I loved this place.It gave me a sense of security that had been missing from every other “home” we’d had.Here, I could be myself.Papa saw that.It was why he’d gifted me a piece of it.So I could leave my own personal mark on the community.Fallon wasn’t nearly as enamored with the town or the locals.She spent more time with MiMi than any of us grandkids.There was no doubt in my mind that one day Fallon would take over for our grandmother at ASM.I was proud of my sister and all the work she did, including the charities she assisted MiMi in running these days.
While Finn arrested Hilary, I put my fingers to my lips and gave a piercing whistle that had Waffles bouncing over to the UTV.“Hi, baby boy,” I cooed, because he was the bestest boy, and if I didn’t sweet-talk him, I was gonna start throwing out threats to the woman being cuffed.
And the curse words that would leave my mouth that would definitely get back to Uncle Luca.No one wanted that.Not me.Not Love Bug or Fallon, who would get lectures too, even if they weren’t home.Definitely not Hilary, who would be the one he blamed for my hearing, and then repeating, such profanity.Because, yeah, I would totally blame it on that skank.
I stroked a hand over Waffles’s snout when he jumped into the passenger seat.“Ready to go home, big guy?”
He nuzzled his nose into my side, exhaling loudly in response.I kissed him on top of his head, giving his ears a scratch that caused one of his back legs to kick a few times before he settled, sitting on his butt in the seat.
Grier
Saturdays weremy favorite day of the week.I got to share my farm babies with all the other animal lovers in the area.Usually, it was moms of younger kids who wanted to pet and feed anything that wagged its tail.With all the staff there to ensure the animals were safe and happy, and the moms able to take a small step back while their offspring stretched their adventurous legs and tried themselves out, it was a win-win for everyone.
Sometimes I loaded all the animals up and we had an event on the soccer field behind the rec.Many of the school fairs and bake sales took place out on that soccer field, and the miniatures were always a big draw.
Mostly, however, I simply opened the gates to the farm and let whoever wanted to spend time helping come up.We had security, and no one got past the first gate without signing in.Just because I loved the town and most of the people who lived there didn’t mean I was going to put my babies, my staff, or myself at risk.
I called the kids who came in on the weekends to feed the animals Helping Hands, and they got to enjoy free activities at the rec center.Even if their parents weren’t members, as long as they showed up to play with and feed my babies, they could climb the rock wall all day, every day.
Some of the middle school and high school kids volunteered for the bigger jobs, which counted toward some school credit hours.I was hoping it taught them life lessons.Empathy.Compassion.A love for animals and their fellow neighbors.Perhaps a little bit of work ethic.Hopefully, it would keep them out of trouble.
Tightening my ponytail through the loop at the back of my pink baseball cap, I walked into the barn, where at least thirty other people were already busy in the stalls.This was our main operations area, almost thirty thousand square feet, and full of more happy memories for me than any other place on earth.Childish giggles came from nearly every corner of the building, mixed in with the happy bleats and moos from the goats and cows currently being adored.
Waffles drifted away from me to investigate.He shuffled up to a group of elementary-school-aged kids, who were all thrilled to see him.His tail wagged rapidly as he accepted pets and treats.A few of the parents waved to me, calling greetings and offering warm smiles.
I tipped my head at everyone, returning their smiles and “Good morning”s but didn’t have time to stop for a chat with any of them.My vet had called to say there was an issue, so I’d come straight down to the big barn.He and a few other staff had put up barriers to keep the visiting families from straying to the far end of the barn, which told me that one of my babies wasn’t feeling well.
Bip, Bop, and Boog hopped over, ready for their first round of scratches from me.I paused long enough to give them each a rub on top of their head.They were triplet Nigerian dwarf goats that had come to me when they were two months old.A coyote had killed their momma, and they hadn’t survived unscathed.Bip was missing an ear.Bop had a huge scar on his snout, and little Boog had had his back right leg savaged so badly that my vet eventually had to amputate half of it.They were two years old now, barely twenty pounds each, but otherwise healthy and thriving.
Leo Shelton had graduated top of his program at Texas A&M.He was the number one large animal vet in the country, and I was able to nab him because his grandma and my great-grandfather had been friendly back in the day.His role was fairly simple and cushy.He kept my babies healthy, I paid him a reasonable salary, along with letting him live in one of the cabins that I’d built on my property.
And neither of us corrected Miss Betsy, his grandmother, when she said Leo and I looked good together.She was eighty and wanted her only grandson to settle down, have some beautiful grandbabies that she thought I would just love to spit out for the Shelton family.Because, to her, that was all a woman was really for.Continuing the line.Having as many kids as her body could produce.Or so she told me on every occasion I’d had the…fortune to visit with her.
First of all, no thank you, Miss Betsy.I don’t need to have a buttload of kids to prove my worth as a woman.Kids would be a part of my future whenIdecided, and no one else.
And second, Leowassettled.With his life partner and assistant, Cody, who lived with him in the cabin.Miss Betsy and the rest of the Shelton family would never approve of their relationship, though.Very few people in Leo’s circle back in Texas would.That was why he accepted a contract with me, without so much as glancing at any other offers on the table.
Some of the local farmers called him out for assistance when their in-house vets got swamped, but other than that, Leo only treated my little guys.
“What the fluffing fluff is this?”I demanded when I reached my vet, taking in the state of the stall he was working in.
“Doom dropped a surprise on us,” Leo said, scratching an itch on his face with his forearm because he had goop on his gloved hands.
“Doom, you hussy!”I chastised gently.Hands on my hips, I melted at the sight of all the squirming Baby Dooms.The kittens were adorable.A black-and-white tuxedo, a white and orange, one that was white with a patch of orange on his back, two calicos, and one that was solid white like Doom.“Leo, you said you were going to spay her.”
We had as many rescue cats as we did miniature farm animals.It kept the snake and rodent populations down without the use of harmful chemicals.Every cat we took responsibility for was immediately spayed or neutered once they had a thorough exam and were vaccinated.Doom, the beautiful all-white cat that was the newest addition to the family, had been found a few weeks before.She’d been skin and bones, half feral, and sick, which was why Leo had put off an immediate spay.
Cody had named her Doom after she took a nasty bite out of his hand, and the name had just stuck.After a few days of running around with the other barn cats, she’d calmed down a bit, and I’d been happy when I’d noticed her gaining weight over the last few weeks.
But obviously, it wasn’t just the new diet that had caused her growing belly.
“Is she still in labor?”I asked, staying outside the stall so as not to overwhelm the new momma.Although she had integrated with the other cats easily enough, she was quick to spook around people.
“Yeah, she’s been having contractions all morning.We’re on kitten number six, and there may be up to three more coming.She’s doing well, but I had Cody prep the lab in case I have to do an emergency C-section.”
“So she came to us pregnant?”I concluded.
Leo grimaced.“Yes.”