[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/iXBq6bD.png?1[/img][/center] [sub]Collaboration with [@sail3695][/sub] Word had made its way to the galley that Abby was out of surgery. Hook was curious to know how she was getting on. He let her sleep for a bit thinking she would need it. He didn’t know exactly what the doc had done to her, but worried nonetheless. AFter his chores were complete in the galley. The place was spic and span and everything had been put away, he headed down the steps to see ifhe could visit her. Abby slept. Ever’ now an’ agin she’d open an eye at some sound or t’other. Usually, it’s the Doc, checkin’ in on her. Alana kept them lights down low, which come as a comfort. Her mind, grogged out as it were, eventually come ‘round tah tha shootin’, All still seemed right strange tah her...nothin’ like what they showed on her cortex shows or books she’d read. She seen the gun...seen him wavin’ it. Only thing she really conjured was if’n she’da stayed down, ‘stead ‘o’ jumpin’ up when Ms. Baker...Marisol...pitched herself through tha bomb bay, she’d as like not be layin’ here with a bum fulla stitches an’ a bullet she’s keepin’. Thing troubled her the most was that she wasn’t really troubled by it. Sure’n there was luck wrote all over this. Bullet tah tha [i]pi gu[/i] was scads better’n bein’ hit someplace else. All she conjured was bein’ knocked sideways afore the hornets set tah stingin’, Joe Hooker made it to the infirmary and looked through the glass window. It appeared Abby was stirring. Even so, just in case she was sleeping, he slid the door open as quietly as he could, but then just before he entered the door, he wrapped his knuckles on the door and audibly spoke just above a whisper, “Knock knock.” Just struck her weird. Mayhaps she’d feel different after a spell, when she’d had chance tah think on it. Come a knock on tha door frame, and a voice she knew. “Hook?” Abby rolled onto her left side, eyes playin’ toward her feet to get a look upon him. “Hook.” A sleep touched smile crossed her face. At sight of the cook, Abby lifted an arm, wavin’ him in fer a hug. Joe smiled a white pearly smile through his full beard. He came inside and wrapped his arms around her. She was a very small young woman in his arms. Their embrace felt warm, then he backed off. “How ya doin? Miss Abby? I was all worried about you.” Joe was truly concerned about her welfare. He was happy to see her in good spirits. He wondered if she would be unconscious. Her smile held at sight of the first friend she’d made on this crew. “Tolerable well,” the girl answered. “I’s jest thinkin’ if I’s gonna git shot, a shot in tha ass is ‘bout tha best place. Doc says I can roll outta here after a tad more rest.” Her smile faded a might. “Wanna say thank yew,” she offered. “We’s all drawin’ breath ‘cuz what yew an’ the Cap’n done.” Joe did not want to comment on his part in that event. “Bah! I did nothin’,” Joe tried to silence it. He really felt uneasy about what he did. “I was shot once a long time ago. Doc took the bullet out like yours and ah mended up real quick. Sho the same fer yew too.” Joe smiled at Abby. “The Captain and I are going to go fishin’ tonight. We are heading up to the lakes to get some Salmon. I’ll make sure to cook some up the next few days. I hope you enjoy seafood. I do and want to share some of the misses’ recipes. I have a book of recipes I copied from her’s years ago.” [i]”A missus,”[/i] she caught. “Hope I git tah meet yer missus someday,” Abby piped up. “If it’s her got yah so well heeled in tha galley, than we all owe her a debt. An’ yes,” her smile come back, “Ah love seafood. Only had it twice, but both times was memorable tah me. So…” she asked, “y’all fish at night? Ain’t never done it. Don’t ken the first thing on how it’s done proper.” Joe let loose a boisterous laugh. With a wide toothy grin, “Tha missus was na mah wife, she was Missus McGinnis, the lady of the farm I grew up on. I loss mah parents before I had memory and the McGinnis family took me in. There was seven of us boys who lived on the farm with Mr. and Mrs. McGinnis, their son Walter and daughter Penelope. But yes, Mrs McGinnis taught me to cook. If she was around, I’m sure she would love to meet you.” “Mrs. McGinnis was one of them sweet women who knew juss the right thing to say at juss the right time. She was a wonderful woman. I wanted to call her mom, but never did. It juss didn’t seem right. I would say, if anyone was created to be a mother, it was the missus. She was perfect at it. She had nine chillin’ to take care of and did a fine job of it.” “Fishin’ at night is the same as fishin in the day. You juss do it in the dark.” Joe smiled at that, thinking it might sound a bit confusing. She give a nod. “Been thinkin’ on tha fact there’s a whole ‘verse fulla what I ain’t never done. Growed up on another Firefly belonged tah my Uncle Bob an’ Aunt Lupe. Ma an’ Pa fought in tha war,” she explained. “I loved mah aunt an’ uncle, but these past few days I’m gettin’ a look at things need learnin’. Like fishin’,” she added. “Hope you’ll tell me all about it whan yah git back.” “Will do.,” Hook responded to her query about the fishing. “Lots of good folk died in that terrible war. It took the missus and my brothers too. I don’ know what happened to Miss Penny or Mister Wally, but their folks didn’t make it outta that war.” Joe’s face went grim. He stared off into the distance thinking about the war. It seemed he couldn’t escape it. He tried the best he could to forget about it. “If you go up into the galley later, there is some ice cream in the freezer. Go ahead and hep yerself to some if you like.” Hook offered the treat to her. She seen the look. Weren’t much she claimed tah know ‘bout folk, but one thing she’d conjured right quick was the fact fer many talkin’ ‘bout that war was akin tah putin’ salt on a road rash. Best thing tah do was let tha moment pass right on by an’ wait fer somethin’ more agreeable tah come about. “Sounds nice,” Abby give her friend another smile. “I’m most like headed fer mah own bunk, but if I git hungry I’m sure doc would approve me doin’ some walkin’.” “Ok, well you take care of yourself, Miss Abby. I need to take care of a few things before the Cap’n and I go fishin’,” Joe smiled at Abby. “Get some more rest.” “I plan on bein’ good an’ hungry tomorrah,” she smiled warmly. “Y’all have fun.” “Take care, Miss Abby,” Joe smiled, patted her shoulder and turned to leave the infirmary. He turned back at the door. “I’m happy to see you lookin’ better.” “We got us a good doctor,” Abby replied as Joe excused himself. “Good people,” she conjured her fortune once again. “We got good people.”