“We’ve got a heifer about to calf, G-Man,” Evan said, coming forward to bump fists with the billionaire. “It could be a difficult birth.”
“May I stay and observe? I’ve never experienced the miracle of life before.”
Her brothers looked at one another. Then all of them burst into laughter. “Miracle of life,” Jack said, closing his eyes and rocking back on his heels.
“It is a miracle,” Elijah agreed, “but it’s also a damn mess.”
Evan slapped Gavin on the back, causing him to tumble slightly forward. “G-Man here can take it, can’t you?”
Gavin cocked his head to the side. “I believe so.”
Brenne greeted him when he approached the enclosure. “Leave it to you to be out and about on a dark and stormy night.”
“Some folks have compared me to a supernatural being,” Gavin admitted. “Usually the devil, but I’ve also been called a wraith and a ghoul.”
“Then the weather is just perfect.”
He smiled at her. “Are you in charge of this procedure?” he asked, indicating the cow.
“Only until the veterinarian arrives.”
“Ah, Doctor Parsons will be joining us. How nice.”
Brenne blinked at the sarcasm she heard in his voice. She’d yet to hear Gavin use any kind of tone in his voice besides genuineness. Her father moved from leaning against the fence to join her in front of the canal. “Doc better hurry up, or we’re going to have to take matters into our own hands. Look.”
Brenne bent to check the canal again and saw what her father meant. The tail was in the pelvic inlet and nothing else. “It’s breech. We’re going to have to turn it.”
“You’ve done that before, right, Dad?” Jameson asked.
“I have, but it’s been over a decade since I’ve dealt with a breech. I’m rusty and still a little shaky. Brenne, you’re going to have to do it.”
“Me?” she yelped. “Why me? Jameson should do it.”
“No offense, sis, but you’re smaller. Besides, you’ve been present at almost every foal birth on the ranch. You know the basic mechanics from the horses.”
“Did you go blind, brother? This is a cow, not a horse. Can’t we wait for Alex? I don’t want to make things worse.”
“I haven’t been able to reach him,” Jameson said, holding up his phone. “I’ve called and left a message, and I texted. He hasn’t responded.”
Bill frowned. “We wait too long, that calf could drown in there. We’ve got to get it turned around.”
Brenne took a deep breath, her eyes wide. “You sure?”
“I am.” His face said he had confidence in her, and Brenne felt a little of her tension fade. “I’ll guide you,” he said, his hand on her shoulder.
“What do I have to do?”
Her father called Elijah over with the lubricant. “First we get you ready to go in.” Brenne held out her arm as her brother poured the lubricant on her, making sure to cover the length of her arm.
“Am I correct in thinking you’re going to put your arm inside the cow and turn the calf around manually?” Gavin’s voice had a reedy quality she hadn’t heard before.
She turned to him and saw that he was looking a little green around the gills. “You’re right. This ain’t exactly gonna be pretty. No shame in waiting over in the corner until we’ve got the calf out.”
Gavin shook his head. “I will observe the miracle.”
Brenne bent back to her task. “Where the hell is Alex?” she gritted out. The vet had always been reliable, and she hadn’t known him not to answer his phone. Images of him snuggled in bed with Emma flooded her brain and her stomach flipped. I don’t have time for this, she told herself, pushing the images away to focus on the job at hand.
“We need to get the hind legs into the birth canal so we can move them into their proper position. But before we can adjust the legs, we need space to work. So you’re going to carefully work your hand inside, and when you feel the calf’s rear end, you’re going to push on it to move it back as far as you can reach. That’s the only way we’re going to be able to rotate the calf’s limbs.”
Brenne took a deep breath, centering herself. She had assisted with horse births before, as Jameson had said, but assisting and doing the procedure yourself were two different things. Pushing away as much fear and anxiety as she could, Brenne started to do what had to be done.
She concentrated on going slow and disturbing things as little as she could. Her arm brushed the tail as she pushed into the womb, her hand finally hitting the calf’s behind. “I feel it.”
“Push, Brenne,” her father advised. “Gently, but enough to move the calf.”
Brenne did as he said, trying to block out the moans from the heifer. She worried every second that she might do something to damage either the mother or her baby. It would be tough to recover from that. She wasn’t ashamed to admit that she sometimes teared up over roadkill, and she never took the drive to the slaughterhouse with her brothers. Hurting an animal would hurt her too.
The barn door opened, and a figure came in out of the rain. He pulled off his hood, revealing Alex.
“Where you been?” Jameson asked, his tone mildly upset.
“The Maywell hound got caught in the barbed wire roll. It was hell getting him out. I came as soon as I could.” Alex pulled off his coat and rushed forward, medical bag in hand. “What’s going on?”
“Breech,” Bill explained. “We’ve started the process to turn her.”
Alex squatted next to Brenne. “What do you feel?”
“The behind.” Relief flooded her, thinking she’d no longer be in charge of delivering the calf. “Should I remove my arm and—”
“No. That could cause more trauma. You’re already there, so you’ll be my hands. We’ll do this together.” His voice was calm, and it helped calm her.
“Okay. I’m pushing it back. I… I don’t think it can go any more.”
“Good,” Alex said. “Next we have to reposition the legs.” He moved closer, talking in an even tone. “You’re going to have to get ahold of one of the legs. You’re looking for the hock joint. Do you know what I mean?”
“I think so,” she said, angling her arm to run along the calf’s flank until she touched one of the legs. She slid down it until she reached the hock joint. “I’ve got it.”
“Okay, you’ve got to bend that leg in, toward the cow’s body. Hold the leg between the hock and the hoof and twist it toward the body. We need it ready to extend so we can get the rope on it.”
Alex talked her through the motions until they’d gotten the legs into position and the rope in place. “I’ll take over from here,” he said. “Make sure you pull out carefully.”
Brenne did as he said, and soon her arm was free again. She turned to head for the sink. Gavin’s eyes widened as she passed. He pivoted quickly away from her and retched.
“Some miracle, isn’t it, G-Man?” Jack asked with a smile on his face.
“Hush up.” Brenne chastised her brother, but she couldn’t help feeling a little superior. He might be the billionaire powerful enough to remake the world in his image, but he threw up his cookies and I didn’t.