August 28, 1900

Tombstone. 

This morning I walked into town and greeted Payton and Mr. Alex. I noticed that Payton had a bandage on her hand and asked, “What you do?” 

“Well.. um.. got stupid I guess...broke it on the matrons door when I punched it,” she blushed. 

“Well that ain’t good.” 

“Yah I know that now,” she giggled. 

“Payton, anytime you get upset, come find me and I’ll show you that boxing dummy,” Mr. Alex suggested. 

“You two think alike,” Payton giggled. 

“That cause Mr. Stone is teachin’ me to be like him,” I grinned. 

“Well that’s a good thing… Mr. Cole is gonna teach me ta be a vet.” 

“Did you already clean stuff Mr Stone?” I asked and Payton followed us into the clinic. 

“That’s great! Maybe you two can trade notes,” Mr. Alex suggested. 

“But Payton working on animals and I work on people,” I said. 

“No, I haven’t cleaned anything yet today. I was doing paperwork,” Mr. Alex said and I went over to the sink to wash my hands. 

“That’s true, Nat, but people and animals both can get sick or hurt and some of the ways you treat them are the same,” Mr. Stone chuckled. 

“Payton I can make um... Willow tea.... to make your hand feel better,” I suggested. 

“Right.. but people ain’t that different.. both have bones,” Payton nodded and smiled to me. “That works Natalie.... I finished my first one.” 

“Oh… Okay I make you some!” I offered. 

“Thank you Natalie,” Payton smiled. 

I went to get the kettle and filled it with water from the sink, putting the kettle carefully on the stove. I went over to get a teacup and filled it with Willow tea leaves, throwing them into the cup. “Now we wait for the water to whistle.” 

“I figure.. that ya might need a vet anyway here at the clinic.. just in case Rikki bites someone..” Payton smiled. 

“I’m happy to hear you’d like to be a vet, Payton. It’s good to have plans for the future,” Mr. Alex said and then laughed. “We’d all need a rabies shot.” 

I heard the kettle whistle and took the kettle over to the cup, pouring water in. I set the kettle back on the stove and said, “Hey Payton guess what! You my first patient!! I made Jimmy tea but that was cause he was sad, not cause he was hurt. And Doc Freja made that.” 

“Well.. my pa..before he left .. he was a doctor.. an blood don’t bother me at all.. but I have been workin on Mrs Joan’s ranch. Well with all the horses that need tendin I figured it would be smart ta learn,” Payton smiled. “Well then I have ta make sure I am a good patient.” 

I handed her the teacup with tea in it and said, “Here you go. I hope you feel better. No more punching walls.” I looked at Mr. Stone to make sure I did a good job. 

“No worries there Doc Natalie,” Payton took the tea and smiled. 

“That’s great, Miss Stark!” Mr. Alex smiled at me. “You’re doing a good job.” 

I went to the desk and beamed wide as I wrote down about my first patient. “I’m gonna keep track of people I give tea to when they’re hurt, like Ma writes notes too! Payton did you know there over two hundred bones in Mr. Bones? We learned almost half of ’em yesterday. The other ones must be hidden Mr. Stone ’cause I looked again and could only find the ones we named.” 

“I am glad that Mrs Joan’s mare had the foal before I broke my hand.. I had ta help out.. poor thing was breach but they doin fine now,” Payton said and then blinked. “That many?!” 

“Uh huh!!” 

“Well, there are some really small one. Oh wow, that must have been great to see a foal born,” Mr. Alex said. 

“How the tea?” I asked, sitting beside Payton. 

“Wow…” Payton looked at her hand and then at me. “It’s very good, my hand feels almost good enough ta do my chores.. but.. am under order to rest .” 

“See Mr. Stone it works!” I grinned. 

“It does! Thank you for getting her another cup, Miss Stark. You’re on your way to making a great doctor,” Mr. Alex smiled. 

“Course it worked got a great teacher an your a great learner ya can’t fail,” Payton smiled. 

“Uh huh! Mr. Stone the best doctor in all Arizona!” I exclaimed. 

“Aw, thanks!” Mr. Alex grinned. 

“It’s true. We not s’posed to lie.” 

Payton sipped the tea and nodded. “Yup he’s been a good help for me ..just wish he was the first doc that took out the bullet I had.. first doc left half the bullet an then messed up the stitches.” 

“Ouch. There are a lot of quack out there,” Mr. Alex said. 

