Author's Note: This chapter jumps forward quite a bit in time. It's the final chapter of the story, though there will be an epilogue. I've already written it, so I will post it today.

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After his conversation with Dixie, Johnny started making good progress in his recovery. His chest was swollen and sore, but walking helped ease the pain a little. It also helped to prevent blood clots. Brackett had him doing deep breathing exercises. Each day, breathing got a little easier. He hated using the incentive spirometer, but he was done avoiding what he needed to do to get better.

There were still days that he struggled. He kept having nightmares about getting shot, and sometimes he couldn't stop thinking about it. Some days, he just wanted to be left alone. Roy, Dixie, and Dr. Richardson never indulged him in that. Roy visited him daily. When Johnny tried to send him away, he refused to go. "You didn't let me push you away when I lost my leg. I'm not gonna let you push me away now."

Dr. Richardson explained that social isolation was a symptom of PTSD. "It won't make things better for you, John. Keeping to yourself will only make the intrusive thoughts worse." So, Johnny stopped arguing with Roy about visiting. He learned that when Roy, Dixie, or Nita was with him, he thought less about the shooting.

He started keeping a journal, a recommendation from Dr. Richardson. Roy brought him a notebook and pens. Johnny wrote many pages about his nightmares. Most of the nightmares were about the shooting, but sometimes he dreamt about bad calls from the past, and sometimes he dreamt that he was stuck in a smoky building, and he couldn't breathe. One night, as he faced the shooter again, he realized that he was dreaming. He twitched his nose and watched as the gun transformed into a bouquet of flowers. He enjoyed taking control over his dreams. Most of the time, he could avert the nightmares and change them into something positive.

Eight days after his surgery, Brackett removed the chest tube. Two days later, he discharged Johnny to stay with the DeSotos. That was a day of celebration. Tex drove Nita and the twins down for dinner. Anna and Billy came as well. Billy had awakened one morning able to hear again. His eardrum had healed on its own. Johnny was glad he wouldn't need surgery. The Carters came too. Their little girl Liza decided that Johnny was one of her favorite people. She even tried saying his name, though she couldn't quite manage the J sound. She called him "Donny." He could live with that.
Johnny enjoyed watching Sarah Kate and D.J. tossing a Frisbee and playing on the swing set. He was glad D.J. had a real friend. It was also pretty clear that Sarah Kate had a crush on Chris. Thankfully, Chris's headaches were gone, and he was back in school.

Anna drove Billy down for the dinner. He was still having a lot of ringing in his ears and couldn't hear anything out of his left ear, and he was stuck in a wheelchair because he couldn't use crutches with a broken arm. But he was in good spirits.

Gio made his Nonna's spaghetti for dinner. When Johnny got his first taste of it, he raised his glass of thickened water. "This really is better than Stoker's spaghetti," he announced. "Delicious!" He wasn't allowed to eat any of Grandma Winnie's cookies, but she had brought him a tasty banana pudding. Johnny mushed the vanilla wafers up before taking a bite. "Wow. My mom made this when I was a kid. Yours is just as good as hers was. Thank you, Winnie!"

JoJo didn't understand why her daddy didn't go home with her later that evening. "Aki live here?" she asked, frowning. Big tears formed in her eyes.

"Just for a little while, sweetie," he said. "I'll be home before you know it."

He kissed her forehead. She held up her arms. "I'm sorry, Baby. I can't pick you up. But if I sit down on the sofa, you can climb in my lap." He took a seat, and JoJo climbed up on the sofa and into his lap. He put a sofa cushion between her and his chest. It didn't take away all the pain from her leaning on him, but it helped. And he wasn't about to tell her no. She needed this time with her daddy. "I love you, JoJo."

Jamie scooted across the floor on his rear end. JoJo had walked early, but Jamie wasn't walking yet. Unlike JoJo, he could only say a few words. He wrapped his arms around his daddy's legs and clung to him. "Aki!"

Nita picked Jamie up and set him on the sofa next to Johnny. Johnny put an arm around his little boy. "I love you, Jamie."

