Page 52 of Her Cowboy Blind Date

“I’m still in town. Close to the hospital.”

“Okay. Meet Lori there and we’ll put a plan together. You’re needed back in Gilead for the play tonight, right?”

“Yeah, but I can stay —”

“No. Let us handle the situation with your parents. Pray for your mom. Pray we can get your dad the help he needs.”

“Thank you.” He appreciated Uncle Joe’s support. They’d helped Mom other times when Dad’s mental health wasn’t great. They knew the drill.

Sam would drive back to the hospital and wait for Aunt Lori. He should have enough time to return to Gilead for dinner with Becky.

How could he become Switzerland? Neutral and supportive, and not taking sides. He prayed for his parents. For their health. For their marriage. For his sanity as he navigated the rough waters in his family.

CHAPTER 11

A week later, Sam drove Becky to his home after church to swap vehicles. They’d stopped by Heavenly Brew and bought lunch to take on their road trip. Becky wanted to see hills, they didn’t have a lot of time, and his Cadillac Eldorado needed a good run.

He pulled into his drive and parked his truck to the side, leaving space for the Cadillac to pass.

Becky unclipped her seat belt, her gaze on his home.

“Nice place, Sam.”

“It’s small, only two bedrooms. I’m tidying the yard and fixing stuff. Hope to sell it by summer.”

Her eyes widened. “That’s exciting. A big move.”

“It is and it isn’t. My folks moved away and there’s no family here, other than Cindy. I’m ready for a new challenge at the ranch.”

“I’m happy for you.” She hopped out of his truck and wandered around his front garden. The tulip bulbs were in full bloom, adding color to the flower beds.

He headed around the back and opened the old garage door. His large shed was his mechanical work area, with his Cadillac filling a lot of the space. Cherry red. Gleaming chrome. Restored with help from Dad prior to his parents leaving Gilead.

His ’68 Chevy needed work. The project he’d been working on for years with Dad’s help. Dad’s reluctance to visit Gilead had slowed their progress to a snail’s pace.

He filled the trunk with essential tools, water, and oil. Checked the spare tire was inflated. If they broke down, he could repair and fix most minor mechanical problems with his tools.

If only he had the tools to fix his broken parents. Mom’s scans had come back clear and her physical health had stabilized. Aunt Lori had taken Mom to the ranch after Mom was discharged from hospital. Mom was using her vacation time and planned to stay at the ranch until Easter.

Dad was at home and refusing treatment at the hospital. He’d visited his doctor, who’d adjusted Dad’s meds and confirmed Dad’s physical health was okay.

Sam had spoken with the mental health team who were assisting Dad by making home visits. Mom’s health emergency, and her decision to rest at the ranch, was Dad’s wake-up call. He’d apologized to Sam. Dad’s anger had spurred him into action, and Sam was hopeful. He prayed his parents could negotiate a win-win solution to save their marriage.

Becky walked into the shed. “You’ve got a great setup. My dad would love it.”

“He restores old cars.”

“Not as often as he’d like. He’s too busy with work.”

Sam nodded and tossed his house keys in her direction.

She caught them in one hand.

“Good catch.”

She grinned. “I was good at cricket.”

“Cricket. What’s that?”

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