Crashing Into Tess (The McGreers)

by Christine, Lilly

  “Hey, Dr. Tess. How’d it go with the pig?” Alice asked. “She’s a mean sucker. She was uncomfortable when I got here, and it took plenty of sedative before she’d let me mess with her. I hope the Carsons see a big improvement by tomorrow afternoon though. The infection should have cleared out by then. I told them to call and let us know how she’s doing.”

  “Good, listen, I just heard from Jake. His favorite gelding tangled with barbed wire, he’s all torn up and needs stitches. Do you know how to get to McGreer Ranch from the Carsons?”

  “Not exactly.”

  “It’s about twelve miles. At least you’re on the right side of town.” Alice gave her the directions, and Tess pulled up Jake’s address in her GPS. “Take your time, Tess, and drive slowly.”

  Twenty minutes later, Tess pulled into the gates of McGreer Ranch, drove over a knoll and around to the horse barn, glad for the lingering daylight. She was going through her supplies, assembling a suture kit, putting hypodermics, antibiotics, and a sedative in her bag, when Jake came out of the barn. His glare was chilling, and his eyes blazed with anger.

  ***** When Jake saw Tess’s maroon Tacoma pickup roll up near the horse barn, he set his jaw. Might as well get this over with.

  “Hey, Jake,” Tess said with a smile, laying out her supplies. “Alice called. She said your big red Quarter Horse tangled with some barbed wire, and I should come right over from the Carsons.” She glanced at him worriedly. “Weren’t you expecting me?”

  “I requested Doc Harnes,” he managed to say, his voice tight.

  “Doc’s been booked at the clinic all day, I’m doing ranch rounds this afternoon. I’m certain I can handle this,” she said, eyeing him curiously.

  “I’m sure you can, but considering all the nonsense with my insurer, I’d hoped Doc would come out.”

  “Insurer? What are you talking about?” She looked puzzled.

  “Tess, I got a letter from my insurance company yesterday.” He was trying to keep his tone calm, with little success. “They’ve received notice from your insurer, stating that I’m seventy percent at fault for our accident, due to my blood alcohol level and rate of speed. My insurer doubled my rates, and suggested I retain an attorney, since you’re now planning to sue me.”

  “Jake, what are you talking about? Blood alcohol level? Were you drunk?” She stared at him aghast.

  “No, Tess, I was not drunk,” he said, biting off each word. “In fact, I hadn’t consumed a drop of alcohol. I drank ginger ale and water all night, and Alice will vouch for me. But there seems to be a problem with the police report, something else I need to look into,” he snapped. “Why didn’t you at least tell me you suspected I’d been drinking? And why did you spend the night with a guy you thought was a drunk driver, one you planned to sue?” His voice lashed out, his anger rising.

  Her tender face flinched, but he continued, venting his fury. “You know, Vicki will be thrilled to use this stuff in her next custody suit. She’s made no secret of her intent to move Cassie to California, and I haven’t even started on what it’s done to my insurance rates. Why would you pull something like this on me?”

  “Wait, Jake, there must be some misunderstanding,” Tess said, looking like she’d been struck. “I don’t know anything about this police report. I haven’t spoken to my insurance company about anything other than medical bills, I swear it.” Tears of humiliation glistened in her eyes. She wiped her face, shaking her head. “Look, this is silly. I can’t do this right now. Why don’t you show me your horse?”

  Impatient and frustrated, he led Tess down the center aisle of the barn, sliding open Alchemy’s stall door. Inside, his prize chestnut gelding stood eating hay. Blood seeped from wounds on the animal’s copper-colored chest and numerous gashes on his front legs and belly. Tess inhaled sharply.

  Turning to him, her eyes pleading, Tess said,“Your horse is suffering. He needs immediate care. Doc wanted to take Bea to Salida for dinner tonight. Please let me suture him for you right away.”

  “Fine,” Jake nodded stonily. He left to carry her things in, angry with himself. No matter what happened, he prided himself on staying calm, especially with visitors to the ranch. But her betrayal was so like what he’d felt through his marriage, so very unexpected from what he’d believed her to be, he’d just lost it. As angry as I am with Tess, I’m even angrier at myself, for being led in, for being a sucker again. I’m a fool, for trusting so easily.

