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Doc had some business to attend to at his retreat. Providing smoked fish was a delicacy that may wanted so he took a few days to catch, clean and smoke some more of the trout from his lake. His timing was perfect. He was taking a break on his porch when Gilbert arrived.
"John ye ol pain in the butt," he said with a smile and a big man hugh.
"You old uneducated ass," Doc replied jokingly.
They sat down to talk business.
"I just stocked the smokehouse so you should have a fresh supply of smoked fish ready in a few days," he explained. "Swing by when you are ready for them."
Gilbert nodded and hand him a small box. "I hope dis is what you had in mind, Doc."
He opened the box . Based on the smile that grew on Doc's face, Gilbert knew that he approved.
The ring was stunning. It was a 2 carat round cut diamond with some smaller diamonds around it on a pure gold band. Doc knew it to be an expensive piece, one that even Gilbert would have a hard time getting. It was perfect and her size as well. He just looked up at Gilbert with his mouth half open.
"How? Where?" were the only words that escaped Doc's mouth.
"Oh, les say that I have many people that owe me favors so I cashed in on a few," answered Gilbert.
Doc took it out of the box and looked at it up close before putting it back in the box. He then just looked to Gilbert.
"She is going to love it," he told his friend.
"And it's gonna look good on her," Gilbert replied, "a pretty ring for a pretty lady." Gilbert paused to sip his juice before continuing. "So eh, when is the wedding?"
"I do not know yet," replied Doc, "How about I propose to her first and then figure those details out later?"
"Makes sense," replied Gilbert. They would finish their drinks and both men loaded what smoked fish was available to take.
"I will come for the rest in a few days," stated Gilbert. With that, he left for his post.
Doc returned to his porch chair and opened the box. He continued to admire the ring that would adorn the left ring finger of Isabella in the near future. Their trip to Baden Baden was still a ways out but he was one step closer to making her his wife.
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He was frustrated. The gray, rainy day was fitting of his mood. Despite the weather, he sat on his porch thinking about what to do next. Between his research failure and the Liberty government, his mood was raw. On the small table next to his chair was the bottle of Scotch that he had just poured his second glass from. He took a small box out of his pocket and opened it as he sipped the fresh glass of Scotch. He was looking at the engagement ring that he planned to give Isabella. It wasn't their relationship that was bothering him but the fact that at some point she wanted to be a mother and it didn't appear that he could make her one via nature. Weeks of study aboard Med Force One yielded nothing.
He wanted to blame the incubi within her because of the cardamine content in her blood but he did not. The incubi was more than fine with Isa's conceiving children. They did, after all, live in perfect harmony with each other and Doc himself had formed a good relationship with her. Still, the cardamine content had largely rendered Isa infertile. The chances of conception were very slim. He also wanted to blame the Outcasts for their poison.
He hated cardamine! It took the life of his grandchild before he had a chance to see life and he cast his eldest daughter out of his life over it. He watched too many be dependent upon it for simply trying it. THEY were the ones he wanted to help as well, the ones who realized it was a mistake. He watched many an Outcast die without it while trying to treat them. The horrific convulsions they had without their drug was frightening. Still, the case of Isa wasn't their fault either.
He looked at the ring as his tongue sat in the pool of liquid in his mouth before swallowing it. He spoke to Isa through it.
"I am sorry, Dah'lin, it seems I cannot solve the mystery." He paused a moment before continuing. "I love you very much, Dah'lin, and want to make your dream a reality but....."
He sighed, "...it appears that I cannot." He then closed the box and put it in his pocket.
He sat in silence as the rain fell. It sounded so nice in the trees. Erie was a beautiful place and still Zoners called it home. While tensions had diminished only slightly between the Liberty government and the Zoner people, they were still singled out. It didn't help that the Liberty government refused to talk even to him. Unlike Gran Canaria, he wasn't going to abandon his home again. His lands were bought and paid for and the grave of his grandson was there. He was prepared to defend it and had help if he wanted it.
He sat back a little further. Perhaps some rest would refresh his mind. For now, the only friend he had was his bottle.
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It was morning and the sun had just risen. It reflected like a mirror on the waters of the lake before him. Gilbert had just left after a night with his old friend to return to his trading post and Doc was comfortable in a chair on his deck. The only sounds were that of nature in the morning and the sipping of his coffee. He was reading a book this morning on natural medicine in his quest to counter the infertility caused by cardamine.
"Let us see," he said in a whisper to himself as he turned the page. "Chasteberry reduces the production of prolactin which is produced in times of stress." He bobbed his head a little as stress really wasn't the issue but it was an idea.
"Red Clover restores natural hormonal balance," he read to himself. "Well, possibly I suppose."
He read through some other things that really didn't apply as he sipped his coffee before he continued on reading.
"Hm...now these have some common value," he said to himself as he was reading. "Oat straw, spearmint, nettle leaf and raspberry leaf all boost ovulation and improve cervical conditions." He looked up from his book and smiled. "Those are all readily available here on Erie." He then looked in the direction of the stables. "George, Gracie, we are going out today."
He continued to read as he was far from finished with his morning coffee. He thought how one can fool the body. He also accessed some records he had from treating women in the past successfully. Many of them used supplements that contained Garlic, Fenugreek, Thistle of the blessed variety, Alfalfa, Moringa and even Yeast. Again, all were readily available. With all of this, he had his day planned. Once the coffee was finished and breakfast was done, he put on his riding gear, grabbed his rifle, guns and pouches and headed out with both horses. It would be a pleasant and productive day as he rode the countryside getting the ingredients he needed. Of course, he would need his lab later on to formulate an antidote.
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It was a pleasant afternoon at the retreat and from all reports, observations and his country rides atop his horses, all was quiet for the Zoners of Erie. He had finished creating his medicines back on Med Force One but returned to his only planet side home. He returned to do his usual business with Gilbert who had brought him the items he requested, some grain feed and provisions mostly but most importantly, the gift for Isa.
He was preparing for his planned vacation with her which was also going to be some recovery time for her. Last report was that her ribs were still sore. Perhaps it would curb her drive a bit. Still, it wouldn't be anything stressful so for two weeks, she would have plenty of time to relax.
As he got what he needed together, he opened the box with the ring he planned to propose with. The diamonds...the gold.....to where it amongst people would reveal their secret to the Enterprise. Still, he smiled as he took a final look and closed the box.
He also looked at the larger box. In it was a dress he had hoped she would be wearing when he proposed to her. He had a plan but he was patient. He wanted things to be perfect. With everything settled, he got his things together and accepted a ride in with Gilbert to where he took his ship to Med Force One. It would be there that they would meet to get started.
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