Rescuing Ryder (Serenity Securities, Team Hawk #1)

Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

Kassie Winters walked with her daughter, Emma, to her husband’s office. Matthew, Whiskey and Chase bent their heads over the documents on the desk.

“I hope we aren’t disturbing you,” she addressed the men. “Chase, I received a late tour request. A man by the name of Tex called. He wants to check out the facility for a friend of his. He asked to speak to one of us. I’m taking Em and Melody to dance class and will return in an hour.”

Chase smiled at his wife as he approached his daughter. “Hey, Ladybug, are you excited for dance class?”

“Yes, we’re practicing for the recital. Nugget’s coming, too. She forgot her dance clothes. Uncle Saint’s taking her home to change and then staying to watch us.”

Chase glanced at his wife. “Did you want to stay? I can watch Tori.”

Matthew and Whiskey exchanged smiles. The couple recently returned home after adopting a baby girl.

“Catherine’s watching Tori and Grace while I stay with Em.” She kissed his cheek. “You can wait for cuddles after she wakes. I’m trying to keep her on a schedule.”

“Did Tex give his last name?” Matthew asked.

“No, he didn’t. Usually, when people want tours, they ask for the social services coordinator. He specifically asked for us and he sounds military. He didn’t say much or request specific information for his friend. Something about him made me say yes.”

Matthew grinned. “Doc, do you mind if I wait for your visitor to show up? I know a Tex and he doesn’t work through the normal channels to make an appointment.”

Chase shrugged, “Of course, I’ll check on my patients and ask the front desk to notify me when he arrives. Do you want to grab a snack while you wait? Bryanna made some new desserts and the afternoon delivery will arrive in ten.”

The men picked up their documents and gave a chin lift as they left for the kitchen.

Tex entered the facility and arched a brow at the cheerful reception area. It resembled a giant living room equipped with a television, two full bookshelves, three sofas, and an assortment of recliners stationed around the area. A desk sat in the corner with a smaller version beside it. A young woman sat behind the larger one, and a teen accompanied her. They smiled as he approached.

“Hello. My name is Tex. I’m here to meet with Dr. Chase Winters,” he addressed them.

The younger woman picked up the phone and began speaking. The older woman greeted him. “Welcome. If you’ll take a seat, Dr. Winters will arrive shortly.”

He wandered over to the bookshelves, noting the titles. Two cases held a selection of teen books his daughter enjoyed reading. The next two held self-help, gardening, mechanics, westerns and romances. He sat in one of the recliners against the wall and watched as patients walked by. Two teens listened as a veteran held a clipboard in his hand, assigning them tasks. Another teen pushed an amputee through the hall. Tex smiled as he heard the man tell the kid a joke, making him laugh. This place already felt different than the other facilities where he sent Patch.

“Hello, Tex,” a familiar voice made him glance up. He grinned and stood.

Matthew smiled and held his hand out.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” an astonished Tex responded as he extended his arm in greeting.

“Kassie mentioned a man called and introduced himself by his first name and I decided to check it out. How’s the family?”

“They’re good. Do you work here?” he asked.

“No. I work for Serenity Securities here on the mountain. Kassie mentioned you’re touring for a friend. I can vouch for the hospital. It’s one of the best.”

“Glad to hear it,” Tex replied as he watched a large man in a white medical coat approach them.

“I’m Dr. Chase Winters. I see you know Matthew,” he greeted.

“I’m Tex. I apologize for the hasty request. I hope I didn’t imposition you.”

“Not at all; I finished my rounds, and my wife will join us after dance class with our daughter. We can chat in my office and I’ll take you on a tour.”

“Do you live close by? We can catch up. My flight’s scheduled for late this evening,” Tex inquired of Matthew as Chase spoke briefly with the receptionist and waited for him to say goodbye to his friend.

“Doc can call me when you finish up. I’ll pick you up.” Matthew followed them to the hallway. “I’m not far from here.”

“Thanks, I’ll see you later then.”

Chase led him to his office and motioned to the chairs. Tex sat down, expecting Chase to move behind his desk. Instead, Chase pulled the chair next to him and faced him. “I imagine if you flew all the way here and asked for a visit at the last minute, it must be important. I can tell you all about the hospital, but you can read all about us on the website. Do you want to tell me about your friend?”

Tex grinned, liking the man across from him. He didn’t put on an air of self-importance or boast.

