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The Tessarae Inn |
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Consequences in Blue Notes
CHAPTER 16 Blair stayed with Travis for three days. They recorded six songs together. With each song, she felt as if she was laying down her pain on tape and leaving it there. The music gave her wings. In the end, she agreed to let him use the songs however he wanted as long as he didn’t identify her even by the name Caitlin Shaw. When she was not in the studio, she spent a lot of time walking the grounds and riding the outer reaches of the ranch. Some of the time Travis joined her but most of the time she was alone. On the third day as she rode one of Travis’s horses full throttle across an open field, she felt herself feeling lighter and lighter as if something heavy was slowly crumbling away. She was thinking about Jack without the thought of what happened stabbing her in the heart and thrashing at her soul. She remembered what a beautiful baby he was and how he was the happiest baby she had ever seen. Jack was a gift and the more she thought about him the more her heart seemed to develop some measure of peace. When she returned to the house, she told Travis that it was time for her to leave. He asked her to stay but he knew the answer before the question was given voice. On the way to Clearwater for the second time in four days she felt a powerful force pulling her back the way she came as if the way back home was through Creedyville. It didn’t make sense but after forty miles, she stopped fighting the urge and turned the car around. Three hours later she was sitting in Sheri’s living room allowing Sheri to fuss over her. “Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been? Oh, girl, I missed you so much. That little mysterious phone call saying you were okay was not nearly enough. Where the hell were you?” “Getting some inspiration and letting go of some pain.” Sheri tightened her lips but then smiled. “Fine, be like that. Don’t tell my ass anything. Be all mysterious. I’ll take you whatever way I can get you.” Sheri checked her watch. “I’ve got to run. Maddog only gave me fifteen minutes to run here and check on you then get back.” “I guess I need to go in.” “He’s got it covered. Dottie’s filling in.” “Dottie?” “I’m not one to gossip and if anyone asks you did not hear this from me. But if no one asks you heard it from me first. I think there’s something going on between Dottie and Maddog.” “Can’t be.” “As I live and breathe. Of course, I’m not sure. But she was all weepy last Saturday at the Ryder and who takes to comforting her but Maddog himself. Next thing I know she’s filling in for you at the diner.” Sheri left in a whirlwind. The doorbell rang fifteen minutes later and it was Wes. A half hour later it was Maddog. Then two hours later it was Emily. An hour after that Davis Dukes stopped by. When the doorbell rang an hour later she knew who it was. She swung open the door and said, “No more sad songs, Greenie.” It was not Greenie. She stood rooted in place for a few seconds. Her heart was beating so fast that she could barely think. He glared at her and said, “So, what happened, Blair? You get lost and couldn’t find your way home?”
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