Page 12 of April is for Asher

I want her involved in my life and that fact that she is asking because she wants that too is huge for me. Also, if she is with me, I can watch out for her and make sure she isn't overdoing it.

My original plan was to send Emma or Luna out here around lunch to check on her and make sure she was okay. The problem was finding a way to make it seem like it wasn't me checking up on her.

"I'd like that. We need help stuffing all the plastic Easter eggs and you can do that sitting down with the girls and get to know each other., you can even watch a movie if you girls want. Last year, it took poor Donna three days to stuff them all on her own because she still had to answer phones while doing it. Then she took them home at night, too. She's a trooper, but I know she is happy to hand that task off this year," I tell her.

"I'd like that."

We have breakfast, get ready to go and everything is just easy. She isn't high maintenance and is practical in jeans, sneakers, and a sweater to keep warm. Though I hate that it hides her bump, but I want her comfortable too.

We walk in and are greeted by Donna.

"Well, hey there you two. The volunteers aren't here yet, but Ruby has called twice. Nothing you need to call back on," she says. Then she hands me a stack of notes of either people to call back, or emails to answer.

"Thanks Donna. I'm going to show Jenna around." I tell her not even pretending she doesn't know who Jenna is. Donna isn't ashamed of her gossip game, nor does she try to hide it, so I tend to be straight with her.

Leading Jenna back to my office, I set the papers Donna gave me on the desk.

"Here you can lock your purse in my desk, not that anyone would bother it even if you left it out."

She places her purse in the drawer, and I lock it up. Even though I know her stuff is safe, I don’t want her to worry about it even one bit.

"Let me show you around," I say. Then I hold out my hand to her, wondering if she will take it, but can't stop the smile when she does.

Taking her on a tour of my clinic, I show her where I work with the horses and the other large animals that have passed through needing to be cared for and healed.

"We had a bear get hit by a car once. Scariest thing I've ever had to do. Once we got it knocked out, I was able to treat it and then it went to the Montana Grizzly Encounter down in Bozeman. Normally it's just horses and sometime deer. Though if needed, I help with some of the local cattle, too."

As we walk down to the barn area, Hades peeks his head around the corner. We have a little bed area for him to sleep here and always leave him a bit of food and water. Jenna is so focused on the horses she doesn’t see him, she just keeps on asking questions. I show her the stalls where we keep injured horses. Then we walk out the back of the barn and I show her the horses in the field.

"Our goal is to always heal and release. After tagging the animals we release, I watch them and learn about the herd. But it's a sad day when one is injured so badly they can't be released again. That is when they stay here, and they become friendlier over time. That is these guys here in this field." I stop at the barn door and load my pocket with treats.

We walk to the fence like and several of the horses see me and come over. They know I always have treats on me. It’s a great way for them to get comfortable around me.

"Here, want to give them a treat?" I ask.

When her eyes light up, but she seems hesitant, I place one of the special treats in her hand. Then, flattening her hand, I place mine under hers and slowly move it toward Thunder.

"This guy is Thunder. Donna him because he sounds like thunder when he runs. He's been here almost ten years because he has Equine Metabolic Syndrome, so we monitor him closely." I tell her as Thunder licks her hand and takes the treat, causing her to giggle.

"What is Equine meta... whatever it was?" she asks.

"It's basically like diabetes in a horse."

"Oh no, should he have had that treat?" She looks concerned as she pets his head.

"No, he's fine. These treats are healthy so long as he doesn't eat half the bag," I say, as the next horse nudges his way in.

"This one here is Thunder's son Ruckus, named because he hates being in the barn and causes, well, a ruckus," I laugh and let Jenna feed him on her own.

We walk the fence line feeding horses and that’s when Jenna notices a horse at the fence behind her.

"And who is this?"

He walks over and I don't move, waiting for the horse to run like she always does from me, but she doesn't run from Jenna.

"This is Wild Lightning. She was the one hit by a car. The day you showed up here, she was the one I had been working on. One of the volunteers named her," I say. Then watch closely as Jenna walks up to the horse.

Wild Lightning has her head over the fence and brushes her nose over Jenna's belly.

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