Part 3

Chapter 9

I wake up feeling safe and warm. I’m under the covers and there’s someone under there with me. After a second or two to gather my thoughts, I realize it must be Carol.

She’s beginning to stir, that may be what woke me up, and she is slowly pulling her arm from around me. I can tell she is trying to not wake me so I just lay still. She must have covered me up and joined me when I had my nightmare. Is she my crow from the dream? Is that why things changed?

I watch through slitted eyes as she gets up and re-tucks the covers around me. She then leans down and kisses me on my forehead and tiptoes back to her room.

After she leaves, I just lay there thinking. What am I going to do? I really don’t want to go back to New York and the group home. Heck, I don’t even know if that’s possible now. Father sure doesn’t want me here, but Carol does. I really like her too. If it wasn’t for Bill, I’m not sure if I can continue to call him father, if it wasn’t for him, this wouldn’t be so bad.

As I lay there trying to figure out my options, I slowly fall back asleep.

The sound of an overly enthusiastic song bird wakes me back up. Opening my eyes I look out the window and see a lovely little garden. The sun is well up and looking at my watch, I see it’s just past nine-thirty.

I get out of bed and snap up my jeans and slip on my sneakers. I notice that while I slept, Carol must have put the remainder of my stuff away. The picture of Mom and me is on the side table next to the bed.

I go into the bathroom and am greeted by a frightful sight. Last night I hadn’t braided my hair before bed and I now look like I’ve spent the night with my finger in the wall socket.

Sighing, I grab my brush and start the tedious process of getting all the knots out of my hair. With a short break to answer nature’s call, I finally get my hair all unknotted and in a braid just before ten.

With my stomach growling, I head off to the kitchen in search of food and Carol.

When I get there I start looking around to see if I can’t find some cereal or toast or something. As I’m looking through a cupboard, a strange voice from behind me says, ”May I help you find something?”

Startled, I spin around and am greeted by a young lady with ginger colored hair pulled back in a bun and wearing a yellow tank dress.

“Oh, um, I was just looking for something to eat.”

“You must be Angel. I’m Judy and I do most of the cooking and general housework around this zoo. Carol told me you’d be sleeping in a bit, that you had a busy day yesterday. So what can I fix you?”

Judy is very pleasant and her smile is infectious. Returning it, I say, “Just a bit of toast would be nice. Thank you.”

“If you want, there’s juice in the fridge. Will an English muffin be ok? Oh and glasses are in that cabinet.”

Getting a glass, I tell her an English muffin would be nice and I get my juice. Noticing a jar of orange marmalade, I grab that too.

“Do you happen to know where Carol is?”

She should be down by the birthing barn. It’s just past the big barn if you’re going down there.”

“Birthing barn?”

“Yea, we have a separate facility for when the mares are about to foal. The stalls are larger and easier to work in. There is a couple about to drop any time now.”

Judy hands me my toasted muffin and I spread the marmalade all over it. Taking a bite, I’m thinking that this is really good marmalade. It looks to be home made.

Finishing up, I hand Judy my plate and thank her.

“Lunch in two hours, let them know down there will you? They tend to lose track of time sometimes.”

“I will. Thank you again Judy.”

I step out onto the porch and immediately go back inside, it’s darn chilly out there, and bright. I run back to my room and grab my jacket and sunglasses.

Back outside, I start off the porch and down the hill to the barns. Looking off to my left I see horses in the near pasture. I’ve always loved horses, not that I’ve had a lot of experience around them. There aren’t that many in New York City, but I think all girls at least go through a stage where they’re horse crazy.

I decide to detour to the fence line, hoping that I can entice one of the horses nearer. They’re beautiful animals. They all are different colors but they all also have spots, some have them all over, most just on their hindquarters.

As I walk along, something hits me lightly on the shoulder. Looking around, I don’t see anything and continue on my way. I climb up on the fence and start to make clicking noises hoping to get one of the horses to come over. As I’m sitting on the fence, again something strikes me on the shoulder. Looking down, I see a small pebble land in the grass.

I look around but there is no one around and there isn’t anywhere for someone to hide either.

I get entranced watching two horses play with each other. It looks like they’re playing tag. One will chase the other, then they’ll switch. The next thing I know, Carol is next to me.

“Fun to watch aren’t they?”

“Yes they are. It looks like they’re having a fun time.”

“Horses are very sociable animals. They love to play and I find them very smart, especially ours. Appaloosas are one of the smartest of the breeds, and ours have a good bit of Arabian in them too.”

