Double Surprise (Short Story): Part 2 of 5

Read part 1 HERE

A frightened whinny and the sound of labored breathing jerked Andi from a deep sleep. She sat up with a gasp and turned to the still-lit lantern. Guilt washed over her when she realized she had committed the unpardonable sin on the Circle C ranch—leaving a lantern unattended. Taffy could have kicked it over and the whole barn—including herself and the rest of the horses—would have gone up in flames.

Andi hadn’t planned on falling asleep. She’d only meant to stay with Taffy an hour or two before heading back to the house and her own warm bed. “I can’t even stay awake to watch after my own horse,” she mumbled, disgusted.

But there was no time to kick herself for her inattention. When she saw Taffy down and in obvious distress, she jumped up and hurried over to the mare.

“Taffy!” Andi reached out a shaking hand and tried to calm her friend. There was no doubt the mare was in labor, and having a rough time of it.

Andi grabbed the lantern. “I’ll be right back, Taffy. I promise!”

She fled the barn and broke into a run, holding the light high to find her way through the thick, winter fog that had suddenly blanketed the ranch in a cold, wet mist. The light barely penetrated the black night. 
     As Andi entered the kitchen, she heard the clock strike two. Two o’clock in the morning! Surely Chad is home by now. Why didn’t Justin send him out to the barn?

Andi raced up the back stairs from the kitchen to the second floor. Her feet clattered down the hallway, muffled only slightly by the thick carpeting. 

     “Chad!” Andi whispered when she burst into her brother’s room. A wave of relief washed over her when she saw he was home. Setting the lantern on the floor, she approached his bed on tip toes. 
     “Chad, wake up.”

There was no answer.

Andi reached out and shook his shoulder. “Please, Chad. Wake up!”

“Go away,” Chad muttered, half-asleep. He slapped Andi’s hand away as if she were a pesky mosquito. Then he rolled onto his side and ignored her.

“You’ve got to wake up and come out to the barn.” Andi’s voice was a harsh whisper. She shook him again.

Chad rolled over and opened one eye. He glared at Andi. “It’s the middle of the night. Whatever it is, it can wait ’til morning.” He yawned. “Go back to bed.”

“No,” Andi replied, near tears. She was frightened, and shivering with cold from her stay in the barn. Her beloved horse lay in a stall, suffering—perhaps even dying. Taffy’s foal might be in danger too. How could she convince her exhausted brother to help her?     
      “You’ve got to take a look at Taffy, Chad," she pleaded. "She’s in trouble. She’s foaling and—”

“That’s nice,” Chad mumbled. “Let her do it her own way.” He pulled a pillow over his head and promptly fell back to sleep.

    Andi took a deep breath. Then another. She knew Chad might react poorly to what she was about to do, but she had no choice. She was desperate.

Andi reached out, grabbed Chad’s pillow, and gave it a mighty yank. The pillow came readily into her arms. She stumbled backward and fell to the floor with a loud thud.

Chad groaned and sat up, awake at last. He gave Andi a dangerous look. “What time is it?”

“Two o’clock,” Andi whispered. She slowly got to her feet and gripped the pillow in an attempt to protect herself from Chad’s quick temper. It was possible he might grab her and land a few swats to her backside for waking him at such an hour.

But Chad just stared at her, dazed and bleary-eyed.

Andi took a cautious step forward, blinking back tears. “Please, Chad. You’ve got to check on Taffy. She’s bad-off.”

Chad ran his fingers through his thick, black hair and yawned. “I’ve been asleep for a whole hour,” he grumbled. Then he squinted at her. “You’re covered with hay. Have you been out in the barn all evening?”

Andi nodded. “But I fell asleep. When I woke up . . . Oh, never mind. Just come with me.”

“All right, all right,” he finally consented. “Give me a minute to get dressed.” He fixed a stern warning look on Andi. “But if this is a false alarm, little sister, you’re going to be very sorry.”

Chad's words were still ringing in Andi’s ears as she fled her brother’s room and hurried back to the barn.

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