Ty's Monday through Sunday
Nearly 1am, he was in bed in Michael's spare bedroom, wide awake, staring at the ceiling. His body was exhausted from hiking and camping, yet his mind was nowhere close to sleep.
He wasn't particularly worried about teaching, although he wasn't looking forward to it either. Ellen had sent him the 411 Basic Surgical Principles course materials which he reviewed, so he was more than prepared. She assured him that, despite being in the surgical lab, instead of a horse stall, the class would be small and fairly informal, given that it was summer. But, that wasn't his problem with sleep.
It was actually Michael who kept him awake. Ty had never seen him like that before, beside himself with giddiness, so overcome with raw emotion that he couldn't sit or stand in one place so he paced, completely flustered yet absolutely certain that he had found the one, his true match, all because of a woman he had just met.
Ty replayed their conversation in his head more than once.
"I noticed her as soon as I walked in to the cafe. She was by herself, reading a Louise Penny book, so completely engrossed that she didn't even notice when I sat down at the next table." He paced around the room, chuckling at the memory. "But, I noticed everything about her."
"As she read, she had this cute habit of twirling her finger around the end of her long hair." Michael was almost breathless. "She had the most beautiful hair, long, dark, and silky."
"And, her lips moved as she read. Not like she was actual mouthing the words, but more like she was reacting to them. Like a sigh or an ooh. And her big brown eyes were so expressive, sparkly. They danced as though they were enchanted by what was on the page." He stopped to sigh heavily, then began to pace again.
"I was mesmerized. Everything about her was so incredibly...beautiful, wonderful, so breathtaking. I couldn't barely take my eyes off of her."
"That great, huh?"
"Yes." Blissfully, he sighed. "When her takeout order came, she got up to leave. I couldn't bear to see her go, to just walk away." He ran his hands through his hair nervously as though he was reliving the moment. "So I blurted out the first thing I could think of."
"Oh no. What did you say?" Ty winced, anticipating the worst.
"I asked her about Glass Houses."
"Glass Houses?"
"The book she was reading." He read Ty's expression. "I know. Pathetic." He laughed at himself. "But, she looked at me with those big brown eyes and smiled." He laughed again in disbelief. "So, we talked about the book until I got up the courage and asked her to stay."
"To stay?"
"To stay and have dinner with me. When she said yes, my heart stopped. She shook my hand and told me her name. Alicia." He breath her name. "Ty. I just knew. She was the one. I never wanted to let her go." Michael's eyes shining with sheer joy.
"That's some story! Who knew that a book could be a such a great pick-up line." He grinned back at Michael. "I'm so happy for you, man."
"Me too. I can hardly believe it."
"So, what happened next?"
For the next two hours, Michael talked about everything shared between them, every word, every smile, every look, every touch, every moment, clearly etched permanently in his memory. As Ty listened, his concern for his friend grew, yet he kept those thoughts to himself.
"She sounds terrific, Michael. I am happy for you both." He replied after Michael finished telling of their lingering goodbye, sans a parting kiss, outside the cafe's door and their plan to meet the following Friday for dinner.
But, now as he laid in bed, exhausted, his own thinking muddled, skewed, his worry for his friend grew to outsized proportions. He was certain that this would end badly, in disappointment, rejection, or worse, heartbreak that would haunt Michael for a lifetime. He knew those too well, and he wouldn't wish them on his worst enemy, not alone his best friend.
He began to plot how he was going to convince Michael to slow down, to take a breath, be cautious, maybe even step away.
"I'll talk to him in the morning." He told himself.
Eventually, exhaustion won out, lulling him into a deep slumber, transporting him to another place and time. It was summer, hot with the scent of cut grass and sweat earned from hard work. The air was thick with an incessant chirp of cicadas and the buzz of bees. More than satisfied, he looked over the mown field of green, it's course of stacked hay bales and piles of tree trunks and branches, arranged in accordance to the rules. He saw her, astride the mended black gelding, jumping skillfully, flying over each obstacle, scanning for the next. Joy lit up her entire being as her blonde braids under a white cowboy hat bobbed gracefully with each stride. Coming to a full stop, mere feet away, her shy blue eyes somehow found their way to his, her smile bashful yet full of meaning, her fingertips waved to him, touching his heart. At that moment, he just knew. She was the one. He never wanted to let her go. He waved back.
When he woke, rested and refreshed, the pleasant dream still vivid in his mind. Given the time, the apartment was strangely quiet and still as Michael was usually up and about, but he gave it only passing thought as he headed into the bathroom to shower. Emerging later dressed in jeans and a gray button down, his hair wet, slicked back, his face unshaven, and feet bare, he noticed him sitting in near darkness, staring straight ahead, shoulders slumped, still dressed in yesterday's clothes.
