Emerald's Secret

CHAPTER 12 - WOUNDED

A quarter-hour later, Greg and Terry waded side-by-side – and a respectful distance apart – along the waterline. They passed Irene's abandoned lifeguard, and Terry smiled at him. He smiled back.

Greg smiled at the lifeguard, too, and added a wink. The lifeguard shuddered and turned away.

Terry giggled. "You'll have to do better than that."

"I want to fool 'em, not ... not date 'em."

"Why, brother dear, did we almost say a very bad word in front of our delicate, sist—Ah! Oh! Oh-oh-oh-oh-oooooh!"

Terry hopped on one foot, reaching for the other one, and fell into the hard-packed wet sand near the water.

Greg immediately squatted beside her. "What? What is it?"

"Ooooooh! My foot. I stepped on someth—Oooooh! Don't touch it!"

Greg examined her foot despite her clawing at his shoulders, trying to push him away. A small crowd began to gather.

"Okay, stop it, now," Greg said in a soothing tone. "Stop. It's all right. You've stepped on a sea urchin, but it's only a couple spines, and we'll get 'em out. C'mon."

He folded her into his arms and, lifting her easily, stood to carry her away. She looked around at the crowd.

"Everybody's looking!" she said. "What are you doing?"

"Carrying my sister to her room," Greg answered.

"Put me down!"

Abruptly, Greg dropped her legs without releasing her waist.

"Ow! Ooooh!"

Greg lifted her again and stalked up the beach. The crowd parted for them and began to drift away.

Terry moaned and turned her face into Greg's shoulder. Greg stole a look at her, then smiled again at the curious lifeguard and, once past the lifeguard stand, leaned close to Terry's ear and whispered, "Shhhhh."

In less than thirty minutes Greg answered Terry's hotel-room door and admitted the hotel doctor, followed closely by Marco, one of the executive vultures.

"Mister Ciano sends his regrets that Miss Dupree was injured on our beach," Marco said formally. "There will, of course, be no charge for the doctor's services."

"Fine, fine," Greg ignored Marco and ushered the doctor forward. "Over here."

Greg led them to the bed where Terry lay with her foot propped on a pillow and towels.

"I clean it some," Greg said, "but the spines are still in there."

The doctor gave Terry a reassuring smile. "No worries. We'll have them out in a jiffy."

Terry glanced at Marco, at Greg, and at Marco again. She said, "Gregory, would you please try to find Mother for me?"

He almost went. But the doctor touched Terry's foot, and she jumped, biting back a yelp of pain.

"In a minute," Greg said, and he watched the doctor laying out tools and supplies from his medical bag.

Terry sent Greg a desperate look, but he would not budge.

The doctor washed his hands at the bathroom sink and returned to her bedside, pulling on his rubber gloves.

Terry turned to Marco. "Would you be so kind as to find my mother for me, please? I think she and Daddy went to play shuffleboard."

Greg, openly flirting, told Marco, "I'd be so grateful."

Marco left the room.

Greg knelt on the opposite side of the bed from where the doctor was bending over Terry's foot. When she reached toward him, Greg grabbed and held her hand.

The doctor said gently, "Now, this will hurt a little, but keep very still. I'll try to be quick."

Greg said, "Don't look at him, look at me. Look at me, Terry."

She looked at him, and her eyes, full of fear and pain, clung desperately to his face.

"Let your mind go far away from here. Someplace beautiful. Far away. Have you ever seen Montana?"

She barely shook her head, her eyes glued to his.

Greg continued. "There a green place in the woods just west of Cabin Creek Pass, where the snow never leaves the hollows, even in the summer, but the wildflowers bloom just the same. The bear grass waves as high as your horse's bridle, and the tip of every stalk is like a wedding bell of tiny white lacy blossoms. And they sway between the evergreens like fairies are dancing through the forest."

Terry suppressed a jerking gulp of pain. The doctor brandished stainless steel tweezers with a bloody thorn-like spine in them.

"That's got it," the doctor said. "Just a quick dressing now, and we're done."

Terry gave Greg a blinding smile, and he looked as if he could float away.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Short chapter, isn't it? That's why I'm also posting Chapter 13 today. Happy reading!  Stay home and stay safe during the pandemic.