Read Finding Her Way Home for Free Online Page B

Annie?”
    â€œTed? No. You should see him when I have the kids with me. Gives them candy, lets them have races on his treadmill and gather eggs from the chicken coup. They scare the chickens half to death, but Ted just cackles like the hens.”
    So Annie was married with children. Not that Cheyenne cared one way or the other.
    â€œSpeaking of the kids. How are they doing?” Trace asked.
    â€œLooking forward to summer break.”
    â€œZoey, too.”
    â€œSummer’s great for kids. Not so great for single moms.”
    â€œOr dads,” Trace said.
    Okay, so they were both single. And attractive. Big whoop. She wasn’t here to admire the vet. She was here to work.
    â€œThey’ll be relieved to know their beloved Bennie will be all right,” Annie was saying.
    At the mention of his name, the beagle looked up with sad eyes and moaned. All three adults laughed.
    â€œBennie needs to lose a few pounds and stay out of the tall grass and weeds. These allergy capsules, one each day, should suppress the worst of the skin rash. You know the drill. Other than that, Bennie is as good as new.” Dr. Bowman handed Annie the small blue package. “Tell the kids to come over this summer and swim with Zoey.”
    â€œThey’d love that. Thanks, Doc.”
    Trace set Bennie on the floor and snapped a thin cloth leash into the ring on his collar. He handed the end to Annie. “Are you still looking after Miss Lydia?”
    â€œEvery day.”
    â€œHow’s she doing?”
    Annie paused, a sad look crossing her face. “You know Lydia. If you ask her, she’ll smile that sweet smile, tell you she’s dandy and then ask about you. By the time the conversation is over, I feel better but I haven’t helped her much.”
    â€œHow bad is she?”
    â€œHer heart gets weaker all the time. And lately, she’s really slowed down. Winter was hard on her. She hasn’t spent one day this spring in her flowers.” Annie started toward the door. “You know how beautiful her flowers always are.”
    Trace politely reached around and opened the exam-room door. “I’m sorry to hear that. Tell her she’s in my prayers.”
    â€œI will.”
    Cheyenne listened in as Trace and Annie Markham stood in the hallway and chatted a while longer about the Lydia woman with the pretty flowers and great attitude. She felt like an outsider, which she was, but she appreciated the way both Trace and the nurse glanced her way, including her in the conversation, even though she had nothing to add.
    After a bit, with Bennie moping along beside her, Annie said her goodbyes and left.
    â€œShe seems nice,” Cheyenne said as she and the vet walked down the narrow hallway to the reception area.
    â€œAnnie? Yeah. She’s had a rough few years but she’s stayed strong.”
    Cheyenne didn’t know whether to ask for details or remain quiet. She chose the latter.
    â€œDr. Bowman?”
    Trace turned toward the voice. Jilly, his other assistant, stoodin the door leading to the kennels. “Do you have a minute to help me with this horse?”
    â€œBe right there.” He handed Cheyenne Bennie’s manila folder. “Would you give this to Jeri at the desk?”
    â€œSure.” She took the chart to the reception area.
    A middle-aged woman with dozens of neat, tiny braids covering her head and forty extra pounds, mostly on her hips, manned the desk. From what Cheyenne had observed in the short time she’d been there, Jeri Burdine was as grossly overworked as her boss. She booked appointments, escorted patients, answered the phone and collected payments, stocked shelves and generally ran the business end of the clinic.
    â€œIf you’ll show me what you want done, I’ll help,” she told Jeri. “I don’t think the doctor needs me right now.”
    Jeri pushed at a pair of rectangular reading glasses. “Girl, you