Ty's Sunday
Despite being back in his own bed, he did not sleep well, his mind would not quiet. Cloud's setback the previous evening weighed heavily on his mind, taunted him. As exhaustion set in, sleep did not. Instead, a cacophony of snippets from the past morphed with the present, sweeping in and out of his brain, jumbling, colliding, changing, confusing, darkening his mood.
Interwoven was her scent on his sheets, a stark reminder of his decisions and their consequences.
Finally giving up on the prospect of sleep, he rose at 4am from his bed, showered, dressed, with the intent to head to the rescue early so he could spend time with the horses before his shift started at 6. As he quietly moved into the living room, he was startled to see Michael, fully dressed, standing in kitchen, pouring coffee into a mug.
"You're up early." He remarked as he joined him in the kitchen.
"Couldn't sleep." Michael confessed.
"Me neither." Ty commiserated. "Cloud?"
"What else?" Michael gave a little frown. "You."
"Same."
The shorthanded conversation spelled their mutual disappointment that hung heavily.
"I'm headed to the rescue to check on them before my shift." He said flatly. "Wanna come? You can get an Uber or Lyft to the airport from there."
"I'd like that." Michael agreed. "Coffee first? I sincerely need it. I made it doubly strong."
"Sounds good." Ty nodded.
Michael handed him a steaming mug. "Drink up."
"Thanks." Ty took a long draw.
"You know, the only good thing about not driving to Calgary with the horses is the free breakfast on Air Canada. Pancakes."
"Always finding that silver lining, huh?"
"What's the alternative?"
Ty shrugged, letting out a heavy sigh. "I was just so certain that he'd be ready to go."
"I'd hoped that too. You did everything humanly possible to try to make that happen." Michael tried to reassure him.
"We all did. But, clearly it wasn't near enough." He frowned, then swore under his breath.
Michael upended his mug, poured himself another, then topped off Ty's mug.
"Horses don't operate on our schedule. Same is true when gentling them. They have to be ready and willing. They can't be rushed." Michael offered food for thought. "Or it's just not good."
"Interesting you should say that." Ty replied. "I have only gentled one horse in my life. I was bound and determined to break and ride him in just a couple of days."
"In a couple of days, huh?" Michael shook his head.
"Yeah. What can I say? Harley was my first and only horse. So imagine, there I was, barely able to ride myself, trying to break this young horse, that I bought at an auction on a whim. Harley was a cool name after all." He winced at his younger naive self.
"But, he had other ideas." He continued. "In no time flat, Harley reduced me to nothing but frustration and insecurities."
"Horses can do that. So, what happened?"
"Well, Jack Bartlett, Amy's grandfather, gave me a piece of advice."
Their names flowed freely from his lips without consternation or pause. Michael took note but didn't mention it.
"He said, and I quote, the thing about breaking a horse, Ty, is that if you go at like you only have 15 minutes, it's gonna take all day. But, if you go at like you have all day, it's only gonna take 15 minutes." He chuckled at the memory.
"Sounds like a cowboy tale mixed with a bit of common sense."
"Yeah. Jack was definitely all cowboy, tough as a boot." Ty added seriously. "He was a good man."
"No doubt. So. How did it work out for you?"
"I took his advice. When I took the pressure off Harley and myself, we actually got it done in the two days."
"Impressive. Remind me. What happened to Harley?"
With an audible breath, he admitted. "I left him with Amy when I moved to Calgary."
"Seems as though you left a lot with her."
His lips pursed as he nodded pensively. He took the last gulp from his mug, ending the discussion.
"What time's your flight?" Ty shifted gears.
"8am."
"We ought to get going then." He said as he put his mug in the sink when went to brush his teeth.
The rescue's vintage door bell jingled as they entered the still, darkened reception area and locked the door behind them. Single file, they followed the dimly lit hallway to the back where Paul standing at the table, making notes in a patient log.
"Hey." Ty greeted him.
"You finally got my text then?" Paul said, somewhat annoyed.
"What text?" Ty asked as he checked his phone.
"The one I sent 45 minutes ago. About Cloud."
"Cloud?" Alarmed, Ty made a beeline to their room, Michael on his heels. When they peered in, the room was completely empty except for the plethora of medical equipment, their low hum and flickering lights.
He turned back to Paul. "What happened? Where are they?" His voice urgent.
"They're fine. They're out back." Paul replied, not moving from his work. "You would have known that if you had read your text."
"What? By themselves?" Concerned, Ty flew through the back door leading to the small fenced yard. Michael followed behind him.
Outside, he stopped in his tracks, blinking to adjust to the pre-dawn light, to the sight before him.
In the middle of the yard, the two horses were huddled together. Cloud was standing beside his mother, leaning against her right shoulder for support. In turn, Wind hung her nose protectively over her colt, tenderly nuzzling him, keeping him close.
"Cloud? Wind? Oh my god!" Ty gasped, breathed out a laugh of relief. "I can't believe it!" His heart leapt with happiness.
Hearing his voice, the mare and colt lifted their heads toward him, shifting their focus, locking their eyes and ears on him.
Likewise, Ty returned their attention, everything else disappeared. Suppressing his desire to rush to them, he instead approached slowly, one step at a time, to not startle them. Measured too were his words and tone as he gently spoke.
"Whoa. Look at you two. You're a sight for sore eyes."
Wind nickered quiet, low, greeting Ty, their rescuer.
Flicking his tail, then shaking his mane, Cloud took a wobbly, but determined step toward him, then another. Wind, glued to his side, walked forward with him, supporting him with her body.
The gap between them closed. Stroking Wind's cheek with his right hand, he whispered. "You're a good momma, Wind."
