Mercy

CHAPTER FIVE

The room was filled with flowers when Theo woke up from his morning nap. He heard whispering in the hallway, opened his eyes, and saw a nurse talking to an older man. She was pointing to the box the aide had left.

The man looked like a retired linebacker, Theo thought. Or maybe a boxer. If he was Dr. Renard's father, she'd gotten her good looks from her mother's side of the family.

"I don't want to disturb you," the man said, his voice thick with a Cajun accent. "I'd just like to pick up this box Dr. Cooper fixed up for my daughter and be on my way."

"Come in," Theo said. "You're Dr. Renard's father, aren't you?"

"That's right. My name's Jake. Jake Renard." He walked over to the side of the bed and shook Theo's hand. Theo didn't have to introduce himself. Jake knew who he was. "My girl told me all about you."

"She did?" He couldn't hide his surprise.

Jake nodded. "You must have been real quick, son, because my Mike knows how to take care of herself."

Theo didn't know what the man was talking about. "I was 'quick'?"

"When you clipped her," he explained. "Where'd you think she got that shiner?"

"I did that?" He was incredulous. He had no memory of it, and she hadn't said anything about it. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. I figured you didn't mean to hit her. She told me you were in considerable pain at the time. You were lucky she noticed you." He leaned against the bed rail and folded his arms across his chest. "Now, my daughter doesn't usually talk about her patients, but I knew she had gone to a fancy party wearing a brand-new dress she didn't want to spend money on, and when I asked her if she had a good time, she told me about you. She had only just gotten there when she had to turn around and go back to the hospital. She didn't get to have a single bite of food."

"I should apologize to her."

"You tore her dress. You should probably tell her you're sorry about that too."

"I tore her dress?"

"Just after you threw up on her." Jake chuckled, then shook his head. "Ruined that brand-new four-hundred-dollar dress."

Theo groaned. He did remember doing that.

"You look like you need to get some rest. If you see my daughter, will you tell her I'm waiting down in the lobby? It was sure nice to meet you."

"Why don't you wait here?" Theo suggested. "I've slept as much as I'm going to," he added. "When your daughter comes looking for you, I can tell her thank you."

"I guess I could sit a spell. I don't want to wear you out, though."

"You won't."

Jake dragged a chair to the side of the bed and sat down. "Where's home, son? From your accent, I'd have to guess the east coast."

"Boston."

"Never been there," Jake admitted. "Are you married?"

"I was."

"Divorced?"

"No, my wife died."

His tone of voice suggested that Jake not pursue that line of questioning.

"What about your parents? They still around?"

"Yes, they are," he answered. "I come from a big family. There's eight of us, six boys and two girls. My father's a judge. He keeps trying to retire but hasn't quite figured out how to do it yet."

"I don't believe I've ever known a judge," Jake said. "My wife, Ellie, wanted a big family, and if we'd been blessed, I probably would have figured out a way to feed them all. I was willing to do my part, but we had to stop with three. Two boys and a girl to round the family out."

"Where exactly is home, sir? Your daughter was talking about her clinic, but she never mentioned the name of the town."

"Call me Jake," he insisted. "Bowen, Louisiana, is home, but I don't expect you've ever heard of it. The town's not big enough to

be a speck on a map. Bowen's tiny, all right, but it's the prettiest stretch of land in all Louisiana. Some afternoons when the sun's going down and the breeze picks up, the moss starts in swaying and the light bounces off the bayou just so, and the bullfrogs and the gators start in singing to each other… well, son, I think to myself that I must be living in paradise. It's that pretty. The closest town is St. Claire, and that's where folks do their Saturday shopping, so we're not completely isolated. There's a hospital there

on the north side. It's old, but adequate," he added.

"Do your sons live in Bowen?"

"Remy, my oldest, is out in Colorado. He's a fireman and still not married," he added. "He comes home every now and again.

John Paul, the middle one, left the marines and moved back to Bowen a couple of years ago; he's not married either. Too busy,

I imagine. He lives in a nice little cabin he built deep in the swamp, and when he isn't working the bar for me, he's a carpenter. Last year we opened a brand-new high school, and John Paul helped build it. Daniel Boone is what it's called. Named after a

local celebrity."

"You don't mean it's named after the Daniel Boone who helped settle Kentucky… the frontiersman… is that what you're saying?"

"That's the one, all right."

"You're saying Boone lived in Bowen?"

Jake shook his head. "No, son, we can't boast that, but legend has it that Daniel roamed the area hunting and fishing. Of course, that was way back in the 1700s before Bowen was even a town. Still, we like to think that Daniel fished our waters and stayed

a spell."

Theo managed not to laugh. It appeared that the people in Bowen were hard-pressed for local heroes.

"Where does the name Bowen come from?"

"It comes from the word Bowie, like in the knife."

"For Jim Bowie? Did he stop by too?"

"We like to think he did."

"You're putting me on."

