Second Chance at Sunflower Ranch

by Carolyn Brown

  “I’m so sorry about this,” Grady said in a professional tone without making eye contact with Addy.

  Jesse raised his head and asked, “Was it a stroke?”

  Grady shook his head slowly. “I’ve done preliminary tests, and it doesn’t appear so. We’re going to do a CT scan to confirm it’s not a brain issue, and then put him in a room. We want to keep him at least twenty-four hours for observation. I still think it’s the trial drugs, but we’ll be absolutely sure before we send him home.”

  “How will you know?” Jesse asked.

  “We’re flushing the drugs from his system right now. If that’s the problem, he will start to regain his ability to speak by morning,” Grady answered. “Time is going to be our biggest asset right now. It would be best if you went home and got some rest. Pearl has already said she won’t leave his side. Y’all can go in and see him for five minutes. Don’t worry, Jesse. We’ll make her comfortable.”

  “Thanks, Grady,” Jesse said. “We’ll wait right here until he’s in a room. We want to see him before we leave.”

  “Fair enough.” Grady turned around and disappeared through the doors.

  Jesse cut his eyes around to focus on Addy. “Is he shootin’ me a line of bull, or is he tellin’ the truth?”

  “I really think he’s being truthful,” Addy answered. “If it had been a stroke or a brain bleed of some kind, the symptoms would have been different. You would know that from your medic background.”

  “Never dealt with that kind of problem,” Jesse said. “Mostly I was sewing guys up, starting IVs, and getting them ready for the helicopter to fly them off to a hospital for more extensive care.”

  Addy removed her arm from around him and laced her fingers in his. “Well, darlin’, I’ve dealt with lots of stroke and heart attack patients, and so has Grady. I’m going to choose to trust him, but I am sorry this trial thing didn’t work. If it had, it would have hopefully stopped the MS right where it is.”

  “God, I’m glad you’re here,” Jesse whispered.

  “I’m glad you are,” Addy said. “And I know Pearl and Sonny are, too. Sweet Jesus!” she gasped as she grabbed her phone from her purse. “I’ve got to call Mia.”

  * * *

  When Addy and Jesse got back to the ranch house that night, Mia met them at the door with a scowl on her face. “I’m on my way to the hospital. I packed a bag for Nana.” Her chin quivered for a few seconds and then she broke into tears. “I’m going to go and be there with Nana. She needs me.”

  “They said only one person can stay with him.” Jesse drew her to his side with an arm around her shoulders. “Grady is his doctor, and he thinks that, by morning, Dad will be talking again. I can drive that bag back to Mama.”

  Mia stiffened her back. “He can’t talk! How is he communicating? Oh, Jesse, what if he never laughs or talks again?”

  “He will,” Jesse said. “He’s a strong-willed guy. He will get over this.”

  “What caused it?” Mia asked.

  “Most likely the trial drugs he was taking for his MS,” Addy answered.

  “Then he can’t have them anymore, right?” Mia asked. “I don’t care if he gets in a wheelchair. I want to be able to talk to him as long as we can.”

  “He’s off of them already, and they are flushing them out of his system.” Jesse hugged her closer.

  Addy’s phone rang, and a heavy silence filled the room. She’d told Pearl to call her if things got worse so they could rush back to the hospital. With trembling hands and a shaky voice, she answered the call.

  “Hello, Pearl. Do we need to come right now?” she asked.

  “No, darlin’, and I didn’t mean to scare y’all, but I had to tell you the good news. Sonny said three words to me before he drifted off to a peaceful sleep. He said, ‘I love you.’ Those were the most precious words I’ve ever heard in my whole life. Grady says that means he’ll be fine, and that we can go home after twenty-four hours. Go get some sleep and call me before you head this way in the morning.”

  After a few more words, Addy ended the call and turned around to face Jesse and Mia. “He told Pearl that he loved her and then drifted off to sleep.”

  “Thank you, Jesus!” Mia said dramatically. “Does Henry know about this?”

  “Yes, he does.” Jesse smiled up at Addy. “I called him from the hospital. He’s letting the hired hands know that there won’t be any work tomorrow because we’ll all be in and out of the hospital.”

