October 7, 2023 – 11:42 AM
The final syringe clicked safely into the sharps container.
Helen glanced at her clipboard before letting out a satisfied breath.
"Twenty-three horses."
She smiled toward Frank.
"Everyone's vaccinated."
Frank leaned against the corral fence and tipped his hat.
"Appreciate it, Doc. Same smooth operation as always."
Helen laughed.
"That's because your horses behaved better than most of my patients."
Frank snorted.
"You weren't here during feeding time."
The gelding that had fought every injection immediately reached over the fence and tried to nibble Frank's hat.
Frank sighed.
"Case in point."
Lin couldn't help smiling.
She was returning the clipboard to the truck when another pickup rolled into the ranch.
An older couple climbed out carrying a small Border Collie wrapped in a blanket.
The woman spotted Helen immediately.
"Doctor Zhang!"
Helen looked over.
"Mary? What's wrong?"
Mary hurried over, her husband following close behind.
"It's Scout. He started limping this morning. We were driving into town anyway when Frank said you were here."
Helen motioned toward the tailgate.
"Let's have a look."
The couple gently placed the dog on the lowered tailgate.
Scout wagged his tail despite favoring his front leg.
Helen crouched beside him.
Her hands moved with calm confidence as she examined the paw, feeling each joint while speaking softly.
"Easy, boy."
Scout gave her hand a quick lick.
Lin watched closely.
Helen checked the shoulder.
The elbow.
The wrist.
Finally she spread the fur between the paw pads.
"There it is."
Lin leaned closer.
A long thorn had lodged deep between two pads.
Mary covered her mouth.
"Oh, goodness."
Helen reached into her medical bag.
"He's lucky. No infection yet."
She cleaned the area before carefully removing the thorn with forceps.
Scout whimpered once.
Then immediately stood.
He tested the paw.
One step.
Then another.
His tail began wagging so hard his entire body followed.
Frank laughed.
"Looks like somebody's fixed."
Scout barked happily before trying to jump into Helen's lap.
Mary laughed in relief.
"Thank you. I was afraid he'd broken something."
Helen scratched behind Scout's ears.
"Just keep the paw clean for a couple of days. He'll be fine."
Mary reached for her purse.
Helen shook her head.
"I'll send you the invoice with your regular visit."
After the couple left, Lin closed the medical case.
"You never seem rushed."
Helen smiled as she secured the cabinet doors.
"Animals know when you're in a hurry."
Lin looked toward the pasture where the horses had already returned to grazing peacefully.
"I think people do too."
Helen glanced at her daughter.
A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
"That's also true."
Frank walked over carrying two paper bags.
"You two aren't leaving without lunch."
Helen blinked.
"Frank, you didn't have to."
He waved her off.
"Mary was headed into town anyway. Had her grab sandwiches from the diner."
He handed one to Lin.
"Payment for surviving the young gelding."
Lin accepted it with a grin.
"I feel like I earned this one."
Frank laughed.
"You absolutely did."
The three of them sat on the fence overlooking the pasture, eating lunch while dozens of horses wandered through the autumn grass.
October 7, 2023 – 1:18 PM
The lunch rush had already begun by the time Helen parked outside Maple Creek Café.
The little brick building sat on the corner of Main Street, its front windows open to let in the cool autumn breeze. The smell of fresh coffee, homemade soup, and warm cinnamon rolls drifted onto the sidewalk.
Helen gathered her paperwork.
"We still have to stop by Tom's hardware store before heading home."
Lin nodded.
"Need supplies?"
"Syringes, disinfectant, and some fencing staples your father asked me to pick up."
As soon as they stepped inside the café, the conversations softened.
Not stopped.
Just...shifted.
Lin noticed it immediately.
Small towns had a rhythm.
Everyone looked.
Everyone remembered.
Everyone talked.
Behind the counter, Sophie Liu looked up from the espresso machine and smiled.
"Doctor Zhang!"
Helen smiled back.
"Afternoon, Sophie."
Sophie's eyes drifted toward Lin.
"And you must be the famous daughter."
Lin blinked.
"...Famous?"
Sophie laughed.
"Honey, you've bought an abandoned hotel, hired half the local contractors, opened a farm, brought in alpacas, goats, rabbits, chickens..."
