Page 1 of River Ride

Chapter One

Sunday, June 30th.

Lakeview Hospital. La Grange. Texas.

“Is Tammy excited for the trip home to Montana, Mommy?” asked Lucy.

“She seemed to be when we talked about it yesterday, honey. Doctor Fielding says she’s as well as can be expected. She’s on parole and will have to check in next week with her new parole officer in an office in Montana when we get up there.”

Lucy smiled. “This trip is going to be so much fun, Mommy. I can’t wait to see Harlan and Virgil again.”

“We’re going to have us a time, honey. All of the rodeos we’re going to, and your barrel racing events, it’s going to be an action packed few weeks.”

“I’m not sure I have enough rodeo outfits, Mommy. I may have to do laundry.”

“We can do laundry when we get to Travis’s ranch, sugar. We’ll repack clean clothes when we leave from there.”

“That will work. I hope I can get some practice time in at Travis’s ranch. Buckshot will be stiff and grumpy after four days in the horse trailer.”

“I’m sure we’ll get in some practice time, sugar. Try not to worry so much.” Annie gave Lucy a hug before they went inside the hospital.

They sat in the reception area and waited until Doctor Chance Fielding came to escort them to Tammy’s room.

Wearing a big smile, the handsome doctor motioned to themto follow him down the corridor and into the locked wing where the mentally ill criminals were housed.

“Are you sure she’s ready, Chance?”

“That’s the same question you asked me yesterday, Annie, and I’ll give you the same answer. She’s as well as I can make her here in the hospital. The rest will be up to Tammy as she tries to resume her old life in the outside world.”

“We went over the main things she’ll be struggling with,” said Annie. “I have a notebook with all my reference material. You’ve helped so much, Chance. I’ll never be able to repay you.”

“When you come home from the rodeo circuit, you promised to let me take you out for dinner.” He smiled. “I’m holding you to that, Annie.”

“It’s a deal.”

Chance stopped outside Tammy’s room. “One of the nurses helped her pack so I believe she’s ready.” Chance opened the locked door and Tammy was staring out the window, her suitcase packed and sitting on the bed. “All ready to leave, Tammy?”

Chance was upbeat and always seemed cheerful. Annie often wondered how he maintained a constant happy demeanor working in such depressing surroundings.

Tammy turned and smiled. “I’m packed and ready to go. Hi, Mama. Hi, Lucy.”

“Come on, Tammy,” said Chance. “I’ll walk you girls out to the parking lot and give you an official wave goodbye.”

“Thanks, Doctor Chance,” said Tammy.

Annie opened the back door of the Gladiator and Chance tossed Tammy’s bag in and closed it. “You girls have a great rodeo trip up to Montana.”

He hugged Annie and whispered. “I’m looking forward to our date when you get back.”

“I won’t forget. Thanks for everything.”

Wild Stallion Ranch. Montana.

“The girls are leaving this morning from Texas,” said Travis. He checked his watch. “They should’ve picked Tammy up by now.”

“Is Tammy gonna be herself again?” I asked. “She ain’t gonna run off again and do crazy stuff, is she?”

“The hospital wouldn’t be releasing her if they thought that,” said Travis.

---