  “In and out, my butt.” Mia swiped a hand across her face. “I’ll be there all day, and I don’t care if I have to sleep in the hall beside his room. I’ll be there all night if Nana needs me.”

  “All right, but call me when you get to the hospital,” Addy said, “and don’t give Grady too hard of a time.”

  “Why not? He wasn’t very nice to you.” Mia picked up the small tote bag and headed out the door.

  Addy slumped down beside Jesse on the sofa.

  Just sitting close to him brought comfort to her, but when he reached over and took her hand in his, she realized that she wanted to hear those three precious words from him. She was a patient woman, and there was no hurry, but she didn’t want to waste another twenty years either.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Don’t fuss over me,” Sonny said, as Jesse held the door for him to get into the house. “I had a little episode. I’m over it. Tests all came back saying that I’m going to live until I’m a hundred and ten, so don’t all y’all start smothering me.”

  “I’ll smother you if I want to,” Mia declared, “and there’s nothing you can do about it, so there.”

  “Okay, then,” Sonny said, “you’ve got permission to worry, but nobody else. Sunflower won’t run itself.”

  Henry came out of the kitchen with a big chocolate chip cookie in his hand. “No, it won’t, and you’re not going to guilt me into staying on here by pretending to be sick.”

  “I thought it might work,” Sonny teased. “Guess you’re determined to leave if my near-death experience doesn’t keep you here.”

  “Near death, my royal ass,” Henry growled. “Come on out to the porch. I made coffee, and the church ladies brought a big pan of cookies and a pineapple upside-down cake for your homecoming. I got to admit these are some damn fine cookies even if Lylah O’Malley did make them. And, Sonny, you need to lay off those stupid drugs so you can come spend some time with me in the Colorado mountains.”

  Addy thought that Sonny was leaning on his cane a little more than usual. She hung back and let Henry and Sonny go through the kitchen and out on the back porch, where Mia and Pearl had already gone.

  “What do you think, nurse?” Jesse asked.

  “For every day you lay in bed, it takes five to recover, so we should expect him to tire out a little faster than usual for a few days,” she answered.

  “What can we expect now that he’s off the meds?” Jesse slipped an arm around her waist and drew her close to his side.

  “It’s a crap shoot,” she answered. “He might stay like he is right now for years, but eventually, he will end up in a wheelchair.”

  “That doesn’t scare me as much as losing him.” Jesse bent down and kissed her on the forehead. “I’m sorry about our date tonight.”

  “There’s time for those things later,” she told him. “Right now, Sonny and Pearl are our top priority. We have to be sure that we take good care of Pearl, too. This is a lot of stress on her.”

  “Just tell me what to do if I miss something,” he said. “Will you come to the bunkhouse later this evening?”

  “If you’ll wake me up in time to get up here and have breakfast going when Pearl gets up in the morning,” she answered.

  “Deal,” he said. He took a couple of steps toward the kitchen, then turned around and cocked his head to one side. “Do I hear someone coming up the driveway?”

  “Sounds like it, but it’s pretty late for company to be dropping in,” Addy answered.

  The so
und of a car door slamming floated through the night air. Footsteps sounded loudly on the wooden porch. Then the thud of something dropped in the foyer caused Jesse and Addy both to turn at the same time.

  “Cody!” Jesse let go of Addy’s hand and rushed to wrap his brother up in a fierce bear hug. “I didn’t think you’d be here until tomorrow.”

  “How’s Dad?” Cody asked. “Is he home yet?”

  “Just now got here. He’s out on the back porch.” Jesse took a step back and held his brother at arm’s length. “You look like hell.”

  Cody was as tall as Jesse, but maybe thirty pounds lighter, which gave him a gaunt look. His thick blond hair lay on his shirt collar, and his blue eyes looked weary and tired.

  “I feel like hell, but I want to see Dad. Hello, Addy. Didn’t mean to slight you.” Cody managed a weak smile in her direction.

  “No problem. We can catch up and compare notes when you’ve had some food and a good night’s rest. Can I get you a sandwich and maybe a bottle of beer or some sweet tea?” she asked.

