Christian sat back in his chair with a satisfied smile. So, she was a troublemaker. Why did that not surprise him?
“Like you have room to talk.” Grandma clicked her tongue. “You and your brothers were always into something.”
Eric shook his head. “I wonder who we got it from. I vividly remember falling into cow poop when I was young, so deep I couldn’t move. And what did Dad do after he finished laughing? Leave.”
“But I came back,” Grandpa interjected.
“Yeah, with Mom. Who asked, ‘Should we pull him out or get another one?’”
Everyone around the table burst into laughter and Christian felt like he’d been transported back to that exact moment in time.
“There was also the time you got sprayed by that skunk.” Grandma’s eyes glistened like she lived to tell the unfortunate tales of her now-grown children.
“Yeah, and tomatoes do not take the smell away,” Eric said pointedly.
Grandpa cleared his throat. “I’ll never forget the day Maiz asked me why the cows give each other piggyback rides.”
Maizie’s cheeks turned pink, and she ducked her head. Christian was new to the farm, but even he knew why cows gave each other “piggyback” rides.
Eric cleared his throat. “You know what was funny? Remember when Maizie chased that doe into the hayshed?”
“Dad, no.” Maizie sank lower in her seat, but Christian sat up straighter in his.
“I’ve never seen a more terrified look in my whole life.” Eric was already laughing, and Maizie looked like a wilted flower, dying of pure embarrassment.
Eric turned to look right at him, getting his full attention. “So I took Maizie with me to shut the gates to the hayshed. Then she saw something run down between the stacks. She took off after it before I could stop her, thinking she was doing a good job by chasing the deer away from the hay. But she must have forgotten that there was only one way in and out of that aisle. Five seconds later, she sprinted out from between the stacks, her eyes wide as saucers, with that doe right on her heels. At the last second, she dove to the ground and it jumped right over the top of her.”
“And my dad just stood there, not even bothering to help.” Maizie interrupted. “You know, I’m still terrified of deer, and I think you’re to blame.”
Eric pulled his daughter closer. “You can blame me for your fears all you want, but then you have to blame me for your successes as well.” He kissed the top of her head, and Christian looked away, his throat tight.
The stories continued, but Christian found himself zoning out. His dad had worked so often that the only time their family had ever been together was for dinner. Christian had missed one too many due to basketball practices, and he regretted those lost moments more than anything.
He caught Maizie’s gaze, and she glared at him.
What was her deal? Didn’t she know what she had here? How lucky she was? He’d trade places with her in a heartbeat to have his dad back.
“Grandpa, what was that story about you hitting the cow again?” Mitchell asked, breaking Christian from his thoughts.
Grandpa pushed away his empty plate and rubbed his rounded belly. “Oh, I was out helping my brother get a cow. But I was young and my only job was to hold open the gate when the cow came. So I decided to climb into the tree and wait while my brother went to fetch her.” Grandpa paused for effect. “Finally, the cow came strutting down the field. She was a mean old bugger, always kicking and thrashing when we’d try to milk her. So I took one look at the rope swing hanging from the branches above me and my decision was made. I’d use the rope to swing down and scare her. That would teach her. So I took hold of the rope and flew through the air with my legs straight out. But she turned, and I hit the broadside of that dang cow. My legs crumpled up beneath me like an accordion and I dropped to the ground with the wind knocked right out of me.”
Tears settled into the wrinkles lining Grandpa’s face, and his breath came short and high. “That thing took one look at me, mooed, and strutted back the same way she’d come. My brother chased her back down, laughing the entire way.” By the time Grandpa finished, Christian’s eyes were watering, from the story or from how Grandpa had told it, he wasn’t sure.
He used to think owning a farm would be dull, and maybe it was most of the time. But the joy everyone shared was one of the most magical things about this place.
“But that still wasn’t as bad as the time Maizie—” Grandpa started, but Maizie cut him off.
“Okay, fun story. Let’s tell one about Jayce now. How about that time he tried to feed a grown cow out of a bottle?” Maizie sat up straighter and tightened her ponytail. She was so uptight.
Good thing he had a whole summer to prove what an enigma he really was.
* * *
“I don’t like your friend,”Maizie said to Jayce after dinner. It had been alongdinner.
“Why?”
“He’s annoying. And cocky.” Maizie narrowed her eyes at the boy, er, well, man in front of her who could obviously hear everything she was saying. “Just look at him.”