“You can say that again, an not all of em is doctors,” Payton nodded. “Well Mrs Jess fixed it up takin the bullet out an then fixed the stitches ..an you took em out and now I am as good as new ..almost, after the hand heals.” 

“You’re hand will be mended in no time,” Mr. Alex said. 

“Mr. Stone did you want some wake up tea?” I asked. 

“Oh I know thanks to Mr Cole, you and Natalie I should be back to my old self again,” Payton said. 

“Sure, wake up tea would be nice,” Mr. Alex nodded. 

I went over to the kettle and said, “Hey the water’s still hot!” I went to find another teacup and put some black tea leaves in it and poured the water in, handing it to Mr. Alex. “Here you go Mr Stone. Wake up!!!” 

“Thanks, Miss Stark,” he took the cop and smiled. 

“Now I should make some for me but I not sure what kind I need. I’m already awake. And not upset. What’s working tea, Mr. Stone?” 

“How about a raspberry lemon tea?” 

“That sounds yummy.” I went over and made up the tea and then sat down with it, sipping it. “That real yummy! Now we all have tea! What this kind of tea do, Mr. Stone?” 

“Tea is a good way to start the day. Um, that one just tastes good.” 

“Oh okay.” 

“Yeah hopefully things won’t be too rough taday, though its good ta keep busy,” Payton finished her tea. 

“Keeping busy helps the day go by fast,” Mr. Alex agreed. 

“Yes it does an I love working with horses makes it even more fun an they don’t complain as much as humans.” 

“That’s a good point!” Mr. Alex said and we all laughed. “My horse is one of my favorite people. He’s always nice and quiet.” 

“But Mr. Stone Leo isn’t a people.” 

“He is to me,” Mr. Alex chuckled. 

“Like Phoenix is to Ma?” 

“Leo has been my only friend at times. He’s been with me all way from Boston,” he said. 

“An just like some people with dogs an cats, they are animals but they are still part of the family,” Payton said. 

“I want a dog…” I said. 

“Exactly, Payton!” Mr. Alex said to her. 

“I have seen a lot of dogs an cats wanderin lately and a few horses though not really sure who would let their horse wander alone, its not a smart thin ta do,” Payton giggled. 

“A horse is too valuable,” Mr. Alex nodded. 

“Payton what about that horse stuff with Rikki and Miss Ashton?” I asked.

Payton nodded and looked at me and shrugged. “Well.. not sure, Miss Ashton left an went cross the boarder to get more horses..an I made a statement ..that she was gonna bring em back have me check over them ta see their health an if they had brands on em to remove the brand to put hers on an then sell em.. but she never came back ta meet again with Rikki to make it final.” 

“Huh that’s weird. Ma said she was real proud of you for tellin’ her what happened.” 

“Yyeah I felt a lot better after tellin the truth an all, Miss Ashton wanted me to use my vet learnin ta help her with stealin the horses, keepin them healthy an takin care of the brands on em.” 

“Uh huh horse brandin’ a bad thing, right Mr Stone?” I asked him. 

“Well, changing the brand is bad. The brand is amark on the horse to show who owns it,” Mr. Alex said. 

Payton looked at him and said then to me and nodded. “I want ta help animals not help people ta get away with stealin them.” 

“What happens if they get caught?” I asked. “When Ma figures out how to prove they’re doin’ it?” 

“They’ll get in trouble,” Mr. Alex said. 

“Stealin horses is bad enough ta get hung…” Payton looked over at me. “Well shoot, that’s easy. Miss Ashton had me keep the records in the safe in the ranch.” 

“You should give those records to Ma,” I cringed. 

“Your ma told me ta stay away from the ranch sept ta tend the horses… but I have the combination ta the safe.” 

“You should get it then she can put it with your statement thing and show the marshals,” I said. 

“You be really careful doing something like that,” Mr. Alex said. 

“But Mr. Stone if it gonna put bad people away like Miss Rikki… She gotta!” 

“I don’t want Payton getting hurt sneaking into someone’s house, Nat.” 

“Yeah but..” 

“But what?” 

“If she don’t get those papers then they get away with stealin’ horses!” 

“I know.” 

“What’s worse? Stealin’ horses to get hanged or goin’ into someone’s house to find stuff?” 

