Milk Maid in Heaven Read online

  Since Mitch was still getting used to the differences in the day shift schedule, he was still not familiar with the pumping operation to the tanker trucks. On the night shift, he rarely stayed past noon, when his normal time to leave was five-thirty every morning. Each shift overlapped by thirty minutes. Either way, they each had their own schedules and Mitch was still making the transition.

  “Are you ready for my assistant to show you how to fill out the ordering sheet and the vet sheets?” Dr. Gillman asked. “After that, I can show you how to give the injections.”

  “I suppose I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” Mitch said, settling into an office chair.

  Emily walked out of the office without saying a word to either of them. Mitch didn’t see her the rest of the day and that worried him slightly. He wanted to talk to her about what happened, but she would have no part of any conversation that didn’t pertain to the dairy. He accepted that, knowing it was for his own good that they remain at an arm’s length from one another—at least until he left the confines of the prison system that held him in check.

  ****

  At four forty-five, just as she did every morning, Martha pulled the Green Beast up to the East gate of the prison and the day shift boarded for their trip to the dairy. Mitch had become accustomed to taking the first seat up front by himself; steering clear of the others. He mainly kept to himself, not wanting to get close with any of the other inmates. More importantly, he felt the need for keeping out of trouble and remaining undetectable to the guards. He knew from his first day in prison that having the guards know who you were wasn’t a good thing—you were deemed as a trouble-maker. That was something Mitch determined would never be a part of his life again.

  ****

  The bus was ten minutes early for their shift, which was unusual, given the fact that they were often late. Mitch took advantage of the time, and after putting on his coveralls and grabbing a handful of grain from the barn, went toward the edge of wooded area to look for the small herd of deer he had not seen for over a week. While he waited for them, he sat atop the large rock just outside of the lighted area from the huge, floodlights. It was still dark, but at the edge of the horizon, Mitch detected a small band of gold mixed with indigo, creating a twilight effect. In the stillness of the hour, Mitch could hear the waves crashing on the beach of Lake Superior. On a real windy day, he could see a small portion of the beach between the swaying trees. Sometimes, he even detected the spray off the lake, teasing him with the scent of freedom.

  Martha walked up to Mitch and sat on the other side of the large, flat rock. “The deer are gone, I think.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Mitch said, putting the handful of grain back into his pocket.

  “What’s troubling you, boy?”

  Mitch pulled his feet up on the rock and brought his knees to his chest. He hugged his legs and rested his chin on his knees. “I should be happy that I’m about to get out of prison soon, but I don’t know what I’m going to do once I get out.”

  “I thought Mr. Stuart offered you a permanent position.”

  “He did. He even offered me his guest house to live in, but I’m not sure what I want to do.”

  “Does your sulking have anything to do with that fiery red-head?”

  Mitch didn’t know what to say, so he kept silent. He leaned down, picked up a rock and tossed it across the field.

  “I’ve seen the way the two of you look at each other. I’d say she’s sweet on you.”

  Mitch let his feet dangle off the edge of the rock and kicked at the dirt like a young kid. “Oh, what does it matter? I don’t stand a chance with her. I don’t know who I’m trying to fool.”

  “If she’s the one God has for you, it’ll work out in His timing. Don’t be so glum, you have a lot to offer, and don’t let anyone tell you anything different.” Martha patted him on the shoulder.

  Mitch listened to the waves, craving the gentle spray that drifts off the water when the tide rolls in. He was homesick for Lake Michigan, where he had spent plenty of summers camping on the beach with his buddies. For now, he would settle for listening to the waves from Lake Superior, which bordered the Stuart’s property.

  Martha elbowed Mitch. “We better get back to the barn before someone comes looking for us. And don’t worry, your secret is safe with me, but I will be keeping my eye on you. I’m not going to let you get into any trouble.”

  “Thanks Martha. And don’t worry; I don’t intend to do anything stupid—not with only a few weeks before I walk out of that prison.”

