Wiping sweat from my brow, and cringing at the way it dripped down my back, I spun around to face her and Sam, praying that the Ativan had kicked in.
I gave them both a nod and a friendly smile as Portia came back up to me, grunting as if to say, “Your guests have arrived.”
“Would I be accurate to guess that the fence was wrecked by one devilish donkey?”Danica asked, her hazel-green eyes glittering as she smiled.
“Si,” I said, lifting my T-shirt to wipe my face better.
Did she just suck in a breath?
I shook my head and dropped my shirt.“You eat meat?”
Slowly, she nodded, but her daughter shook her head.
“You want donkey meat for your freezer?”
Her eyes went wide.“Did you kill him?”
Sam’s jaw dropped.
“Sadly, no.I couldn’t catch him.But if I do …”
Sam snorted a laugh.
“School was okay today?”I asked her, directing my question to the young girl.
Her complexion flushed with color, and she glanced down at the ground, not nodding or shaking her head.Danica’s hand rested on her shoulder.“Her bully called her a stupid idiot freak today,” Danica said, anger flashing in her eyes.“And received absolutely no repercussions for it.”
“Who is thisbully?”I asked, anger on behalf of Sam and Danica rising in my belly like a ready to erupt volcano.“Why does he feel he can say these things to you?”
“Because he’s a little asshole prick that, like any psychopath, gets joy from hurting others.He’s the type of person you’re going to see onAmerica’s Most Wantedwhen he’s an adult.The next Jeffery Dahmer or Ted Bundy.”Danica clenched her jaw tight enough to cause a cute little muscle just below her ear to bounce.
Her passion and fierce defense of her daughter only made me like her more.
“And the teacher and headmaster do nothing?”I asked.
“Her teacher tries, but the headmaster, or principal as we call him, doesn’t do anything.He thinks Sam is the problem.”
Sam swallowed, and I could tell she was on the verge of tears.
She needed to be distracted from all the negativity.
“Mouse is still in the barn.I bet she would like it if you went to say hello,” I said.“The others might follow you.They could all use a brushing if you feel comfortable.”
The little girl nodded.
“Remember to always standbesidethem, never behind.Open palm if you’re going to feed them.There are carrots and apples in a bucket on the bench in the barn.If you leave the bucket on the floor, Portia will get them all, and she’s fat enough.”
Hearing her name, Portia lifted her head and grunted at me.
“Oh, I think Miss Portia is the perfect size,” Danica said, bending down to scratch my pig’s rump.“Aren’t you, baby?”
“I’ll be there shortly,” I said to them.“Need to finish up here.”
Mother and daughter nodded, and turned to go, crossing the field with an entourage of animals behind them, and Portia leading the charge out ahead.
I shouldn’t have watched her walk away.I shouldn’t have let my gaze drift down to the back of her jeans where she filled them out perfectly.But I did.
And I felt nothing but guilt about it.