Tex came in and stretched out his arms to JoJo. "Tell Daddy goodnight, sweetheart. You'll see him tomorrow."

JoJo hugged Johnny, then let Tex pick her up. Nita picked up Jamie. He waved at his daddy. Nita bent over to kiss her husband. "I love you," she said softly. She didn't usually speak English with him, but here among friends, it was the polite thing to do. "Good night. See you tomorrow."

He brushed his fingers down the side of her face. "I can't wait till I'm home, Nita. Love you."

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In the morning, Roy gave Johnny two injections. He still needed the diltiazem, which he got every six hours, and Brackett wanted to keep him on antibiotics for a while, just to be sure he didn't develop an infection. It was par for the course. Without a spleen, Johnny was prone to infections. He had to take antibiotics whenever anyone in his family got sick. Brackett had also warned him that now he needed to stay away from anyone with a respiratory illness. That was going to be hard. There always seemed to be a respiratory bug going around.

Roy would be working from home today until just before class time. Then JoAnne would drive him over to Rampart. He could make all his plans and preparations here. In fact, Johnny might enjoy discussing plans for the class with him. "Hey, Junior. I could use your thoughts on today's class." He handed Johnny an article. "Here's our reading. What would you want to talk about?"

Johnny looked over the reading. "Remember that rescue, where you had to help the kid land the plane? That would be a great one to tell the class about."

Roy shook his head. "Nah, I don't wanna brag on myself. I'd rather tell them about the time you figured out that the virus you caught was caused by a monkey, or how you treated yourself after getting bitten by a rattlesnake."

Johnny groaned. "You had to remind me." He was quiet for a minute, then said, "I have a better idea. What about the time Cap electrocuted himself on the car?"

Roy lit up. "That's perfect! Mike did a great job taking over command of the incident."

Johnny nodded. "Yeah. I was kinda surprised he didn't test for Captain after that."

Roy chuckled. "You know Mike. He loved driving Big Red. He wasn't ready to give that up yet." He handed Johnny several more articles. "Listen, I've got to go write up my lecture. You look over these readings for the next few classes and think about what you would say. This is our class, not just mine, even though you're out for a while. I need your input."

"Sure thing, Roy." Johnny picked the first article off the top of the stack and started to read. Roy got up and headed for the door.

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Johnny spent two weeks with the DeSotos. He enjoyed his time there, though he missed being home with his family. Sarah Kate visited him every day. She brought him artwork that he hung on the guest room wall. Sometimes she would bring her homework or a book to read. She would sit at the desk and work while Johnny sat on the bed and read the class readings Roy had assigned. He wrote down the things he would want to talk to the class about. Sometimes, he and Sarah Kate just talked. She was happy about school, and Michelle had become her best friend, and she was eager to become Sarah Kate Carter.

"Maybe Sarah Katherine Carter sounds better. What do you think, Uncle Johnny?"

Johnny shrugged. "I think you should go with whatever you like best. But I'm still gonna call you Sprout."

She laughed at that and gave him a hug. "That's my favorite nickname, and only you get to use it."

Johnny admired Sarah Kate. She was smart, but there was no arrogance about her. She was kind, caring, and brave. He didn't think he could have made it on his own for four whole months when he was her age.

At the end of the two weeks, he expected Brackett would send him home. In fact, he had Tex come down before the Doc came by to check on him.

Brackett said he didn't need the diltiazem shots anymore. "John, you know what to look for. If you feel any dizziness or increased chest pain, or if your heartbeat flutters or races, head to Rampart immediately."

"Yessir. Does this mean I can go back to eating normally?"

Brackett nodded. "The speech therapist tells me your therapy has been going well. Again, you know the problems to look for. You can go home today." Johnny grinned big at that, but Brackett wasn't done. "I want you to walk for at least thirty minutes a day. No horseback riding or driving until I clear you. Don't pick up anything heavier than a milk jug for the next month. And make an appointment to see me in one week. Oh, and you can start teaching again when you feel up to it."

