“Thanks, it’s great to be home. I couldn’t wait to get here to tell you about a phone call I got this morning,” she said to Coal.
“Good news, I take it.”
“Nothing we didn’t already know, but Bobby called to officially clear you from the investigation of Billy Ray’s death. Apparently, an enraged husband discovered an affair his wife was having with Billy Ray and snapped. Bobby said he turned himself in and gave a full confession.” She grinned at Coal. “He also asked me to send his apologies for the accusation.”
“He was just doing his job. It wasn’t like Billy Ray and I had the best of relationships, and I’m a newcomer to town to boot.”
“I assured him you would understand and there was never any question you had anything to do with his death.”
“Thanks, boss,” Coal said. “Did you stop for breakfast?”
“Yeah, I had something at the hotel before checking out. What are you all up to this morning?”
“Finishing breaking in the new stock,” Stan answered.
“Will you be finished early today?”
“We can be. What do you want us to do?” he asked.
“We need to cook some steaks and celebrate. My trip went well, and we’ll have a new herd of steers arriving in a few weeks.”
“That’s great news,” Harley said. “I’ll get the steaks ready and the grill set up while these young’uns finish with the stock.”
†
Melissa pulled Coal to the side as the rest of the crew walked to the barn to gear up. “How’d things go with Mary Leah?”
“Fantastic,” she said with a blush. “She’s decided to take the job at the pharmacy, so I reckon you’ll be stuck with the two of us, at least until we can figure out where we’re headed.”
“That’s great to hear, and I’m in no hurry for either of you to leave. It’s been great having you both in the house. It feels like home again.”
The storm raged on the Texas plain, and inside the bedroom of the log cabin that Coal and Mary Leah had called home for almost two years. Lightning flashes burst through the clouds to spread fiery fingers across the horizon and booming thunder echoed into the night, rattling the windows of the house. Mary Leah looked on helpless as Coal writhed on the bed deep inside horrific dreams.
Coal’s body glistened with sweat as her features contorted with unspoken terror, curling into a fetal ball as she fought against the convulsions. She ached to pull Coal into her arms to comfort her, but every time she touched her, Coal recoiled with a loud groan. The torment she was experiencing terrified Mary Leah and tears ran down her face. She looked on powerless to do anything to bring her lover back to her.
The wind howled around the house as it brought the rain pummeling down on the tin roof, mixed with a pelting of hail as the temperatures clashed in the clouds bringing the threat of a tornado. A flash of brilliant lightning lit up the room and the house sounded like it was tearing apart as a peal of thunder crashed down upon them.
“Incoming!” Coal yelled out and thrust her body across Mary Leah’s to protect her. The solid contact with Mary Leah’s body woke her from the nightmare.
“Oh, my God, what did I do?” she cried out when she saw the terrified look on her lover’s face and the tears flowing down her cheeks. “Are you okay? Did I hurt you?” she implored. Coal’s dark eyes filled with fear.
“No, Coal, I’m fine sweetheart. You were having another nightmare.”
She rolled over and sat up on the bed, her hands covering her face as she burst out in tears. “What is wrong with me?”
The distraught tone in her voice terrified Mary Leah worse than the dream itself. Coal was the epitome of strength and to see her in such a fragile state was heartrending.
Her eyes were wide with a look of panic as she looked at her lover, “I need to check on Shadow,” she said and rushed from the room.
Coal stepped outside, the pouring rain pelting her skin as she rushed to the small barn where her horse, Shadow, would be secured in a stall protected from the elements. She stopped at the door and looked up at the clouds rushing by, catching a glimpse of a full moon now and then as the rain cooled her body. Pulling the door open, she stepped inside and waited a moment as the motion sensor activated lights lit up the barn. The white star on Shadow’s forehead was the only color to separate his body from the pitch-black until the light strengthened and lit up his stall.
He could sense his warrior’s distress as she stood at the opening to the stall and pressed his face into her shoulder to nuzzle his rider.
“Hey there, boy.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I know this weather’s got you on edge tonight too,” she whispered as her hands stroked his neck. Coal leaned into his solid form, thankful for the horse’s strength as tears rushed down her cheeks and her body trembled with anxiety.
A flash of lightning lit up the stall and a clash of thunder arrived. Coal jerked at the sound and her movement spooked Shadow who flinched away from her. He stepped forward again after the shock of the thunder disappeared and she lifted her arm to his neck again as his soft muzzle filled her hand.
“Thank goodness this storm is moving through fast,” she spoke to him as she wiped away her tears. “I’m not sure I can take much more of this tonight.”
Shadow took a step back and fixed her with his dark eyes before lifting his muzzle to caress her cheek in an effort to comfort Coal.
“Yeah, I love you too, big guy,” she said with a grin and walked to a fresh bale of hay to gather an armful for his bin. She checked his water, and after a final hug to his neck, she left the barn to return to the house.
Mary Leah was sitting against the headboard, her arms wrapped around her knees as she waited for Coal to return. Coal’s dreams had gotten worse and were coming more frequently. She worried about her lover’s physical and mental health and decided it was time they talked about getting her some treatment. Her years of experience as a pharmacist, and her medical training, led Mary Leah to believe that Coal was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder from the events that occurred during her time in the Afghanistan desert.
Mary Leah knew Coal blamed herself for the death of Tessa, her lover, and Mitch Conway, Melissa’s husband, when her concentration was broken during a mission to disarm a car bomb. She never talked about it much, but the memories from that terrifying event and her overall service were obviously impacting her. Mary Leah looked up when she heard Coal returning to the house. She watched as her lover stripped out of the wet clothes and crept back into the bed. She saw the strain on Coal’s face and the dark circles that were beginning to appear under her eyes from the lack of sleep. She took Coal in her arms and could still feel the trembling of her muscles.
