Free A Randall Thanksgiving by Judy Christenberry Page A

him, but I still appreciated it.”
    “Good for him.”
    “Have they gotten you out of bed yet? Caro said they would.”
    “No, but I went to sleep after lunch. Probably—”
    Camille stopped speaking as the door to her room opened and a nurse came in.
    “Right on cue,” she muttered.
    “You were expecting me?” the nurse called cheerfully.
    “My daughter was asking if you’d gotten me out of bed yet. I said you hadn’t had time because I went to sleep after lunch.”
    “Then I am right on cue. Dr. Randall said we should get you up before you went to bed tonight. It’s going to be hard for you, but it’ll make it easier in the morning. Okay?”
    “Yes, of course.”
    “Melissa, do you want to stay? If you have trouble watching your mom struggle—”
    “No, I won’t. I need to be here so I’ll know how to help her when she gets home.”
    “Good for you. Okay, Camille, let’s give it a try. Sit up and slide your legs over the side of the bed.”
    Camille, grimacing, did as she was told.
    “Okay. Now I’m going to help you stand. Let me do the work. Then we’ll walk.”
    Melissa stood back and watched as the nurse helped her mother take about six steps. Then they turned and walked back to the bed.
    “Good job, Camille.”
    “Th-thank you,” she muttered.
    “I’m going to give you another pain pill now,” the nurse said. “You’ve earned it.”
    Melissa moved closer and held her mother’s hand after she took the medication. Slowly, Camille relaxed, and soon fell asleep.
    After a moment, when she was sure her mother was sound asleep, Melissa stepped out to the nurse’s desk. “My mom went to sleep after she took her pain pill.” She nodded over her shoulder toward the room. “If she wakes up before I get back, can you tell her I stepped out for just a minute?”
    “Will do,” the nurse replied.
    Melissa pulled on her coat and went out into the brisk air and sunshine. She walked quickly down the sidewalk until she reached the Sheriff’s Office.
    Inside, she found Harry alone. “Hi, Harry,” she said softly.
    He jumped up before she finished speaking. “Melissa! Is everything all right? Your mother—”
    “She’s fine. She’s sleeping now. I just wanted to be sure— That is, my dad said he was coming to see you, and asked if he could deliver a message from me. I said no, but I wasn’t sure I could trust him.”
    Harry looked puzzled. “No, he didn’t say anything about a message. What was it?”
    “There wasn’t any message. I was just afraid he might make up something. You know, in a matchmaking effort.”
    “No, I think he’s given up on that idea.”
    She walked over and sat on the edge of his desk. “Really?”
    “Yeah. He thanked me for interrupting your argument and getting you out of there. He said he’d been wrong to start it. He even said he realized you had to make your own decisions.”
    “Don’t give him too much credit. Mom read him the riot act after John mentioned that we almost had a fight.”
    “I see. Well, it must make you feel good to know he’ll accept your decision if you decide to go back to France.”
    “If?”
    “I thought maybe you’d reconsidered.”
    “I have to go back to France.” To pack up her belongings, but she wasn’t revealing that decision to Harry. Especially since she wasn’t returning to Rawhide to live.
    “Damn, lady, you’ve got to stop telling me that.”
    Since he didn’t immediately take her in his arms, shedecided he needed a little more persuasion. “Why? Are you going to kiss me goodbye again?”
    “I guess I might as well, since you’re going.” He stood and tugged her into his arms for another gut-wrenching kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and didn’t let him pull away. He deepened the kiss and she felt the magic all the way to her toes. No one man could kiss the way Harry Gowan could. In fact, she felt as if she’d never been kissed before. Until now.
    They were so caught up in the moment,