4

“I love you.”

“Geeze, Bruce, don’t sneak up on me like that.  I did not even hear you come in.  I love you too.  Oh… quick, here feel.”

“My, my… I bet she turns out to be a Tomboy.  How are you feeling my darling?  I hope you have not been pushing it too much.  I was going to get Katherine to help a bit during the move, but she has gone on vacation for a week or ten days.  I will call on a woman who should be able to help a lot.  Can you believe it, she has gone to Colorado?  She says she does not run into pregnant women on the slopes.  I guess I don’t blame her.  She does the baby thing twenty-four-seven when she is not on vacation.  Too bad she is so good at it and loves it so much

“So, tell me.  What have you been doing today?”

“I have been investigating that nurse that died.  I think she may have had a criminal background.  I am not certain, but all indications say she was, a cannibal.  She originally came from Australia.  The research has been kind of grime but interesting just the same.  It does make me wonder if her death was accidental.”

“Sounds horrible.  I did not think we still had cannibals around.  I mean not in our modern world.  Yuki, it gives me the willies.”

“I should not have said anything Baby, I got too many cases involving babies right now.  It gives me strange dreams.  You will have to forgive me if I get a little overprotective.”

“I do not mind a bit.  I met Loverboy today.  What a hoot.  He wears that red baseball cap.  Have you seen him spit?  Twenty feet, I know it was at least twenty feet.  He is a funny creature and so gentle.  He seems to like women more than men.”

“Hence the name, Loverboy.  Did you get a gander at Oscar?  That squirrel that rides on his back?  They make a team.  The pond is wonderful.  I can see lots of fun picnics out there.  I can also see an area just north of the house where we can do the special Olympics and maybe even some campouts with the kids.  They would enjoy the fresh air and some freedom from someone telling them they can’t do something.  I love the idea of the farm and understand why it has so many possibilities.  By the way.  That little mother whose husband stole the baby and got killed came to see me today.  You know she has two down syndrome children at home.  He went off the deep end when he did what he did.  He left her with all that emotional trauma, not to mention the financial ones.’

“Before you go into trying to convince me, yes.  I agree.  I think you need each other.  Bring her and the kids out.  I think there are three cabins on the other side of the pond.  We can move her and her children into one of them so they can have their privacy and independence.  Will that do or do you want me to agree to something else… before dinner?”

“You are so funny.  Come one follow me to the kitchen.”

“If I remember right, that is how I got you in the condition you are in now… I followed you to the kitchen.”

“Yeah, you did.  This time I am dressed and serving pizza.  You stay on your side of the counter, and we will be just fine.”

“Good pizza.  Let’s finish cleaning the kitchen and discuss when we are going to have the first truck pick up a load here and take it to the farm.  I guess the nursery will be the last thing to be moved.  That way whenever you go into labor you will be close to the hospital.  Either that or we can duplicate the nursery at the farm.  Tell me, dear woman, your desire and wishes on the subject.”

I think I will see who we get to help first.  Duplicating the nursery should not be a problem since we had not finished it yet.  We just need to double up on the paint and stuff.  I do know I am tired and need to put my feet up.  Doctor Banks was very insistent on me putting my feet up.”

“Here, Honey, stretch out on this sofa and I will show you why I was known for my magic fingers.  There we go.   I can see from the eyes in the back of your head you are enjoying this.’

‘I love this fabric.  It is so soft.  Almost like stroking air.  That little breeze from the ceiling fan makes it nice.  I just heard something.”

“Where are you guys?”

‘We are in the nursery… who is asking?”

“You want me to come up or wait here?  I am Naomi.  Maybe your husband told you about me.  My husband...”

“Naomi, please, wait there.  We will be right down.  Bruce, help me get my shoes on and then you go on down.  I will be there as soon as I compose myself.”

“Why are you whispering?”

“I don’t know… I guess she just surprised me.  I did not know the back door was open.  Did you?”

“Don’t take too long.  Offer her some coffee or tea.  I’ll be right there.”

“It is so nice to get to chat with you again Naomi.  I want to give you my condolences about your husband and baby.  Please sit down and make yourself comfortable.  Would you care for any refreshments?”

“If you don’t mind.  I would love some lemon water.  I see those lemons over there and I am thirsty.  I guess your wife is like me.  It always made me feel refreshed when I had lemon water.  Even if I have delivered, the feeling lingers.”

“I do not mind a bit.  I can hear you from in here or you can sit at the counters while I prepare it.”

