Page 93 of Under the Mistletoe with You

‘I’m really sorry, sir, but I’m not really a qualified veterinarian.I just play one a lot.I’m just an actor.’

‘Oh,’ Dai says.‘I thought it was likeThe Yorkshire Vetor something, but American.I did wonder why you were always doing things at Christmas, and the sexual chemistry ...’

He trails off and looks down at his black-and-white collie, whose head is nestled in his lap.Despite how sad she looks, she’s a very beautiful animal.Her fur is long and curls softly, and the pads of her paws and her nose are delightfully pink.

‘What’s wrong with her?’Christopher shuffles closer to the collie.She raises her head with tremendous effort just to shoot Christopher a side-eye, which makes Nash like her even more.

‘Giving birth, isn’t she?’Dai gently strokes down the centre of her snout.‘I found her in here last night, and I knew something was up, so didn’t really want to move her until she was ready.But then the power went out, so we stayed in here because there’s the little heater.And then she went into labour, but it’s been going on so long.I’m worried something is wrong.’

Shit.

Right now, seeing the exhaustion on Nessa the dog’s face, Nash really,reallywishes he was a veterinarian.Before the firstChristmas at the Clinicfilm, he’d convinced a local veterinary clinic to let him come and shadow for a week.They had told him how to properly hold dogs, and he got to see some truly gross but fascinating things that made him realise that, if he’d had the grades and not been a teen actor, he might have actuallywantedto be a vet.But he’d never watched an animal actually giving birth.He knows as much about assisting a dog giving birth as he would about a human.And that’s next to nothing.It’s all theory and television – clean towels, fresh hot water, and hope.But he’s pretty sure that’s not enough here, especially when she’s been in labour this long.Is this a normal amount of time?

‘Is there a clinic we could call?Did you already try someone?’Christopher asks.

‘The phone lines are down, and I hate using those mobile things.I am forever leaving it somewhere.When all the lights went off, I went into the house to look for it, but hell knows where it is.It’s probably not even charged anyway.’Dai looks very old and vulnerable all of a sudden.And he’s been sitting here all night.No wonder even his sworn enemy sent a concerned email.

Christopher pulls his phone out of his coat and looks down at the screen.‘No signal.You?’

Nash does the same and shakes his head.‘None.’

‘We could drive you and Nessa to the vet?Do you know where it is?’

‘The guy I use is in Abergwyn, few towns along.He’s the best for the sheep.And normally he’d drive up here anyroad,’ says Dai.

‘Do you know if there’s one in Pen-y-Môr?’Nash asks.

Christopher shakes his head.‘I think they closed just after I moved here.And Abergwyn is pretty far in this weather.I’m worried about us getting stuck on the way.’

They share a worried look as Nessa whines.There’s only one thing for it.They’re going to have to bring up Thelma.

‘What about any of the other farmers nearby?Is there anyone who knows much about ...delivery?’Nash asks.

Dai shuffles in his coat, glancing from Nessa to the floor, to the ceiling.Well, that seems to be a ‘Yes, but I’d rather die.’

‘You don’t have to speak to whoever it is,’ offers Christopher, trying valiantly to not give the game away.‘But if you want to get help for Nessa, I think that could be the best we can do right now, especially in this weather.That is, if you know someone.’

Very smooth.

Dai stares up at the little slit window, as if hoping the weather might have shifted dramatically since this conversation started.But it hasn’t.The window is frosted over.

With a heavy sigh, he asks Nash one last time, ‘Are yousureyou’re not a vet, lad?’

Gently, Nash reaches out and takes Dai’s ice-cold, frail hand.‘I promise you that, if I was, I would tell you.We can go get someone who can help Nessa.That might be the best way we can help you.’

The tension seeps out of Dai.‘Fine.Yes, there is one girl.She did her training before giving it up to farm, but she’s always been a dab hand with the animals, even if she is, you know, the devil incarnate.’

‘Is that Ms Thelma?’offers Christopher.

‘Ought to be careful saying her name in a storm like this.You never know what you’ll summon.’

Jesus Christ, thinks Nash.Shaz and Tamara weren’t kidding.

‘We’ll go and get her, and she can come and help,’ Christopher says, getting to his feet.

But he’s interrupted by a sad bleat from the farmer.‘She won’t want to help me!’There’s a heavy pause, before he sighs.‘We haven’t spoken infifty years.Do you have any idea how long that is, boy?’

‘I think she might want to help Nessa though,’ Nash insists, and as if on cue, Nessa gives a heavy breath out.They need to get moving.He may not be a real veterinarian, but he knows what an animal in pain looks like.‘If she likes animals, she wouldn’t want to leave Nessa out here without helping her.’