"Michael? Everything okay?" He asked entering the living room.
"I'm pathetic." He said, his voice flat, his normal positive demeanor nowhere to be found.
"Hardly. Why would you say that?"
"I can't stop thinking about her. My stomach is tied up in knots. My heart is having palpitations. One second I'm smiling like an idiot, the next I have this sinking feeling I'll never see her again. What if she didn't give me her number because she's not interested?" His gleeful high from the previous night now a sullied low as his insecurities overtook his emotions.
"You've got it bad, man." Ty smiled at his friend. "Did you sleep any last night?"
"Not much." He admitted.
"Go take a shower. I am going to get the coffee going and make us some breakfast. We can talk after you have something in your stomach. Okay?" His protectiveness kicked into high gear.
Grudgingly, Michael agreed, leaving the room.
20 minutes later, Michael returned showered, dressed for work, but still unshaven, unusual for him. Scrambled eggs with cheese, toast and strawberry fig jam were centered on the table set with dishes, flatware and paper napkins.
"I'm not sure I can eat."
"Have a seat. I'll pour you some coffee." Ty said. "That will help."
Michael muttered something unintelligible, still in a sullen mood.
Placing two cups of steaming coffee on the table, one for each of them, Ty took a seat. "Drink up."
After they both had a few gulps, Ty suggested. "Eat some toast, that will settle your stomach. Maybe some jam." He figured an aphrodisiac couldn't hurt. "Eggs too. You need some protein. Don't forget...oh shoot."
Ty pursed his lips, pushed back his chair, then headed into the kitchen. Returning to his seat with a bottle of ketchup, he upturned it, squeezing a large puddle of ketchup onto the middle of his empty plate.
"What are you doing?" Michael frowned.
Before he could reply, the ketchup bottle farted loudly, spewing tiny red droplets across his plate in a Spirograph pattern. Ty chuckled, Michael rolled his eyes, not amused.
"I'm having some eggs with my ketchup. What else?" He scooped eggs into the red blob, then shoved a forkful of yellow and red into his mouth. "Mmm. Here. Have some. It's good for you." Ty passed him the bottle.
"No thanks." Michael took a bite of dry toast, his expression forlorn.
"You're missing out." Ty said, then took a long draw on his coffee. "Last night I dreamt of the first moment that I realized that I loved her. That I had always loved her."
"You did?" Michael knew he meant Amy, but didn't want to break his promise to never say her name.
Ty nodded.
"Sorry that I.."
"Michael. Stop." He said firmly. "You met someone that made you deliriously happy. I've never seen you so happy." He smiled at his friend. "You reminded me how good having someone special feels."
It was Michael's turn to nod.
"It's nice, isn't it?" Ty asked.
"Yeah, it is." He let a heavy sigh. "But, what if she doesn't feel the same way? What if it's just me?"
"Guess you'll find out Friday night."
"If she even shows." He groused.
"She'll show."
"Maybe I should bag the whole thing." He said glumly.
"What? And miss out?" He shook his head. "Here's the thing, Michael. If there's even the slightest chance that Alicia might be the one, you need to show up and find out. One way or another. Don't let a bad case of what ifs stop you. You have to show up. You have to be willing to take a risk for the chance of something more." He served up his advice.
"But, look where it got you." He lobbed back without thinking, wishing he could take it back. "Sorry. I didn't mean that."
"Exactly. I didn't show up, Michael. She was waiting for me but I didn't show up. That's all I had to do. Show. Up." He swore under his breath, realizing the simple truth of their break-up. Everything else flowed from his decision.
"But you had to go to Nova Scotia..." Michael gave him an easy out.
"No I didn't. Mirna made that clear. No one twisted my arm. Not you. Not Ahmed. I wanted to go to Nova Scotia. So I went. Without considering Amy, without talking with her, I went. It's as simple as that. I wasn't there for her then. Or after."
Michael just listened.
Ty's eyes honed in on Michael's eyes, then warned. "You have a chance to be happy with someone, someone who may be the one. You need to show up."
He nodded.
"Promise me."
"Promise." Michael nodded. "You know. It's not too late for you and..." He purposely didn't say her name.
"You never quit, do you?" Ty pressed his lips, shook his head. "I made mistakes that I have to live with. Things that I can never undo." He admitted. "Look. Amy's happy. She deserves that and more. I'm not going to screw that up for her. Not again." Resolute, he looked down at his plate, then shoveled another heaping forkful into his mouth, not tasting anything but regret.
Michael said nothing as he squeezed ketchup onto his plate, finished with a long, multi-toot fart diverting Ty's attention. Both men gave a half smile, then talked about the day's weather. Overcast.
