“Nobody goofs off on Terry’s watch,” Ronnie reminded him.
Butch looked taken aback for a second, then beamed. “She is a chip off the old block, isn’t she?”
“I’d say so, Butch. You go ahead, though. I’ll pay for lunch, then head on back to Serenity.”
“You be in touch soon, you hear?” Butch told him, enveloping Ronnie’s hand in his.
“Soon,” he promised, then sat back as Butch walked away. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
Ronnie glanced at the bill for the two steaks, tossed forty bucks on the table and counted himself lucky. It was the best investment in his future he’d ever made.
* * *
Dana Sue sat at a table on the patio at The Corner Spa. The sun, filtering through an old pin oak tree, created a splashy pattern of light on the soft pink bricks. A breeze stirred the Spanish moss. Classical music wafted softly from overhead speakers, a touch Maddie had added since Dana Sue’s last visit.
“What do you think about the music?” Maddie asked when she joined her.
“It’s soothing,” Dana Sue said, even though she didn’t know the first thing about Bach, Beethoven or Mozart. George Strait and Kenny Chesney were more her speed.
Maddie nodded in satisfaction. “I thought so, too.”
“It’s classy, too,” Dana Sue stated. “One more thing that sets this place apart from all the others.”
“I’m glad you like it,” Maddie said. “Now, do you want to tell me why you’re wearing that pensive expression? You look as if you’ve just lost your best friend.”
For once Dana Sue didn’t bother trying to deny the mood she was in. She needed to bounce this off someone before she worked herself into a complete panic. “I had a call from Dr. McDaniels before I came over here.”
“She’s Annie’s psychologist, right?” Maddie asked.
“Well, she’s supposed to be, but every time she’s stopped by to visit, Annie’s given her some excuse for not wanting to talk. It’s been more than a week now and they’re not making any progress.”
Maddie didn’t seem all that surprised. “I imagine the idea of therapy must be pretty scary to a sixteen-year-old. Most kids that age don’t even want to tell you if they’ve done their homework.”
“That’s what Dr. McDaniels said. She told me it’s not unusual for kids to be in denial.”
“Then why are you so worried?” Maddie asked.
“Because Annie’s life is on the line here,” Dana Sue said in frustration. “If she doesn’t talk, if we don’t get to the bottom of what’s going on with her, she could wind up right back in intensive care, and the next time we might not be so lucky. I know Dr. McDaniels is worried about that, even though she didn’t say as much. Annie needs to start cooperating, not just acting all chipper, like nothing’s wrong.”
“Have you told her that?” Maddie asked.
“No.”
“Why on earth not?”
“I suppose I was trying not to add to the pressure she’s under,” Dana Sue said. “Obviously that was the wrong approach.”
“Maybe this isn’t the best place for her to get treatment, if you’re going to let her off the hook too easily,” Maddie suggested gently. “Maybe it’s time to consider an inpatient facility.”
Dana Sue frowned worriedly. “No. I don’t think I could bear sending her away, especially when she’s so vulnerable.”
“Not even to save her life?” Maddie asked.
Dana Sue stared at her friend. “Oh, God, Maddie, what am I going to do? Obviously she needs help.”
“What does Ronnie say?”
“He hasn’t said anything to me about this. I tried to call him after I’d spoken to Dr. McDaniels, but he wasn’t answering his cell phone. He’s not at the hospital, either,” she said, then added, “Maybe it’s gotten to be too much for him and he’s taken off again.”
“You know better,” Maddie scolded. “He’ll turn up and the two of you can discuss it. In the meantime, here comes Helen, and she has that look in her eyes, the one that says she’s on a mission and she’s taking no prisoners.”
Dana Sue grinned, despite herself. “Too bad we don’t serve anything stronger than coffee in here.”
“I have a leftover bottle of champagne from the opening in my office, but popping the cork on that would probably set a bad example,” Maddie said, her expression wistful.
“Unless we go into your office, lock Helen on the other side and drink it before we let her in,” Dana Sue said.
Apparently Helen had heard enough of what they were saying to disapprove. “No one’s going anywhere to drink,” she said as she sat down and opened her ever-present briefcase, then distributed legal pads to all of them. “Okay, ladies, this is the first day of the rest of our lives. Let’s get busy. Ten goals in ten minutes. Start writing. We don’t have all day.”
Dana Sue scowled at her. “I suggest at the top of your list you write down in big, bold letters STOP BEING BOSSY.”
Helen scowled right back at her. “Not amusing.”
Dana Sue winked at Maddie. “Did you think I was trying to be funny?”
“Not so much,” Maddie said.
“Okay, you two comedians, you promised to take this seriously. We need goals. We need a plan.”
“Have you by any chance rescheduled your appointment with Doc Marshall?” Dana Sue inquired.
“It’s tomorrow morning, as a matter of fact.”
“Which explains why you’re so anxious to get this in writing,” Maddie concluded. “I imagine you have a notary lined up to validate our signatures on the bottom of your page when we’re through.”
Helen flushed guiltily. “As a matter of fact, Patty Markham has her notary seal with her. She said she’d be in here working out till eight forty-five. Which is yet another reason we have to hurry. It’s already eight-fifteen and we have to agree on our goals once we’ve written them down. Let’s get a move on.”
Dana Sue exchanged a look with Maddie. “She’s
