Love Takes Wing Page #2

away from you, Lillian.

Good, 'cause we don't

trust strangers around here.

Kids need someone they know

looking after them.

[ Child Groans ]

- Quite the handful.

- [ Chuckles ]

Ah, she's something.

She's tenacious...

but an immense help to me.

Stick your tongue out for me.

And what did you say

the average recovery time was?

Well, there isn't one.

Nobody's gotten any better.

[Horse Whinnies ]

- You shouldn't be helping them orphans.

- Sorry?

I know who you are.

You're here to help us, not those no-accounts

spreading plague to half this town.

I take it youre Ray Russell.

Miss Clarence warned me about you.

It's me who should be

warning you, Miss Simpson.

- You have no idea what youre getting involved in.

- It's Dr. Simpson.

Thank you for your concern, but I can

take care of myself. And just so you know...

I'm here to take care of

everyone in this town.

We're the ones pay your salary,

the good God-fearing folks...

who don't deserve

this plight visited upon us.

No one deserves to suffer, Mr. Russell.

Not you, and certainly not

a bunch of innocent children.

Those children ain't innocents.

They come from beggars, liars and thieves.

You cannot blame children for the misdeeds

of their parents or your own.

What are you talking about?

I ain't done nothing wrong.

You want to send children

out on the prairie to die.

- If you don't think that's wrong-

- He causing you a problem, ma'am?

I'll ask you to stay out of this matter, Lee.

This ain't none of your concern.

Ray, you got no business

bothering the doctor.

Shes just trying to do her job,

just like other folks.

Let God help the unfortunates.

You're here to help us.

- [ Man ] Howdy, jasper.

- Hey. How are you?

That's not very Christian

of you, is it, Ray?

You have quite the welcoming

committee in Sikeston.

Please, don't judge

the rest of us on Ray Russell.

Oh. Where's my manners?

Lee Owens. Blacksmith.

Belinda Simpson.

But I have a feeling you already know that.

Well, it's a small town.

News travels fast-

especially when the mayor

hires a woman doctor.

- You got quite the temper, ma'am.

- I think it's unfair to attack children.

You don't need to convince me.

I don't hold much with the witch hunt myself.

Do you think you could point me in the right

direction to the Pines' residence, please?

Well, it's a little late in the day...

and I get the feeling you haven't

had a chance to settle in yet.

Why don't you turn in?

I'll take you there first thing in the mornin'.

Very well then. First thing tomorrow.

I'll be over at the clinic.

I know the way.

- Evenin', Doc.

- Thank you, Mr. Owens. You as well.

Hard first day?

I'm sorry. I hope you haven't been

waiting for me this whole time.

I went down to the general store

to get supplies.

From what I heard people saying,

I figured it'd be a while.

And I thought you might be hungry,

so I saved you a plate from supper.

Thank you.

So, what'd you hear?

Plague of God.

Some sort of influenza.

Annie, I think I know what it is.

When I was little

in the tenements of New York...

it would burn through

the houses every summer...

and by July,

someone in each family was sick.

More died than survived.

I think it might be cholera.

We'll get through this together.

You know...

the old Belinda would have said...

that it was divine providence

that I was here to help her.

That was before I knew the truth.

We can pray all we want,

but no one's listening.

No God saved Drew as he lay dying in bed.

All we have in this world are ourselves.

[ Chattering]

Start talking to the townspeople.

We need to figure out where this thing

started and how it got spread.

Where are you headed?

I'm gonna go and give

the mayor my diagnosis...

and then I've gotta go see

John and Meredith Pine.

[ No Audible Dialogue]

- Good luck.

- You too. We'll both need it.

I'm sorry to interrupt, Mayor,

but I was told I could find you here.

Well, I'm in the middle of my breakfast.

If youd like to meet me in my office

in a while, we can have a chat.

I have a very busy day ahead of me, sir...

and I was hoping I could speak to you now.

All right, Doctor.

What's on your mind?

It's about the sickness at the orphanage.

I don't believe it's influenza, sir.

I think it's cholera.

[ Whispers ] Keep your voice down.

Besides, that's not possible.

I have read about this...

and this disease is a disease

of poverty and the unclean.

And here in town we are very proud

of our civic improvements.

No one is exactly sure

how the disease is spread.

That's one of the difficulties

in fighting it.

Well, what about a vaccine?

I've also read that they're making strides

against smallpox using vaccines.

Unless we know what causes the disease,

we can't invent a vaccine.

- Then how do you cure it?

- There isn't a cure.

Then I suggest you find one, Doctor.

"Cholera is a disease of the unclean."

I wasn't aware you attended

medical school, Mayor Evans.

Seems like I was right

about your temper, Doc.

I'm just so frustrated, and these people-

Watch yourself now.

These people are also my people.

Except you don't support making poor,

defenseless orphans homeless as well.

True. But it wouldn't hurt to understand why

they might want to do something like that.

I don't care how frightened I was.

I would never endanger the lives of children.

Maybe so. But if you understand

why they're afraid...

well, that might help you

get your point across.

You're probably right.

- Are you here to take me

to see the Pines, Mr. Owens?

- Yes, ma'am.

Well, thank you for your kindness, Mr. Owens.

I'm finding it's a rarity in this town.

Aw, give us a chance, Doc.

You might find that Sikeston

can be a very welcoming town.

Mrs. Pine. This is Dr. Belinda Simpson.

She's here to help.

Thank you for coming.

- Give my best to john, will ya?

- Will do. Thank you, Mr. Owens.

Have a good day, ladies.

- Are you feeling better?

- I'm sorry?

I was told that you and your husband came down

with the same sickness as the children.

- I'm actually quite relieved someone's recovering.

- I'm not sick at all, ma'am.

It's my husband and daughter.

They fell ill almost a week ago.

Ella, you said the doctor was coming.

Who's this?

I am the doctor, Mr. Pine.

I'm here to take care of you.

I already got a woman to take care of me.

I need- I need a real doctor.

Please, john. just let Dr. Simpson

take a look at you.

He's been like this for days.

He can't even stand

for a few minutes at a time.

Neither one of them

can keep anything down.

Is it the same sickness as those orphans?

I think so.

I believe it's cholera.

- Cholera?

- Please. Keep it down.

- I don't want to upset your husband or Meredith.

- Oh, my Lord.

John and Meredith

are all I have in this world.

Are they gonna die?

I'm gonna do everything I can.

I need you to keep cold compresses

on their foreheads...

to get the fever down,

and keep them resting.

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