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“You never listen to me, none of you! Why the hell do you think I ran two-thousand miles away to New York? You think I wanted to leave? No! I did it to escape this stupid curse! I swear, I don’t care what you think of me, if you do anything to that horse, I will leave, and you’ll never see me again!”
Now I was sobbing uncontrollably, and I couldn’t take the looks on the other men’s faces. Scooping up the puppy into my arms, I ran all the way back to the house, ran inside, still sobbing, past my mother and Samantha who stared at me with concern, grabbed my purse, and then slammed my way out the front door and into my truck. Setting my purse, and the puppy on the seat, I started the engine and peeled out down the driveway. Through my tears and sobs, I glanced at the puppy beside me. “I made the mistake of leaving your mama behind Billy, but I won’t do that to you.”
The puppy whined, and in his feelings, he reminded me that my own mama needed me right now, and my heart ripped into two. I couldn’t deal with all of this right now. Slamming my hands on the steering wheel, I sobbed harder a s my old Ford made its way down the long curving gravel road. My heart hurt for the stallion, for myself, and for my mom. I drove aimlessly around the countryside once I reached the road, not sure where I could go, or where I wanted to go. Samantha was at my house, so I couldn’t go to her. My sister had the same outlook on my gifts as the others. I felt hurt, angry, and alone. Why did life have to be so difficult? Why did I have to be cursed with something no one else could understand? Pulling off the road at a driveway, I looked around the rolling hills and growing forest surrounding me in a haze of sadness.
Sniffling, I wiped my face on the sleeve of my flannel and swallowed hard. I couldn’t leave. My mom needed me, but I refused to stay on that ranch if I was going to relive my teenage days all over again. My brother had ridiculed me and made fun of me with his friends until they all thought I was crazy. I could still hear their voices in my head… “Callie the crazy Calamity!”
Looking about, I realized I was in a driveway. About to shift my truck into drive before someone came to yell at me, I realized suddenly where I was. Biting my lip, I groaned. Had I ended up in this spot on accident, or for a reason? Was it the hope of having Mrs. Blumberry to speak to that drew me here…or him? Shaking my head, I refused to entertain that thought. It was too crazy. Why would I want to talk to him, a guy I hardly knew, who would only turn his back on me the moment he realized I was “loco”? Maybe if I went to visit the kind old lady, I could pretend I was fine, and just forget what happened, at least for a while.
Mrs. Blumberry, I realized, must either be a psychic, or had amazing hearing, because she stepped onto her porch before I even put my truck in park. Hopping out, I scooped up the little multi-colored fur ball, and took a few steps toward the porch. “Hi, Mrs. Blumberry. I brought my pup, I hope that’s okay?”
Mrs. Blumberry studied me in silence before smiling. “Of course, Callie. Sandy loves puppies. Would you like to have tea on the back porch with me? It’s a beautiful morning.”
I let out a breath of relief. “I would love to. Thank you.”
Watching Sandy roll about on the lawn as Billy the Kid ran around her in erratic little circles, his stub tail wiggling so hard, his entire back-end shook, I smiled as I took a long sip of warm ginger tea laced with honey.
Beside me, Mrs. Blumberry chuckled. “Isn’t it amazing?” she glanced at me as she continued. “The power and magic of animals. They can take what seems like the darkest day, and make it light and happy with the smallest, most natural gesture. I don’t think I would have gotten through losing my husband had it not been for Sandy. I can’t imagine not having the devotion of animals in my life.”
As I looked into the aged eyes of the woman who had been my first teacher, and now a friend, I felt my chin wobble and heat sting my eyes, and I was torn between agreement and disagreement.
My turmoil was obvious to anyone, and Mrs. Blumberry, despite her advanced age, didn’t miss a beat. Leaning toward me, she patted my hand with her pale, wrinkled one. “Oh, my dear, please, tell me what’s bothering you. I’m here to listen, and to help in any way possible.”
