The Doctor's Daughter

I paused in my task of wiping dishes and cocked my head to the side. There was a blizzard outside, but even so, I thought I heard a noise like a sleigh bell. I waited a moment... there it was again, a bit louder. I walked to the window and could just barely make out the shape of a sleigh outside our door. I turned to my father, who was reading a book by the hearth.

"Father, I think we have company," I announced.

"Nonsense! Who would be out in this weather?" He asked dismissively, belying his statement by coming to the door anyway. He was the only doctor in this area, and he knew full well that if an emergency arose, people would have no choice but to come get him, even in a blizzard.

Someone pounded on the door just as my father reached it, and he opened it without hesitation.

"Doctor, I found my brother near frozen outside my house!" A man announced. He was actually our closest neighbor, living only a mile or so away.

"I had my hounds huddle in the sleigh with him the entire way here, under a heavy fur sleigh blanket," our neighbor explained as he uncovered his brother and the two massive hounds.

My father helped our neighbor carry his brother into our guest bedroom not too far from the door, and I shut the thick door behind them to keep out the blustering snow. I quickly followed the men. I had been helping my father care for patients for years, and knew I would be expected to help out.

My father performed an examination as he removed the patient's clothes. "His temperature is not ideal, but he is warm enough that I do not expect him to die."

Our neighbor sighed in relief.

"Why did you bring him here? Surely you could have warmed him yourself at home?" My father asked, not intending to sound callous, merely knowing that winter survival skills were well known in these parts.

"Oh yes, I could have, but I was on my way to get you anyway, and that is when I found him, so I decided it would just be easier to bring him with. All three of my children are ill. None of them can stop emptying the contents of their stomachs, except now, there is nothing left to bring up. My poor wife is worried sick, and looks a bit pale herself."

"I see, I'll fetch my bag and coat," my father replied, as to the point as always.

"Don't worry, father, I'll make sure this patient is well cared for," I stated with a confident smile.

"I know you will, dear," he said as they rushed out the door, pulling it shut behind them.

I looked at the man who had been stripped of his clothing and covered with three warm blankets. His temperature was cool but not cold to the touch, but I knew he could still die if I did not get his temperature back to normal as quickly as possible. I could submerge him in a mildly hot bath, or I could build up the fire in this room and place hot stones around him. I decided on fire and stones as I didn't think I could move him into a bath all by myself.

I worked as quickly as possible, and soon discovered that we had stupidly neglected to have enough stones on hand for this situation. So, I placed the three we had along his left side - once they were hot - and decided to lie next to him on his right side. I stripped down to my shift, and then wiggled my way under the covers with him.

I quickly grew bored, and then shortly after that I must have dozed off. When I next opened my eyes, I realized that I was sweating profusely, and so was my patient. I climbed out of bed, and then tended the fire so that it wouldn't remain quite so stifling in the room.

Next, I located a device that my father had paid handsomely for back east called a thermometer, which measured a person's body temperature in about 5 minutes. Using this device, I discovered that my patient now had a fever, which indicated that his body had become susceptible to infection while cold, and was now fighting it off.

I removed all three heavy blankets and replaced them with a sheet. His temperature was not yet high enough to cause concern, and so I did nothing to lower it. This was the body's way of defending its home, and was nothing to be trifled with.

I sat in a chair next to the bed, and began to quietly read aloud from a book. This was to reassure him on some level that he was not alone; that he was safe and being cared for, but not meant to disturb his rest.

My patient groaned and moaned a few times here and there, sounding like he was experiencing bad dreams. He thrashed mildly from time to time, and then settled into a calm sleep.

After some time had passed, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. Not giving any thought to what it might be, I looked over at it. As far as I could tell, his male anatomy was fully erect; it pushed the sheet around it up into the shape of a teepee.

I firmly placed my eyes back on the page I was reading. I had been a Doctor's daughter long enough to have seen plenty of male anatomy, and I even knew its purpose, but I had certainly never been intimate with one. It was sinful to even consider doing so now!

