From the Hat Down, page 16
“Not sure the crowd would like my singing as much as the cows. And that’s a stretch. So, how are you?”
She knew what he meant and she looked over at Ginny. “So-so.”
“Have you heard anything?” he asked, concern rippling through his voice
“No.” She sighed and sank her free hand into one of the pockets of her lab coat. “But they’ll let me know.”
“Shit, hon. That’s a pisser. You want me to come down for a couple of days?”
She smiled. “That’s a great offer, but I think I’ll be okay. There’s nothing you can do. Nothing I can do. But I’ll let you know when I hear anything.”
He was quiet.
“Really. It’s okay. Don’t worry about me. And don’t worry about her. Mary and Marcella said that her injuries aren’t life-threatening but they’ll know more once she gets to Germany.”
“Okay. Keep me posted.”
“Will do.” She pushed off from the counter.
“Love you. Do something nice for yourself for your birthday, hon.”
“Like maybe use that gift certificate you got me to Jeffrey’s?” she asked, smiling.
“Maybe. Just take care of yourself and call me any time.” He sounded worried in a way that Meg hadn’t heard since she’d been bucked by a horse as a teen and ended up in the Laramie hospital for observation.
“I will. Love you, too.”
“All right. Happy birthday and I’ll catch up with you later. Bye.”
“Bye.” She hung up and replaced the phone on its receiver.
Ginny scrutinized her with an expression that was a mixture of concern and puzzlement.
Meg picked up her plate. “Do you have some time after work?”
“I do now.”
“Join me for a beer?”
Ginny smiled. “So the cake wore you down, did it?”
She took a bite. “God, that’s good. I think, though, it’s the way you used that knife.” She smirked as Ginny gave her a severe look.
“Eat more cake,” Meg said to the techs. “That’s an order. And save pieces for Randy and Roy. Oh, and Kevin and Rick.” She finished hers and Ginny cut the rest of the cake into smaller sizes. “Thanks,” she said as Ginny cleaned up, brisk and efficient.
“You’re welcome. And sometimes it helps to get other perspectives. You want to meet at Lovejoy’s?”
Meg nodded. “Sounds good.” She thought again about Gina, ten years ago today, holding her close and singing softly in her ear, the warmth of her skin on Meg’s the culmination of a week of wanting. Or maybe it was the beginning of something way beyond a summer wish.
She glanced up as her 2:45 appointment arrived, relieved for something else to focus on, something she understood, that utilized her skills and training and left her heart unscathed. She settled into the rest of the afternoon, and finally found some comfort in work.
Meg glanced over at Haley as they rode in companionable silence Tuesday morning. Moonshine lay on the bench seat between them, his head on Haley’s thigh and a look of utter canine contentment on his face. Haley stroked his head as she stared out the window. Meg wasn’t much for talking first thing, and she figured Haley might be the same, but this was a business trip, and she wanted Haley to get familiar with the people out here. Any one of them could prove an ally or future letter of recommendation.
“First stop is the Johnston spread,” Meg said. “They’ve got a horse with what appears to be a mild case of the heaves. I’m being conservative with treatment, and the sample of mucous I took tested negative for infection.”
“We had a horse with that. We caught it before it got too bad. Moved her stall and wet her hay a lot.”
Meg nodded. “I want to check, too, and see if there’s anything else in the stalls that might be irritating his airways.” Meg turned into the Johnstons’ long driveway. “You want to have a look in the stable in a bit, see what you think?”
“Okay.” She sounded surprised.
“Don’t worry. I’ll back you up,” Meg said with a little smile as they pulled up in front of the Johnstons’ barn. She and Haley got out, leaving Moonshine to sit on the seat and watch through the window.
“Hey, Doc,” Effie said by way of greeting.
“Morning. This is Haley Roberts, our new intern.”
“Hi.” Haley shook Effie’s hand.
“Roberts,” Effie said slowly. “From the Lazy R and T?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You’re one of Jack Roberts’ daughters,” she said with a smile. “How’s your mom?”