“So these are Appaloosas.”

“Yes ma’am, and some of the finest you’ll find anywhere, if I do say so myself.”

Carol is giving me another of her mega watt smiles and I can’t help but smile back.

“Oh, Judy wanted me to remind you that lunch is at noon and that’s not that far off.”

Chuckling Carol says, “She is constantly after us for missing meals.”

At that point something hits me right on top of my head.

“Hey!” And I spin around. Nothing there.

“What’s wrong Angel?”

“I keep getting hit with stuff but no one is there.”

We’re both turning and looking around when something drops right in front of me. Looking up, there’s this crow on the light pole over our heads.

“I think it’s that crow. I just saw something fall from there.”

“That’s no crow, that’s Edgar. He’s a raven.”

“Edgar?”

“We have a few ravens around here on the ranch. This one is Edgar and he’s a little prankster. Aren’t you Edgar?”

The raven lets out a “kraa, kraa” and flies off.

“So what’s the difference between a crow and a raven?”

“Well a crow is smaller and its feathers are a flat black, the body is rounder too. The raven is quite a bit larger. Its feathers are a glossy blue-black and they’re very intelligent. Some have been taught to talk like a parrot. They’re very lucky birds to have around.

My animal spirit guide is the raven.”

“Animal spirit guide?”

“You know we’re part American Indian right?”

“No, but it does explain a lot now that you mention it.”

“Ok, well we are. We’ll get deeper into family history later; in fact Daddy would be best for that. If he ever shows back up that is. Anyway, in part of our culture is the spirit guide. Mine is the raven, your father has the fox as his and Daddy’s is the wolf.”

“Do I have one?”

“I’m sure you do, the trick is finding it. Daddy can help with that.”

“Where is he?”

“Oh he’s off up in the hills communing with nature. He should show up here any time.”

“So why is Edgar hitting me with rocks?”

“Oh they aren’t rocks, just little ‘ol pebbles. It’s just his way of saying howdy and welcome. He obviously likes you. Give it some time and he’ll even eat from your hand.”

There’s a “toc, toc, toc” sound coming from the tree where Edgar flew to.

“Come on; let me give you the nickel tour.”

As we head off down towards the barn, I start thinking about last night’s nightmare. I’m assuming now that it wasn’t a crow but a raven in my dream and that Carol is the raven. But how did she get into the dream? That’s never happened before.

Before I can think any more on this we get to the main barn and Carol is explaining everything she can to me. When we were done, my head is spinning. There are several barns and as to livestock, well the main business is raising horses and cattle (not cows as I was reminded). We also have chickens, goats; we do have a couple of cows, also some pigs, a large vegetable garden and the list keeps going on. It’s going to take some time to process everything.

Our place is part of a regional coop apparently. By several ranches combining through a coop both our buying and selling power is increased. We also share grazing land and help each other out during round ups and such.

It’s all a bit over my head.

By time we were done with the tour its lunch time, so we swing by the barns to remind everyone that lunch is ready. We then go up to the house and to a wing of the house that I hadn’t been shown yet. It’s a huge hall with enough table space for about thirty people.

“Wow Carol, how many people work here?”

“Right now, only ten, including family. There are times when we’ll have as many as twenty-five or thirty on the payroll and others as few as five or six.

Come on, it’s serve yourself and first come, first served. If you’re too late you get the scraps and might have to fight the pigs for it.”

Chapter 10

After a great lunch of pulled-beef sandwiches and potato salad, I ask Carol if we can visit the birthing barn.

“After our errands, I noticed you don’t have any suitable boots or jeans for that matter. I thought we’d run into town. We also need to pick up a package and a couple other little things. Let’s go get our purses and get this done, then we can go down to the barn. Maybe Selma will be back by then. I want you to meet her; she’s our vet and one of my best friends.”

An hour later we were in the thriving community of Montrose. After living all my life in New York City, some of these towns look absolutely tiny. Montrose is a nice little place though and I have yet to see any scenery that you could complain about. I guess my only complaint is its so darn ‘open’ around here. I’m used to being able to only see a couple of blocks, out here you can see for miles. It doesn’t feel natural somehow.

Our first stop is the western store. It’s not quite like the stores back east. Here you can get anything from clothing to gear for your horse. The first thing we do is find me some boots.

