I slow my pace as I near the house. As I get off the quadbike, I spot Doc's familiar truck parked outside. A horse trailer is attached to the truck. Did Nedley buy a new horse? I wonder as I make a beeline for Nedley's office.
"Hey Nic! I made some fresh coffee, would you… what's wrong?" Chrissy intercepts me as I pass the kitchen. She carries a tray with two mugs, milk, sugar and a freshly brewed pot of the coffee. I smile at her kindly. "Thanks, Chris. But I really have to speak to Nedley, there has been another breach."
A frown replaces the happy expression on the girl I consider a sister's face. "Another one? That's like, the third one in two weeks. What is going on?"
"I have some suspicions. Which is why I need to speak to your dad asap."
Chrissy nods. "Of course. I was heading to his office just now. He and Doc are in a meeting."
"Does the meeting have anything to do with a horse?" I ask as I follow Chrissy towards the room at the end of the hallway.
"Yes! Oh Nicole, you have to see him! He is absolutely gorgeous." My semi-sibling exclaims with glee. I smile at her enthusiasm for the new addition to the farm.
"Mustang?" I ask as we finally reach the office, the sound of Nedley's belting laughter can be heard through the wood of the door. Chrissy nods in answer, her smile wide. I open the door and step aside to allow her to carry the tray into the room with ease. I enter swiftly behind her.
Chrissy places the tray on her father's desk. Trigger, Nedley's old border collie, lazily wags his tail at his position next to his owner's desk.
"Thanks, sweetheart." Nedley tells his daughter, reaching for his cup. He indicates to the tray as he addresses the veterinarian seated across from him. "Help yourself, son. It's the freshest cup of coffee you'll get south of the GRT border."
Doc nods at Chrissy gratefully. "Thank you, Chrissy. In all honesty, I only come round to the farm for the coffee. The vet spiel is all an act." He tells her with a wink, causing Chrissy to roll her eyes playfully and Nedley to release a loud guffaw.
The vet turns towards me with a warm smile. "Nicole, it is good to see you." He says, offering me his hand in greeting.
I remove my Stetson before grasping his hand. My biological father had taught me manners after all. I ignore the painful pang in my chest at the thought and grip Doc's proffered hand, giving it a firm shake in our usual greeting.
"It's good to see you too, Doc. Though I am surprised to see you here already, I only called you thirty minutes ago."
"I was actually already on my way here when I got your call about the mastitis case." He explains as he goes to fix himself a cup of the freshly brewed coffee.
"Does your visit perhaps have anything to do with the horse trailer attached to your truck?" I ask, turning a questioning gaze towards Nedley.
My paternal figure smiles as he takes a sip of his coffee. He puts his cup down before addressing me. "It does indeed. The McCready's found a wild mustang in the forest just outside their land. Poor thing was completely exhausted and spooked. Looks like it had been fleeing from something or other."
"Yeah, they called me in to tranquilize him. It took three shots, but I eventually managed to get him down. He has quite the relentless spirit, that one." Doc explains, his tone full of genuine awe for the animal. I smile at the vet's passion.
"Did the McCready's not want to keep him?" I ask, intrigued.
"They don't have the infrastructure to take care of a wild horse. Nor do they have the skills to break him. Hell, the only thing Curtis can break these days is a stem off of one of his beloved tomato plants. Although I would not put it past Gus. That woman is terrifyingly tough." Nedley says with amusement, rubbing his stubbled chin.
"Which is exactly why I called Nedley. Everyone knows he has a knack for taking in wild things and making 'em better again." Doc says with a knowing smile directed at me. I roll my eyes at him, but don't miss the smiles Nedley and Chrissy also throw my way.
"I guess I cannot argue with that." I say, smiling ruefully at them.
"So what do ya say, kid? Do you want your own horse?" Nedley's question catches me completely off guard.
"My own… he is mine?!" I say, completely baffled. Excitement starts building in my bones, I have always wanted my own horse!
Nedley fixes me with a serious look. "Kid, if you can manage to break that horse, he is all yours. But he will be fully your responsibility. Training, cleaning his stable, feeding him, vet checkups. Everything. Understood?"
I straighten my back and nod, trying to mask the absolute elation I feel with a look of determination. "Yes, sir. You can count on me; I'll do my very best."
