Fourteen

She yawned as she opened her eyes, she felt like hell, she was having a terrible headache, she looked around, gladly she was in her room and she was better. She got up from the bed and walked towards the bathroom and just as she was about to open the door, she heard a knock.

'Who is it?'

'Clarissa, madam.'

She rubbed her hair down her shoulders.

'Come in.'

She watched the lady entered with a glass of juice and a pack of aspirin.

'Good morning, madam.' Clarissa greeted as she dropped the tray on the bedside table.

Pearl looked at her, then at what she had brought and then the lady was leaving?

'Clarissa, what is the occasion?' She asked her as the lady turned to look at her.

Clarissa smiled at Pearl. 'Nothing.'

One thing was she had never been brought anything in bed since the few months she have been leaving here or did grandma Harley want to surprise her, give her a special treat? No, Grandma Harley didn't like her enough or that way, then why would she be served in bed?

'Why did you bring these up?' She asked calmly; it wasn't the lady fault, maybe she wanted to be nice or she was doing it on instruction, but whose instruction? It wasn't Grandma, not Molly, not Patrick or.....

'Master instructed me to bring it to you and he says that he will be expecting you down at 10 for breakfast.' She said with a smile.

Right! William.

She nodded as the lady excused herself out of her room.

But why would William ask she should be served in bed, what was his agenda?

She looked at the table.

'Did anything happen last night?'

She quickly remembered; last night, she hadn't been drunk, she was sober; missing home and then they had talked about Richard and Katie and then....or my God!

She glanced at her hands.

'What have I done?'

She hugged him; she wasn't drunk, she was sober and mad, she have really gone mad; why did she hold him, no wonder she smelled of horses and hay and he held her, was he insane, why did he hold her?

She looked confused round the room; what will she do now?

Come on, it was just a hug; just a hug? She had never lean on anyone, not even Richard, the way she has with William, what had she been thinking?

She rushed into the bathroom and turned on the shower as she entered the bathtub.

Maybe everything was a mistake, fairly a mistake, she was just sober and he was trying to comfort her and beside why was her heart beating, they were friends, he had every right to hug and comfort just like Sophie, Sheer or other friends would do but the only difference was he was a male, manly.

She splashed water on her face; he was just trying to help, that was it, nothing else.

'So, don't panic, Pearl, he was just being a friend, everything is okay.' She said assuring herself as she sighed.

  He was just helping but her heart was still beating fast and why was that?

He looked up from the book he had been reading and looked at Clarissa as she entered and served him his juice, Molly had told him earlier that she was going to the museum with her friends and would be back until later, Patrick was in the fields and grandma went to the garden with Jacob and Katie; those two have been close like magnet since she came back.

He looked up again at the clock; it was 9:55am, didn't Clarissa give his message to Pearl, she should be down by now, either way she had five minutes left, if she didn't come down he would go up and find her.

He sat up, picked up his drink and sipped then dropped it again, crossed his legs and went back to the book.

'I didn't think you would really be waiting.' He heard.

He dropped his book and looked at the lady coming down the stairs; she was wearing a translucent orange shirt with a black inside which visibility wasn't evident and she was wearing blue jeans; that was when he looked down at his legs, he was wearing a blue jeans too.

'Tell me, long did you sleep?' He asked her, she got close to him.

She shook her head. 'I don't know, I wasn't keeping track of time.'

He nodded. 'How are you? Did you take the aspirin?'

She looked at him. 'Yes, I fine, thanks for worrying.'

'It wasn't worry.' He told her.

She nodded, she didn't have to continue. 'Why did you do that?'

'What?'

'Aspirin.'

  He shrugged. 'Well, I figured since you didn't feel well last night, it will hit you like a rock, the next morning.'

Indeed, she felt her head hurting when she woke up.

'Alright, thank you for...everything.'

He nodded and brought his attention back to his book.

She looked round. 'Where is Jacob?' Normally, he would be running around by now, with Katie.

'The children are with grandma, in the garden, is there a problem?'

She shook her apologetically.

'Anyway, you go and have breakfast and we will meet up, we have some inspecting to do.'

She looked at him.

He dropped the book and dropped his legs. 'I am taking you to the fields; Lila is going to give birth soon.'

'Lila?'

He nodded with a smile.

'She is a cow, we will be inspecting her delivery and I guess probably, you've not seen an animal giving birth, right?'

She shook her head.

He smiled looking at her face. 'It is going to be a good experience.'

She looked at him; did he drink this morning? Anyway, cowboys like him drink a lot that they don't even know the rubbish, they are uttering. Animals give birth on their own, what is the need to inspect them and give them a safe delivery?

