Amy's Monday

A streak of lightening cut into the predawn sky, flashed into her loft. Some seconds later, a clap of thunder, loud and sharp, woke her abruptly from sleep. Amy sat up with a start, clutching Norton to her chest.

A second flash lit up the loft again. Thunder rumbled a few seconds later.

"Whoa." She blurted out. She listened for the sound of rain against the metal roof but heard none. Slipping out of bed, she went to the window, peered out. In the western distance, another bolt of lightening sparked from dense dark clouds, lighting the sky, zigzagging toward the ground.

"One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi, four Mississippi, five Mississippi." She counted aloud until thunder rolled in, shaking the loft ever so slightly.

"Five seconds, Norton. The storm's a mile away." She estimated.

Below in the barn, the horses reacted, making noise in their stalls.

"We better go check on them." Amy calmly said to Norton.

Suddenly, metal clanging and a loud squeal sounded from the outside corrals.

"Silvie!"

Amy found her phone on the nightstand, powered it on. The screen displayed, Monday, May 14, 2018 5:05. "Not too early." She decided, then dialed his number. He answered with a groggy voice after the second ring.

"Scott. It's Amy. It's about to storm. Should I turnout Silvie into the field?" She said with one breath, then listened. "Yes. She's a bit agitated in her stall." She listened again. "Okay. Thanks."

Stepping into her boots, she headed downstairs to the barn wearing the oversized Vet Tech t-shirt and shorts that she wore to bed. Norton followed closely on her heels.

Flicking on the low barn lights illuminated the wide-eyed horses, who snorted, grumbled and swayed as their heads hung over their stall doors.

"Hey Spartan. Sounds like it gonna rain, huh Harley? Good girl Maggie May. Nothing to worry about, Sweet Calpurnia. Hey Buddy."

She calmly greeted each one by name in a hushed tone, reassured them.

"I'll be right back. I need to check on Silvie." She informed them before she slid opened the back barn door, closing it behind her.

Once outside, a single outdoor spotlight shed a circle of light for her. The wind blew in occasional bursts, whistling through the trees, flinging her hair into the air. Silvie was making a racket, squealing and stomping as Amy hurried toward her stall.

"Silvie. I'm coming." She called just before another bolt of lightening split the dark, it's thunder partner cracked then rumbled, their cadence only two Mississippis apart. Spooked, Silvie thrashed in her stall, her back legs bucking, clattering against the metal bars surrounding her. Amy entered the field, closing the gate behind her.

"It's okay Silvie." With only the metal stall door between them, she tried to calm the agitated horse.

"Whoa Silvie. Its gonna be alright. It's going storm, so I'm gonna turn you out. We don't want you to get hurt. Simon and I will round you up this afternoon. Okay?" She explained.

Silvie raised her head, rolled her eyes, pinned her ears then reared back in her stall.

"Whoa. It's okay. I know you're scared." She said calmly as she tried to slide open the stuck metal latch, corroded with bits of rust.

"Rrrgh. Just great." She muttered as she used both hands to wiggle and loosen the latch. "Don't worry. I'll get it open."

Lightening flashed, thunder rumbled, agitating Silvie even more. The wild horse slammed into the metal gate, shaking the entire stall frame, causing Amy to stubble back, almost lose her balance.

Determined, she continue to work the latch until it finally gave way and slid open.

"Okay Silvie. Let's take this slow. Whoa." She said, as she opened the gate. "Whooooaaa."

All at once, Silvie bolted, pushing through the gate, catching Amy's right hip, throwing her to the ground. Scrambling to her feet, she watched as Silvie ran into the field, sped across the meadow and disappeared over the hill.

"Be careful." She said to the wind.

A synchronized bolt of lightening and clap of thunder brought the rain. At first, a few big drops fell, loudly bouncing off the metal roofing. Within seconds, the sky opened up releasing a heavy downpour. Amy quickly hobbled back to the barn, getting soaked in the process.

Despite the thunderstorm outside, the atmosphere inside the barn was mostly calm, the horses were as she left them.

"How about some music?" She didn't wait for an answer. In the office, she turned on the old radio already set to a country station.

"Rounds of thunderstorms started just before dawn here in Hudson and throughout Foothills County. The thunder, lightening, moderate winds and heavy rain are expected to tapper off in the next 15 minutes with intermittent rain through the day." The radio weatherman reported.

"Guess my first day of school will be a soggy one." She said to Norton. "Come on. I need to get going."

"Hey." He greeted her as she left the office. He was clad in a long grey rain coat, cowboy hat and a smile.

"Hey back." Her clothes and hair were matted from the rain.

