Chapter 8
Jude
Mighty Good Hen
“What do you mean I have to take the kids to the photo shoot?” Jude asked. He was sure he could deal with Wolf, but it would be another matter entirely trying to wrangle Lizbet while he posed for the camera. “Can’t you stay home with them?”
Cope sighed. “Babe, you’d only have to take Wolfie with you.
I’m dropping Lizbet at daycare. Ten’s doing the same thing with Ezra.
As for staying home, my schedule is packed today.
I’ve got five in-person readings and two on Zoom.
I’ll be tied up until about six. I’ll pick up dinner on the way home.
Text me later and let me know if you want fried chicken or burgers. ”
Fricassee screeched so loudly, it echoed through the house.
“Don’t talk about fried you-know-what in front of our baby!” Jude hurried to Fricassee’s cage. The bird’s feathers were ruffled and she looked like she wanted five minutes alone with Cope. It would be a Pay-Per-View cage match for the ages. Jude’s money was on the hen.
Cope’s eyes widened. “I’m eternally sorry, carwash chicken, for my insensitive remarks about your deliciously crispy ancestors.” He pecked a kiss to Jude’s cheek. “Can’t wait to see how the pictures come out.”
“Me too.” Jude stopped and grabbed Fricassee’s cage. “Let’s go, Wolf!”
Wolf streaked down the stairs. “I can’t wait to see the farm and all the chickens.”
Jude knew the farm would be lots of fun for the kids, with the possible exception of Aurora. They’d have to figure out how to handle the situation. Hopefully Fitz had some ideas. A horn beeped outside.
Wolf grabbed his coat and ran out of the house toward the SUV. Jude was close behind him. He needed to set the cage down on the stoop so he could lock the door.
“How’d it go last night?” Ronan asked, after Jude loaded Fricassee’s cage into the back of the SUV and climbed into the backseat. All three kids were buckled into their boosters in the third row.
“It was okay. The kids brought the cage into the living room so Fric could watch Finding Nemo with them. She seemed to enjoy the movie and clucked excitedly when the seagulls showed up. How about you? Of all of us, Ten seemed the least enthusiastic about the hens spending the night.”
“Everly let the chicken out of the cage when we were upstairs giving Ezra a bath. When we came down they were sitting together on the kitchen floor. Things were going fine until I tried to grab the chicken to put her back in the cage.”
“You should have seen Daddy, Uncle Jude!” Everly laughed. “He couldn’t catch Hen Solo. I got it on video!”
“How’d you finally capture her?” Fitzgibbon asked.
“My little chicken whisperer asked the bird to go into her cage and Hen Solo obeyed.”
“I used the Force, Uncle Fitz!” Everly held her hand up for a high-five. Wolf and Aurora smacked her palms with theirs.
“How did things go with Hennifer Lopez?” Jude asked.
“I fell in love with her! She let me pet her soft feathers through the cage.” Aurora gushed. “It was wicked gross when she pooped, but Daddy cleaned it up. We sang songs and watched a movie. I would give it four out of five stars.”
“Because of the chicken poop?” Ronan asked.
“No, because my daddies wouldn’t let Hennifer out to run free!” Aurora crossed her arms over her chest.
Jude imagined this was probably the first time Aurora had ever been told no. She seemed to be taking it better than Jude thought she would. “We let Wolfie run around in the yard with Fricassee. Tell everyone what she did!”
“You’re not gonna believe it, but Fricassee jumped onto a swing and wanted me to give her a push. After a few minutes, she flew off the swing and landed on the porch in front of LizzyB who was watching from the sliding glass door.”
“That’s really cool, Woofie!” Everly said.
“Okay, everyone, we’re almost to the farm. It’s going to be busy with the photographer taking our pictures with the chickens. We need you to stay close by and not wander off by yourselves. Got it?” Fitz asked.
“Got it,” the kids chorused.
“Same goes for the two of you.” Fitz poked Ronan and eyed Jude in the rearview mirror. “Do what the photographer says. No bullshit.”
