Divine Mortals (33 page)

“Can you go and be with Bell, she’s the only one in the pen, we need you to walk her in circles, just slowly, don’t let her lie down, just talk to her and walk her until Rob arrives with the vet.”

“Okay…ah, yeah I can do that…I think.”

Lead a horse? God, why couldn’t it be a dog giving birth or a cat or something, a horse, I shook my head, of course it was a horse what else would terrify me more.

“Good Girl,” Jed tried to sound encouraging, ‘take your mobile and if you need to, ring me, I’ll be stuck here at home missing all the fun.”

I snorted a little at this, my idea of fun wasn’t walking a two hundred and fifty pound animal in circles while it was in labor, alone, in the dark.

“Ring me if you need me, I’ll be here.” He finished.

“Sure.”

I ended the call and grabbed my mobile, stuffing it into my pocket. The first thing I noticed when I left the house was the temperature, the evenings had definitely started to cool off, the air smelt fresher, a sure sign of the impending winter. I had never been here during the winter, I bet winter here was beautiful, although it didn’t matter I wouldn’t be around to see it.

A soft glow was coming from one of the pens, someone, Robert I assumed, has set up a flood lamp that illuminated the entire small area in a soft yellow glow. Bell stood on her own in the centre, breathing hard, her mane damp and matted against her neck, her body lathered in a thick sweat and from my vantage point her tail looked to be clumped together with sweat, blood and a thick clear liquid that I preferred not to think about.

My hands were instantly clammy upon seeing her and I felt a prick of fear along my spine, of all animals to care for it had to be a horse. Her rope had been flung over the gate I pulled this off and climbed gingerly between the rails, approaching her slowing so she could see me coming.

I stretched my hand out towards her as I came within reach, letting her smell my fingers as Pop had shown me to do. My stomach was full of ice as I clipped the rope onto her halter, I realized with some relief that Bell didn’t seem to care that I was in the enclosure with her, she was too busy focusing on herself.

I gave a gentle tug on the rope.

“Come on Bell,” I tried to sound encouraging, “time for a walk.”

She began moving, albeit slowly, taking small laboured steps around the pen. The going was extremely slow and it seemed to take hours to make one small rotation, every minute or so she would stop and grunt before carrying on, contractions I was guessing. As the time passed I slowly became more comfortable and spoke words of encouragement to her as we circled. I wasn’t sure how long I had been outside but I was starting to feel chilled, my fingers tingled with numbness, I looked in the direction of the distant highway, invisible from here, surly the vet couldn’t be far away now.

Bell snorted loudly, stopping abruptly, I turned back towards her in time to see a huge wave roll the length of her swollen stomach, she snorted again before dropping heavily onto her knees.

“Oh no no no…”

I leapt out of the way as she finished her rather sudden descent, lying flat on her side. I pulled on the rope once, gently, trying to coax her into standing again but I knew it was useless, she wasn’t going anywhere.

‘Don’t let her lie down’,
Jeds words sounded again in my mind.

I looked around, there was still no sign of approaching headlights. I reached for my mobile, Jed would be able to tell me what to do, I dug in one pocket and then the other, it was gone. I jogged a quick lap around the perimeter of the pen hoping to see it amongst the wood chips but there was nothing.

Bell snorted again, swinging her long neck off the ground and looking over her shoulder back towards me, her huge dark eyes silently pleading.

I turned my own longing look towards the house but I couldn’t leave her now, I was scared of what would happen if I did but also terrified of what would happen if I didn’t. I kneeled on the ground next to her stroking her neck and murmuring encouragement.

Damn Shawn and the Vet and Robert and Jed, why could none of them be here now, I had no idea what to do.

Bells contractions were coming faster but nothing else seemed to be happening, I swallowed, closed my eyes in exasperation and then moved down towards her tail, I didn’t want to look, I didn’t want to be anywhere near this end of her but it was beginning to look like this was my only option.

To my surprise two small delicate hooves were poking out from underneath her tail, shiny and black, on the end of tiny snow white legs.

Another contraction gripped her and she snorted again but the tiny legs didn’t move.