Even so, the rigid proof of maleness seemed determined to occupy my sight. No matter how hard I tried to ignore it, I kept seeing it in my mind. Even the letters from the words on the page seemed to rearrange themselves in to the shape of a big, hard penis.

Finally, I sighed in frustration and snapped my book shut. Surely one little peek would satisfy my curiosity, and then I could go back to reading my book with no further distractions. I uncovered my patient from the waist down and took a good look.

"There, now I've seen it and I can go back to reading my book," I told myself firmly, but my hands did not want to comply. They held the sheet away rather than cover him back up. I dropped the sheet, as I reached out to touch it.

"No! You may not touch it!" I told myself in no uncertain terms, but my hands grew ever closer to it. I sighed. Surely just a small touch would satisfy my curiosity, and then I could leave this poor man alone.

I stroked him with my fingertip, curiously examining every bit of his shaft. When the urge to find out how it tasted came over me, I found it harder to figure out why I couldn't do that.

His shaft twitched interestingly as I ran my tongue across it, and I found this entertaining enough that I did it several more times. I licked and stroked him for at least an hour, judging by the faint chimes emanating from the clock in the kitchen.

Just as I was almost ready to say I had satisfied my curiosity, a small drop of fluid oozed out of him. It tasted like salty cream, and I was undecided if I liked it or not. I sat staring at his erect manhood for a few moments, but no more fluid emerged. It occurred to me that this piece of anatomy was supposed to fit inside me, but as I compared its girth to the girth of the finger I'd just probed myself with, I was mystified as to how it possibly could.

I decided to find out for myself. I knew that I was going to go to hell for having sexual intercourse out of wedlock, but at the moment, I didn't care.

I stood on the bed and placed one foot on either side of his hips. I slowly lowered myself onto him until I felt his shaft pushing into me. I wiggled and shifted position several times as I lowered onto him even more.

I could feel myself stretching to accommodate him and marveled at the ingeniousness of the creator who designed our bodies to fit together this way. Soon, I realized that he was as far inside me as possible and sat wondering what to do next. I tightened and relaxed my inner muscles as I wondered, smiling as I felt him twitch inside me in response.

He moaned softly and I feared I had hurt him. So, I started to get off of him, but discovered that moving felt wonderful. I moved my body up and then down several times, impaling myself on him over and over. A heat began in a place I had never explored before and I probed it with my finger.

I discovered a bump that felt sinfully wonderful to touch! I wiggled my finger over it until my whole body shook with pleasure. I felt my patient respond by grunting and shaking as well, and then there was a hot wetness inside me that hadn't been there before.

I had studied anatomy enough to know what had happened, but having never experienced it before, I can honestly say that books do not adequately begin to describe what I was feeling and experiencing!

I sat there staring at him as the shock, horror, and shame of what I had done filled me. I had just raped and violated an unconscious and feverish patient! I wasn't just going to go to hell; I was bound to be burned at the stake for such immoral actions!

I quickly got off of him, and then off the bed. I washed myself using the icy dishwater, then found an undergarment that I usually wore to bed when I was menstruating. After that, I put on a thick nightgown and my robe.

Finally, I was ready to deal with my patient once more. I returned to his room, and blushed as I realized that he was covered in fluids as well. I warmed some water over the hearth and tempered it. After that, I bathed him as best I could until I had removed all traces of my sin.

I covered him with the sheet once more and felt his forehead. His fever had broken! I thanked God for taking pity on him despite my sin. In relief, I settled myself into the chair to read. A drowsiness overtook me and I soon fell asleep.

My father arrived home sometime the next morning. The blizzard had temporarily abated, and so he'd decided to come home rather than risk being stuck for weeks once the blizzard started back up.

Our neighbor came with him, and I vaguely heard them talking as they approached the room.

"... give you a whole deer or a bear or whatever I can hunt down."

"I assure you that I don't need that much in payment. Perhaps part of a deer, but surely you need to feed your family too. Besides, they had only eaten something tainted and were not likely to die from it," my father said dismissively. He had inherited a large amount of money, and for him, being a doctor was a God-mandated duty, not a paid career.

They opened the door and I decided to pretend I was still asleep in this now thoroughly uncomfortable chair.