With his other hand, he cupped the colt's cheek, he bent slightly toward him.
"Cloud. You had me so worried. Now look at you." He chuckled. "You're standing. I'm so proud of you."
Wind nudged Ty's shoulder with her nose, drawing them into a tighter circle. Cloud pressed his body against Ty's.
"You are so beautiful. You both are." He murmured, closing his eyes, their contented breaths in sync.
Pulling back, he felt the need to explain.
"You've both come a long way in a short time. But, we need to get you to a better place so you can continue to get better, be with equine specialists, with other horses. Away from here and this tiny patch of dirt. To acres of meadows and fields so you can graze and just be. As you should."
"We're going take you to Calgary, to UCVM. They have what you need there. Michael will be there to watch over you. Okay?"
Raising her head ever so slightly, Wind snorted in response.
He straightened, turned back to Michael, only to be surprised by their grinning faces. Chip, Mirna, Celina, James and Kerry, not to mention Michael and Paul, were standing in the yard, against the outside wall of the rescue, clearly moved by events.
"Where did you all come from?" Eyes wide, Ty blurted out as he walked toward them.
"From bed!" Mirna chuckled. "We came as soon as Paul texted us."
"I told you that you should have read your text." Paul jabbed.
"Paul. I did not get your text!" Ty reiterated.
"Then you are as blind as a bat." Paul scowled, pulling out his own phone, scrolled to the text. He paused, looked closer at the screen, then looked at Ty.
"Ahhh.." He said sheepishly. "Guess I missed putting you in the group text."
Ty rolled his eyes, softened. "Don't sweat it. I'm just glad that everyone's here and these two are doing so well."
"It's just so wonderful." Celina smiling, leaned into James.
"Yeah. It really is.." Mirna added.
"So, Paul, how did this even happen?" Ty asked. "When we left last night, things didn't look so good."
"Well. I gave him the extra fluids like we discussed. Opened the back door, gave them fresh air like Michael suggested. Til around midnight, Cloud was about the same, showing signs of stress. Orbital tightening, tension above eye area, strained chewing muscles. Increased heart rate and altered respiratory rate. But, little by little he seemed to relax. By 2:30, his stress levels had diminished. Then by 3:15, he was standing."
"I got the text." Chip teased Ty. "So I came in."
"We unhooked them from the machines and walked them outside." Paul continued.
"He had a big BM as soon as he got outside." Chip said. "I think he was plugged up."
"Very scientific... but could be." Mirna smiled.
"It's still pretty great, huh Ty?" Chip asked.
"You said it!" Ty agreed. "So, what do you all think? Are they ready to travel to Calgary?"
"Paul and I checked them over. They both appear to be fit enough. The stress of the long trip will have some impact, so you'll need to stop every couple of hours to monitor their condition."
Paul agreed. "Walk them during your stops."
Ty nodded. "Michael?"
"Just say the word and I'll cancel my flight." He eagerly responded. "Pancakes too."
"Cancel away then! Sounds like we're going on a road trip." Ty beamed.
"And, we're all here to help you get on the road." Celina assured him.
"Alright then. Let's get packed up!" Mirna commanded.
Suddenly the Vancouver Animal Rescue was swarming with activity with Celina orchestrating every movement, starting with coffee, bagels and fruit. Over the next hour, every staff member pitched in willingly to get Ty and Michael on the road. While Chip and Paul packed the trailer to accommodate the horses, everything from bedding, food, water, tack, Ty and Michael prepared the horses, their medications, medical equipment. James took Ty's truck to fill up with gas and check the tire pressure, motor oil and windshield wiper fluid. Mirna went to Ty's apartment to pack up his things for the trip. On her return, she began rounds with the other animals. Celina printed their travel route including stops for the horses, gas and meals, as cell phone reception is known to be spotty. She emailed donor list from the last five years, then packed healthy snacks, water, two thermos of coffee, blankets, medical kit and cat food. Even Kerry took pictures to document the event for their and UCVM's website.
At 5:30, the horses were trailered and Ty and Michael past ready to get on the Trans-Canadian Highway for 16 hour trip to Calgary. Excitement abounded as they formed a reception line, of sorts, behind the rescue to say goodbye.
Paul was the exception. Skipping the goodbyes, he was already back inside with the animals.
Standing at the head of the line, Kerry and Chip were the first to say Goodbye.
"Chip. I'm counting on you while I'm gone." Ty put his hand on his shoulder. "Be here for Mirna and Celina. No matter what."
"You got it." Chip said seriously. "I'll help Paul too, if he lets me."
"You're a good man Chip Boyer. Call or text if you need anything." He shook his hand.
Kerry hugged him. "Have fun."
"Thanks. And, you take care of him." He tilted his head at Chip.
She grinned. "I will."
Next he hugged Mirna. "Thank you for supporting us. I really appreciate it."
"You two are doing a good thing. The right thing." She warned him. "And, don't you dare make Celina worry. You better drive safely. Within the speed limit. Give yourself plenty of room. And. Check in often. Especially on the way back. You hear?"
"We will. Thanks Mirna." He smiled knowing she worried just as much, if not more, than Celina.
She slipped him a square box. "It's from the Chief. Open it later." She smiled.
His eyes widen. "Oh. Interesting."
"It's not always about dollars and cents." She added as she turned to Michael to hug him. "You come back. We love having you here."
Standing next to Celina, James shook Ty's hand. "Have a good trip Ty."
"We will. Thanks for everything."
"Come here, you." Celina hugged him extra tight. "Ty come back to us safe and sound. None of that getting sick business."
He smiled.
"You better. Or else I am personally coming after you."
"She will, you know that right?" James interjected.
