Heartbreak Town (COMPLETED)

Chapter One

      "Hi, Miss Renne." The two little girls said in unison from beside their horses. 

      "Hi Sophie. Tricia. How are y'all doin' today?" Reagan, "Renne," asked two of her clients. No. Not clients. Her children. All of the special needs children that come to her equine therapy ranch she considers her kids. That brings strange looks when she tells folks that she has over thirty children. In more ways than one, Renne could relate to several of these young kids and adults. Like several of her "children," Renne is also an orphan. Her parents died when she was just seven years old in a tragic car accident. Renne is also trying to start a new life for herself: just another thing that she has in common with all of her children.

      This ranch had always been a dream for Renne, ever since she was a kid, but she always just assumed that her dream would unfold in Wyoming, where she grew up. Never would she have imagined living here in Montana. 

      "Are we goin' to trot on the horses today, Miss Renne?" Sweet, little, five year old Sophie asked Renne. Sophie's mom was a drug addict and heavy drinker, even while she was pregnant with Sophie. This brought about fetal alcohol syndrome, which causes delays in the brain. Sophie is so smart and wise, and Renne has learned so much from her, even at her young age.

      Renne couldn't help but smile at Sophie. She reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. Bending down so she was eye level with young Sophie, Renne responded, "Well it all depends on how well you tack up Silver." Renne said, trying to look serious, even though she was partially teasing. Sophie's sweet, pleading brown eyes that matched her cute freckles which sprinkled her nose and cheeks melted Renne's heart. Renne tapped Sophie's little button nose and smiled. "You know...you're gettin' so good at riding, I think we will be able to fit in some trotting today." 

      Sophie's brown eyes widened and she smiled a smile so wide it would probably not fit into the state of Montana. "Really?!" She asked with extreme excitement; she was still tightly clutching the hard brush that she was using to brush down Silver.

      "Yeah, but you gotta get him saddled up first." Renne said, standing back up from her crouched position. "C'mon, I'll help you." Renne replied.

       Sophie grabbed Renne's hand as they walked out of the indoor arena and headed to the tack room. Little Sophie practically skipped the whole way there. Her natural brown pincurls bounced as she skipped. She was humming a song that sounded familiar to Renne. "What song are you humming, Soph?" Renne asked, looking down at her bundle of joy.

       "Jesus loves me this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak, but..." Sophie stopped skipping, stopping dead in her tracks. "They are weak but..." Sophie seemed to be thinking hard of the next few words. She looked up at Renne. 

       "But He is strong." Renne finished for Sophie with a smile on her face. 

       Sophie nodded profusely and resumed her skipping. "But He is strong." Sophie repeated. Turning those brown eyes up to Renne, she asked, "Will you sing it with me, Miss Renne?" 

      Renne smiled. She loved her children so much. "Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so." Renne sang. Yes, Jesus certainly loves her. Proof of that was standing about two feet below her. Sophie and her continued to sing that song over and over again, even after they got Sophie's saddle, pad, and bridle from the tack room, and during the whole trek back to the arena. Sophie was always singing a song. It was one of the infinite reasons Renne loves her so much. 

       Renne and Sophie were laughing and singing as they slid the saddle on top of the saddle pad on Silver's back. Christine, Renne's "secretary," and close friend, came walking into the arena, and right up beside where Sophie and Renne were. She was holding her hands tightly at her stomach. Her face was pale white and she refused eye contact with Renne. Renne turned from tightening the cinch on Silver's saddle to look at Christine. "Chris, is something wrong?" She asked, her smile gone. 

      "There's a phone call for you. Line one. In the office. It's urgent." Christine said in short sentences, still not looking at Renne. 

      "Okay. Thank you for comin' to get me. Do you mind finishing up here?" Renne asked Christine, pointing to Silver. Christine nodded sharply. "Thank you." Renne replied. Turning to Sophie, Renne said, "I have to go talk to someone on the phone. I will be right back, okay?" 

     "Okay, Miss Renne." Sophie said. She held out her arms to give Renne a hug. Renne smiled and hugged little Sophie. Before pulling back, she placed a soft kiss atop her head and thanked God for her little miracles. 

      Taking one last look at Christine and her eerie complexion, Renne walked out of the arena and to her office. Not much phased Christine, so Renne knew the person on the other end of the line must have some pretty bad news. Sitting down at her desk, Renne answered the phone. "Hello? This is Renne Walker." She leaned back in her chair. The wood squeaked as she relaxed.

      There were no voices on the other end of the line, just a scratchy, crackling noise. "Hello?" Renne asked again. "Hello? Is anyone there?" She asked this a couple more times, before moving the phone from her ear. Her thumb was on the "end call" button, about to hang up, but Renne heard a small, broken voice come through the ear piece. 

       "Reagan?" The crackled voice asked, just loud enough for Renne to still hear. 

      Renne bolted up straight in her chair. Her real name had become so foreign sounding. She had almost forgotten it; it had been almost five years since she heard it last. Everyone here in Montana knew her by her middle name, Renne. She wasn't "Reagan" anymore. 

       "Reagan? Are you there?" The voice asked again, sounding almost desperate to talk to her. 

      That's when Renne knew this call was from back home. No, not back home. Back in Wyoming. Alpine Ridge. The town she had cut herself off from and refused to go back to. As Renne processed who the voice could be, she contemplated just hanging up and forgetting anyone ever called her. But she couldn't bring herself to do it. Something inside of Renne told her to talk to this person. Slowly, Renne placed the phone back against her ear. Clearing her throat, she said in a professional voice, "This is she."

      "Oh, thank God you're there. Reagan, it's your grandma." The voice on the other end said. 

      Renne felt herself go pale. She froze. Everything in her wanted to slam the phone down, run out of her office, and pretend that she was just hearing things. The other line was crackly. So maybe she heard the person wrong. "Mamaw?" Renne asked the voice on the other end. 

      "Yes. It's me, Mamaw. I know we haven't talked in a while, but I'm-"

      "Mamaw, I can't hear you. The line is really crackly." Reagan put a hand over her other ear in an attempt to clear up the line on her grandma, "Mamaw's," end. 

      Renne heard a sound like Mamaw walking then the line went clear. "Is this better?" 

      "Much. Thank you." Renne replied. This was by far the most awkward phone call she had ever had. She really didn't want to talk to any of "them" back in Wyoming. Not after what they kept from her. 

     Renne knew that she had hurt her Mamaw and Papaw's feelings when she left town five years ago. She knew that she had probably hurt her best friend-turned-boyfriend's feelings too, but after what Swayde kept from her, let's just say that Renne didn't feel as bad about hurting his feelings as she did her grandparents. Renne knew that there was only one reason that anybody in Wyoming would call her. Something bad had happened; and she knew it had to be something pretty major.