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“I think just the two,” Tanner says, grabbing an old towel just as the second kid is pushed out, and I need to hang on to the fence of the pen to get a handle on the situation. Garry has been birthing for hours and now we have two baby kids. Both white, looking almost identical, except for a black patch that looks like a collar around one.
“Another girl,” Tanner says, standing to come closer to me. Garry is still panting.
“Is Garry alright?” I ask him, and he looks at me funny.
“You know you need a new name for your goat.” He chuckles.
“Gertrude. Maybe Gertie for short,” I tell him, having already thought about it.
“Well, Gertie is fine. She just needs to finish the birthing process and she should be right as rain,” he says, looking down at her. I step forward tentatively.
“Good girl, Gertie. You did a good job, momma.” I stroke her head. She gives me a little bleat and a soft nudge, and I now know we will become friends after this.
“I can’t believe we had babies!” Standing up and smiling at Tanner, my eyes water.
“Babies are a lot of work, you know.”
“Speaking from experience, I assume? Had baby goats before?” I tease, as we look back down and see Gertie feeding her babies, the whole thing completely happens naturally.
“I had a baby human, and he was hard enough work.” Tanner scoffs, leaning against the wall and taking me with him. His hands settle on my waist as mine rest on his chest. “But it was all worth it.”
“I can imagine,” I say, feeling admiration for him.
“Do you want kids? Baby humans, I mean?” Tanner asks, and his question takes me by surprise.
“I think so. It isn’t something I think a lot about, but I would like to be a mother.” I wait to see if he makes an excuse and leaves. But he doesn’t, so I test the waters a little. “What about you? Ever thought about having another child?” I ask tentatively.
“I have never really thought about it, but I guess if the right woman came along…” he says, our eyes catching intensely as a moment of truth runs between us that has my heart racing. “Besides, if I did it again, it would be a hell of a lot different than thirty-five years ago, that is for sure.” He smiles, which is contagious.
“Tell me about that time.” Tilting my head, my fingers play with the collar of his shirt. He lets out a breath, like the weight of the world rests on his shoulders.
“Some of the hardest years of my life. I had this little person, and I had no idea what the hell I was doing. I was distraught because his mom had up and left. Thank Godfor my parents, because they did so much for Connor and me, especially in those early years,” he says, and my heart feels heavy.
“Was he an easy baby?” I ask, smiling, and Tanner smirks.
“No. Not at all. Never slept. Hardly ate. In the end, I finished high school with him strapped to my body in a carrier because he wouldn’t settle unless he was with me. Once school was done, I stayed home with him, helped out my parents, helped out others around Whispers, and made money that way. I spent time with my father making whiskey because it was a hobby he had for a lot of years. When I took a keen interest, he taught me everything he knew. I ended up doing local college at night, and when Connor went to school, I made whiskey during the day. Batches and batches of whiskey,” he says, chuckling.
“Sounds like you worked pretty hard.” I have no idea how I would cope in a similar situation. His resilience and work ethic make him even more attractive.
“The days were long, but the years were short. Our whiskey became popular around Whispers and the surrounding towns. It grew slowly but strategically and purposefully, and by the time Connor got a bit older, Whiteman’s Whiskey was a fully-fledged company turning a good profit. I had made enough money to send him to the best college, where he made some great contacts there, and they have helped us along the way. The rest is history.”
I smile, loving his story. He has achieved so much. His life already so full, while I feel mine is only just beginning.Our age difference is sizeable, and most of the time, I don’t feel it, but hearing about what he has accomplished, it is noticeable.
“You have done an amazing job, Tanner. With everything. The whiskey. Connor. He looks a lot like you, you know,” I say, leaning closer.
“He has been a good son. But obviously an adult who doesn’t need his old man much these days.” Shaking his head, his hands meet behind my back to embrace me.
“Well, maybe you can now help me with these baby goats. Because we both know I have no idea what I am doing,” I say to him, grinning, before I turn in his hold to look back at them, his hands lowering to my hips. “How did I not know she was a female?” Moaning, I rub my face, and he chuckles. “I am such a bad farmer.”
“You are coming around. Nice to see you in the boots I got you,” he says, as I lean my back against his chest, resting my head on his shoulder, looking up at him.
“They are surprisingly comfortable,” I admit, kicking my leg up and wiggling my foot.
“Speaking of comfortable. We need to shower,” Tanner says, and I look us over. He is right, we are a mess.
“A shower for two?” I smile, raising my eyebrows in question.
“You read my mind, baby girl,” he growls as he cups my cheek and kisses me, leaving me breathless.
