Her life had been saved, Barbara thought each time she rode Becky after that, finding as much shade as she could to ride in the desert. To her amazement and delight, besides relaxing her more than anything, riding opened up her subconscious. Her time with Becky gave her dozens of ideas for preparing the airport for air shows, and what they would be.
Riding in the desert one evening after sunset, Barbara felt dizzy and nearly fell off Becky. It hadn't been from the sun, because it had gone down by then.
She turned her horse around and rode back to the airport, brushed Becky down and made sure she had water and feed, then drove home. Enroute, she felt the dizziness come over her again. She nearly lost control of the steering wheel, but managed to keep her car from skidding into a dry river beside the road.
Since she was as close to the Genda Ranch as she was to Ma Phelps's, she drove to her friends. She barely got out of her car when she collapsed going up the stairs to their front porch.
The next thing Barbara knew, she was lying in a hospital bed in Bakersfield.
"Nothing fatal, at least the doctor doesn't think," Edna said at her bedside. "Buck and I were afraid you were working too hard."
"I fainted?"
"You've got mononucleosis."
"Oh, my God! That sounds terrible. Am I going to die?"
"That's just a fancy word for you're just worn out and need to rest. But it's nothing to fool with. You have to stay in bed and rest until you're well again."
"How can I do that and get the airport ready for an opening? And wait tables and run my two businesses?"
Edna placed a cold wet towel on Barbara's forehead. "If you don't get enough rest, none of that other will matter. You've been asleep two days, but need at least a few more."
"No way!" Barbara tried lifting her head off her pillow but couldn't. Then she looked around the room and wondered. "How's Buck? Has he come with you?"
Edna couldn't hide that something was the matter.
"Tell me, whatever it is."
"Buck's been drifting off more than usual. I don't seem to get through to him most of the time anymore. I didn't want to mention it. You shouldn't add any of my worries to your own."
Barbara reached out a hand and squeezed Edna's as her friend sat beside her.