Page 58 of Our Sweet Destiny
Rex’s stomach rumbled as he passed the concession stands and headed for the house to call Dr. Baker, the town veterinarian. Then he remembered that he had his cell phone hooked to his belt.
Rex broke clear of the crowds and called information. He stole a glance at Jade, leaning down by a car at the gated entrance to his left. As he dialed Dr. Baker’s office number, he wished he could ask Jade to examine Hope. This whole mess with his father was like an octopus, and the deeper he fell for Jade, the more he felt the tentacles of the feud strangling them.
Twenty minutes later, Dr. Baker was examining Hope.
“What’s going on with Hope?” Savannah sidled up next to Rex with a big pink fluff of cotton candy.
“That’s what we’re trying to find out,” Rex answered.
Josh appeared beside Savannah. “Did you guys see how proud Hannah’s little brother was when he won his halter class? Remember that feeling?”
“I remember feeling like a girl in my outfit,” Treat said as he tugged a piece of cotton candy from Savannah, ignoring her smirk.
“You did not. You begged me for a new vest and hat. You thought you were John Wayne,” his father said.
“Dad, really? You wanna kill my image?” Treat teased.
“Your image is still pretty hot, if you ask me,” Max said. “I’m sorry Hope isn’t feeling well. I heard you down at the barn this morning, Hal. You seemed upset. Was she sick then?”
Rex shot a glance at Treat.
“No, she seemed fine, just didn’t eat much. I was just mumbling to myself,” he said, but his children knew the truth. He was no more mumbling to himself than Treat hadn’t loved his cowboy costume.
“Well, her temperature is fine,” Dr. Baker said. “I’m not hearing anything concerning in her gut sounds, but her pulse is slightly elevated, and given her behavior, with the pawing, the way she’s watching her flank, I’m concerned that we might be looking at a mild case of colic.” Dr. Baker had been the Weston veterinarian for the past forty-five years. Rex appreciated his calm demeanor. His careful nature had always led to solid treatment results as far as their horses were concerned. He trusted the pasty-skinned, bald-headed man’s judgment completely. A pang of sorrow passed through him at the realization that Jade couldn’t have looked over Hope instead.
“She’s not showing today, Rex,” his father said. “We need to break the news to Hannah.” Hal took off his hat and held it against his chest as he stroked Hope’s side.
“I’ll do it after Dr. Baker’s through talking,” Rex offered.
“Now, Hal, you’ve been moping about Hope for half a year or more. You’re a bright man. You know she’s got plenty of years left in her, so why are you looking so gloomy?” Dr. Baker had never minced words with Hal before, and Rex was glad to see him asking what everyone was wondering.
“Maybe she does, but maybe she doesn’t.” His father set his hat back on his head with a firm nod, indicating that he was not going to go down that line of questioning with Dr. Baker.
“So what’s the plan, Doc?” Treat asked, taking the attention off of his father.
“Well, given that she’s never been a colicky girl before, I want you to keep a close eye on her.” He scratched his head. “You said she hasn’t been eating well, so I’m going to give her a shot of Banamine to try to alleviate any discomfort she’s feeling. I’d take her home. Let’s keep an eye on her. No food or water. You know the drill.”
“Yes, sir, we’ll keep a close eye on her,” Rex said.
After Dr. Baker left, Hal and Josh headed home with Hope. Max, Treat, and Savannah were going to stick around the show for a while and enjoy the afternoon, and Rex had to remain until four o’clock to tend the gate.
Rex approached Hannah with a heavy heart. He hated to let her down after she’d worked so hard to prepare to show Hope.
“Hannah, Hope isn’t doing very well. We’re going to have to take her home.” Rex watched her swallow hard.
“That’s okay. I hope she feels better.” She tried to smile, but fell short.
Rex watched her walk away with her head hung low, and he ached for her, but he couldn’t get too caught up in that now. He had to get back to the gate.
JADE WATCHED MR. Braden’s truck and trailer drive off of the show grounds, and she knew something was wrong with Hope.
“What happened?” she asked as soon as Rex appeared.
“He thinks she has a mild case of colic. He gave her Banamine, and Dad’s taking her home.”
“Banamine will help, but how mild? What was her temperature? How about her pulse?” Jade had nothing but respect for Dr. Baker, but he didn’t work with, or necessarily believe in, massage the way she did.
Rex filled her in on the particulars and eased Jade’s mind. Dr. Baker had taken the right course of action—but still, she knew how much good a hands-on approach could be for horses.
