Wild Abandon

Nancy lurched, gasped, and clawed at her blouse where her heart lay beneath it, then swayed and fell back onto the bed, unconscious.

“Oh, my Lord!” Lauralee cried, the perfumed bath oil beads rolling out of her hand. She stared at Nancy for a moment, aghast.

Then knowing from her nurse’s training that her aunt had experienced a heart attack, she shoved the gifts aside on the bed and ran from her room.

“Uncle Abner!” she screamed as she rushed down the hallway, toward his study. “Uncle Abner, it’s Aunt Nancy! I truly believe she’s had a heart attack!”

When she entered his office he was already away from his desk and running toward her.

“Go and see that the horse and buggy are readied!” Abner cried, panic in his voice. “You’ll find James at the stable. Tell him to get a horse hitched to my buggy. Hurry, Lauralee. We’ve no time to waste. We must get Nancy to Dr. Kemper’s.”

Lauralee ran down the steps and rushed through the house until she reached the back porch.

Night had fallen in its vast crown of black. The moon was full and bright. Panting, Lauralee went down the steps and ran toward the stable.

She was relieved to find James there. He was spreading fresh straw on the floor. A kerosene lamp hung from a hook inside the stable emitting a soft, glimmering light.

“James!” Lauralee ran to the tall, thin stable hand. Frantically, desperately, she grabbed his arm. “Ready the Petersons’ buggy. Quick. Mrs. Peterson is ill. She has to be taken to Dr. Kemper’s.”

James, all legs and arms, dressed in fawn breeches and a long-sleeved white shirt, rushed around, Lauralee assisting him. Just as he led the horse and buggy out of the barn, Abner came running toward him with Nancy laying limply within his powerful arms.

Lauralee scurried onto the buggy seat. Abner laid Nancy on the seat beside her so that Nancy’s head could rest comfortably on Lauralee’s lap.

Abner rushed around and stepped into the buggy beside Nancy. He looked with a concerned longing down at her as he spread a blanket over her.

Then he nodded to James who

released the reins to him.

Abner swung the horse away from the stable.

He slapped the reins.

The horse moved into a quick gallop up the small gravel drive that led to the larger circular drive in front of the house.

Lauralee ran a comforting hand over Nancy’s pale, ashen face as Abner sent the horse and buggy down Broadway Avenue, dust spraying out from beneath the wooden wheels.

Lauralee looked around her as the horse and buggy flew down the street. One- and two-storied homes lined both sides of the street, lamplight splashing softly from lacy curtains at the windows.

These homes multiplied as the horse and buggy fled on down the avenue, until larger buildings came into sight a short distance away.

Although used to the large buildings in St. Louis, Lauralee saw this city as no less lovely with its long row of two-and three-storied brick establishments, as well as a few four-storied.

The Petersons’ horse and buggy continued to travel until it reached Western Avenue. Lauralee quickly grabbed for Nancy with one hand and the edge of the seat with her other hand as the buggy came to a lurching stop.

Everything after that happened so quickly it was all that Lauralee could do to keep up with Abner.

He had whisked Nancy into his arms, running toward the large, two-storied house. He shouted at Lauralee to open the door.

She did as he asked, then entered a large room where chairs were lined against the wall, magazines and newspapers spread neatly on tables beside them.

“Doc Kemper!” Abner shouted as he ran down a narrow corridor, leaving Lauralee tailing along behind him, winded.

Lauralee gazed at a distinguished-looking man, with kind, warm eyes, as he hurried from a room toward Abner. He removed his eye spectacles and shoved them in his vest pocket, then took Nancy from Abner and carried her into one of the many rooms that lined the corridor.

Lauralee stopped and caught her breath, then looked slowly around her. If this was a hospital, it was nothing like the one in which she had learned the art of nursing. It was a house transformed into a hospital. She could smell the aroma of ether, rubbing alcohol, and other various medicinal smells. Sheeted tables lined the walls. Lamps fueled by kerosene flared their shimmering light from several wall sconces along the corridor and in the outer waiting room.

Lauralee fidgeted with the gathers of the skirt of her dress as she waited for Abner to return.