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Lily shoveled her last bite of food into her mouth, nodded, and hopped off her chair to run up to him.
I finished my food, stood, and grabbed my backpack that had lunch, snacks, and treats for the animals. “Yes, we’re ready.”
Caleb took his time putting his shoes on, earning an eyeroll from Ezio, and Lily hopping from foot to foot anxiously.
“Come on,” she whined. “We’re going to be late!”
Caleb moved his foot forward slowly. “I feel so heavy! So … heavy.”
She squealed, grabbed his hand, and tried to pull him, grunting with the strain. “Come on! I’m late!”
Caleb slumped forward. “Going to … fall!”
“Papa!” she screeched.
Laughing, he scooped her up, and ran to the SUV. “Hurry up, Ezio! We’re going to be late!”
Lily laughed and looked over Caleb’s shoulder. “Mama! Come on!”
Even after a few months of hearing it, it still made my heart soar and brought tears to my eyes.
“I’m coming!” I called back. After giving Riddick and Triston quick kisses, I hurried out to the SUV and the impatient child vibrating in the car seat.
“Let’s go!” I shouted and shut the door.
Ezio started the SUV and drove us to the werewolf den. He dropped Caleb off at the main house where he would meet with Dan, drove me to the farm, and then took Lily to her first day of school. Originally, I had wanted to go as well, to see her off, but Caleb had talked me out of it.
Walking up to the barn, I was immediately welcomed by the animals with a chorus of calls.
“Ember!” Winnie squealed from her stall.
I hurried over to pet her first and say hello before moving to the next stall. This stall housed an older pig who was eating less. “Hello, friend,” I greeted.
“Weird smell,” the pig muttered.
“Yes, I suppose I do smell weird to you. So, can you tell me why you aren’t eating?”
“Hurts.”
“It hurst to eat?” I asked.
The pig raised its head and looked at me. “You can understand me?”
I nodded.
“Ember’s a friend!” Winnie yelled.
The pig huffed. “That one’s weird.”
I covered my mouth to keep from laughing. “So, when you eat, it hurts?”
The pig snorted. “Yes. Lots of pain.”
“Can I look inside of your mouth? I think you might have a tooth that’s causing it.”
The pig eyed me a moment, but said, “Fine.”
Stepping into the stall, I waited as the old pig slowly opened its mouth. I barely had to even look to see the rotted tooth in the back.