Ty looked at the time, sighed heavily. "We gotta get moving. A couple of horses are waiting on us." He said, carrying his dishes to the sink then headed to his room to pack up.
Driving to the Quarantine Barn separately, Ty was the first to arrive. Ellen met him at the stall entrance. Paul was at her side.
"Good to see you Ty. Glad you're here." She seemed anxious to see him.
"Good morning Ellen, Paul. Everything okay?" He replied, hearing the urgency in her voice.
"I'd like you to take a look at Cloud. Particularly his stitches and drain." She handed him the colt's latest vitals, stats and labs, which he reviewed quickly.
He stepped into the stall greeting both horses, then focused on Cloud. "How's it going, Cloud? Feeling good today?"
The colt nickered softly. Putting latex gloves on, he ran his fingers down the length of his wound. The colt did not pull away. He pullout his stethoscope check his heart, chest and stomach.
As he finished, Michael arrived. "Hey Michael. Take a look at Cloud's log." Ty requested, handing him the tablet.
"So, no drainage for 26 hours." Michael summarized.
"And, no swelling or hot spots. No fever either. I think it's time to take out the Penrose. Do you agree?"
"Yes. It's time."
Ty looked to Ellen, then to Paul, for confirmation. Both nodded.
"Let's remove it then." Ty said.
"Excellent." She said enthusiastically, tilting her head ever so slightly, smiling widely. "You know, Ty...the drain removal would be a great opportunity for the students to observe. Of course, only if your game."
He puckered his lips as he considered it. "I have class at 9 and a tour of the surgical lab right before that. Can we do it right at 8?"
"Yes, we can make that work." She glanced at Paul. "I'll let the students know about the slight change." As she focused on her phone, Ty began to assemble his instruments and supplies.
Right at 8 sharp, with Paul standing on Ellen's right and Ty and Michael on her left, she cleared her throat. The mass of students, that had grow to twenty or more, quieted.
"Students. We have two special presentations this morning. Let me introduce our guests. By now you know Dr. Michael Barnes, to my far left, and Dr. Ty Borden on my immediate left." She nodded to them both, then looked to Paul. "And, on my right, Dr. Paul Bourne is here from the Vancouver Animal Rescue where he is an associate of Dr. Borden. Dr. Bourne performed the initial surgery on Wind. He will discuss those repairs a bit later in class."
Surprised, Ty leaned forward to catch Paul's eye, but he was facing the class, appearing surprisingly confident as a round of claps rose.
"But, first, Dr. Ty Borden will demonstrate the removal of the Penrose drain from Cloud's neck wound. Dr. Barnes will assist. Dr. Borden." As she stepped aside, Ty stepped forward to clapping.
"Morning everyone. As you know, Cloud, a two and half month colt, was viciously attacked and seriously wounded by a cougar while grazing in a fenced field in B.C. with Wind, his mare. The cougar lunged from the front, grasping onto to his shoulders with her powerful claws. Here and here." He pointed to the scars. "Aiming for the jugular, she sunk her sharp teeth into his throat. Here. And here." He ran his fingers down the stitched wound. "Though he sustained life-threatening and extensive wounds, lucky for Cloud, his jugular was not breached. His mother, Wind, came to his defense ultimately fighting off the aggressive cougar. She too suffered wounds in the fight. As Dr. Edmonson mentioned, Dr. Bourne skillfully and successfully performed the surgery to repair Wind's wounds and will address those later in the class." He nodded to Paul, who returned the gesture.
"Cloud underwent extensive surgery to repair his deep and gaping wounds using the Pulley suture technique known as "far-near-near-far" to close the opening." He pointed to the sutures as he explained.
"While we knew this technique would work well to close the complex wound, we also knew that beneath the sutures, a pocket of dead space would still exist until the wound healed. Because blood and other fluids would inevitably collect there, leading to bacterial growth and possibly infection, we needed to embed a drain to remove those excess fluids. We opted to use a flat, flexible latex drain called the Penrose drain."
"Today we will discuss the Penrose drain and demonstrate its removal." He pointed to a whitish tube that protruded from the bottom of Cloud's wounds. "The Penrose drain is named after American gynecologist Charles Penrose. As you may know, generally drains have three characteristics, passive or active, open or closed and internal or external. A Penrose drain is classified as passive as it relies on gravity to remove blood and fluids from a wound. It's also an open system as fluids drain freely or into a dressing instead of closed receptacle or container. Lastly, it's considered external as the fluids move from inside the body to the outside. Dr. Edmonson tells me that's going to be on your next quiz." He grinned at Ellen.
"Drainage should be monitored and logged for volume, consistency, color, and odor on a routine basis. As changes in these characteristics, such a thickening, a tinging with red, yellow or green coloration, or odor, could indicate an infection, appropriate testing for the presence of bacteria is needed. Of course, if bacterial infection is detected, immediate and appropriate treatment should be rendered."
