My shirt stuck to my back, soggy with sweat. So glad the workday was almost over. I’d worked hard in New York in the busy shoe store and fighting for any little acting job. But this… every muscle screamed for relief. All I wanted was a shower, a drink, and bed. A sigh forced its way up from my chest and out. There were still some duties to finish before I could get to that.
I couldn’t believe I’d been back on the farm for two weeks. New York seemed far away, like maybe it had never happened. Things I’d gotten used to while living there would bug me now. Loud traffic. Crowds of rude people at every turn. High prices. Competition for acting roles. And then, of course, there was Jerrod. Why hadn’t I known sooner about his affair? Shouldn’t I have seen signs that our relationship wasn’t what it should have been?
Or maybe… I didn’t want to see. Because dealing with it sure was harder than ignoring it.
Nickie, my niece, waved on her way by, and I smiled. Still weird to think of myself as someone’s aunt. Even though my brother had died, at least he’d left a legacy in his daughter. Guess I’d have a chance to get to know her since we were both living in the same house.
“Have to do homework now,” she called over her shoulder.
I shook my head. Homework. High school seemed eons ago. It was hard to believe all I’d been through in just a few years.
No. Compared to what Dad has going on, you haven’t been through much.
Dad, exhausted and appearing especially ragged, had already gone into the house. I’d told him I’d finish up. The expression of gratitude he’d given me was worth staying out for a little bit longer even though I longed to leave too.
As the sun hovered over the hill to the west, the alpacas made their evening noises, talking to each other as they readied their babies for bed. Almost as if giving final instructions. Don’t forget to brush your teeth. I grinned. How would an alpaca hold a toothbrush, anyway?
The babies.
Even I had to admit, they were cute. So fluffy. They resembled adorable stuffed toys. Impossibly huge eyes that seemed never to blink. Always curious. Two of the smallest ones, Ollie and Millie, came trotting toward me, their tiny bodies quivering with delight when I sat down on the ground to be more at their level. Alpacas didn’t always like to be petted but would sometimes let a person they trust scratch them beneath the chin. Dad had told me it was important to make the little ones feel safe. And that doing this at the end of the day helped calm them for sleep.
So, I obliged. I had to say, though, it wasn’t as unpleasant as some of the alpaca jobs I had to perform. At least it wasn’t physically taxing, like cleaning stalls or hauling big buckets of food. Or as smelly.
I sat still and waited. Ollie, braver, came first. He butted his forehead against my palm, making it clear he wanted attention. I scratched his chin. His little front foot scuffed in the dirt, showing his pleasure while his miniscule tail swished side to side. My fingers ached from the day’s chores, but I kept scratching him. My mind kept straying to the house. The cool shower and comfortable bed. Soon…
Millie sidled closer, watching. She always waited her turn. Not Ollie, though. He waited for nothing and no one. Barreled forward. Took no prisoners. Show him attention this instant or else.
I smiled. Couldn’t help it. They were adorable. Even as hardened as I’d been toward the animals since I’d been a kid, this was the one aspect that was difficult to ignore.
I jerked as if startled awake from some weird dream. Wait, what was I doing? Thinking about them in positive terms. Letting them get under my skin. Surely this infatuation would pass. Right? Bonding with them was not going to happen. Was. Not. I’d agreed to help work the farm, care for the alpacas, but that was it. Dad might love them to pieces and fawn over them, but I wouldn’t.
Millie chose that moment to overcome her shyness. She headbutted Ollie away from me, edging toward my hand.
I chuckled. “Well, look at you. Got a little backbone there?”
Millie pulled her head away from my fingertips and stared at me. How unnerving. Like she knew what I’d said. With her big eyes focused right on mine, she seemed to delve into my thoughts.
Stop that!
I didn’t shout it out loud because that might have scared her. But good grief. And she still hadn’t taken her attention off me. So, I continued to sit there. Hands lowered to my lap. Not moving. Barely breathing. What was Millie thinking about as she studied me? I guess I must have been interesting to her. Maybe she couldn’t believe how disheveled I was. Pieces of my hair having escaped from my ponytail. My clothes dirty and damp. My face sweaty.
“And just look at you, Millie. As fresh and fluffy as you were at six a.m. this morning.”
She tilted her head but kept her gaze on me. Slowly, she lowered her eyelids in a blink.
“Ha, I knew you’d have to do that sometime.” I glanced behind me, hoping Dad hadn’t come back out to hear me. He’d think I’d lost it.
No, he’d be pleased as punch I was bonding with his babies.
Bonding? No.
I scooted away, but only a few inches. The fence was pressed into my back. Ollie gave my shoulder a final nudge then trotted off to pester his mom. Millie stayed. With her head lowered, she edged closer. What was she doing?
My breathing slowed as I sat still, moving nothing but my eyes while I watched her. After a few seconds, she shifted again. Now she was so close I could feel her warm breath on my cheek. I wasn’t afraid she’d spit at me. Millie was the gentlest of the herd. I hadn’t seen her do that to anyone. Not even Ollie when he annoyed her.
But something was going on. What did she want?
She let out a tiny sigh and turned her head toward me. Steamy air from her nostrils traced the edge of my ear. I didn’t budge, curious what she’d do next. Soft fur brushed my cheek as Millie pressed her chin against my left shoulder, her chest snuggled to my arm.
I blinked. Did she want… a hug?
With another glance behind me to make sure we were alone, I wrapped my arms around her, unsure how tight I should hold her. Didn’t want to freak her out. If she started bawling, everyone else would too. I’d have an alpaca apocalypse on my hands. And Dad would definitely come back out for that.
Nope. Easy and slow.
Then it hit me. I’m snuggling an alpaca. The nemesis of my childhood. One of my reasons for leaving the farm in the first place. Who would have thought my life would turn out this way? One minute I’m in a sheep costume on a stage in New York, the next, actually hugging a sheep’s little cousin. But what else could I do? If I shoved her away or stood suddenly, she might get upset. I let out a slow breath, trying not to overreact.
The longer Millie stayed, the more I relaxed. It wasn’t so bad, really. Maybe a tiny bit pleasant.
I shook my head. Not bad? Pleasant? What have I done?