Gritty Times in Wyoming Pt. 01

"Come over to the barn," he grinned. "There's nothing like a weather change to set females off. Our cows have begun calving. Mom and dad are in the big barn that has the lights on so don't get lost getting yourself over there. Give me a kiss."

She saw the blood on his face and said no.

He just grinned.

Warmly dressed Skye arrived at the barn and thought it must be what a slaughterhouse looked like. She couldn't believe it. For some reason she had the impression cows dropped their calves on to soft warm hay and in seconds the calf stood and was drinking while mommy chewed cud.

But no, three dead calves were lined on the concrete floor with one dead cow.

Skye held back the tears.

Fergie was hosing blood off his apron. He grinned, yes he grinned, and yelled to her, "Alas we can never save them all pretty lady."

Two cows looking exhausted stretched out on hay had calves asleep beside them. Farther along two other butchers were at work on a fallen cow. Skye raced up to Ryan and his mom.

"She's gone Ryan," Glenys said mournfully. "Give up on her."

Well as least the female cared, Skye scowled.

"The calf might be dead after all this but I'm going after her," Ryan said. He yelled, "Dad the saw and big knife. Skye get out of here. This is not pretty."

Skye simply moved out of the way.

Ryan made a huge cut and grabbed the saw from his dad and began work.

Glenys arrived and stayed momentarily beside Skye. Skye thought she saw tears on Glenys' cheeks.

"Ryan and his dad saved that poor cow as a calf from a difficult birth two years ago. Some mothers are just too small and we don't always pick them accurately or else they catch the luck of the draw and get an extra large calf. That poor boy he always thinks he can save them all."

Who the butcher? Skye didn't know what to think.

"You think her calf is dead don't you?"

"Well when is the last breath ever breathed?" Glenys said and looked up at the huge clock above the entrance. It's been almost ten minutes since the birthing process collapsed."

"And yet Ryan goes on butchering the dead mother?"

"Believe me darling he never gives up. If you vomit just use the floor."

That almost made Skye vomit. She was surprised how well she was coping.

Fergie suddenly dropped his hands to below his knees and seconds later pulled the left rear of the cow apart and Ryan called, "Got her," cleared the calf's nostrils and pulled something out of his pocket wrapped in plastic.

The calf lay listless.

"Blanket mom," he yelled but Glenys appeared not to hear.

Skye yelled where were the blankets and Glenys pointed and Skye raced back, skidding on the floor and landed on her knees and draped the outstretched blanket over the calf.

Ryan had a plastic device in his mouth against the calf's mouth and he attempted to resuscitate it.

Skye's tears fell on to the blanket as she thought how so unfair life could be.

Quite unexpectedly she thought she felt a tremor through the blanket but then nothing.

She placed her hand under the blanket against the calf and felt a tremor that was unlikely to be Ryan's movements, or so she thought.

"Keep going," she shouted, and reached across to stroke Ryan's back.

He rolled slightly to see her and winked.

The calf shook quite solidly and made some gasping sounds and dribbled.

Ryan threw the mouthpiece aside. "This Angus breed originated as Aberdeen Angus in the north of Scotland and they are, as the Scots say, 'Wee tough buggers'. Mum will inject her with a mild stimulant and get some warm liquid with antibiotics into her and she may well survive without apparent harm and get to have her own babies."

A feeling of great joy, something like release, swept through Skye. She leant across and kissed him and pulling away stroked his hair and said, "You wonderful, wonderful man."

"We can't save them all but we sure do try."

"I know."

"Oooh," he smiled. "You've got your clothes in such a mess."

"Fuck the clothes," she replied and they laughed.

Ryan's parents had seen that little drama play out.

"Fergie said tiredly but fairly cheerfully, "I do believe our son has met his wife."

"Oh no, oh god no," Glenys wailed.

CHAPTER 2

After daylight the men and returned from the barn, showered, eaten their food and had gone to bed. They'd work the night shift and the three farmhands from the bunkhouse would look after day calving and attend to routine farm activities without supervision, knowing Ryan or his father were only a phone call away if they struck problems.

"Would you like to ride today, you did say you could ride?"

Skye said, "It's still lightly snowing and the wind continues to gust heavily Glenys."

"I know but you are in Wyoming. If you choose not to ride in snow you miss out a lot of riding days in a year."

"Well I'm fine with that. I'll be under your leadership."

Glenys made a call and one of the 'boys' arrived fifteen minutes later with two saddled horses.

"Take you pick," Glenys said expansively, buttoning up the neck of her yellow pommel slicker. She'd given Skye a slicker and a Stetson and Skye following Glenys' lead did her buttons all the way up and worked out she was now fully protected from drips off the brim of her hat and any driven-in rain channeling off her nose or chin.

"Well the chestnut is obviously the better horse and that being so that's your saddle on it. I'll take the bay."

"We have twenty-something horses. On a fine day I'll get one of the boys to cut out your pick and you can call that one your horse for the duration of your visit."

"Um I was under the impression my time here was about up?"

She saw Glenys stiffen.