  Setting the suture kit and medications down outside the stall, he rigged her adjustable light, flooding a hospitalbright arc on Alchemy’s belly and legs. Tess approached the horse slowly, gingerly touching his shoulder. “Easy, fellow, just let me take a look at you,” she whispered, squatting next to Alchemy. Looking closely at the cuts near the bone on his knees, pasterns and fetlocks, she made certain there was no damage to the tendons and nerves.

  “Alchemy was limping when I brought him in. It’s been about an hour and a half. I didn’t see anything that suggested permanent injury or lameness. I gave him some Dormosedan I keep for emergencies, three-quarter cc’s,” Jake offered stonily, clipping a lead rope on the gelding’s halter.

  “That should keep him for awhile then. I’ll give him more, a little later.” Speaking soothingly to the horse, Tess injected a local anesthetic. Jake saw her hands shake as she threaded a needle with dissolving suture. He held the big chestnut steady, and she began stitching. “How did he get into barbed wire?”

  “We brush hogged some brambles last spring, below the paddocks. I’m wondering if the tractor didn’t kick up some old barbed wire that had been laying in there, and no one spotted it. He has a bad habit of jumping out of his paddock. Somehow, he got tangled in the barbed wire. By the time Ralph cut it off his legs, he’d already been thrashing around in it for who knows how long.”

  Tess nodded. Despite the circumstances, she’d managed to gain Alchemy’s trust immediately. This must be nerve wracking for her, too. But what had she expected? As aggravated as Jake was, he had to admire her resolve.

  For over an hour, she worked silently, completely focused. As his fury subsided, he couldn’t help admiring her, hair pulled back in a ponytail, cheeks fresh and smooth, trim even in her baggy coveralls. He knew she was talented, but he’d never seen sutures so careful and pretty. After layering two sets of suture in the deepest wounds, she said, almost to herself, “I’m trying to keep this really neat to minimize scarring.”

  “I can see that. Alchemy was a conformation champion as a two and three year old. I’m grateful for whatever you can do for him appearance wise.”

  “You got it,” she said, glancing away quickly when he tried to meet her eye. He remembered how passionate she’d been with him, how close they’d been to making love, and his heart wrenched. Why in the hell would she complain to her insurance, and ruin everything for us?

  ***** Shocked by Jake’s manner, Tess focused on connecting with Alchemy. “You’re going to be okay, guy,” she soothed, giving him another shot of Dormosedan. The copper colored quarter horse flinched and shifted his weight. “You’re a real trooper.”

  Her nervousness and tension had dissipated as she worked, and she began to be pleased with the results. An hour and a half after she’d begun, Tess heard a child’s voice call into the barn.

  “Daddy?”

  “In Alchemy’s stall, Cass.”

  “Hi, Daddy. Is Dr. Tess here for a trail ride?” Tess’s

  heart sank at the eager anticipation in Cassie’s voice. Two familiar amber eyes peeped over the stall wall. “Hi, Dr. Tess!” Cassie called cheerfully.

  Tess took a deep breath, smiling bravely, “Hi, Cassie.” Jake’s voice was clipped. “Cass, Alchemy and Dr. Tess need more time here in the quiet, and Van is probably still cooped up in the house. Can you go get him and bring him down here? I’ll help you with Sparky when Dr. Tess

  finishes up.”

  Tess’s insides twisted at the coolness in his voice. Does

  Jake want to
keep Cassie away from me now, too? There

  was just one gash left under Alchemy’s belly. “I think this

  is the last one that needs sutures, Jake,” she said quietly, her

  face burning with humiliation. “I’ll use Furazine and tape

  the rest.”

  A half hour later, she pulled her surgical gloves off and

  packed up her suture kit. Jake carried the lamp to the truck,

  and she followed with her bag. Cassie was leading her pony

  Sparky from the paddock. “Sparky looks great, Cassie,”

  Tess called, infusing her voice with as much warmth and

  encouragement as she could muster as she opened the cab

  door to let Rhiannon run.

