"You're not asking, I'm volunteering." Bonnie stood. "I've wanted to learn more about the sheep anyway. This sounds like a great opportunity."
Jace and Noel exchanged a look Bonnie couldn't quite decipher before Jace offered her a smile. "If you're sure."
Bonnie grinned. “Absolutely. I'll go home, get a few things together, and be ready to go. What time should I meet you here?"
Jace glanced at his watch, gave her a time, and Bonnie left. She jogged around the house, ate something quick, changed clothes, and packed a few snacks and a couple bottles of water in her bag before going back to the main house. Jace was already waiting for her out on the swing. He stood when she came into view.
"You ready?"
"I think so."
"This way, then." Jace led the way to his truck where he opened the passenger door for her. "The ewe we're going to be keeping an eye on tonight was one of Grandpa's favorites. She has twins as often as not, and this pregnancy is no exception." He closed the door and went around to the driver's side. "She's experienced, and she knows what to do, but I'm afraid the first lamb’s positioning is off. We're going to watch her closely, and if she shows any signs of distress, I'll manually turn the lamb and help guide it out."
Bonnie had only seen births on television but had always found it fascinating. "You know how to do that?"
"I helped Grandpa more than once, but it's been a while."
"Are you nervous?" Bonnie would be. She was a little now just going in to help.
He gave her a crooked smile as he started the truck. "Yep. Not going to lie, I wish Cabe were here."
The raw honesty in his eyes had Bonnie’s heart sighing. The guy had no idea how appealing he was. That quality drew her in more.
They arrived at the barn and hurried inside. Bonnie instantly sympathized with the ewe as she watched the animal pace back and forth in a stall, her sides bulging, and her sweet eyes relaying her discomfort.
"You poor thing," Bonnie crooned as Jace climbed into the stall and felt along her sides.Bonnie wanted to go into the stall as well, but wasn’t sure she would be welcome. She didn’t want to crowd the poor thing. “What’s her name?”
Jace gave the ewe a satisfied pat on the rump and backed up to the railing near Bonnie. “Molly. She’s one of the calmest sheep I’ve ever met.”
Poor Molly laid down on the ground as contractions began. She let her head rest on her front legs and let out little grunts. “How long does this process take?”
“It completely depends, but once the lamb’s hooves emerge, it’s usually an hour or less until birth.” He tipped his head toward the animal. “But Molly here is quite experienced, and usually doesn’t have as long of a labor as she’s having. I’m going to get a few supplies so we’re prepared.” He returned momentarily with a couple of wooden stools that he set just inside the stall. “Here, you can sit in there to wait and watch.”
“Are you sure I won’t be bothering her?” The last thing Bonnie wanted to do was stress the poor mama-to-be out.
“I’m sure.” He opened the small gate and let her in. “I’ll be right back.”
Bonnie claimed one of the stools and kept an eye on Molly, half expecting the sheep to object to her presence. Instead, the poor thing struggled to her feet where she took several steps and turned, almost as if she were pacing. A few minutes later, she paused and grunted multiple times, her sides heaving with each one.
When Jace returned, Bonnie released a silent sigh of relief. “The poor thing looks miserable.” She watched as he arranged several things on the ground near the stools, including some thin rope and blankets. He left again. This time, it only took a few minutes to return. He set down a pail of water.
Jace nodded, his eyes sympathetic as he watched Molly. “Yes, she does. But at least things are finally starting to happen.” He pointed at Molly’s tail. “There we go. Those are the lamb’s front hooves.”
Bonnie leaned forward to catch a glimpse. The moment she saw the tiny hooves making their entrance, her heart soared. She couldn’t wait to see what one of the little lambs looked like.
Molly stumbled to her feet and paced, grunting with the effort. When contractions started again, she laid back down.
“I remember the first time Grandpa took me with him to observe a birth,” Jace said, his voice wistful. “I was probably seven or eight. I didn’t do much—just sat and watched. But there’s something about the miracle of life that amazes me every time.” His voice caught.
Bonnie turned her head to look at him. She swallowed back the sadness when she saw the depth of emotion in his eyes. Of course, it would be hard for him to do this for the first time without his grandpa. “I’m sorry, Jace. I shouldn’t have come out here. If you’d rather I go back to the house, please let me know.”
He blinked at her for a moment and smiled. “No, I’m glad you’re here. I’m sometimes surprised at what makes me miss Grandpa. I’m a little sad now, but I hope every time I come out here during a lambing, it reminds me of him.”
“It’s good you have that, Jace.”
They watched Molly for some time, and Jace explained how the birthing process would go. But unlike his explanation, the hooves never descended past a certain point. When Molly’s head rolled to the side and her sounds of effort intensified, Jace stood.
“We should be seeing the lamb’s nose by now. It should be lying over its knees. If the head is back, it’s no wonder the poor girl is having trouble.” He rolled his sleeves up and began to wash his hands in the pail of water, using a bottle of soap in the process. “I’m going to check the presentation. If we’re right, Molly’s going to need some help.”