"I do." Ty said.
Celina hugged him again.
"You worry too much, Momma C." He kissed her cheek.
She picked up A.K. from the floor, where the kitten had been circling her ankles. She scratched her behind the ears, kissed the top of her head before she handed her over to Ty. "Don't forget to feed A.K. Keep her warm."
"I promise to not let her starve or dehydrate." He drew the kitten to his chest. "Plus. It's only two days."
"Okay mister." She said, her eyes glistening.
He kissed the top of her head. "Love you."
"I love you too, son."
Within fifteen minutes of pulling away from the rescue, the two vets were already on the Trans Canadian Highway, Ty behind the wheel, A.K. curled on his lap, asleep, and Michael in the passenger seat.
"Its pretty much a straight shot, there..minus a few detours due to construction." Michael said looking at the map that Celina printed off.
"And good weather too. Sunny." He mumbled as he put on his sunglasses. "Why don't try to get some shut eye? We can switch after we stop to check on the horses."
"Sleep is useless given the amount of coffee I drank. Do you think it's too early to start calling?"
"Probably. It's just past 7am in Alberta. Unless we have donors east of that."
"Let's see." He opened his laptop, found her email and excel attachment. Clicking on it, the spreadsheet opened. He laughed. "Incredible!"
"What?"
"Celina filtered the spreadsheet by every column, including time zone."
"That's Celina for you. Organized. If I ever had my own clinic, I'd steal her from Mirna in a heartbeat." He said with a straight face.
"Mirna would kill you."
"Probably!" He smirked.
"Ever think about that? Having your own business?"
"Long time ago, with Amy. We talked about it. She'd run the behavioral side. Me the vet side." He shrugged, looked out his side mirror, then straight ahead again.
"Still think about it?" Michael looked at Ty's profile.
"I'm content at the rescue." He said, not answering the question. "You?"
"Nah. I really like teaching and the freedom it offers. I still have an equine practice, of sorts, without the worries of a full time clinic, equipment, bills, payroll."
"You mean at the University?"
"Well, yes. But I was really talking about my volunteer work with wild horses. At least Sunday, sometimes more, I work with ASH, rather Alberta Sanctuary for Horses, outside of Sundre. Ever hear of them?"
"Don't they capture wild horses?" Ty asked.
"Well, we do rescues, rehabs, re-homes. But, mostly we try to keep them healthy and protected in wild." Michael explained.
"Love it?" Ty looked over at his friend.
"Yeah. I do. You know, wild horses are in my blood. My true passion. It's been that way since my birth. With dad and all."
"Wild horses are pretty special. There's something about watching a group running free. Crazy how the hooves pound the ground. It's like you can feel the earth move under them."
"Yeah. I never grow tired of it." Michael release a sigh of contentment. "But, that reminds me that I have to call them. Let them know I can't come today after all. Mind?" He pulled out his phone.
"Go right ahead."
Michael found the number in his contacts, placed the call.
"Hey Paul. It's Michael...Hey. How's things?...Oh what's going on?...Silvie? Swelling?.. odor? .. oozing?.. fever?...Yeah, she needs to be seen, get a cult done, maybe a different antibiotic. Unfortunately not. I am headed back to Calgary but I won't be able to come by today after all... Yeah. He surprised us and did this crazy turnaround last night. We're hauling both the mare and colt back as I speak...Oh. Okay. Good...Well, if that doesn't work out, let me know. I'll call around the school...Sorry for all back and forth. Thanks. See you next week. Bye."
"Everything okay?"
"One of our rescues had been attacked by a cougar when she was in the wild. I've been treating her wounds for the last couple of weeks. Seems she's taken a turn for the worst."
"How bad?"
"Hind end gouges were pretty deep. Paul says there's new swelling, oozing, some odor. My guess it's abscessed. To compound things, a few days ago, she became defensive and won't let anyone near to continue treatment." He rubbed the back of his head. "He is gonna reach out to another vet to come take a look." He frowned.
"Sorry Michael. I know you want to be there."
"Yeah. This is important work too." He pressed his lips. "Might as well play with this spreadsheet, see if I can knock out some calls." He grew quiet as he focused on the screen.
"Well, there's one donor in Atlantic, one in Eastern and seven in Central time zones. Might as well start with Atlantic. It's 10:25 there."
"Makes sense."
"Okay. The donor is Battiste Russell, from St. Marys Bay, Nova Scotia."
"What's the name again?"
"Battiste Russell."
"I think that's Claire's dad."
"He made a 27 dollar donation on November of 2014."
"Hmm. About the time we went to Nova Scotia." Ty scratched his scruffy chin. "You know, her family isn't made of money. He's a fisherman. Could you just call and thank him? Don't ask for a donation?"
"Sure. Should I put it on loud speaker so you can hear?"
"Nah. Too much road noise."
"Right. Here goes." He dialed the number listed. The call was fairly short.
"How did it go?"
"Fine. He had a bit of an accent so it was sort of hard to understand. He answered with Kwe'?"
"Hello in Mi'kmaq." Ty answered with some authority.
"Figured. On to the Eastern time zone." Michael looked closer at the screen, then turned to Ty. "Ah Ty."
"What?"
"Andrew Pierson. 5000 donation."
Startled, Ty returned his glance. "In Eastern time zone?"
"Yes. His address is Bromont, Quebec."
"I thought he was in Hudson."
"Maybe. But, its only 7:45 in Hudson."
"Too early."
"Right. I'll do the Central ones first."
More an hour later, Michael had finished calling the seven donors.
"Dang. I didn't get a single bite."
"This is gonna be tougher than I thought."
