Who I Am With You

Chapter 23

Monday is long. Partly due to the fact that I insisted on staying at the ranch until ten 'o clock at night to get the files updated and place some online orders for dewormer and vaccines. 

I also did some digging into Ian's first horse Jelly Beans. It took a while to find his record, but thanks to some good intentioned snooping in the file cabinet, I was able to find out his registration number and look up his transfer record online. 

It looks like he's changed hands a few times and there's no telling if the current owner listed still has him or if he has been passed along again and the new owners haven't bothered to transfer his papers into their name. At any rate, I have the name and number of the last recorded owner. It's too late to call them, but I stuff the paper with their information on it into my pocket and  lean back in the office chair and stretch. 

Mostly, it's been a long day because Ian went back up the mountain and I'm not sure when he'll be back. Soon, I know. But not soon enough.  

I log off the computer and lock up the office. I see lights coming up the ranch drive. When the car takes the turn for the office, I'm puzzled who would be coming out at this hour.   

"Oh my God, Jamie, I'm so glad you're still here. It's Marmie." Natalie's face is tear streaked and frantic, leaning out the window of her car.   

"What's wrong?"   

"She's hurt. It's... It's really bad."  

My mind races, "Where is she hurt?"   

"Her chest. She has like a huge hole in her chest. It's bleeding a lot."   

"Ok, let's get the trailer and get her up here."  

 "Ok."   

Natalie parks her car beside mine and we jog to the barn together. Her blonde hair swings in a loose ponytail and I notice that she's in a pair of light pajama pants. I bet we are close to the same age. 

When we reach the barn, I flip the lights on and grab our tote of medical supplies, along with all the spare rags I can find. Natalie locates a halter and lead line, and we run to the truck parked behind the barn.  

 "You drive. I'm a wreck." Natalie throws over shoulder, yanking the passenger side door open.   

I pull myself into the driver's seat and start the engine. I tromp on the gas and the trailer jerks forward behind us.  

"I wouldn't be such a mess if it was anyone but Marmalade." Natalie sniffs.  

"She'll be alright, just take a deep breath." My hands shake on the wheel, Natalie even has me worked up in her panic.   

Natalie jumps out to open the gate when we reach the pasture, her hands fumbling over the latch. Once I drive the truck through and the gate is shut behind us, she gets back in the cab, her tears dried on her worried face.   

"She's on the south end, by the creek."  

We stay on the edge of the pasture close to the fence until I spot the orangish colored, dun mare standing along the creek bank. I turn across the grass and drive as close to her as I can get without scaring her off.   

Natalie is out of the truck before I have it fully stopped. I grab the first aid materials I brought, and follow not too for behind.   

"Come here, Marmie. We are going to take care of you, sweet girl. I'm sorry, baby." Natalie uses a soothing tone with the mare, even though she is panicking inside.  

I take a flashlight out of the box and shine the light on Marmalade's chest. There is a gaping wound the size of a softball in the triangular muscled area of her chest.