“My friend watched his unit die in front of him. He’s a corpsman. In eighteen months, he has endured hospitalization twice and prescribed numerous meds. None of which work for him. I came to you out of desperation. I heard about your facility and hoped you might offer something the other facilities couldn’t.”

“We operate differently in large part due to my wife. We employ an excellent staff. Nothing I’ll say will convince you. Let’s take a tour.” He glanced at his phone. “My head psychiatrist, Claire Meyers, can meet us if you give me a moment to call her.”

He nodded and waited until the physician finished.

“As you can see, we aren’t like a typical hospital.” Instead of taking him down the hall to the clinical rooms, Chase led him outside. “When we receive a referral, we do a team dive into the patient’s history and medical records, then decide their placement.” He indicated a golf cart stationed along the building and explained the process.

Chase turned the vehicle onto a paved path. “Sometimes, our patients don’t need hospitalization. They need time and space to decompress and reintegrate into society. We have a mini subdivision dedicated to giving them the time they need. It’s grown to such a success, my wife’s already planning an additional one.” He stopped the cart and led him to one of the cabins. Chase punched in the code at the door.

“Each unit houses two veterans with a shared kitchen and two master suites. The closets come equipped with soundproof padding and a cot if they need to decompress from everything. The views of the mountain provide a peaceful environment in which to heal.” Chase explained as he walked him through the cabin. He led him to the deck outside.

Tex nodded as he took in the surroundings. “You put a lot of thought into this.”

Dr. Winters smiled. “My wife designed each cabin and built the hospital while I worked a mission and our helo crashed.”

They boarded the cart and returned to the facility. Chase stopped and pointed out the several trails.

“We encourage teens and veterans to hike along the trails. The teens walk in groups or with a veteran, and there’s a sign-up sheet for walking groups to encourage socialization. The veterans assign tasks to the teens and hold classes on everything from mechanics to cooking and carpentry. We work with advisors for those who want to pursue a career in the military. For veterans who fit the criteria, we have operators here on the mountain and if we find them a good fit, we offer employment or additional training to help them seek employment opportunities.” He drove the vehicle up to the side of the hospital and they returned inside.

A blonde lady wearing jeans and a T-shirt approached the men. “Hello, I’m Claire Meyers,” she introduced herself and shook Tex’s hand. “I understand you have some questions for me.”

They walked the halls of the main floor. The rooms appeared to be typical bedrooms, not the usual hospital design. The doors held signs which seemed to Velcro on and off.

Claire explained, “Some of our patients prefer company, and others require downtime. This alerts our staff, teens, and fellow veterans if someone needs time alone. If the staff doesn’t need anything pressing, we give the patient space with the understanding that we hold periodic check-ins. Their diagnosis and placement help determine their care plan. We encourage patients to participate and voice their concerns in their treatment goals. Obviously, if they aren’t aware of their needs, we start slowly until we can graduate them from each step. Our community allows them to participate in a gamut of programs. They can learn a new skill, seek help with education, all while reorientating themselves into society.”

“We hold several group therapy sessions. Veterans lead the meetings, including one-on-one therapy, small and large groups, while my therapy team supervises. We enjoy a daily activity calendar, a library, a quiet room, movie nights, and BBQs. I’m the head psychiatrist, and we recently hired a second one, Dr. Andrew Hill.”

They entered the physical therapy room. Chase took over the tour. “We offer several types of physical therapies and have our own prosthesis staff. We found we can make them faster on-site and fix any issues. In addition to the indoor facilities, we have an outdoor physical therapy area.” They descended the stairs to the lower level.

Tex surveyed the huge cafeteria area with an outdoor deck. Several seating areas, including rocking chairs, allowed patients to enjoy the peaceful view. Teens were setting up a large screen and arranged seating for an event. The kitchen area reminded him of a large family home. Checkered cloths covered the tables. Several teens and adults set out bins with dinnerware and bowls.

“Once a month, we have Serenity family dinner night. We try to grill out and serve everything family-style. In the winter, we have classic favorites of chicken pot pie, soups, and casseroles. Afterward, we enjoy a movie night with heaters placed strategically around the area. They vote for their movie, and we make popcorn. Bryanna Carter, our town baker, provides several desserts for our event. We also partner with businesses throughout our small town; some residents work at the bakery, hardware store, and grocery store. We believe in community,” Dr. Winters spoke with pride.

“I’m impressed. How long does it take for a patient to go through the admission process?” Tex asked as he viewed kids the same age as his daughter helping out and sitting at the tables enjoying themselves.

