Page 50 of Welcome Home, Cowboy
Climbing into her car, she sipped on her thermos of coffee, summoning her courage to check on Mr. Banks. She needed to make sure he wasn’t on his last breath because of her.
First, she sucked in a breath, held it.Release and let go.With her courage gathered, she dialed Mr. Banks’s phone number and waited, relieved when his voicemail picked up. After the beep, she took a breath and left a short message, telling him she hoped he felt better. Then she dialed Allison’s number. She figured she would rather hear she’d been fired from Allison anyway.
“Just the person I wanted to talk to,” Allison said as she answered the phone.
A feeling of dread anchored in Julie’s stomach. “So you heard?”
“Heard what?” Allison asked, her voice lowering a notch.
Julie’s fingers unconsciously curled around the steering wheel. “That I sent Mr. Banks to the hospital last night.” She grimaced just saying the words.
“You what? What happened?”
“Oh, you know,” Julie said. “He took my class and ended up in excruciating back pain. Lawson drove him to the ER last night. That’s not what you’re calling about?”
Allison blew a breath into the receiver. “No. But I’ll be calling him just as soon as we disconnect. To see if I need to start searching for a new job.”
Oh, geez.Julie hadn’t considered that she might get Allison fired, too, just by association. “I just called and he didn’t answer. But maybe you’ll have better luck.” Although really, Julie counted herself lucky for not having to exchange words with Mr. Banks. “So if that wasn’t it, what did you want to talk to me about?”
“A delivery that arrived at the Veterans’ Center this morning. Mr. Banks approved your request for yoga blocks. Obviously ordered before last night’s ordeal.” Allison cleared her throat.
“I’m really sorry about this, Allison.”
“I’m sure it wasn’t your fault.”
Which was true. Julie hadn’t forced Mr. Banks to walk into her class last night. She hadn’t pushed him down on the mat and ordered him to do yoga poses.
“Mr. Banks has gotten overeager and hurt himself with the machines once or twice before.”
This made Julie feel marginally better.
“I’ll let you know when I hear something from him,” Allison said. “Until then, assume you’ll be using the new equipment tomorrow night in class.”
“Thanks. Talk to you soon.” Julie hung up and exhaled softly, turning her car into Beth’s driveway. At least babysitting would keep her mind off the alternative for tomorrow night—which was either returning to Mr. Adams’s assisted-living apartment to provide massage therapy—no way!—or poring over theHELP WANTEDads online again.
Beth met Julie at the door, dressed casually in jeans and a T-shirt that readRIDE MEacross the chest. She had on knee-high leather riding boots.
“Nice shirt,” Julie said, laughing as she stepped inside.
Beth looked down and nodded. “You wouldn’t believe how many propositions I get when I wear this.”
“I bet.”
“So, my show is next weekend. I’d love it if you came.”
“To watch Sabrina for you?” Julie asked, setting her belongings on the kitchen counter.
Beth shook her head. “No, silly. That’s what Uncle Lawson is for on the weekends.” She smiled. “I’d love it if you came as a friend. My friend.”
“Oh.” Julie nodded. She really liked Beth; they got along great and lately Julie had stayed longer than she needed to in order to have coffee with Beth once she got home. The fact that she worked for Beth had somehow kept her from thinking they were actual friends, though. “That sounds like fun. I will definitely be there.”
“Good. Okay, I’ll see you later this afternoon,” Beth said to Julie, wrapping her arms around Sabrina. “Listen to Ms. Julie, okay?”
“I always listen,” Sabrina announced.
Beth’s gaze slid toward Julie’s as if to sayYeah, right.
With a wave, Beth left.
