When Eve woke early the next morning, she didn’t remember how she’d made it back to Mima’s bed. The last thing she remembered was feeling Jackson’s slow labored breathing beneath her and somehow falling into the blessed oblivion of sleep. She’d dreamt of her wedding day. Eight years ago, in her alternate reality, she’d walked down the aisle to join the younger and boyishly handsome Jackson Carver. And there were no complications. Just love.
Until this morning, Eve didn’t know it was possible to cry in one’s sleep. But because she woke up with tears in her eyes, a raw ache in her throat, and pain like a weight on her chest, she would have to say that it was.
Her mother was no longer in bed next to her. Eve had slept in her clothes and so she used Mima’s attached bathroom to clean up and smooth her hair down. Her eyes were red-rimmed from crying but she couldn’t do much about that.
She heard familiar voices as she walked into the kitchen.
Then both her mother and Mima turned from where they stood at the stove.
“I made flour tortillas.” Brenda waved her to the table. “Have a seat. They’re almost ready.”
When Brenda Iglesias made tortillas, they were homemade, not store-bought and warmed. She must have been up at the crack of dawn to get started.
“I asked him not to, but Hank called me in sick to the Trueharts. I unexpectedly have the day off.” She smiled. “Isn’t that lovely?”
Her brain sluggish from lack of caffeine, Eve tried to take it all in. Soon enough she realized that all the men were gone. Even Jackson. Jackson, who had held her so tightly in his arms last night, as she quietly cried herself to sleep.
“Here, sleepyhead.” Mima handed her a cup of life, otherwise known as coffee. “Hank and Jackson got an early start. They’ve gone to the feed store, will run some errands, and then later they’ll pick up Lincoln and Sadie at the airport.”
“Oh, right. That’s today.”
Lord, it was going to be good to see her best friend. Eve would cry, and Sadie would bake chocolate chip cookies and force her to marathon rom-coms all day. Sadie would help remind her that life would go on, with or without Jackson Carver.
And it would. It just wouldn’t be nearly as sweet.
Eve sat to eat a quick breakfast with everyone, but she had no appetite. She picked at her eggs, chorizo, and tortilla and half listened to Daisy talk about the rodeo coming into town.
“No more spendin’ time with that Wade!” Mima interjected with no small amount of judgement. Her lips were twisted into a scowl that would be comical had Eve felt any kind of lightness about today.
Daisy switched to talk about suspensions and brakes and other things that Eve could hardly pronounce much less understand after only one cup of coffee.
“I have to work today,” Eve said to no one in particular.
Both her mother and Mima glanced at her and Eve noticed when they shared a look between them.
There was an awkward pause in conversation and then Daisy spoke up. “Me too.”
Eve would check up on Holly, then drive out an hour to the Wilson cattle ranch for a recheck on the breeched calf she’d brought into the world a few months ago. She’d offer to help Annabeth with any small-animal checkups or emergencies. Offer to be on call seven days a week. She really needed to throw herself into her job. All this would keep her busy. Work was what she needed. More and more work. Maybe more animals would get sick. Wait, no. Oh Lord! What was wrong with her? She may have winced.
“Eve, honey, are you okay?” her mother asked. “You didn’t eat much.”
“I’m not hungry,” she said and rose. “And I have to get ready for work. After I take Thimble for a ride.”
But even Thimble couldn’t help her this morning. Oh, she was patient and kind and she listened as usual. She didn’t even mind when Eve wet her mane with tears.
“I love him so much, but I won’t lose myself to him again. And that’s what he wants. Face it, he could have any woman he wants, and any one of them will likely give up everything for him. And I could, too, I know I could. But with what I’ve been through, and how hard I worked for this life, he should understand why I can’t.”
Later, Holly passed her checkup with flying colors and Mr. Mansfield smiled and thanked her for caring enough to make him see the error of his ways. Work went swiftly and efficiently. It was something she could count on every day of her life. Routine. The expected. Animals needed vaccines, they needed checkups, and required medication at times. Some horses were prone to colic. Some pigs got the swine flu. Smaller breeds had their own issues with allergies, ear infections, and overbites.