“Don’t know why I didn’t think of that,” Payton nodded. “Yes sir.. Rikki don’t seem like the person ta care if she is shootin a kid or adult.. an even though Miss Ashton was there Rikki looked like she would do somethin as soon as Miss Ashton weren’t lookin.”

“But sneaking into a house isn’t a good thing either.” 

“Stealing horses is worse…” I argued. 

“Two wrongs don’t make a right, Nat. There are legal ways to get those papers.” 

“How??” I sighed. 

“I don’t know, Nat. I’m not a lawman.” 

“I jus feel bad that they was usin me like that.. an Miss Ashton wanted ta be my mom,” Payton nodded. “Nat.. you could tell yer ma.. I could give her the combination.. an the law can go get em.. since they investigatin it.” 

“I don’t like that they used you like that either, Payton,” Mr. Alex said. 

“Yeah that a good idea. Ma won’t get in trouble for it if she got somethin’ from the marshals tellin’ ’em she can go in,” I pointed out. 

“Right,” Payton smiled. 

“Exactly, Nat,” Mr. Alex agreed. 

“I’ll just tell Ma to come find you Payton,” I said. 

“This is definitely wake up tea,” Mr. Alex said. 

“Sounds good Nat.. I want to be a vet to help the animals, not help an outlaw get the animals,” Payton said. 

“Uh huh. You’ll be the hero, Payton!” I told her. 

“Sounds like you two have a plan,” Mr. Alex nodded. 

“Well yes.. but.. I’m just Payton..don’t want ta be a hero…” Payton shrugged. 

Miss Sugar came in and I asked her if she was shot but she said she wasn’t. I asked if she wanted some tea and she said she’d love some, so I made some more tea. Mr. Alex told her about me helping out in the clinic. Mr. Alex told Payton to keep her hand clean and I suggested that we could test everyone’s eyesight. 

I saw a box on the counter and asked Mr. Alex what it was, since it said small pox on it. 

“That’s a vaccination kit. Do you know what a vaccination is?” he asked. 

“I dunno what Smal Pox is either,” I shook my head. 

“It’s a special shot that makes sure you don’t get sick. That one makes sure you don’t get small pox.” 

“It’s a dreaded disease... lots of horrible ugly pox rise up on ones skin,” Miss Sugar said. 

“Small pox is a nasty disease that gives you pus-filled sores all over your body,” Mr. Alex said. 

“We should give everyone needles then!!!” I exclaimed. 

Mr. Alex said we had vaccinated most people in the town but that he would ask my ma if I’d had it yet. I told Miss Sugar that Miss Trin was my ma. Mr. Alex said there would be a scar on my shoulder if I’d gotten vaccinated and he looked on my arm and said it didn’t look like I’d had it done yet. 

“Nope, no scar there. We better get you vaccinated. Do you want to do that now or do you want that to be tomorrow’s lesson?” 

“Um... We haven’t had today’s lesson yet.” 

“You making tea was kind of a quiz,” he chuckled. “You did a good job on it too.” 

“Oh. Well good. I hope there not a quiz on Mr. Bones…” 

“No, I won’t give you any formal quizzes,” he laughed. 

“No way I could tell you all 47 without lookin’ at my notes. Miss Sugar you know there over two hundred bones in Mr. Bones?” I looked at her. 

“No, I didn’t know,” she shook her head. 

We talked about the vaccination for small pox and Mr. Alex got out his tool kit and got ready to give everyone shots. I made record of who we’d given it to and he made three little scratches on my arm. It didn’t hurt too much and I acted tough. Payton got her vaccination too and we cleaned up the blades so that they could be used again. I felt the hot water on my skin and blinked at how hot it was. 

“Careful, Nat. Let me see your fingers,” Mr. Alex said and held out his hand for me. 

“I sorry. I forgot how hot the water was,” I walked over to him and showed him my hands. 

“You don’t have to be sorry. I bet you won’t forget that quickly,” he smiled. I shook my head and he looked at my hands, seeing they were a little pink. “Do you remember talking to Mr. Jy yesterday?” 

“Uh huh. Maybe I need um…” I tried to think. 

“What did we tell him he needs for burns?” 

“Um... Aloe.” 

“Yes!” he pointed to a plant growing in a pot on the windowsill. “That’s aloe. Go break off a piece and we’ll rub this on your burns.” 

“Okay.” I went to the plant and broke off a piece, taking it back to Mr. Alex. 