"Decided to go dancing in the rain?" He teased as he shed his coat, hung it on a nail.

"No dancing. Silvie was agitated so I let her out into the field. We're gonna have to catch her later."

He stepped closer, squinted then pointed. "What's that on your leg? And your shorts?"

She looked down, frowned as she saw the trail of blood flowing down length of her leg into her boot. "Yeah. I got tagged by the stall gate when Silvie bolted."

"Seems like a lot of blood. Where's it start?" He asked.

She lifted the right hem of her shorts to look. On her thigh was a inch long horizontal gash, still bleeding.

"Looks deep. Maybe you need a stitch. Or a tetanus shot? Maybe both." He leaned in closer, pulled out his phone, snapped a picture.

"Simon. It's okay. I'll just clean it up and put a bandage on it." She headed into the office. Simon followed on her heels.

"What and get gangrene?" He asked dramatically.

"Yeah right!" From the cabinet, she retrieved a roll of gauze, opened it and pressed it to her cut. Quickly the gauze turned bloody.

"You should go see Alicia. She'll fix you up." He said as he played with his phone.

"I've got chores and class. Can't."

"Class yes. Chores no. Remember our deal?"

"I'm still going to help." She insisted as she continued to apply pressure to her cut.

Suddenly, her phone rang from inside her boot. She retrieved it, looked at its display.

"Oh it's Alicia." As she answered, she sat down on the desk. "Hey. You're calling early...oh...he did huh?...seriously? It's just a scratch!...come on." She glared at Simon. "An outside stall gate... No, that's not necessary. Really Alicia!" She huffed. "...Okay fine, if you insist. See you soon. Thanks."

"Why did you send her that picture?" She shot at him.

"Because you are as stubborn as the day is long." He shot back, then added. "And I care about you."

Amy huffed. "I am not stubborn."

"Like hell you're not." He handed her more gauze.

"Maybe a bit." She added the clean gauze on top of the other. Quickly blood soaked through that as well.

"I'm gonna drive to her office so you can hold it." Simon decided.

"No need. She's on her way. She's making a house call." Amy rolled her eyes.

"Really? Why?"

Amy grimaced. "She says that I need a stitch and a tetanus shot."

"Figured. But why come here?"

"She says I'm stubborn." She smirked.

Simon tried to hold back, but failed miserably as he bent over in laughter. Amy immediately joined him, relieving the slight prickliness between them. After the laughter died down, they smiled at each other.

"Thanks Simon for taking care of me. I hope that I am as good and bossy a friend to you as you are to me."

"You are. Mostly bossy."

She chuckled as he sat the desk chair. "So what classes do you have today?"

"Let's see." She looked upward for the answer. "Starting at 8 I have biology, chemistry, then statistics, botany and last English. I'm pretty excited about Botany. Not so excited about English."

"Sounds like a long day. But if anyone can handle it, it's you."

"Hope so. The good thing is that I'm done at 2 so I should be home at 3ish on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Tuesday and Thursdays, I only have lab. But, I'm working with Scott those days." She added. "And Saturday and Sunday."

The two were still talking when Alicia walked in wearing a black slicker and bright yellow rubber boots with her medical bag. "Hey!

"Hey Alicia." The two returned her greeting simultaneously.

"How's my patient?"

"Thanks for coming. But really, I'm fine."

"Gangrene hasn't set in so no need to amputate just yet." Simon retorted.

"Good to hear. I was worried." She winked at Simon. "Let's go upstairs so I can take a look. Can she walk Simon?"

"Not sure, but I am willing to carry her."

"Stop you two. I am fully capable of walking." Amy said as she stood up from the desk. "See. This is me walking unaided, right out of this office and up to my loft."

"Thanks Simon for sending the picture." Alicia said as soon as Amy left the room.

"No problem. You know how she is."

"I do."

"I heard that." Amy yelled from the steps. "Come on Norton."

Alicia smiled at Simon, hurried out with her bag to catch up with Amy. "I'm coming too."

Standing at the loft sink washing her hands, Alicia suggested that Amy lie in bed. "Lay on your left side on a bath towel. And, take off your boots too. Maybe your shorts too. I don't want to get iodine in them."

"What's the point. There's already blood on them." Amy groused.

"Hydrogen Peroxide gets blood out of fabric, if the blood isn't dried." She suggested. "Try it."

Wearing a headlamp, Alicia joined her in her bedroom. "Okay. Let's see what you've done." She removed the gauze, a looked closely at the cut. "Well. Its stopped bleeding but you're gonna need five stitches."

"Five?"

