“Let’s go see the chickens and goats.”
“Gochas,” Mila said.
“That’s her word for goats,” Theo told Julian.
“We have a book we read at bedtime with all the animals,” Isla added.
“Gochas it is,” Julian said as he put Theo on his shoulders and Isla picked up Mila to walk toward the barn, with the dogs leading the way.
“Doggy,” Mila said.
“Three doggies.”
“Twee?”
“That’s right.One, two, three.”
“One, two, twee.”
“It’s three, Mila,” Theo said.“I am three.Say three.”
“Twee.”
Theo laughed.“Three.”
“Twee.”
They all laughed at Theo’s dramatic moan.
Julian took them past the barn to visit a wire coop, where they sprinkled feed for the colorful chickens, and then on to play with the goats in the yard.Dogs and goats ran in circles around the kids, who laughed so hard they almost hyperventilated.
When one of the goats knocked Mila over, Isla rushed to pick her up and brush her off.“You’re okay, pumpkin.The gocha was just playing.”
“Play.”
“That’s right.”
Mila pulled loose to resume the game.
“Thank you so much for this,” Isla said to Julian.“It was just what we needed today.”
“I’m so glad.”
“I thought that was you, Julian,” a man said from outside the fence.“To what do we owe the honor?”
“Hey, Miguel.This is Isla and her kids, Theo and Mila.They wanted to see the gochas.”
“Thewhat?”
“That’s one-year-old-speak for goat,” Isla said.“Nice to meet you.”
Miguel’s smile stretched across his sun-weathered face.“You, as well.Your kids are cute.”
“Thank you.”
With a curious expression on his face, Miguel watched Julian chasing the kids and animals.
While Julian wrangled the kids, Isla wandered closer to the fence, hoping Miguel might share his thoughts.