“Hello, my name is Angela.  I have heard so much about you and I am so sorry for all your sadness.  Please, oh, yes.  The lemon-water.  Bruce, can you fix me one too?”

“I know I could have called but I wanted to ask you face to face.  I want to help you with your “Funny Farm”.  I think I need to help you with it.  My finances are such that the insurance will cover a lot but not all.  I have two children at home now.  One that is two and one that is almost three.  Both have down syndrome and are the light of my life.  I wanted to know if there is any way I could live at the farm until I could get on my feet.  I promise to help you with your baby when she comes.”

“Naomi, Bruce, and I were just discussing that.  We think there is a cabin because will fit you and your children.  You could have some independence and still be part of the help we need.  What do you think?”

“Oh, oh, … please forgive me.  I did not expect to start crying.  I thought I was all crying out.  That would be wonderful.  I say yes.  I do have a brother that is in the moving business.  He could have you moved within one day if you just tell him when.  I understand you have a couple of more weeks before you are due.  We could either have you moved or wait until after you deliver.  There would be no charge because my brother will also be moving me and my babies too.”

“I think we can count on all moving on a Saturday, I am not due until the following week so it should be all done by the time the babies come.”

“Babies?  You are having twins?”

“Yes, we are so excited.  Two little girls.”

“How wonderful for you.  You want to check with the doctor before I tell my brother which day?”

“No, it is up to the little girls.  I will let you know after my next exam.  As long as everything is on schedule… we will proceed as if it were.”

“You know, I just thought of something.  Why not let my brother move me now, I mean this week, then you can still move on Saturday.  That way I will be all moved in and my little ones settled in before you get there and when you need us the most. I will be there when getting things ready for you to come home.”

“Naomi what a great idea.  Yes, let me get an extra key made for you.  You need to touch babies with Bruce.  He will give you the keys to your cabin and the house.  I am not sure if there is a lock on the front gate or not.  Have you been out there?”

“Yes, I have.  I fell in love with Loverboy.  So did my little ones.  Oscar is a funny squirrel.  There is also a potbellied pig named Hamstring.  There is enough space in the barn to turn part of it into a classroom.  There are two miniature horses and one miniature donkey.  She wears flowers in her hair.  One thing for sure… we will not have a shortage of things to laugh about.  Right now, that is exactly what I need in my life.”

“We all do, Naomi.  We all do.”

“I gotta get home to my babies but I am so glad I stopped.  I was so afraid to just call.  I wanted to talk face to face.  I think we are on solid ground moving forward.”

“Me too.  Let me see you to the door.”  Angela could see the brave front this little mother was putting up.  She must be incredibly sad inside.  She also knew that in time Naomi would have to discuss it with someone.  Maybe Bruce could get a hold of that therapist that helped him after Judy killed herself.  Maybe the farm and the twins will work their therapy for her.  One thing is for sure.  She and Naomi just became friends for whatever purpose.  She felt she could rely upon this little woman.   How lucky to have a brother in the moving business too.

“Bruce, can you give me a lift out to the farm?  I think I need to make some notes about what is going to go where before we do any packing.”

“You, my dear wife, are not going to do any packing.  You are going to put your feet up and have someone pack for you.  I have a crew coming this afternoon.  You can go to the farm for about two hours then they are picking you up and you are coming back here. You can take a nap, run them off, put them to work at least making boxes or whatever.  You are not going to stress out and go into labor early… you hear me?”

“I just love it when you go all bossy…. If the reason is to protect me.  If you get too bossy, I’ll box your ears.  I know you are trying to do what is best for us and our family.”

“I was just thinking about that.  When do you expect Katherine to get back from her vacation?   I was in hopes she would be around for the delivery.”

“She said she would be gone about ten days so it will be close, but I figure she will be here.  Remember, she trained Salley, Dr. Bank’s nurse.  Both are very good at what they do.  I am sure you will be in good hands when the time comes.  I will be there for sure.  Not that I count at this point.”

“Don’t say that.  You count as my coach, my protector, my other half.  I dare say that without you, Dear Bruce, none of this would even be possible.”

“Now you are just flirting with me.”

“We need to enjoy some of the quiet before the storm.  Three weeks from now there will be anything but quiet here or at the farm.   I think it is time for both of us to get some rest.  I’ll rub your feet if you will do mine.  Come on Dear, we got some smooching to do.”

“When we get up, we will head for the farm.”

“I will set the alarm.”