Autumn's Awakening

by Irene Brand

  Straightening her back, after she’d taken the last mare’s temperature, Autumn heard a sound behind her, and she turned quickly. Nathan had just entered the barn.

  “Oh, Nathan,” she said, hurrying to him. “Noel is sick.”

  “Yes, I know. Olive telephoned me about the emergency, and I came right away.”

  “Oh, I’m glad you did. Daddy doesn’t want me to help, but I couldn’t stay away and let the horses die. What if they die anyway? What if I don’t know what to do?”

  Nathan pulled her into his arms, and she nestled into his embrace. It felt good to surrender her weakness to his strength. He kissed her hair and massaged the muscles in her neck and shoulders.

  “Don’t think such things,” he said softly. “You’re a good vet, and you’re more interested in the mares at Indian Creek Farm than any other person could be. Buck up. You’ve got a lot of hard work ahead of you.”

  “Will you stay with me?”

  “As long as you need me. You know I’m not welcome at this farm either, but I won’t leave until you do.”

  Reluctantly, she stepped out of his embrace. “Thanks, Nathan. How’s your mare?”

  “Okay for now. She’s been vaccinated for the disease. What can I do to help?”

  “I’ve sent into town for more antibiotics, and you can help me administer those when they get here. I want to put some hot packs on Noel’s lymph nodes. I’ll probably have to incise and drain the abscesses, but hot packs will slow down the swelling. She won’t like it, so you may have to help me restrain her.”

  Nathan put his arm around Autumn’s waist as they walked through the barn to Noel’s stall. Landon stood in the office doorway, watching them, but he said nothing and neither did they.

  Autumn was amazed when Summer showed up in the barn, for her sister had never liked the place. “Is there anything I can do, Autumn?” she asked, with a friendly nod in Nathan’s direction.

  “I need to put poultices on some of the mares, and it would be helpful if we had heating pads. Are there any at the house we can use?”

  “I can find two or three. Anything else?”

  “Maybe some heavy towels. We can soak them in hot water and put them on the mares’ necks.”

  “I’ll be back soon.”

  When Autumn checked Noel’s fever again, it was higher than before. Worried, she placed a couple of the heating pads Summer had brought around Noel’s neck, and Nathan helped her hold them in place. As they knelt side by side on the straw floor, their eyes met and their gazes locked.

  “Kinda like old times, huh?” Nathan said.

  “I was thinking the same thing. This is the stall where Noel was born, where we met for the first time. What a lot of things have happened since then.”

  “I did a lot of thinking about us last night, remembering the words of the Apostle Paul, ‘Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on…’ Autumn, you weren’t the only one who made mistakes in the past. I made some, too, and I wonder if God has given me another chance, and I’m too stupid to take advantage of it.”

  “Oh, Nathan,” she whispered. He learned forward and brushed his lips against hers, but they straightened when they heard approaching footsteps. Jeff came into the stall with a bag of supplies.

  “Miss Olive,” he reported, “says two of the Simpson horses are sick, and there are two other farmers who want you to vaccinate their stock. She’s ordered vaccine, and it will be in on the morning delivery truck.”

  Autumn left Nathan to watch over Noel, and Jeff helped her medicate the other animals, none of which were as sick as Noel. It had been dark for hours when she got back to Noel’s stall, where Nathan reported, “I think she’s better. Her wheezing isn’t as noticeable, and she doesn’t cough as much.”

  Autumn patted the Belgian’s head and ran her hands over the sleek hide. “Oh, I’m so thankful.” When she checked Noel’s temperature, it had dropped three degrees. Autumn swiped the tears from her eyes. She had no time for weeping.

  “Jeff,” Autumn said to the trainer, “I’m responsible for taking care of all of Ray’s customers, so I’ll have to leave. Can you take care of things now? If not, maybe Nathan can stay for a few hours.”

  Autumn wasn’t aware that Landon had been watching from the stall door until he spoke. “You’ve done the hard work, and there’s no reason I can’t take over now,” he said in tones that were reminiscent of the Landon of her youth. “If I need help, Jeff will be here. You need to rest.”

