Page 59 of JoyRide

“Virgil, if this is a game, stop it. Tell me where you are.”

I looked in the garage last and Harlan’s bike was there but Travis’s Harley with the super cool paint job was gone.

“Oh, no.” I ran into the barn and flopped down on a bale of straw and tried not to cry. As soon as I could breathe, I texted Harlan.

“Just got home. Virgil is gone and so is Travis’ bike.”

“No. Don’t tell me that. I have to get out of here and help you find my brother.”

“You’ll be out tomorrow morning and we’ll find him together.”

“Does Travis know?”

“Not yet.”

“Can you keep it from him long enough to give me a chance to get his bike back?”

“I’ll talk to Billy when I go in the house and ask him what to do.”

“Text me later. I hate lying here. I miss you so much.”

“Same.”

Chapter Eleven

Wednesday, July 31st.

Wild Stallion Ranch.

I set my alarm to get me up extra early. I had to do the barn chores myself, then help Travis get up and get settled before I went to work, then make breakfast for all of us. I might be late for work by a little.

As soon as I came in from the barn, I washed my hands, whispered to Billy about the bike, then sucked in some oxygen and went into Travis’ room to see if he was awake. I figured he would be, he was always up before me on a regular day.

“I can’t get up, Tam. Can you drag my ass across the hall to the bathroom?”

“Sure can.” I pushed the quilts back and saw that Travis had slept in the clothes he’d worn home from the hospital. He probably couldn’t get them off on his own and wouldn’t ask me. Saved getting dressed in the morning.

“How do you want me to pull you up, Dad? I’m afraid no matter which way I do it, I’m gonna hurt you something awful.”

“You might inflict some pain, Tammy, but I have to get up, girl. Can’t lie here a minute longer.”

“Okay. Let’s do it.”

I inhaled a big breath knowing for sure I was gonna hurt my dad a lot. I took his hand and pulled Travis up halfway and he gave a loud holler as he moved from lying down to sitting up.

He sat on the side of the bed breathing hard through the pain for a couple of minutes. Then he looked up at me.

“Take your time before you move again.”

He waited until he was breathing kind of normal and then held out his hand when he was ready to get to his feet. “On three, Tam.”

“Yep.”

On the count of three, I pulled him to his feet and Travis let out a god-awful holler, so loud it scared me. I put my arm around him, and real slow he shuffled across the hall to the bathroom.

While he was in there, I ran to the kitchen and made coffee and pulled everything out of the fridge for breakfast.

“I have a BOLO out on the bike,” Billy whispered.

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