Chapter 2: Country Air
Half-way to the farm, Rick and Michonne chatted away in his grey Land-Rover. For miles ahead, there were no buildings, sky-scrapers, restaurants and shops in sight. Just rolling green pastures on either side of the lone winding road. The conversation flowed easily between them. There was no shortage of topics to talk about. Books, movies, TV shows. They soon discovered that they shared similar tastes in all these areas and more. They spoke of what it was like for them to move to America. They shared how hard it was initially for them to learn the American culture and way of life. Rick expressed that he never forgot his roots and said he was fortunate enough to return every summer and spend time on his uncle's farm. He spoke highly of his Uncle Barry. He said all that he's learned about farming, he learned it from his Uncle Barry.
Michonne learned that Rick worked at a leading car manufacturing company in Detroit, Michigan for two years after receiving his mechanical engineering degree. But, farming was always his first love. When his Uncle passed the farm to him, he jumped at the opportunity to make something of it, and returned to England. That was five years ago and since then, he never once looked back.
Rick didn't notice Michonne looking at him. From the way he smiled as he spoke of his uncle, moving back to England and the farm, she could tell that he was happy.
"It is not uncommon for people to wind up doing something completely different to what they spent years studying. As long as you are happy, that's all that matters.", Michonne said.
"I couldn't agree with you more. Although I was making enough money in Detroit, the hours were long and brutal and I was miserable. Coming here has changed my life for the better.", Rick said.
Michonne's life in Chicago was also a maddening rat race. Right after she graduated from university, she worked for a pharmaceutical company for three years while she studied for her masters degree in Microbiology. As a drug representative, her pay was actually not bad. Now that she was promoted to a junior researcher, her income had doubled. She thought she was in a good place in her life. She was independent, on her way to getting her phD, but, she couldn't help but feel something was missing from her life.
"I can't wait to get a personal tour of your farm.", Michonne said enthusiastically.
"And that you shall get. Here we are.", Rick said and made a right turn. He slowed down his vehicle so that he could punch in his code on the consul to open the electric gates. Above was a sign that read, Grimes Farms.
**ooo0ooo**
"Grimes Farms. Why pleural.", Michonne remarked as Rick drove up a long narrow dirt-track road.
"Egg farm, sheep farm, and, dairy farm. Three in one, as it were. Which one would you like to tour first?", Rick said.
"Three! Whoa. Doesn't all this make your head spin?", Michonne asked. She had never lived on a farm before, but she imagined that it was not a walk in the park.
"I have a great team of people working here. Without them, my head would surely spin.", Rick said with a smile.
Rick drove up the gravel driveway and parked in front of the stables.
"How much of a horse woman are you?", Rick asked and engaged the emergency brake.
"Not bad actually.", Michonne replied confidently. She had taken horse-back riding lessons in her younger days.
On horse-back, Rick gave Michonne a grand tour of his farms. He introduced her to everyone they met along the way.
"Who's the young missus?", Sam asked when he noticed Rick and a pretty young woman head towards the farm house on horses. He'd just missed them while taking a call in the office.
"Her name is Michonne.", said Mary, having been introduced to Michonne moments ago.
"She must be someone special then.", Sam deduced.
"Indeed. He's never brought a lady to the farm before. Not in all my years of knowing him.", Mary said.
Rick and Michonne hopped off their horses before entering the farm house. They left their boots in the mud room and walked straight into the sitting room. The cozy two story house had four spacious bedrooms. The large kitchen opened onto a sunroom that overlooked a large garden with manicured rose bushes of varying varieties. Jasmine, lavender and marigold bloomed in full force. In the background, and expanse hilly green fields had few horses, cows and sheep in the distance.
The large sitting room was bright as a large picture window allowed natural light in. Michonne looked out the window and enjoyed the scenery. The garden was a beautiful sight to behold. Colorful blooms and birds frolicking in a bird bath brought an instant smile to her face. Meanwhile Rick was busy in the kitchen packing a picnic basket.
Then, suddenly, something lightly tapped her on her ankle. She looked down and saw a little black and white cat looking up at her with a, gotcha bitch expression on its face. Rick entered the sitting room.
"I see you've met Conrad."
"Hey Conrad. He just tapped me on my foot. Is he hungry?", Michonne said.
"No. That's his way of scaring people. He does that to me all the time. And without fail, he always gets me.", Rick said and joined them.
"Aww. He's sweet. Can I pet him?", Michonne asked bending down to the ground and sitting in a lotus position.
"You can. He won't bite. He doesn't like when strangers pick him up though.", Rick said and bent down too.