  “No rest for me tonight because I’ve got several other calls to make. We need to stop this disease before it spreads farther. I do believe everything is all right here, but I’ll stop by again in the morning.” She turned to Jeff. “In the meantime, I’ll keep my phone with me, and if Noel takes a turn for the worse, you get in touch with me.” She smiled at her father. “I had too much trouble bringing Noel into the world to lose her now.”

  He didn’t return her smile, but he looked at his watch and said gruffly, “You and Nathan haven’t had anything to eat or drink for hours. There’s some food at the house.”

  “Thanks, Daddy, but I’ll grab a bite in town. I have to go back to the clinic for vaccine, and Miss Olive will probably have more calls for me now.” She reached a hand to Nathan. “Thanks, Nathan, for helping.”

  He took her hand and, in spite of the watchful eyes of Landon, drew her into a cozy embrace. “I’m going with you. I probably won’t be much help with the animals, but I can drive while you catch a few winks of sleep between farms. I won’t let you spend this night on the roads alone.”

  His words didn’t provide any room for disagreement, and besides, she wanted him with her.

  “Let’s go.”

  “I’ll get my truck when we stop by here tomorrow,” Nathan said. They took off their contaminated coveralls and washed at the laundry near the office.

  “There are clean boots in the truck,” Autumn said. “I think you can wear Ray’s boots. We’ll have to be careful not to carry the disease with us.”

  She handed Nathan the keys, and she climbed into the passenger’s seat. Landon stood in the doorway and watched them leave, but he didn’t respond when Autumn waved. Sighing deeply, she leaned her head against the leather upholstery.

  “Did you notice we received a rather left-handed invitation to go to the house?” Nathan asked, amusement lighting his gray eyes.

  Grinning at him, she said, “I noticed, and I wish we could have gone, but I don’t have any time to waste. It would have taken longer than to stop for a couple of hamburgers.”

  “I believe your father’s anger is slowly fading. He couldn’t help but be impressed with the way you handled your job tonight. Perhaps he’s realizing he may have made a few mistakes in the past, too.”

  “I hope so. I love my daddy so much, and it’s frustrating not to have him to lean on.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Autumn dialed the clinic’s number and when Olive answered, she said, “Everything is under control at Indian Creek Farm, Miss Olive, and I’m heading back to town. Nathan is with me. We’ll be there as soon as we stop for something to eat.”

  “Don’t dare stop at a restaurant. I have a meal waiting for you,” Olive said sternly. “There’s plenty for Nathan, too. I’ll have the food on the table, and while you eat, I’ll put all the provisions you need in the truck. Eating a decent meal won’t delay you at all. I don’t know why veterinarians think they can go day and night without food and rest,” she grumbled as she hung up the phone. Autumn knew the remark was aimed at the absent Doc Wheeler as much as at her.

  The aroma of freshly prepared food assailed their nostrils when they walked into the kitchen. Olive had two plates filled with chicken and noodles and fresh green peas, and a bowl of vegetable salad already on the table. She placed a pan of hot biscuits between them and poured tall glasses of iced tea.

  Autumn grabbed the glass of tea and drained it before Nathan had time to say the blessing. “Oh, Mis
s Olive, thank you. I didn’t realize how thirsty I was until I saw the glass.”

  “Now you just sit down and eat.” Olive clucked like a mother hen as she rustled around the kitchen. “And I’ve got beef sandwiches in a cooler for you to take with you, as well as a large thermos of coffee. You’re going to have a long night.”

  When Nathan and Autumn expressed their thanks as they left the clinic, Olive said, “I’ve looked after one vet for twenty-five years, so I’ve learned a few things.” She stood by the truck as they prepared to leave the driveway and looked in the open window. With a gentle smile, she said, “It’s good to see the two of you together.”

  They went first to the Simpson farm where two horses were sick. Ralph had already isolated the infected animals from the rest of his herd, and after Autumn gave the animals antibiotics to prevent secondary illness, she gave Ralph instructions on what to do.

  The next farmer had a riding horse for his children. The abscess on the horse’s lymph nodes had matured to the place where she had to incise and drain the swelling, but she thought antibiotics would take care of the situation.