"Should I call Andrew now? It's almost 9 there in Hudson."
"It's only 10 miles to Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park. So let's hold off a bit." Ty suggested.
"Will do." Michael asked. "Wanna switch at the park?"
"Yeah. That's sounds good. So what does Celina say about it?"
"Let's see." He pulled out the map and the accompanying notes. "If you don't steal her, I will. Celina is crazy organized."
"Yeah. She's amazing."
"Listen to this. Celina quotes the Parks website. Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park encompasses the entire canyon of the Coquihalla River leading eventually to Coquihalla Pass. The park was first established as the Coquihalla Canyon Recreation Area, then upgraded and renamed with full provincial park status in 1997.
Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park is most known for its unique attraction – the Othello Tunnels. These are a series of man-made tunnels built in 1914 carved through granite rocks, a former operational railroad – Kettle Valley Railway. The rail-bed crosses the Coquihalla River several times, the trestles have long been converted to walkways, and the views of the Coquihalla River are simply epic! "
"Sounds nice."
"Okay. Says here that we're supposed to call Karol Redner, the park ranger, and let him know we are close. We can check on the horses in the meadow at the park entrance." Michael phoned the park ranger and made arrangements.
As planned, Karol Redner was waiting at the park entrance for them to arrive.
Ty rolled down his window. "Hello Karol. I'm Ty Borden and this is Michael Barnes. We spoke on the phone a few minutes ago?"
"Hello Dr. Borden. Just pull over there." He pointed to an empty lot for oversized vehicles next to a grassy field. "The meadow is all yours."
"Thanks. We won't be much more than a half an hour." Ty speculated.
"Very good." He waved them on.
After quick health check, Ty and Michael led the horses on a leisurely walk in the park's lush meadow so everyone, including A.K. could stretch their legs. The canyon and river views and fresh air were a welcomed reprieve from the drive. Within 40 minutes, they were back on the road, this time with Michael behind the wheel.
"They are holding up really well." Michael offered.
"Yeah. I'm relieved." Ty said as A.K. settled down into a ball on his lap again.
"What's our next stop?" Michael asked.
Ty pulled out and read from Celina's map and instructions.
"Lac Le Jeune. It's another provincial park with a meadows and a lake. We're supposed to call park ranger Grainger Ledbetter when we're 10 minutes out."
"Sounds good."
"Might as well get to the Mountain time zone donors." Ty shifted A.K. to his left thigh, balancing the laptop on his right. He fiddled around with the filters of the spreadsheet.
"Looks like 21 donors. Oh boy."
"Wonder if we know anyone?"
"Maybe. Let me read off the names. Sarah Brown 100, Jake Castile 100, Doug Dugan 500, Tracy Dunn 250, Tim Ellis 300, Beth Hart 200" Ty raddled off the first few names.
"What's Beth Hart's address?" Michael interrupted.
"Let me see...115 Main Street, Calgary."
"Oh. She's one of the Vet School administrators."
"Want to call her?"
"Nah. You can have the honors." Michael grinned at Ty.
"Okay. Let's see. Ike Inkbery 100, Steve Jung 300, Mac Kane 200...Wow. Get a load of this. Al King 30000. Nice!"
"No kidding!"
"Wait. Al King has made several donations." Ty counted the number of donations and dollar amount. "Five donations for a total of 60000."
"Man. Someone with deep pockets for sure. What's the address?"
"It's just a post box in Hudson."
"Your old stomping grounds."
"Yeah, but his name doesn't strike a bell."
"Start with him then?" Michael suggested.
"No. I got to get my spiel down first. I'll do the others first."
"Makes sense." Michael shifted in his seat. "You know I always wondered how Mirna was able to send us on so many missions week after week."
"Now we know. Al King. Wonder what his back story is?" Ty pondered.
"Maybe you can find out."
"I'll try. Better get started."
Over the next hour and a half, Ty meticulously worked down the list of donors, calling each one.
"That's 20 down. 2 donations of 100 each. This is harder than I expected."
"Yeah. Mr. King may be the answer to our prayers."
"Maybe." Ty entered the number into his cell. Before he pressed call, he asked. "Want me to put it on speaker?"
Michael nodded, grinned. "Yes! I wanted to hear his voice. See if it sounds rich."
"You got it." Ty pressed call. After two rings, his call was picked up by woman.
"Good morning. Hillhurst Stables. This is Stephanie. How may I assist?"
Hearing her say Hillhurst Stables, Ty was caught off guard. He paused before he spoke.
"Ah, yes. Good morning Stephanie. This is Dr. Ty Borden. May I please speak with Mr. Al King?"
"Hold one moment, please."
Ty raised his eyebrows as he glanced at Michael.
"Sorry for the delay. There is not a Mr. Al King at this facility currently." Stephanie informed him.
"Oh."
"Anything else I can assist with?" She asked politely.
"Ah. Maybe. I am trying to reach Mr. King on behalf of the University of Calgary and the Vancouver Animal Rescue. You see in 2014, Mr. King was a major benefactor to a wildlife externship. He listed Hillhurst Stables and this phone number as his contact information. Could you check your records from 2014? Maybe he left a forwarding number or address."
"I can do that. What months in 2014?" She asked.
"July through November."
"Hold one moment please." The distinct sound of keyboard clicks sounded on the speaker for several minutes.
"Ah. Dr. Borden?" Stephanie said.
"Yes?"
"Sorry to keeping you waiting. We do not have a Mr. Al King specifically listed during that time. Prince Ahmed al Saeed leased the entire facility for the entire calendar year of 2014. Could Mr. King possibly be a part of that organization?"
Again caught off guard, Ty did not respond immediately.
"Dr. Borden, are you still there?"
