For the Love of Anna (The Town of Pearl 1)

“Hey, Marcus said no messes.”

“Don’t worry, she’s in Texas with a bunch of fucking hicks. “Badda bing…badda boom…It will be a piece of cake to knock off anyone in our path and leave them for dead out in a fucking field with vultures and shit.”

Jake shook his head.

“I can’t believe I’m fucking leaving New York to go to fucking hick, cowboy Texas to find you your whore.”

“Believe me, man, we are, and our flight leaves in two days.”

* * * *

Anna was walking by the stables when she heard a ruckus going on inside the barn. She watched as a few cowboys walked out looking somber.

“What’s going on?” she asked, and the two men looked at her, surprised she was there. They removed their hats and greeted her.

“Sorry, Miss. We didn’t see y’all standing there,” one of the cowboys stated with a thick accent.

Ben came through the stable doors, and he didn’t look happy.

“Anna! What are you doing out here?” he asked, his tone seemed off, as if he was upset that she was there. She lowered her eyes and swallowed hard. It was crazy, but she felt the tears reach her eyes.

“I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t mean to sound displeased. We’ve got a cow in labor, and she just can’t seem to deliver on her own. She’s having trouble breathing, and it’s not looking good.”

“Will she lose the calf?” Anna asked.

He nodded.

“Oh, no. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Just then, Charlie called from inside the stable.

Ben turned and headed inside, and Anna did the same, despite the attempts by the other cowboys to stop her.

“Oh, my God!” Anna whispered as she saw the sight.

Charlie was sweating, his hands were covered with blood, and he was trying to assist the cow in delivering her baby. The poor cow was huffing and puffing then it would lay its head down and heave deep, horrible sounding gasps of air.

“Anna, you shouldn’t be in here.” Ben spoke to her as he helped Charlie.

The sounds were difficult to listen to, and Anna felt terrible for the cow. She had to do something.

Without a second thought, and despite both Ben and Charlie’s protests, Anna sat down next to the cow’s head and began to caress her fur. She rubbed her chest, recalling doing this many times when her mother was dying and couldn’t breathe too well. It had brought her mom some comfort and eventually helped her to calm her breathing and not panic. Although Anna didn’t know anything about cows, she thought she would give it a try anyway.

Anna looked down at the cow and her dark brown eyes. She had lifted her head and looked at Anna.

Anna smiled and continued to massage and caress the cow’s neck as she spoke to her.

“You need to calm your breathing, lady. You’ve got a healthy, beautiful baby to deliver, and it’s going to need its momma to take care of it. So, come on and breathe for me. List

en to my voice, lady.”

Charlie and Ben continued to help the cow.

Time had passed slowly, but Anna refused to give up hope.

“I think it’s working, Anna. I think she’s trying to push. Keep talking to her,” Charlie stated, sounding breathless as he reached inside to help pull the calf out.

“Oh, my God, I don’t believe it,” Ben said as Charlie pulled the calf while the mother pushed, then mooed really loud. The baby calf was born.