"It's an inch long and gapping a bit. We want the cut to stay closed so it doesn't get infected and heals quickly. I'll give you topical anesthetic. That should numb the pain while I'm suturing."

"Okay."

"And you do need a tetanus shot. That gate probably had all sorts of bacteria and rust on it."

"Okay."

"First, I'm going to flush the cut and clean area with saline."

Amy nodded, then added. "Wait. Can I watch?"

"Sure. You can raise up on a couple of pillows if that helps."

Once Amy was situated, Alicia gently flushed the grit from her laceration and cleaned the dried blood from her leg.

"Now iodine. It will likely sting." Using reddish tipped swabs, she cleaned around the wound area.

The sting caused Amy to suck in her breath.

"Done. Now I'm going to apply the topical anesthetic." She swabbed the area with a clear ointment and waited for the numbing to take effect.

"Ready to suture." Alicia explained to Amy each instrument, curved needle, needled driver, skin forceps, each knot and each step. Then she put a topical antibiotic on the cut, bandaged it, administered the tetanus shot and gave instructions on caring for the cut and changing her bandage.

"I am writing prescription for an antibiotic try to get it filled today and take it prescribed. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Your thigh will likely feel sore from both the trauma and from the sutures. You can take either acetaminophen or ibuprofen. No aspirin."

"Okay."

Afterward, they sat side by side on Amy's bed. Alicia took off her gloves then pulled her phone from her pocket.

"Thanks Alicia. I appreciate the house call. And you."

"You are welcome." She patted her knee. "Now. Tell me why you didn't return any of my calls or texts last night."

"Oh. That? Lou was pestering me to watch a stupid video that I didn't want to watch. So I turned off my phone." Amy said matter of factly.

"I see." She paused. "Lou called me last night, upset. She explained what happened. Did you ever watch video?"

"No." Amy said defensively.

"Figured you wouldn't. So I did." She caught her eye. "Amy. I think you need to watch it. At least the last part."

"Alicia, no."

"We'll watch together. Trust me. You'll want to see this." Pressing the play button, Alicia handed Amy her phone.

Ty was speaking. "Congratulations to Ms. Amy Fleming on her win. Ms. Fleming is truly one of the most naturally gifted animal behavioralist, herbalist, and humanitarian I have ever known. She is an inspiration. She, no doubt, will excel in her academic pursuits. And, congratulations to Dr. Scott Cardinal, her mentor. I am forever grateful to them both."

With glistening eyes, Amy looked at her friend, somewhat dazed.

"Want to watch it again?"

When Amy nodded, Alicia replayed it.

When the clip finished, Amy said. "I don't know what to say."

"That's okay." She whispered. "You know, I watched the entire clip several times last night. Seems the young guy who hurt your heart, has grown up, stopped running and has accomplished quite a lot since you last saw him."

"I think so too." She said quietly. "I saw it when he was on the news with that eagle release."

"And, it's clear that he still cares about you, Amy. He knows you, respects you, is inspired by you. He has confidence that you too will succeed in your own pursuits."

She opened her mouth to respond, but her throat caught momentarily.

She exhaled. "Truth is. He inspires me too."

She put her arm around her friend's shoulder. "My advice. Keep this near. You may want to watch this again. Maybe when you're needing some extra inspiration. He has faith in you. We all do." She added. "Remember that."

Amy nodded.

"By the way. I sent it to you in a text."

Alicia looked at her watch. "Goodness. It's time for you to get ready for your first day of college. And for me to get going."

"Thank you. For everything. Everything. I mean it." Amy said as she hugged her friend.

"No problem. Three more things. First. Wear a dress or a skirt this week. Pants especially jeans may rub too much. Second. Take an umbrella, a cowboy hat won't keep you or that bandage dry. Third. Enjoy your first day of college."

"College. I still can't believe it."

"Want me to pinch you?"

"No. You already stuck me several times."

"True that." Alicia kissed her temple. "I am so proud of you."

"Thanks." Amy blushed. "Me too."

As Amy walked Alicia to the door, her phone dinged, alerting that a text had arrived. Then it dinged again and again like a popcorn popping.

"Your family wishing you well in your first day of college."

"Probably."

Alicia waved goodbye and walked down the stairs. Amy retrieved her phone.

Sure enough, her phone showed that she had 27 texts. Thirteen from Lou, the last one wishing that Amy would forgive her and to have a good first day. There were three from Alicia. Separate messages from Georgie, Katie, Peter, Jack, Lisa, Scott, Tim, Susan, Simon, Ralph, and Soraya rounded out the list of well-wishers.