I hadn’t seen anything give birth before, but I was pretty sure the contractions should be pushing the foal further out. I swallowed, nervous butterflies took up swarming numbers in the pit of my stomach, there seemed nothing for it, I was going to have to help and hope I was doing the right thing.

I took hold of the small slimy legs and waited, this time it seemed forever until the next contraction, but I waited, and when I saw it ripple across her stomach I pulled, I pulled so hard I felt my shoulders and back strain. As the contraction subsided I stopped, realizing then that I had closed my eyes, I opened them slowly and was surprised to see the legs had come out a little further, they were now exposed to above the foals long gangly knees.

“Good girl that’s it.” I grinned, encouraging Bell, a wisp of hair tickled my nose and I swept it away with the back of my hand leaving a slimy trail along the side of my face, I preferred not to think about what that might be.

I took hold again, waiting, the next contraction came on and I pulled, conscious this time to keep my eyes open. Digging my heels into the saw dust I watched as more of the foal became visible until finally a tiny black nose appeared, nostrils flaring as the night air hit them.

I waited again, watching in odd fascination as the small delicate nose breathed for the first time, sniffing the cool air.

A light drizzle began to fall, plastering my hair back and making me shiver but I hardly noticed. I was completely and utterly focussed on the small foal beneath my hands.

The next contraction came on quickly and I heaved, feeling my shoulders pop and my arms scream in protest, I managed to pull the entire head and shoulders out this time, the foal blinked once at me, almost comically.

I lost my footing then, as I pulled the foal completely free, landing heavily on my back with the baby cradled, wet, slimy, warm and wonderful on my chest. A feeling of utter content washed over me at what I had accomplished, I was covered in blood, wet with the rain and sticky with other things that I was trying not to think of, and I had brought this amazing wee baby into the world.

I couldn’t help but laugh, I felt amazing, revitalized, I had brought this small new life into the world.

I shuffled out from under its heavy weight, noticing as I went that it was a girl.

I lay her gently in the sawdust, Bell was standing again before I was, the pain of her birth seemingly forgotten and she looked at me strangely for a moment before bending her long neck down to sniff at her new offspring and start the indelicate process of licking the foal clean. I looked down at my clothes, I could do with a wash myself, I was covered in saw dust, birthing liquid and blood, my arms and back ached painfully, throbbing and pulsing with every heartbeat, but I ignored all this, instead feeling light and free and happy for the first time in weeks.

I was in no hurry now, I could have sat there all night, a strange euphoria seemed to fill the air with the creation of new life.

It wasn’t until Bell moved slightly, as she nudged her new foal to stand, that I saw him, ensconced in the moonlight, an image of ruddy bronze and gold, glowing as bright as any angel would in the night.

He said nothing, his eyes taking in my bloody appearance, burning into mine, the longing and heart ache clear on his face, a longing that I knew was echoed from my own. I wondered how long he had been there, watching me with Bell.

He took a hesitant step backward and then another, starting to turn away, my heart froze, I couldn’t breathe, then once more he looked back over his shoulder and before I could blink he was holding me, crushing me into his chest so tight I squeaked a little at the pressure. He didn’t seem to notice that I was covered in the labors of Bell birth, his mouth came down hard on mine, cutting off anything I could say in an urgent kiss. I kissed him back just as hard savoring the feel of him, the muscles of his chest pressed against mine, the hard lines of his back strained through the shirt beneath my hands.

My world spun and I felt a little dizzy, every thought was lost as I gave myself to him completely.

His mouth pulled back and he kissed along my jaw, his lips light as butterflies wings.

“I can’t do it,” he gasped, his voice husky as he continued the trail down my neck, I felt my bones turn to liquid, “I can’t keep away from you.”

I reached up taking his face gently in my hands pulling it up until his eyes found mine.

“Then don’t.” I whispered, before tip toeing to kiss him gently on his mouth.

He carried me from the pen, my muscles were so tired from strain and emotion that I was glad of it, his touch was tender and he didn’t speak. Holding me tightly against him he carried me into the house, flicking the lights on as he went, heading straight through my bedroom and into my bathroom. Surrendering me gently he leaned into the shower and turned it on, pressing a towel into my hands.