  “A sandwich and a beer would be wonderful,” Cody said as he made his way across the kitchen and threw open the door to the back porch. “I hear there’s a party out here.”

  Addy gave Jesse a gentle push. “Go on out there with all of them. I’ll bring out a platter of sandwiches and some chips in a few minutes.”

  “Sweet Jesus!” Pearl squealed.

  “No, Mama, just one tired old prodigal son coming home.” Cody opened his arms and Pearl rushed into them.

  “Go!” Addy told Jesse.

  “Let them have a little time,” Jesse said. “I’ll help you with the sandwiches. Besides, I need a kiss to hold me until tonight.”

  “You sure about that? Cody will probably go to the bunkhouse, too, since all the rooms in the house are filled.” Addy brought ham and cheese out of the refrigerator.

  “Does that mean you’re ashamed to spend the night with me if Cody is in the bunkhouse?” Jesse asked.

  “Ha! I’m not one bit ashamed,” Addy said. “But I don’t want to make it tough on you.”

  Jesse put his hands on her waist and took a step forward. “Honey, I’d be happy if you gave him your room after tonight and moved into the bunkhouse with me.”

  “Don’t tempt me.” Addy rose up on her tiptoes and kissed him.

  “Hey, what’s going on in here?” Mia asked from right inside the door. “You two should be out there welcoming Cody, not making out in the kitchen.”

  “Bossy, isn’t she?” Jesse chuckled and headed for the pantry. “I’ll get a bag of chips.”

  “We’re making sandwiches. You can get down a platter,” Addy answered. “And I expect Jesse and I are old enough to make out wherever we want.”

  Mia did one of her famous head wiggles. “Whatever! But you’re also old enough to get a room and not embarrass your daughter.” She reached into the cabinet and brought out a plate. “You put on the mayo, and I’ll slap them together and cut them diagonally. I could probably eat half a dozen. Nana and I haven’t had anything but a couple of cookies from the vending machine since noon.”

  “We could have stopped and gotten pizza or chicken to bring home.” Jesse brought two bags of chips from the pantry.

  “Poppa was in a hurry to get here, and we didn’t want to take the time,” Mia explained as she deftly made sandwiches. “That’s plenty for now, Mama. We can make more if we eat all these. I bet Poppa will have some, too. He didn’t eat worth a damn in the hospital. He said the food didn’t taste like what Nana makes.” She turned around to find Jesse grinning at her. “And for your information, I am bossy. I get that from Mama and Nana both, so if you don’t like it, you don’t have to claim me as a daughter.”

  “He already did,” Addy said.

  “What does that mean?” Mia picked up the plate of sandwiches but didn’t take a single step.

  “It means that we deliberately let it slip when we saw Lylah eavesdropping the other night when we went to Walmart to get a gift for Gloria Sue’s shower,” Jesse answered. “I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow while we get the bales of hay into the barn. And Pearl announced it to the whole bunch of ladies at the baby shower last night.”

  “I’m just now hearing about this?” Mia raised both dark eyebrows. “I’ll be in your room later this evening, Mama.”

  “You won’t find anyone there. She’s sleeping over in the bunkhouse with me,” Jesse said.

  Mia whipped her head around so quickly that Addy figured she would have a crick in her neck the next morning.

  Addy shrugged. “You told us to get a room.”

  * * *

  “How long are you going to be able to stay?” Jesse twisted the top off a bottle of beer and handed it to Cody.

  “Thanks.” Cody took the beer from him. “Honestly, I have no plans to go back,” Cody answered quietly.

  “Really?” Jesse tried to keep his voice down, too.

  “I’m too tired to talk about it tonight, but I’ve got an idea to run by you and the folks in the morning,” Cody said.

  “Fair enough,” Jesse replied. “But I’ll say this, I’m glad to hear it. I can use some help on this place when Henry leaves. When school starts back in late August, we’ll lose our summer hired hands, too.”

  “If what I’ve got in mind pans out, I’ll have time for a little ranching. Tell the truth, I’ve missed it, but now that I see Dad is going to be all right, I’d sure like to find a shower and a bed. Want to help me take my things to the bunkhouse?” Cody asked.