“See the clear stuff inside? That will feel cooling on your skin.” He pulled open the leaf and wiped the jelly on my hands. “Does your shoulder sting much, Payton?” he asked her. 

I felt my hand cooling and grinned. “Wow, it feels better!” 

“Good stuff, isn’t it?” Mr. Alex nodded and smiled. 

“Uh huh!” 

Miss Joan came into the clinic and I walked behind Mr. Alex, not saying anything. Miss Joan said that she heard I made a great cup of bazil tea and Mr. Alex said I was doing a good job. Miss Joan said she needed a checkup. 

I leaned up to Mr. Alex and whispered, “She made Jimmy cry. I have to make her tea?” 

“Yes, Nat. You treat everyone who comes into the clinic, no matter what.” 

“That’s in the oath, ain’t it?” I looked down. 

“Yes, it is, Miss Stark,” he said and I sighed, going to wash my hands. “"So, you need a check up?” he looked at Miss Joan. 

“Yes sir,” she nodded and they introduced themselves to each other. 

“Miss Joan you want tea now or after checkup?” I asked. 

“After, Natalie. Thank you.” 

Mr. Alex went to wash his hands and Payton looked at Miss Jaon. “Yeah he is great.. he is the doctor that took out my stitches an gave me my small pox vaccine just a bit ago.” 

“Oh Natalie, can you answer me one question?” Miss Joan asked. 

“Depends what it is, Miss Joan.” 

“Great. How is Jimmy doing?” 

“He is good, Miss Joan.” 

“And please tell Jimmy I am so sorry. Thank you.” 

“I will, Miss Joan.” 

“And I will always love him. And anything he needs, I try to get him. Doc, I am ready. Please Natalie, tell him that.” 

I looked at Mr. Alex, trying to remember the oath, and nodded to Miss Joan. 

“Please have a seat on the exam table ma’am,” Mr. Alex said and took out his stethoscope. “I’m going to listen to your heart and lung. Take a deep breath for me, please,” he said and pressed the bell to her chest as Miss Joan did so. 

Mr. Alex checked her reflexes and she said she wasn’t having any problems with anything other than being sad lately. I asked Payton if she’d had her check up yet and she said she did with Doc Jess to talk about the scar on her hip and about her cycle. Miss Joan told Mr. Alex about getting a promotion with the soldiers. 

I saw another woman outside and asked if she was hurt but she said that she was just new to town and that her name was Zala. I asked her if she’d had her checkup recently or the small pox vaccination and she said she had gotten it recently. Miss Joan said she’d had her vaccination already and I updated the list. I asked Miss Joan if she wanted some tea and I gave her some Chamomile tea to calm her down. 

I looked at Miss Joan and said, “Miss Joan, you tell Miss Suzy to stop bein’ mean to my ma.” 

“I will. Who is your ma?” she asked. 

“Miss Trin. She was mean to her in court. Made ma sad.” 

“Oh. I will ask her, okay?” 

I went to stand beside Mr. Alex and said, “I guess we don’t have time for a lesson today ’cause it so busy.” 

“I bet you learned more today than you thought you did, Nat,” he smiled at me. 

“I did?” 

“You learned about vaccinations. That’s really important” 

I showed him my lists and he said I did a great job. I asked if I could take a break for a bit and he said that I could go have some fun, since I did a lot today. I told Payton that I was gonna go find Ma and tell her that she was there, and she said she’d be waiting for her. 

*** 

This evening I found Miss Aly in front of Kate’s. I snuck up behind Miss Aly from behind the bar and hugged her. “Hi cutie!” she grinned and scooped me up into a big hug. 

“Hi Miss Aly! I missed you!!” 

“I missed you too! How ya doin’?”” she smiled. 

“I helping Mr. Alex in the clinic!! He’s training me!” 

“I heard! I heard you been a big help with cleanin’ and such.” 

“Today we learned ’bout Small Pox vacceens.” 

“Uh huh. That’s good, I think. I don’t like medical stuff so much.” 

“Miss Aly you had your small pox thing right?” 

“Yes, you bet Mr. Alex made sure I got it right away.” 

“He did Miss Trin’s too.” 

“Good.” 

“I’m askin’ around to make sure people got it. If they don’t got it they should come tomorrow morning and get it.” 

“That’s good! You got a few people here now you can ask,” she said, looking around. 

“You don’t want gross things growing on your skin. When was the last time you had a check up Miss Aly?” 

