Montana Morning Read Online Free PDF Page B
Author: Sharon Flesch
had
worn itself out around seven o’clock, about the same time Jack had crawled out
of bed at the support unit next to the county hospital. He looked out the
window and couldn’t believe he’d slept through such a storm. He had gone
to bed shortly after visiting with Scotty last night. The snow had been
just a small flurry then. After taking a quick shower and calling the
floor nurse to check on Scotty, he called the ranch.
Will was just
getting ready to leave the house when the phone rang. “Morning,
Son. What you doin’ calling so early? Is Scotty all right?”
He sloughed off his heavy coat and grabbed for another cup of coffee, as he sat
down at the kitchen table.
“Scotty’s fine,
Pops. I called to check on you and Andy. How are things going up
there?” Jack worried about his dad and Andy. They were trying to do the
work of three men while he was in town. Pops was healthy enough, but he
was pushing eighty real hard.
“Don’t you worry
about us? We can handle things on this end okay. You just
concentrate on getting my great-grandson home.” Will heard Andy at the
back door and motioned for him to come in and sit down.
“I’m working on
it, Pops. We had one heck of a blizzard here last night. Did you
get it?” Feeding was tough enough for just the two of them and he hoped
it had missed the ranch.
“Sun is shining.
It’s cold, but no new snow. When do you think you’ll be home?” Will
hoped it would be soon; Andy and he were holding up, but barely.
The truth be known, their butts were dragging.
“That’s one of the
reasons I called. I think I’ve found someone who will come to the
ranch to help us out.” He hoped Will wouldn’t put up too much of a fuss
knowing how he felt about having another woman in Mom’s house.
“You hired
somebody?” Will knew it had to be done. The sound of resignation
came over the phone. “What’s she like?”
“You’ll find out
soon. If the roads are clear tomorrow, I’m going to try to bring her home
to see the place, and to help us get things lined up for Scotty.” Jack
rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. ‘ Sure hope she hasn’t
come to her senses and changed her mind’.
Jack sounded more
relaxed than he had in weeks, and Will was glad to hear his voice. It
would be good to have him home for a day or two. “Better get busy feeding
those critters. We’ll see you tomorrow, with any luck.”
Jack hung up the
phone, thanking God for the cell phones that kept the ranch in touch with the
outside world. If he felt more in touch with the man upstairs, he would
thank him for sparing the ranch and his dad the latest blizzard
too. After stuffing his small notebook in his shirt pocket, he
pulled on his coat, hat and overshoes and headed for the hospital.
The nurse had told Jack that Scott had spent a rough night filled with
nightmares. He remembered the ones he’d had as a boy. ‘Sometimes
dreams can be as bad as the real thing,’ he paused and looked in the
direction of the airport, ‘and then sometimes nothing is as bad as the real
thing.’
***
Scotty sat up in
bed, facing the window. Jack stood quietly in the door, watching Mary’s
son. He seemed too young to lose his folks and go through so much
pain.
“Morning’,
Son.” Jack removed his hat and coat, throwing them on the foot of the
bed. Scotty kept staring out at the snow, giving no indication he heard
Jack.
“Nurse tells me
you had a pretty rough night.” Jack sat on the edge of the bed and
hesitantly placed his hand on Scotty’s good leg. The boy nodded slowly,
tears running down his face.
“Want to tell me
about it?” Jack knew the boy needed to be comforted, but how do you
comfort a stranger, even if he is your grandson? He waited for Scotty’s
answer . . . nothing . . . he would try a different approach. “I think
I’ve found a lady to help us look
worn itself out around seven o’clock, about the same time Jack had crawled out
of bed at the support unit next to the county hospital. He looked out the
window and couldn’t believe he’d slept through such a storm. He had gone
to bed shortly after visiting with Scotty last night. The snow had been
just a small flurry then. After taking a quick shower and calling the
floor nurse to check on Scotty, he called the ranch.
Will was just
getting ready to leave the house when the phone rang. “Morning,
Son. What you doin’ calling so early? Is Scotty all right?”
He sloughed off his heavy coat and grabbed for another cup of coffee, as he sat
down at the kitchen table.
“Scotty’s fine,
Pops. I called to check on you and Andy. How are things going up
there?” Jack worried about his dad and Andy. They were trying to do the
work of three men while he was in town. Pops was healthy enough, but he
was pushing eighty real hard.
“Don’t you worry
about us? We can handle things on this end okay. You just
concentrate on getting my great-grandson home.” Will heard Andy at the
back door and motioned for him to come in and sit down.
“I’m working on
it, Pops. We had one heck of a blizzard here last night. Did you
get it?” Feeding was tough enough for just the two of them and he hoped
it had missed the ranch.
“Sun is shining.
It’s cold, but no new snow. When do you think you’ll be home?” Will
hoped it would be soon; Andy and he were holding up, but barely.
The truth be known, their butts were dragging.
“That’s one of the
reasons I called. I think I’ve found someone who will come to the
ranch to help us out.” He hoped Will wouldn’t put up too much of a fuss
knowing how he felt about having another woman in Mom’s house.
“You hired
somebody?” Will knew it had to be done. The sound of resignation
came over the phone. “What’s she like?”
“You’ll find out
soon. If the roads are clear tomorrow, I’m going to try to bring her home
to see the place, and to help us get things lined up for Scotty.” Jack
rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. ‘ Sure hope she hasn’t
come to her senses and changed her mind’.
Jack sounded more
relaxed than he had in weeks, and Will was glad to hear his voice. It
would be good to have him home for a day or two. “Better get busy feeding
those critters. We’ll see you tomorrow, with any luck.”
Jack hung up the
phone, thanking God for the cell phones that kept the ranch in touch with the
outside world. If he felt more in touch with the man upstairs, he would
thank him for sparing the ranch and his dad the latest blizzard
too. After stuffing his small notebook in his shirt pocket, he
pulled on his coat, hat and overshoes and headed for the hospital.
The nurse had told Jack that Scott had spent a rough night filled with
nightmares. He remembered the ones he’d had as a boy. ‘Sometimes
dreams can be as bad as the real thing,’ he paused and looked in the
direction of the airport, ‘and then sometimes nothing is as bad as the real
thing.’
***
Scotty sat up in
bed, facing the window. Jack stood quietly in the door, watching Mary’s
son. He seemed too young to lose his folks and go through so much
pain.
“Morning’,
Son.” Jack removed his hat and coat, throwing them on the foot of the
bed. Scotty kept staring out at the snow, giving no indication he heard
Jack.
“Nurse tells me
you had a pretty rough night.” Jack sat on the edge of the bed and
hesitantly placed his hand on Scotty’s good leg. The boy nodded slowly,
tears running down his face.
“Want to tell me
about it?” Jack knew the boy needed to be comforted, but how do you
comfort a stranger, even if he is your grandson? He waited for Scotty’s
answer . . . nothing . . . he would try a different approach. “I think
I’ve found a lady to help us look