After she scrubbed the dishes and cleaned the kitchen, Anna was too restless to join the rest of the family in the den like normal. Her emotions were still in a jumble from the happenings of the day, and what she needed most was quiet time with her Heavenly Father.
Grabbing her cape from a peg by the front door, she slipped outside into the cool night air. Clouds shielded the stars overhead, making the darkness thicker than usual. A damp breeze sent a shiver through her, and Anna pulled the cape tighter around her shoulders.
Standing on the porch by the rail, she replayed Jacob’s departure from earlier that day. The old familiar vise squeezed her chest. So much could happen to him out there. It brought back memories of the fear that had gripped her when Edward recounted how the bandits had roughed him up and left him tied to a tree. Abandoned there. Weak, bound, gagged, and blindfolded. He could have easily been attacked by a bear, coyote, or cougar. Edward might well have died if Jacob hadn’t found him. The what if’s tormented Anna.
Lord, please don’t take Edward from me. First Mama, then our home and Papa. I just don’t think I could stand to lose Edward, too. An image of Jacob’s blue eyes and strong chin flashed through Anna’s mind. Please keep both of my boys safe.
The door behind her creaked, and the warm glow of a lantern spilled onto the porch. Anna turned to find Jacob easing the front door closed. He strode across the porch toward the stairs but stopped short when his eyes met hers.
“Hello,” she offered softly, suddenly shy in his presence. My goodness, but he’s tall.
“It’s a bit cold out for stargazing.” Jacob’s voice was deep, almost husky, in the stillness of the night. He set the lantern down on the porch and strolled toward the rail.
Very aware of his large frame next to her, Anna faced the night sky. “I wish there were stars to gaze at. Just clouds tonight, though.”
“Clouds are good for thinking, too.” His voice was low and trailed off at the end as if lost in thought himself.
Anna let out a sigh. “I guess either one works for praying.”
“You worried about Edward?”
How could he read her thoughts so accurately? Anna bit her lip. “Do you think they’ll come back?”
He turned to face the cloudy sky, too, and was quiet for a few moments. “It’s hard to say. The sheriff said they’ve been hitting one ranch at a time. They steal about a hundred head then move on to another ranch. Hopefully they got enough of ours and won’t be back.” He glanced at Anna and held her gaze. “But whether they come back or not, God is in control.”
Anna pivoted to face him squarely, a lump clogging her chest. “But that’s what I’m struggling with. I know in my head God is in control, that he’s taking care of us. But actually placing Edward in God’s hands, to do with as He wills? What if God doesn’t keep him safe? Edward is everything I have left. If anything happened to him, I’m not sure I could stand it.” Her voice cracked at the last words and moisture burned in her eyes.
Jacob pulled her into his arms. The tender touch was too much for her raw emotions, and a sob escaped. As tears broke through her barriers, Jacob’s strong hands rubbed her back, gently stroking the pain away.
After a few minutes, Anna managed to stench the flow. With a sniffle, she straightened, giving Jacob a weak smile. “I’m sorry. I don’t usually break down like this.”
When she tried to step back, though, his muscular arms wouldn’t let her go. “You have nothing to apologize for.” His voice was strong, yet gentle.
Anna tried to secure her smile. “Well, thanks for the hug, then.” His arms felt so good, still holding her close.
His blue eyes twinkled in the lantern light as he tapped a forefinger to her nose. “Anytime.”
Finally releasing her, Jacob picked up the lantern. “Well, I came out to check on a couple of the mares that are due to foal. The babies usually come at night, and we try to keep an eye on ’em in case they have trouble.” He spun back, a question on his face. “Do you want to come?”
A flicker of interest bubbled inside Anna. “I’d love to.”
Just before they entered the barn, Jacob stopped walking and cautioned, “Stay as quiet as you can until we see if they’re in labor or not. Most mares are very private when they give birth and some will actually stop the foaling process if they see people. After the waters break, though, that baby’s coming no matter what.”
Anna nodded, absorbing his words. Other than their neighbor’s dog when she was little, she had never witnessed anything give birth. She sent up a little prayer that she would get to see one of these foals being born. Edward had described the excitement of each of the calvings he’d watched over the last few weeks, and she couldn’t help a twinge of jealousy over his experiences.
