Chapter Eight #3
Taylor’s no-nonsense smile was still warm, encouraging and sympathetic. “All the more reason to give yourself a break. You need some ‘me’ time, Rachel. While Allie is important, so are you. You cannot let her become your entire life to the point where you lose yourself.”
“I know but…”
“No buts. One day she’ll walk out of here to go to college or she’ll move across the country and where will you be then?”
Rachel didn’t even want to think that far ahead.
“It goes faster than you know it,” Taylor warned. “You’re allowed to be a mother and also have your own life and interests. Doing so doesn’t make you any less of a mom.”
“It will be good for my career to meet the other staff. When he moves the entire company here, I’ll know them already. And I don’t want to be an admin my entire life.”
“Exactly. Perhaps you can be a vice president someday or something. Don’t sell yourself short or miss something because you were afraid to take a risk. Just be smart about things and keep yourself professional at all times.”
“Believe me, I learned that lesson with Allie’s baby daddy.”
“Ga!” Allie said, which came across a lot like a warped version of “go.”
The thought overwhelmed, but it wasn’t something she should turn down.
“Okay, I’ll take the weekend. It might be nice to connect with some of my other friends, too.
” Rachel hadn’t really kept up with any, not because of their lack of trying, but mostly because she’d been so busy juggling everything that she’d not had the minutes to spare.
The older woman gave a satisfied nod. “Good. That’s what I like to hear. And when you get back Monday, I can’t wait for you to tell me everything that happened. I love the rodeo, and you’ll have VIP access. If you meet Cody Fallsworth, can you get me his autograph?”
Cody Fallsworth was a rodeo champion and a huge celebrity. “He is going to be there. If I can, I will get it. Promise.”
“Fingers crossed,” Taylor said, brushing her hand over her flushed cheeks. “That’ll make my day. I’m almost jealous—I’d love to be in the same room with that man. You’re going to have a great time.”
“It’s work.”
“It’ll also be fun,” her neighbor argued.
“You’re right—it will be,” Rachel agreed.
She reached for her phone. While she was still unsure about leaving Allie and nervous about the implications of being in Dallas with Oakley, Taylor was right.
She did need to have her own life. She texted Oakley before she changed her mind: I have a sitter for the entire weekend.
Dallas, here I come.
* * *
Oakley was walking into the restaurant when he received Rachel’s message. “What’s that goofy grin about?” Jagger asked as Oakley approached the table.
“Nothing. Just good news about the rodeo.” Oakley liked Rachel’s message and shoved his phone into his pocket. His siblings had already arrived at Captain’s for their weekly dinner, but there was no sign of his father. “A lot’s riding on this weekend.”
“I see what you did there.” Cheyenne giggled. “You’re funny.”
Oakley gave a shake of his head. “That’s me. So punny.” He reached for his water goblet. “Sorry I’m late, but I got caught up at the hospital. I went by to check on our friend Johnny Doe.” The server came by and Oakley ordered an old-fashioned.
“What’s the latest?” Maisey asked.
“They did a speech and memory assessment, and his speech is intact but with word-finding difficulties. His EEGs have been good and he hasn’t had any seizures.
But he still has the severe retrograde amnesia.
They’ve moved him to the neuro ward and have started him on some speech therapy.
He’s been assigned a social worker. She told me the sutures will be out before the weekend. ”
“That’s good news at least,” Evanston said.
“But we still don’t have the DNA back,” Oakley reminded him. “Or know who’s in the picture.”
Evanston reached for his cocktail. “Speaking of that baby picture, Cheyenne sent me the picture you took of it, so I did a reverse search on the internet. Unfortunately, I came up empty.”
“Worth a try, though,” Avery said.
“Exactly,” Evanston murmured before he took a sip. As he lowered his glass, he glanced at his watch. “Where’s Dad? He should have been here long before now.”
“Do you think he had an accident?” Cheyenne asked, her forehead creasing in worry.
“I’m sure he’s simply running late like I was,” Oakley soothed. “You know he’s been late before.” Although it was rare.
“Maybe he forgot that this was an entire family dinner,” Maisey said. “We do seem to get together a lot, just us kids.”
“I’m texting him.” Cheyenne reached for her phone, but before she’d swiped it open, they heard a commotion coming from the hostess stand.
“I said I can see them and know where I’m going.” Clemons’s voice carried as he made his way toward the table.
“I wonder what has him in knots now?” Maisey asked.
“He’s clearly agitated about something,” Evanston agreed. “You can see it from here.”
“Let’s hope it’s nothing major this time,” Avery added. “I’m tired of the drama.”
When their dad arrived at the table, he didn’t even sit but wrapped his fingers around the back of the empty chair instead. “Mewington’s gone,” he announced.
Everyone gasped.
“Oh no! Your poor cat.” Cheyenne was already on her feet, and she rounded the table toward her dad. “What happened? This is so tragic and unexpected. I’m so sorry. How did he die?”
Clemons brushed off her attempt to give him a hug.
“Did you hear me say he’s dead?” he snapped.
“He’s not dead. He’s gone. Someone opened the catio door, and he’s vanished.
Escaped. I’ve been calling him all day. I can’t find him anywhere.
I swear, if someone took him and I find them, I’m suing them or putting them in prison. ”
“Dad, it’ll be okay.” This time Clemons let Cheyenne hug him as she’d started crying.
“We’ll find him,” Avery said, standing. Like Oakley, she’d noticed her dad appeared shaken.
He was already on the internet searching for what to do for a lost cat.
“I found some advice online. One thing is to put Mewington’s litter box and some of your worn clothes outside as that could help him come home.
Have you begun searching? Says here that cats who get out usually hide close by rather than wander far. ”
“Someone took him, I know it,” Clemons choked out. “He’s a valuable cat. I looked everywhere and called him. Someone stole him!”
“We don’t know that,” Oakley said. “We should look under porches and in garages, and as it’s almost dusk, this is a great time to go find him.”
“We should post on social media,” Avery said. “I can do that.”
“And make flyers and hang them,” Maisey added. “I’ll help with that.”
“He’s long gone,” Clemons insisted, his chin quivering. “You know the haters in this town can’t stand me. They hate that I’m a Fortune. Hate that I’m not going to put up with their bad attitudes. I wouldn’t put it past them for one of them to have let him out on purpose!”