“She’s good, thanks. I’ll tell her you said hi.”
Effie beamed. “You do that. Haven’t seen much of her. Lord knows we’re all busy.” She turned to Meg. “Okay, Doc, Hank’s waiting for you.”
“I’m sure he is.” She followed Effie, Haley right behind her. “And I’m sure he’s been looking forward to this all week.”
Effie chuckled.
“Hey, Hank,” Meg said to the old gray who stood looking at her with a mixture of what might have been patience and caution. He snorted, a tiny bit of mucus clinging to his left nostril. Meg examined it and had Haley have a look, too.
“It’s better than last time. How’s his appetite?” Meg asked Effie.
“About what it should be.”
“You still feeding him chest high?”
“Yep. And I wet his hay and bedding just a little bit to keep dust down.”
“Good. That’s probably going to be standard procedure with him from here on out. Is he getting out? That’s important.”
“Most of the day.”
“Good. If he starts having issues again, you might try feeding him pellets instead of hay, also moistened. But see how he’s doing with the hay over the next couple of weeks. How’re his spirits?”
Effie smiled. “I think he’s feeling better. He’s been trotting a little. More like his old self.”
Meg looked over at Hank. “You look better,” she said to him. He gave her another snort. “Let me check the rest of you.” She motioned for Haley to watch and Hank stood quietly as Meg examined his eyes, ears, and then carefully had a look at his teeth. “Looks good,” she said before she checked his legs, feet, and belly. “Thanks, Hank.” She patted his neck, and Haley did, too.
“He seems to be doing all right,” Meg said to Effie. “Call me if anything changes.”
“Thanks, Doc. How about some coffee?”
Haley looked at Meg hopefully.
“Sure, if it’s no trouble.”
“Already made. C’mon in.”
After they’d each had a cup, Meg checked the stables with Haley and then they were on the road again, headed for the Hanover spread to check on some cattle pinkeye and a couple cases of foot rot. Two stops later they finished up and headed back to the clinic. Meg glanced at her watch. Nearly five. They’d been on the road since seven-thirty that morning, and Haley had proven adept at dealing with not only animals, but people. She worked like Roy, in a way. Sort of quiet, but dependable. The day had kept Meg’s mind off Gina, fortunately, but another evening at home would give her plenty of time to think about her and worry. Regardless of how little good it did.
“So you’re in town for the summer?” Meg asked, as much to draw Haley out as to distract herself from thoughts of Gina.
“Yeah. Easier to get to school. And I take classes in the summer.”
She nodded. “Good idea. Get as much knocked out as you can.” She steered onto Highway 34 toward 287. “You help out at home still?”
Haley didn’t respond right away. When she did, she kept her gaze straight ahead. “I used to. Not so much anymore,” she said tightly.
Trouble at home, Meg guessed. “Busy with school, huh?”
“Something like that.” She lapsed into silence and Meg didn’t push her further until the outskirts of Laramie.
“I have to go out again on Thursday. You’re welcome to come along. Especially since your first class hasn’t started, so your mornings are free.”
Haley looked over at her, an expression of hopeful anticipation. “That’d be cool.”
“All right. Same time Thursday morning. So is there anything in particular you want to be researching for your class? That way when cases come up I can call you and you can come have a look if you’re able to.”
She smiled, tentative. “I’m actually kind of interested in those cases of equine VSV that showed up in Cheyenne. I kind of wonder if maybe earlier cases of Foot and Mouth might actually have been VSV.”
Meg nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll have Ginny look up cases of Foot and Mouth locally, and we can see what we can see. I don’t think we’ve had any VSV here in Albany County, but I’ll check with Roy. How far back do you want to go?”
“Ten years.”
“Shouldn’t be a problem. I have a friend from vet school who practices in Cheyenne. I can put you in touch with him. Unless you already have a contact.” Meg slowed down at a light.
“I do, but the more the better. That’d be really great.”
