“So far, I am, but I would like a word with both you and Mac before this goes any further,” stated Samuel. “When’s a good time?”
“How about now? Mac should be free soon.”
“All right. Let’s meet at the shop in 30,” suggested Samuel.
Bill radioed Mac. “How did it go with Ralph?”
“It’s done,” Mac replied. “He’s off the property and unharmed.”
“Great! Now I need you back here at the shop right away. And Mac, this time it’s about Sarah. No need to panic, but you need to bring your a-game.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll be right there.”
No need to panic, Mac thought. It’s just the most important meeting of my life!
Thirty minutes later, all three met in the far corner of the shop.
“We have a lot of things going on right now, so I’ll keep this brief,” said Samuel. “Sarah has kept me informed about your budding relationship. As you know, she is a crucial asset to our group here. You may not know that she is my adopted daughter, and she even grew up here.”
“I didn’t realize that,” admitted Mac.
“Both of our communities help each other out,” Samuel continued, “and we all are wanting to protect this valley. However, we are still separate groups.
“With that being said, we have never had a crossover like I see starting with you and Sarah. I’m not sure what that looks like, but Sarah is our primary doctor here and this is her home. So, the short of it is, I want you to think hard about what you want out of this before we get any further down this road.”
“Yes, sir,” replied Mac. “I’ll do just that.”
As the three of them parted, Mac pulled Bill aside and asked, “What do you think?”
“Well, I think you have already thought hard about it and choose to move forward. Is that about right?” Bill asked.
“Yes, sir,” replied Mac. “I didn’t want Samuel to think I was taking it lightly. I’ll get back with him soon.”
“For the record,” said Bill, “I agree with Samuel on this, and I think John would too.
“Remind me to tell you the story of the male deer,” Bill added, and walked away to check on John.
Mac got back on his four-wheeler and drove slowly by the hospital, hoping to get a glimpse of Sarah.
Lucky I am, he said to himself, as he saw her standing just outside the front door. At 30 yards away, she was too far to talk to. He waved, and Sarah turned her hands up in a well-what-happened gesture.
Mac smiled, gave a thumbs-up, and gestured with his right hand to his ear that he would call her.
She laughed, met his smile, and blew him a kiss before disappearing back into the hospital.
“If I knew you would say yes, I would already have asked you to marry me,” he said out loud as he rode away.
An hour later, Dr. Melton checked in on Patty and Joshua. After a thorough exam, she ordered an immediate chest X-ray on Joshua, due to pain in his front left rib cage when he breathed deeply…
A few hours after that, Dr. Melton reviewed the X-rays with the two new doctors, and they all agreed on the findings. There could be a hairline fracture and intercostal muscle strains or tears, not visible on an X-ray, that was causing him to have pain when breathing. They all concurred that there were multiple healed fractures across the entire chest, demonstrating years of likely abuse.
“How did this continue without medical personnel reporting it?” Dr. Melton asked Patty.
“They did more than once,” she replied, “but Ralph always had a good story, and Joshua was so scared he always told the same story as his dad.
“I should have done something, said something,” added Patty, with tears rolling down her drawn face for the second time today.
“I’m truly sorry this happened to you and your son,” said Dr. Melton, “and it’s not your fault. I believe you will be safe now.”
“Is he gone?” asked Patty.
“Yes, he’s gone for good,” replied one of the other doctors. “At least that’s what we’ve heard.”
* * * *
Samuel caught up with Jimmy, after thinking for a while.
“I owe you a debt of gratitude, Jimmy,” he said. “Bill told me what happened, and I understand why you did what you felt you had to.
“With that being said, we don’t condone violence of any kind here, and I’ll have to ask you to leave our group.”
“Yes, sir. I’m familiar with your group’s beliefs, and I understand your position. Thank you for giving me the opportunity, and I’m sorry I let you down, Samuel.”
“No, son, you didn’t let me down. It’s just how it has to be. I can tell you are a good man and a real asset for the right group,” he added.
“Stay here for a few, and let me talk to Bill,” said Samuel. “Don’t quote me on it, but they may have a position for you in their group.”
Samuel found Bill talking to John and informed them both on his position.
“We understand Samuel,” said John, “and Bill has told me the rest. I think we could use a man like him up at the Ranch…if you don’t mind him staying in the valley, that is.”
“Not at all,” replied Samuel. “Not at all.”
Bill laughed out loud. “What’s so funny?” asked John.
“Well,” Bill replied. “This would be the third time today I’ll be calling Mac down here!”
With that, he got on the radio. “Come on down one more time,” he told him.
