Chapter 8
CJ was breathing heavily by the time she made it down to the barn. Boy, I'm a sight: a maternity dress and muck boots! She looked down at herself and couldn't help but smile.
She and Vince made their way down the hall to Sophie's stall. Matt was kneeling next to her head, rubbing her side and talking calmly to her. CJ eased into the stall and joined Matt.
"CJ, the foal is breech. I need you to stay up here and keep her calm as you can. I'm going to have to try to turn it." Matt grabbed a cord off the wall and tied the horse's back legs together. He then put on the gloves that Vince had brought him earlier. They came all the way up to his shoulders. Vince's jaw dropped. "Why in the world are those gloves so long? OHHHHH…. That's why." He looked like he might well pass out as Houston started to reach inside the mare and try to turn the foal.
"Vince, would you go up to the house and put a big pan of water on the stove to boil?" Houston asked his friend. "Sure thing, bud." Vince took off running before he got his whole answer out.
"Matt, what are you going to do with the water?" CJ asked as she continued to stroke the horse's side.
He grinned. "I'm gonna keep the city boy busy while we deliver this foal." He and CJ both laughed.
"Just…about….got it. There. Now it's turned. Let's see how she does now." He untied Sophie's legs and backed away from the horse, taking off the gloves, then walked over to help CJ up. As he did, there was a large rumble of thunder and the wind shook the roof on the barn. While he looked up at the roof, CJ was looking down.
"Matt?" she asked.
"Looks like we're going to be doing some repair work on this barn. That storm isn't playing around." Matt looked back at CJ and noticed the shocked look on her face.
"Matt, my water just broke." They looked at each other.
"Okay. Well, uh, let's just, uh, well, we'll uh, here. Sit down on this bale of hay." Matt was flustered but trying to keep his cool. He stepped out of the stall and quickly climbed the ladder to the hay loft. He threw down several bales and brought them into the stall and arranged them so CJ could lie down.
"Here's my jacket. Cover up with that and I'll go get Mama." Just as the words came out of his mouth, they both heard a sound that they had heard many times back in Texas; the unmistakable sound of a tornado.