The sun was just beginning to set as Cody’s truck pulled up in front of the barn, the vet’s car following close behind. Emma was waiting for them, a mixture of anxiety and relief churning in her gut as she watched them climb out of their vehicles.
She’d spent the last few hours preparing a spare stall for the calf, laying down fresh straw and filling a bucket with clean water. It had given her something to focus on, a way to channel her nervous energy into something productive.
But now, as she watched Cody and Dr. Hanson carefully unload the calf from the back of the trailer, her heart was in her throat. She could see the splint on the animal’s leg, the way it hobbled and stumbled as they guided it towards the barn.
“Easy now,” Cody murmured, his voice low and soothing as he supported the calf’s weight. “Almost there, little one.”
Emma held the stall door open for them, her eyes fixed on the calf’s face. It looked exhausted, its eyes dull and glassy, but there was a spark of life there that gave her hope.
As Cody and the vet settled the calf into the stall, the vet turned to Emma with a tired smile. “She’s a lucky one,” he said, wiping his hands on his jeans. “If you hadn’t been there to splint that leg, she might have done some serious damage to herself.”
Emma felt a flush of pride at his words, but it was tempered by the knowledge of just how close they’d come to losing the calf. “Thank you,” she said. “For everything you did today.”
The vet waved off her thanks with a gentle smile. “It’s what I do,” he said simply. “And like I said, you did most of the work. That splint probably saved her life.”
He bent down to check the calf’s leg one last time, his fingers gentle as he probed the splint. “It’s not a bad break,” he said, straightening up. “I’ve set it as best I can, but she’ll need some time to heal. I’ll come back in a week to check on her progress.”
Emma nodded, her throat tight. “Thank you,” she said again, not knowing what else to say.
Dr. Hanson gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder, then gathered up his equipment and headed for his car. Emma watched him go, feeling a sense of gratitude and relief washing over her.
She turned back to the stall, where Cody was kneeling beside the calf, murmuring softly to her as he stroked her neck. Emma’s heart swelled at the sight, at the tenderness and care in his every movement.
She walked over to join him, sinking down onto the straw beside him. For a long moment, they just sat there, watching the calf as she dozed fitfully in the fading light.
Finally, Emma took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she needed to say. “Cody,” she began, her voice soft. “I’ve been thinking...”
He turned to look at her, his eyes questioning. “About what?”
Emma swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. “About the festival,” she said, her words coming out in a rush. “The one my father used to hold every year. I think... I think I want to do it one last time, in his memory. Before I sell the ranch.”
Cody’s face softened, a gentle smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I think that’s a beautiful idea, Emma,” he said, his voice warm with approval. “Your father would have loved that.”
Emma felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them back, forcing a smile. “I know it’s a lot of work,” she said, her voice wavering slightly. “But it feels right, somehow. Like a way to honor him, and everything he built here.”
“I’ll help you,” Cody said, his voice filled with quiet conviction. “In any way I can. You know that, right?”
Emma’s heart swelled with gratitude, but it was tempered by a sudden pang of guilt. She’d been taking up so much of Cody’s time lately, relying on him for everything from moral support to manual labor. It wasn’t fair to him, especially if he had someone else in his life who needed him.
“Cody,” she said softly, her voice hesitant. “I feel like I’ve been monopolizing your time lately. Don’t you have a girlfriend who needs to see you?”
Cody stilled, and Emma felt a sudden rush of regret. She hadn’t meant to pry, to intrude on his personal life. But the question had been burning in the back of her mind for days now, a nagging worry that she couldn’t seem to shake.
“I’m sorry,” she said quickly. “I didn’t mean to... it’s none of my business.”
Cody was quiet for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the sleeping calf. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft and distant, as if he were speaking from a place far away.
“I was engaged, once,” he said, his words slow and measured. “Her name was Sarah. We were supposed to get married three years ago, but... she died. Cancer.”
Emma’s heart clenched in her chest, a wave of sorrow and sympathy washing over her. “Oh, Cody,” she whispered, her hand coming up to cover her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
Cody shook his head, a sad smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “It’s okay,” he said softly. “It was a long time ago. But it’s still hard, sometimes. To talk about her, to think about the life we were supposed to have together.”
Emma’s heart ached for him, for the pain and the loss that he carried with him every day. She wanted to reach out to him, to offer him comfort in some way. But she knew that there were no words that could ease the ache of a lost love, no gesture that could fill the void that Sarah had left behind.
So instead, she simply sat with him, their shoulders almost touching as they watched the calf sleep in the gathering darkness. It was a small thing, a moment of quiet companionship in the midst of the chaos and the heartache that seemed to swirl around them. But somehow, it felt like enough.
Emma took a deep breath, pushing herself up from the straw and brushing off her jeans. “Well,” she said, her voice determined, “if we’re going to do this festival, we’d better get started.”
Cody grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he stood up beside her. “Lead the way, boss,” he said, gesturing towards the barn door.
