The Healing Ranch

Chapter 11

Megan felt a little withdrawn as she got the few groceries she needed and then wheeled down main street peeking into the small shops. She wished she had never ran into Elizabeth and that Jake had never put these doubts in her mind. She smiled politely at the people that said hi and then turned when she heard someone calling her name.

"Hey Megs. Are you done all your business?" Tate was walking towards her, swinging a bag in his hand from the supply store and grinning widely at her.

"Yup."

"Perfect. What do you say we order something from the cafe to go and we can find somewhere pretty to eat it." She nodded her agreement, and followed him back towards the truck. Her mind wouldn't let what Jake had said go. Had Tate really done something to get himself in jail? Was that why he was such a drifter? He helped her in, lifting her easily out of the wheelchair and setting her in the truck before folding her chair and placing it in the back. Megan's cheeks burned as she saw towns people watching them. She couldn't even imagine what they were thinking about her. She never accepted their help and now here she was accepting a total strangers help. Except he wasn't exactly a stranger. They had worked together for two months or so now. He drove to the small cafe before running in and she waited in the truck, kept company by her thoughts. She just didn't quite know what to believe about Tate. Maybe she could ask him. After all he was her employee and she had every right to know of any criminal background.

"Here we go! Two burgers and a boatload of fries." Tate dropped the bag on her lap, grinning at her and she smiled weakly back. They headed out of town towards the small river running in the foothills, a place that every local knew about, but not many outsiders did. Yet again, the only noise in the truck was the faint sound of country music playing.

"How do you know about the river picnic spot? Not many people except for locals know about it." Her voice sounded far away to her own ears and she wondered if she sounded fake to him. By the way he glanced at her she was sounding different than usual.

"Just came across it on my way into town all those weeks ago. To be honest I didn't know it was a local hangout." He scratched the back of his neck and fell into silence. She stared out the window. "Megan what's wrong?" He suddenly asked and she turned to look at him.

"Oh nothing. Just a little preoccupied I guess." She sighed and turned back to the window and watched the familiar scenery flash past. He didn't question her. About 15 minutes later, they pulled up to the familiar picnic sight and Megan felt herself relax. She loved this place and good memories flooded her mind. Tate glanced at her and noticed her smile, and she saw a small smile of his own growing on his face.

"Well I suppose we are here. Stay in the truck and I'll set up a little picnic for us. Then I'll come back and help you." She started to protest but he shushed her and she watched with a smile as he went and spread a blanket and the food out underneath a big tree. He made his way back to the truck and opened her door.

"I need my wheelchair." She said pointing to the back of the truck.

"Nope. No wheelchair for this lady." He scooped her up and she laughed as he carried her over to the blanket and set her softly down. She knew she should be annoyed about him deciding for her on whether she wanted her chair or not, but his actions were sweet and she couldn't find herself annoyed at him. They settled on eating the burgers and fries and watched the river rush by beneath them. The mountain peaks towered before them, looming over the valley majestically.

"I love it here. Thanks for bringing me. You know I haven't been here in like three years?"

"Really?"

"Yup. I used to come here almost every weekend. It was a fairly popular party spot." She shook her head and laughed. "But then I had my accident and the people that I would come here with sort of drifted away from me. My boyfriend left me, my best friend got so awkward around me that I stopped going out with her and the only time I got to come here was for family picnics. And those didn't happen very often what with Rex's sadness and my dad's Alzheimer's." She could feel him studying her.

"So your friends just ditched you? Even your boyfriend?"

"They didn't ditch me. They just didn't know how to act around me anymore. I wasn't the easiest person to get along with after my accident either. Besides I looked different too. My scar has faded a lot now but before it was pretty prominent and I think my boyfriend didn't really like the constant reminder that his girlfriend was so different and so flawed. It embarrassed him." The hurt of her friends reactions had long since faded and she spoke with nonchalance about it now. Tate didn't take it as easily though.

"That's ridiculous. They were pretty awful people to just abandon you like that. Real friends wouldn't. I wouldn't have." Their eyes met and Megan felt her stomach flop. Tears were threatening to spill at his words and she blinked hard to push them back. Finally she looked away and shook her head.

"It's in the past now. Anyway tell me more about Texas." Tate still grumbled a bit under his breath but she nudged him. "Don't ruin the moment okay? Yeah they were crappy friends but I'm a grown woman and very much over it now. Tell me about Texas." So he did. He told her about what his wild party nights would look like, his family, the ranch he grew up on. As he talked he got a far away look in his eyes and seemed to grow lighter.

"You love it there don't you?" She asked once he was done talking about the place he had grown up on.

"Yup."

"And you miss it?"

"More than anything on this earth. I miss my momma the most." He looked at her and she could see the vulnerability shining in his eyes.

"Why don't you go back?" She regretted the question as soon as she asked it as his eyes seemed to shutter and he turned away from her stiff.

"Kind of left a bad past behind me. I just don't want to relive the memories. I'm not strong enough." That was all he said and she didn't ask anymore questions about it.

*****

The ride home was comfy, as the sun dipped low over the mountain tops. As the pulled into the ranch and Tate helped Megan into her wheelchair, she held onto him for a small hug.

"Thanks for that Tate. I needed it." He hugged her back and smiled warmly.

"I know you did. So did I." They parted ways then, one heading to the bunkhouse and one heading to the big house. Megan smiled as she thought about the day she had had. It had probably been the funnest day she had had in years. They had talked about everything and nothing, had skipped rocks into the river, her sitting on the bank and laughing as Tate cursed when his sunk every time. She had watched him climb a tree to shake down acorns, something he told her he loved doing as a kid. It had been perfect. As Megan crawled into bed that night she couldn't help but feel like life was finally getting so much better than it ever had before.
*****
Double update because I had these two chapters in my drafts for a while! :) Enjoy! ~ S