realized that watching other people milk wasn’t even close to the same experience as doing it myself. I tried to close my eyes and relax, breathing in the warm, homey smells of the cows, but at that close range it wasn’t very smart.
I pushed up from the bale and limped without my crutches over to the bulletin board to see what had been tacked up.
“Got a photo of the new calf already, I see. Thanks, Zach.”
He made some sort of noise, but didn’t actually say anything.
“Now we just need Tess to decide on a name. She come up with anything last night, Luce?”
“Nope. Nothing yet.” She stopped in the middle of the aisle. “Are you supposed to be walking around like that?”
“Why not? It’s called a walking cast.”
“But aren’t you supposed to cover it while you’re in the barn?”
A minivan pulled into the lane, sending Queenie into a frenzy, and I looked out, happy to escape Lucy’s last mothering question. The van was an Odyssey I didn’t recognize. I limped back over to the straw bale to grab my crutches, and headed outside, in Queenie’s wake.
Katherine Hershberger hopped down from the side door, then turned to offer a hand to Ma Granger, who slid slowly out. Tricia and Sarah, Katherine’s sister and niece, got out the other side, while the men—Katherine’s husband, Alan, and Tricia’s husband, David—stepped out of the front doors. Trevor, who looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, hair askew and several angry pimples adorning his chin, finally emerged, climbing through the middle seats from the back. It was like those clowns who keep getting out of the VW Bug, except this group looked a lot grumpier. I thumped toward them behind Queenie, who ran enthusiastic circles around the car, finally stopping by Ma, whom she knew. Tricia stood halfway behind her husband, as if Queenie were a threat, while Katherine looked on in amusement.
“What on earth?” Ma stopped, staring at me, her hands on her hips. She reminded me of Lucy, and I figured all these women of good Mennonite stock have that look of consternation down pat.
Katherine winced. “Cow step on you?”
“How’d you guess?”
“We grew up next to a farm. The folks there would end up limping or on crutches every so often. And that was in-between black eyes, broken noses, pulled muscles…” She smiled, shaking her head.
“Well, you’re right. I got stepped on. Anyway, Ma, I’m fine. Nothing to worry about.”
“Hmpf.” She stared at me for a few moments before changing the subject. “I took these folks to The Towne for an early breakfast and thought I’d show them your place on the way home. But I guess you’re not up to it.”
“Of course I am.” If I popped another ibuprofen pretty quick. I looked at the group and wondered exactly what time Ma had roused them for breakfast, since it was barely eight-o’clock. Most of them looked at least kind of awake. “What do you want to see first?”
Alan smiled. “Wherever you like. It’s your place.” He looked like he was giving every effort to show the early hour wasn’t bothering him, but I wasn’t fooled so easily. I knew the only thing keeping him going was that coffee cup in his hand.
Katherine, looking rather awake, nodded. “We don’t want to impose. So whatever is easiest for you.”
“This is all yours?” Sarah looked around at the various barns, her face alive. “Cool.”
David, usually the morning person from what they’d said, didn’t look it this time. Maybe Ma had dragged them out of bed so early he didn’t get his usual exercise. I laughed to myself, looking at the differences—and the similarities—between him and Alan. If I hadn’t known better, I might’ve thought they were the brothers, rather than their wives having the family ties. They had the same coloring, and the same eyes—although it was hard to tell since both men’s were half-closed. David obviously had the muscles, while Alan looked like any normal middle-aged
I pushed up from the bale and limped without my crutches over to the bulletin board to see what had been tacked up.
“Got a photo of the new calf already, I see. Thanks, Zach.”
He made some sort of noise, but didn’t actually say anything.
“Now we just need Tess to decide on a name. She come up with anything last night, Luce?”
“Nope. Nothing yet.” She stopped in the middle of the aisle. “Are you supposed to be walking around like that?”
“Why not? It’s called a walking cast.”
“But aren’t you supposed to cover it while you’re in the barn?”
A minivan pulled into the lane, sending Queenie into a frenzy, and I looked out, happy to escape Lucy’s last mothering question. The van was an Odyssey I didn’t recognize. I limped back over to the straw bale to grab my crutches, and headed outside, in Queenie’s wake.
Katherine Hershberger hopped down from the side door, then turned to offer a hand to Ma Granger, who slid slowly out. Tricia and Sarah, Katherine’s sister and niece, got out the other side, while the men—Katherine’s husband, Alan, and Tricia’s husband, David—stepped out of the front doors. Trevor, who looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, hair askew and several angry pimples adorning his chin, finally emerged, climbing through the middle seats from the back. It was like those clowns who keep getting out of the VW Bug, except this group looked a lot grumpier. I thumped toward them behind Queenie, who ran enthusiastic circles around the car, finally stopping by Ma, whom she knew. Tricia stood halfway behind her husband, as if Queenie were a threat, while Katherine looked on in amusement.
“What on earth?” Ma stopped, staring at me, her hands on her hips. She reminded me of Lucy, and I figured all these women of good Mennonite stock have that look of consternation down pat.
Katherine winced. “Cow step on you?”
“How’d you guess?”
“We grew up next to a farm. The folks there would end up limping or on crutches every so often. And that was in-between black eyes, broken noses, pulled muscles…” She smiled, shaking her head.
“Well, you’re right. I got stepped on. Anyway, Ma, I’m fine. Nothing to worry about.”
“Hmpf.” She stared at me for a few moments before changing the subject. “I took these folks to The Towne for an early breakfast and thought I’d show them your place on the way home. But I guess you’re not up to it.”
“Of course I am.” If I popped another ibuprofen pretty quick. I looked at the group and wondered exactly what time Ma had roused them for breakfast, since it was barely eight-o’clock. Most of them looked at least kind of awake. “What do you want to see first?”
Alan smiled. “Wherever you like. It’s your place.” He looked like he was giving every effort to show the early hour wasn’t bothering him, but I wasn’t fooled so easily. I knew the only thing keeping him going was that coffee cup in his hand.
Katherine, looking rather awake, nodded. “We don’t want to impose. So whatever is easiest for you.”
“This is all yours?” Sarah looked around at the various barns, her face alive. “Cool.”
David, usually the morning person from what they’d said, didn’t look it this time. Maybe Ma had dragged them out of bed so early he didn’t get his usual exercise. I laughed to myself, looking at the differences—and the similarities—between him and Alan. If I hadn’t known better, I might’ve thought they were the brothers, rather than their wives having the family ties. They had the same coloring, and the same eyes—although it was hard to tell since both men’s were half-closed. David obviously had the muscles, while Alan looked like any normal middle-aged
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