Knowing that time was getting late, she showered quickly, careful to keep her bandage dry. After drying her hair, she looked in her closet to find a dress to wear. She opted for a plum sundress that she had once worn on a date with Ty. She topped it with her jean jacket and dress boots. Her tanned, toned legs were silky smooth and bare.

At the kitchen counter, she drank a cup of coffee and ate a piece of toast and a clementine orange. Back in the bathroom, she reached for her toothbrush, accidentally grabbing his. A twinge of sadness shot through her. Sighing, she put Andrew's back in, got her own and brushed her teeth.

Teeth brushed, make-up applied, she leaned into the mirror, looked at her reflection, pointed. "Amy Fleming. You're starting college today."

From the dining room room table, she grabbed her backpack, phone, keys, and two apples, and headed downstairs. Norton, of course, followed.

"You leaving already?" Simon said.

"Yep. Don't want to be late." She said, excited and apprehensive at once, as she walked past him and through the open barn door.

"Have a good one." He called to her.

"You too."

She turned, waved then hopped into Old Blue. With a whispered "Please Start", the classic truck started right up on the first attempt. "Thank you!" She breathed a sigh of relief as she backed out and headed down the drive, out the Heartland gate under the dreary, but rainless sky.

Beyond the fence line, Amy spotted Silvie standing under a canopy of tall cottonwoods. "Good girl."

After researching the buildings where her classes would be held and parking lots, she had decided that the flat rate parking lot, L32, between the Main Campus gate and Crowchild Trail would be the best place to park. Though GPS declared the trip to L32 was 59 minutes away, she didn't want to risk it. So she left 20 minutes early. When she arrived, the lot was nearly full except for a few spaces bordering Crowchild. She parked in the first empty space she came upon in the back corner.

Before she turned off the engine, she texted Lou.

"Watched the video. Thanks. All is well. I love you."

Lou texted back immediately. "Love you too. Good luck today."

Satisfied, she walked quickly north to the Biological Sciences building, a modern structure skinned in clear and frosted glass, and where most of her classes would be held. By the time she got there, her thigh had begun to ache. "Figures."

When she entered her biology classroom from the back, the tiered lecture hall was crowded and loud. Scanning the room for a seat, a nervous bead of sweat formed on the back of her neck. Then she remembered that Ty had once told her that he always sat in the middle of the second row. With a purposeful inhale and exhale, she mustered her determination and strode down the steps to the second row. And, despite having to slightly jostle a few students already seated, she found a seat near the middle.

Seated to her right was a young, pretty woman with dark hair of long ringlets and the most beautiful mocha skin. Her laptop, already plugged in, opened on the table in front of her. Poised, she was reading through the syllabus on its screen.

As quietly as she could, Amy did the same. She took out her laptop, phone, text book, posted notes and two pens and arranged them on the table.

Settled, she turned to the young woman, smiled then introduced herself. "Hi. I'm Amy Fleming."

Startled from her focus, the woman said with a slight French accent. "Oh. Ah. Hi..Amy? Emma Pottier." Her teeth were perfect, straight and white, her smile genuine.

"Emma. Nice to meet you." Amy asked, pointing to her laptop. "Um. Where did you find the syllabus online?"

"On the UC course catalog site. Just do a google search on UCalgary course descriptions. Find the course and section, there's a link to the syllabus."

Amy did as instructed, found the syllabus. "Oh thank you. Lucky for me that I sat next to a seasoned UC student."

"Seasoned?" She smirked. "I'm new here. This is my first UC class. I just moved to Calgary as a transfer from St Mary's University this past weekend."

"Me too. I mean, this is my first UC class too. And, honestly, my very first college class. Ever. Anyhow, I live in Hudson. It's about an hour south of here." Words just kept tumbling out of her mouth. "I'm kinda nervous." She admitted.

Emma smiled, suggested. "Maybe we newbies should stick together then?"

"I'd like that. Um. Maybe we can study together?" Amy asked hesitantly, but was relieved when Emma readily nodded Yes.

"Ding!" Amy phone's text alert interrupted.

"Sorry. I'll put it on silent." Amy was slightly embarrassed. "My family has been texting me all morning wishing me luck today."

"Parents." Emma replied, half frowning. "Mine forgot that I'm two time zones behind and called me before dawn."

As Amy turned her ringer off, she saw the text was from Andrew. Opting not to read it, she put her phone in her backpack instead.

"Attention Class. Silence. I am Dr. Reginald Parker."

The room went silent.

"If you did not register for Biology 241 Energy Flow in Biological Systems or prefer another instructor, please leave now. Silently." Several stood and rushed out of the room.

