Healing Holt

by Shannon Nemechek

  Aspen grinned as she hopped into the cab of Julia’s truck. “Dang, it will be good to get out of the house. I’ve been chomping at the bit to leave. Thanks again, Julia. I need this.”

  “I’m here to serve,” Julia teased as they pulled out of the drive and onto the road toward town.

  20

  Holt

  * * *

  Beau and Holt watched from the barn as Julia’s truck turned onto the main road. As it disappeared, they made quick work of cleaning up the barn as well as a nice area in the corner for the small table. Maggie carried out some decorations, a radio, and candles.

  “Boys, why don’t you go down in the basement and pull out that cast iron table and chairs I have stored? Been wanting to pull it out for a while, and this is the perfect reason,” she requested as Holt met her, grabbed the box she was carrying, and placed it on the ground. “I’ll get started with the decorations while you’re gone.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” the pair replied in unison as they left. When they returned with the table and chairs, Maggie had hung a flowered vine of daisies and was halfway up a ladder to hang lights when the two men entered the barn.

  “Maggie Lawson, get your hind end off of that ladder! Woman, you’re fixin’ to get yourself hurt doin’ stuff like that. Let Holt do that,” Beau exclaimed when he saw her. Turning to Holt, who was quickly helping his mother down the ladder, he watched the younger man nod in agreement. Holt made his way up and with Beau’s help, they strung the lights and finished the decorations as Maggie set the table. When they finished the trio beamed at how much they had accomplished in such a short time.

  Julia: “Hey momma we should be back in about thirty minutes are y’all ready?”

  Maggie: “Yep. gotta get Holt cleaned up. Did you get Aspen in something nice?”

  Julia: “Yep. She’s confused why she has to keep the dress on, but I told her you would want to see it.”

  Maggie: “Good girl. I am sending Holt to shower now. See ya soon!”

  “All right, son, get your backside in and shower up. The girls will be back in about thirty minutes. I want your butt back down in the barn waiting when they arrive. Beau and I will handle getting Aspen out to the barn when they get here. Go!” Maggie declared.

  When Holt went in the house, he a change of clothes already laid out for him, so he showered, shaved, and pulled on the jeans, cowboy boots, and white t-shirt that seemed to mold to his torso. Buckling his belt, he stood to check himself over one last time as Gunner stared up at him.

  “Ya boy, I don’t quite look like what you’re used to. How do I look?”

  Gunner cocked his head and gave him a bark, one that seemed to convey his approval.

  “You hang out here, boy. Mom and Jules will be back soon. I don’t think I will need your help with this one,” Holt said, winking at his dog as he headed outside toward the barn. When he pushed open the barn door, the smell of lavender and jasmine filled the air. It smells a lot better than manure. He smiled as his mother hugged him and Beau shook his hand.

  “Good luck, my boy. You are gonna need it. Come on, Maggie, the girls will be here any minute,” Beau Lawson announced as he took Maggie’s hand, placed it on his forearm, and led her to the back porch of the house where they sat down on the rockers and waited. They didn’t have to wait long before Julia’s truck pulled to the back of the house and the pair of women jumped out.

  “Well girls, did you have fun in town?” Beau Lawson asked, turning to give Maggie a wink.

  “Hey Daddy, what are you still doing here? I figured you would already be home.”

  “Oh, we just finished up not too long ago. I’m just sitting here relaxing with Maggie.”

  “Oh yes, that’s right.” Aspen smiled. “What do you think of my new dress? Jules insisted I keep it on so you and Maggie could see it.”

  Jules draped her arm over Aspen’s shoulder. “Yep. What do you think of my handiwork?”

  “It’s lovely, Aspen. You look beautiful,” Maggie declared. “Come closer. I wanna get a better look.”

  Aspen scampered up the stairs and gave a little twirl. The flowing white silk dress billowed as she spun around. She quickly stopped mid-spin. “Why is there a light still on in the barn?”

  Maggie and Beau gave each other a glance that had Aspen staring back at them, condemning sternness in her eyes. Beau spoke up first, “I guess I forgot, baby girl.”