"Ah. Yes. I believe he was, I mean, he is a part of the Prince's organization. Do you have the current contact information?"
After getting the information, Ty thanked Stephanie then ended the call.
Visibly shaken, Ty slammed the laptop shut, startling A.K. out of her slumber. The frightened kitten arched her back, hissed, then dug her sharp tiny claws into Ty's thigh.
"Ouch!" Ty muttered under his breath. He closed his eyes, exhaled, trying to regain composure.
"Ty. What's going on?" Michael turned to him.
"It's okay A.K." He pulled the small cat to his chest.
"Ty?" Michael was concerned.
"I'm not sure of anything any more." He said, looking straight out the window. "Everything apparently has been a sham."
"What are you talking about?"
"There is no Al King. Prince Ahmed al Saeed is the one who made all those donations."
"Okay. So what if he did?"
"Don't you see. Getting the externship. Leaving Hudson. Moving to Calgary. Going on the missions. Probably Claire. Getting the job. Everything. I am just a puppet on the end of that royal asshole's strings." His jaw muscles twitched.
"Look. I don't know what you're talking about. But, we just passed a sign for Lac Le Jeune. It's 2 miles away. Call the park ranger. We can figure this out when we get there." Michael said firmly.
Mirroring the blue skies above and the surrounding spruce, fir and green grasses, Walloper Lake lapped gently against its park shores creating a tranquil setting. In the distance, children laughed and played and boats puttered across the water. Immersed in his thoughts and, more importantly his responsibilities to the horses, Ty didn't take notice any of it. Their stop in the park was a quick 15 minutes, ensuring that the horses were in good stead then they were off again.
With old blues playing in the background, Michael was again behind the wheel, eyes focused on the road ahead. Ty silent in the passenger seat, closed his eyes, not to sleep but to ruminate. Occasionally, Michael glanced at his friend, worried but giving him space none the less.
Half to their next stop, Blue River, Ty sighed, opened his eyes, turned to Michael and asked. "Want some coffee?"
"Yeah. I could really use some." Michael sounded tired.
Ty rummaged around the backseat, found the thermos and poured them each a cup. "Here." He handed Michael an insulated cup of coffee.
"Thanks." Michael took a sip. "Hot and strong. Just what I needed."
"Yeah." Ty offered, took another gulp. "I'm sorry about earlier. I'll take the next two shifts."
Michael nodded.
"Want a cookie or a sandwich?" Ty asked. "I'm hungry."
"Me too. How about a cookie for now? That should hold me to our next stop."
Finishing his snack, Michael asked. "You wanna talk?"
Ty shrugged, shook his head No, then proceeded to talk anyhow. "Have you ever felt like you've been hoodwinked into thinking one thing when the truth is something very different? Like you've been living a lie or?" He didn't finish as his jaw clenched, twitched.
"Not sure exactly what you're asking. But, no, can't say I have." He shifted in his seat. "Surely you don't feel that way, do you?"
"Everything in my life for the last four years depended upon my getting that externship. It changed the direction of my life." He chuckled in disbelief. "Now I find out that I probably didn't even earn it. That fucking Prince paid Mirna to give me the damn externship. He got what he wanted. If he couldn't have Amy..." Again, he didn't finish.
"Ty, you aren't making sense. You were the top of our class. Every thing you did, you excelled at. Of course, Mirna wanted you for the externship."
"I'm not so sure."
"Why? Because Al King or Prince Whoever made these donations? That's quite a leap, don't you think?" His brows knit, his expression skeptical. "If it's true, what does that say about Mirna?"
"You saw the list of the other donations. They're all small. His donations allowed the externship to exist."
"Maybe we should call Mirna or Celina. I think they can dispel your theories."
"Or cement them." Ty added.
"Maybe... call."
Ty pulled out his phone, dialed Celina. Michael turned off the radio.
"Hey Ty. Where are you?" Celina answered happily in half a ring.
"Hey. We're an hour outside of Blue River." He said factually. "You're on speaker."
"Hey Michael."
"Hey Celina."
"You're making good time." Celina said.
"Thanks to you." He said almost wistfully.
"You're not calling to thank me. What's wrong?" She could hear it in his voice that something was amiss.
"Nothing is wrong." He replied. "We're making calls from your donor list."
"Any luck?"
"Not much." His voice was downbeat.
"Fundraising is never easy." She commiserated, but read between the lines. "But, that's not the problem, is it?"
"No." He admitted, then asked. "Why did you and Mirna select me for the externship?"
"That's easy. Because you were our number one candidate. You had excellent grades, great experience, terrific references. And, you proved us absolutely correct in our decision." She answered without hesitation.
"We just called Al King's contact."
"Okay..." she was trying to keep up with his shifting questions. "Did you reach him?"
"No. Did you ever meet him?" He forged on.
"No, never met him, though I did speak to him once or twice. Mirna talked with him several times."
"Did he have an accent? Like he was from another country?"
"Ty. That was years ago. I don't remember. Ty. What is this about?"
He could hear the concern in her voice as she could in his.
"Did his donations come before or after you selected me?" He pushed.
"Hold on for a minute Ty." He could hear quick footsteps through the phone before she put him on mute for several minutes.
"Ty. I'm in Mirna's office now and I am putting you on speaker." Celina informed him.
"Ty. It's Mirna. Celina is upset. What's going on? You okay?" Worry infiltrated her tone.
"We're all fine. We've been making calls to the donors on Celina's list."
"So Celina tells me."
"Do you remember Al King?" He asked.
"Yes, of course. He was a important benefactor to your externship."
"Did he have a foreign accent?" He continued on.
