Veterinary Partner

by Nancy Wheelton

  Callie spotted a pair of heavy socks protruding from Lauren’s jacket pocket. She plucked the socks from the pocket and slipped them on Lauren’s feet. The doctor had said Lauren shouldn’t do any bending for a few days, but Callie wasn’t sure how she’d manage that on her own. When she straightened, Callie noticed Lauren had quit eating and her head was hanging.

  “I appreciate your help, but I don’t deserve it after everything that’s happened.” Lauren’s voice trailed off as she twisted to face the wall.

  Callie caressed Lauren’s cheek. “Lauren, look at me. I want to help you, and I hurt as much as you do about our argument.” Lauren opened her mouth, but Callie silenced her with her finger pressed to Lauren’s lips. “Eat your lunch and rest. Then we’ll talk.”

  Lauren smiled and resumed eating her sandwich.

  To lighten the mood, Callie pointed to the other cat sitting beside Lauren’s feet. “Your cats are cute.”

  “Thanks. I adopted the little female, Elsa, when she came into the clinic as a stray.” Lauren winced as she gestured over her shoulder. “That’s her on the couch.” She grinned down at the other cat. “This big guy with the crooked tail is Digit. He must have broken his tail when he was a tiny kitten and it healed at an odd angle.” At the sound of his name, Digit leaped into Lauren’s lap for a cuddle and kisses.

  “Digit was my first friend in Saskatchewan. I adopted him from a farm when he was about six weeks old. I was there to treat a cow, and I found this little guy.”

  “Was he starving?”

  “He was a fat, well-fed kitten, but too tiny to be on his own. I asked the farmer if I could have him. He looked at me as if I had two heads and said, ‘Can you have him? I have another thirty in the barn you can have.’”

  Callie laughed.

  “Digit followed me from barn to barn, crawling in and out of mud puddles. He meowed the entire time, and he’s not stopped since. I never meant to adopt a kitten, but he picked me.”

  “So, you rescue animals?”

  “Most vets have homes full of abandoned or damaged pets. I’m just starting my collection.” Lauren laughed softly.

  “And Max would have been one?”

  “Yes, but I’m glad you have him.”

  “He follows Becky everywhere. She loves him.”

  When she finished lunch, Lauren gingerly crawled into bed and Digit followed.

  Callie put the food away and washed the lunch dishes. Then she slipped out to fill Lauren’s prescription and collect first aid supplies to change the bandage. Callie had animals to feed, and she needed to get home. When she returned from shopping, she woke Lauren. “Sorry to wake you, but you have to come home with me.”

  “You’ve done too much for me already.”

  “I promised the doctor and Val I’d look after you, and you’re not all right on your own. I want to help, but I need to be home to see to my animals.” Lauren had every right to say no, but she did need watching and Callie hoped she’d come back with her. She enjoyed caring for people. “If you close your eyes and really think about how you’re feeling, you’ll know I’m right.”

  Lauren sighed and closed her eyes. “Okay, I surrender. Thank you.”

  Callie changed the cat litter tray and filled an extra bowl of water and dry cat food. She packed a bag for Lauren, grabbed Lauren’s laptop, and set them by the door. Then she maneuvered Lauren into a heavy coat and scooped up Digit and Elsa so Lauren could kiss them on the head. She helped Lauren into the Poplarcreek pickup truck, collected Lauren’s bags, and they drove to Callie’s farm.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  There was a moment of awkwardness when they entered the farmhouse. Callie flashed to their last conversation in her kitchen and winced. She carried Lauren’s bags upstairs and settled her in the spare room with water, ibuprofen, and her antibiotics.

  Lauren chuckled when Callie placed the white speaker beside her bed.

  “Don’t mock me,” Callie said. “A baby monitor is more useful than a bell, and cell phone signals are unreliable. The tower’s too far away. Talk into the monitor if you need anything. I’ll carry my end with me. And don’t you dare go downstairs on your own.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Callie had a busy late afternoon. There were pens to clean and cattle to feed, and she wanted to try to get it done before dark. Her youngest heifers didn’t produce enough milk, so she supplemented the calves with milk replacer. She was bottle-feeding each calf one to two times a day. Two calves had scour, and she checked for dehydration the way Lauren taught her. They would be all right for now with electrolytes and a dose of antibiotics.

