27

                                    

                                          
Baby couldn't help but snicker at the cringe on Jimmy's face as he slowly stuck his arm up a cows ass,
"Finally got to third base, Jimmy" Rip commented 
He walked away just as John walked up,
"I think you make him nervous" Kayce said
"How's he doing?" He asked
"We finally found his calling" Baby replied, another snicker emitting from her 
"I mean, really?" chuckling lightly
"He's willing to get after it all day" Kayce replied "I guess that's worth something"
"Hey, Jimmy!" Baby called out
"Huh?" He replied
"Don't worry" she assured "there's only, like, sixty left"
"S-sixty?" He gagged 
"It's like watching a money trying to fuck a football" Lloyd chuckled 
John chuckled as well, shaking his head slightly as he began to walk toward the barn, but Baby's smile fell when she heard coughing coming from him, causing her to look toward him, 
"Daddy?" concern in her voice as he fell to his knees "Daddy!" running over to him
"Dad!" Kayce said, doing the same 
"Call 9-1-1!" The vet ordered 
"They might not get here in time" Baby replied, placing her father's head in her knees "get his vest off of him!"
"All right, move him into my trailer" she instructed 
Rip ran over to them, helping Kayce bring John to his feet, leading him over to the veterinarians trailer,
"Get him up on the table" she said 
The men picked him up, turning him and laying him down on the metal table, Baby trailing after them,
"Turn his head to the side so he doesn't choke on his own blood" the vet ordered "there's a bucket at your feet, you can use that for his vomit. I need the x-ray machine wheeled right up here, and grab the paddle on the back of it" 
Baby grabbed the machine, wheeling it over to her father and taking the paddle from the back of it just as John was turned to his side, allowing her to place the paddle under him, much to the vets surprise. 
"Don't sweat, Dad" Kayce said
"John, I have to take an x-ray and see if I can figure out what's going on" the vet said 
"It's the cancer" John grunted "colon cancer"
"I hate to break it to you, Daddy" Baby said "but if it was colon cancer, you'd be shitting blood, not spitting it up. It could be a ruptured ulcer" 
"Just a second" the vet replied, turning on the machine, looking at the monitor connected to it "my god, you're right"
"Well, let's get him to a hospital" Kayce said
"He'll bleed out on twenty minutes, maybe less" Baby replied 
"We have to cauterize it" the vet added 
"You got anesthesia?" Kayce asked
"My anesthesia's for cattle" she replied, quickly getting what she needed "it'll kill him and I don't know the algebra to reduce the dosage. He gets a local and that's it"
"Just do it" John grunted 
"I need one of you to hold him, I need two to assist" she informed 
"Baby, you might wanna wait outside" Rip said, looking at the woman 
She looked at him for a moment, giving him a nod and turning around, walking out of the trailer and removing her hat from her head, running a hand through her hair as she gained more distance from the trailer. Putting her hat back on, she pulled her phone from her pocket, unlocking it and tapping on a contact, holding it up to her ear,
"Viggo, I need the chopper, right fucking now" she quickly said "Sam's Mobile Veterinary Clinic"
"Yes, ma'am" he replied
∆
Baby watched as her father was laid down on the seats of the helicopter, a bandage wrapped around his torso, Kayce going with him. Lloyd and Rip jogged away from the aircraft, allowing it to lift itself from the floor and fly away,
". . I knew about it" she informed, causing Rip to look at her "the cancer, I knew about it"
"How?" He asked 
"Like my father, nothing happens on this ranch without me knowing about it" stuffing her hands in her pockets "I was there when the tumor was removed, but he don't know that. He's a stubborn son of a bitch"
"Yeah" he chuckled, nodding slightly "yeah, he is"
The helicopter faded into the distance, a low sigh emitting from her, shaking her head slightly and turning around,
"Back to work, y'all!" She called out 
Some have her a small nod, others watched her for a moment as she walked to the stables, wanting to go for a ride to get her mind off of everything that happened. 
"You alright, darlin?" Ryan asked as he walked in 
"I need to go for a ride" she informed, gently placing a rope around Ebony's neck, leading him out of his stable 
"You want some company?" concern in his voice 
"I wouldn't mind it" looking toward him 
X 
Ebony and Elliot -- Ryan's horse -- ran through the fields with their riders on their backs, enjoying the run and knowing their trainer needed it. Baby's hair bounced with every thundering step as she looked ahead of them, holding on to the reins with her gloved hands, Ryan next to her. 
"Easy" Baby said 
The black horse slowed his pace, causing Elliot to do the same, the large animals panting from their run. They found themselves by the river, the woman letting out a sigh as she briefly lowered her head, dismounting Ebony and leading him to a tree, tying the reins around the trunk as Ryan dismounted his own horse. She sat down by the edge of the river, legs bent with her arms resting on her knees, Ryan sitting down next to her as soon as Elliot was tied to the tree. 
"I just needed to get away for a bit" she informed
"I don't blame you" he replied "I get that feeling sometimes . . Until I see that smile of yours"
A small smile formed on her lips, which grew when Ryan nudged her arm with his own, causing her to repeat the gesture.