Chapter Nine
Never coming home. Dylan stared into his coffee cup, but it could have been gasoline for all he knew. Talk about a knockout punch when he wasn’t looking. He was too late. Kayla had forgotten all about home and her roots. And him.
For years, his life had been guided by doing what was best for his brother, making the ranch successful, and hopefully, one day, winning back the girl he’d set free.
To all intents and purposes, his life was a failure. His brother couldn’t wait to leave home, the ranch was barely making it, and he’d lost the girl. And to make matters worse, he wasn’t the only Hunter male devastated by Kayla’s news. Derek didn’t want her to leave, either.
It had been hard to stay through the rest of the reception. It was obviously time to let go and move on with his life. And if it weren’t for the little matter of the contract with her dad, he would. Neither of them had seen this coming when Lou sold him the farm. They both had mistakenly believed there was plenty of time before they had to declare their hand. They couldn’t have been more wrong.
It had been risky to invest in the Anderson farm, since most of his capital was already tied up when he increased the herd. But he’d needed the land, or more specifically, he’d needed the river running through the land. Now, what the hell was he supposed to do? He was caught in a trap of his own making.
He should have never agreed to buy the farm or to the Kayla clause.
But Lou’s plea for him to step in and buy the place to save it from bankruptcy had come at a time when Dylan had needed the water rights, and a deal had been struck that satisfied both men with regards to the future. A deal that revolved around Kayla, both men mistakenly under the assumption that one day she would return to Riverbend. To stay.
The Andersons had always been kind to him, and in Kayla’s absence, he and his brother had become regular visitors at the farm. Mary and Lou were always more than happy to watch over his brother and lend a helping hand when times were rough. Their help was invaluable. The contract had been a way to pay them back for years of kindness.
He would have to talk to Lou about changing the contract, because after the bomb she dropped last night, the Kayla clause was no longer viable.
He took one sip of the cold coffee and spit it back in the cup. He crossed the kitchen to the sink and poured the contents down the drain. Sunday mornings were church time for most people in Riverbend, but Dylan’s church was working out in the fields. Same thing he did every morning, and Kayla’s announcement didn’t change what needed to be done.
He filled his thermos and left a note for Derek. Kid would probably sleep until noon if he let him, and for once, Dylan was inclined to oblige. Today, he simply didn’t have the energy or drive to fight with his brother about chores.
The phone attached to his hip vibrated, followed by a familiar ring tone.
“We got trouble,” Leroy said after Dylan answered.
Dylan was instantly alert. If his herd manager said there was trouble, it was going to be a bad day.
“Shoot.”
“One of the cows is in labor, and she’s struggling. Been going on for over an hour and she’s starting to look pretty wore out.”
“Damn. Breech?”
“It would seem so. I can feel a tail and a tangle of legs. I’m not positive, but it could be twins.”
“Is Jim on his way?” His vet would know exactly what to do, and even if Dylan couldn’t afford the extra expense, he could afford to lose the cow and the calves even less.
“That’s the bigger problem. He’s out of town.”
“Have you tried the vet over in Franklin to see if he’ll come over?”
“Yup. He’s tied up with a mare birthing twin foals. He estimated another couple of hours before he could get here, but he’s put us next on the list.”
“That’s not good enough. They could all be dead by then. I’m on my way.” Dylan ended the call and took off running in the direction of the barn.
“How’s she doing?” Dylan asked as he moved to stand next to Leroy. He ran his hand down the girth of the cow.
“No change,” Leroy said.
Dylan stripped off his shirt and sanitized his hands and arms before sliding a big plastic sleeve over his right arm. “Easy, girl. Let me see what’s going on,” he spoke in a soothing voice and slid his hand into the cow to see if he could help the calf get its legs in the right position.
If Leroy couldn’t do it, chances were, he couldn’t, either. But it wouldn’t stop him from trying.
“Hold her head. Don’t let her try to push me away,” Dylan ordered.
“Sure thing, boss.” Leroy move to stand at the front of the stall.
“I see what you mean. The calf’s legs seem tangled, but I can’t reach in far enough to do any good. What about the gal in town at the regular vet clinic?” he asked in frustration.
