Petunia and Thistle were back at my feet, snuffling at my boots and looking up at me expectantly. Darling hovered behind them.
“Go ahead and give them one,” I said.
Patricia held out her hand and both goats sniffed at it, suspicious but still governed by their bellies. Thistle gulped first and wagged her tail.
“Wagging is good, right?” I asked.
“Very good!” Patricia grinned. “My compliments to the chef.”
Petunia bumped her way closer and took the treat in her lips, rolling it around a few times before actually eating it. Darling seemed to realize that something exciting was going down inflavor town and she high-stepped in front of her friends to consider what Patricia was offering.
“Here we go,” I said in a low voice. “Does the Queen approve?”
If a goat could look judgy, Darling was excelling at it, extending her long neck to sniff at the treat, wearing a frown. She twisted her head, then finally deemed it worthy.
“And so it begins,” I said with a grin. “The real work of training. I want you to give them yummy stuff a couple of times a day until they sprint to you when you walk in. Then the next time I come we’ll work on targeting.”
Patricia was beaming at the trio, offering them oatmeal nuggets one by one as they clamored closer to her. “This probably doesn’t seem like a big deal to you, but it means the world to me.”
“Oh no, I think it’s a huge deal. But we’re not done, because I have a feeling if we start walking or moving they’re going to scatter.”
“Should we test that theory?”
I shook my head. “Nope. No reason to stress them out. We’ll keep things calm until we’re sure they can handle little tests. That means when you want to walk around the pen you need to toss food and get them to move away from you before you do. Make sense?”
“Got it,” she replied with a nod. “Now that we’re done, can you come in and warm up with a quick cup of coffee? Your cheeks are all red, you must be chilly.”
I’d worn my black wool cap with the rainbow pom-pom and a bunch of layers, but standing still in the cold morning air had sent a chill straight through the down of my parka. I considered the scenario before answering her. It was Saturday, a few hoursbefore my first class of the day and an unlikely time for an Andrew drop-in.
“Sure, I’ll have a cup. That would be great, thanks.”
Patricia raised an eyebrow at me. “Toss and go?” She gestured with a handful of treats.
“You got it, toss and go.”
We made it out of the pen with minimal goat scatter and headed for the house.
“I can’t believe next week is Thanksgiving,” Patricia said as she climbed the porch steps. “Are you ready for it?”
“Yeah, I am.” It was an honest answer. We’d all get caught up in the traditions of the day, both new and old, and wind up too busy to think.
She held the door open for me and welcomed me into the cozy yellow kitchen, which was warmed by the woodstove in the corner. The table had a stack of newspapers still spread out in front of what I assumed was Gerard’s chair, and a novel with glasses on top of it at the spot across from it. I envisioned quiet mornings of the two of them reading and tried to figure out how Andrew fit into the picture.
“Leave your coat and hat on the chair by the stove, they’ll be nice and toasty when you have to go. Now sit,” Patricia ordered, pointing at the table. “Cream and sugar?”
I nodded. “Please.”
Murray met us in the kitchen with a few hops and wags, followed by Gerard in a barn jacket and an orange knit cap. He clasped his hands at his waist and raised an eyebrow at me. “Well? Success, I presume? You’re both smiling.”
“Oh, I always smile when Chelsea’s around. Hard not to,”Patricia answered, placing a white faux bois creamer and sugar bowl on the table. “Will you join us, dear?”
Gerard leaned down to pet Murray and shook his head. “No, I’m heading out to trim the branches along the driveway.”
Patricia tutted as she poured the coffee. “The man can’t sit still.”
“What?” He spread his hands in frustration. “It needs to be done. And Andrew is coming to help.”
I froze as air-raid sirens went off in my brain. We’d managed to avoid each other for weeks and I wasn’t about to get caught on his home turf looking chummy with his parents.