"He was Saudi Arabian so somewhat, yes." She answered like she was being deposed.
"Did you ever meet him?"
"No."
"Did he ever say anything about Prince Ahmed Al Saeed?"
"No. Not that I can remember."
"Why did he want to donate to the externship?" Ty kept pushing.
"If I recall correctly, he had inherited some family money and thought the externship was a good mission to invest in." Mirna responded patiently.
"Did he donate before or after you selected me?"
"If I recall correctly, We selected you early July, after we got the applications. His donations came after, in July or August. Check me, Celina?"
"I believe his first donation was the end of July in 2014. About a few weeks after we selected Ty." Celina piped in.
"Did his donations fund the entire externship?"
"No. The University and Vets Without Boarders provided the seed funds. His donations allowed us to add two more students. Ultimately, our wonderful Michael and Claire. And, to do more missions. Many more missions." She answered again, without trepidation. "Why are you asking? What's going on?"
Ty sighed heavily but did not respond.
"Ty." He tone firm, persistent.
"I am not sure. But, I think Al King is really Prince Ahmed al Saeed from Saudi Arabia."
"Why do you think that?"
"Al King's contact information was Hillhurst Stables in Hudson. There is a no record of an Al King being there now or in 2014. Only Prince Ahmed Al Saeed, his Saudi Arabian jumping team and his staff were at Hillhurst during the times of the donations." Ty explained.
"Okay. People who donate large sums sometimes do so anonymously or under an alias. They want to avoid publicity. If he really was a prince, I guess that follows."
"Yeah. I think there's more to the story."
"Like what Ty?" Mirna asked patiently.
"Ahmed didn't want me in Hudson any more."
"Why? How do you know him?"
"It's a long story. But, my fiancé was his horse trainer before and during the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Europe. His Saudi Arabian team actually won the silver jump metal. Anyhow. He had a thing for her. So he wanted me out of the picture. Out of Hudson."
"I see." She cleared her throat. "Ty, you never mentioned that you had a fiancé."
"I know." He sighed. "We were kind of taking a break at the time. We were trying to patch things up. I didn't..."
"You don't have to explain." She paused then gently asked. "So, Ty, tell me, why did you apply for the externship?"
"I really wanted the opportunity to work with wild animals, to make a difference, to experience new things. I wanted adventure." He exhaled heavily. "To learn, to travel."
"Was it your choice to apply?"
"Of course."
"Okay. Good." She paused then asked. "So, why did you accept?"
"Same reasons." Ty shrugged.
"And your fiancé? Weren't you trying to patch things up? What was her position on you taking the externship, leaving Hudson and moving to Calgary?"
"Amy was very supportive. She said the externship was an opportunity of a lifetime for me." He answered honestly.
"I hope you thought that as well."
"I did then." He replied. "I still do."
"Ty. I'm not sure that I completely understand what's going on here. But, let me reassure you that you were our first choice for the externship when we only had one slot available. With or without the extra donations from Mr. King or the Prince or whomever, you were selected for the externship. And, you were our first choice for the Vet position at the rescue as well. We were thrilled that you accepted both. You are a talented, intuitive and hard working vet and surgeon, never doubt that. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Good. Second. In life we always have a choice. We can always say No. Or better yet, say Yes. We can even change our mind. You were in no obligation to accept the externship, move to Calgary or even go on every mission. You know that, right?"
He sighed. "I guess."
"No one forced you?"
"No."
"Life is full of great and wondrous adventures, experiences, opportunities, sights, sounds, animals, places, people and things that we can choose to pursue. For me, I choose to follow my passion for rescuing wild animals around the world. And, I have been well pleased with my choice, my decision." She expounded.
"Despite that, I can also say that I have had regrets. You know, opportunities that I didn't take. Adventures I passed up, things I didn't do. And, relationships that I didn't pursue or work to sustain. For me, it's relationships that are my biggest regrets. But, hindsight is twenty-twenty, they say. I've learned that regrets are always regrets unless you do something about them."
"I have plenty of regrets." Ty frowned.
"We all do. We're human. But, remember, we have a choice."
"Right."
"Do you have other questions? Or concerns?" Mirna asked.
"No, I'm good." Ty replied sounding somewhat defeated.
"Michael?"
"No, I'm good." Michael repeated Ty's words.
"And, Wind and Cloud? How are they? And, the trip?"
"Everything is fine." Ty answered vaguely.
"Good to hear. Keep up the good work. Be safe on your drive."
With good-byes all around, Ty ended the call. Michael turned on the radio, a old Muddy Waters song was playing.
"Any better?" Michael asked Ty.
He shrugged. "Not really."
"You should call her."
"Yeah. And say what?" A.K. was purring, laying on her back, belly exposed, legs outstretched. He was mindlessly rubbing her stomach.
"Hello for starters."
"Right. Then what? Heard you're dating Andrew Pierson. How's that going?" Ty smirked. "No thanks. She's moved on."
"How about this? I heard you've enrolled in school. How's that going?"
"Michael. You heard Mirna. I had a choice and I picked Nova Scotia instead of going home to Amy. So, she moved on. This is on me."
"Ty. Nova Scotia came up so suddenly right after Dad's heart attack. You really didn't feel like you had a choice, did you?
Ty said nothing as he stared straight ahead, out the windshield.
"That's what I thought. You put me, our friendship first." He glanced at his friend.
He looked at Michael. "You would do the same and have."
The two men contemplated their next words.
"Do you think that prince orchestrated the Nova Scotia mission somehow?" Michael asked.
Ty pressed his lips into a thin line, then nodded.
"How?"
"Timing of his donations in relation to missions. The other vet students dropping out. Claire being selected." He rattled off his assumptions.