"And why would you think that?"

"Isn't this what this quiet ride is about?"

Glenys sighed and said Skye was a very smart young lady.

They rode off and talked through the issue over the next few minutes.

"I had agreed to not eye him after your angry encounter with me."

"Yes that was the agreement but he still lies on your bed most evenings."

Skye sighed and said, "And that provokes you?"

"Yes because small things lead to big things."

"Do you know why he does it?"

"There is no need to discuss things like that."

Skye ignored that and said, "Because he's always remembered doing that since he was six or seven when Linda occupied that room. He was missing that ritual."

"Oh Christ."

To Skye that exclamation was better than an apology.

They rode on in silence until Glenys stopped at a piping gate on their left. Skye accepted she was the younger/fitter person and dismounted and opened the gate and stood aside for Glenys to ride though and then followed her. As she was fastening the gate she heard Glenys say loudly against the blustering wind, "I haven't handled this situation between you and Ryan very well and I apologize. It would appear you've handled his presence in your bedroom very well and I guess the emotion you two were feeling in the calving situation just, well just boiled over. God I can remember Alec Munro cuddling and kissing me when we saved his favorite dam after calving successfully."

"Well Glenys I believe Alec must have known Fergie was standing there looking at us. The thing was I felt elated and knew I was being thanked in perhaps the nicest way possible. I have no idea what he was thinking but can guess by the look in his eye. So its stalemate."

"Nevertheless I'm lifting my ban and it's up to you how you behave. You know how I feel about you and my son. But I do want you to stay on here. You have committed, you have fitted in, you are paying your way and you have made a major contribution by way of work effort and I," she choked, "just adore having female company."

They exchanged a meaningful glance and rode out into the heart of the huge field.

Glenys suddenly stood up on her stirrups. "Oh Christ."

"What?" Skye asked, alarmed at the tone of Glenys' voice.

"It's the 16-month Jersey bull playing havoc in this area. It appears to have gone loco. Come, ride over that bridge in the middle of this pasture and we'll try to out-run it and ride to that big pile of rocks at the far fence and clamber to safety."

"You have a gun?"

"To shoot animals with broken legs or broken backs. I'm useless at trying to hit running targets. The little shit will be able to run so don't let him fool you. He's only trotting at present."

They broke into a canter and the critter coming across to intercept them bellowed.

As Glenys was crossing the lumber-topped decking of the structure spanning the small creek, the chestnut slithered off and fell, taking Glenys with her.

The bull was too close for Skye to stop and assist Glenys and so she yelled and waved her hat and continued over the bridge and the young bull came after her.

Glenys would tell the guys later she clawed her way up the bank and peeped over and to her astonishment saw one of the finest exhibitions of horse riding she'd seen for a very long time.

Skye had slowed to allow the bull to almost catch up and then yelling and waving her hat had the now mouth-frothing bull running in circles and even figures of eight, unable to catch the horse. When the Jersey finally slowed and stopped, nose almost touching the ground, flanks heaving, Skye returned to Glenys.

The chestnut had also clamored out of the swiftly flowing water boosted by melting snow. The horse was lame and had a bloodied knee.

"How on earth did you learn to ride like that?" Glenys said in awe, keeping one eye on the near motionless bull.

"Kids even in big cities have access to riding schools. I was first lifted on to a saddle when I was three," Skye said, looking down at the chestnut.

"I think Kismet is okay, just needs rest. I don't like my chances of running out the bull when it gets its wind back."

"Give my the rifle and put one into the chamber thingy for me."

"Do you know anything about lever-action rifles?"

"We're wasting time," Skye said shakily and sucking in breath as was her horse. "If I'm any good I'll only need one shot as executioner, with the animal still lethargic like that. What do I shoot at?"

Glenys looked over at the bull about 150 yards away. It was now pawing at the ground, but fairly feebly.

"Usually the heart but with its head down like that you might miss a direct hit. Go in close and shoot at what looks to be the spot for a third eye between and a little above its eyes."

"Christ Glenys what if I get confused over the location of that spot?"

Glenys said calmly, "Just line up and do it. You'll see the spot."

"Okay."

"Be careful of a sudden charge."

"Right."

Perhaps worried that Skye might not remain calm under pressure in attempting to fell the bull Glenys said, "Um we could try holing up under the bridge."

Skye sniffed and said, "No thanks, too cold."

Glenys switched back to Skye's mission. "Wait till the bull lifts its head before shooting otherwise you risk the bullet deflecting."

"Yeah right," Skye said, noticing Glenys was holding her right elbow. She walked her horse back to the bull, rifle held out one-handed and resting the gunstock on a hip.

Glenys would claim later she called out don't drop the rifle but Skye would insist she definitely didn't hear that.

She lined up the bull, dropped the reins and nudged the horse forward. She aimed at the dropped head and adjusted her aim as the animal slowly raised its head.

She then fired.

The horse shied and she fell off.

"Christ," she squawked, landing with a thump.

Thankfully she still had the rifle.

Glenys was yelling, "Skye, Skye, Skye."

