Crashing Into Tess (The McGreers)

by Christine, Lilly

  “I’m just about to take Rhiannon for a run in the park. Alice and I are at the clinic till noon, but after that, no plans,” she said.

  “The Green Junction pass up to the Sawatches will only be open another week or so before it’s snowed in for winter. There are some real pretty views up there. I wondered if you and Rhiannon would like to ride up to take a look at it with Van and I this afternoon?”

  “Sounds great. I’ll be finished at the clinic around noon.”

  “Okay, I’ll meet you there. We can grab lunch at the diner, then head up to the mountains.”

  Tess arrived early to the clinic, but there were already three cars in the parking lot; two emergencies and her first appointment. She sutured and bandaged an Irish Setter with a deep splinter and torn front pad while Alice tranquilized a barn cat, a large unneutered male that had tangled with a raccoon. Bea came in as Tess and Alice were inoculating a new litter of eight Saint Bernard puppies. By the time Vicki dropped Cassie off at nine, things were really humming.

  “So, Dr. Tess, we are really busy today,” Cassie announced importantly as she lead an older, balding man with a cat carrier into the examining room.

  “I don’t know what we’d do without you this morning, Cass,” Tess said, giving the little girl a gentle squeeze before lifting the cat carrier onto the high stainless steel table.

  “Now then, Mr. Zweigstich, let’s see to Harris.” The man’s brow was furrowed with concern; his bushy eyebrows almost met in the middle. She glanced at the chart Alice handed her. The cat had been vomiting, but the diagnosis, hair balls, was an easy one. “He’s a long haired indoor cat, Mr. Zweigstich, have you tried wheat grass?”

  “Wha-ell, the Doc suggested it, but ah forgot t’ tell the Missus about it. Seems strange, but we’ll have t’ givvit a try.”

  The morning was a whirlwind, but somehow the four of them managed to keep up. At ten-thirty, the tomcat caged in the back room started to howl. “Did you weigh him before you sedated him?” she asked Alice, alarmed.

  “I did my best, Tess. He’s close to eighteen pounds. The dose of sedative should have knocked him out for four hours.”

  “Yikes. Well, maybe he’ll settle down. Let’s give him a few minutes.”

  By eleven, the tomcat was on a screaming for vengeance concert tour. “Okay, he’s a one cat Judas Priest show back there,” Tess said. “It’ll back up the rest of our appointments, but we don’t have much choice. It sounds like we’re running a torture chamber back there. Let’s book a room and sedate him again, Alice.”

  “Do you want to do the castration now, too?”

  “Did his owners feed him this morning?”

  “They said just a bit of fish, to bribe him into the carrier.”

  “We might as well. Can Bea handle the desk? I’ll need an extra set of hands.”

  Tess and Alice worked quickly, but stitching and castrating the tom took the better part of an hour. The waiting room was standing room only when they’d finished, and all the examining rooms were filled.

  “Yikes, I’ll ask Bea to stay at the front desk, and help you get caught up back here,” Alice offered. She disinfected tables, dispensed medication and drew blood, while Cassie ferried patients to the examining rooms. At ten minutes past noon, they had almost caught up. Tess saw Jake’s truck pull in behind the clinic. When she led her patient out, he was standing in front of Alice’s desk.

  “Daddy, what are you doing here?” Cassie asked, clearly pleased.

  “Ah, I needed to grab some wormer for the horses. We’re out at the farm,” Jake said smoothly, pulling his daughter up into his arms.

  Her hands wrapping his neck, Cassie kissed his cheek. “What a nice surprise. And you shaved. Your cheeks are smooth, and you smell good.”

  smooth, and you smell good.”

  dose pack?” Alice asked, glancing towards the parking lot nervously. Vicki’s car pulled in. Heavily made up, she slammed her car door and marched up the ramp, sky high heels clacking.

  Tess guided a little boy and his mother with their guinea pig into the closest examining room. “So this is Sylvester?” she asked the little boy, taking the brown and white spotted cavy from his carrier and nestling him in her palm.

  “Uh-huh,” the little boy replied shyly. “He needs his teeth clipped, we think.”

  Flashing an encouraging smile, she stroked the little rodent’s back and said, “Hmm, well, let’s just have a look. Could you hold Sylvester, Jimmy?”