  ****

  Emily was in one of the barns petting Ellie who began bellowing like she was ill. She walked over to the pole to where the phone was and used the intercom to call for Mitch.

  “Mitch Rutherford, please come to building four.”

  Her call repeated, and she sounded desperate.

  Mitch jogged quickly to get to the building from where he was. He ran into the barn, breathless and concerned as to why Emily had called for him, fearing it had something to do with Ethan.

  At the end of the long row of stalls, Emily stood out in the isle when she heard the door, and beckoned Mitch toward her. “Hurry. There’s something wrong with Ellie.”

  Mitch rushed to her side where the bellowing cow was trying to lie down in the stall. “She’s calving.

  And from the sound of her bawling, it’s a breech. Help me get her down.”

  They supported Ellie’s head as she made her way to the straw bedding beneath her.

  “I’m going to the supply room to get some rubber gloves and some instruments we might need. I’ll be right back. You keep rubbing her sides.”

  Emily nodded, fear in her eyes.

  From the supply room, Mitch could hear Emily’s gentle voice trying to soothe the cow. He grabbed the things he needed along with a few wool blankets that hung over the railing.

  When he came upon Emily, she was doing as he had told her and humming quietly into Ellie’s ear, which seemed to be distracting the cow.

  Stunned, Mitch moved to the opposite end of the stall to deliver the calf. Ellie let out a loud bellow and straightened her body, stretching her legs the length of the stall. Just as Mitch suspected, two hoofed feet emerged and the cow stiffened in an attempt to push it from her. Mitch pulled up the long, rubber gloves past his elbows and unwrapped the tools from the sterile cloth in case he might need them.

  “On her next push, I’m going to grab those feet and try to turn the calf. Try to keep her head down for me—and try to keep her calm if you can.”

  Emily looked at him with wide eyes. “What if I can’t? I’ve never done this before.”

  “She may try to get up and trample you in the process. If you want out, just say so.” Mitch held a gloved hand out to her, but she declined.

  “I’ll stay,” she said, uncertainty in her tone.

  Ellie moaned and stretched her back once more, pushing her legs out straight.

  “Ready? On three.” Mitch counted, then, turned the calf the best he could.

  Ellie thrashed about leaving Emily fearful that she would try to get up. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

  Mitch looked at the slippery feet in his hands and then at Emily. “It’s too late to turn back now.”

  Emily held the cow’s strong head and talked nervously in her ear.

  Mitch pulled one more time to reveal a female calf. He wiped the remnants of the amniotic sac from its face with a clean towel. The calf let out a weak moo and Ellie lay still watching as her calf struggled to get to her feet.

  “You did it!” Emily said.

  Mitch smiled at her. “No. We did it. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  He was kidding, but she didn’t need to know that. The content look on her face pleased him, and that’s really all he cared about.

  Mitch took off the gloves and sat down in the hay in an empty stall across from Ellie. Emily sat next to him and the two watched mother and baby for several minutes.<
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  “That was a little scary. I’m used to letting the vet do that stuff.”

  Mitch waved a hand at her. “That was nothing. I’ve done this so many times I feel like I should be a veterinarian myself.”

  “I’ll just call you “Doc” from now on. You’re my hero!” She nudged him and laughed.

  Hero. I can be that for you.

  He nudged her back. “Hey. What do you call a cow that has just given birth?”

  “Are you telling me a joke?”

  He laughed, thinking of the punch line in his head.

  “What do you call a cow that has just given birth?”

  “I don’t know, Mitch. What?”

  “A de-calf-inated cow!”

  They both laughed heartily; something neither of them had done for quite a while.

  Emily’s laughter quieted. “Mitch, I want to thank you for being there for me last week when I was upset about my father. I’ve been avoiding you and I shouldn’t have. You have to know, I did it to protect you from getting into trouble.”

  “I appreciate that. But I hope you don’t think I overstepped my boundaries.”