  “Daddy, how do you expect the animals to get some sleep if there is a light on?”

  Beau looked down and tried to hide his grin. “Well, baby girl, I guess I wasn’t thinkin’. I’m really tuckered out though. Do you think you could go down there and switch it off?”

  Aspen sighed. “Well, I suppose, but let me go inside and change.”

  Panicked, Julia stepped into the conversation. “Oh, go down now. You aren’t gonna get dirty and if you do, I have a great cleaner,” she replied.

  “Oh yes, dear,” Maggie added. “If you get it dirty, I will fix it right up. Go on now. We will be right here.”

  Aspen let out an exasperated sigh, spun around, and grabbed her cell for a flashlight and stumbled to the barn. When she got closer, the soft sound of music resonated from the barn. Shoving open the barn door, twinkling lights emerged and music hummed softly in the background. Holt appeared from behind one of the far cages.

  “Hey, Aspen.” A shy, crooked grin stretched across his face.

  “What’s all this?”

  Holt held out his hand to her. “Perhaps a date?”

  “A date, huh?”

  “Ya, I mean, if you are willing?”

  Nodding her head, she walked to Holt. A surge of electricity seemed to bolt through their bodies when she placed her hand in his. Holt pulled her close and wrapped his arm around her waist before leading her around the corner. A small table perfectly set for two rested before them, making Aspen smile.

  “You did all this?”

  “Well, with Momma, Jules, and your daddy. They helped a lot,” he said as he brought her to the table and pulled the chair out for her. Taking his seat across the table, he took her hand and lifted it to his lips. “I hope it’s okay?”

  “Oh my gosh, yes. This is amazing, Holt.”

  “Good. Momma made your favorites, and Jules made peach cobbler.” He picked up the covers from each plate to reveal honey glazed pork chops, fried corn, and mashed potatoes. “Dig in, Aspen.”

  “All right! I’m starving; Jules wouldn’t let me grab McDonald’s on the way home. Now it all makes sense. The random shopping trip, the dress, and then ‘no’ to McDonald’s, especially when she knows McNuggets are my favorite.”

  Holt laughed hysterically. “Ya I know. I thought about McDonald’s first, but Momma and Jules said ‘No.’”

  Aspen joined Holt, both of them laughing to the point of tears. “Well, as much as I love McNuggets, I love honey glazed pork chops even more, so thank you.” She leaned across the table, intending to kiss him on the cheek, but was instead met Holt’s lips as he leaned in to meet her.

  Their kiss deepened as Holt stood, moving around the small table and lifting Aspen to her feet, their lips never parting. Holt pulled Aspen close to him; he could feel her shaking in his arms and sense the pounding of her heart. The excitement was almost too overwhelming. As their kiss lingered, the more intense the moment became.

  Holt could feel himself thicken inside his jeans, and his breath quickened in time with Aspen’s. He wanted her so badly that when her hands began to trace the contours of his body, he almost melted into them. She had a way about her that made his mind go blank and his body take over. If he didn’t do something soon, he would have to make love to her. He stopped when the sound of barking pulled him from his trance and back into reality.

  “What’s wrong? Are you okay, Holt? I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

  “No, you didn’t hurt me, sweetheart. I just didn’t want to force myself on you.”

  Aspen smiled shyly. “Holt, don’t you know how I
feel about you?”

  Pulling her closer, his face softened as he cupped her cheek. “I’d like to think that we share the same feelings.”

  “I think we do,” Aspen replied. As she pushed forward, captivating his lips with hers, their bodies melted into one. Everything around them disappeared until they were in their own world.

  21

  Russell

  * * *

  Russell finished clamping the kennels into the van then went back to his cabin and grabbed his go bag. Some things never changed—he always had a go bag, even when he was homeless. Jagger, his Rottweiler service dog he had received from Healing Heroes, looked at him as if to say, Don’t forget my go bag. After Russell put his things in the van, he went back and grabbed Jagger’s food and his travel dishes, along with water and his favorite blanket to put over the back seat. He looked toward the office and saw Jasmine going in. “Come on, Jag. Let’s go get Jasmine so we can get on the road.”