  They visited three more farms without any problems, but Autumn administered vaccine in an effort to prevent the spread of the disease. By the time she’d made the last call Olive had put on her work order, daylight had come and Autumn could barely walk to the truck. Nathan lifted her bodily and placed her in the seat. He had been her tower of strength all night long, but she was too weary to tell him so.

  “I’m going to take you back to Greensboro and tell Olive to put you to bed.”

  She shook her head. “Not yet. Let’s go by Indian Creek Farm. I can’t rest until I know that everything is under control there.”

  While Nathan drove the few miles to the farm, Autumn dialed the clinic. “Anything new?” she asked.

  “No more emergencies,” Olive said, “and I’ve canceled the surgery appointments for this morning. You come home and go to bed,” she ordered.

  “I’ll be there soon,” Autumn promised.

  Sleepy-eyed, Landon met them at the door of the barn, and Autumn knew he hadn’t slept, either.

  “Noel is out of danger, I’m sure,” he said as if he knew that was most important to her.

  “Great,” Autumn said, stifling a yawn. “I can sleep now, but I’ll take a quick look around. I’m still responsible to Ray, and he’ll want a report.”

  Noel was on her feet, still wheezing and coughing occasionally, but she nibbled at the oats in her feed box. Autumn leaned against the mare for a few moments before she checked the abscess. Looking at Landon, she said, “I’d better incise and drain it, shouldn’t I?”

  “I think so, but you’re the doctor.”

  “Nathan, if I can impose on you a little longer, please bring the instrument case in, and I’ll take care of it.” She patted the mare’s neck. “This will hurt a little, Noel, but it will make you feel better.”

  The other mares were either stable or improving, so Autumn felt free to leave them after she’d drained the abscess. Her father was as knowledgeable about Belgians as any veterinarian, and now that he seemed to be his old self, he could handle the mares.

  Nathan handed her the keys to Ray’s truck. “Are you sure you can stay awake? I can take you home.”

  “No, I’m fine. Thanks for going with me tonight.”

  “I’m following you into Greensboro to be sure you get back safely. If you get sleepy, pull over.”

  It was comforting to have his red pickup trailing her into town. After being on her own for eight years, making her own decisions and taking care of her personal problems, it seemed like paradise to have someone watching over her. When she drove into the clinic’s parking lot, Nathan tooted his horn and went on by.

  Autumn fell across her bed without even undressing, and it seemed like no time before she felt a gentle touch on her shoulder. Olive stood beside the bed with a tray holding a pot of tea and two cinnamon rolls. She placed the tray on a small table and drew it close to the bed. She handed Autumn a warm, damp washcloth.

  Autumn yawned, stretched and listened to the clock striking in the hallway.

  “Two o’clock,” she said. “I didn’t intend to sleep so long. Why didn’t you waken me?”

  “Sit up,” Olive said “and take a little nourishment.”

  The warm cloth felt so good on her dry face, which Autumn also discovered had been a dirty face when she looked at Olive’s white washcloth.

  “I’d better take a shower before I eat,” she said.

  Olive fluffed several pillows behind Autumn’s back and placed the tray in front of her. “Eat first.”

  Obediently, Autumn ate the warm pastry and sipped on the tea, while Olive straightened the room. “I washed your clothes yesterday,” she said, “so you have plenty of fresh shirts and jeans in the closet.”

  “Thanks, Miss Olive. With Nathan watching over me day and night, and you pampering me, it’s going to be hard to go back to taking care of myself.”

  “You need a little pampering now.”

  Autumn finished the last of the tea and handed the tray to Olive. “Thanks. That was good, as were those sandwiches you made for us last night.”

  “I don’t believe in giving bad news on an empty stomach, and I’ve got bad news.”

  Autumn’s lethargy was forgotten, and she stiffened. “Noel? Did Noel die?”

  “As far as I know, everything’s all right at Indian Creek Farm. Nathan’s filly is sick now.”

  Autumn swung out of bed, her feet hitting the floor with a thud. “Why didn’t you call me before?”