  Emily turned to Mitch, realizing she was closer to him than she thought. Part of her wanted him to kiss her, but she didn’t dare move for fear that it would ruin the moment. Instead, she stared into his deep, blue eyes that seemed to be inviting her to come closer to him. Emily nodded and Mitch leaned in, lightly touching his forehead to hers. He wanted to kiss her, but he was afraid of possible consequences.

  Unexpectedly, she turned her face upward. Just before their lips touched, the barn door swung open and Mitch jumped up, moving toward Ellie in the other stall.

  Martha entered the barn and spotted Mitch. “Is everything okay in here?”

  Mitch held the instruments in his hands that he had grabbed while she spoke. “I had to deliver a breech.”

  Martha held the door. “How did it go?”

  “Mother and baby are just fine.” Mitch was prepared to walk toward her if she pressed any further. He feared she would discover that Emily was stowed away in the stall across from him.

  “Glad to hear it. I’m taking the night shift back and then I’m going home. It’s been a long night.” She winked at Mitch, then, left the barn.

  Emily stood to her feet. “If I don’t get out of here, I’m going to get you into trouble.”

  “Don’t leave—please. I’d like to talk to you some more.” Mitch reached out a hand to her and this time she took it with confidence.

  FOUR

  INDISPUTABLE MATTERS

  Emily sat on a wicker chair on the sun porch, watching the dust particles floating in the ray of late afternoon sunlight. She reached up and tipped the window shades to soften the lighting in the room. From the other room, she could hear Mrs. Manney trying to get her father to eat. Though her father’s pride and stubbornness didn’t warrant the use of a full-time nurse, his weakened state did. Emily disliked seeing her father struggle, but the burden of caring for him had become too much for her to handle alone. Now, she entertained the thought of hiring a second nurse for overnight.

  The other matter that weighed heavily on Emily’s mind was the fact that she was having a difficult time working so closely with Mitch. Though he was pre-occupied with the instruction from her father, there was increasing tension between them because of their almost-kiss. Every morning at ten o’clock, after exercising Red Thunder, Mitch would come to the house to take his training until noon. It was assumed by all that Mitch had chosen to accept the job that Ethan was offering. If the truth be told, Mitch was still undecided, though his love for Emily tugged at his heart, making him want to stay.

  Emily put her finger in the window shade, pulling it down to get a better look at the birds that gathered in the birdbath on the brick patio. Two or three at a time, they took turns flipping their tails about in the water, splashing around without a care in the world. Emily giggled as one of them fell forward into the bath when the others crowded him. It made her heart feel good to laugh at the birds as they unknowingly entertained her. But she sighed heavily, knowing what awaited her in the other room.

  From the kitchen, she could hear her father struggling with Mrs. Manney. “I can still feed myself.”

  Emily entered the kitchen. “Daddy, why are you giving Mrs. Manney such a hard time?”

  “I’m sorry, Em, I’m just not hungry.” Ethan pushed his bowl aside.

  Emily sat down and pushed the bowl of soup back in front of him. “Eat a little bit, Daddy, you need to keep your strength up.”

  “I don’t see you eating very much lately,” Ethan argued.

  Emily sighed, thinking of Mitch. “That’s because I have a lot on my mind lately. You, on the other hand, need to eat.”

  “It doesn’t matter anymore.”

  “Daddy, please don’t say that.”

  Ethan ran a hand through his thinning, grey hair.

  “It’s time we faced fact, Emily. I’m going to die.”

  “I don’t want to hear that kind of talk anymore.”

  Emily vaulted from her chair, knocking it to the floor.

  “First, my mother dies. Now I’m supposed to go through life without a father, too?”

  Ethan leaned over and pulled the chair from the floor and put it back in place. “I don’t want to leave you, but the doctor said I have no choice in the matter. I’m trying to make my peace about this—I suggest you try to do the same.”

  “How can I make peace with something that makes no sense? It just isn’t fair, Daddy.”