He paused, scanned the faces of the students, looking for confused expressions. Seeing none, he continued. "This drain has been in place since the surgery, so 14 days or so. There has not been any discharge from this drain in the last 26 hours. The medical guideline for drain removal is 24 hours without drainage and without any other indications of infection such as fever. Given Cloud's vitals showed no indication of infection, we reached the decision to remove the drain this morning."
"Please note that removing your drain too soon could cause a host of issues. From minor inconveniences like swelling and fluid accumulation to major problems like infection and tissue death. So be deliberate in your decision, weighing all factors. Any questions so far?"
He paused, looking for raised hands amongst the students. After answering a couple questions, he continued.
"Okay, onto the drain removal demonstration. First thing. As always, before we do any procedure, we must objectively and professionally talk with the patient's owner and secure their consent. We give our best clinical diagnosis, options for treatment, pros and cons, and our recommendation. But, in the end, it's the owner's decision that counts. We received the owner's consent this morning." Ty smiled as a slight chuckle rose from the students.
"It's just as important to calmly talk with the patient. Prepare and reassure them."
"Next, secure and steady your patient because the drain removal may cause temporary pressure and discomfort. In this case, we'll simply halter Cloud and Dr. Barnes and Dr. Bourne will hold him steady."
Talking quietly to Cloud, Ty halter him. Michael and Paul stood on either side of the young horse, holding on to his halter with one hand and touching his shoulder with the other.
"Gently dab both sutures and drain site clean with a dilute antiseptic like a betadine or chlorhexidine solution. Dab until the paper towel is clean. Like this." Ty demonstrated as he talked and patted Cloud. "Good boy."
"Next. Start with the top suture. Right here." He pointed to the suture knot at the top of the wound. "Grasp the suture end with forceps. Gently pull the suture away from the skin, raising the knot slightly above the skin. You should now see both sides of the loop going into the skin. Cut only one side of the loop under the knot. The loop should now pull out through the skin, freeing the drain on that side." Ty cut the first suture and pulled it through.
"Good boy. That wasn't so bad, was it?" He praised Cloud.
"Removing the suture should not hurt. Now. Repeat on the other side. Ready Cloud?" He pulled out the second suture.
"Now grasp the drain, down here, with forceps or your fingers. Pinching the edges of the skin together with the other hand, rotate tubing from side to side gently to loosen, then remove the drain using a smooth, but fast, continuous action. It should slide out with no resistance. If there is resistance give a gentle tug to pull the drain loose. Do not yank or force it. It may be caught on other sutures."
He patted Cloud's neck. "Here goes Cloud." With one quick, smooth pull, the drain easily came out. Ty held the drain up with forceps for the class to see. "We were fortunate this time, the drain came out without any resistance. Good boy." He applied a bandage to the straw sized hole at the bottom of his healing wound. The whole procedure took less than ten minutes. "And that's it. Questions?"
After answering questions and a round of applause, he thanked Ellen, Michael, Paul and the class, then left the stall and the Quarantine Barn. As he and Michael walked away, Paul cleared his throat, before starting his presentation.
Outside, Michael pulled Ty aside, well out of earshot. He asked in a low voice. "What's Paul doing here?"
Ty chuckled. "Think he's showing up for Ellen. Turns out they went Vet School in Michigan together. Think he's carried a torch for her ever since."
"No kidding. He didn't make his move then?"
"Apparently not, she was his roommate's girlfriend, then his wife, now his ex."
"Better late than never?"
"So they say. Paul's like a new man since they reconnected. He's still likes to pretend he's this huge grouch, but deep down he's a marshmallow." He smiled at the reference.
"Good for him."
"Love is in the air." Ty sang off tune. "Oh oh oh!"
Michael rolled his eyes, laughing.
"So Cloud and Wind have made some good progress this week." Ty commented.
"Yeah. They're doing well here."
"Do you think they'll ready to go back to Vancouver by semester's end?"
"Two and half months? Maybe. Why do you ask?"
"If they are still here next semester, I think Singh's gonna want me to teach another class."
"Would that be so bad? You seem to enjoy teaching."
"With the externship and Mirna teaching in the fall, I need to be at the rescue as much as possible. Everyone is stretched thin as it is."
"Gotcha ya. Well, we'll do what we can to make that happen."
"I appreciate that."
"Speaking of schedules, what's on yours today?" Michael asked.
"Well, I'm heading over to the Clinical Skills Building to get a quick tour of the surgical lab. Practicals at 9 and 11. After those, a meeting with Mirna and Singh after on main campus at 1:15. Flight's at 6."
"How about we grab a late lunch then, say 2ish at Scrubbs? We need to finalize some decisions on the externship."
