The tantalizing aroma of bacon coaxed Lila from her bed. After throwing off her covers, she headed for the shower. While she dressed, she took a quick mental inventory of the day ahead of her—Doc Tillman’s first day back at the clinic.
It was Monday, and they had no overnight patients at the clinic, no boarders.
The first appointment wasn’t until after lunch. She’d been scheduled to go out to Teton Trails later in the afternoon to check on one of Charlie Grace’s trail horses, thought to have an infected abscess on its leg.
Things had remained busy in Doc’s absence. She hoped to show him the clinic had been left in good hands.
Downstairs, she headed for the kitchen to find Camille standing at the stove with a spatula in her hand. “Morning, Mom.”
“Well, what’s this?” Lila asked, peeking over her daughter’s shoulder.
“I made breakfast.”
“I see that.” Lila had noticed a growing maturity in her daughter lately—a glimpse of the woman she would become. She liked what she saw. “Thank you, honey. I’m starving.”
While she didn’t have time, she sat and let her daughter bring her a plate filled with bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast.
“I know you’re in a hurry,” Camille said. “So, eat and I’ll clean up.”
Lila swelled with pride. “That’s so thoughtful. I need to get to the clinic this morning.”
“Yeah, ’cuz Doc’s back, right?”
“He is,” Lila confirmed. She scooped a bite of eggs. “I need to bring him up to speed on everything.”
After finishing her food, Lila kissed her daughter’s cheek. “Thanks again, honey. Gotta go.”
Camille shooed her out the door but before she reached her car, she called her back. “Mom. You forgot your keys.” She dangled the set from her fingers.
Lila scrambled back and hooked them over her own finger. “Ugh. My mind this morning.”
Minutes later, as she steered her car down the winding roads toward the vet clinic, her mind continued to buzz with the imminent return of Doc Tillman. Emotions tangled within her, an unease she grappled to admit.
She was grateful for her job. But her boss’s condescending demeanor always managed to chip away at her confidence. His arrival meant enduring his patronizing remarks and belittling attitude, stirring up feelings of frustration and inadequacy she’d rather keep buried.
Through the windshield, the early autumn morning unfolded like a scene from a picture-perfect movie. The sunlight danced upon the foliage lining the river outside of town, painting the landscape in hues of amber and gold. Lila couldn’t help but be captivated by the serene beauty surrounding her, even as her thoughts continued to drift back to Doc’s return.
As Lila’s car approached the outskirts of town, Thunder Mountain came into view. The quaint charm of the town enveloped her as she drove along the main street. Wooden sidewalks lined with rustic storefronts greeted her, each building adorned with awnings. Whisky barrel planters brimming with vibrant mums and trailing bright green potato vines added bursts of color to the scene, creating a picturesque tableau against the backdrop of the mountainous landscape. The sight filled Lila with a sense of nostalgia, reminding her of the simplicity and beauty of small-town life.
She offered warm smiles and waves to familiar faces of townspeople beginning their day. Barb Miller and Patty Guerard stood at the front of their tiny clothing store, Apricot Lane, hanging a sale sign on their front window offering forty percent off summer items. Albie Barton was busy unlocking the door leading into theThunder Mountain Gazetteoffice. Dorothy Vaughn stood at the open door of Bear Country Gifts and waved as Lila passed.
Lila took a deep breath as she slowed at the intersection leading to the vet clinic. “Well, here goes,” she said out loud while pulling into the gravel parking lot minutes later.
Doc Tillman was in the back. “Morning,” he said, in a singsong voice Lila barely recognized. “How are you this fine day, Lila?”
She tried hard not to frown.Who was this man, and where had her boss gone?
“Good morning,” she said tentatively while pushing her purse and sack lunch into a waiting cubby. “Glad to have you back, Doc.”
“Glad to be back,” he told her. “But I have to say, I enjoyed my time away. I hate to admit Winnie was right, but a vacation was just what we needed.” His face broke into a wide smile. “We met up with Derek and his family.”
His son lived in Florida with his wife and three little children, all elementary-aged. Winnie adored her grandchildren and often lamented she didn’t see them enough.
She once told Lila that Derek had an important job at the Kennedy Space Center. He was an engineer and couldn’t get away but for two weeks a year. That time was split with seeing his wife’s family who lived in upstate New York.
Lila slipped her arms into her white lab coat and clipped on her name tag. “Oh? How is your son?”
“He’s great. For the first time in a long while, we had a chance to catch up. And those children…well, I’ll have you know this ole grandpa rode on It’s a Small World with those little girls.”
