Chapter Nineteen #4
Right now, seeing the exhaustion on Nessa the dog’s face, Nash really, really wishes he was a veterinarian.
Before the first Christmas at the Clinic film, 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 actually wanted to 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-M?r?’ 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 you sure you’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 in fifty 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. ’
A little resigned, Dai nods along. ‘She always did love puppies,’ he muses, and Nash swears that the old man’s eyes mist over. Is he lost in his memories right now, replaying happy moments when they were teenagers and in love, before things got twisted and angry and slightly cryptic?
It’s all decided when Nessa whines again. It’s a plaintive little sound. Dai cradles her head in his hands, softly stroking his thumb over her cheeks. The tip of her tail weakly wags with happiness that he is here with her.
Fucking hell, if he can’t help this dog, something in Nash might actually break. ‘Come on, Christopher,’ he says, getting to his feet.
Christopher looks torn. ‘Can we get you anything before—’
‘Please go,’ Dai says quietly. ‘Please be quick.’
‘We will be back before you know it.’ Nash promises this, hoping that it’s true. They sprint back to the van, and this time Nash opens the gate without a complaint.
In hopeful, worried silence, they drive through the snow to Thelma’s farm.