  Jake helped Cassie tie her pony in the grooming stall,

  saying, “You start grooming Sparky, Cass. I have to talk to

  Dr. Bamberger a minute. I’ll be back to help you tack up.” Jake approached her truck, handing her a letter with a

  grim look. “I made a copy for you.”

  While he brought the rest of her things to the truck’s

  tailgate, Tess read the letter. This is for real. The knot in her

  stomach tightened, worse than before, and she began to feel

  nauseous.

  Looking straight at him, she said, “I wish you’d called

  me right away. I wondered why I hadn’t heard from you,

  Jake. I knew nothing about the breathalyzer, and I

  absolutely have not spoken to my insurance company.” Flashing an annoyed glare, he stood stiff and

  unyielding. She touched his arm, searching his face for

  some kind of reprieve. “I know it seems unlikely, but I

  don’t have an explanation for this right now, but I’ll do

  what it takes to clear this thing up. I’m sure Alice can

  vouch for you as far as that night at the bar.”

  Jake exhaled. His face softened, and some of the

  tension left his shoulders. “Look, Tess, you know I’ve had

  my fill of lawyers.”

  If you’ve had your fill of lawyers, you won’t want to

  meet my parents. Tess throat closed as the realization hit

  her. I was still on Mom and Dad’s policy, while I lived at home. They found out about the accident and started digging. It’s the only explanation.

  “Jake, tell me about this police report,” Tess choked. “Ron gave me a breathalyzer test after the ambulance

  showed up. He told me it was inconclusive, but he had a

  real smirk on his face when he said it. Ron doesn’t like me.

  I hate to think he’d lie about something like this, but he

  does like to push his weight around. .038 is below the legal

  limit, but the way the report reads, alcohol impairment was

  a factor our collision. It’s insane. I wasn’t drinking.” “Alice served me ginger ale and water all night, she’ll

  tell you,” Jake continued. “You know how badly I feel

  about the accident, but this complaint makes me look the

  very worst, irresponsible and willfully negligent.” He

  shook his head, eyes tormented. “Are you sure you didn’t

  tell anyone you suspected I’d been drinking?”

  “Jake, I swear it. I had a concussion that night, but I

  could still testify that you showed no signs of intoxication,

  if it comes to that. Remember, you checked my pupils? And

  there wasn’t alcohol on your breath, so that’s something.

  The ambulance crew was there, too. You have plenty of

  witnesses,” Tess said, keeping her voice down, so Cassie

  couldn’t hear.

  “Maybe, but the stink Vicki could cause over the report

  is the last thing Cassie needs. My attorney will have it on

  his desk first thing tomorrow. I have to challenge it

  legally.”

  “Look, I’ll go to bat for you, Jake, I promise. We’ll get

  this straightened out, okay?”

  “Thanks for that, Tess. Let cooler heads prevail, huh?”

  he asked sheepishly, shooting her an appreciative

  look.

  “As far as Alchemy, I’ve given him a tetanus and IV

  antibiotics. He’ll need to be checked on later tonight and

  first thing tomorrow morning. Call right away if any

  sutures pop. Here are some oral antibiotics. Give them

  twice a day, until he’s healed. I’ll be out to remove the

  sutures early next week, unless you’d rather have Doc do

  it.”

  Cassie called out from the grooming stall. “Hey Dr.

  Tess, can you stay and watch me ride?”

  Tess walked towards the barn, her heart locked in her

  throat. “I’d love to, Cassie, but I better not today. Have fun

  with Sparky and your dad, okay?”

  “Don’t forget our trail ride next time!” Cassie called

  out, smiling.

  “Okay!” Tess waved, forcing the most pleasant smile

  she could muster, backing towards the truck. “I’ve got root

  beer and vanilla ice cream at the apartment, any time you

  want to stop by!”

  “I missed working at the vet office this week, Dr. Tess.

  I’ll try to stop by soon,” Cassie promised.

  “I’m always happy to see you, Cass,” Tess smiled,

  ignoring the hot tears that threatened to well, trying to feel

  brave.