She crept into the barn behind Jacob, the musty combination of horse, hay, and leather flooding her senses. She followed him as quietly as her long skirts would allow until they reached a stall midway down the row. He turned the lantern wick down so it emitted only a soft glow of light. She peaked over Jacob’s shoulder through the wood beams into the stall. He slipped a hand around Anna’s waist and moved her in front of him. Now she had an unobstructed view.
Inside the stall, a large chestnut horse with very swollen sides stood. The mare’s neck and flanks gleamed a darker brown from perspiration, and she hung her head low in a painful stance. The mare’s attitude suddenly changed. Her skin tightened and she swung her large head around to nip at her belly. She pawed the straw on the stall floor and turned around in small circles several times.
“She’s having a contraction,” Jacob whispered.
Anna didn’t dare speak, but her heart pinched at the mare’s pain. The poor creature looked miserable. After pawing the ground and circling several more times, the horse finally laid down, an effort that sounded a bit like a tree falling. The mare lay propped on her side, breathing hard. Then with a whoosh, a flood of water escaped from under her tail.
Jacob touched Anna’s elbow, keeping his voice low. “It shouldn’t be long now. I’m gonna get the foaling bucket and blankets.”
Anna could only nod, eyes focused on the horse so she didn’t miss anything. The mare seemed to be resting for a moment, though. She became aware of another presence at her side. It was Manuel, the ranch’s wrangler who usually cared for the horses. Relief washed over her. The man had a vast amount of knowledge when it came to the animals. If anything went wrong, he would know what to do.
The mare began breathing hard again. She lay flat on her side, tail raised, muscles rippling along her sides.
“There’s the first hoof.” Manuel pointed toward the mare’s tail where Anna glimpsed a little white bubble barely visible. He slipped into the stall to crouch in the corner, but Anna’s attention stayed focused on that little bubble. When the mare gave another push, the bubble became bigger and a dark color appeared underneath the semi-translucent film.
With each push, the mare would groan and more of the bubble appeared, until it took on the shape of a miniature head. Manuel stepped forward and broke the end of the bubble, pulling it away from the little face. Anna sucked in her breath at the tiny, delicate features.
As the mare continued to strain, the head with cute floppy ears and part of a neck, along with the two front legs surfaced. The baby still kept its eyes closed, and only the barely flaring nostrils announced it to be alive.
“Manuel, it’s not moving,” Anna whispered. Was the foal not strong enough?
“He’s doing fine. They don’t usually open their eyes until everything’s out of the Mama. If it moved now, he might kick her insides and do some damage. As long as he’s breathing, everything’s going along just right.”
Anna released the breath she’d been holding and watched in rapt attention as the mare’s next push brought out the foal’s shoulders and most of the torso. That left only the rear feet still inside. The foal’s eyes opened then, and it raised its delicate little head to look around in bewilderment.
The mare lay still for a few moments then gave a final grunt and rose to her feet. The motion caused the baby to pull free, and it lay quietly on the stall floor until its mama came to nuzzle its neck. She licked the foal’s body free of the white film that still covered in spots. The mare worked her tongue back toward the little head, finally finding the baby’s muzzle. Mama and baby touched noses, and the mother gave a soft little nicker. The action was so sweet, Anna felt like she was intruding on a private moment.
She took a step back from the rail and hit a solid form behind her. Spinning around, Anna stared into Jacob’s blue eyes, the shadows from the lantern making them appear darker than usual. He caught her shoulders then lightly ran his fingers down the back of her arms, sending shivers coursing through her body.
“Cold?” he asked in a husky whisper. The intensity in his gaze made it hard to breathe, let alone speak, but she couldn’t tear her eyes away. Instead, she shook her head slightly.
“Pretty neat, isn’t it?” The twinkle appeared in his eyes and the corners of his lips rose to reveal slight dimples. My goodness, but he’s handsome.
Jacob quirked a brow. He was expecting an answer. She blinked, remembering the miracle of the birth she’d just witnessed, the joy of new life. “It’s amazing.”