Johnny sighed. "Yessir." JoJo and Jamie would challenge him on that "no lifting" requirement.

Tex nodded. "I'll see to it that he does as you tell him, Doc."

"Thanks, Tex." Brackett smiled. "All right, John. I know you're eager to get going. So, get!"

Johnny reached for his bag. Tex intervened and picked it up for him. "No lifting," he reminded Johnny.

Johnny hugged JoAnne and Roy. "Thanks for letting me stay here." Then he followed Tex out to the truck.

Tex stood by while he climbed in, then went around and slid into the driver's seat. Johnny managed to fasten his seatbelt. In a matter of minutes, they were on their way to the ranch.

"It is good that you are coming home," Tex said. "Your babies miss you. So does Nita. Your horses miss you too, especially Minko. I've ridden him every day, but he will be happy to see you again."

Johnny let out a long, satisfied sigh. "I'm happy, Tex. In the days after I was shot, I wasn't sure I would ever be happy again. But I am."

Tex nodded. "I understand. I felt the same way after my leg was injured, when I thought I would never walk or ride again. And then, after I came to the US and got caught up working for Jerome Lansing." He shuddered. "I felt so dirty for what he asked me to do. He was an evil man."

"He sure was." Jerome Lansing was another source of nightmares. "But Tex, you didn't do what he asked. You risked yourself to save lives, Nita's included." Lansing was a human trafficker, and Nita had been one of his victims.

Tex was quiet for a moment. "Now life is good. I have a family again. Mijo, I hope you don't mind that I think of you as a son. You are about the age my child would have been."

Johnny nodded slowly. "I don't mind, Tex. I miss my dad, but, well, I think you're a lot like him. I'm glad that you're part of our family."

They were both quiet for the rest of the drive. Johnny was thinking about all the things he wanted to do once he felt up to it. He couldn't wait to get permission from Brackett to go riding again. Tex pulled up in front of the ranch house and parked. He came around and helped Johnny down, then grabbed his bag from the back of the truck.

The front door opened, and JoJo came barreling out, a big grin on her face. "Aki!" She trotted down the steps and wrapped her arms around her daddy's legs.

Nita came out holding Jamie in her good arm. He smiled and waved and called out, "Aki home!"

Holding on to Tex's arm, Johnny walked up the steps. He wrapped his arms around Nita and pressed his lips against hers. "Honey, I'm home."

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Melissa was nervous. Caleb was coming to visit today. He didn't know anything about Gio Molini yet. Today she had received her amended birth certificate in the mail. She loved seeing Giovanni Battista Molini listed as her father instead of Owen Sinclair. They'd had to prove that he was her father. Thankfully, he had brought all the letters from Emilia with him.

As usual, Sarah Kate and Liza were sitting in the window seat, watching for their guest to arrive. The girls had become good friends already. Sarah Kate was a big help with Liza.

Liza was starting to talk more. Melissa believed it was because of Sarah Kate's influence. Sarah Kate never lacked things to say. That child could talk your ear off if you gave her the chance. Unless she was reading a book. Once she started reading, you couldn't get a word out of her for hours. It was like she disappeared into the world of whatever story had captured her mind. Melissa wished that reading didn't give her headaches. She missed it.

"Uncle Caleb's here!" Sarah Kate shouted. "And he brought a horse trailer!"

Caleb rang the doorbell a minute later. Melissa opened the door and let him in. Sarah Kate and Liza were right there next to her. Caleb got down on one knee and smiled at them both. "Hello. I'm your Uncle Caleb. I'm so happy to meet you."
The girls smiled. "I'm Sarah Kate, and this is Liza. It's good to meet you, Uncle Caleb!"

"Girls," Melissa said, "could you go upstairs to play? I need to talk with Caleb privately."

"Sure." Sarah Kate took Liza's hand and walked her up the stairs.

Melissa led Caleb into the family room. "I wanted to talk with you about this in person," she said as she sat down. "I've been really nervous about telling you."

He wrapped his hands around hers. "Whatever it is, Melissa, I'm here for you."