Nedley gives me a satisfied nod, a smile creeping through his mustache. "Good."
Doc takes a final sip of his coffee and places his cup back on the tray. He starts getting up, placing his hat back onto his head.
"Well thanks for that delightful cup of coffee." He tips his hat towards Chrissy and offers his hand to Nedley, who also gets up. "Thanks for taking in the horse, Randy. I can think of no better place for him."
Nedley nods as he shakes the vet's hand. "It is no problem at all, glad to finally be able to help you for all of my animals you have helped."
Doc returns Nedley's smile before turning to me. "I should go and check on that cow now."
"Of course. She is in the western paddock. I'll take you; I just have another matter I'd like to discuss with Nedley first."
"All right, I will wait for you in the kitchen." He says with a warm smile, making his way to the door.
"How do you feel about a freshly baked scone, Doc?" Chrissy asks as she follows behind the vet.
"You really know the way to a man's heart!" I hear Doc respond as the duo make their way along the hallway towards the kitchen.
Once they are gone, I turn my attention to Nedley again. He indicates for me to sit, so I take the seat previously occupied by Doc. "What's up, kid?"
I run my hand through my hair, sighing.
"There's been another breach in the fence line. This time over on the eastern side. It's no longer coincidence." I remove the piece of flannel from my pocket and hand it to him.
"I think this is being done deliberately."
Nedley looks runs the fabric though his fingers, contemplating. Finally, he releases a sigh. "Have you counted the animals yet?"
"No, sir. You think they're stealin' livestock?"
"There haven't been any cases like that around here for years. But it's the only motive I can think of for cutting a fence."
I nod in agreement. "I guess that could be it. But the holes in the fence are usually just small enough to fit one, maybe two humans through. I don't see how they could be getting any stolen animals through that. Perhaps a sheep. But then why go through all that trouble?"
Nedley gets up and starts pacing.
"It could be practice. Perhaps they are just scoping the farm out first. Either way, we gotta up our security." He says finally.
"Agreed, sir. I think perhaps we should have patrols at night. We could take turns." I suggest.
Nedley looks satisfied with my idea. "That would be a great start. I think we should get some dogs too, old Triggy just ain't gonna be able to catch them. But we should get that fence fixed and count the animals asap."
I get up from the chair, nodding. "I am on it, sir. I am gonna start fixing the fence right after helping Doc. Jeremy and I can do the counts tonight on our patrol after dinner, four eyes bein' better than two and all that.
Nedley smiles at me proudly and I feel a familiar warmth settle in my chest. "Good kid." He says, fondness in his voice.
I nod at him with a smile and start getting up when he stops me. "How's Waverly holding up?"
I am unable to keep the smile from spreading across my face as I am reminded of this morning's events and the moment of joy exuded by the angry brunette.
"She did really well with the cows this morning. She learns really fast, and the calves even got her to smile."
Nedley looks happily surprised. "Well, I am glad to hear that. I had feared she might hate it."
"I think there's a really kind heart somewhere underneath all that anger." I say softly.
"That's usually the case with the ones I bring in." He tells me with a wink. I give him rueful smile and nod before exiting his office and heading towards the kitchen to get Doc.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
"Sugar, we're going down swingin'!"
I belt out the lyrics of my favourite song as I fix another pole in place. I turn around just to make sure no one was observing my solo. Luckily, I have no audience. At least, no human audience. I do, however, spot a pair of familiar Holsteins across the yard giving me another curious stare down before continuing their grass consumption.
I bend down to pet Trigger, who is napping next to me. The old border collie had come to visit me as I started working on the fence. I wasted no time in starting with the job after Doc had left. I am about halfway on fixing the hole, all the poles have been set. Only the rewiring is left.
I take out my phone to switch to my Wombats playlist when a new message flashes across my screen.
Angelgirl08: Bored of me already?
I feel guilt rush through me at having left her on read. Geez Haught, whipped already? I roll my eyes at myself, but go to reply anyway.
Haught(givemea)shot: Hey! No, sorry about not replying. Had an issue at work I had to take care of.
