“Wil, are you ready for a trip to the barn?”
“Yes, madam. If you do not mind, I thought I would look around and see if I could repay your fine hospitality with some work.”
“There is no shortage of work to be done on this farm, Wil.” Netty laughed, unashamed. Slipping into their overcoats, they headed for the barn.
“Sometimes, I think it is time to hire some help. But I don’t think I can afford to do that unless I expand my baking capacity to pay for it. There is only so much you can do with one oven.” Helping each other through the snow, they laughed together as they slipped in their heavy boots. Stopping in the doorway of the barn, Wil raised their lantern. He stared into Netty’s eyes.
“Gosh, you sure are beautiful. The color of your eyes cannot be real. They look like spun gold. How can that be?”
“It sounds like you are still delirious, Mr. Capaccino.” Laughing, Netty put him off. She was not used to compliments and wondered if Wil was being forward. As wonderful as it felt in his company, she had little experience with men. (Her husband certainly did not count.) Anyway, she knew she could not have Wil around for long. It would only invite disaster for Baby.
Showing Wil around the barn, he pointed out many small improvements that could be made. He was thrilled to see Maggie. She did not hesitate to help herself to the sweet hay belonging to the Jerseys. They were completely unconcerned with her presence. After watering and milking the livestock, Wil helped Netty bring in the milk, depositing a large portion in her butter churn. As Netty churned away, she learned more about him; his family, the unfortunate Lexa, and his boyhood town. She felt a bond with his story. His background was much like hers; poor, honest, working class family, a closeness to his mother. He was smarter than her, she could see that. She felt a need in him, a searching or striving for a place he could be happy. A place he could put his feet up; his sanctuary. His ideas for increasing productivity and simplifying her work load impressed her with its simplicity and creativity. The idea tempted her, all right.
Saying goodnight to each other, Netty got ready for bed. As she undressed, she slowly looked critically at herself. She was quite striking with her golden eyes and long gold and brown hair. The changing of her eyes happened so gradually, she just accepted it without much question. Her hands slipped down to her bottom where the growth was becoming elongated and supple. It was easy to hide under her skirts for now. Yes, for now. Would it continue to grow? She no longer feared the growth would kill her. But she did fear the change it might bring to her body. And of course, how did she expose it to anyone. She refused to let anyone observe the freak she might become. That was unthinkable.
Before she snuffed out her candle, she played with Baby on the bed. She liked to tickle his tummy. He did not have the capability to laugh, but he loved to stroke her face with his elongated leathery fingers. He loved tangling his golden crown of antlers in her hair. When it got to be too tangled, she would pick him up by his feet and shake him loose. He could not get enough of it. Quietly, she soothed him down for sleep, murmuring love sounds to him as she drew the warm quilt over them, blowing out the lantern.
The next morning was sunny and warmer. Clearly, the winter was coming to an end. Her orchard would be sprouting leaves. Her tilling and planting would start all over. Bread must bake, pies to make, butter to churn, and winter repair money to earn. Her little herd still needed her attention; immediately.
Wil hovered over the morning fire as she entered the kitchen.
“You look good this morning, Wil. I mean, you look recovered.” Her face flamed with self-consciousness.
“I feel good. How ‘bout I help you turn out the herd? I can check the campsite in the woods and see if anything got left behind.” Wil sounded eager and she needed to start getting some work accomplished.
“All right, we can bring lunch with us. I need to check my fence posts to assess what the snow brought down.”
“Netty, why don’t we bring a few tools with us, I can fix any damage we find?”
“Oh, Wil, I would be so grateful. Repairing the fences takes so much time. I usually do not find the time until the fields are planted. Now, I will not have to worry about the cows wandering.” Netty was secretly relieved that Baby would now have plenty of time to get outside to do his eating.
Netty packed a big lunch for them in a basket, adding large jars of fresh milk. Slipping in an extra generous slice of her rhubarb pie, she was reminded she must get back to her baking. A large order awaited. It must be complete within a few days if she wanted to get the order to town on time. She really did not have any more time to fritter away as she got to know her house guest, pleasant as it was.
