It's Just Lola Read Online Free PDF Page B

bandages were already soaked with blood.
    Carmen removed the bloody bandages.  There was a gleam of white bone as she dabbed away the blood.  Lola looked around anxiously for Enriqueta .  She remembered the day Dolores had cut herself while chopping vegetables, and Enriqueta had been the one who fainted.  Enriqueta was sitting at the far side of the room , looking pale and shaken.   They should leave as soon as possible.
    “Drink half of this,” Carmen said as she handed Juan the large glass of aguadiente.  Juan took a large swallow and gasped for breath.  He blinked rapidly.
    “Half?  That’s enough to put a horse down,” he said.
    “ Exactly ,” his wife said with a smile.
    Juan did as he was told , and Carmen made him sit at the table and lay his head down on a clean cloth.  She looked at the two girls and asked Enriqueta help Inez keep the boys quiet .  Enriqueta escaped to the boys’ room.
    “I need to clean and stitch the wound,” said Carmen. “Lola, dear, can you keep the blood away so I can see what I’m doing ?”  Carmen put a basin of water on the table and wet a clean cloth and handed it to Lola. 
    “I’ll try,” said Lola in a small voice.  She was amazed that Carmen had chosen her to help.  She was determined to do a good job, if only to prove to herself that she could do it.  She took a deep breath and dabbed at the wound.  Carmen began by pouring aguadiente into the gaping wound.  Lola heard Juan grunt and saw his knuckles turn white where he grasped the bench.   “Why ’ re you doing that?” Lola asked.  “It hurt s him and y ou already cleaned it.”
    “ H orses’ hooves are dirty.  It must be cleaner than water can make it.  If it goes septic he will get very sick, perhaps even die.”
    Lola became engrossed in watching Carmen stitch the wound and tie off each stitch.  Each time Carmen drew her hands back Lola mopped away blood , and she changed the water often.  After she saw how it was done, she threaded a second needle for Carmen.  She handed her the new needle and washed and rethreaded the old one, dipping it in what was left of the aguadiente.  She had the needle ready by the time Carmen was ready for it. 
    Once they established a rhythm, Carmen began to talk to Lola.  “I learned about the kind of knots to make, and how to care for a lot of injuries by helping your father.  Our village is very lucky that el patrón has medical knowledge.  He saved a lot of lives over the years.”  Clean.  Stitch.  Knot.  Clean.  “We were blessed by your mother coming to live among us.  She was always here to comfort the unfortunate and lend support where it was needed.  No one ever went hungry, even when blight or drought brought hardship.”  Clean.  Stitch.  Knot.  Clean.  “It would be best if we keep quiet about how serious this wound is. ”   Lola nodded.  If Juan said it was just a scratch, then that was her story, too.
    At last the job was done .   Carmen did a final wash with the aguadiente and wrapped Juan’s head with clean cloths. 
    “There ’ s almost no blood now,” said Lola proudly.
    Carmen hugged Lola, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.  “Thank you for help ing .  With God’s help , it will heal with no infection.” 
    Juan slowly raised his head.  Moving gingerly, he turned to Lola.  “I think you should all go home now.”
    “But we promised the boys we’d watch the dancing.”
    Juan frowned.  “There ’ ll be no dancing—at least not until the men are too drunk to be angry.  I suggest you go before someone notice s there ’ s no chaperone with you.”  Lola knew Juan was right . 
    The four youngsters broke into a run a s soon as they were out of sight of the village.   As they neared the main house t hey slowed down, intending to melt into the small crowd of wedding guests.  Amelia caught sight of them first.
    “Where have you been?  We ’ ve been looking for you . ”
    “ You said we could take