Haught(givemea)shot: Oh, and about your question on my hair? You'll have to wait to see when we are on our first date. I cannot reveal ALL my secrets at once. Gotta keep the mystery ;)
I watch in anticipation as three dots pop up, indicating her imminent reply.
Angelgirl08: From your profile picture and bio I can only guess you are a musical mountaineer for a living. Which is a very intriguing career choice, I must say.
Angelgirl08: The only dates you are getting are the ones used for baking, but keep trying :P
I laugh at her referral to my bio and the snarky reply. I had stated rock climbing and Johnny Cash as my interests, with my profile picture showing my legs hanging over the edge of a cliff. In the picture you can see parts of my rock-climbing gear on my hips and the beautiful sunset.
I remember that day with a lot of fondness. It had been one of the last days I had gone rock climbing, before it all went to shit.
I push away the sadness creeping up my throat and type out a reply.
Haught(givemea)shot: Musical mountaineer is literally my dream job. But sadly, they didn't offer that course at my uni. But I do love rock climbing, used to do it a lot with my dad.
Angelgirl08: You are funny! You and your dad must be close then? That's really cool.
I feel the pang in my chest again, wondering how much I should reveal. I scoff at myself, it's not like I would ever even meet her. I decide on the most neutral approach.
Haught(givemea)shot: My dad and I were close. But he is kind of not around anymore.
I watch the three dots pop up then disappear again. I start setting the wiring around the poles to keep my mind away from the painful memories of my past. Then my phone finally buzzes again.
Angelgirl08: I am really sorry to hear that. If it is any consolation, I am no stranger to parents who are absent.
The message takes me by surprise. I expected her to no longer want to talk to me, or be weirded out by the mini heart spill I did. But not only was she showing sympathy, she was sharing a bit of her own experience. Was this girl even real? Geez why don't you propose already, Haught! I shake my head at already getting so drawn in to a person I have barely shared a couple of sentences with.
Feeling the need to change the conversation, I look to her profile for other topics. Angelgril08's profile picture is a close up of what can I only assume is Pikachu's face — a little nose and two pink cheeks on a yellow background. On her bio she has placed a quote familiar to me.
We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.
Haught(givemea)shot: You never told me what Pokémon you would want to be, but from your picture I can only assume it's Pikachu? Isn't that a bit cliché?
This time she wastes no time before responding.
Angelgirl08: I would indeed choose Pikachu. You know why? Because people (like you!) tend to underestimate him. But underneath all that cuteness, lies a raw power that could fuck you up.
Her words once again baffle me, they seem kind of personal. Kind of like she is describing herself.
Haught(givemea)shot: Fair point! I would never mess with Pikachu. Or with you it would seem. Along with that Maya Angelou quote on your bio, you seem to relate to the underdog and the misunderstood. I can really respect that.
Angelgirl08: You recognized the quote?! People usually think it's some lame fortune cookie advice. You continue to surprise me :)
Ditto! I think with a smile, a warmth settling into my bones. This warmth seems to grow with every interaction I have with this girl. She is so different to what I have ever known. It's like she is a digital version of my dream girl: Funny and intelligent with a side of genuine kindness.
I realize that I am starting to become attached and that it could potentially end really bad for me. But I push away the warnings from the voice in my head. I was enjoying talking to this girl and whatever were to happen next, I was going to enjoy the present.
Haught(givemea)shot: Did I just score another point? :D
I find myself smirking at my phone screen as I await what is sure to be another snarky reply.
Angelgirl08: Mmm maybe ;) Listen, my teacher is calling me out for texting so I gotta go. Chat later xx
Teacher? So, she is still in school then? Either in High school or Uni. Welp, at least I know the chances of her being some creep in her fifties is much less now. Shit, but what if she is a minor?! I push down the tiny bit of panic setting in. Nah, she sounds very mature. Right?! I'm gonna have to find out her age soon.
I am about to type out another reply when a bark startles me. Trigger jumps up, his posture rigid as he peers into the forest on the other side of the fence. His reaction has me on edge and I automatically grip the pocket knife attached to my belt.
A bush rustles, increasing the suspense. I am about to pull out my knife when a deer jumps from the forest. The animal runs hurriedly along the fence line before dipping back into the sea of leaves and bark. I instantly relax.
