Under the Night Sky

Chapter 26: Shoot for the Moon

"Pretty cozy, they look," said an eager voice of a woman running a stall with UFO merchandise, her eyes following a couple that just walked out of the grocery store.

"It didn't take them long, did it?" replied the lady's friend who stopped over for a quick chat in between her morning errands.

"They're quite a match, alright..."

"I see what you mean, Pat," nodded the UFO lady, Violet, who was sporting a pair of silver antenna herself. "It's just such a pity... you know, Avery's boy," she lowered her voice conspiratorially. "He was quite smitten."

"He'll get over it," said Pat dismissively. "And the doc gets along so much better with... well, the new doc."

"Definitely! They'll have cute kids, just look at them," Violet smiled appreciatively.

"Oh, for sure! They'll have his hair, no doubt. All Shepherds had good hair."

"But the nose..." Violet sighed dramatically. "Not so fortunate..."

"It runs in the family as well, from what I can remember. But it's not exactly bad looking on them is it?" she bit her lip.

"Oh, you're so right!" Violet giggled madly. "It gives him... such a rugged devil-may-care look," she sighed dreamily quoting a passage from her favorite bodice ripper she knew by heart.

Pat soon joined her amusement. She smiled slyly, her cheeks going furiously red. "Dr. Grey looks satisfied. I wonder... I wonder..."

"If he's packing?" Violet finished bluntly without a shade of embarrassment about her. "I bet, just look at him. It's bulging even now...|

"Oh..." ladies let out a collective sigh cocking their heads.

"Besides," Violet went on excitedly.

"What? What do you know?" Pat immediately snowed her in with questions.

"Apparently, he's a stallion in the bedchamber..."

"What?" Pat frowned, not catching another historical romance reference.

"Girl, you should read more!" Violet rolled her eyes, stung. "Anyway, I heard it from Mrs. Marsh herself. She was curious so she went to the practice, told the doc she had a splinter in her finger and she heard it all!"

"What? What did she hear?" Pat could barely contain her curiosity by now.

"Loud banging..." whispered Violet. "I mean. From the bed. Mrs. Marsh told me she thought he was trying to do her in, it banged so fast and hard..."

"So fast and hard..." Pat tried to fan herself with her hand.

"And..."

"And?"

"They were screaming like there was no tomorrow!"

"Oh, he must be good then..." The ladies were taken by another fit of laughter.

"And..."

"There's more?"

"When Doc Grey finally came down she could barely walk, she didn't even sit when she was taking out that splinter from Mrs. Marsh's finger..."

"Oooh! I wouldn't mind a bit of pain in there if it was his fault," Pat snickered.

"Such a man as him... has needs," sighed Violet. "He's oozing virility."

"Doing what?"

"You're such an ignorant, Pat! What have you done with that book I gave you, 'Sinful desires"? It might give you some tips for your old man."