I put Jaina back with her friends and grabbed her stuff, then walked back toward the stock barn
I saw Bodhi first. He looked upset as he went to lean on the fence and looked at the mares and foals in the distance. He hadn’t noticed me yet, somehow, which meant he was really not paying attention to things. That was alarming, given that he was a Marine and always alert.
“Hey, what’s going on?” I asked as I approached him.
His gaze snapped to me, and he grimaced. “Rowdy got to the mares and foals. Imelda’s baby got hurt.”
“Oh my God, what happened?”
“It’s just a scratch on her face, but Matigan is on his way to put in some stitches. She’ll be fine.”
But how did Rowdy get—it hit me. The gate. I almost dropped the saddle I was carrying.
I walked on blindly, making my way to the stock barn to put the tack away. My ears were buzzing and by the time I put Jaina’s saddle on its spot and hung the bridle on the hook, my arms were feeling a bit numb.
Without really paying attention, I put the two-way back into the charger and started the walk to the broodmare barn.
The physical numbness was one thing, but feeling a blanket of dread fall over my emotions was horrible. I needed to see the foal, Angela Lansbury, with my own eyes.
Oh God, Bodhi’s heart horse’s foal was hurt because of me. I felt like I needed to puke all of a sudden. I stopped walking and leaned over, hands on my knees as my system tried to figure out what was going to happen.
“Son?”
I heaved in a breath and glanced over at Mike who was driving Bluey.
“Where’s—”
“Inside with Jenn. What’s wrong?” he asked, peering at me worriedly.
I couldn’t talk. I just pushed the back of my hand against my mouth and tried to breathe through my nose enough not to puke or pass out.
“Okay, you’re starting to worry me, Mal,” Mike said firmly and got out of the cart.
He came to me and put a hand on my shoulder.
I let out this weird sound, kind of like a sob but not really.
“Come on, Mal. Talk to me. Is it your mom?”
I shook my head. “N-No. The f-foal. I let Rowdy in.”
He frowned. “Crew said you forgot to attach the chain—”
My choked up, horrified gasp made him grasp my forearms. He was quick to try to soothe me. “Hey now. That could’ve happened toanyone. It’s not your fault.”
I shook my head again, more vigorously this time. “It is! If I’d—”
“No.” The dad tone was unmistakable. The sternness in his gaze, his eyes so similar to Crew’s, made me quake on the inside.“I won’t allow you to blame yourself.Nobodywill blame you for that.”
“But Angela—”
“No. Let’s go. Dr. Matigan should be here soon. We’re going to go together to check up on the foal and then we’ll go back to the house for dinner.” He pushed me toward Bluey and I obeyed.
I zoned out a little, then startled when Mike parked the cart near the doors.
“Come on,” he said in that same tone that brooked no argument.
I followed him like a robot, somehow managing to move my stiff limbs and not give into the urge to run away instead. There was a small crowd hanging around Imelda Staunton’s stall. Crew stood by, looking in with Russ. I could hear Ennis’s voice from inside the stall.
