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He felt her undercarriage and along her sides. “She may be ready to go. I’m concerned about the color and smell of the milk, but she’s far enough along we might be okay here.”
Doc barkedout orders for supplies we needed, in command and with no trace of the panic I felt. I barely remembered where some of the items he asked for were even though we used them frequently. I felt like I was moving through molasses. How did he remain so calm under pressure?
Mama touched my shoulder and squeezed. It was only then I realized my hands were shaking. She didn’t say a word, her confidence in me evident through her touch. Her support calmed me a fraction…until I saw Juliana’s new boyfriend put his arm around her shoulders.
She didn’t exactly lean into him, but she didn’t shrug him off either, and every ounce of fear I had turned to anger. I flexed my fists, itching to teach him not to touch what was mine. Except she wasn’t anymore.
“Mitch.” The vet looked at me expectantly.
I tore my gaze away from them. “Sorry, Doc. What was that?”
He leaned closer, his voice low. “It would be best if everyone cleared out. To keep her calm.”
Had he met my family? Foaling this horse would be easier than getting them to leave this barn. If there was any chance, I knew who could do it.
Grandmama stood close to Blue, stretching to stroke behind her ears. “I know what he wants,” she said as I approached.
“He thinks it would be best for her.”
Her mouth drew into a stubborn set. “She needs the people who love her.”
“We don’t want to stress her out.”
She planted a soft kiss on the end of the mare’s nose. “I know what it’s like. We don’t want an audience when we’re at our weakest.” Her words were for the horse, yet they were sense when everything around me was chaos. She turned to the group. “Let’s give the good doctor some room to work.”
Everyone looked at her before they followed her out. Juliana and the Paris pretty boy were the last to leave the barn. I tried to shake it off, though it clawed at me, and the newfound quiet set me on edge.
“When did you notice the milk coming out?” Doc Issac asked.
I hesitated, not ready to admit it. “Around lunchtime.”
“Wish you’d have called me then.” He grabbed his stethoscope from his bag. “But we are where we are now, so this is no different than the times we’ve done this before.”
I knelt beside Doc Isaac. “I know.” But I didn’t. I was scared my horse was in trouble and we couldn’t get her out of it.
Chapter Five
Juliana
Mitch stormed from the barn,a lifeless figure in his arms. He started when he noticed me.
“Go to the house.”
I covered my mouth with my hand. I’d heard everything, knew the foal hadn’t made it. But seeing him made it real in an agonizing way.
“It’s not your fault.”
He didn’t speak, just kept moving away from the house toward the pasture. I stayed on his heels, practically running to keep up with his long strides.
By the time we reached his favorite tree, I was breathless and cold, though I barely felt it. He laid the small animal on a blanket at the base of the tree and looked around as if he wasn’t entirely sure where he was.
“I forgot a shovel.”
He took off for the barn. I stayed behind with the little foal who’d never had a chance. Tears gathered in my eyes. I swiped at them as my heart ached.
The lullaby my parents used to sing came out before I realized what I was doing. Softly, I sang, hoping to bring some kind of peace to the sweet angel.
When Mitch returnedwith the shovel, he stabbed at the earth on the side of the tree where the sun set. I continued to sing as he dug a hole big enough for the foal, laid him in the ground, and covered him with dirt.
