Page 42 of Nashville Cowboy
“I’ve been meaning to ask you about the wedding preparations.”
“We have the bachelorette party this weekend. We’re going to a spa in San Antonio.”
“A spa!”
“I’ll tell you all about what it’s like when I get back. Maybe I’ll take pictures with my phone.” Neither one of them had ever been to a spa.
“And…everything else? How is Jackson?”
“He’s…he’s actually being very nice. He insists on helping me most mornings and thinks Mima’s working me too hard. We went for a ride with Thimble and Taco. It was…nice.”
“I’ve always envied your connection to horses.”
She shrugged. “Well, I did pretty much grow up on a horse ranch.”
“Did I ever tell you how sorry I am that we couldn’t buy you a horse of your own?”
To Eve’s horror, her mother’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh my Lord, Mami. That’s not a big deal. You helped me in so many other ways. And with veterinary school.”
Eve wasn’t even going to mention the breakup with Jackson, when her mother literally brought her meals to bed for a week without complaining. Or the way she’d come to the hospital and wouldn’t leave her side. They’d never earned much money, but somehow they always had access to everything they needed. Thanks to Brenda, who worked so hard for the Trueharts. She had no 401(k) plan. No IRA. She’d saved, but not enough. Long ago, Eve determined she would take care of her mother in retirement. She’d be Brenda’s 401(k).
“I didn’t help enough. You still have too many loans to pay back.”
“But so does everyone else I know. I’ll be fine. Annabeth and I have a plan. It’s a five-year plan.”
Brenda cupped Eve’s face. “Just make sure you make time for a man. To plan to fall in love again.”
“There she is.” Hank walked up to Eve and Brenda. “Brenda, didn’t expect to see you here.”
“My daughter’s so busy, and I know where I can find her every morning now,” Brenda said.
“Heard you’ve got three new heifers,” Eve said to Hank.
Usually the cows didn’t need assistance to give birth, but once in a while one who’d never given birth needed an assist. Hank and his hands were well-trained in pulling calves and Eve would only be called in the case of a breech birth.
“Since you’re here, mind taking a look at one of my calves?” Hank turned to Eve and hooked a thumb in the direction of the barn.
“Of course,” Eve said and looked at Brenda. “I’ll come by soon. We’ll go out to lunch.”
“Yes, let’s do that.” With a wave, Brenda turned in the direction of the Truehart ranch.
“Good seein’ ya, Brenda,” Hank said, holding up a hand in a wave even if he’d already turned toward the barn.
She followed Hank into one of the pens containing a newborn calf. Lincoln was nearby, cleaning up the pen. The equipment he’d have used to pull the calf out was nearby.
“Hey there, Eve,” Lincoln said.
“Hi, Linc.”
The calf lay on the ground, the mama not far, but seemingly also not doing her job. Usually instinct took over and the cow would lick the afterbirth off her calf, which served the dual purpose of helping it to become more alert.
“She just needs to be left alone to get acquainted,” Lincoln said.
“Sometimes they’re a little slow to show interest and do their job when you have to assist the birth,” Eve said, but after bending down to give a cursory check on the calf she found the heifer to be responsive with good color. “She’s just a little dazed, huh, baby? Welcome to the world.”
Eve loved this part of her job and she wasn’t often privileged to witness a natural birth. She was called to the calving when there was a problem. A breech birth or, worse, a stillborn. Always so horrible. But this new life before her was beautiful to witness. Maybe it was true, as her therapist used to say, that there was far more good in the world than evil. She wanted to believe that. After a few more minutes of watching the two together, Eve agreed with Lincoln. They should leave those two alone to do what came naturally.
“Just check on her after a while,” Eve advised. “Make sure she’s taking care of her baby. I bet it doesn’t take her long once she loses an audience.”