Loading up the tools from the barn, Wil tied their burden across Maggie’s saddle blanket. What a relief not to be forced to drag everything to the field. There would be plenty to do once they arrived. Much would be accomplished if they were fresh, and of course, having Wil’s strong shoulders will make the job go twice as fast. They set off for the pasture following the well-worn cow path.
Netty surveyed the pasture as the cows filtered in. She noticed the gate needed some reinforcing, the list now quite pronounced. Scanning down the field, she counted the downed trees. Naturally, many of them landed on her fence, damaging the rails.
“Don’t worry, Netty, I can have some of those saplings trimmed out and that mess cleaned up in no time. I think we will be up here working for most of the day, though.” They set to work. What would have taken Netty days of struggle, took no time at all with Wil’s help. She admired his skill. Everything he touched turned out perfectly. Sure was good to have a professional on the job.
The day wore on, with Netty and Wil only stopping for a very late lunch. While Wil gulped down her rhubarb pie, he commented on an idea he wanted her to consider. His plan should increase her oven space, if she allowed him to knock a hole in the kitchen wall to enlarge the room. He would also require most of the fieldstone from the pile she was accumulating for her boundary markers. It would increase her baking output four fold and she would have much more room in the kitchen for her supplies. Netty loved the sound of his plan, but the ground breaking must wait until the weather warmed up. In the meantime, Wil could help her get the fields ready for planting, maybe clear another field for a new crop. Netty’s thoughts swam with the possibilities. Wil sounded very ambitious. But Baby, what about Baby?
“I don’t know, Wil,” Netty sounded reluctant. “I don’t think I have the room to take on a full time live in hand.”
“Netty, don’t worry, I can bunk in with Maggie and the cows. The worst of the cold is over.” He sounded so hopeful.
“Let me think about it, Wil.”
“Ok, Netty.” Standing, Wil brushed off the crumbs from his meal. “I think I will try to find the bandit’s campsite. Hopefully, some of my things might still be around.” Wil tramped off through the snow, leaving Netty alone with the cows.
###
Wil puzzled over the abrupt change in Netty’s attitude. He would sure love to work here. He found Netty sweet and earnest. Her cooking was fantastic and she was darn easy to look at. He sensed a reluctance to talk about her marriage. She kept mum about her husband. Where was he? She was perfectly clear about the farm being hers, but vague about her actual marriage status. And no children; he thought that was odd since she mentioned she had been married for years. Well, he best mind his own business and hope she decided to take him on as a hand. A woman like her should not be alone this far from town, anyway.
Hoping for the best, he arrived at the bandit’s campsite. Not much remained except the cold ashes of their campfire. Scanning the area, he noticed they dropped his saddle. What a relief to recover his saddle, perfectly molded to Maggie’s broad back. He would have a hard time with her if he lost it. Bareback gets mighty uncomfortable stowing gear and riding long distances. Since they robbed him of all his savings, he had to find work to replace everything. Meeting Netty was fortunate in more than one way. That
is, if he could convince her to take him on. Unfortunately, she does not seem to be the kind of lady that can be talked into things. She has a spine. He sure admired all the hard work expended putting the farm back in order; a monumental task. She sure was some woman.
Wil returned to the cow pasture, observing Netty rounding up the Jerseys. He loaded the tools on Maggie’s back. Running to the gate, he held it open as Netty shooed the herd through. Walking back down the worn cow path, they noticed the temperature drop remarkably. The snow that seemed soft and slushy this morning, now crunched and slipped under their feet. Their breath made gusty little clouds in front of them as they hurried to the barn. The Jerseys, sensing the barn was close, broke into a run, desiring as much as Netty and Wil, to get out of the freezing cold.
