Page 6 of Stormy Ride

“What happened to him? Mama said he hurt his leg with an axe. Was it our axe, like out by the woodpile next to the barn?”

“I guess so. Jack told me Billy was chopping wood and he hit his leg with the axe. Cut himself pretty badly.”

“Oh, I bet he can’t walk,” said Tammy.

“He’s in the Cut Bank hospital where you were. I’ll be able to see him tomorrow and while I’m in the room with him, I’ll call, and you can talk to him. Okay?”

“Okay. Thanks, Travis. I miss you a lot already.”

“Be good while I’m gone, Tammy, and help your mother.”

“I will. I have to work at the store and help Gramma Grace too. She has a sale coming up and we have to make some new displays.”

“Miss you, Tam. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

I ended the call, hung up the pump and ran inside to grab a cold Coke before I got back on the road.

Montana/Wyoming Line.

As I crossed into Montana, the sun was setting over the Rockies and it was a gorgeous sight to see. I pictured a perfect twilight ride across my thousand acres, and it made me wish I had Outlaw with me.

We’d saddle up and gallop like the wind towards the mountains, hoping to catch sight of the wild horses.

In a lot of ways, I missed having my own ranch and I never knew I’d feel this way until I got my illness under control.

In another hour I’d stop for a burger and a break, and then I’d be refreshed enough to keep on trucking. I still had to drive from the state line at the south to the northwest corner, but now that I was in Montana, I was confident I could make it home.

Butte. Montana.

I stopped for dinner in Butte and pulled into the parking lot behind a highway steakhouse. Two hours later I woke up to the sound of the dogs whining.

Max was sitting in the shotgun seat, straddling the console, and licking my face to wake me up.

The dogs hadn’t been fed and it was full dark.

“You’re right, doggies. I fell asleep and I didn’t feed y’all yet.” I let them out to run around in the dark while I rummaged around in the load bed getting kibble into both of their bowls.

Once they were fed and back in the truck, I wandered inside the restaurant and got myself a steak and a beer.

The two hours of sleep helped a little, but I felt like a zombie when I hit the highway again.

Dry Run Roadhouse. Coyote Creek.

The parking lot was empty when I finally made it to the roadhouse. I pushed the front door open, and Jack was right there ready to lock up.

“Travis, you made it.” He pulled me into a hug and pointed at the bar stools. “You must be so fuckin tired. Sit down and I’ll get you a beer.”

“I don’t want to keep you from going home, Jack.”

“I was kind of watching for you after midnight. Didn’t know how long it would take you.”

“If I hadn’t fallen asleep in a parking lot in Butte, I would’ve been here a couple of hours sooner. Guess I couldn’t go any farther without some shuteye.”

“I’m glad you didn’t fall asleep behind the wheel. That would’ve been a disaster.”

“I can’t say I didn’t doze off a couple of times.”

“I went to see Billy today,” said Jack. “Didn’t see what his leg looks like because it’s all bandaged up after the surgery, but I can tell you one thing—he’s in a helluva lot of pain.”

---