Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 123171 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 616(@200wpm)___ 493(@250wpm)___ 411(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123171 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 616(@200wpm)___ 493(@250wpm)___ 411(@300wpm)
I pull my keys from my jacket pocket and head towards the truck, only to stop when I realize what time it is. “You're supposed to be back at school in half an hour. I'll have someone from the clinic come pick you up.”
Everly’s face falls with disappointment. “If I get permission from my teacher, can I come with? I've never seen a foal be born before.”
“That's fine with me, but you probably need to get your mother's permission too.”
“She won't mind,” Everly says with no hesitation. “Though, she'll probably want me home in time to help feed.”
We walk together, carrying the rest of the supplies to load up in the truck. “Right. You guys have a lot of horses at your place.” I choose my words wisely, mostly just making conversation, but also curious as to how things are actually going… or if Josie warned her daughter on my thoughts on the matter. “Which is a lot of work.”
“It definitely is,” Everly agrees. “But I really love it. My mom and I always dreamed about having a farm with our own horses. She had a horse before she had me. I remember him, but he died when I was young. Mom and I both took riding lessons as often as we could after that because that’s the only way we could afford to be around horses,” she tells me honestly. “I wish my Aunt Kim was still alive but it’s almost like fate worked everything out, ya know?”
“Your mother would probably say the same thing. From what I can tell, she seems to quite enjoy living here in Silver Ridge.”
“She definitely does.” Everly puts a box of gauze back in the case. “And I do too.”
“You should probably call your mom before you call the school,” I suggest. “If she needs you home to help with the horses then there's no point in getting your teachers involved.”
“True, but I can promise you she won't mind. This is for school, after all, and my mom is really big on making sure I don't miss out on “normal teen activities,” she says holding her hands up to make air quotes.
“Normal teen activities?” I question with a laugh.
“Yeah.” Everly rolls her eyes but then smiles. “Like hanging out with friends, shopping, posting on social media, and even going to parties.”
“My childhood mostly consisted of hanging out in our barn with a book or bringing animals home that needed to be nursed back to health,” I say with a half-smile. “I think my mom would have preferred “normal teen activities” too.”
Everly laughs. “My mom missed out on the last of her teenage years because she had me. She wants to make sure I don't miss out on anything.” With a shrug, Everly puts another box of supplies away and closes the plastic case. “It can be pretty cringe at times, but it's always just been the two of us and I know my mom just wants what's best for me. I'm lucky, and I know how cliché it is to say that.”
I laugh again and Everly and I go around to get into the truck. “She definitely seems to have your best interest at heart.” The more I'm finding out about Josie from her daughter, the harder it is for me to think of her as a thorn in my side. Children can be painfully honest and all I've heard is Everly singing her mother's praises without her even realizing she's doing so.
Not having any time to waste, I head to the barn while Everly texts her mom and then calls the school. She gets permission from both of them and just has to remember to call the school at the end of the school day to check-in.
“I have extra scrubs in the back,” I tell Everly as we pull down the long gravel driveway to the boarding barn where the pregnant mare is. “You might want to change because sometimes births can get a little messy.”
“I don't think your scrubs will fit me,” Everly says skeptically.
“I don't think so either,” I chuckle. “Crystal, my tech, has extras as well. They’re in a blue bag in the back.”
Nodding, Everly reaches around, fishing out scrubs to change into. It’s a whirlwind from there and, luckily, Crystal gets to the barn from the clinic in record time. The entire barn is buzzing with excitement, with several people gathered around the mare’s stall. They stay respectfully away, and less than an hour later a healthy blue roan colt is born.
“So, what did you think?” I ask Everly as we are finally getting back into the truck to head home. We've been here for a while and I'm starving, so I'm assuming Everly has to be hungry too.
“It was awesome,” she says enthusiastically. “I am definitely thinking being an equine vet is one of my top career choices now.”