Jude rolled his eyes at Fitz. He knew Fitz wasn’t comfortable with the idea of posing for a calendar shoot in the first place.
He didn’t look like the kind of guy who’d be comfortable with barnyard animals under any circumstance, but having Aurora with him was making Fitz more nervous than he’d been the day before when they’d met their chickens.
“Is this the farm?” Everly asked from the backseat, as a red silo came into view.
“That’s it. You guys are gonna love it here.” Jude had enjoyed his time walking around the farm; being inside the barn, not so much. He had a feeling Wolfie would love the chicken barn, while Aurora and Everly would not.
Fitzgibbon parked the SUV and everyone climbed out. Ronan released the cargo area door and began removing the chicken cages one by one.
“Hey, guys!” Manny Grimes called out, heading toward the SUV. “Who have we got here?” He waved to the kids.
“This is my daughter, Everly,” Ronan said. “Jude’s son, Wolf, and Fitz’s daughter Aurora.”
“What did you think about spending the night with my beautiful girls?”
“We loved it!” Everly gushed. “I gave Hen Solo lots of cuddles, until Daddy tried to grab her. He learned the hard way that chickens can fly.”
“They sure can. Let’s go on over to the sunflower field where Jim Donaldson, the photographer, is waiting for you guys.” Manny led the way with Everly by his side.
Jude couldn’t help but think the kids belonged in a place like this where they, as well as the chickens, could run free.
“Wow, Daddy! Look at the sunflowers!” Aurora ran ahead of Fitzgibbon, toward the field of bright flowers. Everly and Wolf were hot on her heels.
Jude watched as the photographer started snapping candid shots of the kids with the sunflowers. Everly got the kids to leap into the air while more shots were snapped. “Hey, we should do that too. How funny would those pictures be of the three of us?”
“Sounds good to me,” Ronan agreed. He set Hen Solo’s cage down and released the bird, who quickly ran to Everly, who squealed with delight.
Jude did the same for Fricassee and Hennifer Lopez. The hens ran toward the kids, who posed for smiling pictures with the chickens.
“Am I the only one who thinks the kids would be better in the calendar shoot than we would?” Fitz asked, as he snapped pictures of Aurora with his phone. “Aurora and Hennifer are already best friends.
Fitz joined his daughter and the bird, laying on his left side with his head cupped in his hand. Aurora sat with her back against Fitz, cooing to the chicken. The photographer snapped away, all the while giving Aurora and Fitz instructions on how to pose.
Ronan and Everly were up next. He posed with Everly sitting on one shoulder and Hen Solo sitting on the other. For the last few pictures Ronan sat on the grass with his long legs out in front of him. Everly sat on his lap in the same position with the hen on her knees.
“That’s my favorite shot,” Jude said.
“Mine too,” Ronan agreed.
“Daddy!” Wolf waved Jude toward him. “It’s our turn. We gotta do something cool!”
Jude had never posed for professional pictures before. At both of his wedding ceremonies, friends and family had taken pictures of him and Cope. This was his first chance to be a cover model and he was perfectly content to let Wolf have the spotlight.
As Jude approached Wolf and Fric, the chicken took off with Wolf chasing behind her. He burst out laughing as the photographer spun around, clicking his shutter when Wolf and the bird zipped past.
“Daddy!” Wolf shouted, when Fricassee turned the tables and started chasing Wolf.
Jude dashed off after them, not because he thought Wolf was in danger, but because his son was having so much fun.
He fell in behind Fricassee with his hands in his pockets, showing off his biceps to their fullest advantage, laughing along with Wolf.
These might not be the beefcake pictures Jude had dreamed of when Cisco first introduced the idea of posing for the calendar, but he had to admit, pictures of him with his son were worth so much more.
When Jude tired out, Aurora and Everly joined Wolf. Three happy kids being chased by three happy hens. Life didn’t get much better than this.