Twenty-Five
Bart
Monday came and life was back to normal on the farm.
Well as normal as it could be now that I was completely obsessed with the newest edition.
Annie was the cutest little thing I’d ever seen, and I hated when I didn’t know what she was up to.
Georgia didn’t seem to mind. She was always there when Annie needed her, but she was more than happy for me to keep her busy.
“Tired of that little one yet?” Asa asked when he walked out to the barn to make sure Noah and I were starting the morning milking.
“Nope, she’s my little girl,” I said without a bit of regret.
“Just make sure your ‘little girl’ stays outside. I don’t want to wake up to a pile of shit in the kitchen.”
“Like Annie would ever do something like that.” Not that I knew she wouldn’t, but I’d still defend her.
Asa shook his head and walked off to the milk house. “He’s very amused by you and Keith,” Noah said from behind me.
“Oh, believe me, I know.”
“Poor Keith,” he said surprising me.
“Hey!”
“Sorry, but you’re from the city, you can handle it. I wasn’t sure which way he swung. I mean my radar pinged him, but you know how that goes.”
“Your—what?”
“Look, I’ve lived here my whole life, and believe me when I say it was not always as friendly to those of us that are a little different,” he said with a hopeful look that I understood.
“I didn’t know that, and I’m not about to start hiding who I am.” I’d said it once and I’d keep saying it even if it was just to reassure myself.
“Don’t you dare. That’s what I guess I’m trying to say. The way you told Asa about you and Keith. I want to be able to tell the world about who I love and not even feel tempted to hide it.”
“Poor Keith, did you hear the noise he made when Asa was telling him he’d better do right by me.” Just thinking about it gave me a warm feeling inside because even if Asa caught Keith off guard, he didn’t try to hide how he felt.
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone make a noise like that,” Noah said with a grin. “Now let’s finish with the girls before they get impatient.”
I didn’t know much about Noah, not even his age, but I made myself promise I’d start getting to know him better.
A few more friends were always good, and I thought it sounded like he could use a few more too.
“How old are you?” I asked as he led the next cow into the chute that would guide her to me and the milking machine.
“Twenty-five, but I feel like I’m ninety.”
“Farm work is no joke. But it’s also amazing. You and Asa know exactly how to do everything. I still have so much to learn.”
“But you’re learning, and you haven’t shied away from anything yet.”
“How about you take my turn of mucking out the stalls?” I asked knowing he would never agree.
“Only if you agree to clean up the milking station by yourself,” he said with a grin.
“Guess we’ll have to agree to work together again.”
“Yep, it’s always the best way. Then you can spend some time with Annie.”
“I knew you thought she was amazing.”
“Hey, I never said that. I just know what it’s like to have a new pet.”
“She’s not a pet she’s—I don’t know what she is.”
“When she’s an eight-hundred-pound heifer you might feel a little different.”
“Nope, she’ll always be my girl. The first newborn calf I ever saw.”
“You still haven’t seen one of them give birth, have you?”
“Not yet, but I know a few more are ready to pop any day so I guess I will eventually.”
It turned out it was a lot sooner than I thought and a whole lot more gross. I knew about the process. But I’d never seen anything born right in front of me. When Marilyn went into labor, Asa decided it was time for me to learn about it.
Luckily for us she stayed close to the barn after we milked her and as soon as Asa recognized the signs, he had us lead her into a pen inside.
“Now, I don’t want you to panic over what you’re about to see, but if you feel like you’re gonna pass out just aim for a patch of hay that has no shit,” he said before clapping me on the back, then rolling up his sleeves and walking over to check on her.
She was making a noise similar to what Georgia had done once she knew Annie was okay.
Until I came here, I thought cows had one noise.
Now I knew they had many and if you paid attention, you could tell exactly what they were trying to tell you.
I wasn’t sure but I would guess Marilyn was saying her calf was on its way. “Is she okay?”
“She’s almost ready to go,” Asa said. Just then a gush of red tinged liquid shot out of her.
“Oh shit,” I said and Noah laughed.
“Not shit this time.”
Just then a hoof emerged, and then another.
Asa moved behind her but didn’t do anything.
Marilyn was doing all the hard work. A nose appeared and Asa took a suction bulb and sucked out some of the mucus.
He’d just finished when Marilyn pushed and most of the calf was out along with a big gush of liquid that I had no desire to think about.
The calf tumbled out of her to the ground, and she immediately started licking it clean.
It was disgusting and also amazing all at once.
“Wow,” I said because there were no other words.
“Well, you survived without puking. That’s pretty impressive,” Asa said.
“I’m not sure I’m ready to be up close and personal but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.” He smiled, but not his usual smile. There was some sadness there, and I knew then that not all births would end the way this one did, and that thought alone scared me.