Within seconds of petting and stroking Conrad's belly, he hopped into her lap and curled up. This was an unusual thing for him to do. When Rick saw this, he was surprised.
"He has never sat in other people's lap besides mine before.", Rick remarked.
Michonne smiled down at Conrad and gently massaged the back of his ear.
"Maybe there is some truth in the saying that animals are a good judge of character.", Rick said while he watched his cat close his eyes and purr in Michonne's lap.
He wished he could do the same as his cat. Lie in her lap while she run her fingers through his hair. He found himself smiling at her while he took in her beautiful face looking relaxed and peaceful.
**ooo0ooo**
With the farm house within their sights and the horses eating grass nearby, Rick and Michonne ate on a blanket spread out under a large shady willow tree. The sun shone brilliantly that day. There was not a single cloud in the sky. The rolling pastures were lush and green and in the not too far distance, flocks of sheep could be seen grazing.
"It's really pretty here. I can see why you like this place.", Michonne said chewing on the last of her ham and cheese sandwich.
"As a kid, this was one of my favorite spots. I used to sit with my back against the trunk and read my comic until Uncle Barry came looking for me.", Rick said reminiscing.
"You speak quite fondly of your uncle. Did he have any kids?", Michonne asked while she poured them both some red wine.
"No. He never re-married after his first wife died." , Rick said and took a sip of wine.
"I see. I guess you were like a son to him.", Michonne surmised.
"Yes. And he was like a father to me.", Rick said. He became contemplative after that.
Michonne detected a slight sadness in his voice and quickly changed the topic.
"So, what do you do for fun? Doesn't it get lonely out here?", she asked and sipped some wine.
"The work can be hard and tedious. It leaves you with hardly any time to think. But, when it gets quiet, especially at night, then that's when the loneliness hits you. I'm far away from people my age. All my friends are in the city. So, from time to time, I take a trip, hang with Simon and our mates, have some beer. Other than that, I go kayaking and fishing. How about you? What do you do for fun in Chicago?", Rick asked.
"I bike. Swim at the Y. Occasionally, I go clubbing with friends.", Michonne said.
"Hey. How about this weekend the four of us, you, me, Tamara and Simon take a trip to my cottage?", Rick suggested.
"You have a cottage? Cool! Ok, I'll see what those guys are up to this weekend and get back to you on that.", Michonne said.
"You'll like it. It was one of the things I bought while I was still living in Detroit. And oh, it has a hot tub too. And there is a river that runs behind it.", Rick said.
"Is that where you go fishing?", Michonne asked.
"Yep. We can do that too.", Rick replied.
"I'd love that.", Michonne said.
"Let's start packing up. I want to check things out at the sheep farm before we head back to the city.", Rick said.
Michonne folded up the blanket while Rick packed away the glasses, cutlery, plates and empty containers in the basket. While Michonne went to collect the horses, Rick picked a wild flower from a small bush growing at the base of the tree. He met her half-way as she led the horses to him. She handed the reigns of the bay horse to him and when he took it, his fingers touched her hand and he lightly stroked it. She looked up at him while he stood directly in front of her. Taking the flower, he gently placed it behind her ear then, leaned in for a kiss. Then, there was a buzzing noise. It was Rick's phone vibrating in his jeans pocket. He quickly fished it out and answered it. He'd told his workers from before that they're to call him only when it was absolutely necessary.
"Hey Sam.", Rick said when he answered his cell.
"She's a week early. Did you call Dr. Chang?", Rick continued. Michonne studied his face trying to figure out what could be wrong.
"Good. Thank you Sam. I'll be right there.", Rick said before ending his call and climbed onto his horse.
"What's going on?", Michonne asked and climbed onto her horse.
"My prize sheep is having twins.", Rick said.
**ooo0ooo**
Lying on a bed of dry hay, the sheep bleated and panted. The barn was filled with her cries. Meanwhile, Sam, Rick and Michonne stood watching. Rolled up under Michonne's arm was the picnic blanket. They were waiting on Dr. Chang to arrive. Dr. Chang, the local vet, was quite experienced and was well known in the farming community. He'd just finished help to birth a calf at another farm when he got the call from Sam about Princess, Rick's sheep.
"She looks in a lot of distress. Is there anything that can be done until the vet arrives.", Michonne said. Even though she never grew up on a farm, she had an eye for certain things especially when it came to animals and Rick was beginning to realize this.
"She is experiencing discomfort and pain right now Miss. We can only wait for the vet to arrive. Dr. Chang will be here soon. He said he's on his way.", Sam said.