Skye looked across the few feet and saw the bull was down, not moving. The only noise she'd heard was the blast of the gun. She wiped mud from her eye, stood and yelled, "What do you want?"

To her amazement Glenys, tough Glenys, just stood there and appeared to be bawling.

Neighbors had heard the shot and phoned, pulling Fergie out of sleep.

He replied the girls were out on horseback. They must be in trouble.

That caused those neighbors to react and phone their neighbors.

Fergie and Ryan stopped at the bunkhouse to pick up the boys and went tearing out in Fergie's 4W4 following the marks made in the snow by two horses outward bound. There were no tracks coming back in.

"Steady on dad," was all Ryan said, as the vehicle slewed across a bridge almost sideways.

Fergie's jaw jutted and if anything he drove faster.

"There they are, up ahead," Ryan yelled.

Fergie squinted and saw the two women walking arm-in-arm and Ryan said, "Looks like Kismet is lame."

"I can see that," lied his father, who had no chance of seeing that far without glasses.

Eleven neighbors in various vehicles arrived in batches and the story about what had happened had to be told several times, and on the third telling Glenys included the new bit about telling Skye not to drop the rifle and everyone just loved hearing that, knowing Skye was a city slicker.

Ryan jumped up to take on the Brown's youngest son when the 17-year old said, "Who pulled the trigger, Miss Brock or the bull?"

"Sit down Ryan," Skye ordered and he sat and stared the youth down.

Skye then turned to Benny Brown and said, "Put them up kid. I'm about to prove I can slap much faster than you can punch."

"Um Miss, I spoke right out of turn and apologize. My mom here will kill me if I hit a woman."

"Damn right son," Milly Brown laughed.

Skye handled the situation with ease. "Thank you for being gracious about this Benny. You are a man. Now folk, where should we have this big party? It's no use turning out and having nothing to show for it?"

Everyone thought that was a great idea.

What followed was the best night Skye would have during her first stay in Wyoming. The walls of their house practically buckled under the noisy conversations rising above the loud music and raucous laughter.

About 10:00 Skye was going to the bathroom when she came across Glenys at the backdoor shaking snow off her hooded jacket and for the first time since arriving got away with making a quip with a sexual overtone to her hostess.

"Been ought smooching with some lucky guy eh?"

"God you are irrepressible," Glenys said, hugging her. "I've just been over checking out Kismet to make sure she was okay and had cleaned up her oat mix. She muzzled me and gave me the distinct feeling she wanted to take me out riding."

Skye kissed Glenys and said that was great.

"We should go out riding together almost every day."

"You be ready whenever I call," Glenys said, slapping Skye's butt with her good arm and teasing she was putting on weight. "Now I know you really can ride I'll ride with you anywhere including up in the mountains in summer."

* * *

Skye and Ryan continued to have roughly the same time together after dinner most evenings but she knew something in that relationship had died as a result of Glenys' earlier intervention.

They had discussed it briefly and then dropped it. Ryan had asked why did Skye think his mom was so much against them being involved in the way their relationship appeared developing and was it because of their age difference? She'd replied that was the only reason and she was sure about that.

"We were only heading for sex, not marriage."

"I know," she'd replied. "But with emotion involved can mothers remain objective in such matters?"

"I have no idea, I'm not into that stuff," Ryan said and began talking about something else.

Early next evening Skye made a call.

"Good evening. Is that Linda Rogers?"

"Yes it is."

"Oh hi Linda I'm Skye Brock..."

"Oh hi, the author who's staying with my family. Mom is always talking about you and was full of you dealing with that bull when she hit trouble."

"Yeah and she is a truly valuable source of ideas for hopefully my next successful novel."

"Get a picture of Wyoming on the cover and it will really sell out here in the West I promise you."

"Well I hope so and hope the writing will be up to scratch."

Linda said, "It's true was mom has told me. You are not at all a pushy, abrasive person. I had pictured a big city woman and author to boot and perhaps you can imagine the person I thought you'd be. Mom says my brother has adopted you?"

"Yeah and we get along fine. He likes to chat quietly."

"And does that after dinner stretched out on my old bed, just as he used to do with me?"

"Linda that's what I'm calling about. You whole family is missing you. They've not seen you since the wedding and you're not all that far away. Right now it's difficult for them to get off the ranch for much longer than a couple of hours."

"Well we have been so busy too. Larry has been settling into a new job and we moved into our new house straight after the wedding and there has been so much to do."

"I can imagine what it must be like. Um any chance of coming overnight this weekend?"

There was a pause and Linda said, "Please hold and I'll check with Larry."

Less than a minute later Linda said, "Yes that is fine. We'll drive arrive Friday in time for dinner. God thanks for pushing on this, I should have visited sooner, even by myself."

"Oh Linda that's so lovely. Let's keep this a secret from your folk so you really surprise them. They've never gone out on a Friday night since I've been here."

"And possibly now more than four times in all the time I lived with them," Linda laughed.

They talked on and when the call ended it appeared a friendship was already forming.

TO BE CONTINUED...