Page 4 of Sweet Beginnings (Honeysuckle, Texas #1)
Not only was she able to talk, she was able to tease.
Like a hot spring on a cool day, relief bathed over every tense muscle.
Except the closer Preston got to the fence line and the more clearly his mother’s predicament came into view, tension once again had a stranglehold on him.
One leg up and tucked under a run of wire, her other leg rested in the opposite direction, the barbed spikes tearing into her jeans.
A nasty gash cut into one arm. With the weight of her torso pushing down on the fence, she resembled a wishbone on Thanksgiving Day.
It wouldn’t take much effort to snap her in two.
With every passing moment, more trickles of blood appeared where the spikes had shredded bits of fabric and cut into her skin.
Carson cast a sideways glance in his direction, and Preston barely nodded in response.
This was not going to be easy. At least, unlike an entrapped cow, his mother would know not to move when they started to cut her free.
The trick would be avoiding any more injuries.
“Dare I ask what the hell happened?” Rachel’s tone may have been strong, but the worried look in her eyes sharpened when her gaze fell on the blood-soaked sleeve.
Careful not to move, her mom spoke softly. “Rattler got too close.”
That was all they needed. Bad enough their mother was trapped in cutting barbed wire, a snake bite on top of that would have been too much.
Preston had the tool bag open at his mother’s feet. “Did he bite you?”
Wincing, his mom shook her head slightly. “Spooked Blaze. Someone better check and see if he got bit. I don’t want to lose that horse.”
Rachel set the first aid kit at her brother’s side. “I’ll run over and check.”
While his sister trotted over to where the horse stood, Preston squatted by his mom’s left leg. “I’m going to cut you lose so that you can put some weight on that leg.”
“And I’m going to put my arm under your middle and try to keep the pressure from shifting on the wires,” Carson added.
“You be careful now,” she told her son in the same commanding voice she used on them as children about to get into mischief. “Don’t need you all cut up too.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Sucking in a fortifying breath, Preston snipped at the first wire, carefully helping to support his mom’s leg with his other hand.
Two more snips and the foot was untangled and on the ground.
The sound of Blaze’s heavy hoofs thundered in his ears.
Didn’t matter what kind of horsepower it was, Rachel simply didn’t do slow.
“No harm done, and no sign of that rattling rascal.” Rachel slid off the horse, and dropped the reins to ground tie her mom’s horse, then hurried back to her side.
A few more snips and their mother was free and actually smiled at them. Preston already had his handkerchief pressed against the gash on his mother’s arm, and without a word, his sister added packing and quickly wrapped the wound.
Cut up from her forehead to her ankles, the woman had spent at least an hour stuck on biting barbed wire and yet here she stood wobbly but smiling at them. “I admit I wasn’t looking forward to spending the night on that torture chamber until y’all figured out where I was.”
“I don’t even want to think about how this could have turned out if we hadn’t been at the house looking for you.” Preston tossed the wire cutters into the bag and debated if he dared lift his mother to carry her to the car.
“Forget about it, Preston Sweet. I can see what you’re thinking and the answer is no. I can walk.” Their mom leaned over to scratch Brady’s ears and almost fell over. No water in this Texas heat, a bloody gash, and trickling wounds, she had to be dangerously weak.
“Easy, Mom.” Rachel lurched forward, grabbing hold of her mother’s arm to steady her and sucked in a deep breath when her mom winced at the maneuver. “Sorry.”
“No problem.” Except she moved to take a step toward the Jeep and almost went down again.
“Sorry Mom, this may hurt.” Preston leaned against his mother’s less injured side, carefully slid an arm under her legs and eased her up. “We need to get you to the doc’s.”
“Not necessary. A little antiseptic here and there and after a good night’s sleep, I’ll be fine.”
“Mother.” Carson shadowed the pair. “Don’t be difficult.”
Rachel grabbed hold of the horse’s reins. “I’ll ride Blaze and meet you back at the house. But this time I agree with these two. You need to have those cuts and that foot looked at.”
“Better add her wrist.” Carson nudged his chin in her direction.
Preston had been so concerned with the cuts and new bruises that were beginning to show up that he hadn’t even noticed the changing color on her wrist and that it was nearly twice the size of what it should be.
His mom followed his gaze and waved him off.
“I may have twisted it pulling on the reins. I managed to stay in the saddle the first time Blaze reared up, but by the time he’d worked up a good strong panic and reared up again, not only couldn’t I hang on, I bounced against him before he tossed me several feet. ”
“Right onto the fence,” Preston spoke through clenched teeth and pulled his phone from his pocket. “If you won’t go to the doctor, then the doc will just have to come to you.”
His mom lightly rubbed her swollen wrist with her good hand. Just about the only part of her that had been spared a biting kiss from the wire fence. “I suppose it will be fine if it keeps you two from hovering like overzealous boy scouts.”
Brady hopped into the Jeep as Carson started the engine, and sat guard over his mistress. Either too tired, or in too much pain, his mom merely smiled at the large German Shepherd. “I knew I could count on you.”
As soon as Preston was sure his mother was taken care of, that dog was getting the biggest steak he’d ever seen. “Man’s best friend.”
“Isn’t that the truth?” Carson’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Who knows how long before we would have found you without Brady.”
An image of finding his mother days later flashed through his mind. Maybe the dog would get steak for the rest of his life.