As Netty and Wil approached the barn with Maggie, they saw the Jerseys milling and shoving each other out of the way to be the first at the door, their hooves clacking on a thin layer of ice formed from snow melt dripping off the roof. Reaching past Netty to open the barn door, Wil took his eyes off Maggie as he held her reins. Maggie snickered as she got bumped by one of the cows, her hooves flailing on the ice. As Wil opened the barn door, down she went, screaming as she fell, the thud, bone shattering. Wil gasped, his eyes unbelieving, as he stared at the devastating break. He dropped down to the ground, cradling Maggie’s head as tears dropped from his anguished eyes to land on her steaming muzzle. Her eyes flared, wild with pain as Wil tried to calm her. He knew the only solution.
“Netty,” he screamed between sobs. “Get me your rifle.” Netty moved to run but stayed glued to her spot. “Netty,” Wil screamed again. Rising to run for the rifle himself, he turned to the stoop and felt shock course through him as he saw the strange creature from his dreams in all its golden glory. The creature’s tail rose in the air and hovered. From the end of the tail emerged a fleshy bulbous hunk of something. As it wavered in the air, Wil was assailed with the smell of sulfur and the feeling of pressure on his chest.
“What the heck?” Wil screamed. He grabbed Netty and threw her to the ground, covering her with his body.
###
“Wil, get off of me.” Netty squirmed underneath him. Her heart beat frenetically at her breast with the shock of seeing Baby on the stoop. She expressly told him to be inside, well before nightfall.
“Sister, Wil and Maggie needed my help.” The aura in her mind whispered, its whispers swirling. “It is my mandate. I must heal.”
Netty scrambled out from under Wil as he rose to his feet, staring in shock at Maggie. She was on her feet. And as they watched in disbelief, she calmly walked into the barn to join the Jerseys. Quickly turning back to the stoop, Netty quietly watched Wil as she crouched down in a defensive position with Baby tucked protectively in her arms. Before he could say a word, she rose and scampered into the cabin, slamming the door.
###
Wil stood dumbfounded. What just happened? He went to the barn to fill the water trough and examine Maggie. As he brushed her coat, he inspected her leg. Should I question my eyes? Did I make a mistake? No, that’s crazy. He saw her pain with his own eyes. And he heard her screams. Looking into her placid eyes, it was like nothing ever happened. Left with no choice, he knew he must demand an explanation from Netty. He felt pretty sure the blame rested with that unnatural creature on her stoop. The same creature imagined in his dreams. Obviously he must have caught a glimpse it before, probably while in his feverish state.
Wil let himself into the cabin, not seeing Netty. Softly, he knocked at her bedroom door. No answer.
“Netty,” he called softly, “Please let me in. I think we better talk about this.” Slowly, the door cracked open and Netty swept into the room. Her eyes darted around, seeing nothing. She paced frantically around the kitchen until Wil grabbed her by the arms and sat her down. He could feel her trembling though her shawl.
“Netty, what happened? How can this be? Maggie’s leg is healed. It looks like it was never broken. Netty, please talk to me.”
“I’m sorry Wil.” Netty chewed frantically on her lip. “I don’t know what to say.”
“What do you mean, you don’t know what to say,” he shouted. “Why don’t you start with that creature? What is it? Can it hurt you? Where did you get it?”
###
Netty remained silent as Wil stood over her, spouting questions. She could sense his effort to keep his anger in check, but for how long? She knew an explanation about Baby must be proffered but she didn’t know where or how to start. How would he understand? Would he keep my secret?
As Netty’s thoughts whirled, Wil got down on his knees in front of her, taking her in his arms. “Netty, sweetheart, it’s all right, we will work this out. Stop trembling now. We can figure this out together.” Netty, so surprised by his tenderness, started to cry. She might be older than Wil but she felt a kind of strength in him that she only felt from her real papa, Mr. Woods. Between sobs, she told Wil the long story of her marriage betrayal, the isolation and rapes, the stolen gold coin, the discovery of her inheritance and of course, Baby. When she finished, she dried her tears, exhausted. Wil rose, putting the kettle on for tea. Placing a cup in front of her, he sat down with a cup for himself, letting it cool. Netty did not look up for fear of seeing condemnation in his eyes. No one said a word.