He kissed me lightly on the top of my head and stepped out leaving me to the privacy of my bathroom and the beckoning sound of my shower.

My mind sung and my thoughts were bright as I cleaned off the remains of my nights work, I glowed from within, bursting with a strange happiness that came from being present at the birth of a new life. It was the most incredible thing I had ever experienced, pulling that small white foal into the world.

And then there was Robert. Was I dreaming, was this some cruel trick and I would wake to a reality without him. He said he couldn’t stay away, I felt a sudden surge of nerves at the thought of whether he would be here when I got out. Finishing quickly I dried myself in a hurry, finding in the rush that I had no clean clothes in the bathroom. Wrapping a towel around myself carefully I tucked in the ends so that it held tight like a sarong. I felt a terrible sense of De ja vu, this was how I had emerged from my bathroom the last time he was supposed to be in my room. The time he had left me.

I combed my hair out quickly with my fingers, feeling the long tendrils sit wetly down my back.

I opened the door slowly, my eyes taking in every inch of my room, he wasn’t on the bed, I pushed the door the rest of the way, my heart in my throat.

My bedroom was empty, the world crashed immediately around me and I felt a fresh sense of loss, I had been so sure he would be here.

Had I dreamed all of this? Had I moved on to hallucinating now?

I trudged over to my drawers to find something to wear, desolation spreading its wings over me once more.

“I don’t know if my opinion counts for much at the moment,” his voice was light and smiling, I spun on my heel to see him in my doorway, leaning casually against the frame, his eyes sparkling.

“But personally I prefer the towel.”

“I’ll bet you do,” I laughed, feeling the heaviness disappear again, overjoyed at having him here with me.

“Where were you?”

“Sorry,” he smiled, walking casually into the room, “I needed a shower, somebody got me covered in, ah, well…” he cringed a little and smiled, his arms circling around me, “and then I had to check on the new foal and her Mom, oh and not to mention Jed, he was worried that he hadn’t heard from either of us.”

“Oh,” I pulled back, “Dammit, my mobile.”

Robert reached in to his pocket and then dangled my mobile in front of me.

“This mobile?”

“You found it!” I pulled him tightly against me once more, scared that if I let him go he would disappear.

“Hmmm I did, I found something else too,” his voice was low and thoughtful, I looked up to find him staring down at me, his large dark eyes indescribably tender.

“What else did you find?” I murmured unable to break from his gaze,

“The women I love,” he whispered, “I was just too stupid to realize it at the time.” He bent and kissed me gently, my legs shook as I broke it off,

“And you’ve found her again now?”

He chuckled, his whole body vibrating the length of mine, making me suddenly aware that I was only in a towel.

“I have, and I’m not going to let you go this time, not for anyone, I can’t function without you Ava.”

He kissed me again, lifting me off the ground with ease and laying me down on the soft covers of my bed, covering my body with his own, his lips never breaking from mine. I returned his kisses with equal fervor exploring the muscles of his back with my fingertips, his lips moved slowly with utter gentleness from my mouth and down my neck delicately outlining my collar bone. I heard myself gasp and was slightly embarrassed, I felt his lips curl into a smile against my skin before returning his attentions back to my neck. My breath was coming quickly and I felt my body dissolve at his light touches. It felt as if I were on fire, the heat of him was more intense than I remembered and his touch seared into my skin. I lifted my head brushing my lips against the golden skin of his neck, goose bumps rose where my lips touched him, I reached down to the base of his shirt pulling it free from his belt and lifting it quickly over his head.

His body was stunning, golden tanned, long and muscular, I pulled him down towards me again but he hesitated this time. I moved my lips up to his and kissed him hard, he returned it, just as hard and urgent, before pulling back, leaving me to try and gather my thoughts as he sat up, smiling down at me.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to arrange my thoughts so that I could form a coherent sentence.

“You don’t have to stop.”

His chuckle was light and a little strained, “Yes I do.”