She blinked back tears. "I found out recently that Owen Sinclair wasn't really my father. My mother was already pregnant when she married him. My real father found me when I was in the hospital in Seattle. His name is Gio Molini."

Caleb cupped her cheek in his hand. "Melissa, that doesn't matter to me. You are my sister, even if not by blood. You will always be my sister." He gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I hope that Molini loves you better than Sinclair did."

She nodded. She couldn't stop the tears from flowing now. She pressed her face against Caleb's chest. Her brother pulled her into a hug. "Thank you," she said softly. "I'm so glad. You and Jamie and your kids are so special to me. And yes, Gio loves me. He's very good to me, and I know he'll be good to you too. Would you like to meet him?"

"Of course."

Melissa got up and went to the guest room door. Gio was waiting in there while she talked with Caleb. She knocked, and Gio came out. "He wants to meet you."

Gio followed her to the family room. He stretched out his hand. "Caleb Schumacher, I am pleased to meet you."

Caleb smiled and shook hands. "I'm glad to meet you, too. I'm glad my sister has you in her corner."

Gio sighed. "It does me good to hear you call her that. I know she was worried."

"She's my sister. After all —" Here he elbowed Melissa and chuckled. "Annie would never forgive me if she couldn't see her Aunt Missy." He gave Melissa a quick hug. "Now, I'd better get Papagena over to the Gage ranch. They'll board her for you so you can go riding whenever you like."

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It was the end of November. Andrew Carter was back in town. On his last visit, his meetings had taken up so much time, he'd hardly gotten to spend any of it with his grandson's family. This time, he had built in a little extra time for the trip. He wanted to get to know his new granddaughters better, and he wanted to talk with Matt about his plans.

The limousine pulled up in front of Matt's house. Andrew noticed neighbors peering out of their windows, clearly curious about who would emerge from the automobile. The driver got out, opened the door, and Andrew stepped out. He was wearing his dress uniform.

Sarah Kate came running out of the house across the street. "Gramps!" She threw her arms around his waist. "I'm so glad to see you again!" She held up her right arm. "Look! I got my cast off!" She couldn't quite straighten her arm or her fingers. "Doc says it could be a few more months before the radial nerve heals, but I'm getting pretty good at writing with my left hand."

He ruffled her hair. "I'm glad to see you, darlin', and I'm glad your arm is getting better." He bent down and kissed the back of her hand.

She slid her hand into his and walked him to the door. He turned around briefly. "Pick me up December sixth at one in the afternoon," he said to his driver.

"You'll be here for my birthday!" Sarah Kate hopped up and down. "I'm so happy! Nonno Gio will like meeting you. He's teaching me Italian."

Andrew nodded. He had heard about Gio Molini, though he hadn't met him on his last visit, and he was pleased that Melissa had a father who loved her. He was also very pleased that Owen Sinclair wasn't really her father after all. He imagined she was quite happy that she had no blood ties to Sinclair or his niece, Cheryl Duffy, who had tried to kill Matt.

Sarah Kate opened the front door. Andrew waved her in ahead of him. "Is your dad here today?"

She nodded. "Yeah, he's reading a book. He'll be on duty at 51's tomorrow."

"I'd like to talk with him, if I could. Will you run and get him?"

"Sure." Sarah Kate darted off. Andrew chuckled. Apparently, her injured arm wasn't slowing her down at all. She came back a moment later, leading Matt by the hand. "Gramps is here! He's staying for my birthday!"

Matthew nodded. "Yes, he told me he was coming. We thought we would surprise you." He grinned and hugged his grandfather. "I'm glad to see you. Mom and Dad will get here on the third. And isn't Oma flying in the same day?"

"That's the plan. We can't miss our great-granddaughter's birthday, after all."

Sarah Kate hugged her father and her great-grandfather. "I'm going back to Michelle's!" Then she ran out the door.

