He'd made her feel quite foolish and if she didn't feel so dumb, she would've been irritated at his gruff and somewhat pompous manner.
"Doc, what are you doing up here?" Eddie asked as he saw Tray leaving the hay barn.
"Nothing, just helping out a little," he remarked casually, not revealing what had happened earlier.
"Is Marge paying you enough to bale hay too?" Eddie joked.
Tray just smiled at him and kept walking. Eddie opened the door to the barn and was inspecting the stacking, not noticing Kate standing there. But when he turned around to actually get a good look at her, he burst out laughing.
"Girl, you are a sight."
She knew he was right; a huge red stain down the front of her shirt, pieces of hay sticking out of her hair and clothes, dirt all over her face and an anxious look in her eyes.
"Just keep laughing, Eddie, and this pitchfork will find a home right in your ass."
Her threat only made him laugh harder, until he could barely breathe and his stomach hurt.
The rest of the men were heading back down to the house at six o'clock, but not Kate. She was running behind and still had to tend to the garden. Her leg was throbbing in pain and she didn't notice it hadn't fully stopped bleeding. But she was determined to finish the day, she had to show them all that she could do it. She had to prove it to herself as well. Shivering, she spent the next hour checking the pens again and giving the animals fresh water. It was now seven thirty and the food was probably long gone.
She walked into the house, just as the men were finishing their cake and coffee. They all looked up at her as she trudged in and got a drink of water.
"Kate, wash yourself up before you step foot into my kitchen, and everyone leaves their boots outside," Marge scolded her.
"Sorry," she walked back out and went around to the bathroom in the basement, the men's laughter following her.
Looking in the mirror, she wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or cry at her reflection. Her face was smeared with dirt, straw and pieces of feed were stuck in her hair, her shirt was covered with red tomato juice, dirt and splashes of mud for good measure.
"Good God, what have I gotten myself into," she said to her reflection.
She tore her clothing off, put on the clean flannel shirt that she hadn't worn for most of the day and dusted off her jeans. She washed her face three times to get all the dirt off and ran her fingers through her hair. It wasn't like having a shower, but she felt a hell of a lot better. She returned to the kitchen.
"That's better," Marge remarked.
One plate, piled high with food, stood alone on the table.
"Sit down, Kate, that's yours," Marge informed her.
Kate was never so happy to see a plateful of food; she gave Marge a look of sincere appreciation as she sat down alone at the table.
Tray came out from the family room where he'd been discussing business with Burt and was about to make an exit out the kitchen door when he stopped and turned to face Kate.
"How's your leg, did the bleeding stop?" he asked her in suspicion.
"I don't know, I was too tired to look or care," she replied.
He pulled out the chair across from her and told her to put her leg upon his knees. He didn't seem the type to argue with, so she did this shyly. He pushed up her pant leg to expose a still bleeding wound with jagged edges.
"This needs a few stitches," he remarked as he pulled apart the edges to assess the depth of the laceration. "I'll get my bag out of the truck."
While he was gone, Kate took the opportunity to question Marge.
"Is Dr. Pierce a family practitioner or a pediatrician or what exactly?"
"He's a large animal veterinarian."
"A veterinarian?"
"Yup and a damn fine one," Marge answered as she walked out of the kitchen to join her husband in front of the television and fire.
Kate heard the door close as Tray came back into the kitchen. He propped her leg upon the chair and knelt down in front of it to begin his procedure.
"Hold on a minute please, I heard that you're a veterinarian," she spoke up, then paused, hoping he'd see the need for concern.
"What's your point," he replied, taking the necessary equipment out of his bag and setting it out on the table.
"The point is, I've never had a medical procedure performed on me by a vet."
"Have you ever been hurt on a 1400 acre ranch in Montana before where the nearest doctor is two hours away?"
"No. But are you comfortable practicing on humans?"
"I wouldn't do it if I wasn't, besides humans are animals too."
"Some more so than others. Ouch," she said as he injected her wound a few times with lidocaine.
Tray couldn't help but smile as he stitched up her leg. Smelly, dirty, cranky; she was still drop-dead beautiful. More than that, something about her personality was appealing.
Kate thanked the doctor as he barely looked at her, gathered his stuff and left. She slowly put her dirty dishes in the dishwasher and limped back to her little cabin. She took a shower with her leg hanging out of the stall, from her nursing days she knew she wasn't supposed to get sutures wet, and then fell into bed. She wanted every second of sleep that she could possibly snag because tomorrow, she'd have to do it all over again.
Four o'clock came far too soon. Hands blistered and raw, Kate felt terribly sore as she was unaccustomed to working her body to that extreme. She didn't know how or why, but she was able to will herself out of bed to face the day. She'd thought her life had been difficult before; this lifestyle was an even greater challenge in a different way.
As she pulled on her work clothes, she wondered why she was still there. Maybe she hadn't given up because she'd used all her courage just to get to Montana in the first place and had none left to leave again. Maybe it was that she actually had a paying job and a decent place to live. Marge and Burt did show her kindness in their own way. She appreciated them as people; they were normal. They were also brave, truthful, hard working, reliable, and principled—all the things she was unfamiliar with seeing in real life.