I found out earlier that running shoes are not suitable for wearing around a barn or any large animals. I'm having a hard time dealing with the knowledge of what exactly I stepped in. Eww, gross. Carol just laughed at me and my 'shake the poo off the shoe' dance.

So I end up getting a nice rough out pair of Tony Lamas cowboy boots in grey. Then off to find me some jeans. These range from a looser fitted blue jean to some that are a bit more form fitting, two of these are in grey denim and fit me like a second skin.

As I’m checking out the fit of these jeans in the mirror, Carol starts to chuckle.

“What’s so funny?”

“You are, you’re preening like a peacock.”

“Hey, I might not be an Amazon goddess like you but I’ll be the first to admit that I have a nice ass. I figure if you got it, flaunt it.” I start giggling along with Carol.

“Well you got it, and you sure are flaunting it, and I am not some Amazon goddess.”

“I take it you’ve never actually looked in any mirrors then. Carol, I could be dancing on the tables topless and in a g-string and if you were there too, no one would even look at me. Don’t give me that false modesty act, you know good and well that you’re beautiful.”

“Yea, maybe so darlin’ but I wouldn’t be so sure about you not getting noticed if you were dancing topless in a g-string. You’re no slouch in the looks department yourself.”

“Let’s face it Carol, we’re just too damn good looking, all the other women don’t have a chance with us around.”

That gets us giggling all over again.

After deciding on the jeans, Carol picks me out some western style shirts; some for work, some more ‘fancy’ as Carol says. One is very cute. It’s pale pink with white piping and grey pearl snaps. Still, this whole 'country' look is new to me and is going to take a bit of getting used to.

When we have everything, Carol says, “One last stop. No self-respecting cowgirl would be complete without a hat. You’re going to need a straw one for the summer and a felt one for winter and get togethers and all.”

So I got the hats too and now look like a true western gal. At this statement Carol starts to laugh.

“What?”

“Darlin’, you aren’t there yet but you’re getting there. It’s a start at least.”

After loading my stuff in the back seat of the truck and giving Carol a stern glare for even suggesting we put my stuff in the bed of the truck, we head over to pick up Carol’s package.

With all that done, we run in to the ice cream shop for a couple of cones then head on back to the ranch.

Chapter 11

We get on back to the ranch and unload all my new plunder. I’m just finishing putting away the last of it when Carol calls me into our sitting room. In front of her is the opened package and she’s just finishing up reading a letter.

“What’s up?”

“Here, read this,” and she hands me the letter. It’s from my Mom.

Dear Carol and my sweet Angel,

By now the two of you have met and I bet there are a ton of questions. Hopefully this package will answer them for you.

Please watch the video on the enclosed CD first and please do so together. It will explain much.

Thank you again Carol for all you are doing, and please take care of my baby for me.

Angel, my sweet little girl, I love you so. I do so hope you and Carol get along, she seems like one of the good ones. I’m sorry I never got the chance to meet her in person.

Take care of yourself baby and always know that I love you and will be looking over you.

Forever, Mom

With tears running down my face I whisper, “I love you too Mom, I miss you so much.”

Suddenly Carol is there and holding me while I finish crying.

“Darlin’, want a suggestion?”

“What’s that?”

“Let’s watch this tonight after dinner. I reckon neither one of us will feel up to much of anything afterwards. That way we can just go to bed afterwards.”

“That’s probably not a bad idea. I can probably guarantee that I’m going to be pretty worthless after wards, especially if Mom is on the video.”

“Ok then, that’s what we’ll do. For now though, let’s go on down to the birthing barn. I want to check on the mares and introduce you to some people.”

“Ok.”

“First though, I can’t let you go out looking like that. Go on and blow your nose and wash your face then meet me in your room.”

“Am I that bad?” I say smiling.

“Hmm, you’re moderately splotchy. You seem to get that way when you cry.”

“The curse of a fair complexion. I’ve always been that way.”

I go into the bathroom and blow my nose and give my face a quick wash. Looking at myself in the mirror I figure I could do with a bit of color so I quickly put on a bit of blush and eye shadow and a tiny bit of mascara. Satisfied, I go back out to my room.

Carol’s there and hands me a bag. Inside is a tooled leather belt with silver and turquoise on it and a big silver buckle with a large polished turquoise in the center. Also in there is silver hat band.

“Carol, these are so nice, thank you.” I go and give her a big hug. “Thank you for everything, not just these.”

“You’re welcome darlin’, that ought to complete the look for ya. The hat band is for your good hat. Grab your straw one and let’s get.”

