Montana Hearts by Charlotte Carter

ventriloquist business. I’d forgotten. How long do you think you’ll be gone?” Odd, knowing she’d be away, he’d already started to miss her.
    â€œI’ll stay at the hospital through lunchtime. The kids usually take a nap then or their families visit.”
    He stabbed a couple of whole-wheat pancakes—which weren’t bad—spread butter on them, then covered them in maple syrup. “It’s nice of you to do that for the kids.”
    She sat down opposite him. “I was sort of a sickly kid and spent some time in the hospital. I’m just paying forward some of the nice things that I enjoyed as a child.”
    He wondered how sick she’d been, but figured it was none of his business. She seemed healthy enough now.
    â€œI’m sure the kids will love you and Dr. Zoom.”
    â€œI hope so.” She forked up a bite of pancake, no butter and only a drop or two of syrup. “Will you be around if Beth and Toby need you?”
    â€œYep. I’ll hang close to home. I’ve got some tack to repair and the tractor’s carburetor is acting squirrelly.”
    â€œRemind Beth we’re going to make fried chicken tonight using her grandmother’s recipe.”
    He downed a gulp of coffee. “Great. I love it really crunchy.”
    â€œYour arteries probably won’t, but one night won’t hurt.”
    He lifted an eyebrow. He’d noticed from the beginning that Sarah was into healthy food. He’d never had so many salads in his life since she’d hired on to be his housekeeper. Or so much baked chicken. He was a cattle rancher. Cattle ranchers ate beef.
    But he was getting used to a lighter diet. In fact, he’d lost a pound or two, and his pants were fitting better these days.
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    Shelby Community Hospital squatted on several acres of former open prairie at the edge of town. The two-story concrete building wasn’t even a third of the size of the Washington University Hospital in Seattle where Sarah had volunteered and had her heart transplant surgery.
    The size of the hospital didn’t matter to Sarah as long as there were children there who needed to laugh and smile.
    Before she’d left the ranch this morning, she’d called Tricia in Seattle to see how everything was going atthe office. As usual Tricia was upbeat about everything except the long wait to learn if she’d passed her CPA exam. Sarah sympathized, assured Tricia she’d pass with high marks and promised to call again next week.
    Carrying her tote, Sarah walked into the air-conditioned building. She shivered at the contrast between the blazing mid-morning heat outside and the cool interior of the hospital.
    She took the stairs to the volunteer office on the second floor. Alexis Hoffman was sitting behind her desk. Photographs of various events and dignitaries hung on the wall behind her and leafy green potted plants lined the windowsill.
    â€œGood morning, Alexis. I thought I’d check in with you before I change into my costume and go looking for the pediatric unit.”
    Taking off her reading glasses, Alexis looked up from the file she was reading. “Perfect. I’ve cleared everything with the administration and pediatrics knows you’re coming. They’re very excited about your visit.”
    â€œSo am I.” A little nervous, too, her adrenaline pumping high energy through her veins. She’d be working with new staff personnel and new children in an unfamiliar environment. She prayed everything would go well.
    Alexis handed her a name tag identifying her as a volunteer. “Pediatrics is at the end of the hall on your right. Lori Tame is the supervising nurse on duty. I may pop down later to see how it’s going.”
    â€œYou’re welcome to. I’ll go change now.”
    She found a nearby restroom and stepped inside totransform herself into Suzy-Q, hospital volunteer and clown extraordinaire.
    Standing in