Brett kept the work well away from the house while Maisey healed. Travis and the ranch crew, Tony and Jacques were the only ones allowed in the main yard area. The contractors had grumbled about having no access to flushing toilets and running water but Brett insisted. Maisey was not to be disturbed by the construction crew.
She could hear the tools: air compressors, hammers and saws all made plenty of noise, and from what she'd heard the bunks were going up quickly, as did the steer barns at West Ridge after the permits were approved. Tony was right: the rodeo had sent it's own crew to tend the animals, Travis hadn't had to even think about that part of the operation since Sam and Jacques had arrived. In a few short weeks West Ridge had gone from empty land to noisy training center.
Travis and Brett brought in the last hay harvest and started to prepare the ranch for an Alberta winter. Which included shopping for winter clothes for Maisey.
She mostly stayed near the house, Brett had taught her how to sand and stain wood so she'd been working on redoing the kitchen. He had been true to his word about the table, and they had worked together to make the old table into the one they ate at now: it was an oak looking wood with a Celtic pattern of teal resin across the length. She loved it. They'd done the chairs in the same oak stain, abs that's how she was redoing the cabinets.
Ned's old room was full of sawhorses, stain and tools to help cut down on the dust. It had been amazing how writing paired with the word working had soothed her enough that the panic attacks had become more manageable. Brett had even been able to resume poker nights without worrying about Maisey. Tony often went with him. She thought about going into Medicine Hat and shivered, worried that would bring on an attack.
She hadn't been to West Ridge at all, the idea of all those animals and people was unsettling, but her therapist had said the day before to go. She had put it off but knew the woman was right: West Ridge was full of strangers who knew nothing about her, if she could manage it then Medicine Hat would be easier.
She put down the sander she was using to take old stain off and decided she'd better do it before she talked herself out of it again. She washed up, called Henry, sent a text to Brett and got into her truck without waiting for him to message back. Her anxiety meds were in her pocket: Brett was out on the range with Travis but Tony and Jacques would be there. She popped one pill before she started driving, Henry sat up on the seat beside her.
She drove down the road until she got to the entrance that had been created: the set up reminded her of a rodeo. There were about thirty 5th wheel trailers set up in a long row along the roadside, she remembered Tony telling her the sewage, water and electrical hook ups had been the first thing installed, even before the barn and arena. Very few people were in the yard when she pulled in, for which she was grateful. A stranger came out to direct her but she didn't get out.
"Henry, fetch Tony," Henry stuck his head out the window and barked without going anywhere. Maisey was about to give the order a second time when Tony came out of his trailer and jogged over.
"Well now, I know that bark," he pet the dog and killed in at Maisey, "Hello gorgeous, you sure you want to be here right now, the full crew is working?" Maisey nodded, "Alright then, let me give you a tour."
Henry got out first and began to explore. Tony and Brett had brought him along before, but not with the one he was told to guard, so he needed to make sure it was safe. He checked on her a few times while she stood with Tony by the truck and then began to explore wider.
"First, introductions: Maisey this is Bandit, Bandit has been working with the Association for ten years, I've known him for six, good man. Bandit, this is Maisey."
Bandit bowed and swept his cowboy hat off his head in a display of showmanship, "Ma'am, it's a pleasure to meet you, but if you could get the dog to stay in the truck it would be better, some of the cattle don't care who they step on."
"Henry," she called, "Heel." The dog came immediately and sat by her feet, "Don't worry about Henry," she told him, "He'll stay with me."
"It's really better, miss," the man ignored Tony's head shake.
Maisey gritted her teeth, "I don't care what's better, Bandit," Henry came to his feet, a growl in his chest, "Henry can stay with me, or you can get off my land." She glared at Tony, "Not a very good man if he can't accept instruction."
"I'll handle Bandit later," Tony said, "Henry's fine to come with you anytime, you know that."
Maisey called Henry to order, "I suggest you get back to work Mr Bandit,"Maisey told the man calmly, and walked away. To Tony she said, "I hope they're not all like that."
"Bandit's not usually like that," Tony told her, "a couple of the steers got rough with the men this morning, puts everyone on edge." Maisey nodded. "Over there is living quarters," he motioned to the row of 5th wheels, "This big barn is the one we put up to replace the temporary outdoor pens," he waved at a big barn, "It's got an an indoor arena so we can train and exercise the animals when the weather is bad too."
"Is it heated?" Maisey chuckled.
"Doesn't need to be," she was told, "You try having men, and animals running around in a confined space." He pointed out some heaters in the roof, "there's a couple for the really bad days but I doubt we'll need them but we've got them just in case."
"This is Alberta, after all," Maisey teased.
Tony grinned and took her inside. Maisey was immediately surprised by the heat. It hadn't been something she'd experienced in the barns as a child or since she'd come to the Bogs, it surprised her. The steers were noisier than the cows and calves were as well, it was almost as surprising as the heat. Henry trotted at her heels, not even showing any interest in the cattle. Tony introduced her to a few others as they walked but they stopped at the arena to watch.
"What are they doing?" Maisey asked.
"They're training them to be mean and cantankerous."
"Why?"
"Because that's what they need to be in order for the rodeo to use them."
"Does it hurt?"
"Sometimes," Tony said, "It's the life they know."
"They're a little like me then," she said, "trained to be something: if it hurts then you learn faster to do what the man behind the wipe wants you to be." She had become lost in the symmetry but finally shook herself out of it, "Don't worry, Tony," she smiled weakly, "I know it's different too." She moved away from the pen, "I think I've had enough now, thank you Tony, but I think Henry and I will head back to the Bogs."
"Alright, I'm glad you felt like you could come and check things out." Tony said, "Don't overthink it," he told her as he put her in the truck, "What's for dinner tonight?"
"Leftovers," she told him, "Addie dropped off enough food yesterday to feed us for a week, you'd think she and Nate were going to be gone longer than two days with as much as she brought us. " Tony laughed with her and waved as she drove away.
Bandit stayed out of sight until the truck pulled away, "You know I am right about the dog," he said to Tony.
"Any other dog and I'd agree, but Henry is a working dog: he goes where she does and I suggest you don't question her like that again: Brett will do anything for her and frankly, so will I." Bandit looked to argue but changed his mind when he saw how serious Tony was when he spoke.
Tony stared out over the land that Brett had given him for the rodeo: West Ridge had become its formal name. He wished he could have shown her more than the indoor arena. The outdoor area was where they had been training the horses for barrel racing, he thought she might have liked to see it. There were several acres of development now, multiple barns and structures for feed and water for the animals. The Rodeo Association had footed the bill and provided the contractors for it: payment for being so accommodating. Brett had been thrilled because it meant that the Bogs could be kept on track for the construction projects he wanted to move forward with.
He felt pride over what he'd been able to bring to the operation. The Frank's family was going to go big.