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“Ruby, did you set an extra place? You might want to put it next you. Juliana’s new boyfriend is something to behold,” Mulaney said.
I slammed the oven door so hard it rattled between the cabinets.
“Nella mentioned him. Said he’s a real sweet boy.”
I yanked off the mitts and tossed them on the counter.
“If you want him to sit by you, that’s fine.” Mulaney was the picture of innocence as she tossed a handful of nuts into her mouth.
“There’s some stuff I gotta do in the barn,” I said, getting out of there as fast as I could.
“At least we figured out how to make him work,” she said as the screen door slammed behind me.
I hauled across the backyard, trying to shove the image of Juliana and that cocksucker out of my head. The harder I tried, the more vivid it became.
With too much force, I dropped a bale of hay on the barn floor and snatched a pitchfork.
I stabbed at the straw, spreading it across the wood planks. Blue nudged at me with her nose.
“I’m getting to your stall.”
The horse blew out her breath and nudged me again.
“Now, huh?”
I slid into her stall, and she rested her chin on my shoulder. I stroked the soft fur on her neck.
“What’s the matter?”
I drew back to look at her face. “Is it time?”
Earlier in the day I’d noticed that her udder was leaking, a sure sign the foal was going to come soon. Dropping to a squat, I checked underneath. Still leaking. But she hadn’t seemed distressed earlier the way she did now.
Quickly, I did the math in my head.Shit.Blue had another month to go before foaling. I should’ve realized that when I’d first noticed the leakage, but I’d been too consumed in my own problems. I smoothed my hand down her neck and over her side to cover up the panic that something serious might be wrong. “We can do this. I’m right here.”
I thought for a minute then began to do a Whole Horse Exam to check her vitals. I’d just gotten started when I heard my dad’s voice.
“Mitch? You about ready to eat, son?”
“I think Blue’s ready to foal,” I said as he and Mr. Morgan approached.
Dad stroked the horse’s nose. “Early, ain’t it?”
“Yeah, but she’s lactating, so it’s gotta be close to time.”
Mr. Morgan took a step forward. “Let me take a look. We had something similar happen a few years ago.” He moved into the stall, examined Blue, and immediately frowned. “This milk is yellowish. Think you better call the vet.”
As soon asI was out the barn door, I took off at a sprint toward the house.
“Blue’s udder is leaking,” I said, barreling through the kitchen door out of breath. “Call Doc Isaac.”
Granddaddy picked up the phone on the wall.
Mulaney grabbed her coat and pulled it on.
Stone stopped short as he wandered back into the kitchen. “What’s wrong?”
My eyes immediately went to Juliana’s; she was standing next to Mama near the stove. “I think something may be wrong with Blue.”