"See, I told you my daughter would provide excellent care for your brother. His temperature is normal, and he looks ready to go home once he awakens. Why don't I carry my daughter to her bed - she looks like she was awake with him for most of the night - and then I will make something for your brother to eat. If he feels up to it, you can take him home after breakfast."

"Yes Doctor," our neighbor replied.

My father carried me to my bed and tucked me in. I was utterly grateful to be allowed to go back to sleep. Not to mention the interesting dreams I was having!

*******

I observed the scenery as I approached my brother's house. I hadn't visited here in years, not since... I couldn't help but remember it. I had found myself penniless and homeless, and had no choice but to go to my brother for help, despite it being winter.

I am still not sure how I managed to get to my brother's house, but I do know that I had grown increasingly cold as the blizzard grew in intensity. At some point I must have passed out and fallen off my horse.

I truly believe an Angel or Goddess must have been watching over me that night since my brother happen to stumble upon me on his way to the local doctor's house. He did his best to keep me from freezing to death as he rushed to the doctor's, and I don't remember anything that happened except that at one point I was having nightmares, and then...

My Angel or Goddess appeared and took care of me by making love to me until all of the illness was driven out of my body. I confessed this belief to a priest once and he laughed at me. He told me that there was no such thing as a Goddess or Angel who made love until one was well again, and that it was obvious to him that I had hallucinated the whole thing.

I suppose he is right, but that doesn't stop me from believing. The whole experience changed me, and I left my brother's house - after the snow had melted - a new man. I was no longer afraid to die or take risks, and this allowed me to pursue dreams I never thought possible. I am now much better off than I was; financially stable and actually happy.

Deciding that it was time to repay my brother the money he had loaned me the spring after I had nearly died, I was now just moments away from his home. I prayed he didn't resent me for needing some of his meager savings all those years ago.

My brother greeted me with a strong hug, and immediately invited me to dinner. As we ate, I told him why I had come, handing him an envelope full of money. I could see he wanted to refuse - after all he had helped me because I was his brother and it was his familial duty - but pragmatism won out and he pocketed the envelope.

"You know, the ones you should really thank are the Doctor and his daughter. They are the ones who nursed you back to life."

I had never thought of this before, but it was true - wait - "Daughter? I don't recall him having a daughter."

"Oh yes. It was she who cared for you while the Doctor came to tend our little ones," my brother informed me.

"I didn't know that," I replied as I made plans to go thank the pair.

The next morning - not too early - I set out for the Doctor's house. It was at the end of a clearly defined path in the forest. No wonder my brother had not gotten lost in such a nasty blizzard!

As I approached the house, I heard the sounds of laughter, which turned out to belong to a child and a woman. The woman was glorious! Truly a sight to behold, and she looked remarkably like the Angel from my hallucinations.

"Mama! Look!" The small boy giggled as a cat batted at the wagging tail of a huge old dog. I recognized the dog as one of the two who had warmed me up once upon a time ago. The woman giggled along with her son, and then looked up at me at the same moment the dog did.

"Is your medical need dire, or can it wait a bit? My father is taking a nap now. Or, if you'd like, maybe I can help you," she offered with a warm smile.

"Actually, I came here to give thanks to you and your father for saving my life a few years back."

She gasped and quickly covered her mouth with a hand. Her eyes were suddenly filled with a strange emotion - something between horror and fear - and I thought this was an entirely strange reaction given my statement.

She quickly recovered her composure. "Of course, forgive me for not recognizing you sooner. Allow me to make you some tea." She had attempted to hide her son behind her skirt, but now shooed him in front of her as she rushed into the house.

I noted that the boy was not quite five, and so must have been born not too long after I had nearly frozen to death. He also looked very familiar, like I should know him from somewhere, but I couldn't place him. I followed them into their house.

"Go play in your room," she suggested to her son. "Why not check on the injured rabbit?"

"Yes mama!" The boy agree enthusiastically as he ran off.

She made herself busy brewing some tea.

"Is something wrong?" I asked as she seemed to be flustered and wasn't looking at or speaking to me.

