Chapter 3
Johnny was still holding Susan tight to him when the doctor appeared at the door. The others left save Hound Dog who knew that the information gleaned may be helpful in an investigation of the men who murdered Susan’s family but even he turned his back to allow for some privacy during the examination.
“Who’s your friend, Johnny?”
Johnny looked up at the doctor.
“Her name’s Susan,” he began, “Her family was, um, killed. She says the men that did it hurt her. She’s got marks on her. I just want to know what happened.”
“Well, put her down and I’ll have a look,” Doc Bates sighed. Examining a child who’d been a victim was never how he wanted to spend a day, “I’ll ask you to step outside.”
Johnny worked to extricate himself from Susan’s grasp but he shook his head at the last part.
“I’m not leaving her. She trusts me and she don’t know you.”
“I’m not going to hurt her Johnny.”
“Well, I know that but she don’t. And trust me; she ain’t going to want you to touch her. If I ain’t here, you won’t have a prayer.”
“I think I can handle a simple examination of a little girl.”
Johnny shook his head once more with a finality that said he’d not be giving in on this.
“She’s frightened enough and I ain’t leaving her.”
“Johnny no leave.”
“Of course not Susan. I promised, didn’t I?”
“Promise.”
“Oh,” said the doctor, “I didn’t realize she was—“
“Different?”
“I was going to say simple.”
Hound Dog felt the need to respond to this.
“Believe me Doc, that girl is a lot of things but simple ain’t one of ‘em.”
The doctor merely sighed, this was going to be more difficult than he originally thought and asking the girl anything was probably pointless. He reached out to touch Susan who recoiled. Reluctantly Doc Bates looked at Johnny imploring him to do something.
“Susan, Doc Bates is a friend.”
“Friend.”
“That’s right and friends help.”
“Help.”
“Now to help, he needs to find out how those men hurt you and make sure you’re going to be okay.”
“Bad men. Bad men.”
She would have been thrashing but Johnny immobilized her and spoke softly in her ear.
“Susan, the bad men are gone and I won’t let ‘em get you, not ever.”
The girl stopped struggling but held fast to Johnny’s neck. Her reaction to the memory of the “bad men” was something that Doc Bates could understand. He had seen women who’d been beaten before. Surely it would be no different for this child.
“I have an idea Johnny. You do the examination. You won’t be causing her any pain and I can tell you what I need to see. Does that sound alright to you?”
“I can do that,” Johnny turned his attention to Susan, “Doc Bates ain’t going to touch you but he needs to be here so we can help you.”
“Help Susan.”
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Unlikely Angel
Historical FictionJohnny Calder is a young man who knows what he is and even what the future will hold for him. He's not always happy about it but he has resigned himself to his fate. When tragedy brings someone new to his life, he finds hope for something different...