Despite being a middle aged man with average physical attributes, Dr. Parker was an imposing figure, nevertheless. His rigid posture, his steely eyes, his commanding voice was more than enough to intimidate. Especially from the middle of the second row.

"For those of you remaining, here are my rules for my Monday, Wednesday and Friday 50 minute lecture which held in this classroom. I have the same rules for all of my classes including my Tuesday or Thursday one hour and 50 minute lab which in held in Room 12 in Science A building."

"One. Attendance will be taken every day. Notice the row and seat you are in today. You will sit in this row and seat the entire semester. Mr. David Jensen, our TA, will pass out the room chart. Print your full name, student number along with your signature in the box with your designated row and seat. As I said, attendance will be taken every day. Three recorded absences, you will receive a 0 on the in-class participation which is one fourth of your grade. Only hospitalization and death are eligible excuses. Your signature states that you understand the rules." He adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose.

"Two. Punctuality is required. Tardiness will not be tolerated. If I am standing in the front of this room and you are not already in your seat, you are tardy. Do not enter this room tardy. Three tardies, or otherwise absences, you will receive a 0 on the in-class participation. As I have already said, in-class participation is one fourth of your grade."

"Three. In-class participation is key to you passing this class. Again, in-class participation is one fourth of your grade. You will be prepared every day to answer questions verbally or through online quizzes on the required reading from the textbook and supplemental materials as cumulatively outlined in your syllabus. To be clear, you may receive a question on Day 15 from the reading assigned on Day 1."

"Four. Speak only when spoken to by me. You will stand, address me and fellow classmates properly, state your full name, then answer the original question and any follow-ups. At other times, you will remain attentive, silent and in your seat. Your phones will be on silent as well. If you have an emergency, a question, or a comment, raise your hand. I will call on you at the appropriate time."

"Five. Grades are determined equally by the midterm, final, labs, and in-class participation. Each constitutes will one fourth of your grade."

"Before I begin today's lecture, if you do not agree to my rules you may leave now and drop this class. For those of you seated in the last three rows, please move to a lower tier. You have three minutes. Starting now." As he looked at his watch, three more students left the room and at least fifteen moved closer to the front.

"Time is up. Mr. Jensen please give the seating chart to the gentleman in Row A Seat 1. For those of you remaining, congratulations. Although you may not feel like you won the lottery just yet, if you follow my basic rules, you will do well in this class. But, more importantly, your foundation in biology will be cemented in your being such that you can go on to achieve any coursework, including honors, that requires this class as a prerequisite."

"First question. What is the assigned textbook and it's authors for this class. Row A Seat 1. Please stand, address me and your fellow classmates, state your name and answer the question."

A tall guy with dark curly hair stood. Dr. Parker, esteemed classmates, I am Jason Beach. The assigned textbook is Energy Flow and Biological Systems authored by Reginald Parker, M.D., PhD. and Susan Cohen, D.V.M., PhD."

"Correct, Mr. Beach. Please sit down. Next question. How many tardy and/or absences are you allowed before you get a 0 on in-class participation? Row A seat 2. Please stand."

A blonde short girl stood. Dr. Parker, fellow classmates, my name is Mary Aster. The number of tardies and/or absences allowed is 3." She swallowed hard, realizing her mistake. "Excuse me. Only two are allowed before getting a 0 on in-class participation."

"Nice save Ms. Aster. Please sit down."

This rapid form of question and answer went on until all students stood for a question, then he dismissed the class, then promptly left the podium.

As Amy and Emma packed up their belongs, Emma said. "That was intense."

"It was."

"Thank god we both answered correctly. I can't believe that you knew that Linnaeus invented the 5-kingdom system."

"Luckily, I read the first chapter. At the time, I thought Linnaeus would be a good name for a horse." She said modestly. "What do you have next? I have Chem 201." Amy asked.

"With Brownstein?"

"Yeah."

"Me too."

The chemistry class with Dr Bettina Brownstein was a much different class from Biol 241.

Strictly a formal lecture, the petite professor with a sensible hair style and shoes but a pierced nose was all business, only asking for student questions at the end of the class. Amy and Emma spent the entire class taking notes on their laptops. Neither raised their hands to ask a question or add a comment.

"I almost hate to say it, but I think we are going to learn more from Dr. Parker." Emma commented as they headed to their Stat class on the fifth floor.

"I think so too." Amy agreed. "Do you think we should form a study group?"

"Just the two of us?"

"Yeah. To start. We can invite others, as we meet them."

"Okay. Sure. But how will that work with you in Hudson and me in Calgary?"

"How about Tuesday and Thursdays after lab? We could study a couple of hours then go our own way." Amy suggested.

