Mind Games

“Hold on a minute.”

They stopped short of the road and wagged. Then, when Ty got close enough, sniffed at his shoes, his pants legs, and wagged some more.

“Okay, but we don’t know if these two are used to kids, so let’s be careful.”

Bray’s idea of careful was to try to grab all three dogs at once, laugh like a lunatic, and end up on the ground buried in dogs.

“Danger Guy. I’m raising Danger Guy.”

“We run now!” And Bray took off so all three dogs ran after him.

When he squealed, Ty’s heart stopped. Then went into overdrive as Bray shouted, “Cows,” and, shifting directions, went into top speed.

“Braydon, stop! Now!”

The Serious Dad Voice did it, so Bray stopped seconds before the dogs bowled him over again.

“Cows, Daddy!”

“Yeah, I see them.” He saw two cows, two really big cows. Two enormous cows behind a board fence that didn’t look like it would hold them back if they wanted out.

Did two cows equal a stampede? He didn’t want to find out.

“Look, this isn’t our house. We have to talk to Miss Lucy first, okay?”

He heard the slap of a screen door, and looked over to see the lady herself on the back porch.

“Sorry,” Ty began. “He took off before I could knock. He’s got speed.”

“So I see. Y’all finish that batch for me while I introduce this young man to Betty Lou and Rosie.”

“You’re working? I’m sorry again.”

“No sorrys for giving me a break and having my grandchildren finish the work. How about we get some grain, Braydon, and you can give Betty Lou and Rosie a little snack?”

“Okay!”

“Now, unless you’re interested in livestock, you hand over that boy and go on into the house. Get yourself a cold drink.”

“I—”

Bray just reached out for her, made the decision. “Where’s the goat?”

“Oh, we’ll see Greta, too. I’m going to introduce you to all my girls.”

“How come just girls?” Bray asked as Lucy carried him toward a barn.

“Boys don’t give milk or lay eggs.”

“Why?”

“Now, that’s a good question for your daddy later on.”

“Great. Yeah, that’s great,” Ty muttered, and walked to the house.

Clearly, Thea came by her love of gardening—or determination for it—naturally. Flowers and vegetables thrived here, too. And he spotted the goat watching him with its weird eyes from under a lean-to.

She had bottles hanging from branches, like Thea did, and bird feeders, a flower-shaped birdbath.