Home and Family
By Andrew Grey
Mark has worked on Clay and Dell’s farm for a year, and he’s now in charge of the care and feeding of their growing herd of goats. He’s worked hard to provide for himself and build a life of his own. But with the operation continuing to expand, additional help is needed.
Isaac lives in a self-sustaining, simple-life community a few miles up the road. He’s spent his life working and wondering what the outside world might be like. When his father requires him to earn outside money, he asks for a job at Clay and Dell’s farm.
What neither Mark nor Isaac expects is a friendship that quickly grows into something more. But their feelings for each other go against everything that Isaac has been taught, and acting on those feelings will mean leaving the only community he’s ever known.
Together, Isaac and Mark are going to need a great deal of strength to weather the storm that’s sure to head their way.
To Michelle, Aly, and Eric for the use of their goats.
Chapter One
Mark West closed the gate to the secondary goat enclosure with a sigh as his charges concentrated on their food.
“How’s it looking?” his boss and the owner of the farm, Clay, asked as he approached.
“Pretty good,” Mark answered, leaning against the gate. He had started working at the farm while he was in high school. At first his job had been to milk the goats before and after school. Clay and his husband, Dell, kept expanding their goat herd because the cheese they made was in demand. Which meant that over a year, and since graduation, Mark had moved up until he now took care of the goats, kept the herd records, milked them, and was even learning the art of making cheese. It was a lot. But he was nearly twenty and had been doing farm work all his life. “The other day Dell was talking about adding to the herd.”
“Yeah. Most of our girls are pregnant and they’re amazing milkers, so we are going to have quite a bit of growth, and next year, we’re bringing in a top billy for breeding.” Clay had every right to be happy. What had started out as a side venture was turning into a boutique product that was really paying off. A natural food store chain took all they had left after the farmer’s market in town.
“That’s just it. I’m not going to be able to keep up with this for much longer. We’re going to have to add a third pasture area for them, and that means another goat house. We have enough milking capability already, but….”
Clay nodded. “Don’t worry. I know we’re going to need to hire you some help. In a few years, Archie will be old enough to help out on a regular basis, but that’s a while away.”
Mark knew that Clay and Dell had definite ideas about how much work their son, Archie, should be doing on the farm. He had heard stories of how hard Harvey, Clay’s father, used to work him, and it was apparent that Clay didn’t want that for Archie. Still, Archie had chores, and Clay and Dell were insistent that Archie be paid for the work he did. Clay’s dad had always seemed like a pretty nice guy to Mark, but apparently things had changed a lot between the two men in the last couple of years, for the better.
“Okay. Do you want me to keep an eye out?” Mark asked.
“I’m not sure. I’ve had a young man ask me about a possible job a few times. I’ve seen him walking past the farm every now and then, and he’s asked if there was any work he could do.” Clay seemed hesitant, and Mark wondered why. It wasn’t like there were tons of people beating a path to the door to do farm work.
“Does he seem like he’d be up to it?” Mark asked, curious but not wanting to pry.
Clay nodded and pulled off his hat to air out his head in the summer heat. “Oh, yeah.” He glanced north up the road. “I don’t doubt he can. The issue isn’t in his ability to work. It’s….” He wiped his brow and plopped the old cowboy-style hat back on his head. Mark wore one too. They weren’t just for ranch work, especially when it came to shielding the face and neck. “He’s a member of that religious community a few miles north. Not that I have anything against them or anything. But I’ve never heard of any of them trying to get work outside of their community. I’m wondering what’s up. But this kid seems earnest, and he’s asked more than once.”
“Then if you want, hire him. I’ll be glad to train him and work with him. You know that.” Any help was going to make Mark’s life easier and allow the farm to continue to grow.
“I know you will.” Clay looked concerned, and Mark had no idea why. “Have you or your family had any interaction with them?”
“A few times. Some of their members are carpenters, and they did some work for Dad. They showed up and did the job, never talked or chatted with any of us—or each other. They worked, got paid, and went home. They brought their own food and got water from the hose. Mom asked if they wanted lemonade, and they looked at each other and then said no thank you. Those were the only words any of us heard out of them outside of what was absolutely necessary to do their work.” There had been rumors in town of all sorts of things about their community, but Mark didn’t put stock in that kind of stuff. They were people and had the right to live their lives the way they wanted to. It was no one else’s business as far as he was concerned. But people loved to talk.
“It’s mostly the rumors for me too.” Clay pushed away from the fence. “I guess if he comes back, I’ll hire him and see what happens. I need someone willing to work, and he seems eager enough.” He turned and headed toward the house as Archie barreled outside, carrying a baggie.
“Where are you going?” Clay asked as he scooped Archie up into his arms, whirling him around.
“I want to feed the goats.” They used animal crackers as treats for the goats.
“Okay, but be careful.”
“I will,” Archie agreed as Clay set him down. Archie hurried up to the fence as the goats came over to greet him. They knew that Archie meant food and goat cookies. Archie handed out treats, making sure all the goats got some. “Don’t be greedy,” he scolded one of the goats as he passed out the treats.
“Did you and your dad make cheese today?”
Archie nodded vigorously. “I like the cheese.” He’d been the inspiration for a couple of new flavors, including pesto. It seemed that was one of Archie’s new favorite flavors. They’d also developed a variety with bacon in it that was going like hotcakes, because everything was better with bacon.
Archie finished passing out his treats and stayed to watch the goats while Mark got a few bales of hay and put one in each of the areas as extra feed for overnight. Then he checked that all was how it should be before locking everything up and getting ready to leave for the night.
“Mark,” Dell called as he walked to his car. “Clay roasted a turkey. Join us if you’d like,” Dell said, all smiles.
Mark found himself heading inside. He was often asked to stay for dinner, and life here at the farm was better than things were at home with his father. Mark’s mother had passed away about nine months ago, and her loss was keenly felt by the entire family. So much so that his sister, Jeana, didn’t come home any longer, throwing herself into her work in the New York fashion industry. His older brother, Clark, in the Navy was busy seeing the world, and they both apparently figured there was little to come home for.