Chapter Nine #2
“I ain’t the quickest when it comes to knitting,” Maeve admitted to Lila, “but I reckon with you at my side, I’ll manage just fine.”
After cleaning up the day’s dinner, Maeve took herself and Lila out to the front porch to enjoy the nice weather.
Maeve claimed the rocker, setting her overflowing basket of yarn between her and Lila, who sat on her special blanket spread across the porch.
Along with her own ball of yarn and her favored spoon, Maeve had decided to take a few of her father’s old woodcarvings down from their shelves.
Some were perfectly smoothed from age and just the right size for Lila’s tiny hands to grasp.
Currently the toddler was busying herself with a crudely carved cow’s skull.
“That one there’s mine,” Maeve stated proudly, looping her yarn around her fingers as she started her next row.
“Was my first, an’ last, attempt at wood carving.
” She chuckled, gently pushing herself back and forth in the rocker as the memory resurfaced.
“Never did like how the knife felt in my hand. An’ I thought it took too much sitting to do.
Not that knitting ain’t the same, but Sadie did it wit’ me, so it was a bit more enjoyable. ”
Maeve paused, considering what she’d just said.
When her father had first introduced woodcarving to her, he’d never stuck around during her practice.
There was always something to do on the farm, some chore that needed taking care of.
There was never time to foster hobbies…and the thought struck Maeve in a way she hadn’t expected.
“I hope yer Pa sits with you while you figure out yer hobbies,” Maeve said quietly.
Lila blew a spit bubble in reply. The silly act pulled a weak chuckle out of Maeve, and she set her knitting aside to simply watch the little girl play.
She’d forgotten how nice it felt to do things outside of work.
To simply sit outside and enjoy the breeze, to watch a child be amazed with the world.
She let her eyes wander about the property, taking in the sight of the green grass gently swaying in the breeze.
Spring had finally given way to summer, and Maeve was all the happier for it.
The clanging of metal snapped her from her reverie, pulling Maeve’s attention directly to the pasture. The troublesome trio were at it again, their horns scraping roughly against the wooden part of their fence.
Only this time, one of the bulls managed to pull the post almost completely out of the ground.
Maeve immediately shot to her feet, her knitting dropping from her lap as she raised her fingers to her lips.
Before she could get out a warning whistle, though, the fence’s post was completely unearthed, tangling barbed wire around the bull’s horns.
He let out a panicked bellow, back legs kicking as he tried to yank free of the fence.
That only caused him to further entangle himself, leaving just enough of a gap for the other two to escape.
Maeve nearly vaulted off the porch, stopped only by the worried cries of Lila.
She forced herself to still, then pivot; instead of running after the bulls, she scooped Lila into her arms and rushed her inside.
Chaos continued beyond the cabin wall, but Maeve simply had to ignore it for now.
Every part of her wanted to find a place for Lila and rush out to help, but she knew how dangerous a charging bull could get.
If one started a charge toward the cabin, he could easily damage the wall, or possibly even blow right through it.
And if Lila were left in the living room on her own… ?
Maeve had to trust that Jed could handle things.
She moved through the kitchen and out to the back porch, where she briefly caught sight of Jed running past the side of the cabin.
He must’ve heard the commotion from the backyard.
Every part of Maeve wanted to follow after him.
Their eyes briefly met as he raced past, and Maeve forced herself to turn away.
She tore the hatch to the root cellar open, then clambered down the stairs.
Lila’s cries had started to build to a scream, panicking even more once the pair descended into the pitch darkness of the cellar.
“It’s alright, Lila,” Maeve assured her, feeling around for the blanket her father had stored down there long ago. Her hand pressed against something soft, and she quickly draped it around herself and Lila. “See? It’s awful cozy, ain’t it?”
Lila’s sobs dissipated into little whimpers. Her tiny hands grasped for the blanket hem, squeezing and pulling it tightly.
“Yeah, that’s it. Y’know, Jed’s blanket’s gonna be just as soft.” Maeve glanced back up toward the staircase, the commotion outside only faintly coming through. Every part of her ached to see what was happening. Every instinct screamed at her to leave Lila, to wrap her up tightly and go help.
‘He can do this.’
Maeve took a deep breath.
‘Trust that he can do this.’
Maeve then carefully slid down to the ground, crossing her legs and adjusting Lila beneath their blanket. Then, she waited with bated breath.