  Setting the guinea pig on the table, she pulled up gently on the skin around its incisors, trying to ignore the commotion in the reception area.

  “Just what is going on here?” she heard Vicki screech, and wished she’d left the tom cat until last. He’d drown out Vicki’s squalls, anyway.

  “See, those are the little pouches where he holds his food,” she said to the little boy.

  “He has chubby cheeks,” Jimmy agreed.

  “His teeth could use a bit of attention,” Tess agreed, “Does Sylvester mind having them filed?”

  “Doc’s done it before,” Jimmy’s mom smiled.

  Tess heard Bea’s low calming voice pass the examining room door as she walked Vicki to the back. “Mom, what are you so upset about?” Cassie asked tentatively. They were right outside the door now, and Tess heard Vicki snap, “You wouldn’t understand, Cassie. Please, get your things and wait for me out front.”

  “I’ll just grab a small file and clippers for his toes, then, okay?” Tess asked, and Jimmy and his mom nodded.

  Darting into the dispensary, she was surprised to find Vicki seated at the table, a big purple leather purse open at her feet. Vicki glared at her. Flashing a quick smile, Tess rooted nervously through the drawers until she found her tools. Back in the examining room, she nipped the little rodent’s nails and hit his teeth ever so gently with an emery board. After she’d finished, she gently tucked the little guinea pig back in his carrier.

  “Thank you, Doctor Tess,” Jimmy smiled, picking up Sylvester’s carrier.

  “You bet, Jimmy.” She walked Jimmy and his mother out to the reception area, where Cassie waited in her coat and hat. Holding her backpack, she looked upset and anxious.

  Tess disinfected her tools and stepped back into the dispensary, surprised to find Vicki still there. Startled to see Tess, Vicki snapped her big leather bag shut and brushed past her rudely, face averted. Once in the hall, Vicki called sharply, “Come on, Cassie, we’re leaving!”

  Why was Vicki still back here? Feeling unnerved, Tess tucked her tools into the drawer and moved to where Vicki had been standing. The glass cabinet door was unlocked, partially open. When she saw what was behind the glass, her breath caught. Tranquilizers and barbiturates. Disturbed, Tess slid the door shut, locked it, and walked briskly down the hall.

  Vicki stood in the reception area, fumbling with the buttons on her fancy long coat. Jimmy’s mom was finishing with their bill, and she and Jimmy moved towards the door, waving goodbye to Cassie. Cassie waved back, then crossed her arms and pouted, clearly unhappy. She’s been waiting for her mother for some time. Purse over her shoulder, Vicki tossed her hair. “Okay, let’s go, squirt.”

  Flinging herself forward, Cassie wrapped her arms around Tess. Tess touched her woolen cap, meeting the little girl’s troubled eyes. “Thanks for your help, today, Cass,” she said.

  Vicki grimaced, and rolled her eyes impatiently, while Bea hurried out, a bill folded in her hand. “Here, Cassie, Doc wouldn’t forgive me if I forgot to give you this. See you during the week?”

  Vicki’s eyes flashed.“I’m not so sure she’ll be by this week, Aunt Bea.” Her lipstick’d mouth twitched and she motioned towards Tess. “We better just see you and Doc at the house, for awhile. I’m not sure the clinic is the best place for her to visit.”

  Cassie, her arms still tangled around Tess’s waist, looked crestfallen. Tess saw regret in Bea’s eyes.

  “Whatever you think best, dear. Doc and I are always glad to see you.”
Hastily tying her coat belt, Bea continued smoothly, “I’ll walk you out. Good-bye girls, thanks for your help today.” As she waved to Alice and Tess, Bea’s eyes flashed apology. Tess felt terrible as she watched a dejected Cassie walk to her mother’s car.

  After the door had closed, Alice exhaled. “Whoa. I don’t remember twenty minutes that tense around here, ever. It was a crazy morning to begin with. Count on Vicki to ratchet things up to a full boil. Poor Cass.”

  “Cassie was stuck square in the middle,” Tess said uncomfortably. “I can’t believe her mother won’t let her come by anymore. I can probably kiss visits at my apartment good bye, too. Maybe dating Jake isn’t such a good idea. I never wanted to cause trouble for Cassie.”