"Sounds like a plan.."
Parting company with Michael, Ty hoofed it over to the Clinical Skills Building, a modern mixed of glass, metal and wood with clean, straight lines, soaring roofline, stark decor, exposed duct work. Likewise, the small animal surgical lab was modern, sleek, and state of the art. Within the lab, there were six separate student and one instructor surgical stations, each fully equipped with their own scrub, pre-op, operating, radiology/imaging and recovery areas. Each set-up was cordoned off with markings on the floor.
Dr. Jacob Aaronson, a mid-fifties veterinarian with salt and pepper hair, trim beard and handlebar mustache, pink bow tie and white lab coat, met Ty at the door.
"Dr. Borden?" He asked.
"Yes. Ty actually."
"Dr. Aaronson." He didn't offer Ty the same informality. The two vets shook hands.
"So I hear you are doing the practicals for surgical basics this semester." The elder vet stated.
"You heard right. This will be my first formal teaching experience." Ty volunteered.
"Well, I've heard things about you from Dr. Edmonson. You'll do, I'm sure." He said, somewhat back handily.
"Have you taught this before?" Ty let it pass.
"Ah. Many times."
"Any hints."
"From my experience, humans don't learn to drive from the passenger seat, so to speak. These students are thirsty for hands-on experience after sitting lectures for almost two years. The see one, do one, teach one principle works well. Keep your lecture and demo part to a minimum and let the students learn, practice and hone their skills. I'm sure you remember, it couldn't have been that long ago when you were in school." He said with another dig.
"I do. This was one of my favorite classes. Think it's partly why a chose surgery as a focus." Again, Ty didn't take offense, kept it light.
"Hmm." He paused. "My other piece of advice is to keep formality between yourself and the students. You are only Dr. Borden, and they are only Mr. and Ms. Whatever. Set boundaries. Set regular office hours. Don't give them your personnel email or phone number. Don't get too friendly or you'll be asking for trouble. Trust me on that."
"Oh. Okay." He wondered about his back story.
"So. I hear you're teaching two practicals back to back for the same class."
Ty nodded. "Right. I'm only here every other week. Today is Introduction to theatre, equipment, & instruments is at 9. Then Restraint, positioning, bandaging and catheterization is at 11."
"That's highly unusual, but given the circumstances..." Dr. Aaronson commented. "So, that means that you have 4 hours to do these two topics, give or take. Make sure you give them a minute break. Required by policy."
"Sounds good."
"You have 8 students in your class. Assign teams of two per station. Have them stand at their stations for your lecture and demonstration. Have them scrub in and suit up, prepare their area, do their exercise then clean-up. Sterilization and habit is key. If they leave the room, they have to scrub in again."
"Okay."
"They have to bring their own surgical instruments. We used to supply those, but they kept disappearing. If students don't bring their equipment, give them a 0 for the day. Do you have your instruments?"
"Yes." He lifted his black vet bag slightly that he held in his left hand.
"Good. Keep them close, don't lend them out. Like I said. Things have a tendency to disappear." He warned. "Let's get to that tour."
At nine straight up, 8 students had assembled in the room. Many he recognized from Ellen's class.
"Hi everyone. Welcome to the Basic Surgery Principles practical. For those of you that don't know me, I'm Dr. Ty Borden." He thought for a second then added. "This is my first time to teach an entire class so if you cut me some slack, I will do the same."
A murmur rose, then fell back to quiet.
"Okay. Everyone roll your chair up to my station, let's get to know each other. We're in this together."
Once the Restraint practical ended, nearly the entire class stayed to ask questions which he relished answering. Glancing at the clock on the wall, he realized that if he didn't leave then, he was going to be late for his meeting.
"Sorry to cut this short, but I will be late for a meeting with Dean Singh. I don't want to be fired after my first day."
A collective chuckle rose up. "We'd protest." Someone interjected.
Now it was Ty's turn to chuckle as he packed up his instruments. "Remember, if you have questions, you have my UC email. I will get back to you by day's end. See you in a couple weeks. Be sure to bring your surgical instruments with you." He reminded them.
Leaving the Spy Hill campus, he headed south toward the main campus. Rounding Crowchild onto 24th, he automatically slowed, craning his neck to the right, his eyes searching for Old Blue in the parking lot. With no sight of his old GMC or her, he sighed heavily, continuing on to his meeting, letdown.
An hour or so later in an nearly empty Scrubbs, Ty and Michael hungrily ravaged their lunch of burgers and fries, both loaded with ketchup, talking between swallows.
"Glad to see your appetite is back."
"Yeah. So how was it?" Michael asked, after wiping his mouth with a napkin.
"Good actually. The class was small and pretty informal so..." He shoved three fries into his mouth. "Mmm. Good."
