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Mia walks me around and introduces me to all of the horses. She shows me around the stable and then takes me to the other side, where they have chickens and goats. It’s impressive that a 13-year-old girl can have such confidence leading me around a farm. It’s like she belongs here.
“Oh no! Tulip! What’s wrong, sweetie?” Mia kneeled next to what looked like a pile of fur. I couldn’t see what it was. “Manny! Come here, quick!”
“What’s going on?” Manny comes running over.
“Something is wrong with Tulip. Look.”
“Tulip, girl. What’s going on? I thought she was acting weird earlier, but she didn’t seem hurt or anything.” Manny kneeled next to Mia and Tulip. “Well, I’ll be darned. I think she’s having a baby!”
“What?! A baby! A baby goat! This is so exciting!”
“Yeah, but she wasn’t supposed to get pregnant again, not after what happened to her last time. Her last kid nearly killed her. Let me go call your dad.”
“What’s going on?” I ask Mia quietly.
“Tulip is having a baby! We’re going to have a baby goat!”
Oh, Tulip is a goat. That makes more sense.
“Wow. That’s exciting!” I say, but really, I mean terrifying. I’m not sure that I’m ready to watch an animal give birth–but it looks like I may not have a choice.
“Quick! Help me move her over there. She’ll be more comfortable.”
“Um, ok,” I say, trying not to freak out.
“Mia! Mia! Are you ok? Where’s Mia!!!” Travis is screaming as the golf cart speeds over to us.
“I’m right here, Dad! I’m fine. Tulip is having a baby!”
“Tulip is having a baby? She wasn’t supposed to get pregnant this time.”
“Yeah, that’s why I called you,” Manny says as he unloads everything from the golf cart. “I wonder if we should get the vet on standby.”
“Probably. I’ll give her a call right now.”
“Ok, Mia, here, wrap her up in this towel. And let’s give her some of this warm water. We need to keep her hydrated.”
They seem to have it all under control, so I step back and watch. This is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. There’s a lot of yelling and screaming by both Mia and the goat. Moments later, a tiny little thing is delivered. It’s wet and gross looking, but Mia and Travis are captivated—they’re looking at it like it’s a precious gem. I take a few pictures with my phone. I should have asked Ryder for a photographer—or at least taken one of the good cameras to use for the story.
Just when I think things are settling down, there are more screams. Another little ball of goo falls out of the goat! This is the craziest night I’ve had in a while.
“Twins! Dad, it’s twins!” Mia yells, with tears in her eyes.
“I see that.” Travis is kneeling next to Mia and Manny, looking as stunned as I’m feeling.
They get the new little goat family situated for the night, and then we all ride back to the house together. Travis sends Mia upstairs to finish her homework, which Mia is not happy about. “That was a lot of excitement for one night,” I say, trying to act cool.
“Sure was. Don’t expect this level of excitement every night. How about a nightcap?” Travis asks.
“Sure.”
“Have a seat. I’ll be right back.”
I sit in one of the rocking chairs on the porch and look out over the sprawling meadow. It is a beautiful sight. I take a deep breath in, and my nose is filled with the scent of sweet grass, dirt, and freshness. The air has a quality to it that we don’t get in the city. I see what people mean about country air.
“Here you are.” Travis hands me a small glass full of an amber-colored liquid. “Whiskey. I hope you don’t mind. It’s just what we do out here on the ranch.”
“Thanks.”