  Alice eyed her sympathetically.“Tess, Vicki will always be a handful. It’s no fun for Cassie, but remember, you’re a bright spot for her. That little kid adores you, and Jake needs a life too. I saw the way he looked at you when you two were dancing Thursday night. You’ll just have to decide if putting up with Vicki is worth it. I wish I could say something more hopeful, but honestly, I doubt it will get much better.”

  Chagrined, Tess tidied up the lab and checked on the tom cat, thinking hard about what had happened. She felt terrible about how callous Vicki had been to Cassie, the hurt she’d seen on the little girl’s face. Is any of it worth it, if Vicki hurts Cassie and Jake because of me? She wanted to tell Alice about Vicki’s strange behavior in the dispensary. But what did I see, really? If I say something, it might seem to Alice or Bea that I’m making trouble for Vicki.

  The sound of Jake’s truck engine cutting out, the front door opening and closing made her stomach clutch. It will be hard enough to see Cassie from now on. It’s probably not worth the fuss.

  She threw her lab coat into the laundry bag. Alice bustled back, handing Tess her jacket and knapsack. “I’ll finish, here, you get going.”

  “Um, Alice? I noticed the medication doors were open in back today. I know we were really busy, but let’s make sure we keep those cabinet doors locked, okay?”

  “You’re absolutely right, Tess. Keeping the key in the drawer just below isn’t safe. I’ll get wrist holders tomorrow. We can wear the keys from now on.”

  “I think we should Alice, thanks.”

  Still feeling tense, Tess walked into the reception area, shrugging into her jacket. With a quick, apologetic smile, Jake took her knapsack, grabbing her hand. Tess saw Van in the back of the truck, smiling and wagging his tail.

  “I sure didn’t mean to cause a commotion in there,” Jake said as he opened the truck door for her.

  “It was unfortunate, especially for Cassie,” Tess answered, tossing her bag on the seat and climbing in.

  Holding the door, Jake met her eyes soberly. “Was Vicki really hard on her?”

  “I’d say so.”

  “Vicki was tearing for a fight from the second she arrived, that’s for sure,” Jake said, shaking his head. He shut Tess’s door, walked around the front of the truck and climbed into the driver’s seat.

  “Vicki won’t let Cassie come back to the clinic this week,” she said quietly as he put the key in the ignition. She wanted to be diplomatic, but she couldn’t hide anything, either.

  “What?” he looked stunned.

  “Vicki told Bea Cassie wouldn’t be back for awhile. Maybe we should skip the diner. The way Vicki looked at me, it was clear I was the problem. I don’t want to cause any more trouble for Cassie. She’s devastated already.”

  “Tess, I am so sorry.” He thrummed his hands on the steering wheel, eyes sober. “Look, I know you’re upset. I am too, but let’s not let Vicki ruin the rest of our day. It’s beautiful out. Do you want to head up to the mountains? We won’t have too many more of these days the road closes for winter.”

  Remembering the almost desperate way Cassie had hugged her when she said goodbye, Tess couldn’t forget what she’d seen in the dispensary. Should I say something to him about it? He’s trying to make the best of it, and that would just open another can of worms for him. I wish I was clearer about what happened.

  “I’ll call over for a pizza. We can grab it on our way out of town, and picnic in the truck, okay?”

  The road into the Sawatch Mountains doubled back and around, climbing higher and higher. Her ears popped as she balanced the warm pizza box on her knees.

  Close to the tree line, Jake pulled into the lookout. They were surrounded by deep white snow, shimmering sunlight and the bluest of skies. It’s mesmerizing.

  They sat in the warm truck, munching pizza, looking at the wide, picturesque valley spread far below, and she put the stress of the morning aside.

  Leaning over, Jake wiped a bit of tomato off her chin with his napkin. “I’ve got snowshoes in the back, Crash, when you’re ready to go. There’s another lookout just above us, less than a mile up the trail.”

  “Wow, there’s more? There’s so much to see from here.”

  “Lots more. C’mon, you ready?” He helped her adjust the snowshoes to her boots, handed her poles, and they started up the switchback to the first lookout. “It’ll be avalanche season up here before too long.” Jake looked towards the steep inclines above them. “There won’t be too many more hikes, but you’ll be fine shoeing in the park for the winter, if you like it. There are trails at the ranch I can show you, too.”

