Love Beyond The Sunset: Chapter 2 Isabel

A stranger near death rattles Isabel's tenuous control over her emotions.

A week passed in a blur as Miguel and I set about the task of readying the barn for the mare and foal. Laying sawdust in the stall farthest from the leak. Buying more grain, hay, and other necessities from the farm store in Elkton.

I found myself spending more time there, especially at night when I couldn’t sleep–simply brushing the mare, braiding her tail and mane, lying in the stall with the foal sprawled against my side snoring softly. Gradually the fog of depression began to lift. The mare trusted me implicitly, never fussing when she found her baby in that position. Animals were always the best judge of character according to my father. Over the years helping with the horses I found that to be true. Dewayne could, and had, been able to walk straight up to the most mistrustful horses and pet them. The horses knew what we all did. He was a true angel who came to earth.

My world was slowly returning to its former state. At least it felt that way.

Maria watched television in the kitchen while cooking. I called her the weather bug. Between her arthritic knee and the weather forecast, she was spot on with uncanny accuracy.

I came downstairs for breakfast, inhaling the aroma of bacon, scrambled eggs, and pancakes. The kitchen looked the same as it had when my parents were living. Stainless steel appliances. Not one, but two, coffee makers. White lace curtains covering the windows which allowed an unfettered view of the fields and grassy sea tossed by the wind. A gray sky filled with angry clouds spilling sheets of rain obscured the horizon today bringing a sense of apprehension with it.

Maria smiled when she saw me only to deliver a warning seconds after I sat down.

“Bad weather is coming,” Maria warned, head bobbing toward the weather forecast. “Weatherman says a storm is brewing out west and a hurricane to the south off the coast might move northwest. If they join forces things could get bad.”

We are fine, I reminded myself, more to ease my anxiety than anything. All safe and secure in the century old house that stood the test of time and weather. Don’t worry until you have to.

“We’re always prepared for the worst. Is there anything you need from town before it moves in?”

She shook her head, handing me a cup of coffee. “I’m always ready for the zombie apocalypse. You should know this.”

Maria always made sure to have extras of everything including canned and dry goods as well as staples. Powdered milk, eggs, and peanut butter were reserved for the worst of times which, as far as I knew, had only happened once when I was a child. A hurricane that swept in from the south, merged with another weather cell, and morphed into something ugly. Everyone on Landry farm was safe, though, because my parents knew to plan for the worst and hope for the best.

And I was their daughter in every way. The only problem that concerned me was the leaky roof on the barn. Other than that we were set with extra feed for the mare and her foal. I would camp out in the barn with them if need be, something gleaned from hanging out with dad at foaling time. No one could guess how they would react to a bad storm.

“When is it supposed to make landfall?” Syrup and butter slid across the surface of a small, hot stack of pancakes. I dug in without pausing, moaning in delight at the buttery goodness that only Maria could create.

“Later today if it continues moving at the same speed. It could be here sometime tonight since it's moving pretty fast,” Maria informed me with another wary glance at the radar depicting the storm’s path. She sighed. “My knee says it will be bad.”

An unbidden grin brought a burst of warmth and humor to the serious situation. My love and respect for Maria and Miguel was as strong as my feelings for my parents. Swallowing the last bite of breakfast I stood up, moving in for a hug, arms folding around her comforting form. She smelled of coffee and bacon and love.

“I guess we should start preparing for the worst.”

Her soft hand cupped my cheek. “And always hope for the best.”

***

The storm moved in with a vengeance just before midnight. Maria’s knee was right. This weather system was different.

A wall of black clouds moved in from the south just like Maria and the weatherman said.
Blinding flashes of lightning lit the sky often illuminating the ranch with the same efficiency as the sun. Claps of thunder followed on each bolt’s heels, rolling across the land powerfully enough to rattle the windows. Horizontal rain slammed against the glass panes of the living room windows that looked out onto the porch.

Another bolt of lightning revealed Miguel in a rain slicker and galoshes struggling to make it from the barn to the house. He paused several times to steady himself as the wind did its best to knock him over. Within minutes he came stomping onto the porch.

Maria ran to open the door, clutching her husband’s arms while visually searching his body for signs of injury.

