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"𝐈 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐈𝐓 𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐒, 𝐁𝐔𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓'𝐒 𝐀 𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍." Montana said as she helped Mrs. Stafford-Smythe with her therapy. "It means your nerves are kicking back in."

"I'm trying!" the older woman spat. "But I don't want to do it anymore, I would rather be paralyzed for the rest of my life than try again! Just get out of my sight."

Feeling her sensitive heart break and her beautiful violet eyes sting with tears, Montana nodded and stood up, grabbed her pink purse and walked out the door. Windsor walked in with tea from the Merchantile, and saw the blonde wiping her tears. Looking at his employer, he set the tea on the night table and chased after the blonde.

Montana hastily exited the boarding house and wiped her tears, while Windsor also exited the boarding house. "Miss Montana! Miss Montana! Please wait up! Wait up, miss Montana!" the older man called

Wiping her tears with her baby pink satin monogrammed handkerchief, Montana spoke. "I'm sorry Mr. Windsor. I know you're used to taking her abuse, but I'm not about to, but I won't be disrespectful to her either."

Placing a kind and consoling hand on her shoulder, Windsor softly spoke. "Mrs. Stafford-Smythe would never mean to be abusive to you, miss."

Montana heaved a sigh as she placed her handkerchief back in her pink purse, then spoke again. "I don't know what y'all call it back east, but out here we call it rude and unacceptable behavior."

Windsor reached into his coat pocket, before kindly speaking, as he pulled out two photographs, of what looked to be two young children. "May I share something of a personal matter with you, Ms. Lawrence? There's something I would like to show you. This is Benjamin, and Brooke. Mrs. Stafford-Smythe's children."

Montana gave him a quizzical look as she moved her blonde hair out of the way, then gently spoke. "I though she didn't have any children."

"She doesn't now miss." Windsor said

Montana nodded her head in understanding. It all made sense now. "Oh, I see."

"Mrs. Stafford-Smythe became a widow shortly after Brooke was born. Her children became everything in her life, miss." Windsor said

"What happened to them?" Montana questioned

"Brooke passed away when she was five of chronic pneumonia, and Benjamin was killed in a horrific car crash just before he was to graduate from Harvard."

Montana felt her body tremble. She couldn't even begin to imagine the unbearable pain and suffering that poor woman felt. "Oh my God, that's terrible."

"When Mrs. Stafford-Smythe lost Brooke, the only thing that kept her going was Benjamin, and when she lost him, I was afraid she..." Windsor said, but was unable to finish his sentence

"Mr. Windsor, I'm so sorry. It certainly explains her anger." Montana said

"Ms. Lawrence, I just wanted you to understand, that Mrs. Stafford-Smythe was not always the way she is. She was a kind and generous woman. Try to think of her the way she was, before unbearable loss changed her. Try to see her with a forgiving heart, and not a judgmental mind."

Montana smiled softly and nodded her head, and walked back into the boarding house. Walking up the stairs, she walked down the hall, to Mrs. Stafford-Smythe's room, where she heard... "Come in."

The blonde opened the door, and found Mrs. Stafford-Smythe sitting on the bed. "What are you doing back here?" the older woman asked

Standing in front of her patient with her hands clasped in front of her abdomen, Montana softly spoke. "I wanted to apologize to you Mrs. Stafford-Smythe. I'm sorry I pushed you so hard on your therapy, I just believe you can get better."

"This submissive demeanor is out of character for you. Does it have anything to do with Windsor rushing out after you?" Mrs. Stafford-Smythe asked

"He told me a little bit about your background, but please do not be angry with him." Montana said

"He knows better than to discuss my private life." Mrs. Stafford-Smythe spat

"He's devoted to you. The only reason he told me is because he believes you need me." Montana said

"I don't need anyone to help me." Mrs. Stafford-Smythe said

"We all need someone." Montana smiled as she sat down on the bed. "My mom used to tell me about my grandma Ava. She died when my mom was in college and my uncle August was a sophomore in high school. She was killed in a rodeo accident, and my grandpa moved them to the San Fernando Valley for a new beginning. That's how my parents met. My dad used to tell me about my grandma Laura. He loved her more than anyone as she was the only one he truly had, and he never knew his father. She died just before my half-brother Robby was born."

"How on earth did your family end up back here?" Mrs. Stafford-Smythe asked

"There was an ongoing karate war that had been going on since my dad and uncle Daniel were in high school. My mom and uncle's friends were getting hurt, uncle August and my mom were getting hurt as well, so they decided to come back home. My dad and my brother came to find them, and they've been here ever since." Montana said

"I'm sorry for your family Montana, especially your mom and brother losing their mother at a young age, and even your father losing his mother." Mrs. Stafford-Smythe. "I apologize for my behavior as well."

"It's alright, I understand." Montana said. "Why don't you get some rest? I'll see you in the morning."