I shook my head. “That’s really kind, but I can’t, and I don’t want to burden you with my problems.”
Shaking her head, she gave me a reproving look. “It’s only a burden if you don’t let me help, dear.”
Looking at her earnest, kind face, my chin wobble turned into a soft sob, and before I knew it, I was a blubbering mess, and I was mumbling incoherently through my entire life story, leaving no stone unturned, no detail untold.
An hour must have passed by the time I’d gotten it all out, every tear-filled, emotional, overwhelming piece of it. Mrs. Blumberry listened attentively, refilling our tea several times, nodding along, but had asked no questions. Now that my story was finished, I waited anxiously, never doubting the censure I was so sure I’d receive.
Mrs. Blumberry took a long swig of her tea, her eyes drifting to the two dogs who were now flattened out side-by-side in the warm sun napping. “Well, Calamity, that’s quite the story for such a young woman. I can see your journey hasn’t been an easy one. I’m sorry to hear about your mama, dear. She’s one of the kindest women I’ve had the fortune of knowing. She’s strong though, so don’t let fear get the best of you. Your ma has much to fight for. With a lot of faith, and support from her family, I know she can pull through.”
Her eyes drifted back to me, and her wrinkled lips drew up at one corner, a spark of mischief lighting her face. “As for what you said about Mathis, well…” she trailed off in a chuckle. “I should scold you for being so free, so brazen, but I will admit, it reminded me of my Elmer and how attracted to him I was.”
I smiled, wondering when she’d get around to making fun of my “gift”. She was the first person I’d confided in other than Samantha.
As if sensing my thoughts, she laid her cool hand over mine once again. “I know you’re waiting for me to scoff at you for this rare ability with animals. Well, it’s not going to happen. There are those of us in this world, Callie, who are…different. We are judged by others as weird, freaks, people who are crazy. That’s because the world rejects what it doesn’t understand. That doesn’t mean we’re crazy, or wrong. We are just different. Blessed, if you ask me.”
I blinked in surprise. She believed me? She had said we…was it possible she was like me? Looking deep into her face, I asked, “You believe me?”
Her face softened with her gentle smile. “Of course. I knew you were different the moment you tripped over your too-large, pink cowgirl boots on your way into my class that first day. I think people like us are drawn to one another because of our gifts.”
My eyes widened. “You have the same ability as I do?”
Mrs. Blumberry shook her head. “Oh no, dear. I doubt anyone has the gifts you do. I think we all have our own unique magic. Me, my gift is through plants. There’s a certain kind of magic and healing that comes from growing things. My Elmer, he had a gift of creation. When he used his hands to whittle and carve, he made magic happen. I think, he was able to bring memories to life through his magic. But you, Callie, you have the gift of feeling emotions, and communicating to animals through that emotion, and that is rare and beautiful in so many ways. How many peoplewishthey had the ability to speak in any way to their animals! You are blessed, and I know right now you feel like you’ve been cursed, one day, you’ll come to terms with it, and who you are, and you will realize how lucky you are.”
A tear trickled down my cheek. “I’m not sure I will ever feel that way about what I can do. All its ever brought me was heartache and pain.”
Squeezing my hand, she shook her head. “That’s not true. Do you think that frail, orphaned filly of yours would’ve made it without your gift? Remember? She wouldn’t take a bottle for anyone, except you. Do you think that’s a coincidence? Tell me, Calamity, that horse, did she bring you pain?”
Again, my chin wobbled despite my attempts to rein in my emotions. “No. I love her. It’s just, it all started with her.”
“I think, it started long before her, but you only began to recognize it as you matured, as the gift grew strong enough for you to become aware of it.”
Everything she said made sense, but I wasn’t entirely sure I was ready to accept any of it. My head was throbbing from crying, and this new information about Mrs. Blumberry having some special gift as well was information overload at this point.
“I guess I have no choice but to go home, and face whatever ridicule is waiting for me. Thank you, for listening, and not thinking I’m crazy.”
