Page 4 of The Convict Gets His Girl

Yet another visit to Dr. Marcus in Dallas tipped the scales. With each trip, the familiarity of the city tugged at her more strongly, whispering promises of a community and a slower pace that could cradle her healing journey. "You're responding well," he said, his voice tinged with both approval and concern. "But you must consider your environment. Stress, exposure—it all plays a role, especially if you're going back to the same area you were exposed. Any infection must be treated quickly and without mercy."

The words echoed in her mind on the drive back, harmonizing with the hum of the tires against the highway. As the landscape changed, so did her resolve. The vast Texas skies gave way to the closer buildings and tighter traffic, her stress and shoulders rising as she gripped the steering wheel.

The Woodlands were no longer her safe retreat, her home. These trips had allowed her to see beyond her current struggles and truly evaluate her life goals and plans. It wasn't just about proximity to medical care; it was about creating a sanctuary for herself, somewhere her body wouldn't constantly be on the defensive.

"Time for a new chapter," Jewel murmured to herself, her eyes tracing the horizon where city lights faded into the countryside. She envisioned the rolling hills near Crimson Creek, the gentle neighing of horses, and family dinners not confined to holiday gatherings.

She'd always planned to move back home after Destini moved out and went to college, but maybe they could both use a fresh start. In the past year, Destini had become so intensely obsessed with NASA that it bordered on the unhealthy. She'd stopped playing soccer and spending time with her friends. Perhaps she needed a change too, to remind her of what was truly important in life.

The decision settled over her like a gentle rain, refreshing and clear. Moving back to Crimson Creek wouldn't just bring her closer to Dr. Marcus; it would take her out of the Lyme-infected area that seemed to be a constant threat, lurking beneath every leaf and blade of grass.

Jewel allowed herself a small smile as she pulled into the clinic's parking lot, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders. The road ahead was long, and the thought of uprooting wasn't without its pangs of sadness. But there was also hope—a hope that perhaps among the verdant fields and wide-open spaces of Northern Texas, health and happiness awaited her.

She sighed as she hopped out. She just needed to grab the stack of paperwork she needed to log, then she'd head home to spend time with Destini. Their habit the past few months was to watch a movie while Jewel loaded information into the computer system.

The fluorescent lights of the veterinary clinic hummed a monotonous tune, a stark contrast to the vibrant life Jewel was accustomed to outside. She went into her little office—even after eight years here, still the smallest of all eleven—and grabbed the inbox stack from the corner of her desk.

As she stepped down the long hall of the offices, a head popped out of the doorway at the end. "Ah, there you are. I wondered when you'd be back. Come join me for a moment, won't you?"

Standing before her boss's mahogany desk, nerves ran up her spine. It was always like being called to the principal's office, and she didn't like it. She was perfectly fine talking with him on the other side of the building where they saw patients or even outside where they were working in the field. They had a decent enough relationship, but there was something about his office that set the hair on the back of her neck to standing.

Dr. Bailey rounded his desk and sank into his plush leather seat, setting it to squeak softly. "How was your day off? Are you feeling better?"

She frowned and sank into the chair in front of his desk, rubbing her hands down her jeans. "It's a long road to recovery, but I do believe the changes have been good for me. I feel stronger every day and can't wait to get back in the field."

"I'm glad to hear it, very glad," he said, his voice softening as he woke up his laptop and glanced down at it with squinty eyes. The reflection of the screen hit his glasses, but she couldn't make out what he was looking at.

"We heard from our insurance company though, and there are some concerns," he began, his voice measured but firm. The creases in his forehead deepened with concern as he peered over at her. "Fieldwork is too risky, considering your health. They won't continue to insure us if you remain part of the practice."

"Risky?Remain?" Jewel's voice cracked, a mixture of disbelief and anger rising in her throat. She braced herself against the edge of the desk, knuckles whitening. "I'm not a liability to anyone. Lyme doesn't work like that."

"Jewel, you are a liability out there. Remember a few months ago when you couldn't even give a cortisone shot, you were so weak?" His words were a gut punch, stripping away her pretenses of normalcy. "We can't have you collapsing on a client's property and the payout for your health insurance is growing. If you remain here, you'll be limited to office duty only."

"Office duty!" She spat out the words as if they were poison. "You're benching me because I got sick from a damn tick bite?"

"Take some time. Think about what you need," he said, ignoring her outburst. "For your own sake."

She stormed out of the room, her hands gripping the folders tightly and her mind a whirlwind of frustration and resentment. The door slammed behind her with a finality that echoed her inner turmoil.

Arriving home, Jewel's agitation met an unexpected match. Destini stood in the middle of the living room, her eyes alight with excitement, oblivious to the storm cloud that was her mother.

"Mom! You won't believe it—I got the job at NASA camp as a counselor!" Destini beamed, holding out the acceptance letter like a trophy.

"Great," Jewel replied flatly, the word tasting bitter on her tongue as she dropped her bags in the foyer.

"Is something wrong?" Destini's smile faltered, sensing the shift in the atmosphere.

"Wrong?" Jewel's voice rose, a crescendo of all the unspoken struggles she'd been shouldering. "I'm being put out to pasture at work because of my health, even though I've bent over backwards for this company."

"Oh, Mom, I'm so sorry." Destini's expression crumbled, concern flashing across her features. "What are you going to do? Were you fired?"

Jewel dropped her bags of supplements and supplies in the foyer and sank onto the couch, rubbing her temples as tears dripped down her cheeks. "No, I wasn't fired. They're saying I'm too much of a liability to insure anymore."

Destini sat on the couch next to her, and Jewel wiped her eyes. "Why?" her darling daughter asked softly, fear tinging her voice. "What exactly is wrong with you, Mom? Are you—what is it?"

Jewel sighed and threw her arm along the back of the couch in a familiar invitation. Destini snuggled closer, resting her head on Jewel's shoulder like she'd done when she was little. It'd been so long since her independent, headstrong girl had relied on her. Jewel's heart ached at the familiar feeling.

She wasn't ready for her daughter to grow up, but she was fifteen. There were only a few more years at home, then she'd fly the coop. She kissed her daughter's curly blond hair, pulled up in a messy bun nearly identical to Jewel's own, and wrapped her arms around her with a sigh.

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