Part 4 (1/2)

”Can't feel a thing,” Virginia answered.

It was twice as big as the two blisters Deem had cut open earlier. She could feel something hard inside, just like the others.

”Mom,” Deem said, ”would you find me a small, sharp blade? Sterilize it and bring it to me?”

”What are you going to do?” Margie asked.

”And bring some tissues and bandages,” Deem said. ”We're going to drain this.”

Margie didn't move. Deem turned to look at her, and she could see Margie wanted to argue.

”Mom?” Deem said. ”Please?”

Margie gave in. She turned and left the room.

”Is it big?” Virginia asked.

”Not too,” Deem said. ”I think once we drain it you might feel a little better.”

”I can't believe the doctor didn't find it,” Virginia said.

”He must not have looked you over very thoroughly.

”I doubt he spent five minutes with us. Wrote a prescription and left.”

Deem looked at the nightstand next to the bed. There was a yellow bottle with a prescription label. Deem picked it up and read it it was for an antidepressant. That's all these doctors down here know to give women, Deem thought.

”Have you taken any of these yet?” Deem asked Virginia, who was still lying on her left side.

”No,” Virginia said. ”I was sleeping.”

”Well, don't,” Deem said.

Margie returned and handed Deem a paring knife from the kitchen.

”You sterilized it?” Deem asked.

”With rubbing alcohol,” Margie said.

”Alright,” Deem said. ”Don't move, Aunt Virginia.”

Deem placed the knife at the welt and pressed in. Immediately grey smoke rose from the welt as though it had been under pressure. The skin deflated, and Deem used the knife to widen the slit. Then she removed the white bone from the flesh. It was twice as large as the one she'd removed from herself the previous night. She held it up for Margie to see.

”Oh my!” Margie said, examining the white lump. ”Those edges look sharp! I can't believe you couldn't feel that, Virginia!”

”Can't feel a thing,” Virginia said, still on her side.

There was no blood, so Deem used a couple of bandages to cover over the incision, and she allowed Virginia to roll back.

”What was it?” Virginia asked.

”We don't really know,” Margie said. Deem held the knife up for Virginia to see the bone fragment, still perched on its tip.

”Oh my G.o.d!” Virginia said.

”Language!” Margie chided Virginia.

”That doctor oughta be sacked!” Virginia said. ”Thank you, dear,” she said, looking at Deem. ”I feel better already!”

”Would you like something to eat?” Margie offered. ”I was making a tray for you.”

”I'll get up,” Virginia said. ”Let me walk around for a bit and see how I feel.”

Deem turned to Margie, and her mother gave her an appreciative smile. ”I think you may have a future in medicine!” Margie said.

Chapter Three.

Deem sipped her hot chocolate while Winn drank a coffee at Pete's.

”What's his name again?” Deem asked.

”Awan,” Winn said. ”Awan Agai.”

”Strange name,” Deem said.

”You're one to talk,” Winn replied.

”Did he say anything about it?” Deem asked.

”Nope,” Winn said. ”Just wrote that he knew what it was, and wanted to meet up.”

”Indian Springs is a good hour and a half away,” Deem said. ”He must think it's serious.”

”We'll see,” Winn said. The waitress brought him a plate of French fries covered in brown gravy.

”That looks disgusting,” Deem said.

”Deliciously disgusting,” Winn said, smiling. ”Want some?”

”No,” Deem said, scrunching up her nose. ”By the way, I cut a piece of bone out of my aunt just before I came here. Same thing I had, but twice as big.”

”No s.h.i.+t!” Winn said. ”That must be why she was sick.”

”I'm guessing if I hadn't cut mine out, I'd be sick too.”

”That's a good bet.”