"I think you're right..."
Ty looked at him.
"Ty, do you think Mirna or Celina knew?" Michael asked.
"No. It was just a donation to them."
"Yeah. I agree."
"What difference does it make now? It's all water under the bridge."
"Mirna said something key though." Michael said.
"What's that?"
"Regrets are always regrets until you do something about them." Michael repeated her words.
"Hmm. Nice in theory."
"Unless there's more to the story?"
Ty didn't respond.
"Oh, I see."
Over the next half hour, the truck's cab was filled with a musical tribute to Robert Johnson, a blues guitar pioneer, whose short life produced lasting songs about love lost and hard living.
It's wasn't until Michael saw a highway sign for Blue River that he broke their silence. "Blue River 10 miles. Could you pull out Celina's notes on Blue River?"
"Yeah." He read aloud from her notes. "Blue River is a small community, population of 230, nestled amidst the pristine landscape of the Upper North Thompson Valley, surrounded by lush interior rainforests of cedar and spruce, majestic mountain peaks and sparking glacier fed lakes including Murtle Lake, the largest canoe-only lake in North America. Hiking, wildlife viewing, and fishing are popular activities in summer."
When you are with 10 miles of the exit, call RCMP Officer Ernie Cohen. He'll meet you at the Blue River Hotel."
He murmured. "I'll call."
After ending the call with the officer, Ty informed Michael. "New plan. We're meeting him at the Grizzly Bear Cafe. He says that they have awesome burgers."
"Good. I am starving."
"Me too."
Exiting the highway, Michael pulled into the gravel Grizzly Bear Cafe parking lot and parked. A young guy dressed in shorts, t-shirt, baseball cap and river shoes waved, then approached their truck.
"Think that's Officer Cohen? He barely looks old enough to be out of high school." Ty remarked, just before he opened his door to exit the truck.
"Officer Cohen?" Michael asked as they approached the young man.
"Yep. Call me Ernie." He said as they shook hands, made introductions.
"New RCMP uniforms?" Michael teased.
"My day off." Good natured, Ernie explained, then suggested. "Let's order. I highly recommend the Grizzly Burger."
After getting their food, they followed Ernie's truck, a canoe strapped on top, through the Campground and RV park, straight to the edge of Blue River, and parked.
The three checked the horses then unloaded them into a small fenced area of green grass next to the river so Cloud and Wind could graze, breath fresh air and get their land legs. Settling at a picnic table close by, they watched the horses and the river while eating their lunch of grizzly burgers, fries and cokes and talked. A.K. scampered not far off, found a large bush to climb.
"So, Ms. Gomez said it was cougar attack. Was that in Vancouver?" Ernie asked.
"Actually, a bit north of Vancouver in Squamish." Ty piped up.
"Both of them?"
"Yeah. We speculate that the cougar attacked the colt first. When the mare tried to protect her offspring, she suffered injuries as well."
"Lucky that either survived."
"Yeah. Cloud, the colt, was really bad off. But, they're both fighters." Ty said.
"Does Blue River have cougars?" Michael asked.
"There have been a few sightings of late. Couple weeks ago, a tourist shot video of one closer to the Thompson River. So far no domestic animal has been attacked... as far as we know."
"So Ernie. Tell us about Blue River." Michael asked keeping the conversation going while Ty just listened.
"Well, not much to say. It's a pretty small town, about 250 or so, named after the river." He tipped his head toward the river. "We get a pretty good number of tourists every season. You know, fishing, floating, hiking, hunting, skiing and that."
"Sounds nice. You partake in all that?"
"When I can, I do. In the summer, I fish. I have a secret hole on the Blue, right past North Thompson River crossing. Sometimes I hire out as a guide when I'm not working to earn a little extra."
"Fishing today then?" Michael asked.
"Nah. We're taking the canoe to the Murtle Lake. Want to get a paddle in before it rains tomorrow."
"We?" Michael asked.
"Yes. Celeste and me." Ernie grinned just saying her name. "She's my fiancé."
Michael raised his brows.
"Yeah. Everyone says that. We've together, ever since she was 15. She just graduated so." He said as though it explained everything, but then added. "Plus, I just got on full time with RCMP."
"Congratulations." Ty and Michael said in unison.
"Thanks. We're pretty excited. Wedding is next month."
"That is exciting." Michael added.
"She's coming here after her shift ends at the hotel. So you'll meet her." He checked his watch. "In about fifteen minutes. Celeste isn't a big fan of fishing. Too boring, she says. But she loves canoeing."
"It's a perfect day for it." Ty inhaled the clean mountain air. "You know, that river is a crazy shade of turquoise blue."
"Yeah. Supposedly, the color is a result of the minerals in the Rockies glacier melt. It's real clear too. Great for fishing."
"Absolutely breathtaking." Michael agreed. "Other than tourism, what is the industry here?"
"Logging. But, not like before. Mostly, it's just tourism."
"Nice."
"Nice. Except when you have to retrieve some yahoo from the river." Ernie grimaced as he shook his head. "Happens at least twice a season."
Suddenly he broke into a wide grin and stood. "Here comes Celeste. She's early." He had only eyes for her.
Ty and Michael watched as Ernie, in his hast, quickly walked to her. The two embraced, then kissed tenderly, before they returned to the picnic table, fitted together, his arm protectively around her waist.
Celeste, a petite red head with freckles and a shy smile just for Ernie, was dressed in shorts, river shoes and a bikini top.
"Celeste, this Michael and Ty." Ernie made introductions.
"Hi." She said quietly.
"Ready to go?" He asked her, indicating that it was time for them to get on the river.
She nodded, then added. "Nice to meet you."
