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“She’s right through here.”
I led Anna into the goat enclosure, and she fell to the ground beside Ginger. I moved Gilbert to another pen and came back to sit on the ground with Anna, who was kneeling in the blood. Her white dress had red stains at the bottom, but if that bothered her, she didn’t make it obvious.
“Looks like the kid is breeched,” Anna said.
“She’s having twins,” I told her.
“Ah, well, this just got even more complicated.”
I smoothed Ginger’s fur. “Tell me you can save her and the kids.”
“Yes, I can do this,” Anna said. “The kid looks small enough. I should be able do this.”
Anna pulled on the kid’s legs firmly but gently, and I watched in amazement as the baby goat slipped out from its mother.
“Quick, I need a blanket or something.”
Without thinking, I pulled off my t-shirt and handed it to her. It was the easiest thing I could think of. “Will this do?”
“Yes, thank you,” she said, wrapping the baby in the shirt and standing with the goat. “This is going to look scary, but I promise you, it’s what we need to do.”
She started swinging the kid by its legs, gently, but it was horrifying to watch.
“To remove any amniotic fluid from its lungs. Right now, it’s not breathing.”
Anna gently guided the baby back and forth, and it felt like an eternity. I began fearing for the worst as the second kid was birthed beside me without issue.
“Please, baby,” she whispered. “Please breathe for us.”
I saw the concern in her eyes. Her brow was furrowed, sweat dripped from her forehead. Blood covered her formerly white dress. But all she cared about was the baby goat in her hands.
“Yes!” she cried, kneeling with the kid. “It’s breathing!”
She laid the kid on the ground and we both watched as its chest moved up and down. A soft sound came from the goat as it struggled to stand up.
“We did it!” Anna announced.
“No, you did it. I just watched,” I said, beaming from ear-to-ear. “Will the baby be okay?”
“Looks like it,” Anna said. “And it looks like it’s a little girl.” She checked the other. “And this one is a boy. Congrats, granddad,” she teased.
She laughed, and I laughed with her as the mama tended to her babies. We stood and watched in amazement. I really had no words.
“Anna, I– I’m just so amazed by you.”
“Thanks, Levi,” she said with a sweet smile.
“I–I–” I almost said the words but stopped short. I knew I would regret it. It would make things awkward, but in the moment, I knew.
I loved this woman.
“Yes?” she asked.
“I’m sorry about your dress. Would you like to shower? I’m sure I can drum up some clothes for you to wear home”
“I have some in the car,” she told me. “I grabbed them before I left, didn’t want to take the time to change. Figured it would get messy.”
She was still smiling. Even covered in blood and sweat, she was smiling.
