Chapter 17
Ashlynn
Breeding season. I’m not sure veterinary school prepared me for this, nor did all my years around horses. We stood out in one of the arenas, one by one, corralling the heifers into the livestock shoot. This was going to be the easiest way to make sure we get them all for insemination. Since the ranch only kept two bulls, this was the best way to make sure each heifer that was able to carry a calf, had any kind of chance of impregnation. My job was to check each one, with the assistance of my vet techs, to make sure they were both healthy and at the proper stages of their heat. Once we did that, those who would be inseminated were taken to the insemination barn and those who weren’t were either treated if they needed any medication, or set loose in the field to be inseminated later. It was an all hands on deck situation and it was exhausting. Even my Uncle Gabe was out there, running the cattle and helping with the insemination process. It was quite the
operation.
It was hot and dusty, everyone was covered in sweat and dirt. It was honest hard work, ranching. It must have been around noon when Uncle Gabe called a halt for lunch. He had arranged for the pack house cooks to bbq for us, since we were all filthy. Everyone grabbed some steamy hot pulled pork with bbq sauce, and some beans and salad. I went to sit on a bench in the shade with my plate and glass of lemonade, Mom was seated beside me. She hadn’t helped a whole lot, she was in charge of writing down which cows were inseminated and matching their ear tags to the sheet she was using. She sat on the grass, her back against the bench, plate in hand. I decided it might be a good time to have a talk, since everyone was spread out around the grassy areas and some had gone to sit at the picnic tables by the bbq area. I took a few bites of food, thinking about how to ask my questions. Mom must have felt me looking at her, because she looked up at me from her seat on the ground. “Something on your mind Ash?”
“Just wondering how you have been? Are you holding up ok?” I asked her. I tried to keep it quiet so others didn’t hear me.
Mom was quiet for a minute, then looked at me with a half smile. “I think I’m good actually. I still feel kind of hollow inside, but I feel like it bothers me less each day. It’s probably not a secret that I no longer loved your father.” She went back to her plate of food, and we were both quiet for a few minutes, enjoying our food.
I looked over to one of the picnic tables and noticed Cody watching us. He must of felt my eyes, he tipped his hat to me and gave me a smile before turning back to his conversation he was having.
“Ummm, Mom. Is there something with you and Cody?” she stilled when I asked and I kind of figured that was a yes.
She chose that moment to stand, straddled the bench to face me, her back to Cody and the others. Her smile was the brightest I had seen it in years. “Maybe.”
I raised my eyebrows at her, “what’s maybe mean? Either there is or there isn’t?”
My Mom lowered her voice, “He’s been very sweet. He’s easy to talk to and he doesn’t push things.” She pushed some loose strands of hair behind her ear. “You know he lost his mate too. She died in a terrible accident when they were young. He
never re–mated.
“Really?” I was genuinely curious. “Where do you think this is going then?”
My Mom shrugged, “I hope somewhere good. We are taking it slow. I think though, that he could be very good for me. As rough as he is, being a cowboy and all, and the Beta here, he’s gentle and kind. I like gentle. I forgot what that even was.” I noticed a little sadness in her eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it was there. I gave her a hug, rubbing her back as I did so. I wanted her to know I was happy for her.