“Tried her, too. She’s over in Brighton on an emergency and can’t get here any sooner than the other vet.”
How could such a small area have three vets and not a damn one be available in an emergency? “There has to be someone we can call,” he said. He ran his free hand through his hair.
“Not sure where things stand between you and Kayla, but I reckon you ought to call her.”
Dylan tensed. As much as he hated to admit it, Leroy was right. Kayla might not want to help, but he had to ask. He’d do anything if there was a chance to save the cow and her calves.
He pulled off the sleeve and dialed the Anderson house.
“Good morning,” Lou answered.
“Lou, it’s Dylan.”
“Hey there. About last night—”
“I don’t have time to talk about it. I need Kayla,” Dylan said, cutting right to the point.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m in the barn. Tell her I’ve got a breech calf, maybe twins.”
“But she specializes in small animals, and she’s got another year before she’s licensed. Where’s Jim?” he asked, a note of worry evident in his voice.
“He’s out of town, and the others are out on other calls right now. She’s the only person available within an hour’s ride, and we’ve got to try something.”
“Well, she did get her degree in Animal Science, and she’s been working in a clinic for years. I reckon she may have learned something at that fancy city school of hers about farm animals.”
“Thanks, Lou. See you in a few.”
…
Kayla’s heart pounded like a jackhammer, threatening to explode from her chest. Dylan had no idea what he was asking of her, or he wouldn’t have bothered. She clutched her dad’s arm tightly as they hurried into the barn, grateful for his presence and his reassurance.
“Kayla, over here,” Dylan called.
“I don’t know what I can do to help. You understand I specialized in small animals, and I’m not a vet yet, right?” she asked, vulnerability echoing in her voice.
“You have to try, please. You’re the best we’ve got right now.” Dylan was under a lot of strain, and she couldn’t refuse to help him any more than she could refuse to help any animal in pain. But only as a last resort.
“There must be other vets available?”
“This ain’t the city, darling. Vets here cover wide territories, and when they get called away, it can take a while to get someone out to the ranch. I’m sure you’ve learned something that will help. The cow is our primary concern at this point.”
“Dylan, listen to me. I’ve studied farm animals, but I’ve only worked with small animals at the clinic. Nothing about a cow spells ‘small animal’. You can’t expect me to perform a miracle when I don’t have the foggiest idea where to begin.”
Reading about breeched calves in a textbook was not even remotely close to the real thing. If she failed, they would all blame her, but worse, if she didn’t try and the animals died, they’d blame her anyway.
“I should have known you wouldn’t help. I’m sorry I bothered you,” he said, disappointment etched across his face. He turned back to his foreman. “How’s she doing, Leroy?”
“Not good.” Leroy looked at Kayla, a pleading look on his face.
Her father stepped in closer. “Kayla, no one will blame you if it doesn’t work out, but give them a chance. This cow needs you.”
They didn’t understand everything that could go wrong. She knew the statistics, and they weren’t good. Everyone was watching her, waiting for an answer. Kayla knew she didn’t have a choice.
“Can someone get Doc on the phone to talk me through this? I can’t promise anything, but I’ll try.”
Cheers erupted from the men standing nearby. The full impact of her commitment hit her square in the gut. They all believed in her and now she needed to believe in herself.
Dylan didn’t say much, but then he’d already said enough. She was his last choice, just like before, and his faith in her had wavered before she’d even decided.
“Got Doc on the line,” Leroy said, running over to her.
“Put him on speakerphone.” He pressed a button and held out the phone.
“Doc, can you hear me? It’s Kayla Anderson.”
“Bless your heart for doing this. I ran into some problems and I can’t get back until tomorrow. Leroy says you want me to walk you through this.”
“Yes, sir. You understand I’ve never done this before.” She tried not to let her fear show in front of the others.
“It’ll be okay. So how about we try to save these little guys and their mama,” he said. Doc was always one to go for the gold, and he’d set the bar high. She hoped it wasn’t too high, because the thought of failing in front of her dad, Dylan, and the others terrified her.
“Okay.” She let out a huge breath. She was really going to do this.
