Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
“Hello?” she calls out, and I start to freak out that we’ll get caught. Of course she’d be early.
“Comin’!” My eyes widen in fear as Payton steps back out of view. I try to flatten my hair as I rush to get my shirt on.
When I’m done adjusting myself, I walk to the edge of the loft. “Hey!”
“Whatcha doin’ up there?” Her expression molds into a confused one.
“Oh, Payton and I were grabbing some extra hay for the pasture,” I explain, turning to him, internally freaking out.
Seconds later, Payton throws two bales down, and they hit the ground with a thud. I move to the ladder and make my way toward her. Elle studies my face, and I hope to God my cheeks aren’t red.
She pops a brow as we hold a silent conversation, but then she smiles. “Do you have everything ready for Fancy?”
“For the most part, yeah. She should be arriving in about ten minutes,” I tell her as another bale falls to the ground.
“Do you have time to give me the grand tour of the place? It was so hectic yesterday, and we got so busy catching up with everyone, I didn’t get a chance to check it out.”
I show her all around from the offices, tack room, stalls, pasture, and corral. She’s in awe at each thing I show her.
“When Grandma told me what y’all were doing, I was so damn excited. Please don’t hesitate to call Connor or me if you need anything. We’re happy to help however we can.”
“Thank you, that really means a lot.” We continue walking around. “I have cameras installed so I can watch them at night.”
Payton walks up, his hair looking like he just got fucked, and smiles. “Hey, Elle.”
She shakes his hand. “Nice seein’ ya again, Payton. Love what y‘all are doin’ here.”
Elle turns back to me. “I can tell you're anxious.”
I let out a huff, happy she didn’t see me before Payton fucked my brains out. “I’ll be fine. Just jittery nerves.”
“Don’t be. You get to protect them from malnourishment, disease, improper care, and potential abuse. I saw some horrific things I’ll never forget in vet school. This sanctuary gets to be their second chance.”
I swear I see her start to tear up, and I can only imagine what she’s witnessed over the years of being a veterinarian. Elle loves horses just as much as Payton and I do, but she was in the trenches during vet school, an experience neither of us really has. I’ve only worked with show horses treated like royalty that are fed the best diets and live in luxurious barns.
“I’m sure there'll be a learning curve,” I say.
Payton nods. “Absolutely. Elle’s right about us giving them a second chance. If they’re coming to us, they’ve been through some shit, and we’ll need to be careful.”
“And as hard as it will be, please don’t get too attached because these horses won’t be healthy. Whatever happens to them after they arrive, just remember it’s not your fault, and you’ve done the best you can.” Elle’s soft voice is meant to reassure me, but I’m still worried about what we’ll witness.
“It’s something I’ve been trying to tell myself. They warned us they’ll be emaciated.”
She frowns, nodding. “You know I’m happy to answer any questions night or day, so don’t be afraid to reach out if you need anything.”
I smile and wrap my arms around her. “You’re the best cousin ever.”
She laughs. “I’ll take that compliment, considering how competitive that spot is.”
When the sound of an engine pulls our attention, the three of us walk to the barn's entrance and watch the truck and trailer roll to a halt.
“Howdy,” Game Warden Langston says, tilting his cowboy hat at us.
We exchange pleasantries, then he leads us to the back of the horse trailer.
“Meet Fancy,” he calmly tells us while slowly opening the door. I swallow hard, immediately noticing her protruding ribs. An overwhelming amount of sadness and anger fills me.
In the past thirty years of being around horses, I’ve never seen anything like this.
Payton places his hand on my shoulder as I suck in a deep breath. I walk around so she can see Payton and he can pet the softness of her chestnut-colored coat.
“Sweet baby,” I say softly. “You’re safe now.” I look into her eyes as I gently run my palm down her nose. Her mane is severely matted.
Payton chats with Officer Langston while Elle starts her physical. She checks her hooves and teeth, and I help her measure different parts of her body. This allows us to determine what she should weigh and how much food she needs.
“She’s malnourished. She’ll need to eat one and a half percent of her body weight four to five times a day. Salt block. Alfalfa cubes soaked in water several times a day for the first two weeks, then you can decrease. Soaking it will help her digest it easier,” Elle explains as she opens Fancy’s mouth to check her teeth.