  Jasmine was going over her calendar when Tori stepped in her office. “Are you ready to go?”

  “I was just checking my calendar to make sure everything’s all caught up. I just sent in the feed order for all the animals, and you should be getting a hay delivery tomorrow.” Jasmine finished flipping through the pages.

  “Well, I set up a reservation for you at The Ole Riverside inn. There seems to be an art convention going on.” Jasmine busily started thumbing through papers. “I figured Savannah would be a good resting point for Russell. He still gets nervous being in a car for long periods of time.”

  “Yes, I suppose. There’s no escape in a van when it’s going seventy miles per hour or stuck in traffic, huh?” she said.

  “True. That is part of it, but unfortunately, he lost a lot of friends in a bombing, and has the guilt and anxiety of being a lone survivor. Those feelings of ‘it should have been me’ and of being trapped are so overwhelming. So, to alleviate that, I made you a reservation for the night. This will lessen the time in the van and help Russell feel relaxed. I want him to continue making headway in his recovery. Are you going to be comfortable being around him for that long?” Jasmine looked up from the papers.

  “Please, I have been working with Russell non-stop with all of your out-of-town engagements you have had. We will be fine. Don’t worry, Tori.” Jas finished putting the dossiers on all the new recruits in her briefcase.

  Russell strolled in the door with a swagger only a military man could have. Even with his battered confidence it was still there. “Do you have your bag ready, Ms. Jasmine? I will put it in the van for you.”

  “It is right here, Russell. I will be out to help load the van with the crates in just a minute.” Jasmine rushed putting some folders in her case, as well as her Kindle so she could read her latest downloads from Kristen Anders.

  “No hurry. I already loaded and secured the kennels. The only thing missing is your bag, then we are ready to roll. Jag already claimed his spot.”

  Russell grabbed Jasmine’s bag and Tori stopped him. “Hey Russ, is everything cleared with Ian? Just want to make sure I’m not leaving him high and dry.”

  Russell took a step back until he was filling the doorway. “No problems at all. Babs and I busted out all the pending repairs we needed. I’m cleared for the week.”

  Russell said his goodbye and walked out of the office. Tossing Jasmine’s bag in the back of the van, he called, “Come on, Ms. Jasmine, times-a-wastin’.” He peeked over his shoulder with a playful grin as he got Jagger buckled into his seat. The passenger door opened and Jasmine slid into the front seat.

  The pair hadn’t been traveling long when warnings on the I-95N highway message boards began to flash, reading: Expect up to four-hour delays. Look for alternate routes. “Dammit…” he shouted, tightening his grip on the steering wheel.

  “It’s fine. We can find a different route,” Jasmine responded.

  “I apologize, Jas, didn’t mean to curse in front of you. Momma would take a switch to me if she heard me say something like that in front of a lady.” The tension climbed up his neck and his hands grabbed the steering wheel even tighter, his knuckles turning white. The beginnings of a panic attack started to take hold. Jagger looked up from his bed between the front seats, sensing the tension running through Russell’s body, and rested his head in Russell’s lap until he felt Russell’s hand drop to his head. “Thanks, Jagger.”

  Jasmine looked up from her phone and saw Jagger had done his job; Russ was starting to calm. She looked at the next exit coming up, “Looks like we need to switch over to I-75N. It’s a hundred extra miles, but better than sitting still for hours. I’m going to call Tori and ask her to cancel the hotel.” Picking up her phone, she dialed Tori’s number. “Hey, we ran into some traffic and need to take a different route. Can you cancel our hotel reservations?”

  Russell couldn’t hear Tori’s reply, but her voice was animated. She sounded stressed.

  “Tori, we will figure it out,” Jasmine replied. “It’s okay, Tori. I’ll let you know where and when we stop. Kisses.” Jasmine hung up the phone and sighed.

  “She sounded a little wound up. What was that about a reservation?” Russ gave her a side glance. Jasmine looked up from her phone. “Oh, she had made hotel reservations at the halfway point to break up our trip.”

  “Well then, looks like we are going to wing it. How about it, Jasmine, you ready for an adventure?” What an adventure life would be with Jasmine in it.