"That works."

"I will have to leave by 11 though as I am working with a local vet in the afternoons."

"Wish I had some kind of arrangement like that to get some hands on experience." Emma lamented.

As they walked down the hall lined with windows, a blue streak on the Crowchild Trail caught Amy's eye. She stopped, leaned her hands and forehead into the window to get a better look.

"What?" Emma asked, stepping up to look too.

"Thought I saw a truck that I recognized pulling a horse trailer." She frowned, shrugged. "But, I didn't get a good enough look."

"Hmm. Looks like the sky's gonna open up and dump more rain."

"It does. At least we're in this building for the next while." Amy offered.

"No kidding. After Stat, what do you have?"

"Lunch, then Botany. Or I think it's now called Plant Biology. Both in this building."

"I have lunch too, then Academic Writing 201 and 203 in the Arts Building, across campus. Hope it stops raining by then."

"Hope so too. My last class today, English, is in the Arts Building too. Guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other."

"I'm glad." Emma said.

"Me too." Standing, her thigh started to ache again. "Let's go get our seats."

One of the firsts in the room, the two easily secured their usual seats in the middle of the second row. By 10am, about 30 students had assembled around them in the small classroom.

Soon after, a man with unruly blonde hair in dressed in jeans, an untucked gray linen shirt and flip-flops with a carrier bag strapped over his shoulder walked into the classroom and stood in the front of the class, grinning.

"Hello everyone. I'm Dennis Smith and I'm your professor for Stat 205, An Introduction to Statistical Inquiry."

Emma and Amy looked at each other in surprise.

He turned the whiteboard behind him and pointed to the left side where his name, email address, office room number and building, office hours, cell phone number were written.

He turned back to the class. "This is my contact information. Write it down. Take a picture. Whatever. If you get stuck on an assignment or concept, please contact me as soon as you know you need help. Statistics is a building language. Each concept builds on the previous concepts. So don't get behind, it's hard to catch up. Got it?"

The students nodded in response.

"Good." Dr. Smith seemed satisfied. "Okay. As way of background, I was born in Okotoks, earned my PhD in BioStatistics at UCLA and minored in surfing much to my parents disapproval. They would have much preferred polo." He chuckled as the class uncomfortably chuckled with him. "I returned to Alberta, eventually became an assistant professor at UC splitting my time between the Math and Biology Departments. This semester I am teaching 4 classes, this class, obviously, Stat 213, 217 and 431, An Intro to BioStats. Naturally, this beginner class is my favorite." He chuckled again.

"Doubt that." Someone behind them muttered.

"No, truly. This is the class that got me hooked on statistics then biostatistics."

There a slight murmur of doubt.

"You'll see. To start we're going to play a game." He smiled. "An interactive game of yummy statistical fun."

He pulled a stack of paper out of his carrier bag and placed it on the first row desk. "Take one sheet and pass the rest down." He nodded. "Make sure every one gets one."

"Good. Next, I'm gonna give you each three bags of MMs, plain, peanut and my favorite, peanut butter." He pulled three small bags out and held them up. "As you probably well know, each bag contains six colors, red, green, blue, yellow, brown and orange. I prefer blue.

Murmurs and giggles rose up in the classroom.

"See I got your attention. Before I give you the MMs, you must stand, tell the class your full name, your place of birth, current place of residency, your chosen major and/or future profession, and your favorite MM type and color."

"Okay. I'll start with you young man." He stood in front of guy seated off to the side and smiled.

The young student stood, shook his head, raised his hand. "Hello everyone. My name is Eli Holmes. I was born in Victoria, BC. I currently live in Calgary. I hope to get my PhD in Biostatistics and take Dr. Smith's place." He grinned as student giggled under their breath. "My favorite type is plain and favorite color is green." He laughed as Dr. Smith handed him a marker.

"Eli is also our Teaching Assistant. You may have noticed his contact information on the right side of the whiteboard."

"Yes. Please contact me whenever you have questions or whatever. I'm up most nights sorting MMs."

On the board, Eli wrote and underlined, Type and Color. Under Type, he wrote plain, peanut and peanut butter with one hash mark next to plain and peanut butter. Under Color, he wrote red, green, blue, yellow, orange and brown with one hash mark next to blue and green.

"Eli here is going record your answers. Before we go any further, at the top of your page, please write your name and enter your prediction for most and least popular Type and Color. Questions?"

No one raised their hand. "Excellent." He stepped up to the student in the first row in the last seat on the right. "You are..?"