'Why are you standing there, go and have breakfast.

She nodded and was about to leave.

'Pearl, you smell nice, everything is nice.' He said as he eyes rolled down her body from head to toe. She made her escape, he was really drunk.

She opened the book to chapter 3, where she had stopped last night before she went to bed; she relaxed on the couch facing the opened back door, directly facing the orchard. Gracie really had a beautiful house and she was nice, maybe that was why Pearl stayed with her.

'I am tired of staying here doing nothing all day.' Nick sulked as he walked towards her; he sat at the edge of the couch, where her legs have been stretched out.

'The car is fine, go out for a ride, visit places, meet people, beside we are only staying to get her to tell us where to find Ms Jackson.'  She reminded him in case he had forgotten.

'Let's go out.' His tone lightened.

'Anywhere you want.' He quickly added. All he wanted was for his body to function not remain in a place.

She scoffs and dropped the book and looked at him at the end of the couch.

'If you are trying to compensate me for what happened before, luckily you haven't forgotten, it is not going to work. It won't change my impression about you.' She said and turned back to the book.

'Let's go as partners.'

She shook her head and said without glancing his way. 'Not interested, look for those girls you can watch while you look the other way.'

He sighed. It wasn't going to be easy; he had gone too far this time.

He stood up. 'Lunch is by 3.' He told her and walked away.

At least they could act like the partners they won't lash insults at each other but there won't be any familiarity.

She watched him leave; she won't listen to him, not now.

They reached the stable at noon and they headed straight to the place where people were coming in and out of; the emergence room, delivery room. She told herself.

She walked with William inside; she noticed the chaos going on, everyone was running helter, scatter and the cow was in agony even the vet, didn't know how to handle her.

'Doc, what is happening?'

She watched the doc as he wipe the sweat from his face. 'She is having difficult delivery.' That was all he said, Pearl looked at the man's face, and he was terrified.

William moved away from her and walked towards the group of people trying to ease the cow but she was stubborn.

'Leonard.' He called his foreman.

Leonard looked at him and moved to him.

'Master, she is stubborn and the pains are overbearing.'

Pearl nodded from where she was, but how would Leonard know, did he have a wife, girlfriend.

William looked at the foreman and moved; he patted the cow, begging it to be calm.

'Master, if you force or rush her, she might die.' Doc told him.

Pearl looked at William; his eyes didn't look at the doctor as he pat the animal, as if she was a precious thing.

'I won't let her die and neither will her calf.'

But doc didn't let it go like that. 'William, be reasonable.'

'No! No!' This time he looked at him; with violent looking face, she had never seen him this angry or upset.

'Lila, won't die...she will not die, if you can't help me, I will do it myself, beside I have delivered precious animals before, this is no exception.'

'This is different.'

He nodded. 'This is Lila.'

She watched him as he looked back at the animal; who was not kicking so violently like before, she was blending and responding to William's touch, she had a ranch, a lot of animals, she never bother to go to stables or ride a horse, because she was the business woman; she had missed and a lot.

'Leonard, she needs enough air, tell them to go outside, please.' William told his foreman.

Leonard send the rest out leaving only the Doc and Pearl and two women, who were holding towel and a bowl filled with water; hot or cold, he had no Idea.

She stood watching William working with the cow as doc prayed she survived, although she didn't know what was happening, she didn't want the cow to die, she looked at it's face, her eyes grift open and closed, she was weak but William urged her to deliver, it would be so painful for him if she died.

She looked at Leonard, his hand was closed to his mouth as he looked at the cow, then she heard a scream; the calf had been delivered!

She looked at William's face, he picked up the calf and gave it to the women who stood there smiling; they would clean the calf up and bring it back.

Pearl watched as the doc excited hugged Leonard but it wasn't over yet; Lila is weak, she could hardly even open her eyes.

William, let the doctor do his job, he check the cow.

'Her breathing is faint, I don't know if she is going to make it.' He told William.

William looked at him, she had half expected him to be sad but he was happy.

'My Lila is a fighter, she will become her normal self, I know she will.' He said as he pat her again and kissed her back.

'You can do it.' He told Lila.

Doc nodded at William then at Leonard. 'I will take your leave now, William.'

He nodded.

'Congratulations!' He added as he walked towards the door, once he saw Pearl, he nodded and walked out.

'Leonard, please, bring food and water for Lila, she must be hungry.' He told him even when the cow didn't not move.

She looked at him as Leonard walked out; he had ruin his clothes, his jean was stained all over with dirt; she noticed.