I put the belt on and grab my hat and off we go.

Once outside, we make our way down to the birthing barn. During my tour we went by it but didn’t go in.

Inside there are only six stalls and a couple larger areas. Currently there are three stalls occupied. There’s a group of people at one of the stalls, one of them is father dear. He turns at our entrance but turns right back with his back to us after a quick sneer.

“Well hon, as you can see, we have six large stalls here but we can actually handle up to ten in a pinch. We haven’t had to do that yet, knock on wood, but we can if needed. Right now the mares we have in here are Delilah, Molly and Flower. Don’t laugh, we give everyone a chance to name a new foal and as a result we can get some interesting names.

Flower is down there on the end and she’s going to drop just any minute. We’ll check in with Selma when we get down there. Delilah here isn’t due for another week and this bad girl is Molly.”

“Bad girl?”

“Yes. She’s far too old to be dropping a foal but couldn’t seem to say no to men folk. That’s why she’s in here where we can keep a closer eye on her. She isn’t due for another month but at her age we need to keep a close eye on her.

How you feeling Molly girl? Holding up ok?”

Molly comes over to the stall door and sticks her head out. She gives a soft wicker as Carol starts rubbing her between the eyes and up to between her ears.

“She’s beautiful Carol.”

And she is too. Her front, I’d say three quarters, is almost solid black but her rump and hind legs are white with black spots all over.

“Come on over darlin’ and say hello, she won’t bite. Molly doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. Do you girl?”

Another soft wicker is Molly’s reply.

Tentatively I go over and hold up my hand. I really feel tiny next to this large animal. Molly puts her nose against my hand and moves it around.

“Oh Carol, it’s like touching velvet. Hey there Molly, my name’s Angel. Can we be friends?”

Like she knew just what I said, Molly bobs her head up and down as if to say ‘yes’.

“Come on, help me out with her. I want to give her a quick look and it looks like she needs to have some fresh water.”

Carol opens the stall door and goes inside.

“Ok girl, back up a bit. Come on Angel, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Despite Carol’s assurances, I do feel nervous as I enter the stall.

“Just talk to her or pet her so she can keep track of you. You’ll be fine.”

“Easy for you to say, if she side steps I’ll be squished like a bug.”

“Nonsense. See, she likes you.”

Molly had turned her head and lowered it and I was giving her a good scratch between the ears.

“Her belly looks so big.”

“Yeah, that’s another reason we have her in here. It looks like she’s going to have a big one. That could mean trouble during the birth.”

“I thought you were leaving.”

Carol and I both turn and there’s father dear at the stall door looking pissed. If looks could kill etcetera.

“Why father dear, whatever gave you that idea? I simply love it here.”

His eyes tighten and it looks like he wants to say something but then stops himself. I just smile at him though I feel scared. There’s a darkness behind his eyes that frightens me.

At my grin, Father steps towards me. I don’t know what he’s going to do because Molly suddenly lets out a deep almost squeal and hits him dead center of his chest with her head.

Father is forced back several steps and has a very surprised look on his face. As he comes forward again, Molly starts to snap her teeth at him like ‘take one more step mister and I’ll remove something important’.

Meanwhile I’ve retreated to the far corner of the stall behind Carol. Father gives me one last weathering glare and storms off.

“What in the blazes was all that?” Says Carol.

Molly, her skin still twitching begins to calm down with Carol rubbing her coat and talking with her. Molly turns her head back to me as if to say ‘you ok?’

“Thanks Molly.” And shakily I move back to her and start to rub her head again.

“She’s never acted like that before; it was like she was protecting you. She and Bill have always gotten along together.”

“What did I do Carol? He’s so angry at me.”

“I don’t know what’s wrong darlin’ but I do know that you didn’t do anything.”

Carol gives me a hug and at that point two other people come up to the stall.

“Carol, what came over Molly here?” Asks the woman.

“I’m not really sure; maybe the pregnancy is putting a strain on her. Selma, I want to introduce you to Angel. Angel, this is my best friend Selma and her brother Fernando. Selma and Fernando keep all the animals around here healthy and happy.”

We all say hello. Selma is a tall very attractive woman of about twenty-five or so. She has dark eyes and dark brown hair just long enough to pull back into a ponytail. Her brother Fernando looks to be in his thirties and is shorter, about five foot nine or ten, but he’s got muscles on his muscles. This guy is the proverbial brick outhouse. He has light brown eyes and a face that looks like it was carved out of granite. He’d be frightening except for his large smile and laughing eyes. His long black hair is in a ponytail almost down to his waist.

