"Mary Jo! Whadaya think yer doing out this late - an' with a man no less!"

"Oh Ma, I ain’t out with no man. He had a wreck down the road a piece and he's hurt."

Ma limped down the steps and walked toward them.

Monroe slid off the mule to the ground. Mary Jo grabbed his arm as he staggered and leaned against the mule. How much of his unsteady balance was the leg and how much was the injury?

She dismounted. "Maybe I should go down and call the police."

He pushed away from the mule. "No. I'll be all right."

Ma grabbed his arm and wrapped it around her shoulder. "Come on, Mary Jo. You take t'other side and we'll get him into the house." She looked up at Monroe’s face. “Lan' sakes yer a big lad.”

Mary Jo slipped his other arm around her shoulder. Together they got him across the porch and into the house. It wasn't easy, what with Ma being so short. When they got him to the couch, he lifted his arms from their shoulders and sank down on it with a long sigh of relief.

"I think he needs a doctor," Mary Jo said to Ma.

Monroe grimaced. "No, I'll be all right. Just let me rest for a little while.”

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Mary Jo tucked a pillow on the end of the couch and fluffed it. "Here, at least you can lay down on this here piller."

Ma appeared with a lamp and Monroe squinted, holding his hand up to shield his eyes.

Ma gently pushed his hand away. "Lay still and let me look at yer eyes."

Monroe did as he was told. Few people defied Ma's authoritative demeanor. Ma didn’t know things like RH negative stuff, but she knew everything there was about healing with hill folk remedies.

Ma moved the lamp and watched his eyes. “He got a bad knock on the head, but he’ll be all right.”

Monroe hung on to his head as if he expected it to fly off. He gave Ma a brave smile. "Lucky thing I hit my head.” He gingerly touched the bruise and winced. "When will your husband be home?"

Ma frowned. "Pa’s gone down to Little Rock and won't be back for a few days."

"Ma." Mary Joe gave her a stern look. Ma never met a stranger and she trusted everyone. "Mr. Monroe is a timber man."




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