Benji stood on the veranda, right outside the spare room window. He bleated again, focus on us, mouth wide and making a damn racket.
“Goat, Daddy!” Murphy squealed in delight and made a run for it, managing only two small steps before Nick swooped him up.
“Not right now, Murphy.”
But his boy was having none of it as he wriggled and pleaded with his dad.
Hating the sadness of his pleas, I offered, “I have to round him up and put him back in the paddock. It should only take a couple of minutes, so you’re free to help.”
Surprise popped Nick’s eyes wide open when he looked at me.
“Yes. Can we help, Daddy?”
My smile was warm at Murphy’s eagerness.
“Yeah, that’d be great, thanks.” Gratitude filled Nick’s features as he bobbed his head at me.
“Okay,” I directed at Murphy. “No racing towards him, though, else he’ll think you’re playing a game.”
Wide-eyed, the three-year-old looked at me. “He play games?”
I chuckled. “Only chase.”
The boy all but vibrated with energy.
“Perhaps save the games till next time.”
He bounced his agreement, and when I reached his side, he reached out and gripped my hand. Since it was okay the last time, I assumed that it would be again, but I side-eyed Nick just in case. While I had a whole history of issues with the man, there wasn’t a chance I wanted to make the wrong move with his son.
His attention was on his son as Murphy chattered away about the goat, so we continued on, my smile forming quickly at the kid’s enthusiasm.
“Now’s the tricky part,” I said, pausing a few metres from the steps that led to the front of the veranda. “We need to make sure he doesn’t make a run for it.”
Murphy listened intently, his gaze on mine.
“You know how we do that?” I asked.
“No.” He shook his head.
“Benji here has a favourite treat. I think it may be one of yours too.”
“Lollies?” His face split into a grin. Nick’s laughter joined mine.
“Not lollies, but bananas.”
“Narnas like me?”
“Yep. So if you guys want to wait here so Benji doesn’t make a run for it, let me grab the banana, and we’ll see just how much he likes them, okay?”
Once again, Murphy all but vibrated, this time a big head nod joining his bouncing.
I dashed inside and grabbed a banana, and quickly returned to Nick and Murphy. I opened the banana and broke off a small chunk, then showed him how to hold it properly so Benji could take it from him without his fingers being nibbled on.
It took barely any time at all for Benji to follow his nose and discover his favourite treat. Together, we led him back to the paddock, and I checked Bessie.
“Is she pregnant?” Nick’s deep voice startled me, him having kept quiet during our goat herding.
“Yeah. Due any time now.”