Andrew sucked in a deep breath. "Matt, let's sit down. I want to talk with you." They moved to the sofa. "Your Oma told me about your plans to become a pastor, and there were some things I needed to say to you in person. Over the phone just isn't adequate." He laid a hand on Matt's shoulder. "You remind me so much of Taffy, how he treated people over the years." Andrew looked deeply into Matt's eyes, earnest love in his gaze. "I know he's as proud of you as I am."

Tears sprang to Matt's eyes. "I miss him, Gramps. Sometimes I dream about him."

"I know, son. I miss him too." Andrew gathered Matt into a hug. His eyes were tearing up as well. "I love you, Valentine Matthew Carter."

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Peter Benedict's trial was set for January seventeenth. It was relatively quick for a trial to happen — the judge felt the gravity of the accusations against him warranted quick justice. Joey Allegro had already been sentenced to life in prison for his role in the murders of Police Sergeant Rudy Bianchi and Marcus DiAngelo, and for the kidnapping of Sarah Kate. Allegro had told them all about Peter's role in the murders. Also, they knew Peter had killed his own father and requested the kidnapping of Sarah Kate as payment for arranging DiAngelo's death. In addition, Anderson had squealed on him for ordering the murders of Sarah Kate, John Gage, Roy DeSoto, and Edna Richards. He didn't expect anything less than life in prison for himself.

Peter had attempted to gain power among the other inmates, but they all hated him. He had harmed a child, and everyone knew it. That made him anathema. He should have just kept his head down and his mouth shut.

A guard opened Peter's cell. "Time to take a walk outside," he announced.

"I don't want to." The guard pointed with his thumb. "Get out to the courtyard. You need fresh air."

Peter sighed. "Fine." He put down the book he had borrowed from the jail's library and walked out of his cell. Ricardo Tucci was right behind him. Tucci hated him. He blamed Peter for his arrest.

Out in the courtyard, Tucci grabbed Peter by the arm. Peter looked around for a guard, but there was no one there to help him. One guard was looking the other way. Another was busy dealing with a dispute between two other prisoners.

Tucci backed Peter up to a brick wall. Several other prisoners surrounded him. They took turns punching him on the head and in the stomach. Then one of them came at him with a long piece of glass. He plunged the glass into Peter's neck.
Peter could tell he was bleeding out. His legs couldn't support him anymore. He slid to the ground. The last thing he was aware of was Tucci's foot slamming into his gut.

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Johnny was sitting in the office at Rampart, reading the newspaper. Brackett had finally approved him to return to work, so Tex had driven him down to the hospital this morning. He wasn't allowed to drive for a few more weeks. He sat up straight. "Wow! Roy, did you see this?"

Roy shook his head. "Haven't read the paper yet."

"A mob of angry prisoners killed Peter Benedict in jail yesterday! Apparently, they paid off a guard to look the other way." Johnny shook his head. "I wanted him to spend years in prison for what he did."

"Yeah, me too." Roy's mouth turned down in a frown. "Seems to me, he got the easy way out."

Johnny shrugged. "I don't know. He's probably being held to account right now. I'll bet it gets awfully hot where he is."

"Heh, you have a gift for understatement, Junior. Then again, that isn't ours to decide." Roy looked through his notes for class. "You ready to teach today?"

"Yeah. Looking forward to it." Johnny sighed contentedly. "It's good to get back to work." He checked his watch. "Want to get lunch in the cafeteria?"

"Sure." Roy made a fist with his right hand, then stretched it out. His cast had come off at the end of October and he was doing physical therapy. "I'm gettin' old, Junior. Doc says I've got arthritis thanks to that broken hand."

Johnny shook his head. "You're only forty one, and it has nothing to do with your age. It's post-traumatic arthritis, and anyone can get that. Ten to one it'll clear up in a few months."

Roy rubbed at his knuckles. "I hope so."

Johnny checked his watch. "C'mon. Let's go eat."

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Sarah Kate's tenth birthday party was a fun time. It was a beautiful, warm Southern California day, just perfect for a cookout. Michelle and other friends from her class came. The Gages and the DeSotos were there. And of course, the whole Carter family was in attendance. Edna Richards came from Bakersfield, and Caleb Schumacher drove down with his wife and kids. Sarah Kate and Annie became friends right away.