"It's just a deer, Trig." I say turning to the canine. To my confusion, his rigid posture remains even after the deer had passed. His eyes are trained on the spot where the animal had appeared. He finally relaxes after a few seconds, but I am unable to shake off the feeling of unease creeping up my spine. I try to ignore it and start packing up my tools.
I jump onto the quadbike and start turning back to the house to get me some lunch. I take one more look back towards the forest before pressing down on the gas pedal. Trigger follows diligently behind me.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
I take the last bite of my parmesan sandwich and move to the sink to get some water. As I take a sip from my glass, my eye falls onto the corral at the back end of the house, where the wild mustang moves about restlessly. I drown the last of my water and exit the back door.
On approaching the corral, the horse grows more agitated. It clearly was not use to humans. Or a human had not treated it right, I think with set of my jaw.
I take a moment to really appreciate the beauty of the majestic animal. His pelt is a shimmering black, the skin rippling with pure muscle beneath. His long mane moves elegantly in the wind as he trots from one end of the corral to the other.
On his forehead he has a white patch, completely contrasting the black on the rest of his body.
He truly was magnificent. "Woah." I breath out in awe.
As he turns, I spot some scarring on his left hip. I grit my teeth; it would seem that he was hurt before. And those marks look suspiciously man made. For a moment his eyes catch mine and in that moment it's like I can see his soul, and I try to make him see my own. Feeling brave, I move to the gate of the corral. The horse starts whinnying and shaking its head, showing his disapproval of me entering his space. But I was undeterred and determined.
I slowly move into the corral. He starts stomping his feet and grows more restless as I approach. I raise my hands and keep my eyes trained on his as I take a small step in his direction. He shakes his head, grunting at me in warning. I risk another step in his direction.
He suddenly raises onto his haunches and I freeze in place, realizing the potential danger. I push down my fear and keep my eyes locked to his wild ones. "Shhhh, boy. It's okay. Shhhh." I say softly, with my hands raised higher to show him I don't mean him any harm.
He finally lowers his body again. With my eyes I try to tell him to trust me. "You are okay. I will never hurt you, boy. I promise. Shhhh." I keep muttering the reassurance in a gentle voice. To my surprise he seems to relax. His eyes look slightly less wild and his demeanor looks less agitated. I decide to take another slow step in his direction, relieved to find he does not shake his head or stomp his feet as frequently. He only releases some grunts of discontentment as I slowly near him.
I take another step, bringing me within touching distance of him. I keep conveying trust as I gaze into his eyes and reach out with my hand, my heart beating wildly in my chest. He suddenly stands very still, as if he wants me to touch him. Feeling encouraged, I move my hand towards his forehead. I am about to make contact when he pulls away at the last second and trots slowly in the opposite direction.
I decide that is enough progress for one day and allow myself a smile. I watch him walk about the corral, much calmer now. As I turn towards the gate, my eyes spot Waverly Earp staring at me from the steps of the back porch. Her mouth is slightly open, almost like she is astonished by something. But when I blink, the look is gone. She gets up and disappears back into the house. What was that all about? I just shake my head and start heading back to the quad to get back to fixing the fence.
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
I finally fall into bed after another hard day's work. The fence is fixed again, but I fear it may not remain that way for long.
We are going to start the patrolling tonight, Nedley volunteered to do the first night. He has also acquired two German Shepherds from one of his farmer friends. I am going to pick them up in town tomorrow. Jeremy and I also found no animals missing when we did our count on our patrol after dinner. That at least gives me some peace of mind.
My thoughts drift to the brunette in the room next to mine. She did not join us for dinner again, but she did actually come down to fetch her food and took it up to her room. It might be a tiny step, but it's progress. Today was all about little bits of progress, I think with a smile.
I am about to close my eyes when my phone buzzes.
Angelgirl08: I am starting to get what you mean.
Smiling with confusion at her message, I respond.
Haught(givemea)shot: What are you talking about?
Angelgirl08: Redheads do do it better.
The cryptic message only increases my confusion, but I decide not to break my brain over it too much.
Haught(givemea)shot: Well then, welcome to the dark side! Good night, Angelgirl xxx
Angelgirl08: Good night :)
With a huge grin on my face, I fall asleep.
