I hate chocolate. Not a popular opinion to have, I know. I was always weird and liked the fruit and nut applets and things like that. But Terry, my husband, he thought I liked chocolates. So, every year, he bought me my own box. And then I would tell him he had to eat one for every piece I ate. But he never saw me eating them. He never suspected that he was buying the box for himself.” She laughed, wiping at the moisture gathering under her eyes. “You’ll need to give this box to Tommy. Thank you, dear girl, for bringing back just a little bit of Terry for me.” She smiled and grabbed at the large teddy bear. “I will definitely keep this one, though. He has enough hair on him to rival Terry’s chest hair.” Her cackle and comments surprised a sharp laugh from Amanda.
Her cell buzzed in her pocket and she pulled the piece out while Grams continued going through the gifts, exclaiming over each one.
A text from Taylor gave Amanda s light jolt of concern.
I need you to get back to the ranch as soon as you can. It’s about Jennifer.
If that wasn’t enough, a text came in immediately after Taylor’s from an unfamiliar number.
I’m back. We need to talk.
Their mother that no one wanted to claim. She thought she had the right to reach out? Amanda wasn’t even close enough to town to make it worth her while to respond.
Maybe she’d worry about that when she got back home.
Or maybe she’d ignore all of it and just enjoy the time she had visiting with Tommy and his grandmother.
Chapter 18
Tommy
Did he chance leaving Grams alone with Amanda? Tommy needed to talk to the doctors, though. He had to find out what they couldn’t tell him over the phone.
Stepping outside of the room into the hall and out of earshot, Tommy turned to face the doctor and nurse with his arms folded over his chest. “What’s going on? She seems fine.”
The nurse glanced at the doctor as if to say you’re in charge. They looked back to Tommy as the doctor spoke. “Your grandmother was severely dehydrated this early morning when they brought her in. It sounds like the neighbor came by to check on her because the chickens got out of their pen. Your grandmother was on the floor in the basement. Her lower leg is broken but she’ll be fine. She needs to have someone taking care of her. We’re not sure when her last full meal was. She hasn’t answered any questions about the state of things at her house. Is it fair to say you don’t live there?”
Shocked at what he was hearing, Tommy tucked his chin. “I usually live there, yes. But I’m out of town on assignment right now and I’m not able to be… there.”
“Your grandmother told us you guys are experiencing some financial difficulties. We would recommend an in-home caregiver to stay with her, but if the money isn’t there…” The nurse glanced at the doctor and then back to Tommy. “The problem is… her insurance was denied.”
Her insurance was denied. Not only were they in debt past their eyeballs, but now they were adding more and his grandmother had a broken leg.
She wouldn’t be able to take care of herself. He would have to come home and do it. They were going to lose the house, the land, everything.
Maybe it was for the best. If they sold the land, then all the debt would be taken care of and they could get a small townhome in a place like Kalispell or somewhere and try to figure out what to do next. That was plausible, right? They could do that.
Tommy reached up and ran his hand down his face. If he could walk away from the case, he would. If his grandmother didn’t need her home, he would do exactly that. He’d fix things with Amanda and get the rest of their life straightened out. He could do something besides hire out work. He could help his grandmother at least enjoy the last years of her life by not being alone.
He nodded. “We are in debt…” He glanced into the hospital room, grateful that Amanda had stayed and talked with his Grams. His grandmother who was injured and needed someone to take care of her. She’d already told him more times than he could count that she had to keep a hold of the family land. She owed