Step by step, Doc instructed her what to do and what to expect, his voice doing double duty by calming her nerves. Sweat dripped from her face to her shirt. This would be messy, and grueling, but she was as ready as she ever would be.
A shaft of light flickered briefly across the floor. Kayla looked up to see Derek and her mother walk in.
Kayla shot Dylan a pleading look. It was bad enough everyone here would witness the failure, but to have Derek lose faith in her would be the final cross to bear. He’d been through enough, and she didn’t want to be the one to expose him to the pain of death again, especially by her own hand.
Dylan met her gaze but didn’t acknowledge her silent request. Instead, he moved to put his hand on Derek’s shoulder, a silent look of understanding passing between the two. She had no idea what it was about, but she had to trust Dylan knew best. And she needed to stay focused.
She gave an extra tug on the calf’s hind legs and pulled. Finally, she felt the calf slide into the proper position. She had no idea how much time had passed, but if she had to guess, she’d say an eternity. “He’s in place,” she said. She’d done it. Now to go for the gold.
“I need help, someone.”
Dylan stepped forward, his body pressed close. The essence of cow fetus and aftershave didn’t mix, and she knew which one she preferred.
“Help the calf as he comes out,” she said.
Dylan reached for the cow. “Let me pull, and you make sure the calf is okay. You need to save your strength for the next one.”
“Thanks.” She smiled as she withdrew her arm. She was grateful for his help and his concern, because fatigue was beginning to set in.
Dylan’s strong arm replaced hers, and he pulled the calf out more gently than she would have thought possible. The calf slid out onto the straw and started to move. “He’s alive,” she cried, tears streaming down her face. Soft cheers echoed through the barn.
“You were wonderful,” Dylan said, his deep voice filled with awe. “Congratulations. You’ve just delivered your first calf.”
Kayla wiped the calf down to clean him off a little before moving him to a pile of hay by the mother’s head, letting the cow’s motherly instincts do what was best for the newborn. It was an exhilarating, tense, incredible moment. One Kayla would never forget.
“Great job, Kayla, you’re hired,” Doc said. “But now you’ve got another one to deliver. The good news is the second one is usually a whole lot easier. The second one should already be in the correct position. Give the cow about five minutes to recover and then help the other calf out if he needs it. You can call me if you run into trouble, but I think you’ve got this. Well done, young lady.”
“Thanks, Doc. I couldn’t have done it without you.” This had to be the single greatest moment in her veterinary experience.
“That was awesome, Kayla,” Derek said, coming to stand next to her.
She put an arm around him and hugged the boy’s slender body to her own. “Thanks. I couldn’t agree with you more.”
“Nicely done, honey. Your mom and I are proud of you.” Her parents’ lingering hug spoke volumes.
“Thanks. It was spectacular, but it’s not over yet. At least Doc said the second one is easier, and I’m all for easy after the first one.” She laughed.
The somber mood in the barn had lifted, and in its place, rejoicing, but now it was time to finish what she started. Her confidence had grown and this time, she went straight to work.
She donned a new pair of sterile gloves. “Time for round two.”
“I’m right here with you,” Dylan said, his smile tugging at her heart.
“Thanks.” For now, all their history was exactly that, history. Right now, they were performing a miracle together. She shouldn’t like the sound of it, but she did. Together.
She reached in and pulled the calf forward, making sure he was in position before trading places with Dylan. Doc was right. The second one was easier.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Let’s do this.” The calf slid out onto the straw. Only this time the calf wasn’t moving. Kayla looked on in alarm. He wasn’t breathing. Rubbing the calf briskly with the towel, she looked up at Leroy.
“Get Doc on the phone,” she hollered.
She felt the calf’s chest for a heartbeat. A soft, faint beat pulsated against her fingertips.
“The Doc’s line is busy. We’re still trying,” Leroy called out.
The calf would suffocate if she didn’t do something.
Dylan grabbed him by his hind legs and lifted him slightly off the ground. “Leroy, massage his sides. Kayla, check for mucus in his nose and mouth.”
“Nothing,” she said. The calf still didn’t move. Kayla’s heart was breaking for the little guy.
