Happy Valley, OR - One week earlier
"Nooooo!" Brooke Heart wailed as she opened the front door of her Happy Valley apartment. Her apartment looked like an advertisement for a toilet paper company gone awry. Toilet paper was strewn around the living room and kitchen space. "MK, honestly!" Brooke muttered in frustration. MK, her white and brown Shih Tzu, came trotting out of the bathroom with toilet paper stuck to her paws. MK was looking every bit as proud as she always was when she got into trouble.
Brooke reached down and took the toilet paper off MK's paws before setting down her satchel on a nearby kitchen chair. She paused a moment to look out her window, which overlooked the Clackamas Town Center. She loved to shop there when she had free time. She especially liked to visit the camping gear store. Her apartment was full of gear that she had yet to use during that all too rare free time.
She decided that MK better go out before another mess of sorts was created. Brooke leashed up MK and they went down the apartment stairs to MK's favorite spot on the lawn.
MK was a present for Brooke's 34th birthday last year. Brooke's mom insisted that a dog was exactly what she needed, because it was not good for her to be living alone. Brooke protested at first but when her mom brought MK over on her birthday, she knew that she wouldn't give her back.
MK was short for Ms. Kerchief because of the markings on her head that made her look like she was wearing a kerchief. MK was still in training and sometimes she got herself into a bit of trouble. Brooke had been recently trying to let her stay at home without being in a kennel but now realized it was probably too much freedom.
Walking back up the stairs, Brooke opened the apartment door, but this time she laughed. "What a mess!" She said while she unleashed MK. Brooke quickly went to work cleaning up the toilet paper. Brooke loved MK but she needed a break.
She realized that it wasn't really MK's fault, well the toilet paper was, but being tired was nothing new to her. She had been working really hard at her job, too hard. She was a social worker and while it was a rewarding job, she was afraid she was burning out.
"That is why we are getting away, MK," Brooke said as she finished putting the last of the toilet paper in the trash can. Brooke checked around the apartment for any other things out of place and found nothing. Satisfied, she went into the kitchen to cook dinner.
Opening the fridge she saw that she was going to have to be creative. Quickly scanning her options she grabbed the half jar of tomato sauce, leftover olives, and some spinach. She grabbed pasta from the pantry and set out to make an improvised pasta dish.
While she was cooking, Brooke recalled the conversation that had made her think about getting away from Happy Valley. Two week ago, Brooke was on the phone with her friend from college, Addy. Brooke had been telling her she was afraid she wouldn't last much longer in her job. She admitted that the long hours and endless cases involving kids and families was nearly breaking her.
That was when Addy suggested that Brooke take the summer off and come visit her. Addy was a social worker too and had recently moved back to her hometown after several years in San Francisco. She was setting up a private practice and invited Brooke to come down to help her get organized.
Brooke said she'd think about but she wasn't sure if she could get away. Still Addy insisted that she try.
"I just can't see my boss letting me off for an entire summer," Brooke explained.
"How much PTO do you take a year? I bet you have more time off then you use. You've been there like... what 5 years?" Addy replied.
"I hate it when you're right, yes... yes... I have more PTO than I could ever take in a year."
"Come on, you are much better at organizing stuff than I am."
The more Brooke thought about it the more she liked the idea. So the next week she talked to her boss about getting extended time off, explaining that she was helping a friend out. Her boss was generous and granted Brooke the requested 6 weeks of leave.
Addy was ecstatic when Brooke told her.
"I have the perfect place for you to rent while you are here. I swear you'll love it. I'd let you stay with me but I'm living with my parents until I find a place of my own. You are going to love my town. It is quaint, charming and everything you need in a getaway," Addy had gushed.
"We will see if it is as charming as you say, but I agree I need this break. What kind of place do you have me renting?" Brooke asked.
"It's a cabin, kind of rustic but charming. The man who owns it lost his wife a few years back and he likes to rent it out once in a while to help pay the bills."
MK barked, bringing Brooke back to the present and her overflowing pasta pot. A moment later her overly sensitive smoke detector went off as the water hit the burner and steam rose. Brooke grabbed a kitchen towel and waved it frantically at the smoke detector. Then realizing the pot was still over flowing she hurried to turn the burner off and moved the pot. After several minutes of more frantic waving the alarm finally stopped.
MK barked again.
"Yes, girl?" Brooke said, but MK only spun in a circle. Brooke looked over at the empty dog dish realizing that she had yet to feed MK. Brooke sighed again, it was not like her to forget something like that.
As she poured the dog food into the bowl, she said, "It's time for that vacation." In a few days, Brooke was headed out of Happy Valley on her way to Forever, CA.
A Few Days Later
Brooke pulled out her lunch from the fridge, leftover curry from the night before, and headed to the door. MK was already in the car ready to go. Brooke hurried to join her before she could get into too much trouble.
