oom: barlow estate (4)

[scurlock]

It's been a handful of days since Sunday, and the week indeed has been busy. Jay's been keeping himself busy, with the work Samuel has been giving all of them to get things ready for the harvest. He's falling into an easy enough routine, odds and ends here and there, checking on things, repairs or working with the stock.

He's out in a far field, surveying the crop, taking notes and doing a bit of figuring with numbers. He's got that notebook open to a fresh page and a stub of a pencil in his fingertips, the reins resting slack in his lap as he and Cortez sit still.

"Fifteen...carry the two..."

Jay glances up at the crop again and then quietly chirrups to the horse to get him moving, eyes falling back down to the paper once more.

"Carry the two and then multiply by eighty-five..."



The rabbit bolts out of a burrow and streaks across the thin, worn grass in front of the horse, and barrels straight into a patch of resting birds. Little things, picking down at a fallen corncob, but when the rabbit charges through there's a flutter of wings and angry chirping as they take flight.

"Seven...what the hell--"


Cortez startles and rears back on his hind legs, leaving his rider scrambling for a hold (and missing the horn with the sudden shift of weight) briefly before he hits the dirt, landing hard on his left side and smacking his head into the ground.

"Jesus Goddamn Christ..."

Everything is starred behind his eyes and his shoulder hurts, his lungs scrambling to breathe in oxygen after slamming so hard into the ground. He knows he knocked the wind out of himself, and he flops onto his back and stares at the brilliant Texas sky overhead, an endless blue, as he gasps for breath.

You're okay, Doc. You're okay. Just breathe. Easy. Breathe.

Eventually, after a few minutes of lying still, he sits himself upright - cradling his left side with his right hand as he does so - and then looks at Cortez. Or, looks for Cortez.



The horse is nowhere to be seen.



"...dammit!"

Comments

[ikissdhimbck]

Katherine re-enters the room with a pail of cold well water, and hesitates momentarily.

Because there is a half-naked man in her kitchen.

Her eyes go a bit wide before she remembers herself and blinks, demurely turning her blushing face away and moving towards the stove.

"Looks like it's come clean outta the socket," says Henry, grimly. "Gonna have to set it back 'gain. You all right with that?"

Katherine lights the stove and puts on the water to warm it, heart beating a little fast.

[scurlock]

"Don't have much choice, do I," he admits, with another little tight laugh, shaking his head. "That'll teach me t'trust that horse for five seconds on my own..."

He pulls in another deep breath and closes his eyes.

"Jus'gimme a minute t'git my head to stop spinnin'."

[ikissdhimbck]

Henry winces sympathetically, before turning over his shoulder to motion Katherine near.

She quietly steps to the other side of Jay, hands clasped in front of her. An eyebrow goes up.

"Not necessarily the horse's fault," she says quietly. Half-teasing.

[scurlock]

"No, it wasn't the horse's fault," he admits. "Was my own fault for not keepin' my eyes on what was in front of him, just got scared by some critters. Nobody's fault. S'why they call 'em 'accidents', right?"

After a minute or two, he opens his eyes again and glances up at Henry.

"You done this 'fore?"

He has - from Henry's position, of course - but never has he had his own shoulder reset.

[ikissdhimbck]

"Ain't a worry," says Henry, though he doesn't bother to clarify just what exactly he's commenting on.

"Miss Katherine, just hold him steady when I push, would you?"

He has one hand on Jay's shoulder, and the other curled gently around his forearm, keeping his arm bent at roughly a 90-degree angle.

Eyes skating up to Jay's face, he nods once, as if to say, 'All right, son. Brace yourself.'

[scurlock]

Jay shifts his right foot and hooks it around the chair leg to brace himself against the chair, then he nods slightly.

'Ready as I'll ever be.'

He does his best to relax his left arm and shoulder - the muscles aren't quite right either, but he knows it'll be easier if he isn't tense - and curls his hand into a fist.

Another hard, sharp exhale.

"Go."

[ikissdhimbck]

Katherine looks mildly uncomfortable with her hands on Jay's bare shoulder, but she holds him steady nonetheless, her touch tender, and steadies her own self.

Henry nods once more and angles Jay's arm -- no doubt it hurts like hell -- and pushes, not wishing to prolong the pain any longer than necessary.

Eventually, he can feel a pop as the Humeral Head slips back into place.

[scurlock]

He ducks his head and hisses as he inhales (tensing up, involuntarily) when Henry flexes the arm outwards, working the shoulder back into the joint.

ow ow ow fucking mother of fuck almost there

Jay exhales a breath he wasn't aware he was holding and nods rapidly, pitching forward with relief when the joint finally is back in the correct alignment.

