Mind Games

“In my heart she is. I’m starving. I heard pork chops for supper.”

* * *

She fell back into routine, and loved it. Mornings seeing the sunrise, tending the animals, walks in the hills, gardening. Finally spending time with Maddy again.

One rainy afternoon they sprawled in the Foxes’ Den as they had since childhood. Maddy had cut off her braids and wore her hair in a glorious ’fro. On the last day of premed, she’d added a tattoo of an abacus to her left biceps.

Otherwise, Thea thought, she was the same.

“I can’t count the number of times you trounced me, and everybody else, at every video game known to man. And look now, you’re going to be making the games.”

“I hope.”

“You’ll do it, Joystick Wizard.”

“Nobody from Milken’s contacted me.”

“Hasn’t been a week.”

“A week today. Not that I’m counting. And you, Dr. McKinnon.”

“Not yet, but I will be. There’s a rumor going around town about some doctor, maybe out of Hazard, maybe opening a clinic in Redbud Hollow.”

“Really?”

“A lot of maybes. Like maybe he’s going to buy the old Darson place and make it into one. I’d be glad if it’s so, and a little pissed off because I wanted to open one. If I could swing it once I finish medical school.”

“You’re going to stay then.” Joy popped like champagne. “You said you were thinking about trying for a hospital in Louisville.”

Maddy shrugged. “I got over that. My family’s here, and look at my brother, Deputy Will. You’re here. My best best friend for all time. I’m going to be ready to come home when I’ve got my degree. Now it looks like I may have to try for a job in somebody else’s clinic, or give private practice a try.”

“Either way, I’m your first patient.”

“And you’re for sure staying, seeing as you bought five acres.”

“Working on it. Rem’s handling all that—he wants to, and I don’t. The surveyor’s already been there. We had to figure out where I want my five, and Rem his.”

“I want to see! Let’s walk down there now.”

“It’s raining.”

“Some wet won’t hurt us. I want to see where my Maddy’s-staying-over room’s going to be.” Rising, Maddy reached down and hauled Thea to her feet. “And I definitely have to approve the plans for your house. I don’t want you thinking too small.”

“I don’t need a big house.”

“You need a good-sized kitchen, seeing as you like to cook, and an office, and a game room. A game room studio. You need those for your work. A main suite,” she continued as she led Thea downstairs, “because you’d be a fool not to have one. At least two more bedrooms, another full bath and a half one, too.

“You’re still doing yoga, right?”

“Yeah.”

“A place for that. And you ought to do one of those wraparound porches.”

“I…” Thea imagined that, and the views all around. “I ought to.

“Let me tell Grammie we’re going out, in the rain, to tromp around five acres.”

She caught the scent before she walked in the kitchen, and found Lucy and Rem about to pour out a batch of soap.