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The afternoon sun was beaming down on the Lockhart ranch as Jack repaired the baseboards in the livingroom. Montana walked inside, a beautiful smile on her face holding a basket of sandwiches. "Hi."

Jack set his hammer down, and smiled at the beautiful blonde. Of course he had to be dirty and smell horrible when she shows up, and she looks beautiful and smells like vanilla and cream. "Montana, hi."

"I was visiting my aunt Kellie for lunch, and she wanted me to bring lunch to y'all." Montana smiled.

"Well, your grandpa and brother went into town to pick up some lumber, and your uncles are out back. I can go get them if you want?" Jack suggested

"Oh, that's all right, just please tell them I said hello and I love them." Montana smiled, then began to walk towards the front door, when she was stopped by Jack.

"Wait, why don't you stay, and visit a while?" Jack asked

Montana nervously fondled the pink pompom on her purse. "Oh, I would love to, but I can't. Doc is out seeing patients, and mom is at the clinic. I should be getting back to help her."

"Well, I was thinking that...maybe if you're not busy on Saturday, we could have lunch at the Merchantile?" Jack asked

"Of course." Montana smiled. "I'd love that. I'll see you on Saturday."

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"How's Montana liking her job taking care of Mrs. Stafford-Smythe?" Lori asked she, Lydia, Stella, Kara, and Amy sat in the kitchen of the clinic eating chicken pot pie casserole from the Merchantile

"Well, she loves helping Mrs. Stafford-Smythe." Stella said as she sipped her coke. "Doc's just a little too hard on her."

"Oh yeah, isn't it about time for him to retire?" Kara asked

"Not for another two years." Stella said as she rolled her eyes at the thought and ate her lunch

"Well, we all know she's a natural born caretaker like you, Stell." Amy said. "She'll prove him wrong."

"I know she will." Stella said. "I can't tell you how many times I've come to telling doc off, but Montana told me not to."

"What's this man's issue anyway?" Lydia asked as she sipped her iced tea. "It's a free country."

"He's just set in his ways." Stella said. "When I first became a nurse practitioner, he told me how he ran the clinic, and that's how I was supposed to run it as well."

"Something tells me you don't." Lydia said

"Hell no I don't." Stella said

As the ladies continued eating their lunch, and laughing, Montana walked into the clinic, and walked into the kitchen, and was on cloud nine.

"Hi, hon." Stella smiled as she sipped her coke. "How was your day.

"Oh, it was good. After tending to Mrs. Stafford-Smith, I went to visit with auntie Kellie and had lunch, who sent lunch over for the guys." Montana said

Noticing Montana's look of love, Lydia commented. "Something happened. We need to know."

"Nothing happened Ms. Lydia." Montana laughed as she opened her orange vanilla coke 

"Sweetheart, we might have been born at night, but it wasn't last night. We were your age once too. I think it has something to do with muscles and abs for days. Tell us." Kara said

"Okay auntie Kara." Montana laughed as she joined the ladies at the table. "Jack asked me out on a date for Saturday to have lunch at the Merchantile."

With a raised eye brow, Lydia asked, "What did you say?"

"Of course I said yes." Montana said. "There's only one problem."

Lori glanced at the blonde and raised her brow. "What?"

"Dad. You guys practically missed the dinner we had at aunt Kellie and uncle Aaron's, but he was giving him the death glare." Montana said

"Don't worry about your father, I'll handle him." Stella said
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The following morning, Montana helped Mrs. Stafford-Smythe down to the Merchantile's restaurant, for a cup of tea.

"You know, Montana, the only reason I didn't let that stroke kill me is because my distant relatives who are just waiting for me to pass on so they can inherit my fortune." Mrs. Stafford-Smythe said as she sat down at the table

"I think the reason your stroke didn't kill you is because God still has work for you. Find a purpose by loving other people." Montana said

"And losing them." Mrs. Stafford-Smythe said

"The fact that you grieve deeply means you love deeply. There's so many people out there who need what you have." Montana said as she poured tea in a cup

"Who would that be?" Mrs. Stafford-Smythe asked

"My aunt Yasmine and uncle Demetri said there's an orphanage in Boston with children without parents, or parents who just simply give them away." Montana said

"Ah, so you're suggesting I give money." Mrs. Stafford-Smythe said

"No, not money. Yourself. You have so much left to give, and they need love." Montana said. "Aren't we supposed to be practicing?" she asked as she placed the tea cup in front of her.

"Mrs. Stafford Smith looked at the tea cup, then turned her head away. "Mrs. Stafford-Smythe, reach for the tea cup." the blonde said. The older woman went to reach for the tea cup with two hands, but Montana spoke. "One hand, Mrs. Stafford—Smith."

With a trembling arm, her bad arm, making the China rattle a little, Mrs. Stafford-Smythe picked up the tea cup and brought it up to her mouth, sipping the tea. "Best cup of tea I ever had." the older woman smiled. Montana smiled brightly and sipped the tea herself.