"Oh thank god. Yeah," he nods a little more. "Y'got it."

[ikissdhimbck]

Henry nods too, relief written across his own features as he checks the joint one last time.

"Yeah, you're gonna be right as rain," he mumbles, trying on a little smile. "Sorry if I hurt ya -- tried t' make it as quick as possible."

Those scrapes, too, look like they sting something awful.

Katherine still looks mildly concerned, her hand instinctively smoothing Jay's hair down the back of his neck as she just gives him a moment to breathe.

[scurlock]

"Feels a heck of a lot better now that it ain't out of place. I 'preciate it," he adds. "Y'didn't hurt me, just..wasn't the most comfortable thing I've ever done."

He keeps his eyes closed as her hand runs down his hair and the back of his neck.

(It's a familiar touch. More comforting than she realizes.)

[ikissdhimbck]

"Yeah," Henry agrees, his hand gently on Jay's newly reset shoulder. His expression is still sympathetic. "You'll be all right. Let me go get some clean wraps for them cuts of yours, though. Miss Katherine will lend you a hand in cleanin' them up."

He pats his shoulder very carefully, then straightens and leaves the two of them.

Katherine moves to the stove and checks the water, pulling the pot from the cast iron heat, and setting it nearer Jay's feet.

[scurlock]

He lifts his eyes once she steps away.

"Y'gotta rag I can use t'wipe these clean, Miss Barlow?" He inquires quietly, fully intending (though he knows she's going to shoot him down) to clean the wounds himself the best he can.

[ikissdhimbck]

"I surely do," she says quietly, dipping her hand (and said rag) into the warm water.

She looks up sternly.

"But you just sit yourself still and let me worry about cleaning them up, you hear?"

[scurlock]

A somewhat sheepish smile crosses his face.

"If you insist, I would appreciate that, then," he nods slightly. "And I promise to sit myself still and behave."

[ikissdhimbck]

She stands slightly behind him, to help hide the blush on her face as she sets the warm cloth to his shoulder.

"I insist."

She washes the bloodied flesh in silence for a good spell, nerves tying her tongue. But once the adrenaline of the experience has worn off, and she allows her eyes to wander just a little, she eventually notices them scars on his arm.




"You a trouble-maker, Mr. Gordon?"

[scurlock]

He tips his head slightly to his left side, to listen when she asks the question of him, but he doesn't look up at her.

"Reckon trouble has a habit of findin' me, don't mean I go lookin' for it," he offers.

[ikissdhimbck]

"That so?"

That's masterfully contained amusement hiding behind her prim voice.

[scurlock]

Somehow, somehow, he manages not to smirk.

"I certainly don't go makin' it," he adds.

A half-beat.

"No more."

[ikissdhimbck]

She glances up at his profile, eyes absently following the curve of his nose, those soft eyelashes, and strong chin. Her eyes fall back to her hands.

"'No more' seems to suggest that you have been something of a trouble-maker, Mr. Gordon," she points out, voice serious.

Honestly.

[scurlock]

He's quiet for a moment, but he's not put off by her statement.

His eyes are focused on a spot across the kitchen, and only a slight twitch in his face indicates when she hits a part that stings a bit more, some sand ground into his skin.

Eventually, he nods.

"It would suggest that, wouldn't it."

It's not a question.

[ikissdhimbck]

The pregnant silence makes her somewhat nervous, and she catches the wince from the corner of her eye and mistakes it for something else.

"Forgive me."

She moves from him, bending to rinse the rag in the warm water.

"I shouldn't pry."

[scurlock]

"You weren't pryin'," he says, glancing over his shoulder at her. "I was just thinkin', s'all. You're alright."

He settles his gaze forward again, and then flexes his shoulder.

Something dawns on him.


"Cortez git back to the stables alright?"

[ikissdhimbck]

She nods slowly, though she knows he isn't looking.

"Yes. Made it back, an' went straight for the feed room. Brushed him down for you and set him in his stall."

Her voice is quiet and soft, eyes following the play of water as it drips from the rag in her hands to the bucket.

[scurlock]

"I appreciate that. He didn't give you no trouble, I hope?"

He closes his eyes, tired all of a sudden. Endorphins and adrenaline wearing off, the soreness and aching muscles setting in.

The ribs along his left side are going to feel great for the next few days, in addition to that shoulder he's going to have to baby for awhile.


(Plus his head still hurts like hell.)

[ikissdhimbck]

"No."

She straightens slowly, bringing fresh, warm water to his skin.

She doesn't say another word for a long time, or take her eyes from her work. But eventually she glances up, a little unsettled by how still he's gotten.