A Moment In The Sun #2
Esme pushed back her plate. Bangers and mash turned out to be sausages and mashed potatoes, a traditional Irish dish that had been delicious and provided her with another fun post.
“What is it with Phail not following traditional expectations? A saloon that would fit perfectly in any western movie, but is filled with Irish food, music, and local craft beer made by a former military team. The No Phail Diner looks Scottish, but the specialty is delicious Mexican offerings.”
Wyatt nodded. “You have to look beyond the surface in Phail.”
She agreed. “Beyond the surface is where the best things are.” Nans and Esme’s modeling career had taught her that.
Wyatt took her hand. “I agree. Tell me more about modeling. I imagine you were surrounded by plenty of people whose interiors didn’t match the pretty package.”
She nodded. “I actually learned that way before I started modeling. My mother was a beautiful woman. People were always eager to be with her, especially men.”
Wyatt squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”
She laced their fingers with a smile. “It’s fine.
Thanks to Nans and the therapist she connected me with, I’m okay.
My mother had a narcissistic personality.
She believed people should adore her because of her looks.
As far as I remember, she never worked. She mooched her way from man to man, city to city, always looking for someone rich to take care of her.
I didn’t understand it at the time, but she had an addiction and was probably sleeping with people to get her next fix. ”
“I’m glad you had your Nans.”
That brought a genuine smile. “Me too. I met her when my mother dropped me off in the middle of the night. Once I was out of the car, she raced down the driveway, shouting Freedom at the top of her lungs.”
“Holy shit. That’s awful.”
She nodded. “I didn’t have a clue where I was, and I was terrified of the dark and the quiet. But it was also the best moment of my life. From that moment on, I was safe, even if I didn’t trust that for a long while.”
Wyatt squeezed her fingers. “Nans helped you find yourself.”
Esme blinked back the tears. “She was the best person I’ve ever known. She wrapped me in her arms as soon as she got to the driveway in her robe and her turkey slippers.”
“Turkey slippers?”
The memory warmed her heart. “One of Giblet’s artisans made them. Fluffy stuffed turkey slippers. My mother would have been horrified. I was fascinated by them. The next day, Nans took me to buy ones in my size. She would love Phail and all the surprises here.”
“She’d fit right in. I’m glad you’re doing the social media stuff for her. Every post would make her smile.”
“I hope so.”
They paid, chatted with Branna for a few minutes, and then headed out to Garrett and Kimi’s place.
They’d spotted the sign for Shaggy’s Place on the way into town, so it was easy to find.
They parked beside a small yellow cottage and followed the signs to the back area.
One sign pointed to Kimi’s veterinary services in a barn.
Another pointed to Shaggy’s Canine and Equine Therapy Center.
A third pointed to the side of the barn.
“Petting Farm this way. Please read the posters to learn how to keep our animals safe and happy.”
Small corrals filled the area in front of the barn. A donkey and tiny goats filled one. The second was empty, but several cows clumped together in the third.
Cats sat on fence posts and wandered around with a few dogs. When a pair of peacocks rounded the corner, Esme laughed. “This is unbelievable.”
Wyatt nodded and took her hand. “You’ll have to return a dozen times to capture it all on film.”
“You’re right. There’s so much to see.”
A brightly colored parrot flapped toward them and perched on a fence post. “Margaret Atwood. Margaret Atwood.”
She and Wyatt shared a grin. “Are you named after the author? She’s brilliant.”
“Chris Hadfield. Chris Hadfield.”
“Okay, so you’re not Margaret Atwood. I don’t know the name Chris Hadfield. Is that you?”
A woman’s warm voice answered. “Chris Hadfield is an astronaut. He was the commander of the International Space Station and taught lessons to kids about space and gravity when he was aboard the ISS. Amazing man. Welcome to Shaggy’s Place.
I’m Kimi and this is Canuck. He speaks in Canadian celebrities. ”
“Michael J. Fox. Michael J. Fox.”
They all grinned at that one, and Kimi stroked the parrot’s head. “One of your favorites. You have very good taste, Canuck.”
Esme held out her hand. “I’m Esme, and this is Wyatt. It’s so great to meet you.”
Wyatt nodded. “We’re barely on the property, but we can tell you’ve created something magical here.”
Kimi smiled. “Thank you. We love it. Come on and see the other side. Garrett’s over there working with a new horse.”
They passed pens of a few different kinds of sheep, pigs, chickens, and birds that resembled small ostriches which she learned were called rheas.
After passing through a gate, they found another barn and more corrals. Beyond, an enormous field held horses, ponies, and alpacas.
Garrett stood in a corral beside a dappled horse whose head bobbed up and down as the man stroked its neck.
Kimi directed them to step away from the corral so they could approach the horse from the front. “Herman was abused, but the jerk is sitting his ass in jail for a while. Garrett’s helping Herman learn to trust again, but he doesn’t like being surprised. He prefers to see people coming.”
Esme’s heart ached. “Poor thing.”
Wyatt smiled. “I’m guessing he’s named after Herman Munster and that Heath’s daughter is still on a Halloween kick for names.”
Kimi smiled. “Nina’s the best. She’s playing with Gomez in the barn. There’s a new litter of kittens, and he loves watching her feed them.”
Esme’s heart lurched. Had Nina adopted the dog? Was he already in a loving home?
As if their conversation had conjured her, a teen exited the barn with Gomez and a German Shepherd at her side. Even a few additional days had changed the dog for the better. His ears perked up, and his tail wagged. He checked his surroundings, but without the fear they’d seen before.
Once he spotted Kimi, he bounded over to her. Kimi rubbed the dog’s head. “Hello, Gomez. How are the kittens today?”
The teen grinned as she approached. “You must be Esme and Wyatt. I’m Nina.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Nina. I love the names you’ve chosen for the animals.”
She grinned. “Thanks. It’s fun to give them new names to go with their fresh starts. Kimi tells me you’re interested in adopting our buddy Gomez.”
Esme squatted down and held her hand out for the dog, hoping he remembered her from the visit to the farm. “Hi there, Gomez. You’re looking very happy here.”
Wyatt squatted beside her. Gomez shuffled forward and sniffed Wyatt’s hand and then hers, tail wagging furiously. He didn’t flinch back from either of them as he snuggled in for pats.
Garrett joined their small circle with the three pit bulls that followed him like shadows, and patted the dog.
“We’re guessing Gomez had a few good years with people before that asshole got him.
Now that he knows he’s safe, he responds well to people and other animals. I think he’d be a good fit for you.”
Esme checked with Nina. “You’re not interested in keeping him.”
The teen laughed. “I’m interested in keeping all of them, even the pigs and cows, but I’ve got Animosh here for my very own. Gomez needs his special people, too.”
Wyatt rubbed Esme’s shoulder. “We’d love to give Gomez a home. Do you think he’d be happy at the farm?”
The dog nuzzled Esme’s hand, reminding her to keep patting him.
Kimi laughed. “That’s an excellent sign.”
Wyatt rubbed the dog’s flank and moved his hand slowly over his body. “I know I’m a man, but I’ll never hurt you, Gomez. We’ll ensure no one hurts you again. What do you think? Do you want to try living on our apple farm?”
Gomez licked Wyatt’s hand.
Nina gasped, and Esme looked up to see the girl grinning and blinking back happy tears. “He never does that with men. He likes you.”
The mutt did it again. The pure joy on Wyatt’s face made Esme’s heart shiver. “Looks like we’ve got a dog.”