  “You can have my room,” Addy told him. “I’m staying in the bunkhouse with Jesse tonight. I’ll feel a lot better knowing a doctor is in the house in case Sonny needs you.”

  “Well, good for the both of you.” Cody yawned.

  Addy stood and started inside the house. “While you shower, I’ll get some clean sheets on the bed.”

  “Thanks,” Cody said. “I can’t remember the last time I slept in a real bed with clean sheets. Mostly, I catch forty winks in a hammock or on an army cot.”

  “I’ll help you,” Pearl said.

  Mia hopped up from her place on the top porch step. “You’re worn out, Nana. I’ll help Mama.”

  “And I’m going to my place,” Henry said. “Thanks for not dying, you old coot.”

  “Who’s calling who old?” Sonny asked. “You and I are the same age.”

  “Yeah, but I didn’t have to spend a night in the hospital,” Henry threw over his shoulder as he disappeared into the dark.

  “You need to get to bed,” Jesse said to his father. “Want some help?”

  “I told y’all that only Mia can smother me,” Sonny reminded them. “The whole lot of you have got things to do. Cody, you get a shower and some shut-eye. Mia, you help your mama. And Jesse, you better take these leftover sandwiches down to the bunkhouse,” Sonny said with a broad wink. “You might get hungry later.”

  “Thanks, Dad.” Jesse smiled. “Never know when a guy might appreciate a little food.”

  * * *

  Addy snuggled up as close to Jesse as she could possibly get the next morning after shutting off the alarm. “I love this cuddling time.”

  “I love that no one is giving us hell for spending the night together.” Jesse made lazy circles on her bare back with his thumb.

  “We’re adults,” she said.

  “Yep, and we’ve got fifteen minutes before we have to really crawl out of this bed. What do you think we should do with that time?” He had a wicked grin on his face as his hands traveled down her back.

  “I can’t think of much of anything when you’re this close,” she answered, “but I’m willing to go along with your idea.”

  Half an hour later, they were scrambling to get dressed for the day, then they rushed to the ranch house. They barely made it to the kitchen when Pearl and Sonny arrived with Cody right behind them. Cody Ryan was a good-looking cowboy, but there was no way he was as sexy as Jesse—not in Addy’s eyes anyway.


  Jesse put on a pot of coffee. “So, Cody, are you really going to stay in Honey Grove?”

  “Yep, I was on my way home to surprise everyone when I got your call,” Cody answered.

  “Now that a full-fledged doctor is in the house, I guess I won’t be needed so much,” Addy said.

  Jesse took five mugs from the cabinet and filled them. He set three on the table and handed off the other two to his mother and Addy, then put another pot on to brew.

  “Oh, no!” Cody shook his head. “I want to do some ranching. I’ve missed that, but I want to be a doctor, too. Nothing says I can’t be both, does it?”

  “Not one bit,” Sonny answered. “Does that mean you’re going to be a part-time doctor?”

  “Kind of, but more like an old-time doctor,” Cody answered. “I want to run my business from right here. I won’t see patients in a clinic or in an office, so I won’t need much in the way of staff—just a nurse.” He glanced over at Addy. “I would make house calls, and if the patient’s condition warrants it, I’d refer them to a specialist or send them to the hospital.”

  “What would you need a nurse for?” Addy stirred up the batter for banana nut muffins.

  “To help, for one thing, and as a witness for another. Kind of like when you go to the doctor for an exam and a nurse is always standing by.”

  “That sounds like a great idea,” Sonny said. “I’ll be your first patient.”

  “Thanks, Dad.” Cody nodded.

  “You can have Henry’s place for your office when he moves to Colorado in a few weeks. Until then, you can use my office to get things set up,” Sonny told him. “You’ll need to keep files and supplies and such, and his little house would be perfect.”

  “Why don’t you take the bunkhouse?” Jesse suggested. “Since I’ll be the new foreman, I thought maybe I’d take Henry’s place. The bunkhouse is closer to the house, so you’d be close by if Dad needs you.”

  Cody looked over Jesse’s shoulder right at Addy. “Would you consider being my nurse?”

  Addy’s first thought was what would Jesse think of her accepting the offer; then her second was that this was her life and her decision.