." Jeremy didn't know what was so funny but as long as it made them happy it was all right.
Dwight stayed for supper, every time Ross or Dwight would think about Doctor Duck it would set off a round of laugher. After cake. They adjourned to the parlor where Jeremy instructed Ross and Dwight the proper way to play soldiers. He would tell them, "Red ones go here, blue ones go there, then they walk around each other." Dwight said, "we should have you in charge of the militaries it would cut down on the loss of life." Jeremy said, "we do not want to hurt the soldiers just show them we are here." Ross ruffled his hair, thinking his wring nature is so like his mother's. Demelza said, "bedtime, Master Jeremy." Jeremy looked at his father saying, "Pappa ead me a story?" Ross picked him up saying, "I'll get him ready, read him a story and be down. Have another drink, Dwight?"