  When she returned, she heard Lauren’s slow steps in the upstairs hallway and bounded upstairs two steps at a time. When she saw Lauren was okay and had only gotten up to use the bathroom, Callie jumped into the shower. After a long soak, she pulled her wet hair into a ponytail, dressed in clean clothes, and returned to the kitchen to prepare dinner.

  She tucked the phone against her cheek as she worked and phoned Val’s house to speak with Becky.

  “Hi, Mommy.”

  “Hi, honey, how are you? Having fun?”

  “Gwen and I just finished homework. Val said we could watch some cartoons before bed.”

  “That sounds like fun. Do you understand why you’re staying with Val and Gwen?”

  “Lauren is with you.”

  Callie winced. That didn’t sound good. “Lauren was hurt today at work and I need to keep an eye on her. It’s no fun here tonight. More fun at Val’s.”

  “Can I come home tomorrow?”

  Becky’s hesitant question tore at her heart. “Yes, honey. Yes, and I’m going to miss you tonight. In fact, I miss you already. What if I come there and watch cartoons with you?” If Becky was upset again, she’d go to her. No questions asked.

  “You would? But what about Lauren? Val said you can’t leave her in case she needs help.”

  “That’s true. What should I do?”

  “You stay with Lauren. I’ll stay here tonight and come home tomorrow.”

  The tentativeness left Becky’s voice and the power returned. Callie smiled. Becky not only looked like Liz more each day, she sometimes sounded like her. “Okay. Thanks, honey. I love you. Big hugs.”

  “I love you too, Mommy.”

  Callie woke Lauren with a gentle caress on her cheek. “Hungry?”

  Lauren leaned into her palm and sighed. “Yes, thanks.”

  Callie placed a small table beside the bed and set dinner on it.

  Lauren sat up and grimaced as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed. “I feel like I’ve been sleeping all day. Antibiotics do that to me.”

  Callie flinched as pain washed over Lauren’s face. “It hurts you to move even an inch.”

  “It does, but I’m starving and dinner smells delicious.”

  “Good.” Callie pulled a chair to the other side of the table and they ate.

  “How were things in the barn?” Lauren asked.

  “The last heifer to have surgery is doing well. The calves are good, but I need four hands to feed them all. I was feeding two and another one was butting against my backside.”

  Lauren burst into laughter. Then she wrapped her arms around herself. “Don’t make me laugh, it hurts.”

  Callie grinned. “I didn’t make you do anything. Tiny calves are ganging up on me and this you apparently find funny.”

  “Your gang of calves.”

  “So, are we going to talk about what happened?”

  “When?”

  “What do you mean when? Today. At Kruger Farm. Did something else happen?”

  “I’ve been lying here thinking of little else. I’m almost certain Kyle opened Bulldozer’s headgate. He was fussing around Bulldozer’s head while I worked. I’m pretty sure Tommy was as surprised as I was when the bull escaped and flattened me.”

  “Tommy called me afterward and said, ‘he shouldn’t have done it.’ He meant Kyle. He must have seen him let th
e bull go.”

  “That’s confirmation, but it won’t be enough for the police and I’ll bet Tommy won’t tell them.”

  Callie clasped Lauren’s hands between hers. “The Krugers are after you too. You have to stay away from them.”

  “They’re clients. It’s hard to do.”

  “But you could have been killed.” Callie shivered as a chill crept down her back. The Krugers had shifted from letters and threats to attempted murder. Was this all so they could get their hands on Poplarcreek? Hurting Lauren wouldn’t get them the farm. Was there something else? Was it the stolen cattle or drug smuggling? How could she stop it? There had to be a way to protect Becky, Lauren, and herself.

  “I was thinking about the night Kyle pretended to have a calving and lured me back to the clinic. Tommy showed up after Kyle and I think sort of blocked Kyle from being meaner. I’m not sure, but I was scared. I never thought Kyle would actually do anything. Today proves how wrong I was. I’ll call Mitch and tell her about the bull. Maybe it’s all related.”

