Free to Love Again

THE MEN KEPT SARAH WELL INFORMED WITH THE RANCH ONGOINGS WHICH SARAH DEEPLY APPRECIATED. JUST LIKE MAX HAD TOLD HER, THE MEN CLEANED UP AFTER THEMSELVES. SARAH SMILED AS EACH OF THE MEN TIPPED THEIR HATS AND RETURNED TO THEIR DUTIES. MAX RETURNED FROM CHECKING UP ON THE CATTLE. HE WAS IMPRESSED THAT THE MEN LEFT HIM LUNCH. “HOW ARE YOU DOING SWEETHEART?” ASKED MAX KISSING SARAH’S CHEEK. “OH I’M DOING ALRIGHT MAX. I JUST CAN’T WAIT FOR THIS DANG CAST TO BE GONE. IT REALLY BUGS ME THAT I GOTTA DEPEND ON THESE CRUTCHES.” MAX SMILED AND TOLD SARAH THAT THE DOCTOR WOULD BE BY NEXT WEEK TO SEE HOW SHE WAS DOING.

SARAH WAS SITTING ON THE FRONT PORCH WITH MAX. THEY HAD FALLEN INTO THE ROUTINE OF WATCHING THE SUNSET TOGETHER. SARAH ENTWINED HER FINGERS INTO MAX’S HANDS. “DO YOU KNOW WHAT I CAN’T WAIT FOR MAX?” MAX SIPPED HIS COFFEE, “WHAT’S THAT DARLING?” SARAH LOOKED INTO HIS EYES AND SMILED. “ I CAN’T WAIT FOR YOU TO TAKE ME BACK TO THE BLUFF. OH MAX I MISS SEEING THOSE BEAUTIFUL STARS WITH YOU.” MAX CHUCKLED AND HUGGED SARAH. “DON’T WORRY DARLIN, THAT’S THE FIRST THING WE ARE GONNA DO ONCE THAT CAST IS OFF YOUR LEG. UNTIL THEN YOU NEED TO TAKE IT EASY. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?” SARAH GIGGLED AND ASSURED MAX THAT SHE WOULDN’T PUSH HERSELF.

EVERY DAY, SARAH WATCHED THE MEN COOK AND CLEAN. SHE LAUGHED WHEN THEY TOLD HER THAT THEY COULDN’T WAIT TO HAVE HER BACK IN THE KITCHEN. “DON’T WORRY BOYS, I WILL BE BACK IN THIS KITCHEN IN NO TIME. UNTIL THEN SUFFER, OF COURSE I’M SUFFERING ALONG SIDE YALL.” JUST THAT SIMPLE STATEMENT MADE THEM ALL LAUGH. THE MEN HUGGED HER AND WENT OFF TO FINISH WITH THEIR ASSIGNMENTS.

THE FOLLOWING WEEK, SARAH WAS SEEN BY THE SMALL TOWN DOCTOR. HE WAS GLAD TO SEE SARAH LAUGHING AND TALKING. SARAH WAS NERVOUS WHEN HE PULLED OUT A SMALL ELECTRIC SAW. SHE SAT PERFECTLY STILL AS THE DOCTOR CUT THE CAST OFF HER. HE THEN ASSISTED HER AS

SHE STOOD UP TO BEAR WEIGHT ON THE LEG. “LOOKING GOOD SARAH, JUST MAKE SURE YOU TAKE IT EASY OKAY. I’D SAY NO RIDING FOR A FEW DAYS.” SARAH AGREED AND ESCORTED THE DOCTOR TO HIS VEHICLE. THE MEN SMILED AS THEY SAW THEIR BOSS LADY WITHOUT HER CRUTCHES. SOON SARAH’S COOKING COULD BE SMELLED ACROSS THE YARD.