She nodded. “I’ve taken care of motherless kittens before. It can’t be much different.”
“But this is a wild animal, not domesticated cats,” I reasoned.
“Just what would you suggest then?” When I didn’t immediately reply, she snapped, “Why don’t you go get your gun and shoot it? Then at least it’ll be out of its misery quicker than having to starve to death or be mauled.”
I knew then there was no way in hell we were leaving the woods without that deer. “Okay. Let me get it. You don’t need to be carrying anything.”
Her eyes, which had been narrowed at me, brightened. “Thank you! I promise I’ll do all the work. You won’t even realize it’s there.”
I snorted. “I think a baby deer living in my house will be hard not to notice.” With slow steps, I approached the bush where the fawn was hidden. I didn’t want to do anything to scare it and make it run away. I reached inside the foliage and gently picked it up, which caused the animal to frantically start kicking its legs. Its screams of panic almost deafened me until out of nowhere it stopped.
With all the noise from the deer, I hadn’t noticed Annabel had come over next to me. She had the tiny fawn’s head in her hands, and she was staring straight into its dark eyes. Something about her presence had calmed the deer. “What did you just do?” I asked in awe of the sudden silence.
She smiled. “I have this weird thing with frightened animals. I was always able to calm them down back at my old job.” She stroked the top of the fawn’s tiny head. “I’m just so thankful I haven’t lost my touch.”
I was thankful too. Not only because I didn’t think I could have taken having to hear the fawn’s screams on the way home, but because after all she had lost at the hands of Mendoza, he hadn’t managed to take that from her.
“Come on. Let’s get home before you catch a chill and I get kicked to death by this crazy thing,” I suggested.
With an almost girlish giggle, Annabel released the deer, and we started walking side by side out of the woods. From time to time, she would glance over at me cradling the deer and smile. It was the most beautiful and genuine smile I had ever seen. And I realized then she was finding real happiness again. She might’ve saved the fawn, but it was certainly going to save her.
I had hoped we could make it to my house without getting ambushed by anyone asking questions. I wasn’t so lucky.Deacon, Alexandra, and Willow were leaving Mama Beth’s when we stepped out of the woods. All three stopped to stare at us as if we had suddenly grown two or three heads.
“How on earth did you two get wet?” Alexandra asked.
“Is that a baby deer?” Willow questioned excitedly, as she bounded over to us.
I stared pointedly at Deacon and Alexandra. “We went swimming at Tohi Ama.”
“Oh,” they both murmured at the same time. I knew Deacon often visited the waters, and after Alexandra had gone through such a horrible time after killing one of the Raiders' rivals, and the man who killed her parents, Deacon had taken her there as well.
“This fawn is orphaned, so we’re going to take care of him or her.”
Deacon glanced between me and Annabel. “You are?” he questioned rather skeptically.
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, we are. Apparently Annabel knows what to do.”
Once again, she giggled infectiously. “I think Rev is having second thoughts about taking me into the woods. But some of my veterinary training dealt with livestock and wild animals. It’ll be good to be back in the swing of things after these last few months.” She looked at Willow. “Of course, I’m going to need some help. Would you want to help me?”
I don’t know why Annabel bothered to ask. Willow loved animals, so helping out with a baby deer was right up her alley. “Yes, I would.”
“As long as it’s okay with your parents, I could use some help.”
Deacon smiled. “Yeah, it’s okay. It’ll get her out of our hair for a while.”
We all laughed at the perturbed scowl that crossed Willow’s face at her father’s remark. She peered up at the deer in my arms. “What are you going to name it?”
Annabel pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Actually, we hadn’t gotten that far yet.”
Bringing her hands to her hips, Willow said, “Well, it needs a name.”
“Probably something unisex since we don’t know what it is,” I mused.
Annabel cocked her head. “How about Poe?”
“Like Poe a deer instead of Doe a deer?” I questioned with a teasing smile.
“I’m not going to even ask how you know a song fromThe Sound of Music.”