  Callie stood and paced the bedroom. “You must not go to Kruger Farm again or see them alone.” She stopped in front of Lauren. “Promise me. Promise or I’ll never be able to sleep again for worrying about you.”

  “I think I may safely promise you never to return to Kruger Farm. I’ll tell Ian and Fiona the whole story if I have to.”

  Callie dropped into a chair. “I want to hug you, but you look so sore.”

  “Rain check?”

  Callie smiled. “Deal.”

  After dinner, Callie cleared the dishes and carried them downstairs. She set the kitchen to rights and phoned Becky again just to say good night. Then she pulled on a heavy jacket and boots and jogged to the barn for the evening check on her animals.

  When Callie returned to the house, she climbed the stairs to her bedroom. She changed into blue fleece sleep pants, a matching top, and heavy socks. She turned in front of her full-length mirror and winced at her outfit. It wasn’t sexy but was typical winter pajamas in Saskatchewan. She’d freeze in a nightdress, and besides, it wasn’t that kind of sleepover. Callie tiptoed down the hall and halted at the door to the guest room. She ached to spend more time with Lauren but had no wish to be a pest, and she suspected Lauren had fallen asleep after dinner. Should she leave or should she knock?

  “Come in, Callie.”

  The low timbre of Lauren’s voice skittered up Callie’s spine and stole her breath. She perched on the uncomfortable decorative antique chair beside Lauren’s bed. Dinner had been innocuous, but a late evening visit at bedtime gave the room a charged atmosphere, ratcheting up the heat and intimacy level. She tried not to let her eyes roam, but she noticed Lauren breathing faster than normal. “Are you in pain? Can I get you anything?”

  “How about the license plate of the truck that ran me over? The truth is, I’m doing better, thanks, Cals. Everything all right in the barn? I wouldn’t be much use to you tonight if there was trouble.”

  “Everything’s good.” Callie yawned and leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hand. Her head was spinning. Cals. No one had used that nickname before, and she liked it. The word was warm and intimate coming from Lauren. “The heifers have finished calving. I only have the cows left, so that’s a bonus.” Callie squeezed her words out around another larger yawn.

  Lauren rested her hand on Callie’s knee. “Tired?”

  Callie rolled her shoulders and stretched. “I’m exhausted. How about you?”

  “I’m beat. I just took two ibuprofen and my antibiotics. When those kick in, I’ll sleep.” Lauren squeezed Callie’s knee. “I love chatting with you, but aren’t you uncomfortable in that chair?”

  “I am, and I need to sleep too.” She was drained from the stress of the day and needed to get to bed, but she was drawn to Lauren. Callie sat quietly and held Lauren’s hand. It was as if by touching her she could keep her safe. While they held hands, the pills took effect. Lauren’s eyes drifted closed and popped open again several times. Callie watched Lauren struggle against sleep and caressed her cheek. “Relax, baby. Go to sleep.”

  “Thanks, Cals. Thanks for everything.” Lauren smiled and her eyes closed.

  Callie placed a light kiss on Lauren’s cheek. “Night Lauren.” She tucked the comforter over Lauren and tiptoed from the room.

  * * *

  The next morning, Callie brought breakfast to Lauren’s room. She had been awake for hours and had eaten breakfast already. She set the food on Lauren’s table and left Lauren to eat when she woke up. Later, water running in the bathroom signaled Lauren was awake. Callie collected the bandaging supplies and brought them to the guest room. “Good morning. I have to change your dressing.”

  Lauren grimaced and swiveled to unbutton her shirt with her back to Callie. After removing her shirt, she lay on her stomach.

  Callie shook her head. Why was Lauren still shy after everything they had done? She placed the chair beside the bed and sat. “Sorry, the doctor told me to remove the bandage slowly.” The muscles of Lauren’s shoulders bunched and twitched as Callie removed the bandage as gently as she could. When she finished Lauren sighed and relaxed.

  Lauren glanced over her shoulder. “How’s it look?”

  “The cut is swollen and red, but clean.”

  “It itches.”

  “Lucky you can’t reach it, or I’d have to fasten one of those plastic cone collars on you.”

  Lauren giggled.

