Tuesday morning arrived with a pale blue sky and a little frost along the fence.
I was standing at the kitchen window when I saw Miriam's truck coming down the road.
Behind it was a small livestock trailer.
I knew what was happening.
The goats were coming.
I put on my coat and walked outside.
Miriam climbed out of her truck with a smile.
"Morning, Joanne."
"Morning. Looks like you've brought the girls."
She laughed.
"They've been waiting long enough."
Her boys opened the trailer carefully.
The first goat stepped down, looked around, and immediately began sniffing the grass.
Then another followed.
Then another.
They were curious little things.
One had a white patch over its forehead.
Another had brown ears and a black nose.
I stood beside the fence and watched them walk into the pasture.
For a moment, I remembered my childhood.
Daddy used to let me follow him around that field.
He taught me which parts stayed wet after rain.
He showed me where the old drainage ditch ran.
He even let me help repair the fence when I was small.
I hadn't thought about those mornings in years.
Now the field was being used again.
Miriam stood beside me.
"Your daddy would probably like seeing this."
I smiled.
"I think he would."
We watched the goats spread out.
They began eating almost immediately.
Miriam's youngest boy checked the gate.
Then he tightened a loose wire near the corner post.
Everything was being done properly.
I was happy.
Then I heard Alden's voice.
"What in the world is going on?"
I turned.
He was standing on the porch in his work clothes.
He had come outside without putting on his jacket.
His eyes were fixed on the pasture.
I walked toward him.
"The goats arrived."
"I can see that."
He looked at Miriam.
"Who said you could bring those animals over here?"
Miriam answered calmly.
"Joanne and I agreed on the rental."
Alden pointed toward the field.
"Those goats don't belong here."
I felt my stomach tighten.
"They're on the pasture under our agreement."
He turned toward me.
"You're still doing this?"
"Yes."
He looked at the animals again.
Then he shook his head.
"You've lost your mind."
I didn't answer.
Miriam quietly returned to her truck.
She wasn't going to argue with him.
I respected her for that.
Alden walked down the porch steps.
He stood near the gate.
One of the goats approached him.
He waved it away with his hand.
"Get back."
The animal moved toward the grass.
Alden looked almost offended.
I had to turn away so he wouldn't see my expression.
He went back inside.
I stayed outside until Miriam finished checking the fence.
Before leaving, she touched my arm.
"Don't let him make you feel bad about this."
"I'll try."
She smiled.
"That's all anybody can do."
When I returned to the kitchen, Alden was sitting at the table.
His coffee was untouched.
He had the old property map spread in front of him.
"Come here."
I put down my coat.
"What is it?"
He pointed toward the pasture.
"I want those goats gone."
I sat across from him.
"Then you'll need to speak with me about the agreement."
He stared at me.
"Don't talk to me like I'm some customer."
"I'm talking to you like another adult."
He pushed the map away.
"You've changed."
I looked at him.
"Maybe I have."
He shook his head.
Then he picked up his phone.
I knew he was going to call Linda.
I didn't stop him.
That afternoon, I went outside and checked the gate myself.
The old hinge had been repaired.
The latch closed properly.
I walked along the fence.
The goats were grazing peacefully.
Nothing had been damaged.
Nothing had been stolen.
It was just a pasture being used for the first time in years.
But inside the farmhouse, Alden behaved as if the animals had invaded his bedroom.
He didn't speak much during supper.
He didn't compliment the food.
He didn't ask about my day.
He only mentioned that he had a lodge meeting later in the week.
I nodded.
After supper, I put the dishes away.
Then I went upstairs.
On the dresser sat an old photograph of Daddy.
I picked it up.
He looked younger than I remembered.
His hands were resting on the fence post.
I ran my thumb across the wooden frame.
For years, I had believed keeping my marriage peaceful meant letting Alden have the final word.
Now I wondered how much of my life I had spent protecting his pride.
I put the photograph back.
Then I went to bed.
Alden was already asleep.
Outside, the goats continued eating the grass.
And the gate stayed closed.
Click here to continue reading: PART 10: When Alden’s Sisters Came to Our Farm, They Expected Me to Apologize, but I Had Something More Important to Show Them
My Pension Disappeared Before Breakfast, and the Woman at the Bank Told Me Something I Never Expected to Hear
Part 9 of 20