"The hands-on classes are fun to teach."
"Yeah. I think I'm going to enjoy it more than I thought."
"What did Mirna and Singh want to meet about?"
"They want me to teach every Monday instead of every other." Ty took a swig from his glass of water.
"And?" Michael took a bite of his burger.
"It really makes sense. Trying to teach two weeks of practicals back to back in one day is too much for the students to absorb. Plus, I didn't have time for office hours."
He swallowed. "So?"
"So. I agreed."
"Well, how about that. That's great. And, you are welcome to stay with me."
"You sure? I can get a hotel. The university is paying." Ty offered.
"I'm sure. Hey. Why don't you come Sunday morning, better yet, Saturday night? We can make a day of it Sunday." He took another bite of his burger.
"Well, I do have Sundays off...And I can work with Cloud and Wind." Ty thought for a moment, then asked earnestly. "You sure that I won't cramp your style if I come Saturday night?"
He nodded several times while he finished chewing, then chuckled. "What style? You won't be cramping anything. Come on. If you get in early enough, we can go to Moxie, get a beer."
"Boy. I haven't been there in years. Okay then. Saturday night it is. Thanks."
"Fair warning though. I may be boohooing in my beer." Michael smirked.
"How are you doing with all that?" Ty saw through the sarcasm. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm good. It's the not knowing part that's killing me. I'll be glad when Friday night comes."
"It will be here before you know it."
Michael sighed. "Yeah."
Ty took a swallow from his glass. "So, do you know Jacob Aaronson?"
"Surgery professor?"
"Yeah. He gave the tour of the lab. What's his deal? He seemed a little..I don't know...jaded?"
"He's on probation from teaching."
"Why?"
"A student filed a complaint against him."
"Really? For what?"
"Inappropriate contact." Michael said.
"That explains a lot. What happened?"
"I don't know the facts. So..." He shrugged. "Ty, you just need to be careful, set boundaries. Don't get too friendly. They're your students, not your peers, certainly not your friends."
"That's essentially what he said."
"He's speaking from experience. He's a good professor. He's married. Kids."
Ty frowned.
"Just be prepared. Did they give you the educator handbook?" Michael asked.
"Yeah."
"Read it. Act accordingly. It's for your and your students' best interests. Situations can occur."
"Like what?"
"Hmm. Let's say a student gets a bad grade. They come to office hours upset, crying. You empathize, pat their shoulder, they hug you in return. Next thing you know, it gets misconstrued by that student. By someone else."
"Oh. Did that happen to you?"
"Yes and no. A crying student? Yeah. Vet school is stressful, grades, graduation, jobs, not to mention the cost of tuition. Upset students are par for the course. Have I ever hugged a student or vice versa? No. When a student starts crying, I give them a tissue, let them know it's okay to cry and that I want to help...strictly as their professor. I keep physical space between myself and the student at all times." He replied. "We have a duty to teach but also to protect. As educators can't cross the line. Same is true for our externship."
"Good point."
"The handbook has some good examples, if I remember correctly."
"Thanks. I'll read it." He took another bite, washing it down with water. Both lapsed into silence for a few moments, each seemingly concentrating on their food.
"So, I've been reading that other book you suggested, the one on herbal medicine."
"Yeah? Find what you were looking for?"
"I don't know. Maybe? Camomile seems to be good for calming animals, even in lactating ones."
"That could work. The dosing is the key though. Is Wind on anything else?" Michael asked.
"Antibiotics." The two dove into a conversation about herbal supplements, medications and animals.
"You know this. Animals are very sensitive to their environment around them and react to it. That includes us. If we're unsettled, so are they." Michael said, creating an opening.
"Naomi thinks that I harbor some kind of resentment toward Fierce because of Wind and Cloud." Ty admitted.
"Do you?" He asked bluntly.
"I don't think so." He replied, then noticed a Michael expression. "Wait, do you?"
"This morning you went into detail again how Fierce viciously attacked them. That wasn't exactly germane to the topic of Penrose drains topic." Michael pointed out, without actually answering the question.
Ty pursed his lips, considering the possibility. "I guess I didn't realize. Do you think that's why she gets agitated when she sees me?"
"It's possible. You could try some mediation. That might help you figure things out. Remember, Fierce was only operating on survival instincts, nothing more."
Ty slowly nodded, considering the suggestion.
Pushing his empty plate aside, Michael opened his laptop. "So let's talk about the externship."
"Yep."
"2 students 6 or 7 missions or 1 student 10 missions?"
"I think 2 students is better." Ty replied.
"I agree. Okay, locations. Let's start with the Canadian ones first. Sable Island, Sundre and Chilcotin."
"Agree. We can drive to Sundre and Chilcotin. That will save on travel expenses."
