Make-Believe Mum. Elaine Grant

side. She died in Jon’s arms.”

      “Oh, no,” Kaycee whispered, recalling Jon’s determination to save the newborn calf yesterday. An unbidden image formed of him desperately trying to save his dying wife. “How horrible.”

      “Thank goodness they’d already dropped off the kids.”

      “Was Jon hurt?”

      “Nothing major. They say he blames himself.”

      “Still wounded then.” Kaycee recalled the sadness in Jon’s ice-blue eyes.

      “Well, there you go. You’re a doctor—you can heal him.”

      Kaycee laughed and shook her head. “I’m a vet, Sarah, not a physician.”

      “Well, looks like you’re doing pretty well after just one visit. Maybe the way to a rancher’s heart is through a cow C-section.”

      “Oh, stop it, Sarah. There’s nothing going on.”

      “Knowing Jon, I don’t doubt that. Still, he did bring his brood over for breakfast. That’s got to mean something.”

      “Means they were hungry. Any luck on getting a restorer for the house?”

      “No,” Sarah said, the frustration evident in her voice as she resumed filing. “Nobody wants to touch it. I’ve put ads in papers as far away as Denver, but no bites. But, thanks for this job. The extra money means I can move faster.”

      “Then it works for both of us. Full-time help’s out of the question until I get more business. And don’t worry about the restoration. Somebody will come along. Just the right person at the right time. You’ll see. What all did you get done tonight?”

      As she finished her work, Sarah rattled on about her favorite subject. By the time Sarah left, Kaycee decided it was too late to call Jon. She went to bed, but lay awake a long time thinking about his predicament. She fell asleep wondering what more she could do to help.