Sarah Kate couldn't climb up to the tree house yet, so she sat on the swings Matt had put up and watched people. Right now, she was especially interested in Luke Schumacher. He wasn't interested in hanging out with the other kids. Annie said he had autism. Sarah Kate wasn't sure what that meant. She slid down from the swing and approached him. She sat down so she could look him in the eyes. He wouldn't look back at her. "I'm glad you're here, Luke."

Luke smiled. He didn't say anything, though. He glanced up and looked at her briefly, then lowered his eyes. It made her wonder about Jamie. He didn't like making eye contact, either.

"Luke, you have a great smile." Sarah Kate touched his hand. She wasn't sure he would be OK with it.

He didn't pull away. Instead, he raised his hand to touch her cheek. "Sarah Kate," he said slowly. "Happy Birthday." And then he smiled again.

Aunt Jamie's jaw dropped. "He must like you," she said. "He doesn't usually talk."

Sarah Kate noticed Annie cross her arms over her chest and stalk away. She was sorry her new friend was upset, but she wasn't going to be mean to Luke. He needed kindness as much as anybody else. "Thanks, Luke. Maybe we can eat cake together later," Sarah Kate said. "I'm going to go play. Bye for now!"

She joined Michelle in the new playhouse and watched people through the window. Sarah Kate wasn't sure where Annie had gone. Maybe she just needed a little time. Dad and Uncle Roy were grilling hot dogs and hamburgers. Nonno Gio was sitting with Uncle Johnny, talking about his work as a paramedic. JoJo was sitting on her daddy's lap. Tex lowered his head to kiss Grandma Winnie on the lips. He had proposed to her recently, and she said yes. Sarah Kate wondered if Grandma Winnie would move up to the ranch or if Tex would move to her house. D.J. would be really sad if Grandma Winnie moved, and JoJo would be devastated if Tex moved. Either way, someone was going to be sad.

D.J. trotted in through the playhouse door. Finally, Annie came in and plopped down next to Sarah Kate. "How did you get Luke to like you?" she asked. "He hates me."

Sarah Kate shrugged. "It's not that hard. I was just nice to him."

Annie huffed out a frustrated breath. "All the things I like to do make him throw tantrums. And Mom spends all her time with him and his therapies. It's not fair."

Sarah Kate put an arm around Annie's shoulders. "It must be hard for your mom," she said softly. "Luke really needs her help. But I can tell she loves you. It's in her eyes whenever she looks at you. My birth-mom never looked at me like that, but Matt and Melissa do. Have you ever told her you want to spend more time with her?"

Annie shook her head and sighed. "No. She doesn't have time for me."

Sarah Kate hugged her new friend. "Listen, you have to talk with her. Maybe some night after Luke goes to bed. She should hear from you about what you need. You're her kid too."

Annie nodded. "Yeah. OK, I'll talk with her. Thanks, Sarah Kate."

"And Annie, Luke isn't so bad. Give him a chance. Everybody needs that."

Annie just shrugged. "Maybe."

After dinner, Sarah Kate opened presents. Uncle Johnny and Aunt Nita gave her lots and lots of books. She got the whole set of the Anne of Green Gables books, and The Hobbit, and books of Choctaw legends, and lots more. Enough to fill two whole shelves of her bookcases. Her favorite book was a hardback edition of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, illustrated by Michael Hague. She couldn't wait to start reading. She hugged Uncle Johnny and Aunt Nita. "Thank you so much!"

They all moved inside for cake and ice cream. After everyone sang, Sarah Kate carried a plate over to Luke. "Will you eat cake with me?" she asked him.

He nodded and slid down off his mother's lap. He followed Sarah Kate over to a pair of empty chairs and sat next to her. They ate together. Sarah Kate talked with Luke. He didn't have much to say. She was glad to see Annie sit next to Aunt Jamie and talk with her for a little bit.