“No problem.” Meg steered into the parking lot at the clinic and pulled the truck into its space. Moonshine sat up and stretched. Meg turned the engine off and pulled her visor down. She and Roy kept business cards in the pocket. She pulled one of hers out and reached for the pen that she and Roy kept jutting up from the unused ashtray. She wrote an email address and a name on the back and handed it to Haley. “That’s my contact in Cheyenne.”
“Thanks.”
“Oh, that reminds me,” Meg said. “One of my friends who went to CSU with me works out of a clinic in Fort Collins. She told me to pass her name along in case you wanted to spend a day or two down there. She does large animal medicine as well and could probably hook you up with some Foot and Mouth cases down there. Maybe even some VSV. I have some of her cards in my truck. Let me get you one.”
“Cool,” Haley said as she opened her door and got out. Moonshine stood up and moved over to her and she picked him up and set him on the ground. Meg smiled and went to her truck. She opened the passenger side and pulled one of Sean’s cards out of the glove compartment. She walked it back to Haley. “Here you go. Sean Miller. Her email’s on there. Tell her I sent you.”
“This is great.” Haley read the card and carefully slid it into the breast pocket of her blue plaid western shirt.
“So we’re on for Thursday? I’m a little crazy with rounds this week. It’s not usually like this, but I’m working some slots for Mark.”
“Oh, totally. Seven.”
“Yep. And let me know if there’s anything specific you want to check out. In the meantime, I’ll just keep hounding you to watch various procedures and do the boring stuff like filing so you get a full picture of vet life.”
“Cool. Appreciate it.” Haley said.
“No problem. You good to go?”
She hesitated, a bare fraction of a second, but in that pause, Meg knew that she wanted to open up a bit more. “Yeah,” Haley said. “See you tomorrow.” She turned and headed to her own truck.
Meg watched her get in and start the engine. She waved and Meg waved back before she looked down at Moonshine as he scratched his ear with his strongest hind leg. She patted his back before she left him sitting in the sun so she could finish organizing the vet truck. She transferred her flannel shirt, coffee travel mug, and hat to her own truck. Moonshine ambled over and waited for her to lift him in. She grinned as she did so. “Spoiled beast,” she muttered, laughing softly, as she got him settled and went around to the driver’s side.
She checked her email on her phone, but there were no messages from Mary. Meg sighed and backed out of the parking space. Maybe Mary would call or email later. Although maybe no news was good news. She pulled out of the parking lot, thinking about Gina and the things she wished she’d said eight years ago.
Her phone rang as she pulled up in front of her house. “Hey,” she answered.
“Heard anything?” Sean asked.
“No. Not yet.” She braced the phone on her shoulder and against her ear and got Moonshine out of the truck.
“I’m sure they’re just waiting for a transport or she’s already there and she’s getting looked at.”
“Yeah.” But Meg wasn’t convinced. She took Moonshine inside and let him out the back.
“They’ll call. So how about you come down here for dinner tomorrow? Take your mind off things?”
“Okay. I’ll come down after work.” She wasn’t sure she was in the mood for it, but it was probably a good idea. Otherwise she’d just rattle around in her house, staring at the phone or checking her email obsessively.
“That’s what I like to hear. We’ll decide where to go when you get here. Unless you just want a liquid dinner. In which case Ted can make a mess of margaritas.”
She laughed. “That doesn’t sound half-bad, but I have to drive home.”
“Okay. One margarita. And then I’m cutting you off.”
“Thanks for looking out for me.”
“Who said anything about that? I just want your share of the margaritas,” Sean said with a giggle.
“Oh, thanks, bestest friend.” She leaned back against her counter.
“Don’t worry. You’ll get my share another time. And now, more importantly, how are you holding up?”
“Okay. Still worried.” Meg sighed. “I know there’s nothing I can do, and worrying is stupid, but it’s hard not to.”
“Yeah, it is hard not to. But it seems to me her family will let you know when she’s settled in at Ramstein and they’ll tell you how things are going with her.”
