Page 34 of Rabid

Dale sat on the steps of his travel trailer, his coffee mug in hand, watching the dogs chase each other across the yard. He turned and lifted his cup in greeting.

“Good morning,” he said. “Want to join me for coffee?”

“I’ll be right out,” Willow replied. “Let me get dressed first.”

She went back inside, pulling a clean shirt from the bag she’d brought from prison. She slipped into the jeans she’d worn the day before. They were her only pair. She would go through her grandmother’s clothes today and see if anything worked.

Eventually, she’d need to go shopping. Having Dale drive her around wasn’t ideal. She’d have to learn to drive so she wasn’t a burden.

Yesterday had been overwhelming. She’d barely slept the week before her release.

Today, she started with freedom.

Dale handed her a steaming cup of coffee when she joined him outside. “I didn’t know if you like it with sugar or black. I have sugar inside if you want to add it.”

Willow smiled softly. “Sugar was hit or miss in prison, so I learned to drink it black. I’d like to tryone of those fancy coffees someday, though.”

She took a cautious sip, and her eyes widened as she met his gaze.

“This is the best coffee I’ve ever had. I don’t think I need anything fancier.”

Dale laughed, the lines of his face crinkling. “It’s nothing special, but I’ve had several cups of the swill they serve in jail, and even the dogs wouldn’t touch that with a ten-foot pole.”

He stood and grabbed a lawn chair leaning against the trailer. “Sit and enjoy. There’s more coffee inside. Have you thought about breakfast?”

She shook her head and took another sip. “No, I’m not even sure what’s available.”

“We can tackle it together. I bought groceries, but I wasn’t sure what you liked.”

Willow shrugged. “Prison food was like the coffee and usually awful. I have no idea what I like.”

“We’ll fix that soon enough,” Dale said.

His calm presence gave her hope. For the first time in years, she allowed herself to think that there was a lifetime ahead of her.

“I want to learn to cook,” she said.

“Joan left you a stack of cookbooks. Once you learn, invite me over and I’ll be your first critic. I also wash dishes.”

He was teasing her, and she liked it.

“I usually take a short hike in the mornings while the weather is nice,” he said. “I found strange footprints down by the wash yesterday and wantto check for more. Ranch locals sometimes wander through without realizing they’re on private property.

“I also find four-wheeler tracks now and then. It’s usually cattlemen checking on livestock. They have free-range out here. There’s a watermill that keeps the trough full not far up the road. The cattle walk through the property to get to it.”

He laughed. “Joan had a slingshot she used to chase them off. Her ammo of choice was marbles. She threatened me with it once.” Laughter filled his voice as he added, “She said the sound scared the cows away, but for me, she’d aim for my head.”

He paused, lost in the memory. Willow could see the fondness in his expression, but also the sadness.

Finally, he shook his head. “Those cows like to lean against the solar array, and they can cause damage. If it’s not one thing, it’s another out here.”

He took a sip of coffee, then glanced at her. “What do you say to a short hike?”

Willow hesitated. She wanted to ask him to stay on the property with her and not take his trailer away. It wasn’t fair of her to expect him to, and the words caught in her throat. Instead, she smiled and said, “That would be great. Do the dogs get to come?”

“I dare you to leave them behind,” Dale replied. “Joan should have some hiking boots in her closet. They’ll work until you order your own.Finish your coffee, and we’ll head out.”

Willow drank the rest of the coffee, savoring the warmth and flavor. When she finished, Dale returned to his trailer, and she stepped inside her grandmother’s house.

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