“I’m hoping you’ll have something for me,” Hailey said with a sigh. “I spent the last several days searching online, trying to think of what I might like to do. And the truth is, I’ve never really known what to do with my life.”
Elaine could relate, and a flash of sympathy moved through her. “Some people just take a little longer to figure things out,” she said. “I mean, look at me. I’m almost twenty-eight, and I just started this foundation six months ago.”
“Yeah, true.” Hailey stirred in a sugar cube and finally looked up from her mug. “So what have you got?”
Elaine beamed and tapped the pink folder she’d labeled withHaileyabout six weeks ago. They’d discussed a few professions—nursing, teaching, and something outdoorsy like a wildlife conservation officer or tour guide. Hailey had a people-person personality and got along with all kinds of folks. That was why she’d been so good as a restaurant manager.
She was highly detailed, organized, and smart, though she hadn’t done much schooling beyond high school. She’d taken about a year of college classes before quitting, telling her parents there was no point in paying for a degree when she didn’t even know what she wanted to do.
“Open it,” Elaine said.
Hailey wore a dubious look, but she reached for the folder and flipped it open. Elaine watched, wanting to see her full reaction. Hailey’s eyes widened; she pulled in a sharp breath. “A vet tech.”
“I mean,” Elaine said, trying to make her voice casual and only succeeding in pitching it up. “Veterinarian school is, like, eight years—and I know you said you didn’t want to do anything like that, though I think you’d be an amazing nurse.”
“Right,” Hailey said, still scanning the top page in the folder.
“But because vet techs aren’t doctors,” Elaine said. “You can get certified and be working at a real clinic with DVMs in only two years.”
Hailey dove back into the paperwork. “Is that right?”
“And there’s a program right here in Three Rivers you can do mostly online,” Elaine said. “You have to go to Amarillo once a month, for a week of in-person classes, and at the end you’ll do an internship. They partner with several farms and ranches locally, too, and then you just have to pass a test.”
Hailey turned the page, where Elaine had outlined the difference between a veterinarytechnicianand a veterinarytechnologist. “Now, if you wanted to go longer,” Elaine added. “Or if you find you really love it, you could continue on and do Veterinary Technology. That’s a full Bachelor’s degree, and you usually get supervisory roles, or do lab work, or work in research. And of course there are specializations—surgery, anesthesia, emergency and critical care—but onlyifyou want to pursue one.”
Elaine told herself to stop talking; everything she’d said was outlined in bullet points on the first sheet, with supplementary documentation after that. Hailey seemed to be reading every word, so Elaine lifted her coffee cup to her lips to give her friend time to absorb it.
They’d discussed a lot of service professions over the past few weeks, but when “veterinary technician” came up in Elaine’s search, the idea had felt like the exact right fit.
Hailey looked up, her blue eyes still wide and filled with wonder.
“It’s a service profession,” Elaine said. “It’s just serving animals and not people.”
“I like animals more than people anyway,” Hailey said.
Elaine giggled. Hailey relaxed and seemed to come back to herself. She looked at the paperwork again, flipping to the first page. “I gotta say, Elaine, this seems like something I’d enjoy.”
“Doesn’t it?” Elaine asked. “I mean, itfeelsgood, right?”
“Yeah.” Hailey glanced up. “And only two years? Are you sure that’s right?”
“Yeah. It’s a two-year associate’s degree,” Elaine said. “And like I said, you can stay right here in Three Rivers. Amarillo State has a distance-education program—as long as you can get there for a week every month.”
“Well, I can move to Amarillo, too,” Hailey said.
“Yeah, you can.”
“I’d love to get off the ranch,” she murmured.
“One of their partner branches is Three Rivers,” Elaine said.
“Really?”
“Yep. They just got a new veterinarian out there, but Conrad knows everyone in town, and I’ve got an in with Libby, so I’m sure we can get you placed there when you’re ready for your internship. But I can’t make that a promise. Remember, there are no guarantees. Only connections we pray will come through for us.”
“I know,” Hailey said.
“I’m sure you’ll look through this more,” Elaine said. “But I included a packet for scholarship programs. I looked up several you qualify for based on age, gender, and previous education.”