"I - ah- um - no, nothing is wrong. I just wasn't expecting you, I mean any visitors today." There was a lovely hint of a blush on her cheeks.

"Where is your husband? Out hunting?"

She turned her back to me. "I'm not married... never was..."

"Oh..." I wasn't sure what to say. Unmarried mothers were supposed to be shunned, but I wanted to thank her, not shun her. I decided to be diplomatic. "I am not one of those who looks down on others. I am sure you have a reasonable explanation for your circumstance, but don't worry about explaining it to me. I'm just here to give my thanks, and then I will be on my way."

I watched her straighten her shoulders and turn around. She smiled at me, and then handed me my cup of tea. "That's good to know, but you really don't need to give us any thanks, we were only doing God's will."

"Nonetheless, my conscious will not let me rest until I do," I informed her.

"I see," she remarked with a polite smile...

Silence stretched before us, and I know I had just told her she didn't have to explain it to me, but my curiosity was getting the better of me. "So... who is the boy's father?" I blurted.

She immediately spun around to face the wall, and would not look at or speak to me for several moments. Finally, she spoke. "I fail to see why that is any of your concern."

Just then, a man descended a staircase into the kitchen. "Do not take her words as personal injury. She refuses to tell anyone the identity of his father."

"Father! I am sorry if we woke you!"

"Do not fret, dear, I was awake when yon man arrived," he assured her.

Again, my curiosity got the better of me. "Why won't you tell anyone who the father is?" I inhaled sharply after I said this, I had majorly crossed the line of propriety, and I knew it.

She still would not look at me, and I could see her covering her face with her hands. Even her father looked at her with perplexion. Apparently, her behavior was strange even to him.

"I do not tell because the sin was solely mine and the father never need be tainted with it," she finally said, turning her head slightly in my direction, but not looking at me.

"I beg to differ! He already is tainted with it, and it is not fair to you to bear the burden alone," I reasoned.

"No he's not!" She insisted. "It is my sin! I took advantage of a patient while he was too feverish to know what I did!" Then she realized what she had revealed, gasped, and fled the room.

"Aha..." her father said as he stoked his chin in thought. "I had suspected that might have been the case, but..." He looked at me. "No matter, what brings you here today? By your looks, you are our neighbor's brother."

"Yes. I've come to thank you for saving my life," I replied earnestly.

"That was not me, I'm must confess. I was not even here as my daughter nursed you back to health." He watched as his grandson quietly giggled as he sneaked outside. "My grandson is such a joy... Do you think he happens to look remarkably like your nephew?"

I smiled. "That's why I thought I knew him! You're right; he's very close in looks to my nephew."

"Your nephew was just a babe in arms when you got caught in the blizzard, and my grandson was born about nine months later, so I guess it's not so surprising that they be similar." The Doctor excused himself to check on his grandson, who had disappeared into their barn.

I considered myself to be fairly intelligent, but even so, I had a strong feeling that the Doctor had just told me something important, but I couldn't figure out what it was. I finished my tea and carefully set my cup down.

Nine months after I was caught in the blizzard... feverish patient...

The answer hit me as swiftly and as sharply as if I had been slapped in the face.

"It's me! I'm the father!" I shouted a bit louder than I realized. I heard a sudden crash upstairs from where I could only assume my one time nurse had fled to. I raced up the stairs and found her cowering in the corner of a decidedly feminine room.

"I'm the father?!" I demanded.

She refused to answer me.

"I am, aren't I?"

She pursed her lips in a definite sign that she had no intention of answering.

"Why won't you answer me?" A thought occurred to me. "I guess it doesn't matter if you won't say it out loud. You have not denied it, which can only mean that you cannot bring yourself to lie, otherwise you would have no qualms about telling me no, and then asking me to leave."

Her mouth fell open as she realized that I was right. Finally, she mumbled, "The sin is mine to bear..."

I sighed in disbelief. "Granted, given a choice, I would far prefer to remember the lovemaking, but you are naive if you think that I would have passed you up on the offer! Perhaps the sin was yours alone before I knew, but what about now? The sin would be far greater if I walked away now that I know what happened."