From the bedroom came a sound. They both looked to the bedroom door as it slowly opened. Out came Baby, shuffling and wobbling across the rug till he stood on front of Netty. He clambered up her skirt, taking his place on her lap. She softly stroked his golden fur as Wil stared.
###
“Is this creature your pet, Netty?” Wil’s voice remained low, his tone soft and respectful, yet laced with incredulity. He suddenly felt a pressure in his head and saw pinpricks of rainbow lights, an aura in the back of his head making him dizzy.
“I am Brother,” came a soft whisper. Wil looked directly at Baby in shock. Netty left out this piece of information, just too unbelievable. “I am Elder now. Sister will be Elder soon,” the whisper continued.
“He thinks you are his sister? That is him talking to me, isn’t it? Can you hear him talking to me?” Netty cast her eyes down on Baby.
“He talks to me when he wants. I don’t hear what he says to you unless he wants me to. But Wil, what are you going to do?”
“Do about what, Netty? Oh, you mean Baby? Well, you clearly love him, he appears to be harmless, I think, that is. Oh, gosh, Netty, I don’t know, there is nothing I can do anyway. What could I do? He saved Maggie. He did good things for you. I would never do anything that would hurt you.” Jumping to her feet with Baby in her arms, she ran to Wil. She crushed him in an embrace, forcing Wil to circle his arms around them both.
“Oh, thank you, thank you, Wil. You can stay now! I was so worried about you accidentally discovering Baby and not understanding, that I thought I must send you away, even though my heart rebelled. Please, you will stay now, won’t you? I know you will be a huge asset to the farm.”
“Just an asset to the farm, Netty?” Wil’s eyes and mouth smiled at her, a question hanging in the air, unanswered. Netty lowered her lips to give him her answer.
Chapter 5
Baby lay curled on the rug in front of the fireplace. He watched as Sister and Brother ate dinner together. He could feel emotion in the air. What a strange day. Sister’s agitation became pronounced during the last few days. As soon as he discovered the source—Brother—he decided to reveal himself. Baby did not care for disrupted harmony. He sensed goodness in Brother, just as he had in Sister. He could not afford to have the disharmony around Sister. She was changing. She would soon be an Elder, with all the responsibility that it entailed. She needed his guidance, for it would change her life for good. Baby’s contentment with Sister gave him a purpose. His mission faded with his lost memory. He no longer expected the expiration that should have accompanied the Emergence of his offspring. Clearly, immortality was with him.
###
Netty,
Baby and Wil all adjusted nicely to each other’s company. Wil slept out on the straw bed in the kitchen. He and Netty discussed the possibility of adding a small addition to the cabin as they built the new pie oven. It seemed a fine idea. Wil rigged Maggie and the horse that pulled Netty’s vegetable wagon to a plough to make their work so much easier. The plough turned over existing vegetation leaving a furrow to plant in. Better yet, it created two furrows at a time. Netty trailed behind to plop in the new seed and Baby smoothed over the new soil. They were very efficient. The orchard needed little work, except for removing the old canes from her raspberry and blackberry bushes. Wil had taken over responsibility for the Jerseys. He did all of the milking, which freed Netty up to keep ahead of her baking orders. In his spare time, Wil found numerous repairs that would keep him busy for the next few years.
Wil and Netty would sip tea and laugh, telling each other stories from their childhood, well into the night after Netty’s delicious dinners. Baby watched carefully from his spot on the rug. When they realized it was time for bed, Netty would call Baby to her, bend down to pick him up and give Wil a chaste kiss goodnight.
###
Wil wondered about Netty’s reluctance to take the relationship any further. He compassionately chalked it up to her turbulent time with her husband. He was a patient man. They had their whole lives ahead of them. And he was nothing, if not a gentleman. After all, he was raised by a God-fearing Catholic Irish mama that expected nothing less of him.
###
Netty and Baby lay down on the bed. Netty had yet to get undressed. She dreaded being reminded of her changes. She clearly was growing a tail. It looked just like Baby’s tail. Did that mean I can cure things like Baby can? She did not know how to even try. Did Baby know I would change like this? She had tried to ask him, but he remained silent. Baby did not talk much.
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