  Russell shook his head trying to clear his thoughts, and the last of the tension left his body. Russell drew in a deep breath, taking in the scent that was Jasmine’s. “Well, Jas, could you pop in the new route on the GPS? Here is the exit.”

  “Yep,” she answered, not once looking up from her phone.

  “Now we’re cooking! What do you think about Albany being our halfway point? We can grab a hotel there and stretch our legs.”

  Jasmine, still looking at her phone, commented, “That sounds good, but looks like they are having a festival of some sort. Hotel apps are not letting me book. I need to call around.”

  “It might be that way no matter where we stop. Seems to be the season for fairs and festivals.”

  “Looks like we might be in luck, let me call and see what I can do.” Jas dialed a number.

  “Thank you for calling The Inn, how can I help you today?”

  “Hello, yes. Do you have any rooms available for tonight?” Jasmine held her breath as she waited for the answer.

  “We have one room left, so if y’all are needing one we should grab it for you. There is a convention in town and everywhere else is booked. Or so I’m told.” It was the answer Jasmine was anticipating.

  “Well, I better take it. Is it at least a suite? I have one other person and a service dog with me. Will that be okay?” Russell could see Jasmine tapping furiously, trying to find another option.

  “Yes, ma’am. It’s a king suite and will hold everyone in your party. We also have a welcome basket for your canine friend.” Jasmine covered the microphone on her phone. “There is only a king suite available, but it has room for all of us. What do you think?”

  Russell looked toward her. “I will defer to you on this, Jasmine. I can sleep anywhere and if need be, I will sleep in the van to make you feel more comfortable.”

  Jasmine finished booking the room, then put the directions in the Garmin for Russell. “There is no need for you or Jagger to be uncomfortable. The room should be big enough and we are adults. I trust you.”

  A heavy silence fell in the van as Russell got lost in his thoughts. Jasmine is my ray of sunshine in this world; I don’t want to blow it. What happens if I have a nightmare, I scream, or worse yet—strike out in my sleep? I don’t want to hurt her; I would die if that happened.

  Jasmine saw Russell working himself into a frenzy and placed her hand on his arm to calm his thoughts and ground him to the present. “If the room arrangement distresses you, we can continue on until we find something else.”
<
br />   “No, that’s not the issue, Jasmine. I know I’ll need a break. I…like you, and I don’t want you to feel disrespected in any way. I don’t want to frighten you.” Russell eased his grip on the wheel as he felt the pressure from both Jasmine and Jagger reorienting him to time and place. He turned his focus back on the road as they continued down the Interstate.

  Jasmine took that moment to seize control of the radio. “You’re in luck, I’m taking requests. Let’s give this satellite radio a workout.” She found an acoustic café station. “I love this station. I hope this is okay. It reminds me of camping trips with my family and bringing along a guitar for songs around the fire.”

  Laughter roared from the driver’s seat. “I’m sorry, Jasmine. I just can’t picture you roughing it in the woods.”

  Jasmine gave him a side eye, trying to carry off a dirty look, but the soft snicker escaped before she could help it. “Okay, you got me. We had a camper with all the luxuries. But the campfire part was real.” Fresh giggles filled the cab.

  After making one rest stop, the hour more of drive time went quickly. Before they were aware of it, they were pulling into the hotel parking lot. Russell waited outside while Jasmine checked in. Russell took the time to check the internet on his cellphone for the nearest restaurants and dog parks. He was starving, and he was sure Jasmine was also. They needed to eat and get some rest; the next day would be a long one. Luckily, a Denny’s restaurant was within walking distance so after dinner he could take Jasmine and Jagger on a moonlight stroll at the dog park by the river.

  When Jasmine emerged from the hotel lobby, she hopped into the van. “Okay, I got us checked into our room. Let’s get our bags upstairs and get settled. Please tell me you found a place to eat?”

  “Sure did. There’s a Denny’s within walking distance if you don’t mind taking a stroll with Jagger and me. He needs to stretch his legs and since it’s so nice, I thought we could take him to the dog park a little way down the road so he can get in a run. Would you mind?”