When he arrived, Bill introduced Jimmy to Mac for the first time.
After shaking hands, Mac said, “I heard what you did. Where did you learn that?”
“Besides working as a mechanic, I had a fight school in Fort Collins called “‘The 13.’”
“That sounds familiar,” said Mac… “Wait a minute,” he added. “You had that DVD—13 Ways to Terminate Your Opponent.”
“But only if you have to!” they finished saying together.
“No offense,” said Mac, “but that Ralph guy was still kicking after your little altercation.”
“Well, that wasn’t my call,” said Jimmy. “But even if it was, the situation didn’t call for deadly force, in my opinion.”
“But you could have if you absolutely had to?” asked Mac.
“Twenty more seconds and he would not have walked out of here,” replied Jimmy.
“Okay. John and Bill say you’re in with our group, if you choose,” offered Mac.
“Absolutely,” said Jimmy. “Thank you.”
“Okay, let’s get you packed and moved. You will be on my team as security,” said Mac, “but we may need your mechanical expertise from time to time. Agreed?”
“Yes, sir. You can count on me!”
* * * * * * *
Chapter Seven ~ Saddle Ranch
Loveland, Colorado
Mac got his new security guy settled in and briefed on the basics.
“We’ll take the four-wheelers and I’ll show you the perimeter area we protect,” said Mac. “It takes about an hour and a half for a full loop.”
Jimmy couldn’t believe his new luck. Just a couple hours ago he was leaving a group, headed alone into the unknown, and now he was part of a new group he felt even more comfortable around.
With a quick tour of the machine shop and a sign-up for night-watchman duty next week, Jimmy felt right at home.
* * * *
Bill was up early, with Dr. Melton on the radio.
“Bill, it’s John,” she said. “Can you come down here when you get a chance?”
“What’s wrong?” asked Bill in a concerned voice.
“It’s okay,” Dr. Melton said. “Everything is just fine. We’ve been working with John, and he thought you should be here for his progress report.”
“Yes, great! When should I be there?”
“As soon as you can,” she replied. “John is excited to hear what’s next.”
Bill met with John, Dr. Melton, and the new doctors an hour later.
/> “John, your prognosis is good,” said Dr. Melton. “I don’t mind telling you that I was worried that first night we saw you. We have an excellent little hospital here, but you were in bad shape and I just wasn’t sure we could save you.
“You worked hard,” she continued, “and fought to stay alive. I believe that had the most significant impact on your recovery thus far.
“I know you’re ready to get home and back to work, so here is my proposal:
“You can go home with one of your nurses providing round-the-clock care.
“Maybe Mac could bring me up once a day to check on you. Or you can stay here if you want and eat all the hospital Jell-O you can stand.”
“As much as I love the Jell-O,” said John, “I’ll take door number one! Thank you, Dr., and all of you here for taking great care of me.
“Can we do the transport about noon today, with a quick stop at our Pavilion so I can give a short speech?”
“I think that’s okay,” said Dr. Melton.
“It’s not good to be away from your people for too long. I want them to see I’m still alive and kicking,” said John.
“I’ll get everyone together for lunch, and we can plan your speech for noon, if that works,” said Bill.
* * * *
At noon John addressed the entire Ranch population, minus a few of the older folks, from his wheelchair.
“Thank you all for being here today. As you can see, I am on the mend. I want to thank Bill for doing a great job running the Ranch in my absence, and Mac for keeping up security measures and fixing our generators and freezers.
“I would also like to thank the elder’s council and all of you here for coming together to ensure our prosperous future.
“I am now home, thanks to Dr. Melton and her staff at the West’s hospital.
“I am not 100%, as you can see, but I’m getting stronger every day. Bill will continue to lead our group until I can return, fully healed. He and I will meet daily regarding future plans or any concerns that may arise.
“Are there any questions?” he asked.
A few hands raised, with questions ranging from how long it would take to heal to did they catch the guy who shot him.
John and Bill ate lunch with the group and answered questions as best they could.
* * * *
Mac was excited, as he was planning another lunch date with Sarah tomorrow. He returned once again to Rico’s kitchen for a hand with the meal.
“Thanks, Chef, for the perfect lunch last time,” Mac told him. “I wasn’t too sure about the wine, but it worked out just fine. I’ve got a couple of people to talk to first but just wanted to give you a heads-up for a lunch.”
“Sure, thing, Mac,” replied Rico. “This is what I do, and I’m always glad to help.”
Now it was Mac’s turn to call a meeting with Bill and Samuel.
An hour later, they met once again by the machine shop at the West’s property.
“I’ve only got a few minutes,” remarked Samuel, “so let’s get right down to it.”