“Oh, can I have her Carol? “ Says Fernando looking at me and grinning.

Have me, for what?

“That’s up to her.”

Everyone turns to look at me.

Worriedly I ask, “What? What are you guys talking about?”

“Well Selma isn’t here all the time, she travels a lot to the other ranches and stables in the area. Fernando here has been bugging me for someone to help him to care for the animals and to especially help him out here with the births. If you’re interested, you can help him.”

The thought of helping to care for all these animals is exciting, especially helping to care for the pregnant mares.

“I don’t know how much help I can be. You’re talking to the original city girl here, but I’d like to do what I can to help.”

“Most excellent.” Says Fernando. “Excelent锝 And he gives me a big grin, I give him a nervous one in return. What did I just get myself into?

Chapter 12

We visit the other horses and when we're done, Fernando tells me to check in tomorrow mid-morning and we’ll go over what he wants me to do to help.

Carol and I go back up to the house. Carol has some work to do in her office and I just need some time to sit back and think a bit. An awful lot has happened to me recently.

At the house Carol and I go our separate ways; she to her office and me back to my room to grab my guitar.

Once I have my guitar, I go back out to the front porch and settle into one of the big plush chairs and just idly strum and pick out tunes as I think. There’s country music playing on a radio somewhere so my strumming has a decided country flavor to it.

I’ve been out on the porch for quite some time when I hear, “You’re pretty good.”

Looking up, there’s Judy with a bowl full of grapes and a big glass of lemonade.

Smiling, I say, “Thanks, but I’ve seen good, I’m not there. I’m not bad though but I have to work too hard at it to make it sound ok.”

“Well I think you sound just fine. Here, I thought you might like a snack.”

“Thank you.”

“Not a problem. Later.”

As I set my guitar down and reach for the grapes, Edgar lands on the railing. “Tock, tock, tock.”

“Well hello Edgar. Done hitting me with stones?”

Edgar turns his head to the side as if he’s trying to figure out what I’m saying. He then proceeds to make little almost chirping sounds. I didn’t think ravens made sounds like these. He’s a funny bird. He’s watching me as I eat the grapes.

“Would you like one? You’ll have to come here if you do.”

I hold a grape out and he gives a little flying hop over to the arm of my chair. As birds go, he’s a big one. Very pretty too.

“Here you go Edgar.”

He gently takes the grape from my fingers. I alternate feeding him then myself. This is so cool.

“So, I guess your last name is Poe.”

“Degas.”

Turning my head, there’s Carol.

“What?”

“His last name is Degas, not Poe. It also looks like you’ve made a friend. Animals really seem to take to you.”

“He’s a neat bird. Why name him Degas?”

“When he first showed up here we were painting one of the barns. He’d land on the wet boards then he’d fly over to Bill’s truck and walk around. He did this several times. Turned the hood of the truck into a nice little piece of artwork so we named him Edgar Degas. Your daddy was not amused. The two of them are constantly going at each other.”

I giggle at the thought of what happened to the truck and father arguing with a bird. As Edgar doesn’t look any the worse for it, I assume that he comes out on top more often than not.

“Carol?”

“Yes darlin’?”

“What do you think we’ll find on the video Mom sent?”

“I don’t know Angel, I haven’t a clue.”

“I don’t think it’ll matter though. I don’t think I can stay here.”

“Now darlin’, why ever not?”

“He doesn’t want me here. It really won’t matter what’s on the video, it isn’t going to change anything. He hates me and he wants me gone. The look on his face in the barn was scary. I actually thought he was going to attack me.

I can’t stay here with him that against me, no matter how much I may want to stay.”

“Oh darlin’, give it some more time. If it doesn’t get better, hell’s bells, I’ll kick him up to the line cabin.”

“What? How can you do that?”

“Darlin’, he may run the day-to-day things here but I own this place.”

“What! I thought this place was his.”

“Nope. The land is passed down through the female line. That’s the way the original deed was written. We don’t make a big production of it ‘cause we tend to see eye to eye on most things. That plus most of these old timers around here want to deal with a fella as opposed to a gal, but the bottom line is I have the final say here, not your daddy. Give me some time, please?”

“Well, it won’t be tomorrow, but I’ll give you as much notice as I can.”

“Fair enough darlin'. Now let’s go on in and get ready for supper.”

Image credit: 'Doves' by Marta Dahlig