  Callie dabbed antibiotic ointment on the wound and bandaged it. She spent more time smoothing the edges of the bandage than was necessary. The swell of Lauren’s breasts was visible where she lay on them and it unnerved her. When she finished with the bandage, she drew the sheets to cover Lauren. “Sleep now.” She placed a tender kiss on each bruised shoulder and tiptoed from the room.

  In the afternoon, Callie brought Lauren lunch in her room. At some point Lauren had risen and put her top on. They sat on either side of the small table the way they had the first night. When they finished, Callie set the dishes and table aside. Lauren lay on her side in bed and pulled the covers over herself. Callie dropped into her chair and sat hunched with her elbows on her knees while she scrutinized Lauren’s face. “We have to talk.”

  The color drained from Lauren’s face.

  “Becky will be home today, and she needs to be comfortable in her own home. She feels like you’ve been avoiding her. That true?”

  “Is she upset?”

  “She’s been through a lot and worries about losing people. Can you just be her friend? Like you are with Gwen?”

  Lauren nodded. “I’d like to.”

  “Thanks. Her happiness is my priority.”

  Lauren looked up at her and held her gaze. “Of course.”

  At four p.m. Callie met Becky at the bus and walked her into the house. They removed boots and coats and Callie motioned for Becky to sit with her at the table.

  Becky gazed at Callie. “Where’s Max? He always meets me when I get home.”

  “He’s upstairs keeping watch over Lauren. She’s staying with us for a few more days.”

  “Why?” The child’s voice betrayed her trepidation.

  “She’s too sore to be on her own. Thank you for staying with Val last night while I looked after her.” Callie kissed the top of Becky’s head and gave her a one-armed hug. “I’m glad you’re home. Max and I missed you.”

  “I like being home, Mommy.”

  Callie kissed Becky’s cheek. “Lauren needs lots of rest, so we have to be quiet upstairs. She’s in the spare room and you may visit her if you wish.”

  Becky shrugged and played with the zipper of her hoodie, zipping it up and down nervously.

  “Sweetie, Lauren has been behaving strangely the last little while, but it’ll be better now. I promise.”

  Becky swung her legs and repeatedly hit the legs of her chair with her heels. “If Max is with her, I guess it’s okay.”

  “I’m going to
make dinner now. Would you like to help?” She didn’t want to pressure Becky into visiting Lauren, and she wanted to spend more time with her. She’d missed her.

  Becky brightened. “Can I?”

  “I’d love the help. Grab a chair and sit at the table.” Callie gathered her supplies. “Tonight, you’re going to learn how to peel potatoes. It’s where everyone starts in the kitchen.”

  Callie watched her work and couldn’t resist dropping kisses on her head. Becky concentrated intently on her project. She was very thorough and got all the peel but dug a little deep and peeled off half the potato. Callie grinned as she neatly scraped three potatoes to Becky’s one. They didn’t need two pounds of potatoes and they’d be eating them all week.

  She was still worried about Becky and Lauren. She’d never send Lauren home injured, but their friendship had no chance of going further if Becky was unhappy. Callie shook her head. And no chance if Lauren was unhappy. She liked Lauren and it was too bad if their budding friendship imploded, but Becky was her priority, always.

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Lauren lay in bed on her stomach with Max curled on the carpet near her. Max always followed Becky around the house and property, and when she was at school, he followed Callie. Callie had told Max it was his job to stay with her, and he hadn’t left her side.

  She tried to concentrate on her audiobook, but her mind kept wandering to Callie, Becky, and the Krugers. The Krugers were dangerous and had proven it yesterday. But why had Kyle let Bulldozer go? Was he trying to cover something else up? She and Callie had told the police everything. If she were dead, she couldn’t testify at trial, but the police had her statement. It didn’t make sense, but then how did any of the harassment of Callie make sense. She discarded her musings when Callie appeared.

  “Hey, Lauren. I have dinner for you.” Callie dragged a bigger table and another chair into the bedroom. She struggled from bed and hobbled to a chair. It was painful, but she needed to move before she stiffened further. Becky and Callie sat in the other chairs and Max’s bowl also landed in her room for dinner.