Dylan laid the calf back on the ground. “I’ve seen the Doc do a little straw trick before. It’s worth a try,” Dylan said, kneeling down next to her. He grabbed a piece of straw and pushed it into one of the calf’s nostrils. Kayla remembered reading something about the move in one of her textbooks.
She pushed his hand aside and leaned down close to the calf’s head. Covering the animal’s mouth with one hand and a nostril with the other, she blew gently into the open nostril. She did this for the longest, most excruciating seconds of her life before the calf coughed. And coughed again. The calf’s eyes opened and looked straight at Kayla as if to say thank you. For the second time that day, she beheld the miracle of life in her arms as she hugged the calf. Tears of joy ran unchecked down her face.
“That was amazing,” Dylan said. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and drew her close, laughing at the calf struggling to move.
They needed to move the calf closer to his mother’s head so she could give the calf a little motherly TLC, but for a few seconds, Kayla didn’t move. She wanted to enjoy the closeness with Dylan. It might be wrong, but it felt oh so right.
After several rounds of congratulations, the ranch hands began to clean the area and Kayla finished washing up. The adrenaline in her body was subsiding, leaving her exhausted in the aftermath. It had been a life-changing experience, the second one in her life. Dylan’s kiss had been the first.
“Can I give you a lift to the house?” Dylan asked.
“Mom and Dad are here. I should probably go with them. Or I could walk.” Spending a few more minutes with Dylan would have been nice, but it wouldn’t do her any good. Things were hard enough.
“You’re too tired to walk even if it’s only a short distance. Hey, Lou, mind if I give Kayla a ride back to the house?” he called out, disregarding her answer.
“Not at all. See you back home, Kayla,” her dad said.
“Not exactly what I had in mind.” Kayla frowned. Dylan hadn’t changed much. Still the same old bossy boy he used to be, only older. And more handsome.
“I want a few minutes to talk to you.”
“Okay.”
“Hey, Derek, how about keeping an eye on the calves while I talk to Kayla? Let us know if anything changes.” Derek’s chin rose a notch, the smile on his face telling. Dylan’s trust in him meant the world to the kid.
“So talk,” she said, climbing into his old Ford.
He started the truck and turned on the air conditioner. The cool air felt great against her sweat-soaked clothes, sending chills across her skin.
“I’m sorry about what I said earlier. There’s no excuse. I know you wouldn’t turn your back on helping an animal to spite me. I felt helpless. It’s not a feeling I experience often.”
“I understand. If it’s any consolation, I felt pretty helpless back there, too.” A common bond shared between friends signaling a change in their relationship once again. Could they be friends? Or was it simply an illusion because of the experience they shared?
“You know, I think everyone, me included, thought one day you would come home when you finished school and go into practice here. Guess we thought wrong. Those city folks are mighty lucky to have you.”
“I couldn’t come back,” she said softly. They were treading into dangerous waters.
“Why?” One simple word, but it was a question she wasn’t prepared to discuss. Not now. Probably not ever. It hurt too much.
“Things happened that changed everything.”
“Like me. I never planned on sticking around, either. I had my big dreams, and the next thing you know, I’m parenting Derek. It’s been tough, but I don’t regret it.” Dylan pulled up to the house and put the truck in park. The cab grew smaller as he turned his body toward her.
“You knew I never planned on sticking around Riverbend, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone really,” she said.
“I guess they always thought we’d end up together.”
Kayla couldn’t believe what he was saying. If it wasn’t so damn heartbreaking, it would be funny. “Well then, they thought wrong.” She forced the words from between her lips.
“Any chance we can be friends again? I miss my little tagalong,” Dylan said, reaching out to give her shoulder a playful push.
“Dylan, I can’t.” He didn’t understand. Maybe if she explained it to him, he’d quit asking.
“I know you were going to leave Wednesday, but can you at least stay a few extra days to keep an eye on the calves?”
Dylan had zeroed in on her Achilles’ heel.
“Yeah. For the calves, I’ll stay a few extra days,” she said, grateful for a chance to lighten the mood in the truck.
And while she was at it, she still had to go into town to talk to some people about a mechanical pivot irrigation system for the farm. Because nothing else had changed between them, and Dylan still needed to move his cows off her father’s farm.