In the afternoon, after her rounds, Eve helped Annabeth with a large golden retriever named Shadow that had been hit by a car in a hit and run. Eve’s thoughts went to Winston and the way Jackson always let him in the house when it was too cold.
“Who would do this?” Eve asked Annabeth as she helped review the X-rays. “No one in Stone Ridge could possibly do this to an animal.”
“I think you overestimate the residents here.” Annabeth squinted at the X-ray.
“Maybe it was someone passing through town.”
“Uh-huh. Well, he’s lucky. Nothing broken. He’s so thick.”
They both turned to look at Shadow, who still had a smile on his face. Just emerging from his mild sedative, he happily wagged his tail.
“Who’s a good boy?” they both said at once.
After they let Shadow go home with his grateful owner, Eve turned to Annabeth. “I’ve been thinking that I should be on call seven days a week. We don’t need to split coverage anymore.”
Annabeth’s jaw dropped. “Are you out of your mind?”
“Why would you say that?”
“First, I can’t get you to take a vacation for years. You finally did because of the wedding. But Eve, this is a partnership. You give some, and I give some. It would make me feel awful to have you cover all the time.”
Right. Wonder what she would have said if she’d instead told her that she was leaving their practice for two years. Eve let out a nervous laugh to cover the fact that she now wanted to burst into tears. In a true partnership, every person gave up a little something to make it work.
“You’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking. Thank you for being a great partner.”
“But I am going to go on vacation next month. There’s an Indie music festival in Austin and I’m going for the entire week. You’re welcome to cover for me then.”
“Awesome. Consider it done.”
At the end of the day Eve drove home to the ranch to make a welcome home supper for Sadie and Lincoln.
When Eve walked in the front door, Daisy was already decorating the entryway with flashy banners that read, “Welcome Home.”
“Your mom left,” Daisy said. “Said to call her later.”
“Thanks.” Eve got busy immediately. She peppered and salted the pot roast and put it in the pan. She washed and chopped vegetables. Boiled potatoes. Started the cake.
“Eve,” Mima said from behind.
Eve jumped. “Lawd, don’t scare me like that.”
“Sorry. You seemed very involved with mixing those egg whites. I’ve been standing here two whole minutes.”
“You have? I just want this to be a perfect supper.”
Contrary to the banana cream pie that was Jackson’s favorite dessert, tonight she was baking Lincoln’s favorite. Angel food cake.
“I know you do, sugar. I have something to say and it’s very difficult for me, so you have to listen to me carefully.”
Eve stopped the mixer and turned to give Mima her full attention.
Please.
No more bad news.
She took a breath and steeled herself. “What is it?”
Mima took a deep breath. “I want you to go to Nashville with my Jackson.”
Eve snorted. “What?”
“You have to go with him, sugar. Show him what you’re willing to give up for him, and he won’t ask you to do it.”
“Have you been talkin’ to my mother? I’m stayin’ right here. My mother needs me even if you don’t anymore. And Annabeth needs me. Next month she’s going to an Indie music festival and I’m coverin’ for her like she just did for me. Relationships are about compromise. And I live here, not in Nashville. I don’t want to live there.”
“But you love him!” Mima said. “Maybe y’all could live half the year here, half the year in Nashville.”
“That wouldn’t work, either.” She turned the mixer back on.
Mima tossed her hands up and yelled over the raucous noise. “Young people! I broke my arm and been breaking my back to get you two back together and fix the foolish mistakes of youth. But you need to work with me here!”
Just then a truck pulled up outside and Eve wiped her hands on a dishtowel. Finally, she’d have someone to truly confide in. Someone who would understand. But not tonight. She’d save all her tears and angst for tomorrow. Tonight would be a coming home celebration.
Eve, Mima, and Daisy fought to get to be the first to hug the returning Carver newlyweds.