Brooke had been packing for the last several days and on an impulse grabbed her camping gear with the hopes of getting some time to enjoy the outdoors. She was planning on taking her time driving to Forever and hoped to make some stops on the way to enjoy the view. When Brooke reached the car, she saw that MK was in the front seat.
"MK, get in the back," she said. MK looked at her with what looked like chagrin but didn't move. Brooke pointed to the back of her black Toyota Camry.
"You know it is not safe for you to ride in the front, plus you always try to sit in my lap while I am driving."
Brooke scooted MK towards the back and she reluctantly went. Brooke sat down in the driver's seat and turned on the car. Before reversing the car she did a mental check of what she packed, searching for anything she might have missed. She looked in the rear view mirror.
Brooke quickly took in her tired navy blue eyes and red hair that seemed to have a life of it's own. At 5'1" she was petite and had trouble finding women's clothing in her size. Today she was wearing a pair of blue jeans, an old college t-shirt, and a gray flannel over-shirt. Even though it was summer, Oregon was still on the chilly side today. Brooke figured that would change when she got to California.
She glanced one more time over her shoulder and backed the car out. She was on her way.
A few hours later as she was stopping for lunch, her phone rang. Checking to see who it was Brooke answered it, "Mom?"
"Yeah, Hi Brooke, did you remember to leave the key with Melissa so I could get into your apartment?"
"Yes, mom... Melissa said she'd give it to you next time she saw you. Thanks again for watching the apartment."
"How is MK? Is she behaving herself?"
"Mostly. We are eating lunch now. We are almost to the state line of California."
"Ok, give MK a hug for me and don't forget to give us a call or text when you get into Forever."
"I will," Brooke said as she finished the last of her cold curry.
"I am about to get back on the road. I love you and will talk to you later."
"Alright, bye."
Brooke got into the car and sent a quick text to Melissa, her sister, about getting the key to mom before starting up the car again. She continued to drive until she saw the California welcome sign. Another hour and she would be there.
An hour later, she saw the turn off to Forever. Brooke called Addy using her bluetooth headset.
"Addy, I'm here!"
"You made it!" Addy squealed, "I can't wait to see you."
"Remind me again, where I am supposed to meet the guy with the key?"
"You're looking for the Pony Pancake House. If you just turned into town you will see a gas station on your right and then go another block and you will see it. It's the only restaurant we've got so you can't miss it."
"Ok, and then I will meet up with you later at your parents for dinner."
"Yes, mom is thrilled to pass off some of her organizing duties to you. She swears that she is done helping me move furniture."
"Looks like I am all you got," Brooke teased.
"Yep"
"Ok, I see the Pony Pancake House.... and there is an ambulance in front of it"
"What? Oh my goodness, can you see what's happening?"
Brooke pulled up to a parking spot out of the way of the ambulance and sat still for a moment. There was a crowd of people out front one of them, was a tall man with red hair, who was climbing into the back of the ambulance.
"I can't see very much from here, they are closing up the doors of the ambulance."
"You have just witnessed front page news for Forever, CA. This is going to be more exciting than the time that Ms. Agnes drove into the corner wall of the post office. I am sure we will know all the details soon. "
"Well, I hope whoever it is okay? I'm gonna let you go. I want to grab that key."
"See you tonight," Addy said before hanging up.
Brooke felt weird walking up to the scene, but she needed to get settled into her new temporary home before she could go see Addy. Walking up to the crowd, as it was dispersing, she scanned to see who she could ask. She spotted a woman who looked like a waitress. Her name tag read, Edda Fae.
"Excuse me," Brooke said as Edda Fae started to turn back to the restaurant.
Edda Fae turned and looked at Brooke square on, "Yes, if you'd like something to eat come on inside. We've had ourselves a little bit of excitement this morning." Edda Fae waved her in and Brooke followed. She was at a booth near the front window.
"I am looking for someone actually..." Brooke faltered. What was the guy's name again? Did Addy even tell her the name?
"Well we got a few someone's around here, which someone are you looking for?" Edda Fae asked as she handed her a menu. Edda Fae went to a nearby table to clean up what looked like a half eaten breakfast. Syrup was everywhere, as she started to wiped down the table.
"Uh, I'm not sure but... ah... I do know that he owns the Forever Farm and Ranch. That's where I am staying and I was supposed to meet him here to pick up the keys," Brooke looked down at the menu which was full of horse sounding names and breakfast items.
Edda Fae whistled low and stopped wiping. Brooke looked up from the menu, "Uh, have you seen him this morning?"
"Joe Love is his name and... yep... he was here."
"Is he still here?" Brooke scanned the cafe but didn't see anyone who fit the description that Addy gave her.
"Honey, Joe Love is certainly someone. And that certain someone is currently riding in that ambulance," she said as she looked out the window.