the cold water from the shower head hit her square in the chest. "Oh crap!" she cursed, suddenly desperate to get done and get out from under the chilly water. Once again, practice helped her bathe and get out in just over 5 minutes. "I've got to fix that solar water heater" she said for at least the hundredth time. Hair up into a long ponytail, then into her red and white floral scrubs, and she stepped out of the bathroom and into the tiny kitchenette.
"Mornin' Tiger."
"Good morning, Dad. Did I wake you with my bitching?"
He trundled over and hugged his daughter. "No honey. Just a little excited this morning. Eager."
Jennifer slipped out of his embrace and pulled out the fry pan, and the last egg from the fridge. "Excited about what?" The propane burner poofed into life, and the egg was cracked and cooking in seconds.
"I ran into Henry Stevens yesterday. He offered me some work on his farm today. He's picking me up at the abandoned Chevron station at 7:15 this morning." He noticed there was only one egg cooking. "You have it, honey."
"I'll be okay, Dad. Besides, you'll need the food in you for doing the farm work. He normally pays with food, doesn't he?"
Gerry Hodges eased himself into one of the two kitchen chairs. "Yep. We should be nicely stocked after today. A couple dozen eggs, some milk, maybe even some meat."
Jennifer moved the fry pan off the burner and slid the pot of water onto the flame. "You'll have to drink your chicory naked, Dad. I ended up finishing off the milk last night when I got back from my walk." Another moment or two, and a plate with a fried egg and cup of hot brown liquid sat in front of her dad. She slid into the other chair across from him.
"You sure you won't need this?" he asked her, pointing to the egg.
"It's okay Dad. We normally get someone come into the clinic who has no money, and they pay by giving me a sandwich or some soup. I'll be fine."
Sadness crossed his face, and his shoulders slumped. "I'm so sorry, Tiger. I should never have forced you back here after your mom left me. You had a job at that VA hospital in South Dakota, and you had friends, that rock band that you played drums for. Here, you have nothing."
Jennifer wanted to agree with what he said, but loved him too much to do so. "That's not true. I have you, Daddy." She smiled her little girl smile at the shell of a man who was her father. "You best eat up before it gets cold."
"Things will get better Tiger. I know they will. They'll reopen the factory. I'll get my QA job back, and we'll actually get to buy our food instead of looking for handouts."
She stood, leaned over the table, and kissed him on his head. "I know they will too. Now, don't overdo it today. I don't want to see someone carry you into the clinic because of an injury, okay?"
"I'll be careful, honey. Don't worry about me."
"Okay," she said and headed to the door. As she always did before opening the door, she looked back at him and said, "I love you, Daddy."
"I love you too, Tiger. Have a great day."
The twelve hour shift at the tiny county clinic was quiet and uneventful. Barb had the log ready for her to initial for the shift change, and 11 hours and 57 minutes later came back to sign in to relieve her. Five patients -- mostly scrapes and bruises. One 11 year old with an arm fracture from falling off The Rock. Jennifer made a point of chastising him, confessing that she didn't make her first attempt at scaling the 17 foot boulder until she had turned 14. And that she, too, had fallen. The boy's mother paid cash for the examination. If the county failed to pay the staff again this week, at least Barb, Bethy and Jennifer would be able to split the twelve dollars. For the Hodges, it would mean propane for the stove for almost a month.
After wishing Barb a great night and a quiet shift, she stepped out of the tiny clinic out onto the corner of Twin Elm and Main, and turned left, heading to the south end of town. To her right, the late afternoon sun hovered over the western hills, ceasing its baking of the air and the streets of