She counted on her fingers.
"...and somehow convinced teenagers to work on weekends."
She grinned.
"You're practically local celebrity material."
The café chuckled.
Lin smiled politely.
"Hopefully for the right reasons."
From a nearby table, Mrs. Ellen Porter folded her newspaper.
The retired schoolteacher had the posture of someone who had spent forty years telling children to sit properly.
She peered over her glasses.
"You certainly keep people guessing."
Lin walked over.
"Do I?"
Mrs. Porter nodded.
"Young woman quits a high-paying city job..."
She raised one finger.
"...buys the biggest empty property in town..."
Another finger.
"...starts spending money like she's preparing for the county fair..."
A third finger.
Then she smiled.
"Naturally everyone has theories."
Lin laughed.
"Should I be worried?"
Mrs. Porter waved a hand.
"Oh, nothing scandalous."
She leaned in conspiratorially.
"Current favorite is that you're secretly opening one of those luxury wellness retreats."
Lin nearly laughed.
"A wellness retreat?"
"Mm-hmm."
Sophie joined in.
"Last week Greg said glamping."
Mrs. Porter nodded.
"Yesterday someone guessed a wedding venue."
Before anyone could continue, the café door swung open.
A tall man stepped inside wearing a navy station T-shirt with MAPLE CREEK FIRE RESCUE stretched across the chest.
He carried a motorcycle helmet under one arm.
Sunlight caught sandy brown hair that looked permanently windswept.
Broad shoulders.
Easy smile.
Confident without trying.
Sophie looked up.
"Well, speak of the devil."
The firefighter smiled.
"Morning, Soph."
"Afternoon, Owen."
Owen Carter walked toward the counter.
Halfway there, Sophie casually nodded toward Lin.
"Owen, meet our newest resident."
He turned.
His smile widened politely.
"I'm Owen Carter."
He extended his hand.
"Fire captain and part time plumber."
Lin accepted the handshake.
His grip was firm but relaxed.
"Lin Zhang."
"I've heard your name."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Hopefully not because I started a fire."
He laughed.
"No."
He glanced toward Helen.
"Mostly because every contractor in town suddenly got busy."
Mrs. Porter added helpfully,
"And Tom says she's buying enough supplies to build another town."
Lin looked heavenward.
"I'm beginning to think nobody keeps secrets here."
The entire café laughed.
Owen smiled.
"We do."
He paused.
"...Just not interesting ones."
Even Lin laughed at that.
Sophie handed Owen a large coffee.
"Your usual."
He thanked her before looking back toward Lin.
"So...you're really turning the old Hawthorne Hotel into a glamping resort?"
"That's the plan."
"Ambitious."
Lin shrugged.
"I like projects."
Owen nodded toward Helen.
"Runs in the family?"
Helen answered before Lin could.
"She gets that from her father."
Lin smiled.
"Mom's the practical one."
Owen looked amused.
"Good combination."
Before the conversation could continue, a pager clipped to Owen's belt suddenly shrieked.
The entire café recognized the sound instantly.
He glanced down.
The relaxed smile disappeared.
Professional.
Focused.
"Brush fire. Highway Eight."
He grabbed his coffee.
"Rain check."
Sophie waved him toward the door.
"Go save the county."
Mrs. Porter called after him.
"And don't scratch that pretty face!"
Without breaking stride, Owen looked over his shoulder.
"No promises, Mrs. Porter."
The bell above the café door jingled as he disappeared outside.
A moment later...
The deep rumble of a motorcycle echoed down Main Street.
Silence lingered for exactly three seconds.
Then Mrs. Porter looked at Lin.
"Single."
Sophie sighed.
"Ellen..."
Mrs. Porter ignored her.
"Thirty-four."
"Owns his house."
"Volunteers with the youth hockey league."
Sophie pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Please stop interviewing eligible bachelors before they leave the building."
Mrs. Porter looked offended.
"I'm not interviewing."
She smiled sweetly at Lin.
"I'm informing."
The café erupted into laughter once again, while Lin simply hid behind her coffee cup, realizing that surviving zombies might actually be easier than surviving Maple Creek's gossip network.