“It’s time we get you some help,” Mary Leah said, stroking Coal’s damp hair.
“I won’t argue with you this time. I can’t go on like this,” Coal answered.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Mary Leah asked.
“I can’t right now,” she said through a veil of tears.
“Okay, baby,” Mary Leah said, pulling her close. “I’ll make an appointment for you tomorrow.”
Coal cried herself to sleep in her lover’s arms. Mary Leah held her the remainder of the night and when they woke the next morning, it was hard to tell which one of them looked worse for wear. Both had eyes red-rimmed from tears and a lack of sleep.
Mary Leah’s eyes had roamed over Coal’s body as she slept. The scars that covered her left side were horrible reminders of the trauma she had experienced in her young life, but the mental scars worried her the most.
Will you ever be free of those?
†
“Come with me and I’ll prepare some breakfast while you brew the coffee,” Mary Leah said, taking Coal’s hand as they walked to the kitchen.
Coal started the coffeepot and leaned back against the counter as Mary Leah fried bacon and prepared to scramble eggs.
“Do you have a busy day today?” Mary Leah asked.
“We’re bringing some of the steers in from the back pastures to send to market and then we’re practicing for next month’s rodeo in Dallas.”
Mary Leah smiled when she heard this news. The boys had talked Coal into participating in the amateur rodeo held each year in Dallas when she arrived at the MC2 two years earlier and they enjoyed going into Dallas for a long weekend for the rodeo. It was the closest thing to a vacation for most of the ranch hands and Melissa treated them to a grand time.
Coal had initially entered the barrel race the first year, and even though Shadow was still learning to run the barrels, they had taken second place. The following year they took first and Gene had convinced her to enter the team roping competition. They placed third but had worked hard to get their times and teamwork down to perfection. They had started with Coal doing the heading and Gene the much harder job of heeling, but they found her to be the better heeler, so this year they were swapping assignments. Gene hated to admit she was better with a rope, but he would gladly give up the position to improve their chances of winning.
“What time do you think you will be practicing?”
“We hope to be done loading the steers by two,” she answered.
“Good, I’ll be home by three thirty, so I can watch,” Mary Leah said as she took bacon from the frying plan. “Will you drop some toast?”
“Sure,” Coal said and poured them both cups of hot coffee. She handed one to Mary Leah and said, “I’m sorry about last night.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for, my love. You have no control over the nightmares.”
“I know, but I’m so afraid I will hurt you one night. Will you call your friend today and see when I can get an appointment?”
Mary Leah knew this was a big step for Coal to admit she needed help. She smiled at her and answered, “I will call her on my way in this morning.”
“Thanks,” she said, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. The toast popped up and she turned back to butter it and carry it to the table with the bacon.
“Grab some plates, these eggs are almost ready.”
After breakfast, they enjoyed a leisurely shower together then dressed for work. Mary Leah pulled her car from the garage as Coal saddled Shadow and led him from the barn. She walked over to kiss Mary Leah and then swung up into the saddle.
“We’ll see you later,” she said and nudged Shadow into a canter as she rode across the pasture to join up with the rest of the crew.
Mary Leah pulled out her cell phone, scrolled down to the number of an old friend, and started down the drive as she hit Send and the phone began to ring.
†
A sultry voice answered the call. “Well, this is a pleasant surprise to hear from you this morning.”
“Good morning, Del, I’m glad I caught you,” Mary Leah said.
Del could hear the strain in Mary Leah’s voice and knew something was wrong. “What’s happened Mary Leah?” her old friend asked. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, but Coal is having some problems. I thought you might be able to help.”
“What is happening?” Del asked.
“Are you still contracted for the VA?”
“Yes, I am.”
Mary Leah’s voice trembled as she spoke. “I think she’s suffering from PTSD from her time in the desert. She has started having horrific nightmares and they are becoming more frequent.”
“Does she talk to you at all about them?”
“No, not really, I mean, I know some of her story, but I don’t know what she is dreaming. What I do know is how terrified she becomes and the physical toll it’s taking on her body. She’s lost weight and her sleep is very erratic. She had a bad episode last night during the storm and has conceded to getting your help.”
“Well, that is a good sign. Just admitting she needs help must have felt like defeat to her. Give me her personal data and I’ll retrieve her records.”
Mary Leah provided the information she needed to access Coal’s medical and psychological records.
“When can you bring her in so I can evaluate her?”
“As soon as you can see her,” Mary Leah answered.
“Bring her in tomorrow night at six, then. That will give me time to review her records.”
“I can’t thank you enough,” Mary Leah said.
Del chuckled softly. “You know I have been dying to meet her for a while now. I just wish it weren’t under these circumstances.”
“I know, but time just seems to always slip away from us,” Mary Leah said.
Del chuckled. “You are still newly in love, so that’s normal. I’ll do everything I can to help Coal,” she said.
“Thanks, Del, I know you can help her,” Mary Leah said. “We’ll see you tomorrow night.”
“Drive safely,” Del said and hung up the phone. “I hope I can help,” she said to herself as she booted up her computer and entered the VA medical records site to request Coal’s records.
†
Coal pulled Shadow up just outside the bunkhouse and tied the reins to a hitching post before walking inside. Harley was at the stove cooking breakfast when she entered and he turned at her approach.
“Have you eaten yet?”
“Yes, thanks Harley, I’ll just have some coffee while you boys get ready.”
Harley slid a healthy portion of scrambled eggs onto his plate and joined her at the table. He studied her face, noticing the dark circles under her eyes. He was truly worried about his young friend. Harley was also a veteran and knew what horrors Coal endured in the desert. “Are you feeling okay?”