“I know, but it still doesn’t help much. I’m not even sure why I’m driving myself crazy with this waiting shit.”
“Um, hello? Because you care about her,” Sean said in one of her “duh” tones. “You’d better have your phone grafted to your head if something like that happened to me. Hell, you’d better have Ted grafted to your head if that happened to me so the two of you could freak out together.”
Meg laughed. “I don’t think I’m okay with that image.”
“Okay, whatever. Point being, you care about her and you had some crazy-ass dream and it made the whole thing even weirder and scarier than it already is.”
“I guess. I’m still not sure what to do about that dream.”
“What’s to do? You had a weird dream. You were thinking about her anyway, and you can’t tell me you weren’t worried that something could happen to her over there. It was just coincidence that you had a dream like that around the time something like that happened to her.”
“That’s not very romantic of you,” Meg teased. “You’re supposed to say I have some kind of connection with her, and other cosmic woo-woo stuff.”
“There’s nothing romantic about what happened,” Sean said, serious. “And you do have a connection with her. It’s just that I don’t think a dream is indicative of that. Dreams come from your brain. You manufactured it.”
Meg didn’t respond, thinking about how she had felt compelled to call Gina’s parents.
“But I do think that a dream can make you realize some things,” Sean said. “You had already been thinking a lot about her, and you’ve been trying to figure out whether you want to approach her and what role you want her to play in your life. A dream like that—maybe it made you realize that you shouldn’t put off certain things, and if you’re going to connect with someone, no matter in what capacity, you’d better get to it.”
“So you’re saying the dream was a subconscious kick in the ass?”
“Could be. Could also be a kick in the ass to make you really think about her and what you want to do with this re-established communication. In other words, unpack your baggage, girlfriend.”
“You’re a hard-ass.”
“Not as hard as you are on yourself,” Sean said, and Meg heard warmth in her tone. “So text me or call before you leave so I know when to expect you.”
“Will do. Oh, our new intern will probably be contacting you about equine VSV.”
“Cool. How’d she do this morning? Did she manage to horse whisper as well as dog whisper?”
“She didn’t have to,” Meg said. “We didn’t have any nutty horses to deal with. But she has a nice bedside manner with both animals and people.”
“I’ll tell her she’s welcome to come and spend a day with me. After all, I have all kinds of wisdom that you don’t.”
“Oh, really? And what kind of wisdom is that?”
“The woo-woo kind. I’ll get my cow crystals out.”
Meg laughed. “I don’t even want to know what the hell those are.”
“Probably for the best. But they’re full of woo-woo.”
“They’re full of something.”
Sean giggled. “Okay, I’ve got to run along. Talk to you tomorrow.” She made kissing noises. “Bye.”
Meg smiled and hung up. Moonshine came in from the back yard and stared mournfully at his empty food bowl, then up at her.
She laughed. “Okay, okay. Dinner time.” She picked up his bowl, put kibble in it, then opened a can of high grade dog food. She added a few spoonfuls to his kibble, mixed it up, and set it on the placemat near the back door where he ate. He sniffed it and, apparently pleased with the selection, started eating with gusto.
“Well, I’m glad we met with your satisfaction, sir,” Meg said as she watched him. She left the back door open for him and went to check her email again. Still no news, so she made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for dinner then worked on a paper she was co-writing with colleagues. At ten, she decided she was tired enough to sleep, so she checked email one more time. Seeing nothing new, she shut her computer down and got ready for bed. Maybe tomorrow would bring news.
Chapter 13
Wednesday morning kept Meg busy with scheduled appointments and an emergency that thankfully turned out not to be serious. She ducked into her office at twelve-thirty to eat her sandwich. Kelly poked her head in five minutes later and asked about a schedule change in her appointments. Meg okay’ed it then checked her email. Still nothing about Gina. She finished her sandwich and leaned back in her chair, her feet on her desk, brooding, when her cell phone rang. She recognized the area code as one from California.