'Pearl, go back to the house, grandma and the children must have come back.'

She nodded. 'What about you?'

He smiled at her as he lied closed to the cow. 'I will be fine, I need to be with Lila, and she has just delivered.'

Which was breath-taking, if she may say?

She smiled at him and walked out, how can he chose to stay with a cow than a human being who is alive. If the cow can be with him what is the need?

When she got to the house; Katie welcomed her with a hug and added;

'Is the calf a boy, can I give him a name, Great grandma say I can. Can I mom, please? I am thinking of Rich.'

She looked at Katie; she too was drunk, when did she started calling Grandma Harley; great grandma? Katie was happy, very happy because she was with people who loved her, didn't that count?

'Call him, anything you want, honey?'

Katie nodded. 'I want to call him; Richard...but I like Rich instead.'

'Katie doesn't even find him again, she doesn't recognise his face'

She didn't even care; Katie had people that loved her, that were all that mattered.

What about what she wanted.

She walked to the field although, everywhere was dark; the moon didn't show the way this time; she carried a touch. She was looking for William.

He didn't come back home, he didn't have lunch and he missed dinner too, although no one was worried about him, she was, so he had to ask Leonard when he was leaving for his house.

And now, she wasn't sure if he would be here, because the animals too were asleep, the stable light was very dim, so that the animals could sleep.

She walked in, the first thing she saw, was the cow lying close on her calf and William sleeping by the animal.

'You have to be joking.'

She moved over to his side.

'William.' She whispered but he didn't stir.

'William.' She called gentle this time.

'What?' He sounded sharp but annoyed, she was distrubing him.

Gladly, he wasn't such a deep sleeper.

'Wake up.'

Then he opened his eyes and grumbled and then stood as his face registered- the fact that he hated people waking him up.

'What are you doing here, Pearl?' He asked as he sat up.

'I came to you bring back to the house, you missed two meals.'

He shook his head and smiled.

'Sometimes, I don't eat at all and I can stay here all I want.' He informed.

'Yes, because you are the master.' She told him.

He smiled. 

'How is Rich and his mother?'

That made him smile again.

'Lila is going to be fine and Rich; Katie picked the name is better than ever.'

'You really don't want to come to the house?' She asked him.

He shook his head.

She didn't come here for nothing. 'I'll cook dinner for you, come on, please, besides Lila and Rich are going to be fine, you can see them tomorrow.'

He nodded and stood without arguing; she won this time.

She walked after him as they headed back to the house.

She lit the gas and put water in the kettle before putting on the lit blue flame and sat down beside him on the kitchen table.

'How does it feel?' She asked him.

He looked at her. 'What are you talking about?'

'What you did for Lila and her baby, it was amazing, the vet himself thought she would die giving birth or the baby and her would die.'

He smiled.

'I believe in every animal, there is power, there is strength and blood, no matter how small, big they can be, they are like humans, only we are smarter. I treat them with the love of life and of themselves.'

'Do you that to every of your animals.'

He nodded. 'I like them to be a part of me and me of them.'

She nodded. 'How did you learn that?'

He shrugged. 'My dad taught me how to deliver a young one and my first experience wasn't an animal; it was a human being, a friend of mine, the doctor didn't get there in time and I was the only one available.'

'How did you feel?'

He smiled. 'I felt like a flowing balloon, when my hand was inside her body about to bring the child and when I held that boy in my hands, it was like I landed where I needed to be. I had a life in my arms and it was a miracle.' He said as he smiled at her.

She could never have imagined William being so scared.

'Didn't you ever go close to animals when you were at the ranch?' He asked her.

She shook her head. 'I took charge of business, I wasn't a ranch person.'

'And now?'

She looked at him; not sure of what he meant but she knew one thing; she didn't want to leave just yet.

He moved closer to her and took her hands in his. 'Pearl, I have a feeling that you will go, but I don't want you to leave.'

She sighed.  She didn't want to either but she would have to one day.

He dropped his hand and held her cheek.

'Pearl, while I was watching Rich sucking from his mother, I imagined you were there and we were watching him together.'

'William....'

He shook his head, shutting her up.

'Pearl, please, I need you, why don't you let me.'

She looked away but he held her chin back and faced him; look him in the eyes.

He had missed her so much, his thought comes back to her, he thinks of her every time, how will he stop himself, from doing something, they would both regret.

He leaned forward and bent his head to hers; he wanted her.

Just then, the kettle hissed and she pulled away from him. Catching her breath.

'I will make coffee.'