A week passed and Kate got better at her routine and her work went a little smoother. She'd become sort of friends with Eddie; it took more time to get to know people out here and understand them. He'd told her a few personal things; he'd been raised on a much smaller, less successful farm in the same town and it was his dream to have his own grand ranch one day just like Red Oak. He figured that working at Red Oak would give him the knowledge and insight he'd need to be able to run a large spread successfully. He also took classes at the agricultural college in the city and saved every penny he earned. He was cute, honest and decent with a good sense of humor. She was grateful for his companionship and his guidance.
Kate learned to compensate for her lack of farming experience and slowness. She packed her lunch at night because she was never able to make it down to the house on time. Typically around one thirty in the afternoon, she'd find a scenic and warm spot on the ranch somewhere—there were a million places to chose from—and eat her lunch. Sometimes Eddie ate with her and they'd chat about casual things. She usually asked him questions about himself and farming. He didn't mind the talking, but he noticed that she didn't reveal much.
Kate's stomach was growling, she glanced at her watch and saw it was time for her meal. The sun was shining this first week in March, so she decided to eat outside. She walked to a spot on the top of a rolling hill behind the hay barn. She could see for miles up there, patchworks of fields with tall trees and mountains in the background. She sat down on her jacket and opened her bag. Taking out the carefully wrapped food, she heard someone behind her.
"Hi," said a deep voice.
"Hi."
"I see you survived your first week," Tray commented, his tall figure blocking the sun.
"Yes, I did. Did you lose a bet or something?"
"No, but if I had made a bet, I wouldn't have lost. You don't seem to be the quitting ty
pe," he paused, "so how's your leg?"
"Fine, you did a good job—for a vet," she casually teased him.
"The reason I came up here is that it's been about five days, I need to take those sutures out."
"Oh, all right," she replied, "I hope it won't hurt."
He didn't know if she was serious, but he preferred working on animals, they didn't talk or exert any pressure on him to be painless.
Kate rolled up the leg of her jeans. He knelt on the ground alongside her and pulled a suture removal packet out of his pocket. He snipped them out skillfully and painlessly.
"That's it," he stated, standing up after finishing the job.
"Thanks. Wanna share my lunch—as payback," she impulsively voiced the thought that came into her head.
He paused for a minute, surprised by the offer. "No thanks, I've got to get back to work."
"Fine, that leaves more of Marge's leftovers for me."
"You have Marge's food in there?" he asked with interest.
"Yup," she confirmed.
"What do you have?"
"Fried chicken and homemade biscuits," she smiled as she took out the delectables.
Without a word, he sat down next to her. She handed him some of the food and a napkin. They ate in silence for a while, staring at the valley below them.
"It's so beautiful out here, do you ever take it for granted?" she wondered.
"Somewhat, but at least once a day I notice it and think about it. Breathing clean air, swimming and fishing in a sparkling river, walking through the forest, seeing these enormous mountains against the sky; it all becomes part of your life and what you want from life."
His words touched her, he didn't realize how poetic they sounded. It made her want to share her feelings.
"This is all incredibly different from where I came from. We didn't have natural grandeur like this."
"Where are you from anyway?"
"The East Coast," her defenses sprang back into action. "New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania—they've all blended into one flowing megalopolis of anxiety, stress, anger, obnoxious attitudes and bad driving. The developers back there build carelessly. They destroy an area and move on."
"I've seen that happen before. Why did you leave?"
"Wanting something better. And what about you? Why are you practicing in the middle of nowhere when you could be making a ton of money somewhere else, doctoring some rich lady's poodle?"
"Nothing sounds more repulsive to me than that. These are working animals I take care of. They're important to society, they make a difference in people's lives though most folks don't realize it. People are fed and clothed because of these animals and Marge and Burt couldn't function without them. Out here, a vet is someone important, you're an integral part of the farmer's livelihood. They treat you like part of their family."
"That sounds great, it does. I didn't mean to insult you," she apologized, not anticipating he'd take her remark to heart.
"You didn't, you just sounded a bit like my family. I've gotta go, thanks for the food."
She guessed that he'd just insulted her by comparing her to his family who obviously didn't approve of his choices. She gathered her things together and headed back down the hill for the hay barn.
After clearing all the dishes from the Friday evening meal, Marge handed Kate her paycheck. It was her first one. Though excited, Kate was too tired to rip it open and look at it. She thanked Marge and stumbled back to her bungalow, falling asleep with it under her pillow, hiding her money just like she used to do. Old habits die hard…
Saturday morning was warm and pleasant, the temperature lingering in the mid-forties. It was March tenth, her birthday. Kate slept until seven A.M. and felt like a queen. She took her time getting showered and dressed. Then she made herself a nice breakfast in her tiny kitchen while leisurely sipping coffee. It was pure heaven. But she didn't dally around for too long; the bank would close at twelve noon today and she needed to get into town. She put on a long sleeved jacket from Marge and twisted her long hair into a braid before running out to find her and ask if she could borrow one of the old pick up trucks. She'd extended the invitation to her before, now Kate needed to take her up on it.
