Sequel to The Seed Of Love.
Not a stand-alone read!
Poppy Maverick grew up on the ranch with all of the Maverick clan along with her brother Hart. It's hard growing up in your mom's shadow. Everyone knows who Holland Kane Maverick is and she's famou...
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The next morning my phone started ringing at 4 am.
I turned over and answered my phone.
☎️ Hello?
☎️ Poppy it's Luke the mare is in active labor if you want to join me.
☎️ I'll be right down.
I jumped out of bed and got dressed and ran downstairs putting on my shoes.
Dad was sitting at the table drinking coffee and I think I spooked him. "What's going on Poppy?"
"Sorry, dad gotta go. Luke called and one of the mares is in labor." I said grabbing a couple bottles of water and some breakfast bars and headed out the door.
I ran down to the stable and found Luke checking on the mare. "Hey, I came as fast as I could," I said.
"Thanks for coming! I figured you wouldn't want to miss it." He smiled.
"I brought some water and cereal bars," I said.
"Thanks I'm sure I'll be hungry later. Looks like we may be here a while." He said.
I laid down the blanket and sit down while Luke finished checking on the mare.
"I hope this one is easier than the heifer," I said pulling a water out of my bag.
"So far so good." He said sitting next to me.
I handed him a water. "So my dad was already up drinking coffee when I come running down the steps." I laughed.
"I bet he wondered what in the world." He laughed taking a drink.
"Yeah, I told him as I ran out the door." I smiled.
A couple of hours later the mare stood up and moved around and we got into position in case she needs help.
"I'm going to stand back here and only move if you need me," I said.
"I was hoping you would reach in and pull the colt out." He smirked.
"Jerk!" I laughed.
"I thought you wanted to get in there." He laughed.
Before I could say anything the legs appeared and she moved around until the colt fell onto the hay.
We stood back and watched how the momma took care of the colt and cleaned on it and it wasn't long until the colt was up on wobbly legs.
I snapped a few pictures and sent them to dad. I felt like a proud parent.
While Luke stayed to watch the colt and mother I went around to feed the other animals and check on them.
A little bit later Uncle Chad walked into the barn while I was mucking the stalls and offered to help.
"Thanks! I'm a little tired was up all night with Luke while another colt came into the world." I yawned.
"Oh, so we have another one huh? Did you give it a name?" He asked.
"No Uncle Chad I'd say mom will. She usually does." I shrug.
"Why don't you name it?" He said.
"Fine, it looks like it has a peanut on its side so let's go with peanut," I said.
"Well, I will spread it around then." He smiled.
I walked back to the stable and Luke was feeding some apples to the older horses.
"So Uncle Chad made me name the colt," I said.
"He did? What did you pick?" He asked.
"Peanut." I laughed.
"Because of its side?" He asked.
"Good catch." I laughed.
Dad walked in. "Hey, guys Clara said get your butts in the house for some lunch."
"Thanks, dad we will be in soon," I said.
"Me too?" Luke said.
"Yeah, she meant you too. Clara would be offended if you didn't come in to eat." I said.
We finished up and washed up before going inside. When we sit down at the table Uncle Emerson, Chad was at the table with Roger.
"I made some sandwiches with chips and some brownies," Clara said sitting plates down in front of us.
"Thank you, Clara." I smiled.
"Yeah thank you Clara for including me," Luke said.
"I feed everyone around here so anytime your hungry just come to find me." She said patting Luke on the back.
I didn't say much during lunch I just listen to everyone around the table talking.
"Poppy so how many births since you became a vet?" Emerson asked.
"Two. We had a calf and then a colt I named peanut." I said.
"Did you deliver them?" Chad asked.
"We both did," Luke said.
After we finished lunch we went around checking the animals. The sheep were next on the list and it was time to shear all the wool off of them and that's a job of its own.
"So we will get them sheared then we will use the machine to see if any are pregnant," Luke said.
"So much fun." I laugh.
Wrangling sheep isn't as easy or fun as they make it look on tv." He laughed.
"No, it's not that's for sure," I said as we got down to the corral and Romeo helped us heard them in the fenced-in area we had set up for them.
"Have you done this before?" Luke asked.
"Once with dad but we had other help," I said.
"Hopefully we can get this done quick and easy." He said.
I must admit I had my doubts but we work great as a team. We tackled the sheep and got ten of them sheared.
Luke looked at me and laughed and then looked at me again. "What?" I asked.
He laughs... "Umm, you have something on your face."
"What is it?" I said rubbing my face.
"Sheep shit." He said.
"Eww yuck! Could you get it off please?"
"With my hand?" He asked making a face.
"Yes, Luke with your fingers. Here use my shirt." I said raising it off of my body.
He wiped a few hard times. "Alright, it's gone. Didn't you smell it?"
"No? Maybe it was dirt?" I asked.
"No, I don't think it was dirt." He laughed.
"Why not?" I asked.
"Because Poppy it smeared."
"Gross. I guess that's what you get when you want to be a vet." I laughed.