"I think we can swing one trip outside of North America."
"Namibia." Ty said definitively.
"Not the Camargue in France? Those magnificent white horses? Or the Brumbies in Australia?"
"Namibia. Mirna can help us with set up." Ty was adamant. "You can pick the other 3 spots."
"Okay. How about Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota? It's a 10 hour drive."
"Doable."
"Yeah. Salt River in Arizona?"
"Oh good one. We'll have to fly."
"Right. Lastly, Grayson Highlands Ponies in Virginia or Chincoteague in Virginia."
"Can we do both?"
"Too far apart."
"Okay. Which do you prefer?"
"Chincoteague." Michael didn't hesitate. "Ever since I was a kid and read that book, Misty, I've wanted to go."
"Chincoteague it is, then."
"Good. So we'll target students who are upcoming 4th years?"
"Definitely. How difficult is this to post?" Ty asked.
"Not too. There's a template for posting on the UCVM job site. We just have to write it up so the externship sounds incredible. We're not paying them after all."
"Good point."
"And, Singh will have to sign-off on it before we post it. I can take care of that." Michael volunteered.
They finished writing the externship posting just as Ty had to leave for the airport. "I think it's pretty good. I'd apply." Michael laughed.
"Yeah me too. Not sure that I'd get in though."
"Me neither. Good thing we don't have to apply." Michael quipped back.
"This is going to be so great."
"Like old times."
"Okay. Making arrangements with local authorities. I'll take all of them in Canada and Africa."
"I'll take the three in the states. I can also reach out to Paul Tibbets in Sundre."
"Sounds good. When we set the dates, Celina says she can take care of the travel and accommodations." Ty added.
"Good."
Ty checked his phone. "Dang. I gotta get." The two stood, bused their table, gathered their stuff, then headed out to the parking lot.
Standing next to his rental car, Ty reminded Michael. "I'll be in the air during the rounds with Wind and Cloud, but I'll join in the morning. Thanks Michael. For everything."
"See you Saturday night." They shook hands.
"I want hear everything about your date. Don't worry, it's gonna be great."
"Thanks Ty. Have a good flight."
Back home in Vancouver with A.K., Ty unpacked and did laundry. By 11, he was in bed, sound asleep. In the morning he started his day at the rescue by 5:30 am, in what would become his weekday routine that lasted most of the summer. He and Paul rounded the rescue first, followed by FaceTime session with Ellen and Michael.
"So Calgary?" Ty broached the topic after the FaceTime session ended.
"What about it?" Paul retorted.
"You presented during Ellen's class." He stated the obvious, hoping to find out more.
Paul narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, so? You think you're the only one who can teach?"
"No, no. I didn't mean it that way..." Ty stammered. "I just wondered if you're going back this week? To Calgary?"
"No. I have to work. Someone needs to man the rescue." He jabbed. "Why?"
"Oh...I thought you'd want to see Ellen again."
"Of course I do. But, what does one have to do with the other?" He frowned, turned and walked away.
After Paul left, but before others showed up, Ty went into Fierce and Percy's room. Her eyes zeroed in on him, seeing him as a threat. She reacted, pacing aggressively back and forth in her enclosure despite the splinted leg and limp, putting herself between Ty and her cub. This time he didn't leave. Instead, he lowered himself down, into cross-legged position, hands resting on knees, facing the the big cat. Just as Naomi had done. He remained silent, his eyes wedded to hers, taking in slow measured breaths, a sense of calm took hold.
As she paced, he tried to imagine he was Fierce, starving, with a young cub to protect and feed, so desperate for food that she risked coming out of the shadows and into civilization to look for sustenance, finding what appeared to be an easy meal.
Minutes passed. A small wooden shape, swept to the side, forgotten, wedged between the floor and the enclosure, caught his eye. He reached for it, retrieving it, eliciting a snarl from Fierce. Inspecting the smooth wood carving of a crouching cougar, turning it over in his hands, his fingers caressing its grooves and notches.
His eyes rose to meet hers. "You're a good mother Fierce." Then in a hushed voice, he repeated the word A7a'yas...peace. Bit by bit, she eased her pace, slowing until she stopped in her tracks. Her eyes still centered on Ty. Fierce began to settle, eventually crouching into her sphinx like position. When she yawned, he gave her a fresh hunk of beef liver sprinkled with camomile as a reward then left to tend to the other patients in the clinic.
Celina found him in the feline room. "So we hear you're going to Calgary every week."
"Nothing slips by you, Momma C." He teased.
"Mirna called last night."
"Figured. Do you think I could fly out Saturday evening after work instead of Sunday? I'll stay with Michael." He asked.
"That can be arranged."
"Good. That will give me a full day to work with the horses."
