I let Ranger out with the mares. He immediately walked over to the lead mare, Rose, and greeted her. He went around to the other nine mares, greeting them as well. The foals born this year ran around him. All ten babies respected him after they all ganged up on him. He was not mean to them, just a little corrective. The mares started grazing around him. The in-season mares will walk up to him when they are ready to be serviced and stand for him while they show respect for each other.
I watched for a moment before cleaning out stalls. I did get return letters from the drill sergeant and my ex. The sergeant understood the situation and said that as soon as their training was done they would be shipping out. My ex's letter was copied, one sent to the base for his file, one to my lawyer, and one to the Marshall police department. The police department had to file a report for him because of the abuse charges now against him. The army base is not letting him off the base at any time due to the charges.
I told my lawyer I wanted a restraining order on him, and he started to build the file. The judge is kept updated on the file since he is refusing to allow the restraining order at this time. I've been keeping an eye on the cattle and fixing the fence. It's been pretty calm as we settle in for the summer, and me settling into adult life.
***************************************************
A few months later
Katie and I had to go to the store. We casually go once a week to make sure there is enough food at our parents' house. I was looking at canned goods while Katie was looking at meats. An arm wrapped around my neck, and I grabbed onto the arm and threw myself and the person forward. It was my ex. He was supposed to be on base and about to ship out to another country. "Katie!" I yelled out before I landed on the floor. I ignored the pain in my head as I jumped to my feet. Katie came running over, trying to drag me away from him.
He was trying to get up. I had to sit down. Katie dragged me away from the aisle alongside a cashier. I could see a familiar figure standing between us and him. I remember feeling a liquid on the back of my head. A man in a uniform appeared in my line of sight. I couldn't tell what he was saying. A light was shown in my eyes. "We need to get her to the hospital." A male voice said. I was lifted up and onto a softer surface.
"Katie, go with her so she's not by herself." I could tell who it was by the voice. It was Jax. I passed out on the way to the hospital. Luckily, Katie knew everything about me. She had my wallet and phone, too. When I woke up, mom and dad were in a room with me. I guess they moved me to a recovery room while I was unconscious. I know there is going to be more paperwork in the files.
My head was hurting. I sat up with my head swimming. "Kylie," Mom said. "My head hurts," I said out loud. "I know, it's going to hurt for a little bit." She said. A nurse came in to check on me. She asked about my pain level and shined a bright light into my eyes. "She looks better than this morning. Let me go get your pain medicine, and we will see if you are ready for discharge." She said. "I would rather stay a few more hours to be safe," I said.
The nurse came back in with a hefty packet. "The doctor has agreed to discharge you, and since you are being discharged, I am unable to give you any medications for the pain." She said. "I have not stood up yet, I have a migraine, and I do not know if I will pass out when I stand up. I would love to stay until the doctor makes his rounds and lays eyes on me with how hard I hit the floor and what happened afterward." I said.
"I'm sorry he wants to discharge you now and see you in the office later." She said. The pain was getting worse the more she argued with me. "I want a different nurse," I said. "You are being discharged. I am unable to get you a different nurse." She said. "I want to talk to your charge nurse," I said. "She is unavailable." She said. "I can wait," I said as my head started spinning. I closed my eyes and lay back. I felt like puking while about to possibly pass out again.
I tried to roll onto my side. "Come on, you need to get up." The nurse said. My mom got between us. I was reaching out for something to throw up in. I could not find anything by the time I was throwing up from pain. I heard a dinging sound. I heard heavy feet running. I don't remember anything after that.
I woke up without my head throbbing. I looked around with my dad sitting in a chair. A knock came to the door. I looked towards it, seeing the doctor walk in. "I heard about the run-in yesterday with the doctor on call." He said. "I had a migraine and did not feel right before they tried to discharge me," I said. "I saw that," He said, pulling up a chair beside me. He checked my pulse and asked about my pain. It was non-existent at the moment with the strong pain meds. "We will wean you off the meds and get you up on your feet before we send you home this time. I will personally block you from leaving here until you are steady enough to leave." He said, leaning forward.
"Thank you," I said to him as a nurse came in. It was not the same nurse as yesterday. I have been out since yesterday? I slowly sat up and felt like drinking water. "Do you need anything before I go to the next patient?" The doctor asked. "May I have some ice water?" I asked. "Of course! I will get it for you and let the nurse know you had asked for it." He said as he left the room.
"Where's mom?" I asked dad. "Security told her it would be best if she were here when that nurse is not here to ensure that no fights between staff and the patient's family do not break out." He said. "So the nurse was not banned from work for lying to a doctor about how I was thirty minutes before she walked in the room?" I asked. "She got reprimanded by her supervisor yesterday after it happened. The doctor making rounds thought you had been conscious the entire day until he came by about four, wondering why you had not been discharged yet. The charge nurse told him the truth, and he was not happy, and made sure to keep you overnight until our primary could come to visit you." He said.