Chapter Four The Goat Farm

 Charlene drove down my grandma's winding driveway. My grandma was an eccentric woman with unique tastes. Along the driveway, she had weeping willow trees over grown to create a magical entrance. We pulled up to see a magnificent white house with a wrap around porch, a garden gnome collection, some metal artwork and figures, behind that, a white barn with a fence wrapping around it.

I turned to Charlene, "Thank you so much, Char, can I give you gas money?" She scoffed and glared at me, "No such thing as gas money for me. I'm helping a friend get home. Nothing more, nothing less." She reached over and slapped my leg a little hard, causing me to jump. I wasn't expecting that. I let out a slight laugh and smiled.

"So are you going to introduce me to your grandma and the goats or do I have to do it myself?" I was shocked at that question she asked me. I just met her and she hardly knows anything about me. I shrugged and tilted my head to my right shoulder, "Well, I guess that wouldn't be a problem."

 I heard a big crash come from behind me. Turning my head to look in the direction I heard the crash from, I saw my grandmother with two metal buckets stepping out from behind the barn. Three little goats followed closely behind her, gently biting at her apron. I quickly jumped out of the car and jogged to help my grandmother. "Spuds, get back quit biting grandma," I said waving my arms at the bigger, brown one. I quickly took a bucket from her hand, "I'm sorry I'm late coming home, I bumped my knee on a chair at work and I missed the train," I said without hesitation.

She rested her palm on my cheek, "It's alright, dear, I'm glad you're home safe. That's all that matters," she said smiling while stroking my cheek bone with her thumb. Her soft hands bringing peace to my soul. Reassuring me with her gentle voice. "Are you going to introduce me to your friend over there," she asked me.

"Oh of course," I waved over to Charlene in the car to come over. Charlene walked over to where my grandma and I were standing and gently shook my grandmas hand, "It's nice to meet you ma'am. My name is Charlene." My grandma took her hand, "Call me Grandma Minnie."

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 Some time had past, the sun was down, and the wind had picked up. We were getting the goats into the barn and had finished cleaning up their droppings. My grandma had other farm animals that we had to clean up after as well. Charlene was getting ready to leave, "It was such a pleasure meeting you, Grandma Minnie, I enjoyed helping with the animals. Also if it's not a problem I can come any time you'd like!" My grandma was holding Charlene's hands in hers, smiling she said, "You know where I live. Come any time you would like."

Charlene hurried out to her vehicle when a loud thunder boomed across the sky followed by a heavy rainfall. The headlights shining bright as she reversed out of the driveway, carefully. My grandma hiking up her long apron dress revealing she had mud boots on, she winked at me. "I was prepared for this, I could smell it in the air. That why I cleaned the animals coops." I smiled at my grandma, she always had a way of knowing certain things. Knowing how messy it is to clean up animal droppings after a heavy rainfall, I laughed. "Grandma, you always know the right thing to do," I said.

We rushed inside the house, entering a country chic entrance. Sage green paint covered the walls, bronze accents on doorknobs, original Birch cedar floors and frames. I took my wet, muddy shoes off and set them out on the porch and finally slipped into my slippers before entering the parlor. I snuck around the corner to the stairs and started for my room when my grandma called out to me, "Ail, you are helping me with dinner, correct?" I stopped in my tracks and yelled down, "Yes, grandma, I'm getting changed out of my work clothes first." Proceeding upstairs to my bedroom, I closed the door behind me before slinking down to the floor in exhaustion. What a day. I pulled myself up with the help of my dresser, and began to unbutton my blouse and pulling my skirt down. I was standing there in front of my mirror looking at my pale skin. The closet is where I headed to next where I pulled out my old, night shirt on. I then walked to my dresser pulling out a pair of cotton shorts.

I walked downstairs to the kitchen where I greeted my grandma, "What are we cooking tonight?" My grandma looking at me, I was thinking soup for the rainy night," she said back to me. The air smelled of the cooked onions and peppers she had sautéing on the cast iron skillet. She was at the counter cutting up strips of chicken. "Can you get the cream and broth out please," she said to me before turning to the stove to drop each strip of chicken into the pan. I walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out the carton of cream and the half opened jar of broth. The sizzling of the chicken made my mouth water. I walked over to the stove and watched over her as she flipped each piece of chicken. Watching as the chicken turned from a pink color to a white juicy piece of meat.

For a frail, gentle woman, she is always busy and making the best out of her years. Occasionally she does need help getting upstairs as her knees are weaker. Today she had a good day. Her pain medications seem to be helping when she needs them. "Ail, pour the broth and cream in, we will let this simmer," she said as she reached for the cover to the pan. I did as I was told and poured the contents, she then covered the pan.

After the soup was done, I set the table for the two of us. I pulled my grandmas chair out for her, assisting her into the seat. Slowly she sat down while I prepared bowls with soup. I found some French bread, cutting them into little rounds, I placed them in a bread basket accompanied by the butter dish.

We sat and ate our soup in mostly silence. My grandma interrupting that silence, "How was your first day?"

"It was good," I said, shrugging my left shoulder, "I'm mad at myself for missing my bus, but at least Char was here to give a helping hand tonight before the rain hit." I clinked my spoon against my bowl a few times before speaking again, "My bosses' wife is mean." I blurted those words out in a such a nasty tone. I really don't think she is good for Mr. Warner.

My grandma puzzled, looks at me and said, "Oh, what makes you say that?"

"I don't know, she was rude and dismissive towards me during the paper work process," I quietly stated.

Chewing a piece of bread, she looked at me with concerned eyes," Perhaps she had a bad day."

I shrugged and gave a sigh. Finishing off the last of my soup. Standing up from the table I walked towards the sink and rinsed the inside of the bowl out. "I'm going to take a shower," I said before heading upstairs.

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