Page 7 of Rex's Release
The next morning, after another visit from her mother’s doctor, Jolene told her mother she would be back and headed across the street from the hospital to the coffee shop. After grabbing a coffee, she sat down at a table in the corner and called Mama Hen on her cell.
“Hen House. The main chick speaking. How can I help?”
“Hey. It’s Jo.”
“Hey! How’s Mom?”
Jolene sighed and answered, “They ended up having to do a hip replacement. She is doing much better today, and they will most likely send her home soon, but it’s going to be a few weeks before I can head back. I need to be here to help her with recovery.”
“Well, I’m sorry she went through all of that, but maybe she’ll come out of this better than ever. New hip? She got an upgrade.”
Smiling at Mama Hen’s optimism, Jolene sipped her coffee. “We can hope. Anyway, I’ll see what I can do about arranging care for Beast, but it might be a couple days before I find something.”
“Nonsense. Beast has care.Me.Saves me from having to chase Maxie around the backyard. They’re wearing each other out. Both of the pups slept like the dead last night. Didn’t even wake me up to go outside until eight. It was nice.”
“You really don’t mind?”
She heard Mama Hen give a disapproving sigh on the other end of the line. “I’m just going to pretend you didn’t ask me that ridiculous question. You’re welcome, Jo, but you don’t need to thank me. It’s what friends do.”
Then the amazing woman hung up on her.
Rex
It was going to be a long damn day, and Rex was transferring supplies from the club van to the clubhouse when Mama Hen pulled into the parking lot. She parked next to the van and rolled down the window.
He grabbed the towel from over his shoulder and wiped his hands on it as he approached her car. “Hey, Mama Hen.”
“Hey. Just heard from your girlfriend.”
Rex frowned. “She’s not my girlfriend.”
Mama Hen chuckled. “Yet.”
After rolling his eyes, Rex smiled. “How’s her mom?”
“Hip replacement. Jo’s gonna be out of town for a few weeks, maybe longer. She has to help her mom through recovery and rehabilitation. I’m taking care of Beast for her.”
“Beast?”
“Her pup.”
“Ah… okay.” He nodded. “I appreciate the update.”
A sly grin grew on her face. “You’re gonna go after it when she gets back. Right?”
Rex shook his head at her barely veiled order. “Yes. That’s the plan.”
“Good.” She patted the side of her car. “Both of you deserve some fun, and isn’t it about time you settled down?”
He raised an eyebrow and just stared at her. She was older than he was. He didn’t know much about Mama Hen’s life, but he knew she wasn’t a saint. He highly doubted her private life wassettled.
“You mind your business,” she told him, still grinning, before she drove around the van and headed out of the parking lot.
Four
Rex
Rexloveditwhenhis daughter came home to visit. The fact that Nevaeh lived in a big city on her own at the age of nineteen drove him up the wall with worry. She was a pretty girl – a model and a singer represented by an up-and-coming talent agency. She was doing quite well for herself and had yet to touch the money he sent her every week. He sent it anyway, because that’s what fathers who had the means did.