"No, I'm not," Jake insisted. "Of course, Jim didn't show up at the same time Daniel did. He came years later, in the 1800s," he said.

"Are you sure you aren't getting Daniel Boone mixed up with Davy Crockett?"

"I sure hope not. The school's already got the lettering on it in stone."

"Is there proof that Boone was in Bowen?"

"None to speak of," Jake admitted with a twinkle in his eye. "But we believe it to be true. Now, as I was telling you, the Bowen kids used to have to bus over to the fancy high school in St. Claire, but it just got too cramped. It was past time we had our own. We've even got a football team. We were all real excited about that last year… until we saw them play. Lord, they're a sorry

lot at best. I never missed a game though, and I won't miss this year either because, now that my daughter is home, she'll be going with me. Mike agreed to be the team's physician, which means she's got to sit on the sidelines and fix them up when they get hurt. We all know they're going to get trounced again, but I figure I ought to be supportive of their efforts by showing up and cheering them on. We didn't win a single game last year. We've got some real big boys, but they don't know what to do when they get the ball. They don't know how to hit either. You like to watch football, Theo?"

"Sure," he said.

"You ever play?"

"Yes, I did," he answered. "High school, and college until I trashed my knee."

"What position? You're tall and thick through the shoulders. I'd guess quarterback."

Theo nodded. "That's right. It seems like a long time ago."

Jake had a speculative gleam in his eyes. "You ever think about coaching?"

Theo laughed. "No, I haven't."

"Mike might be able to fix up your knee for you."

"You must be very proud of your daughter, coming back home to open a clinic."

"Of course I'm proud of her," he said. "I'm not going to let her work herself to the bone, though. There are other doctors in

St. Claire, and they'll be taking call for one another so each of them can have some time off now and again."

"Why is she doing surgery here in Brethren?"

"To make some extra money. They call it moonlighting, but she's finished now and won't be coming back. Do you like to fish?"

"I used to, but the last few years, there just hasn't been any time for it," he admitted. "I remember, though, there's nothing like

that feeling of peace that comes over a man when he's-"

"Holding a fishing pole in one hand and a cold beer in the other?"

"Yeah, that's right. Nothing like it in the world."

They started discussing their favorite lures and bait, and then did a good deal of bragging about the fish they'd caught. Jake was impressed. He didn't think anyone understood or loved fishing as much as he did, but he had to admit that from the way Theo talked, he had met his match.

"I'm telling you, you ought to come up to Bowen. We've got the best fishing in the state, and I mean to prove it to you. We'll pass

a good time out on my dock."

"I may take you up on the offer sometime," he said.

"What do you do for a living?" Jake asked.

"I'm an attorney."

"How come the chief of police is sending you flowers?" he asked. He looked sheepish as he added, "They were sitting on the counter at the nurses' station before they brought them on in here, and I read the card."

"I came to New Orleans to give a speech," he said, leaving out the feet that he was being honored by the local authorities.

"I work for the Justice Department."

"Doing what exactly?"

"I was assigned to a special task force," he said. He realized he was still being evasive and added, "The area was organized

crime. I just finished up."

"Did you get your man?"

Theo smiled. "Yeah, I did."

"Are you out of a job now?"

"No," he answered. "Justice wants me to stay on. I'm not sure what I'm going to do."

Jake continued with his questions. Theo thought he would have made a great prosecutor. He had a sharp mind and a quick wit.

"You ever think about going into private practice?" Jake asked.

"Sometimes."

"There aren't any good attorneys in Bowen. We got two over in St. Claire, but they'll rob you blind. Folks don't think much of them."

While Jake talked about his town, Theo kept trying to think of a subtle way to bring the subject back to Michelle.

"Is your daughter married?" So much for subtle.

"I was wondering when you were going to get around to asking me about Mike. The answer's no, she isn't married. She hasn't

had time. Of course, the men in Bowen and St. Claire are all trying to get her attention, but she's been too busy setting up her clinic to pay them any mind. She's still young," he added. "And smart. Lord, is my girl smart. She finished college before she was twenty, then started in on her medical training. She had to go out of state to do her residency, but she came home to visit every chance she got. She's mindful of family," he added with a nod. "And she's pretty too, isn't she?"

"Yes, she is."

"I figured you'd notice."

Jake stood up and put the chair back against the wall. "It was nice passing the time with you, but I should go now. You get some sleep, and I'll carry that box to the car. Dr. Cooper gave my daughter some old surgical equipment, and when she asked me to come and fetch it, she was smiling like it was Christmas morning. If you ever make your way to Bowen, you be sure and come

by The Swan. That's my bar," he explained. "Drinks on the house."

He was at the door when Theo stopped him. "If I don't see your daughter before she leaves, please tell her thank you for me,

and also tell her how sorry I am about the dress."

"I'll be sure and tell her."

"Maybe our paths will cross again someday."

Jake nodded. "Maybe so."