When Emmett saw the horrible growth on Fargo's chestnut hide he felt two emotions. The first was immediate concern for his equine partner of over 5 years. The next was reluctance and a sinking feeling. Where the hell was he going to fit a veterinarian visit in his busy schedule? He had to submit those blueprints to Tomas in the next few hours and Miss. Hosten wanted to meet to discuss her kitchen remodel. Emmett sighed and ran a hand through his sandy blonde hair. "Silly boy." He muttered tiredly. Fargo perked his ears at his master's voice and whickered softly. That sound pierced Emmett's stomach and with a renewed determination he stroked the nose of his buddy. Fargo had faith in him. His horse had always been with him. It was so little for Emmett to go call the vet compared to what this fuzzy brown horse had pulled him through. Squaring his shoulders, he turned on his heel and walked out of the little barn.
"Thought I would find you here." Lizzi's head popped up at the sound of Carly's voice. A thin, beautiful brunette leaned against her oak desk and raised a plucked eyebrow. Lizzi stretched back in her chair, loosening her tight shoulders. She had been cramped over a stack of paperwork for what seemed forever. She removed her glasses and peered up at her best friend.
"What?" she asked. Carly gestured at the scattered papers on top of Lizzi's desk.
"Paperwork." That is all I ever see you do anymore." Carly leaned towards her, face concerned. "When was the last time you were out in the clinic? Mr. Tomas's lab puppy caught himself in some barbed wire. We could have used your expertise. And what about that cow the other day? She had torn off pretty much her entire right side and you were here, stuck behind this godforsaken desk." Carly crossed her arms and glared at her friend. She then noticed how tired Lizzi looked. Her dishwater blonde hair was scraggly and escaped from her ponytail. Her blue eyes were tired and strained, with shadows under her eyes. Her nails were bitten and worn and her best friend's shoulders were stiff. Carly was absolutely sure that Lizzi hadn't changed her t-shirt or jeans for at least a few days. Lizzi moaned and rested her forehead in her palm.
"Someone has to keep this clinic going. We just aren't getting the business like we used to! There are so many self-help products out there that the ranchers and farmers don't require a veterinarian's services anymore." She swiveled in her chair and looked out the back window. "I just don't know what to do anymore, Carly. We are barely making ends meet and Jack had just raised the rent, AGAIN!" She turned again to look at Carly. "If I don't sit here and do paperwork then where would we be? Jobless and leaving those few loyal without a clinic to come to." She began to push the paper into one pile. Carly stood, saddened.
"What happened, Lizzi? We were so eager to get out of school and heal the world's animals that nobody else would. Cows, goats, sheep, horses," she broke off when she saw Lizzi's stricken face. "What?!" she asked concerned. Lizzi groaned and banged her forehead against the desk.
"Dammit! A check for Nelson's boarding was due yesterday to Grasshopper Creek! I can't believe I forgot about my own horse's care!" she began scrabbling around in the desk drawers, looking for her
checkbook. "And it is up to 380 this month too. What am I going to do?" she muttered. Carly rested her weight on one leg and shoved her hands into her own jean pockets.
"Do you need money?" she asked. Lizzi looked up and shook her head slowly, smiling a little sadly.
"No. I will just cut back somewhere." She said quietly. Carly stood and nodded. She knew her friend better than anyone else. They were practically sisters; they had been friends for so long. She knew that Lizzi would starve in order to make sure that her beloved horse was taken care of. Lizzi's whole world revolved around the one animal that made her happy. That was the reason she became a large animal vet. Both Lizzi and Carly learned to enjoy caring for other animals during college, but Lizzi never forgot that it was horses that inspired her to become a vet. Carly smiled. Her best friend was a sucker for the 4-legged creature.
Suddenly, the phone rang. Both women jumped at the sound. Carly frowned.
"What? Nobody ever calls anymore!" she muttered as she leaned around the doorway to snatch up the receiver. "Hello, Burnam's Large Animal Clinic, this is Dr. Slinny speaking." As Carly continued to talk, Lizzi started organizing the papers on her desk into a more structured pile. A few moments later, Carly walked in, around the desk and pulled Lizzi's chair away from the papers.
"Hey! What…" Lizzi exclaimed. Carly grabbed Lizzi's white vet coat from the hook and dumped it atop her friend's head.
"Come on. You are getting out of this stuffy office. That was a Mr. Nealson on the phone. He had a horse with a lump that needs to be looked at." She ordered, briskly taking Lizzi by the arm and marching out to the Clinic's red truck.
"Wait! My instruments!" Lizzi exclaimed, straining towards the clinic. Carly tossed her brunette hair.
"Use mine."
Lizzi glowered at her, but accepted that she was outmanned.
"Mr. Nealson?" she asked as they began to drive. "I don't think I know him."
Carly maneuvered the car in traffic in a way that made Lizzi grab the door handle to save her from tipping forward. "Don't you remember? He was that architect guy that moved in last January. He isn't out in public very much, and he has only needed our services once. I think one of his dogs had a strained tendon. You weren't there. You were down in Rifle trying to get those funds for a new x-ray machine." She zoomed past a blue minivan and Lizzi gulped.
"Where does he live?" she asked weakly. Carly looked over and grinned. She knew she drove like a maniac.
"He bought the old Jeffries place. It is a nice, old, Victorian house. You remember. Mr. Clark, at the grocery, says that this Mr. Nealson had fixed it up real nicely and is planning to sell it soon."
"Good." Lizzi muttered, looking out the window. "He probably thinks he is Mr. Big and Fancy. We don't need those kinds of people here in our small town." Carly glanced at her, but didn't comment. Both ladies fell silent, watching the landscape pass.
Emmett popped the lid to a Coke and stared contentedly at the house. He had finished the trim around the perimeter of the roof and it looked very fancy. This was not the first time Emmett Nealson bought a run-down house with lots of potential and fixed it up. He would then turn it around and sell it for higher profit. It was very satisfying to Emmett because this was something he did. He fixed things. He made them desirable again. Emmett Nealson was very good at making things desirable, especially houses. He brushed sawdust off his shoulders. This project was unusually satisfying and Emmett had the feeling that he was getting too attached to the house. It left Emmett with an uncomfortable feeling. He never allowed himself to get attached to anything that could tie him down. And this elegant, Victorian house was precisely that. Something that would tie him down.