“Yes, sir,” replied Mac. “I just wanted you both to know that I have thought long and hard about my feelings for Sarah, and with your permission I would like to continue seeing her as long as she’ll have me.”
Samuel chuckled. “That’s about what I already thought,” he added. “I know Sarah feels the same.
“John’s okay with this, Bill?” Samuel asked.
“Yes, my friend,” said Bill.
“All right then, son. You two have my blessings,” said Samuel. “And now I have other matters to attend to,” he added, as he walked off towards the hospital.
Mac was beaming and asked Bill as they walked back towards the Ranch, “So, what’s the story of the Buck?”
“Well,” said Bill. “The buck is always cautious, and there’s a reason they escape hunting season to add pounds each year. However, when females are in heat, the male deer is wholly focused on her, and he loses sight of his own security. They have been known to walk right up on a hunter and be killed, since their guard is down.
“Do you understand what I’m saying, Mac?”
“Yes, I think so. I shouldn’t lose focus on my job as perimeter security while I court Sarah.”
“Exactly,” Bill agreed.
“Do you mind if I take her to lunch tomorrow?” Mac asked nervously.
“From now on, Mac, you’re good to go. Just promise me you’ll let me know if there are any significant changes with you two.”
Mac was relieved and feeling like the best days of his life were just ahead of him.
* * * *
Mac picked up Sarah at noon in front of the hospital. She greeted him with a smile and a quick kiss. “I’ve got the whole afternoon off!” she declared, with the excitement of a kid on the first day of summer break.
“Me too,” replied Mac, with a slight grin as he made a mental note to radio his men and have them cover for him.
“Where are we going today?” called Sarah over the four-wheeler’s engine noise.
“We’re headed to the caves on the Rimrock. It has one of the best views of the entire valley,” he replied.
The bumpy road up to the top of the Rimrock was slow going for the four-wheeler, navigating large ruts and basketball-sized rocks.
“I’ve never been up here,” admitted Sarah, “although I’ve seen the caves from the main road.”
Mac stepped aside and radioed his guys, asking them to keep an eye towards the Rimrock for anything out of place and informing them he would only be available for emergencies for the afternoon.
The main cave was over 40 feet wide, with a standing height of 8 feet, narrowing towards the back. The depth was only about 50 feet, but the main attraction was the very front of the cave, nestled on the upper part of a hundred-foot cliff.
There was a trick to getting into the cave from the top, requiring help from another person. Mac slowly lowered an excited but nervous Sarah into the opening and handed her the prized lunch basket.
Next, he handed down a large blanket, hoping she didn’t take it the wrong way. He jumped down, having been here many times before without any assistance.
Spreading the blanket across the front of the cave, they sat with their legs dangling over the cliff.
“I believe the Ute and Arapahoe tribes resided in this valley. There are arrowheads all over Green Mountain,” he said, pointing across the valley. “It wouldn’t surprise me if they used this very cave as a lookout point for their scouts.”
“I can see almost the whole valley from here!” said an excited Sarah. “The view is just stunning! And a bit romantic,” she added, with a wink.
Mac felt flushed and fumbled with the picnic basket. The contents were much the same as the last, but the wine was French today. “Domaine Ramone Montrachet Grand Cru,” read Mac. “I’m not sure what it is, but it sounds fancy,” he added.
Sarah gasped at the introduction and asked, “Where did you get a $2,500 bottle of wine?!”
“No way,” replied Mac. “It’s got to be a joke.”
Sarah continued: “They raffled one of these off at a medical conference I attended a few years back, in Honolulu. The drug companies always gave out the best gifts to the attendees, and who doesn’t want to participate in a conference in Hawaii? Anyway, I didn’t win it, but I googled the cost and got to try just a sip.”
“Should I open it?” asked Mac, as he pulled the cork. “I can assure you that you’re not having a lunch date with a millionaire! I hope Rico didn’t put it in here by mistake.”
An hour later, as the last drops of wine were consumed, Mac packed up the basket and stood to stretch his legs.
“Do you think you can make it back out of the cave without my help?” he asked her.
“Do you need to be somewhere?” she asked, with a flirty smile. “Why don’t you help me move this blanket farther back here,” as she pointed toward the back of the cave.
Mac was getting nervous, as he u
nderstood where things may be heading.
It had been quite a while since he had been with a woman, and he didn’t want to look foolish or clumsy with the prettiest woman he’d ever dated.
They spread the blanket towards the back of the dim-lit cave, and she lay down next to him.
Next World Series (Vol. 2): Families First [The Road] Page 8