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"It's called organizing, Clover dear. That huge plastic tub is terribly unsightly and—"
Thankfully, the doorbell interrupts their argument.
"I'll get it," Honey says, clearly eager to get away.
Moments later, Hailey walks in, eyes wide and damp. "They found out where Mari came from."
My heart sinks. Mari is expensive to care for, but I've gotten attached to the sweet, cuddly cow. I'll be sad to see her go. "They want her back."
"They might want her back, but they aren't getting her. She was owned by an animal hoarder. After word got around to the local cops about Mari, they went to the home of a known hoarder who's had animals removed twice in the last ten years. He's at it again and…" she swallows hard. "It's bad, y'all. Really bad. They want us to take the animals until everything's sorted out with the courts, but there are a lot of animals and some of them are in terrible shape."
"Can we really do this?" I ask. "I have no idea how to take care of sick animals."
"That's what we have Jared and Liz on speed dial for." Goldy gets to her feet. "Quit waffling, Dani. You signed up for this and it's time to step up to the plate." She marches over to Hailey. "What do you need from us?"
Goldy's right. I'm in this now and I need to be one hundred percent.
Honey gives me a sad smile as I stand and join Goldy, Honey and Clover right behind me.
"I called in a favor from a local farming couple and they'll meet you at the house with a trailer. They're calling in other farmers to help us out. Animal control is going to transport the cats and dogs to my shelter."
"Where do we need to be?" I ask.
"You need to be at the farm," Hailey says. "I need to be at the shelter making room for more animals."
"Text me directions. I'll ride there with Clover. Goldy and Honey can meet us there."
Hailey makes a few quick swipes on her phone. "You should have them."
I pull out my phone and share the directions with my sisters.
"I'll call Jared," Honey says, already putting her phone to her ear. "Hopefully, he can meet us there and give us some guidance."
"I'll stay here," Goldy says. "I can clean out the barn and make space in a few more stalls."
"It should be warm for another month or so," I say. The big barn is nowhere near finished. Our cousins had to get back to their lives and jobs, and the wait for permits has slowed everything down. Some of our cousins have promised to return on the weekends to keep working on it, but it's been slow going. "Jared says the animals only need shelter if it's cold or the weather is bad."
As though in response, lightning flashes, followed shortly by the boom of thunder.
"Jared and Liz will meet you at the hoarder's farm," Honey says. "I'll stay with Goldy." She'd crossed the room to make her phone call, but walks back over to join us. "We'll see what we can do about freeing up as much shelter as possible."
"If we have to, we can put them in the ballroom," Clover says.
Goldy shrinks back. "Let's try to avoid that. As soon as you have an idea how many animals you'll be bringing back, let us know."
Clover and I pile into her car. If this sanctuary farm is really happening, I'm going to need to invest in a truck and at least one trailer of my own. I feel sick at the thought of how many animals we might bring home.
This farm is really happening.
I wish I could tell Grant.
I wish he was sitting next to me right now, his fingers laced through mine. He'd know the right thing to do.
Nope. I shut those thoughts down because I do not need to be rescued.
I can do this.
The rain starts up as Clover turns out of our driveway and heads toward the mountains. The slap of the windshield wipers is the only sound as the scenery passes.