"Celeste. Nice meeting you. We should be moving along too. Ernie, that's for your hospitality." Ty said.
The three men shook hands, then parted ways.
With the horses loaded onto the trailer and A.K. asleep on his lap, Ty drove to back to the highway to continue their journey. "Blue River was a good place to stop. What's our next one?"
"You'll laugh. It's a small town called Wynd just this side of Jasper. It's spelled W-Y-N-D." Michael said from the passenger seat.
Ty smirked. "Celina. What is in Wynd?"
"Let's see." Michael read from Celina's notes. "Just west of Jasper, Wynd is a sleepy community along the north side of the Miette River with soaring views of the Rockies. Five miles before you exit, call Lori Holmes, owner of the River Road Stables. Exit on AB 16A, turn left and go two miles on Wynd Road to the stables on the left."
"It's a little over two hours away."
"Why don't you close your eyes for a while?"
"After the Grizzly Bear Burger, I am wide awake. How about I finish our calls?"
"Are you up for it?" Ty gave him a side glance.
"Sure. Why not?" He opened the laptop, then fiddled with the spreadsheet for a bit. "Only four donors left. Pierson 5000, Stillman 20000, Hickerson 100 and Gomez 100."
"Mirna and Celina donated?"
"Mirna, Celina and James."
"Call them first. I've called Lisa Stillman already. She's out of the country for another couple weeks."
Together they called Celina, James and Mirna and expressed their appreciation for their support of the externship. After their morning conversation, these were much more upbeat. Celina, no surprise, even teared up.
"No more stalling. I'm putting my phone on speaker."
"Do I have a choice?"
Michael didn't even respond, instead he just dialed Andrew's number. Within two rings, Andrew answered.
"Bonjour. C'est André."
"Hello Mr. Pierson. This is Dr. Michael Barnes with the University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine. Do you have a moment to speak with me?"
"Yes, of course. How may I assist?"
"First, I would like to thank you for your very generous donation to the UCVM wild Horse externship that you made last week at the Alberta Thoroughbred Owners & Breeders Association dinner."
"Ah. Yes."
"We hope you enjoyed the evening and the presentation by Dr. Hickerson."
"Yes. We did. My date especially enjoyed the wild horse presentation. My donation was in her honor."
"I see. She must be very special."
"More than I can expressed." He said wistfully.
"I don't seem to have that name recorded." Michael probed tactfully.
"Sure. Amy Fleming. You may have heard of her. She's quite talented and famous in her own right as a horse trainer. She even coached me and trained my horse for the upcoming World Games." He said with pride.
"Yes. I have met Ms. Fleming on a couple of occasions and am quite aware of her talent."
"Did you know she'll be applying for Vet School at Calgary?" Andrew added
"I did." Michael said. "Did you know that the externship is established for third year UCVM students who excel in the equine sciences?"
He muttered. "Wait, did you say third year students?"
"Yes."
"So she's not eligible?" Andrew wanted to confirm.
"No, not this year."
"Oh." He grumbled. "Well, she wouldn't accept my help anyhow, she's a bit stubborn."
Ty tried to suppress a laugh.
Michael quickly added. "Regardless, I am certain Ms. Fleming appreciates your generosity in supporting wild horses and upcoming vets."
"Yes. She was very excited when I told her." Andrew sighed heavily, then groused. "Oh well."
"We too are very excited about your generosity. Thank you. Your donation makes a huge difference."
"Sure. Well, I should go."
"Understand. Thank again for your time and donation."
"Um. Could you let her know?" Andrew hedged.
"Absolutely. We can send a card or even call and let her know." Michael offered.
"Good. Thanks."
Michael ended the call. "Seems like a descent guy."
"Yeah he did." Ty said, then added. "I hope he makes her happy."
Michael turned to him and asked. "You're not going to call her, are you?"
Ty shook his head No.
After seven more hours of driving with stops in Wynd and Lake Louise, an exhausted Ty and Michael finally pulled into the University of Calgary Spy Hill campus parking lot in front of Quarantine Barn after 10pm. There, the vet on duty and two veterinary students helped to situate Wind and Cloud into an indoor treatment room equipped with state of the art medical equipment.
"Looks like they both faired pretty well." Ty commented as they headed back to the truck.
"Yeah." Michael replied. "Probably better than us."
"Yeah. I'm beat."
"Me too. I am going to have no problem sleeping tonight."
Back at Michael's apartment, the two weary travelers called Celina to let her know they had arrived safety. Ending the call, Ty handed Michael the square box.
"I almost forgot. It's from the Chief."
"What is it?"
"How should I know? Open it and see." He grinned.
Untying the jute's cord, Michael lifted the lid and found two nearly identical handmade baskets woven of cedar strips nestled within the box. He handed a basket to Ty and inspected the other. "Beautiful." He inhaled the scent. "Smells nice too."
"Yeah. Reminds me of the one at the rescue except it has horses on the side. Bet Naomi made them."
"There's a note." He handed it to Ty.
Ty read it aloud. "Ty and Michael. May Wind and Cloud continue to heal and thrive under your care. Blessings, Love and Hey Chewx. Naomi and Ian."
"What a nice gesture."
"Yeah." Ty smiled as he tried to stifle a yawn. "I gotta say, I'm beat. I gotta get some shuteye."
"Me too. Take the guest room." Michael pointed to the door in the right.
"Thanks for everything. You're a good friend." He shook Michael's hand.
"Back at you. Night."
"Night."
Retiring to their rooms, as predicted, both men were soon in bed and sound asleep.
Hello Readers.
Happy Autumn. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. You may remember Silvie from Chapter 1.
SBR