Twenty-Three
Bart
Asa got on the quad and Noah jumped on the back while I ran for the jeep and Keith slid into the passenger seat. “Have you seen a calf being born yet?”
“No, this is my first.”
“I hope it all goes well,” he said, and while I wasn’t sure exactly what he meant, I knew there were so many things that could go wrong.
But I hoped none of it did. Asa flew down the dirt road that ran alongside the pasture he’d said was where we’d find Georgia.
At the far end was a small grove of trees the cows loved to go to in the heat of the days.
Today I realized the other cows were all standing a little away from that area which I probably wouldn’t have noticed before.
Just as Asa pulled to a stop Georgia came running at him from under the trees, bellowing like I’d never heard a cow do before. “What’s wrong with her?” I asked Keith and hoped he knew.
“She wants him to help,” Keith said and hopped out of the jeep before I had a chance to set the brake.
“Go on, girl, show us where your baby is,” Asa said. He slid off the quad and Georgia spun around and ran toward the trees. She’d go a few lengths then she’d turn and bellow at them.
“Is it safe for us to follow?” I asked Keith.
“She’ll let you know if she doesn’t want you there,” he said and the two of us followed at a distance.
Georgia kept bellowing and a feeling in my chest pulled me faster to her. I couldn’t stand how panicked she sounded, and I wanted to help her in any way I could. Asa disappeared over the edge of the small ditch followed by Noah, as Keith and I broke into a jog.
“Easy, girl, I’ll get her,” Asa soothed Georgia before starting to go down the bank to where the calf lay in the ditch. It was on its side and wasn’t moving. And I never hoped so hard in my life for that calf to take a breath and show it was okay.
“Wait here,” Noah told Asa and slid down the step bank.
He patted the calf before glancing up at us with a worried look.
The cold fear of dread slid down my back as he braced himself to get close enough to us so we could get ahold of him and pull him up the rest of the way.
Georgia bellowed the whole time and ran back and forth behind us.
The rest of the herd had gathered behind her.
The black and white calf was limp when Noah handed it to Asa, but he lay it gently on the ground before clearing its mouth and calling Georgia to come closer.
Finally, the calf took a breath, and Georgia started licking it.
Before long another cow joined her and started helping.
Then out of nowhere came a bellow but this time it was the calf calling for its mother.
“Oh my god, I think my heart almost stopped,” I told Keith and clung to his shoulder to keep myself upright. “Is it okay?”
“She’s fine. It looks like Georgia was standing in the ditch when she gave birth and baby got a little too cold. She’ll be okay though,” Asa said, and patted Georgia.
“Fucking cows, always scaring us,” Noah said, breaking the tension and making us all laugh.
“It can’t all be sunshine and cow shit,” Asa said. Georgia stood over her baby lowing to her until she was finally able to stand and take her first drink of milk. “You can name her if you’d like.”
I thought about it a moment before answering. This was an important moment. I’d never named a cow. Especially a cow I’d practically seen born. “How about Annie.”
“Annie’s a good name. After she drinks a little more let’s gather her up and take her back to the barn. It’ll give mom a little break from worrying and a soft place for them to rest,” Asa said.
We wandered back to the vehicles and waited for some signal that only Asa seemed to know when finally, Georgia stepped away from Annie and Asa walked over and picked her up.
Georgia followed him like this was something they did every day, and she knew her baby was safe with him.
“I want them to trust me the way they trust Asa, they know he won’t hurt them. ”
Asa walked over to me and plopped the calf into my arms. “What the—I don’t want to upset Georgia,” I said and looked to Keith for some help.
“Look at her, she likes you, son. Come on now, let’s get her back to the barn.” He patted me on the back before walking over to the quad and starting it. Noah shrugged his shoulders before running over to catch him.
“Wait up, old man. I don’t want to walk today,” he said making Asa laugh.
“You can always use a little exercise.”
“Speak for yourself,” he said as they passed me on the way back to the house.
“Come on then, let’s get your baby back to the barn before Georgia gets anxious.” Keith helped me settle into the jeep and even put the seat belt on both of us, which wasn’t easy.
“Hello, Miss Annie, I promise I’ll always make sure you’re taken care of,” I said before kissing her on the forehead.
“She’s so cute. I mean cows are always cute, but babies.
Oh my god, those eye lashes, and look at her little pink nose.
” I blabbered all the way to the barn and Keith just nodded and smiled.
“Are all newborn calves this cute?” I asked as he pulled to a stop outside the barn.
“Yes, they’re all this cute. Now come on, let’s get her all settled into the maternity ward.”
“Are you sure she’ll be okay out here? I don’t mind if she sleeps in my room,” I said and didn’t care if it sounded stupid. I was so excited about this new baby I’d do just about anything for more time with her.
“Asa might have something to say about that, and Georgia.”
“We’ll see,” I said and carried her inside.