Jason Beach, the student sitting in the first row in Biology class, stood. "Hi. I'm Jason Beach. I was born on Prince Edward Island. I live Calgary during school. I plan to become a Pediatrician. Um. I like plain, orange MMs."

And so the class continued as such. Despite being taught basics elements of statistics, population, sample, parameter, variable, the class was lively and fun. Time went by quickly. After the homework was assigned, the class was dismissed.

"I'm starving. I wish I could eat our homework." Emma said after they were dismissed in the hallway.

"Yeah. Me too. Where's the closest place to eat?

Emma gazed out the window. "Across campus, but it's still pouring out there. Maybe there's a vending machine somewhere."

"I have a couple of apples. Want one?"

After the two settled into a quiet corner, they got to know each other a bit while they sipped on vending machine juice and crunched on Honeycrisp apples.

"So Emma. You said this morning that you wanted to be a fisheries research biologist?"

"Yep. My brothers, dad, uncles and my both my grandfathers have fished the waters in and around St Mary's. I know how hard they work, but these days the size and quality of catch isn't what it used to be. So I want to study those fresh and salt water bodies and their inhabitants. Figure out what's going on. Improve it if I can. Guess I want to make a difference for my family and our community."

Intrigued, Amy asked several questions. From there, the conversation flowed freely and easily between the two classmates about school and careers, then morphed into other topics like horseback riding and fishing. Before they parted ways for their next class, they exchanged phone numbers and email addresses and planned for meeting up the next day at 8am for Biology Lab.

Dr. Partha Singh's Botany class, Systematics and Diversity of Plants, was everything that Amy had hoped and more. As the class was small, the twenty some students sat at three rows of tall tables in the room. Partha stood at the front, without a podium, within spitting distance of the first row. Clearly a practiced orator, his lecture on the Tree of Life was engaging, expressive, funny while stimulating discussion. In addition to the required textbook, he suggested the book, Litchcum's Plants: Traditional Indigenous Foods, Materials and Medicines as a reference and extra credit reading. Impatient to get her hands on the book, Amy ordered it from Amazon before she headed to English class across campus.

As Amy walked into her English classroom, thigh aching, she stopped short. The tables in the room were arranged in a large U, not the usual rows to which she had become accustomed. Her eyes quickly scanned the room. She recognized Jason Beach, from her morning classes, sitting in the first seat, closest to the podium, on the other side of the room.

Crossing the room, she asked him. "Hi. Um. Is this seat taken?"

"All yours Amy." He responded, then looked back at his open laptop.

Startled that he knew her name, she responded. "Thanks. Um...Jason."

Within a few minutes, all 20 some seats were taken. Almost every student, including Amy, was staring intently at their laptop open on the table before them.

Suddenly, a mid-aged woman with long hair streaked with gray, cat-eye readers propped on her head, glided into the room wearing a flowing dress of wrinkled, chartreuse linen and stood before them.

"Hello Class. I am Celeste Kim, your Literature and the Environment class professor. Please close your electronics." Her words were somehow soothing, yet musical. .

"What about taking notes?" Someone asked.

"No need." Her hand seemed to flit into the air.

With the last laptop closed, she took deep inhale then recited from memory.

"At the far end of town where the Grickle-grass grows and the wind smells slow-and-sour when it blows and no birds ever sing excepting old crows... is the Street of the Lifted Lorax."

She smiled. "What is that line from?"

"The Lorax by Dr. Seuss." Jason blurted out.

"Magnificent." She took a step closer to him. "What is your name?"

"Jason Beach."

"Hello Jason." She smiled at him, then seemed to glide into the center of the U. "Class. I love Jason's enthusiasm. I am more than hopeful that you share his enthusiasm and show your own." She spun around and asked Jason. "Who gets the next question?"

He pointed to Amy.

"What's the line about?" She looked to Amy.

"Air pollution?"

"Excellent. Name?"

"Amy Fleming."

"Amy. What gave it away?"

"The wind smells slow-and-sour when it blows." Amy scrunched her nose.

"What does it conjure up in your mind?"

"I always imagined a thick, gray wall of stinky air that smelled like vinegar and slowly killed everything in its path."

"You've heard this story before?"

Amy nodded. "My mom used to read it to me when I was little, especially when she was tired of my horse books."

"Ah." She spun around. "Next question. How many in this class have read or were read this book?"

Most hands shot up.

"Splendid."

The class progressed diving deeper into the prose, deeper into imagery, deeper into the connection to the environment. By its end, she decided that Literature and the Environment with Dr. Kim, was going to be much better than she expected or even hoped. Even if she had to write a 500 word essay on the Sr. Seuss book by Friday.