Luke pointed at the book Sarah Kate was carrying. "Narnia," he said. "Lion, witch, wardrobe!"

She grinned at him. She was pretty sure most six-year-olds couldn't read like that. "You're right! That's awesome reading, Luke!"

He finished his cake and ice cream, gave Sarah Kate a quick hug, and then went back to his mom.

Her friends left the house in time to finish their homework and get a good night's sleep before another day of school. Before he left, Johnny pulled Sarah Kate into a hug. He sat down on the sofa and leaned towards her. "I want you to know, young lady, that I am very proud of you. I watched you tonight. I saw how kind you were to Luke. His dad told me that people get impatient with him a lot, so it really means something that you were kind to him. And I've watched you with D.J. and Liza. You have a way of looking to the heart of people instead of just skimming the surface, and that's a good thing. It's even better than being smart or pretty or popular. I know you're doing great in school because you work hard. That's awesome. But what makes me proudest is seeing how you treat other people."

She leaned against him. "Are you still hurting, Uncle Johnny?"

He smiled and tousled her hair. "I'm feeling better every day."

"Good."

He kissed her on the top of her head. "I'm going to come see you tomorrow afternoon. If Dr. Brackett says I can drive, I'll take you and D.J. out for ice cream."

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After class the next day, Johnny met Brackett for an appointment. When it was all over, Johnny looked at Brackett, hoping for something positive, like permission to drive and go horseback riding. "Well, Doc?"

Brackett smiled. "You look good, John. In fact, I'm giving you permission to drive again. And you can ride your horse if you feel up to it. Keep doing your breathing exercises. Keep using the incentive spirometer. No heavy lifting for another couple of months. Come back to see me three months from now. I'll do a chest x-ray and see how things look. Oh, and if you do go horseback riding, be careful. We don't need you in here for emergency medical care again for a long time."

Johnny laughed. "Yessir, Doc."

Brackett rubbed the back of his neck. "You know, I told you back when the twins were born that you could call me Kel."
Johnny shrugged. "I'm just used to saying Doc. It suits you."

Brackett shook his head and chuckled. "Get outta here, hose jockey!"

"See ya later, Doc." Johnny went out to the lobby, where Roy and Tex were waiting for him. Nita had stayed home with the kids. "I can drive!" he announced. "Hand over the keys, Dad."

Tex stood up. "Mijo, I am happy for you!" He passed over the keys to the truck. "You will take me to Winnie's, yes?"

"Sure thing. I'm taking Roy home, anyway." The three men walked out to the truck together. "So, Tex. Have you decided where you're going to live? I thought maybe we could build a house for you up in the meadow."

Tex nodded. "It is a good plan. I will ask Winnie what she thinks about it." He glanced over at Roy, who was rubbing his right hand. "Roy could help us — it will strengthen his hand. It will be good for you, too, Mijo."

Tex climbed into the passenger seat and Johnny climbed into the driver's seat. He ran his hand over the steering wheel. "Man, it's good to be back in business." He put the key in the ignition and drove to Roy's neighborhood. He parked in front of the Carter house. Roy walked home from there. Johnny rang the Carters' doorbell. Andrew Carter opened the door. He and Hilda were flying home in a day or two.

"Hi, General. I've come for Sarah Kate." He dangled his keys in the air. "I'm driving again, and I promised to take her for ice cream."

Sarah Kate came running down the stairs. "Uncle Johnny!" She wrapped her arms around him. "Can you drive now?"
"You bet, Sprout! Let's go get D.J. and then go to Foster's Freeze."

Sarah Kate's eyes lit up and her face glowed. "Can Michelle come?"

"Sure," Johnny said. "As long as her parents say she can. Let's go across the street and invite her." They walked across the street together and Michelle got permission to join them. Then they went to get D.J.

The three kids had a great time together. Michelle was a lot like Sarah Kate. Johnny was glad they were friends. They enjoyed their ice cream, and then Johnny delivered them back to their homes. He knocked on Winnie's door to collect Tex. He was eager to get back to the ranch to ride Minko.