I squinted at it to make sure that was my name.Sure enough,Erika Chompingwas written in bold along with the current year.If the man wasn’t already in his grave, I’d strangle him for getting me in debt to Josh-freaking-Hurst and somehow keeping my license current without my knowledge.If I did work here—and not saying it was happening…no, it most definitely wasn’t happening—I would have to sort out details with the NC Veterinary Board.
“Mr.Sawyer’s threatening to hook the cow up to the tractor if you don’t get down there.You remember the last time he did that when you were a kid, don’t you?”
I covered my eyes, guilt tugging hard at my chest.I remembered too well.The calf had come out with a shattered hip.It never got a chance at life.I also hadn’t forgotten the February wind cutting through bone and the mud sucking at boots like it wanted to swallow me whole.
No one could pay me enough to relive that.
“Your dog can ride in the truck,” Marty said gently.“There are coveralls and boots in the back.We keep a spare set for an assistant.Julie is on maternity leave, so it’ll just be you and whoever Mr.Sawyer ropes into helping.”She hesitated, then gave me that soft, pleading look she saved for emergencies.“I really need you right now, Erika.”
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to look at her, not the situation, not the cow, not my own dread.Marty looked worn down in a way that had nothing to do with today.She had to be missing Dad.They’d built this clinic together for over twenty years.She was its backbone now, whether she wanted to be or not.
“Okay,” I said quietly.“I’ll do my best.But I have to get Vinny from school this afternoon.”
“Oh, hon, you’ll be done well before then.It’s only ten-thirty.If not, give me a buzz here at the clinic and I’ll run over to school and get him.”
I grabbed the keys, then paused at the door, nerves buzzing like static under my skin.“You can tell Dr.Hurst I expect fill-in pay,” I added, trying for levity and landing somewhere near bravado.“Pennsylvania rates.”
Her eyebrows lifted, amused despite everything.
“I’m serious,” I said, then sighed.“Mostly.”
Marty gave me a tired and grateful smile that was enough to get me moving.
* * *
I hadn’t pulled a calf in about five years—not since my senior year of vet school—and I’d never done it alone.My internship and residency had both been focused on dog and cat emergency medicine.Cows were one species I’d deliberately chosen not to treat.
Reason number one I elected to stay far away from farm medicine was the weather.I hugged myself against the blistering wind and spitting rain when I got out of the truck.
Bless the veterinarians that chose this life on purpose.Today wasn’t just cold—it was a vicious, biting chill that robbed my fingers and toes of feeling within minutes, and made my skin curl inward like it was trying to save itself.Daggone North Carolina crazy weather.It was mid-February and supposed to be springtime.
The rain meant I’d be covered in manure-mud splatter from face to foot by the end of this.Sure, we were under “cover.”The walk-in area was little more than a lean-to with a piece of holey metal lined by a ditch overflowing with manure-soaked water.The straw they’d spread well after the cow went down had long ago turned into a soupy slop.
Tracker found the only dry spot on the far edge of the walk-in area where he settled and glared betrayal at me.Like a proper city dog, he didn’t like rain or mud.Perhaps, I should’ve left him in the truck.
A man called out, “Look what the cat dragged in.You’re looking beautiful as ever, Erika.”
I glanced over my shoulder and double blinked.“Drew, is that you?”
“Yes, ma'am… Or should I say Doc?”He winked at me.
Drew had put on about a hundred pounds of muscle since high school, probably from hauling everything on a farm day in and day out.He wore gray coveralls and a baseball cap with a tractor insignia.His blue eyes held the same kindness I remembered from kindergarten, when he helped me mop up a spilled juice box during snack time.That easy, relaxed confidence of his hadn’t changed either—the kind that made people feel comfortable and somehow happier just being near him.
“I’m sorry we’re not up at the main barn, but this was as far as we could get her to move once she started.”He cleared his throat and asked gently, “Are you sure you got this?”
I glanced up at him while thinking, “No, I'm not sure I’ve got this.”The tiniest bit of doubt crept in that maybe I wasn’t strong enough.Maybe I wasn’t experienced enough.
However, his tone ignited my need to show him I could do this.
I rememberedhowto do this.I'd been on more calls with my dad to pull calves as a kid than I could remember.
I didn’t do doubt when it came to my job.I got it done.I gritted out, “I’m good.”
“You let me know when you need me to pull,” Drew offered.“Usually, the other vets have it hooked up and the whole business over within an hour.”He'd moved in close to me, which made me feel petite, even though I was five-foot-seven.He asked, “Where is Josh?I mean, Dr.Hurst?”
“Apparently, he's busy.”I hadn’t meant for that to sound snarky, but it had.
“It sure is weird to call him Doctor even though he’s been at it a few years.He was such a screwup in high school.”