"Think they'll be well enough to come back in August?"
"That's my plan." He smiled.
"Oh, by the way, I sent that thank you letter to Ms. Stillman for her donation."
"Thanks. Let me know if you hear back. I've left a couple of messages but she's been out of town."
After ending his day as it had begun, rounds and FaceTime, he headed to Roscoe's for dinner and beer. When he walked into the near empty establishment, Rick, standing behind the bar, acknowledged him with a nod.
As he approached, he was surprised to see Jordan sitting at the bar, nursing a Coke.
"Hey Jordan. What are you doing here?" He clapped him on the back.
"Hey Ty. James mentioned that you hang out here after work. Thought I'd try it out." Jordan said, extending a hand which Ty shook.
"Glad you did. Did you meet Rick?"
"Yeah. Jordan here was just telling me about Golden Ears. Sounds like a good time." Rick offered.
Over the next two hours, the three traded funny, sometimes less so, stories of misadventures from their youth, each trying to outdo the other two. As the evening broke up, Jordan and Ty agreed to meet up there again the following Tuesday.
Later, at home with A.K. by his side, he reviewed his class materials for the next week then went to bed, just to get up 6 or so hours later to start it all again.
Four days later upon his arrival in Calgary Saturday night, Ty picked up a rental car then a six pack of Red Truck beer before heading to Michael's apartment.
"Hey Ty. Come in." Michael greeted him at the door with a wide smile and a firm handshake.
"Good to see you, Michael. I brought beer, tell me all about it." Handing him the six pack, he picked up his vet and overnight bags and strode in.
After breaking open the beer and settling into the couch, Ty urged him. "Okay. Out with it. You're about ready to bust."
Michael laughed. "That obvious? Well, for starters, we both showed up ten minutes early."
"No kidding. So she showed up, huh?" Ty teased him.
"Yeah, she did. Funny, she was worried that I wouldn't." He replied sheepishly.
"Good sign. So..?"
He nodded enthusiastically. "Alicia is really great. Dinner was great. She even gave me her phone number."
"Great sign."
"I know!" He said, diving into the details of their date.
"Did you kiss her goodnight?"
He blushed slightly. "We did. We have another date Friday. I'm picking her up at her place."
"Phone number, address and a kiss. Excellent for you man. Here's to you!" He raised his beer bottle to him, they clinked glasses, then took another swig.
The very next morning, Ty and Michael arrived at the Quarantine Barn for the 7am rounding of the horses. Ellen was not there to greet them as usual instead one of her students handled them the tablet with the overnight log.
"Dr. Bourne and Dr. Borden. Dr. Edmonson will join rounds by FaceTime this morning and this evening." The young women explained. "She'll be back in the morning."
"Thanks. Might as well fire up FaceTime then." Michael suggested.
"On it." Ty opened his laptop and started the session.
Once connected, Paul's smiling face came into view, taking up the entirety of the screen.
"Morning Paul. We're just waiting on Ellen." Ty said.
"She's already here." He responded.
"Oh. We must be getting a delay on our end." Ty offered. "Maybe we should reconnect?"
"No. I'm here." Ellen said as her head leaned into the screen. "We got the overnight log. Want to get started?"
Doing his best to hide his surprise, Ty took a quick drink from his water bottle, almost choking on it, cleared his throat then started. "The overnight log for both horses show small but steady progress."
After the FaceTime session ended, Ty remarked. "Guess Ellen showed up too."
"No kidding. That was a shocker. I honestly thought water was going to shoot out your nostrils."
"For minute, I thought so too." He laughed.
"Hey. Are you sure you don't want to go with me? I'm sure I can find a spare horse for you to ride."
"Nah. You and Gwenie go ahead. Have fun. I want to spent some time with these two." He pointed to Cloud and Wind.
"You sure?"
"Yeah. I'm sure."
"It will be late afternoon when I get home. I want to talk with Paul a bit about externship after I check on his herd."
"No problem. Moxie's for dinner seeing we didn't get there last night?"
"Deal."
The remainder of Ty's morning was spent with Wind and Cloud, cleaning their stall, brushing their coat, talking to them, mainly encouraging them to get well so they could go home by the end of the semester, freeing him to relinquish his teaching responsibilities. Careful of her healing wounds, Ty halted her to hand walk her around the small, round pen adjacent to the Quarantine Barn. As he started to lead Wind out of the stall, leaving Cloud behind, the colt whinnied loudly for his mother.
"Well, come on then." As he led the two horses out into the sunshine, Cloud was glued to his mother's side.
Hey Everyone. Next installment. Enjoy. SBR
ps. Noticed that I wrote that Chincoteague is in Maryland. It's actually Virginia. Assateague Island is half in Maryland and half in Virginia. It's updated to correct that error.