By the time she walked back to L32 and climbed into the driver's seat of Old Blue, Amy was exhausted, mind numb and thigh throbbed. Finding an old bottle of ibuprofen in the glove box, she took the last two tablets, sans water, and rested her forehead against the steering wheel and closed her eyes, hoping the little red pills would offer some relief.

Several minutes passed before she sat up in her seat. Leaning forward to put the keys in the ignition, she noticed a slip of paper tucked under the truck's windshield wiper.

"I can't believe it! I got a stupid parking ticket!" She groused as she opened the door, reached around, grabbed the soggy paper from the wiper's grip. Closing the door shut, she carefully unfolded it. Inside a blur of watery blue ink smeared across the page, ran down to the bottom edge, then dripped onto her bare leg. The slip of paper was utterly blank, on both sides.

"Weird." She threw the rain soaked paper on the passenger side floor board without another thought.

Whispering, "Please Blue", she turned the key, miraculously bringing the old truck to life for the second time that day. "Thank you Blue!"

She put the truck in gear and backed out of the space. Despite the traffic in Okotoks and stop at the pharmacy, the trip home was uneventful, quiet, except for the occasional ding of her phone.

Driving through the Heartland gate, much later than predicted, her eyes scanning the field for Silvie. Much to her relief, the gray mare was grazing, not far from the cottonwoods where she stood that morning. "Nice to see you Silvie."

As she pulled to a stop in front of the barn, Simon seemed to be waiting for her. He opened her door. "You're late. How was it?"

"Good." Amy smiled, then eased out of the truck. "Actually. Really great."

"Homework?" He asked as they walked to the barn.

Her smile dimmed some. "Some but not too bad."

"Leg hurting?" He asked. "You're walking like you're all stoved up."

She shrugged. "How was your day?"

"Same as always."

"I saw Silvie in the field."

"Yeah. She's been hanging around. Watching. Hasn't gotten too close, though."

"I'm gonna change... unless I can convince to go to Maggie's with me. I'm starved."

He grimaced, looked at his watch. "Early bird special, huh? Its only 4:00."

"I know. But I only had an apple for lunch." Amy pouted.

"Okay fine. We'll go when all the old people go." Simon groaned.

She grinned. "My treat. Give me 15 minutes."

"Oh. There's a delivery for you on the stairs." After greeting the horses, she headed up to the loft. On the top rung was a vase of red roses. She smiled. "Andrew."

Taking the arrangement inside, she read the card. "Amy. Hope your first day was great, your tomorrows even better. Love Andrew."

She called him. He answered on the first ring. "Amy?"

"Hey Andrew. The flowers are so beautiful. Thank you!"

He listened to her talk excitedly about school, occasionally peppering her with a question. Though they talked for ten minutes, his text yesterday about needing time was not broached.

"Andrew. Its good hearing your voice."

"Yours too." After a moment of awkward silence, Andrew cleared his throat. "Well, I should let you go."

"Okay. Thanks again."

"Bye."

After a quick dinner at Maggie's, Amy stood by the fence and watched Simon and Maggie May try to lasso Silvie to no avail. Every time they zigged, she saggy just out of their reach.

"She's only getting spooked." Simon frowned as he brought Maggie to a halt in front of Amy.

"Yeah. Let's give her some more time. Maybe try again tomorrow."

"Yeah maybe tomorrow." He repeated.

"She'll be okay out here tonight." Amy reassured him. "We'll put the antibiotics in her night feed along with fresh water in her stall outside."

He nodded then dismounted. The two lead Maggie May back into the barn. After a quick check of Spartan's mouth, Amy led around the drive for a bit of exercise and conversation.

Except for night check, Amy spent the rest of the evening reading and studying at the round kitchen table with Norton in her lap. She reviewed her notes from today's classes, editing out her typos and misspelling, then reorganizing them. She reviewed the materials for tomorrow's Biology lab. She even did a rough draft of her English essay.

Rising from the hard wooden chair, Amy groaned, her whole body was stiff and her leg ached. She was used to sitting so much of the day. After some light stretching and ibuprofen, she got ready for bed then slid between the cool sheets, warmed by Norton at her side. But sleep would not come. Instead, she laid there, staring at the ceiling, wide awake, thinking about tomorrow. As the minutes ticked by, little by little, her thoughts turned to worries.

"This is ridiculous." She huffed, sat up, turned the the bed side lamp, checked the time in her phone. 11:56. She reached for her phone. She found Alicia's text and pressed Play.

Ty's handsome face came alive. She smiled as his warm voice reassured her.

Hey Everyone. Another chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. Ty's Monday next.

SBR.