Gene's Story or How I Gained a Cousin A novel by Karen Lockhart Copyright 2016

CHAPTER 65

Cathy helped Ginny tack up Junior, which included using Cathy's silver trimmed Western show saddle. I wonder if Ginny ever rode in a $12,000 saddle!

As soon as I finished saddling Freddy and Chris Brady finished tacking up her horse and we headed towards the arena. After loosening up for a few minutes, Cathy had us trot clockwise, Junior jogging of course. It took Ginny a circuit or two before she had 'muscle memory' return. Ginny was starting to relax and get in time with Junior's gait.

Cathy had everyone walk so the horses could catch their breath, then had Chris and I canter, while Ginny and Junior loped. The rest of the lesson went like this.

When we were finished and cooling the horses out, Cathy walked along side Junior,talking to Ginny. “You must have been a very good junior rider, you mastered the jog trot after 5 or 10 minutes. It usually takes a new student hours to feel a three beat jog, and not a four beat.

After that praise, Ginny floated through the barn, her feet not touching the ground. What made it worse was Kevin coming over and asking for her autograph. After giving her a big kiss.

I thanked him, saying she was going to be impossible to live with, and didn't he have a lesson to go to.

I helped Ginny with the saddle, putting it back into it's protective bag, and wheeling it back into the tack room.

“I never saw a saddle like that before, all that silver, even the stirrups were silver! And it was a perfect seat, really comfortable .”

“You notice the bridle and breast plate match the saddle. The silver bit cost $400 alone! Cathy must really like you, she normally uses an older Circle J saddle, not the new one for a student rider.”

The three of us sat down in the viewing room to watch the remainder of Kevin's driving lesson.
We gabbed about the snow, the rain, and whether a white Christmas was possible. Everyone wanted a Currier and Ives scene with snow covered trees and shrubs.

After his lesson, Ginny walked over to Kevin and Doc and told him the good news on her letter. She had to hush him to keep it secret. She did that with a big kiss and tongue wrestling.
Kevin didn't seem to object.

We made our goodbyes, promising to see everyone next week, just a couple of days before Christmas. Cathy was going away from Christmas until New Years with her husband to bake in the sun in Aruba.

“When we get home, lets check with those Thailand Clinics just in case there is a scheduling problem with the Montreal Clinic. Maybe if you paid cash Ginny and not an insurance payment, they fast track you? I remember a contact email for two of them.”

“Ellen,I remember a phone number, but it might be a fax number. Hey, want to get a pizza for lunch? There's a Papa Gino's just up ahead.”

“Sure, what do you think, mushroom and onion?”

“Okay, pull in here, I'll order and come back while we wait.”

After eating, we sat down at Ginny's laptop and pulled up first clinic, the Doctor Chettawut clinic reading their services and pricing, I wrote down the contact email address, and phone number.

This one was kind of funny, the clinic was a store front beside a grocery store and a restaurant.
They talk of McDonald's and KFC being in walking distance, along with a couple more American fast food places.

I looked at Ginny and quipped, “If the hospital food is lousy, I can walk next door and get some Big Macs.”

That got both of us giggling,”I wonder if they deliver,”laughed Ginny.

After pouring over this clinic's site, Ginny pulled up the next clinic with an impressive web site, the Doctor Suporn Clinic.

This one was more impressive, a large surgical clinic with a major hospital a few miles away. A hotel was next door, for the extended stay of family and the patient once released from the hospital.

They listed days they did surgery and days not scheduled for surgery. On the scheduled days, they were booked for almost two years,but the open days were about 33%. I wonder if a very persuasive phone call may find an extra day for surgery. Interestingly, the same day, January 29 was open.

Well, now we had phone numbers to call and a possible fall-back option in case the clinic in Montreal canceled Ginny's date. I can't imagine the reaction if her surgery was canceled, she'd fall apart.

No reason why Ginny can't call tomorrow, even though it's Sunday. Actually, I think it's Monday there anyway.

We went back to the two sites figuring the information they listed was educational, at least for me. I actually was fascinated by the before and after photos. Comparing Ginny to these facial photos gave her a real edge, she really looked feminine, no heavy brow, or masculine jawline. She naturally had high cheek bones, so no facial surgery was necessary, at least in my opinion.

“Hey Ellen, did you see the veejayjay photos, are these acurate?”

“Why are you asking me, do you think I stand over a mirror and take notes? Are you going to get weird with me?”

“I just figured, you know.”

“Find a porn site and make comparisons, for crying out loud. Stop asking me questions like these, or so help me I'll post stuff on facebook!”

“What stuff?”

“Keep asking me private questions, and you'll find out, sweetie.”

With that, she went back to investigating the web sites, and I picked up a new Bolitho naval adventure book.

After the 10 O'clock news we both went to bed, figuring tomorrow would be an interesting day.

I woke up to the smell of fresh coffee, and ran for the loo. That taken care of, I quickly got dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, and joined Ginny in the kitchen.

“Eggs or pancakes,” she asked.

“Pancakes for me, do we have breakfast sausages?”

“Coming right up!”

“Wow, you're cheerful this morning, what happened?”

“My riding lesson, it all came back to me. I felt in command of Junior. And that saddle! Oh my god! I never rode in anything like that before, it was wonderful!”

I had to smile, sounds like she's been bitten by the riding bug, I expect her to join me at horse shows next year.

“Ginny will you still feel this way after having surgery? Will you still want to work for Steve Brady? Will you want to stay living here with me?”

“Oh Ellen, I love you like a sister, of course I want to live here, if you will have me. Steve has been good to me I should stay working for him with you on jobsites.”

“I think after two months of recuperating, I should be able to ride Western, that will be a Question for the Doctors, along with trying out the equipment, wink, wink.”

“That makes me very happy, I feel I have family finally. And I'll bet Steve will want you to stay.

We finished breakfast, I sat down with the paper and put on the local sports. The Patriots kickoff is at 1 PM.

Ginny grabbed her computer and the phone to investigate the Thailand clinics.