  Jake stood by Tess’s truck. “Thanks for your help with

  Alchemy today,” he said tightly. “Look, you do great work,

  and it was really fortunate for us all that you were here

  today. I’ll make sure Cassie gets to the clinic on your shift

  in the next week or so, okay?”

  “Uh-huh, Jake, that sounds good.” Tired of faking it,

  anxious to get off McGreer Ranch, Tess climbed into her

  truck. Tears blurred her vision as she drove towards town.

  The knowledge that Vicki could interfere with Jake’s

  relationship with Cassie was like a kick in the gut. And

  Jake doesn’t trust me, not even enough to call to talk, which makes it even worse. How dare he think the worst of me!

  ***** As soon as she had cell reception, Tess pulled off the road and dialed Noelle. “Mom, I’m looking at a copy of a letter Jake McGreer received from his insurer, based on a complaint about a police auto accident report. You or dad don’t know anything about this, do you?”

  “Your father and I received copies of medical statements, so naturally we looked into it, dear. The police report says the driver had been drinking and was presumed speeding. As you know, you were insured on our policy. We took action to protect you.”

  Her voice burst with fury, “Mom, you seriously did this, without even consulting me?”

  “Tess, please calm down. We knew you had a lot going on with your new job, and we didn’t want to trouble you. We did what any good attorney would have advised, in your situation.”

  “But Mom, I didn’t ask for an attorney’s advice!” Despairing, Tess was barely able to conceal her anger. “This is my life, and your interference has really messed things up for me here.”

  “Be that as it may, you were hit and the driver was near drunk. Were you hurt?”

  “I’m not discussing the accident with you, Mom. I can’t trust that you and Dad will respect my privacy.”

  “Tess, that’s nonsense. What were you doing out at that time of night anyway, in a strange place? I wish you’d stayed in the hotel room in Colorado Springs, where you said you’d been,” her mother answered frostily.

  “Mom, this accident was most definitely not Jake McGreer’s fault. His insurance company is under the impression I’m gearing up for a la
wsuit, which couldn’t be further from the truth.”

  “Well, dear, facts speak for themselves. Of course you should recover a settlement, if you can.”

  “Mom, you’re completely unaware of the facts, I assure you.”

  Her mother sighed. “Oh, Tess, why do you have a blind spot for such inappropriate men?”

  It felt like her mother had slapped her. “What is that supposed to mean?” she asked, astounded, then incensed. “Look, Mom, you spent all last summer humiliating me with snide comments every chance you got, and you’re still at it. I know you don’t want me here. You’ve made no secret of your disdain for this place and my choices. But this is my life, and these are my dreams, so please, can you stop insulting me? I’ve tried to be patient, but it really feels like you don’t respect me at all.”

  “Tess, your father and I will call later from home,” her mother said quickly, ending the discussion.

  Great, and I was just finally letting her know how I’ve felt. Angry and upset, Tess picked up a pizza at Mamma Boccini’s and took it back to her apartment. Sitting at Alice’s little bistro table, she ate two bites of the first slice and put it down, sickened with despair. How could they do this to me?

  After she’d spent an hour crying to Samantha on the phone, Tess opened her Endocrinology textbook, trying to distract herself with the lymphatic system of Suidae Suinae Sus. At least I’ll be prepared, if the Carson’s sow doesn’t improve. I can’t do much for my own life, but I can still fix a pig in a pickle.

  Her cell buzzed at eight. “Tess,” her dad said gruffly, “Mom’s on the other extension. I need to start off by saying that your mother and I have reviewed your legal position, and we agree that you should sue the driver of the truck, no matter that he’s a friend.”

  “Dad, would you two please knock it off? Receipts for medical payments were mailed to your house while I was on your insurance policy, but they’re not yours to deal with, at all anymore. I’m an adult,” she protested, her voice straining with anger, “I’m the expert in my life. I can’t even believe you or mom would make inquiries without discussing your concerns with me, and now you are making legal recommendations? There is absolutely no way this will turn into a lawsuit.”