  Emily left the room, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

  ****

  As the sun drenched the span of the horizon, birds began to waken, filling the air with their constant twittering. Emily walked the well-worn path that led to the large sitting rock that she knsew was one of Mitch’s favorite spots. She had plenty of problems to sort through and decided to give the spot a try—maybe she could spend a little time in prayer.

  ****

  Feeling anxious, Mitch hurried through his morning routine so he could take his ride early. When he entered the barn, Red Thunder seemed eager to run. The horse bobbed his head and shifted his feet while Mitch worked to get him saddled. Resting comfortably in the saddle, Mitch clicked his heels and Red Thunder sprinted as though he’d been spooked. With the wind in his hair, temporary freedom awaited Mitch just outside the confines of the corral.

  ****

  Emily walked into the barn looking for Mitch, but he’d taken Red Thunder for his morning ride. Grabbing Daisy’s bridle, Emily worked in haste to prepare her horse for a run. After saddling Daisy and walking her from her stall, Emily mounted the horse and was in pursuit of Mitch. Her heart raced at the thought of catching up to him.

  At the edge of the clearing near the creek, Emily spotted Mitch. Red Thunder dipped his nose in the narrow creek, while Mitch splashed the still-icy water on his face and in his hair. Emily admired him, thinking how handsome and rugged he looked. She dismounted Daisy and walked slowly toward the creek. Mitch spotted her and smiled, causing Emily’s heart to race. Standing to his feet, he motioned her toward him. Mitch took her hand, using it to pull her toward him without saying a word. Burying her face in his neck, she breathed in the crisp, refreshing smell of the creek on his skin. It felt good to be in his arms, but it made her nervous too.

  Emily pulled away suddenly. “Come on. I’ll race you!”

  She mounted her horse, making her run. Emily knew Red Thunder could out-run Daisy, but she enjoyed making a game of it. By the time Mitch caught up to her, Daisy was winded and slowing down.

  Mitch grabbed Emily’s reigns and halted Daisy.

  “What was that back there?”

  “I’m sorry. I’m afraid to get too attached to you—in case you don’t plan on staying.”

  “What are you talking about, Emily?”

  She jumped from the horse, tears filling her eyes.

  “Every time I love someone, they lea
ve me.”

  Did she just say she loved me?

  “Again, what are you talking about?”

  “First my mother dies, and now my father is dying!”

  Mitch grabbed her and held her tight, while she cried forceful sobs. Though he wept quietly, Mitch could feel his heart breaking for both his friend and the woman he loved. He knew that if he didn’t accept the job offer at the dairy, he might lose her forever.

  When Emily’s crying quieted, she pulled back enough from Mitch to notice that he too had been crying. She reached up and wiped a tear from his cheek, then swept her hand across his face and down his neck. She wanted to get lost in his arms, but reality jolted her, causing her to pull away from him again.

  “I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “I didn’t mean to overstep my boundaries.”

  Emily clutched his hand. “It isn’t that. I enjoyed having you hold me and comfort me. I just don’t want to get you into trouble.”

  “Maybe we should go then. Otherwise I might be tempted to hug you again.”

  Emily leaned into him, nuzzling his neck so she could whisper teasingly in his ear. “Thank you—for everything.”

  Mitch held Emily at her waste, assisting her in mounting her horse, then, mounted Red Thunder. The horses walked slowly beside one another.

  “I wish my father would ride with me,” Emily said, sadly.

  Mitch looked thoughtfully at her. “How long has it been since he last rode with you?”

  “Just before my mother died. After that, he rode by himself all the time.”

  “I’m sorry. I know how that feels. My mother used to ride with me, too.”

  Emily looked at him, wide-eyed. “You had horses?”

  “Yes. My horse’s name was Spitfire.” Mitch stared off into space for a moment, reminiscing. “When my mother left, my father sold the horses to pay off his back taxes.”

  “Oh Mitch I’m so sorry.”

  Mitch waved a hand at her. “It’s in the past. Why don’t you tell me about your rides with your mother.”