“Uhm… I didn’t keep track.” 

“How many months ago? You should be able to get em all the time cause you live with him right?” 

“I don’t remember…maybe…..7” she blushed. 

“Ohh I should talk to Mr. Stone ’bout that,” I said and she chuckled. 

“That’s probably a good idea. Thanks for looking out for me Natalie,” Miss Aly said. 

“It what I do now and I don’t want you to get sick Miss Aly,” I told her, not paying much attention to everyone else around yet. I heard Mr. Zeth then and asked him if he’d had his small pox vaccination or checkup recently. He said he was okay on that stuff and then I asked Miss Bianca and Miss Pet too. They promised they were all set and miss Muriel asked me if I was a lab rat at the clinic. She said she’d had her vaccination already too. I continued to talk to people about their checkups and small pox vaccinations and updated my lists as I went. 

Eventually I found Jimmy and he gave me a big hug. “Guess what Natalie!” 

“Whaaaat!” I giggled when he tickled me. 

“I find Miss Aeryne not sot and die afer all...Miss Bree say she see her today!” 

“No way!! Really??? That gonna make Ma so happy!!!” 

“Yah! She say she look fine as frog hairs…” he chuckled. 

“I so glad she okay! Hey Jimmy you had small pox vaccy yet?” 

“Natalie, Miss Angeles give me paper thingy for Ruby’s doption party Saturday...I got one fer you too.” 

“Oh fun!” 

“Oh yes, this Saturday,” Miss Angeles said then, coming over to us. “We will have ice cream, candies and cake.” 

“Sounds like fun!” 

“Oh yes.” 

“What smallpox vaxoline?” Jimmy asked. 

“Have fun, Natalie and Jimmi!” Miss Angeles said and headed off to work. 

“It scratches on your arm so you not get weird things that grow on skin,” I rolled up my sleeve and showed him my scratches. “It don’t hurt but everyone gotta get one.” 

“I dunno if got on or not...pa never say nuttin about it.” 

“You should get it from Mr. Alex. He does good job. When last time you saw a doctor Jimmy? For like a checkup and stuff.” 

“Ummmm....I dunno....fore I come Tombstone fer sure.” 

“You should get one of those too. Maybe if you around in the morning.” 

“It don hurt do it?” 

“Nah. Hurt more if you don’t do it and get sick. What you do today Jimmy?” 

“So wha you up to?” he asked at the same time. 

“You first,” I giggled. 

“I talk Miss Bree, saw Payton’s swimmin hole, and I tend horses.” 

“How the horses?” 

“They good… Oh I saw Miss Trin and Sabi up in that tree near her house.” 

“Oh yeah? I like that tree.” 

“Me too, it have good hidin spot.” 

“Uh huh! I feel like I not seen you in long time.” 

“I know, we not see each other much..I been so busy wit Miss Joan, but now that over...smiles..I missed you a lot.” 

“I so glad you not live with Miss Joan now. Oh she told me in clinic to tell you she sorry and she loves you. And that if there anything you need she get for you.” 

“Payton not go live with Miss Andra either...Oh, I only have on thing there I need get...she got money in her safe that mine.” 

“Oh I see. You should tell her.” 

“She scare me, I not sure I go back out there...it not much money.” 

“Yeah.. Maybe when Ma goes to find the reports in the safe she ask for your money too.” 

“I really like Miss Trin, she is so awesome...she best detective there is.” 

“She best mommy there is too.” 

“She worries bout you...She tell me so..but she loves you so much Natalie.” 

“I better now that I helping Mr. Stone in the clinic more. He great at teachin’ stuff and I learn so much more than in that silly school. Did you know we have over two hundred bones???” 

“Yeah Mr Thomas start teachin me too..I can write some, and almost know all my letters,” Jimmy chuckled. “No we don’t!” 

“Yu huh!!! Mr. Alex taught me almost half of ’em! I can’t remember em all though. Too many and too weird names.” 

“How we got dat many bones? I thot we all one big bone and skin.” 

“Well he says there’s lots of little bones that we don’t see.” 

“Well I bet your bones are liler that my bones...girls are smaller,” he chuckled. 

“I should ask him that,” I giggled. 

“You should ask him how our bones get bigger? I mean his bones are much bigger dan mine...I woner how it works.” 

“Yeah I wonder that too,” I said and we wandered off to play.