The Imperfect Truth of Diamond Hearts {Kellin Quinn Sequel}

11 - Look After You

    Staring out the window and watching your kids play, wondering how they got to be five years old, can make you feel pretty old.  They’re laughing and screaming, crying and beating the crap out of each other but you can’t help but giggle with a shake of your head.  They’re monsters, you know, but they’re cute monsters and that’s the only reason they’re still alive.  Red hair, curled around pale pink cheeks with bright blue eyes was beating up dark hair swept over ivory fleshed paired with hazel eyes.  I bit back a smile, hoping that they didn’t do too much damage to one another and wondering where my husband was to watch them.  I was supposed to be working, not watching these two.  Guess that was the benefit of having a veterinary practice that was right next door to your home.

    I sighed and turned away, walking into the supply room to grab a syringe and some anti-inflammatory meds for the patient I was working on.  Big gray Thoroughbred stallion was colicking; in other words, he had an upset stomach that was either due to his intestines moving into the wrong place and stopping things up or it could be worse.  I wasn’t sure if there was a blockage in there, if it was gas or if his intestinal tract had indeed twisted.  If the latter was true, I would be performing surgery this afternoon and wouldn’t have time to fix dinner for my family.  I shook my head as I walked back to the stocks where the horse stood, his eyes glazed over in pain and his head drooping slightly. 

    “It’s alright big boy,” I whispered before I ran a hand down his forehead.  I was getting too attached to this big sweetheart.  “I’m gonna help you.”

    I took the needle and injected him, hoping that this would aid in making him feel better.  I wanted nothing more than to see him pick up his head and nicker at me like he had a few days ago.  I wasn’t sure why he was doing so poorly, why instead of going downhill, the pace was slowing to an uphill battle.  I slipped on an examination glove (the ones for horses that go all the way up to the shoulder for a reason) and went about attempting to solve this puzzle.  This didn’t make any sense.  I didn’t feel anything inside of his bowel and I couldn’t see anything on ultrasound.  There was no reason he should be in so much agony.

    Another sigh escaped me as I walked to the IV bag suspended by a rope, grabbing one of the needles and maneuvering it into Gallant’s neck vein.  He glanced back at me with one eye, still seeming extremely uncomfortable.  The best I could do for now, though, was pump him full of fluids to try to get things moving.  If that didn’t work, I would have to call my tech Allie to come in for emergency surgery tonight.  We were going to get to the bottom of this one way or another.

    I ripped off my glove and shoved it in the trash before I wiped my brow and stood with hands on my hips.  Frustration flowed through me freely, my eyes staring down at the floor with a vengeance.  All I wanted to do was help Gallant and nothing I was doing seemed to do any good.  I couldn’t lose him; he was a good horse that deserved to live.

    “Dammit,” I snarled, wanting to kick the silver trashcan to release some of my pent up anger.

    “Hey, you alright?”

    My heart sputtered even after eight years of marriage, eyes whirling to find Kellin standing in the doorway of the clinic while the twins flanked him on either side.  I took in a breath of air, the first I’d been able to stand for a few hours.  I figured I had been holding it in ever since Gallant started to go downhill, but I knew I had to keep myself from falling apart.  I had to fix him before it was too late.

    I shook my head and Kellin’s eyes grew concerned.  He swept towards me in one languid movement.

    “What’s wrong?” he questioned and I shrugged, bitterly biting my bottom lip.