  The dogs stayed nearby, barking and playing in chest deep fresh powder. When they’d reached the lookout, he handed her binoculars and stood behind her, pointing out landmarks in the foothills, the different ranches she knew in the valley.“See the old rail line below the interstate over there, where it cuts through the mountain?”

  She adjusted the focus. “Wow, I see it!” He pointed out other spots in the village. She saw the spires of the churches in town, and the cupola of borough hall, the diner and even the tall white Victorian where she lived, all in miniature so far below.

  “When I’m walking downtown, I can see so much above me, but I never thought about what town would look like from up here. This is fantastic!” Still holding the binoculars, she turned to Jake. “Thanks for thinking of this. It’s something I’ll always remember.”

  “I’m glad you like it,” he smiled.

  ***** As terrible as Jake felt about the run-in with Vicki, Tess was too close to resist. As she stood in front of him, binoculars in hand, he wrapped his arms around her waist, touching his lips to the top of her head, above the spill of curls. She smiled, and turned to face him. Tucking his hands under her jacket, he slid his hands up under the hem of her turtleneck, touching the skin on the small of her back. Smiling, she tilted her head up, drowsy-eyed in the sunshine. Touching his tongue to hers, his pulse raced with desire. They kissed until they were breathless with cold, then hiked back to the truck, and kissed some more, while the engine warmed the cab.

  “I’m so glad you crashed into me,” she smiled into the spot where Jake’s jaw joined his neck. “We lucked out, huh?” he murmured, running his fingertips along her cold pink cheek.

  “Do you think I would have met you, otherwise?” she asked.

  “It’s a small town. I wouldn’t have let you stay away for very long,” he whispered, pressing his lips to her forehead.

  “Let’s go back to my apartment,” she offered.

  “After this morning, maybe we should just take it easy for awhile.” He was glad when she tightened her hands on his back in response.

  “We can’t undo this morning, even though we’d both like to. The best we can do is play it cool and stay out of Vicki’s way. You can leave your truck at the clinic, if you want,” she suggested, her lips close to his ear.

  Too tempted to refuse, he kissed her nose, which was still cold. “Let’s try to avoid a scene like this morning.”

  “We can’t let that happen again,” Tess agreed.

  He pulled into the clinic parking lot and left the engine running while the dogs whined and jumped around in the back. He wanted her so badly. If you leap now, y
ou’re a goner for sure. You’re probably a goner already.

  “You and Van coming over?” she asked, her hand on the door latch. She leaned over and kissed him, and he clasped the sides of her face, searching her eyes. He saw her desire, and it made him cautious for them both.

  “I’ll be honest. If you want to keep this just to kissing, I shouldn’t come. I pride myself on self control, but you have a powerful affect on me.”

  She kissed him again, grabbing his lip gently between her teeth. His groin tightened reflexively, and he sighed against her lips. Does this girl have any idea what she’s doing to me? “Tess, I mean it, I’ve wanted to be close to you since I watched you come out of Dave’s garage that first day, as nuts as that is.”

  “So why wouldn’t you have lunch with me, when I asked at the doctor’s office?” she asked curiously.

  “I was fooling myself. I had to play it cool, for my own sanity,” he admitted. “And I wanted to give you a chance to get settled in.”

  “Come on, I know how to play it cool, too,” she said, slugging his shoulder and opening the truck door, her eyes flirting. “We’ll just talk. I promise to keep my hands to myself.”

  “Who are you fooling?” he grinned, letting the dogs out of the back of his truck. She tossed him her keys.

  At her place, the dogs bounded onto the porch in front of Tess. He parked her truck and walked in, smiling every bit of the way.

  Boots and snow pants were kicked off on the living room floor, and Rhiannon and Van wrestled with a rope toy. He found Tess sitting on the bed, her back against a pillow, thin, fleece-clad legs cross legged on top of the blanket. He leaned against the door jamb and grinned down at her. “Is this where you entertain?”

  She eyed him mischievously, and clasped her knees to her chest. “Only when it’s you. Alice’s table and chairs in the kitchen are all I have to sit on. My bed’s really cozy, and it’s this or the floor. If my parents knew about this, though, they’d have a sofa air dropped. Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?”

  “Oh, I’m hungry. Like a wolf. But what I want is right here.” He leaned over and kissed her, then licked her pink chapped lips wet, and slid his tongue between her teeth. She sighed, and put her hands around his neck.