  “Nathan telephoned a couple of hours ago, but he made me promise not to tell you until you awakened. I broke that promise, because I knew you’d never get over it if you slept on when he needed you.”

  Autumn rushed down the hall to the bathroom and took a quick shower. Back in her room, she put on the clothes that Olive had placed on the bed. In the clinic, Olive held out a pair of clean coveralls and the boots Autumn had worn yesterday, now scrubbed and disinfected.

  “I’m getting far behind with the clinic calls. Maybe you should call in a vet from another county. I’m going to stay with Nathan as long as he needs me.”

  “We don’t have anything yet that can’t be put off. If an emergency arises, I’ll decide then. Go on, and don’t worry about things here at the office.”

  Nathan hurried from the barn when she drove into the barnyard. His face was gaunt with worry.

  “I don’t know what happened,” he said. “Beauty had been in the barn all day yesterday, and I checked on her when I came in this morning. I thought she was all right. I went into the house and slept for a couple of hours, and when I came back to the barn, she was sick.”

  “How sick?”

  “Real sick.”

  Autumn heard the filly coughing before she got into the barn, and she followed the sounds to the stall. Nathan had already applied hot packs to the rapidly swelling lymph nodes, and when Autumn checked, she found the horse’s temperature extremely high.

  “I brought antibiotics. Maybe they’ll help. You did say she’d been vaccinated?”

  “Yes. Ray did that when he gave her the other shots she needed, but I’ve heard there are cases where a horse doesn’t build an effective immune system even if it is vaccinated.”

  “Do you know how she became infected?”

  He shook his head. “I’ve been careful. It’s possible someone may have borrowed a pail or a bridle at the fair when I wasn’t looking and the disease was transmitted that way.”

  “Nathan, I feel so inexperienced. I’ve seen cases of strangles in vet school and studied about the infection, but this is the first time I’ve treated horses for the disease. Maybe I’m doing everything wrong. Can we take her to Columbus? Or perhaps call another vet? If Ray only was here, he’d know what else to do.”

  Nathan realized that Autumn was at the breaking point, and he took her hands. “Look at me, Autumn.” When her eyes met hi
s, he said, “Believe me, there’s no vet on earth I’d trust any more than I do you. You can do as much as another vet. I trust you implicitly.”

  “But what if she dies?”

  “I won’t blame you. Do what you think is necessary.”

  After she administered the antibiotics, they applied hot packs, and kept the animal as comfortable as possible. For the next three days, Autumn and Nathan kept watch over Beauty around the clock. While one of them watched, the other stretched out on a pile of hay in the barn. Ralph Simpson came with sandwiches and hot coffee. They ate, not because they were hungry, but because they needed the strength the food would generate. Jeff drove over from Indian Creek Farm and added his expert advice. There was a constant stream of visitors from worried neighbors, reporting that Autumn’s treatment had apparently stopped the spread of the infectious disease.

  The filly’s fever continued to rise. Autumn would no sooner incise and drain one abscess, than another would form, and Beauty struggled to breathe when the swelling in her throat increased. Nothing seemed to help.

  As the horse slowly died, Autumn wondered why, of all the other animals she’d worked with over the past four days, that it was Nathan’s only Belgian that had to die. When the mare breathed her last, Autumn leaned her head on the dead animal and sobbed.

  His own eyes full of tears, Nathan pulled Autumn upward and guided her out of the stall to the feed room, where he sat on a bale of hay and drew her down beside him.

  “It’s all right, Autumn. It’s all right. You can’t save all of your patients.”

  “But why did it have to be yours, Nathan? I’d rather have lost Noel than for your Beauty to die. Of all the animals I’ve worked with, why did yours have to die?”

  “I don’t know the answer to that, sweetheart, but you did all that was possible. Go back to the clinic, and get it off your mind. I’ll take care of things here.”

  “I’m so sorry, Nathan.” She put her arms around him and lifted her lips for a kiss. Nathan wasn’t slow to respond, and his tender passionate caress brought more relief to her spirit than anything else could have done. They were closer than they’d ever been.