They walked out into the evening air, the sun just beginning to dip below the horizon. Emma squinted against the fading light, her gaze sweeping over the rolling hills and the sprawling fields of the ranch.
“I was thinking we could have the festival over there,” she said, pointing to a wide, flat area near the edge of the property. “It’s where my dad always used to set up the tents and the stage.”
Cody nodded, his expression thoughtful. “That’s a good spot,” he agreed. “Plenty of room for everything, and it’s close enough to the barn that we can run power and water out there.”
They set off towards the area, their boots crunching on the dry grass. As they walked, Emma’s mind was already racing ahead, making mental notes of everything they would need to do to get the space ready.
“We’ll need to mow the grass,” she said, her brow furrowing. “And probably level out some of those bumps and dips. And we’ll need to set up the tents and the stage, and figure out where to put the food and the games and everything else...”
She trailed off, feeling a sudden wave of doubt washing over her. It was so much work, so many details to take care of. How was she ever going to pull this off?
But then she felt Cody’s hand on her shoulder, warm and reassuring. “Hey,” he said softly, his voice cutting through her spiraling thoughts. “You’re not doing this alone, remember? I’m here to help, and so is everyone else in town.”
Emma took a deep breath, letting his words sink in. He was right. She had a whole community behind her, people who loved her father and wanted to honor his memory just as much as she did.
“You’re right,” she said, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “I just... I want to make sure everything is perfect, you know? I want to do my dad proud.”
Cody’s expression softened, his eyes filled with understanding. “You will, Emma,” he said, his voice filled with quiet conviction. “Your dad was so proud of you, and he would be even more proud of you now, seeing you take on this festival and make it your own.”
Emma felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them back, focusing on the task at hand. Looking around the area the festival would be held, she could see now just how much work needed to be done.
The grass was overgrown and patchy, the ground uneven and rocky in places. There were old fence posts and bits of debris scattered around, remnants of festivals past.
But as she looked closer, Emma could also see the potential in the space. The way the setting sun cast a golden glow over the hills, the way the breeze rustled through the tall grass. With a little bit of work and a lot of love, this place could be transformed into something truly special.
She turned to Cody, a determined glint in her eye. “Okay,” she said, her voice steady. “Let’s make a list of everything we need to do.”
They spent the next hour walking the perimeter of the area, making notes and sketching out rough plans. Emma’s mind was buzzing with ideas, her excitement growing with every passing minute.
“You know,” Cody said, as they were finishing up, “I was thinking about calling up old Garth to help us out with some of the heavy lifting. You remember him, right?”
Emma laughed, memories of the gruff but lovable old rancher flooding back to her. “Of course I remember Garth,” she said, shaking her head. “Is he still doing that thing where he tries to lasso everything in sight?”
Cody chuckled, his eyes sparkling with mirth. “Yep,” he said, popping the ‘p’. “Last I heard, he even tried to lasso his own truck when it wouldn’t start one morning.”
Emma giggled, the sound bubbling up from somewhere deep inside her. It felt good to laugh, to remember the quirks and the characters that made this town so special.
“Speaking of help,” she said, her voice turning shy, “do you think Mabel would be willing to pitch in with the food? I know it’s a lot to ask, but her pies are legendary, and I think it would mean a lot to have her involved.”
Cody’s expression softened, his eyes filled with warmth. “I’m sure she’d be honored, Emma,” he said gently. “Mabel loved your father like a brother, and she loves you like a daughter. She’ll want to do everything she can to make this festival a success.”
Emma felt a rush of gratitude and affection, her heart swelling with the knowledge that she was surrounded by people who cared about her, who wanted to help her through this difficult time.
But even with all of their support, she couldn’t shake the feeling of overwhelm that had been building inside her all day. The festival was only a few short weeks away, and there was still so much to be done.
She must have been wearing her worry on her face, because Cody reached out and touched her arm, his fingers gentle against her skin before falling away again.
“Hey,” he said softly, his voice filled with reassurance, “I know it seems like a lot right now, but we’re going to get through this. Together. You’ve got a whole town full of people who are ready and willing to help make this festival a reality. You’re not alone, Emma. Not anymore.”
Emma felt tears welling up in her eyes, but this time, they were tears of gratitude and relief. Cody was right. She wasn’t alone anymore. She had him, and Mabel, and Garth, and everyone else in this tight-knit community who had loved her father and wanted to honor his memory.
With their help and their support, she knew that she could do this. She could make this festival a reality, and give her father the send-off he deserved.
She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin. “Okay,” she said, her voice filled with determination. “Let’s do this. Let’s make this festival happen.”
Cody grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he held out his hand for a high-five. “That’s the spirit,” he said, his voice filled with pride. “Let’s show this town what the Brooks family is made of.”
Emma slapped her hand against his, feeling a surge of energy and purpose coursing through her veins. With Cody by her side and the whole town behind her, she knew that anything was possible.
And as they walked back towards the barn, the sun setting behind them and the crickets chirping in the tall grass, Emma felt a sense of peace and belonging that she hadn’t felt in years.
This was where she was meant to be, at least for now. This was home.