“Dios mio,” he said with a shake of his head. “It’s bad out there but the barn is fine. The leak is a little worse, but the roofing is holding on.”

“The road will be washed out by morning,” I groaned, pressing my forehead against the cool pane of glass. “I don’t know how dad managed to keep things running here.”

The road from the ranch to the main road leading into town washed out every time it rained heavily. We expected it and repaired it once the rain moved on but I didn’t look forward to the work or getting the tractor stuck in the mud. Any time the thing felt unsteady brought flashbacks of Dewayne’s death. Something I would deal with well.

“Your father was the most determined man I knew,” Miguel offered. “No worries, Isabel. We will work together like always.”

All of us went to bed when it became apparent the storm had no intention of abating.

I fell into an exhausted sleep only to wake just as the sun began to rise above the horizon. Sunrises and sunsets were my favorite times on the ranch. Nature’s vivid depictions of fire and ether in the sky.

This one did not disappoint. Slivers of wispy clouds tinted with shades of crimson, periwinkle, and titian stood out against a gray sky slowly morphing into azure. A brilliant ring of silver encircled the sun as it peeped over the horizon–so bright it hurt to look. I looked away, regretting a chance to watch this sunrise to completion, even if the sun was having none of that.

I got dressed and prepared for the day ahead. After breakfast Miguel and I stepped out onto the porch to survey any damage closer to home. From the look of things, the barn was fine and the driveway closer to the house in good shape.

Then I saw the buzzards circling overhead to the southwest where the river ran along the property line.

“Get the side-by-side, Miguel. We need to check that out.”

The fresh scent of rain clung to the breeze blowing in from our direction of travel. Rain washed everything clean almost in the same way baptism cleansed and sanctified sinners. The rainbow clouds from dawn faded completely allowing a clear view of the brightly lit sky of the purest azure.

The drive along the muddy track to the river gave me a chance to inspect the fields there. A few sections of fence were badly in need of repair. The old apple orchard had lost a few more of its older soldiers to the wrath of the storm the night before. I made a mental note of each task to be added to the growing todo list, powering through the sense of exhaustion that pressed down on me. Being overwhelmed was par for the course with depression. It didn’t take much to swamp me.

At one point Miguel guided the side-by-side off the track into a field bordering the river. Circling buzzards came closer into our field of view. It looked like a few more had joined the flock.

Miguel parked the vehicle as close to the river as possible, careful to avoid the thick layers of silt washed ashore by a flash flood. “I’ll work my way north. Shout if you find anything.”

I walked carefully along the river scouting for signs of an injured animal, human, anything that could be drawing in the scavengers circling overhead. I had travelled less than a hundred yards when I spotted a body lying on the bank, legs still in the water.

“Miguel!”

Damp strands of mahogany hair with caramel highlights partially obscured the man’s face. He lay on his back, arms and legs stretched out, his chest rising and falling faintly. I pushed his hair aside, shocked to see a massive bruise and gash on one side of his forehead.

My fingers probed along his arms, ribs, and legs searching for possible broken bones. Blessedly there were none. There were other concerns.

I pressed a hand to his forehead finding his skin was cooler than it should be, a blue tinge filling his nail beds. Hypothermia. Dangerous if left untreated. I had no way of knowing how long he’d been in the water or lying exposed by the river.

The faint rumbling of the ATV grew closer. Miguel had thankfully thought to bring the vehicle to my location. He arrived moments later, crouching by my side.

“We need to get him back to the ranch.” Miguel echoed my growing concern.

Thankfully the ATV had a decent sized bed which should hold our. Part of his legs might stick out over the tailgate, but at least he wouldn’t be tossed out. I was thankful for Miguel’s help in picking the man up. Between us we managed to get the stranger into the ATV’s bed.

“I’ll ride back here with him,” I offered. A sense of urgency burgeoned within me. “Please hurry.”

Seeing this man in bad shape reminded me of the past, of things I didn’t want to remember.

Of Dewayne’s lifeless body under the tractor.

Of the tiny life in my womb that had been snuffed out before I even knew they were there.

Beloved parents passing on.

Saving him meant everything to me.

Because the death of another person on this ranch would shatter the tenuous control I held over the demons who tormented me.

Losing my grip on my sanity meant one thing—I might not make it back this time.