Chapter 23

I sat and sipped my coffee with Tran and the young deputy. She was laughing and kidding around with him as we sat in the lobby. I finally decided I was tired enough to go back to my room and lay down. We all three walked back and the deputy took his station outside of the door and I crawled back into bed. That little bit of exercise had taken more out of me than I ever thought it would have. I was almost asleep when Tran kissed me goodnight. I remember smiling but nothing after that.

I woke with the sun in my eyes and Tran was asleep in the chair next to my bed. I looked at her and even asleep she was a beautiful woman. I found it hard to believe she was a year older than I was. She was like most oriental women and kept their beauty for more years than most other women. I turned to my side and just watched her sleep. She was stirring and opened her eyes and saw me watching her. She smiled and asked how long I had been awake?

"I just woke myself and I must say the scenery gets better every day. I am going home today whether they want me to or not. I cannot stand just laying here when I could be having a good cup of coffee and some jelly filled donuts."

She just laughed at me saying that if I ate them then I would have been twice as fat as I was.

"Hey, I am not fat nor have I ever been. I still have the same waist size that I had when I got out of the army in 1970, so there."

"Boy are we grouchy in the mornings. Do you want me to have the deputy get you another coffee?"

"Would you please dear, I would be forever grateful if you could arrange that for me."

"Oh Harry, will you quit trying to be nice. It doesn't fit you worth a damn."

She got up and patted her hair and went out the door with an extra wiggle for my benefit. I laughed at her and damned if she didn't stick her tongue out at me. That definitely was not the action of a refined full grown woman in her senior years. Well, will you listen to my old grouchy ass. I couldn't believe I had even thought that, and at my age. I should be grateful she even saw any good in me after the way I had treated her last night. Now I knew I was getting old I was talking and answering myself in a hospital of all places. Man I needed to get out of here and quick. I got up and went to the closet and my clothes were hanging there. I grabbed them and went to the bathroom and quickly got dressed. I had just tied my shoes when the doctor came in.

"Where are you going, Mr. Hanson? I haven't released you back out into the public yet. I think you better get back undressed and into bed."

"Doc, I am not getting back into bed but I will go home and sit in the sun and enjoy the view. I have had enough of your hospitality here. Now you can release me to go home or I am leaving, even though you haven't signed the paper. What's it going to be, Doc?"

"I personally don't think your ready to go home, but you're a stubborn man. I will sign the papers but I will not ok you to return to work until I am satisfied you are completely healed. I know you are having headaches and I will give you a script but it will be non narcotic since you have a head injury."

"I know the drill, Doc, so you don't have to give me the pep talk. Give me 600 mg ibuprofen and that should handle any headache I have. Now write it so I can go get a good cup of coffee."

"He smiled and signed several papers and handed me the script saying at the same time he wanted me back in his office in one week for x-rays and a checkup."

"I will be there Doc and bring you some fresh caught trout for your dinner. I will even clean them and pack them in ice for you."

"If you get lucky enough to catch fresh trout then I will check you out for free if you bring me some packed in ice, Sheriff."

He smiled and left the room, leaving me wondering why everyone didn't think I was a good fisherman. Now I would have to put up or shut up. Oh well, the girls would help me catch them and if Tran wasn't too finicky, then she would help too. I headed out the door with a smile on my face and almost ran over Tran. She had a cup of machine coffee in her hand so I took it and dropped it off at the nurses desk as I went by headed for the sun and home. I didn't see the deputy until he caught up with us saying he was supposed to stay by my side until the sheriff dismissed him.

"Good I need a ride to the station so I can get some transportation and go home."

"Your personal Jeep is in the parking lot sheriff. The keys are in Miss Tran's possession."

I turned around and looked at her and she handed me the keys with an impish grin on her face. I hugged her and we walked out the door with my arm over her shoulder laughing my fool head off at the irony of it all. I walked to the parking lot with Tran and didn't see my Jeep so I asked the deputy where it was at.

"All I know is that the motor pool brought it over and gave Miss Tran the keys saying she was to give them to you when you got out."

I looked down at Tran by my side and she was laughing into her hand again.

"Ok lady, where is it?"

"Right in front of you Harry, don't you know your own Jeep?"

I looked where she was looking and saw a Jeep with a four inch lift kit with wrap around brush guards on the front and back. It had new all terrain tires and winches on the front and back. Did I mention the damn thing was painted a bright yellow, with a wide black stripe down the center front to back. Mark you dirty SOB, I am gonna kill you with my bare hands if it takes me all year. Tran was laughing into her hand again at the expression on my face.

"I really don't think its funny Tran and the fact that my best friend was behind this even makes it worse."

"Oh Harry, will you ever learn? The girls chose the color because they loved your little car in Florida. Mark tried to talk them out of it but they both said that's the color you would want it painted. They even pooled their money to have a picture of it blown up so they could hang it in their cabin when it's done."

"What cabin and where are they building it, Tran? I was supposed to have it built for them as part of my surprise for the girls when they moved out here. Damn, I had some special plans for the girls and the cabin. Shit, shit, shit."

"Harry, please calm down. I have them doing it like you talked about for days while you were under. I know everything you wanted done and it's being done just that way. Please don't be mad, but from your talking, I knew how important it was for you to get it done before winter set in. I bought all the rest of the ground around you when Abe recommended that I grab it because it was a good tax write-off for me. Between the two of us, we own the whole area up there all the way to Gulch City. Their cabin is being built on a flat mesa that straddles the property line. It will be sheltered in the winter and cool in the summer. They will have the lofts you talked about so much and the barn for their ponies and other critters they might want to gather. I promise you it will pass your inspection and it's not far from your place so they can visit you as much as they want."