She found Marge in the kitchen reading the paper, with Molly sitting next to her happily eating pancakes.
"Good morning," Kate exclaimed, slightly out of breath.
"Morning," they both replied.
"Um, Marge, could I please borrow one of the trucks to go into Colton?" she asked shyly.
"Yes, you can take the light blue one. It doesn't go faster than fifty, so don't push her," she warned.
"I won't, I'll be careful," she promised.
"Bye, Kate," Molly spoke up, "maybe we can play later."
"Sure, I'll be back in the afternoon," she told the little girl who'd become her friend.
Kate scurried up to the big garage where all the farming vehicles were parked. She hopped into the rusted twenty-year-old truck and started the engine without a problem. A thrill ran through her, this was the first time she'd set out on her own to explore the area. Driving meant freedom.
Driving cautiously on the unfamiliar road, those thirty miles down the mountain and through the thick woods seemed to take forever. Finally she came to the main road that led into Colton. The little town was busy on the weekend, people were walking in and out of the small businesses. She parked the truck at the bank and deposited most of her check. With the modest amount she had left, she went shopping at the one local department store, which resembled a smallish Wal-Mart. It was the largest store in town and offered the most variety. She enjoyed herself, browsing slowly through the aisles, looking at each product and prioritizing what she needed most. She picked out some creamy moisturizer for her dry skin and battered hands. Then she went to the clothing department and bought herself one long sleeved top, a sweater, jeans, socks and underwear. She was starting over with nothing and planned to buy a few things every time she'd get paid. She also picked up a small bag of groceries to stock her bungalow and that was it. She now appreciated her ability to get the most items for a minimal amount of money, having shopped in this manner all her life.
Bags in hand, she walked around the town, trying to get a feel for the place and see what other shops were there. How different she felt in just a couple of weeks, almost as if she belonged. She stopped by the bench at the park, the exact place where she'd first sat upon arriving in town, feeling so lost and unsure of herself. She saw Willard peering over at her from the gas station as he waved to her. She waved back and laughed. If she had Willard's approval, then she must be doing something right.
The air was cooling, the sun losing its intensity as four thirty approached. Kate couldn't believe she'd been in town for that long. She was headed back for the truck when she spotted the diner where she'd eaten after getting off the bus. She felt drawn to it, so she walked in and sat down. A cup of hot chocolate would warm her up and hold her over until she'd get back to Mare's Creek. She was just about to order when a familiar face looked over at her.
"Tray, hello. This is a coincidence," she smiled, spotting him at the next table over.
"Not in a town this size. I come here often on late days, my office is down the street," he explained.
"Oh."
There was an awkward silence.
"Want to join me?" he asked, thinking it was stupid they both sit alone one table away from each other.
"I'm not really hungry, thanks anyway," she lied.
"Spent all your money?" he guessed, figuring she couldn't pay for the meal.
"Maybe."
"It's my treat, you unselfishly shared your lunch with me."
Kate deliberated for a moment, surmising it would be more uncomfortable to say no than to sit with him. "Okay," she agreed, walking the short distance to where he sat.
They kept their eyes on the menu while making superficial conversation.
After a few minutes, the waitress stopped by, "how are
things at Red Oak?" she asked Kate with a smile.
"Fine," she responded, surprised by the question.
"Good, y'all ready to order?"
Tray looked at Kate, prompting her to go first.
"Um, I'll take the turkey sandwich please and a Pepsi," she said politely, not wanting to eat like a hog in front of him and conscious of price even though he encouraged her to order anything she wanted.
"All right, and how 'bout you Doc?"
"I'll have the pork chop special and make that two Pepsi's please."
"Will do, be up in a minute," she replied with a wink and strutted off.
"This is a very small town, you shouldn't be surprised by what people know about you. They already know everything about one another, so a new face is really exciting," he joked.
"That's new to me, most people had no idea who their neighbors were back home, even though they'd lived next to them for thirty years. I like how people know each other here."
"Sometimes it's not so great, like when you want some privacy," he commented, a dark look briefly clouding his blue eyes.
The waitress returned with their food. Kate was starving; she was pleasantly surprised by a fat sandwich and stack of golden homemade steak fries that looked delicious. Tray's plate was also heaped with food, steam rising from the thick slices of pork, mashed potatoes and succotash. They ate quietly for a while, more accustomed to the loud crowd that gathered at Marge's table for meals.
"Is your family here in Colton?" Kate asked, wanting to end the silence.
"No, actually, I'm from Michigan. I did my large animal residency in Montana and fell in love with it."
"I can definitely see the appeal, but I'm not sure about being in love with it."
"It takes a certain kind of person to be able to make it out here. People are constantly moving here and then moving right back to where they came from. Obviously, it wasn't what they were expecting from that scenic picture on their brochure."
Kate coughed, almost choking on the irony of his comment. One of the things that had brought her to Montana was the picture from the bus station brochure.
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