“It depends on the resident. We keep this big enough to help as many as possible but strive to keep their care individualized. We don’t have one lump therapy or medical process. We screen the individual and tailor their care plan to their needs. It changes as needed.”

Tex nodded while he wondered if Patch might consent to checking out the place. The peacefulness offered a place of healing and solace… something his buddy desperately needed. The regimented approach to healthcare didn’t work and this place didn’t resemble anything close to the norm.

“The other side of the hospital offers medical services for the community and our security team on the mountain. We’re fully equipped with operating rooms, radiology, and labs,” Dr. Winters explained. “As you noticed, we maintain a tight security protocol on the mountain. All visitors must set up a date and time with them.”

“It seems as if you’ve thought of everything,” he murmured as he thought of Patch and how this environment might help him.

A redhead holding a baby walked toward them. Chase stopped and took the infant from her as she approached. “Most of the credit belongs to my wife. Kassie, meet Tex.”

She smiled as she shook his hand and acknowledged Claire. “Hi, it’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry I’m late. Dance class ran a bit over.”

“We’re about to return to my office. Do you want to join us?” Chase asked while patting the baby’s back.

“Tori needed a walk to calm her. She’s very opinionated and probably won’t sit through a meeting,” Kassie laughed as she gazed at the child.

“I’m heading back to my office. How about Tori and I chat while you handle things here? I haven’t seen her all day,” Dr. Meyers extended her arms for Dr. Winters to pass the child over. The man frowned, disappointed in having to give up his daughter.

“I’ll be down shortly,” Kassie stated as she caressed the baby’s cheek. “I’m sorry, but we recently welcomed Tori to our family and are completely smitten. Our friends on the mountain take every chance to steal her,” she laughed.

They walked to the office, and Chase held the chair for his wife before bringing his around from behind the desk.

“You’ve seen what we can offer. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think you’d make a quick flight out here without an urgent concern for your friend. Do you feel comfortable discussing him?”

Tex paused. “My friend’s the lone survivor of his unit after enduring a two-day attack. He’s healed physically from his wounds but was admitted twice for his mental health. I know you have a process, but I think he’s run out of time. He says what we want to hear. But he’s fading before my eyes and needs something the other hospitals couldn’t provide. I’m concerned for his well-being.”

Kassie gave a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry about your friend. Will he consent to coming here for treatment?”

“I don’t know.” He sighed. “I barely manage to get him to answer his phone. I’m worried about him.”

“We understand.” Kassie handed him a card. “If you can convince him to have his medical records sent here, Dr. Meyers can start the admission process. Does he need any physical medical care?”

Tex shook his head. “No. He hasn’t kept up with PT, but he’s healed physically. How can I convince you to talk to or accept him as an admission?”

Chase and Kassie exchanged glances. “Admissions usually take a couple of days to complete. If you can reach him, we can do an intake evaluation with Claire. If he requests his records, receiving them can sometimes take days or weeks.”

Tex smiled. “I can have the medical records to you this evening. I’m assuming you leave soon. Can you speak with him if I schedule a video meeting in the morning?”

“We’re attending the family night dinner tonight. Why don’t you join us? If you plan to visit Matthew, I can reach him. If your friend agrees, we can speak with him this evening. Claire organized the event, and we can borrow her to sit in,” Dr. Winters explained to him.

“I don’t want to interrupt your family time, but I feel if I don’t seek help…”

Kassie stood. “We can’t promise you anything, but we know the feeling and you won’t interrupt family time. We’re blessed with a huge one and we help each other. If you can convince him to talk to us, we'll take it from there. Excuse me, I’ll find Dr. Meyers and collect my daughters. We’ll see you this evening.”

“Thank you.” Tex watched as Kassie left the room.

Chase picked up his phone and called Matthew. “He’ll arrive shortly. I’ll walk with you to meet him.”

Tex followed Chase out and walked the hall. Dr. Meyers kneeled at eye level to talk to a man in a wheelchair. He nodded at whatever she said before smiling. A teen offered to wheel the man wherever he needed while the physician encouraged a young woman to join a group of teens.

“She’s one of the best. I met her working at the veteran’s hospital and encouraged her to join our team,” Chase informed him as he observed Claire.

Tex glanced back again to watch her move from one person to another. He saw she enjoyed her job, and by how the patients responded, they also liked her. He only hoped Dr. Meyers knew how to save his friend.