Michonne stooped down and sat on the hay right next to Princess. Next, she spread out the blanket on her lap then carefully placed the sheep's head on it. She slowly stroked Princess cheeks and head. Then, just like that, the bleating stopped. The panting did not go away but the breathing became less shallow and rapid. The barn became quiet. Looking on, Rick was amazed by this. Michonne seemed to have a special effect on animals. He went over to where she was and kneeled down next to her.
"Oh look at that. I've never seen that before. Keep on doing what you are doing Miss until Dr. Chang comes.", Sam remarked.
Sam worked at the farm for many years and knew Rick from when he was a lad. He'd been a manager for a while while working for the former owner, Rick's uncle. In the five years of taking the farm over, Rick modernized the operations of all three sections and made Sam the senior manager with a pay raise.
"Just one girl reaching out to another. To let her know we understand and that we are here for her. And Sam, it's ok to call me Michonne.", Michonne said. She smiled and looked up at Sam while gently stroking Princess.
"Ok Miss...Michonne.", Sam said and smiled back at her.
Dr. Chang entered the barn and immediately went straight to Princess' side. He quietly inspected her and intently listened to her tummy with his stethoscope. He felt her tummy again and could determine that one of the twins was breeched.
"One of the twins is in breeched position. Normal position is head first. I need someone with small hands to reach in and pull on its legs while I apply some pressure from the outside.", Dr. Chang said.
"Ok Doc. Tell me what to do.", Michonne said and slowly shifted from under Princess's head. Rick inched into position and carefully positioned the sheep's head on his lap.
"Insert you hand in slowly and grab both hind legs.", Dr. Chang instructed.
"Oh...yes. Got 'em. Ready when you are Doc.", Michonne said calmly.
"Now pull...slowly...slowly. Good, I see the legs. Keep pulling but from above the knees.", Dr. Chang said while applying pressure on the sheep's tummy.
Michonne held on and kept pulling until it came all the way out. Sam removed the caul from around its face. It opened its eyes and mouth and breathed. He carried it over to its mother's face and she raised her head up and licked its face. Michonne reached back in and pulled the second one out. The second lamb was bigger then the first one and within seconds, it was holding its head up on its own.
"Doc, the first one, its not holding its head up like the second one. Is something wrong?", Michonne said wiping her hand in a rag.
"Looks like she didn't get as much nutrients as the first one. This sometimes happens with twin lambs, for one to be slightly delayed. With a little bottle feeding, she'll be fine."
"And the mother, will she ok?", Michonne asked.
"Yes. She's tired right now but will be fine.", Dr. Chang reassured and smiled.
The vet introduced himself to Michonne and commended her on a fine job she did delivering the lambs. He asked her if she'd like to work as his assistant when his son goes back to university next month. She thanked him for the offer but declined and told him that she was in the country for just a month. He told her she would make a great vet and that she should consider changing her field. She smiled at him and thanked him.
**ooo0ooo**
Back at the farm house, Michonne helped Rick set up a baby playpen in the sitting room. Next to them was the lamb silently laying down in a cardboard box wrapped up in the picnic blanket.
"Time and time again this playpen has come into good use.", Rick said as he lined it with several layers of newspaper. He rose up from kneeling position and walked over to the kitchen to collect the bottle of milk he was warming up in the microwave.
"I take it you do this a lot. Take care of baby lambs and such.", Michonne said loud enough for him to hear. She spreaded a generous amount of hay in the pen.
"Yep. It's one of the reasons why I love farming.", Rick said. He returned with a baby bottle and placed it on the couch.
He picked up the lamb still wrapped up in the blanket and sat down on the couch and placed her on his lap. Michonne sat on the rug across from him and watched him dab a few drops of warm sheep's milk on his fingers and put it up to the lambs mouth. The lamb responded and licked his fingers. The hard part was over. He then put the rubber teat at her mouth and she accepted it right away and fed from the bottle. Rick held the lamb in his arms and fed her as though he was feeding a baby. Michonne was touched by the tenderness he showed. She was also delighted to see that the lamb was feeding. She drank half of the milk and fell asleep. Rick held her for a while and gently stroked her head.
"Maggie. That's her name.", Michonne said softly.
"Maggie it is.", Rick whispered in agreement and smiled.
He then got up and carefully placed little Maggie in the playpen. Conrad came by to check things out. He climbed into the pen, curled up next to the lamb and went to sleep.
"Does he do this all the time?", Michonne asked amazed to see a cat snuggling with a lamb.
"Oh yeah. He's a pro now. He will keep her company while I drive you home.", Rick said. Then he said, "One last thing before we go." He placed a teddy bear in the pen next to Maggie.
"Aw. A teddy bear. How sweet.", Michonne said.
~oooxx0xxooo~