"You did what?" Maisey was astonished by Ned's announcement and winced at moving too quickly. "Why would you do that? I'm not really family."
"You needed incentive the stay." Ned said simply.
Brett howled with laughter, "He said the same thing to me when I was fifteen, only it was horse not a house."
"I remember that," Andy chuckled, "You seemed to think that your aunt and uncle would send you packing at any time, but once they gave you that horse it was like you won the lottery."
"I'm honored you'd think that well of me Ned, but it's not right, this is Brett's home." Ned shrugged and gave her a look that said it wasn't up for discussion. "Well fine then, Brett you're not allowed to pay me rent," they all laughed. "I guess that does change some things." She sat down with a sigh, "I didn't really think beyond getting better and then Ned's announcement happened and I made Anna take me to the pool hall, I had fun for the first time in longer than I'd care to admit. And then this all happened." She motioned to her stomach and face, "I was looking forward to getting on with a real life, I suppose owning a house is part of having a real life."
Anna smiled from where she was leaning against a counter, "Doc didn't say you couldn't go to Slim's, just that you can't lift anything or play pool. He didn't say anything about not socializing or dancing." Andy glared at this sister.
Maisey laughed, "Stop, it hurts too much still."
"Okay, I've got to get back to work," Brett said, "Will you be okay here on your own, Maisey?" she raised an eyebrow at him and he laughed, "alright, alright, well don't worry about cooking or anything, like I said I'll get the bunk house cook to make sure there's enough--oh, and since we don't have a working bunk house kitchen yet, she'll be in here."
"She?" Maisey asked, "I've seen John Wayne movies, I thought the chuckwagon cooks were always men?"
"Chuckwagon cooks don't have anything on Addie," Andy packed up his kit, "She makes some pretty amazing food."
"Addie?" Maisey was doubtful, "I'm not sure she'll be happy to find out I'm back." Brett was out the door, "Alright, hospital beds suck, I'm going to lay down and sleep most of the day: Ned I'll be wanting a game of crib tonight." She told the man, who grunted his acceptance and took a plate from the fridge.
Anna and Andy said goodbye and went out the front door. Andy was not surprised to see Brett leaning against his vehicle with his head bowed into his hands. He had been impressed by his friend's ability to control his anger at what he'd seen inside. He motioned for Anna to leave and Brett got in the passenger seat. "We going somewhere?" Andy asked.
"I figure Maisey's going to look outside in a minute and expect to see you gone, so figured you might as well drive me into town so we can talk and I can pick up that new tractor that Ned talked me into ordering."
"Fair enough, what do you want to know."
"What is she not telling me? And don't give me any of the doctor patient stuff right now."
Andy started his truck and drove, his friend was right, "The women did this to her while she was in the hospital. They knew a nurse who helped them get in, they tried to kill her and are only being charged with assault." Brett closed his eyes, "It's worse," Andy told him, "She was supposed to be escorted by police and paramedics to the airport: turns out that one of the paramedics was one of Luke's buddies and had been helping to make sure she didn't die when they were abusing her. She freaked right out, she told the cops but they'd known the guy for years and didn't believe her; luckily he didn't want any more of a scene and begged off, letting someone else go instead but she wouldn't ride in the ambulance without a police officer there--smart girl if you ask me. She was put on a medical transport to Edmonton and then accompanied on a commercial flight to Calgary where I met her."
"I didn't realize how bad it was or know about any of the rest of it until after she took off. It was only on the commercial flight that the medical attendant found out about the knife wound. Maisey didn't tell anyone. I can't even get her to tell me how it happened. But she sure yelled at me. She wouldn't go near the paramedics or the ambulance I had waiting, she wouldn't even ride with me. I had to send the paramedics away. It was work getting the story out of her. I really thought she was going to tell me to stuff it and not actually come back here, but she drove her truck over to where I was parked and made sure I followed her all the way into town."
"She's unreal," Brett shook his head, "I admire her strength but I swear she doesn't think."
"It comes from living in flight or fight mode. She's spent so many years hiding herself and her life and everything that she has very few people she can be herself with. You're lucky that you found her that night and somehow you and Ned became two of them; and she's lucky it was you and not someone like Nate." Brett grunted, "No, Brett, I don't think you realize just how important that is. A severely abused person, like Maisey, rarely if ever recovers. Its common that they become depressed, sometimes commit suicide and sometimes they go back to the abuser over and over or they seek out similar abusive relationships."
"Maisey got the hell out of dodge, she avoided people but for the most part she remained in control of herself and stays busy and positive. That you got near her was incredible: after I read the official reports I didn't believe it was the same woman. And what we saw at Slim's that night: Brett coming there to look out for you... we're talking unheard of, or at least decades of therapy. I don't understand it and I don't understand her. By all the studies I've read she's a one in a million for recovery, this just doesn't happen."
Andy waited while his words sunk in. "If it had been a guy like Nate, and you know I like the guy, it might have been a different story. She may have died that night. And if she didn't, it sure would not have been the mostly easy recovery she's had. You and Ned truly saved her life."
The pulled in at the feedlot. Brett stared out that window at the boarded up section of building that used to be the grocery store entrance, "Thanks Andy," he said, "I care about her a lot for such a short time knowing her, I couldn't imagine losing her now."
"It's called love, dumbass," Andy grinned.
"What? No, I mean I care about her, but hell I care about Anna the same way." He shook his head at Andy's grin, "Shut up man, besides even if I did care, like you said she's damaged and scared and I wouldn't dare do anything to upset that balance."
"Go get your tractor but call me if you guys need me, I'll send Anna by tomorrow night to check her stitches. Are you coming to poker Thursday?"
Brett shook his head, "Potential buyers show up Friday, I'm out this week."
"If she needs somewhere to hole up we can find her some space."
Brett closed the door to the truck, "Thanks man. I owe you."
With a wave Andy drove off and headed to his office. It had been an eventful week, he had lots to catch up on and details to document in Maisey's file.
Brett hesitated, he knew Addie would be at the feedlot: he may have hired her to cook but she worked for her dad too. He needed to tell her about Maisey, he just didn't know how or how much. Addie had been different since that night at Slim's but he didn't really understand what had changed, a lot of that night was fuzzy. She'd seemed surprised when he'd agreed to hire her to cook for the bunk house.
Addie watched Brett come up to the office with a mix of dread and anticipation. She'd seen Maisey drive through town: she hoped Brett wasn't about to fire her. It was a funny thing but getting hired for something she was good at and not just inheriting a job because she was family felt good. She pretended to be busy with accounts when he came in.
"Hey Addie," she sensed his apprehension, "Do you know if the tractor's ready?" She glared at him and raised her eyebrow, "oh right, that's why I'm here."
"if you're here to fire me just get on with it," she sighed. Brett looked confused, "I saw her come back and everyone knows she's living at the Bogs."
Brett had forgotten Maisey would have driven right passed Addie and chided himself, "I'm not here to fire you, I actually came to let you know she was back but she's injured so you'll have to cook for her as well." Relief filled her eyes, "I didn't want you surprised when you got there. "
"Is she ok?" Addie asked.
Brett hesitated, "It's not up to me how much of the story you know. "