‘Come on, then,’ Matt says and we head over to the barn where Lucas is standing on the gate, attentively watching over our mum-to-be.
‘Look who’s come calling,’ I say, as I put down my poinsettia.
‘Hey, Matt.’ Lucas jumps down and Matt grabs him into a bear hug and slaps his back.
‘Merry Christmas, mate,’ Matt says. ‘Having a good one?’
‘Yeah. Watching a sheep in labour. What could be better?’
Matt laughs. ‘Hope this will cheer you up.’ He hands over an envelope and looks at me as he says, ‘I thought we could all go.’
Lucas rips it open and looks at Matt, astonished. ‘You’re kidding me.’
‘Tickets for the Harry Baker tour in the spring.’ Matt looks pleased with his choice of present. ‘You said you wanted to go, so I got three of them.’
‘That’s fantastic.’ Lucas is obviously thrilled and I love how Matt has remembered their conversation about the poet and has done something so kind.
‘Cheers, Matt. That’ll be great.’ Lucas’s face is shining and it makes me think how easy it is to please him. It also makes me sad how little effort Shelby goes to when it comes to understanding his son.
‘How’s Fluffy doing?’
‘I don’t know,’ Lucas admits. ‘It’s all new to me.’ He wrinkles his nose. ‘There’s some kind of goo coming out of her bum. Is that right?’
I look over the gate and am quite worried by what I see.
Chapter Eighty-Five
Climbing into the pen, I examine Fluffy. Lucas’s ‘goo’ is, in fact, the amniotic sac. Looks like Fluffy’s ready to give birth to her first baby. However, she’s straining to deliver the lamb and I think she’s going to need some assistance. ‘It looks like the legs are tucked up and trapped under the lamb. They need to be facing the other way for a smooth delivery. She’ll never get this little one out by herself.’
I turn to look at Lucas, who has gone a pale shade of green. ‘Don’t look at me.’ He holds up a hand. ‘I draw the line at getting acquainted with a sheep’s noo-noo.’
I’ve done this before in the past, with supervision, and it’s a lot harder than it looks. However, it’s a long time since I’ve had any practice in sheep midwifery and I feel nervous as I don’t want to hurt Fluffy.
‘I can do it,’ Matt says.
Lucas and I both look at him with surprise. ‘You can?’
‘Sure. I’ve helped enough cows to calve in the past. It’s got to be easier with a sheep. I can scrub up, if you’ve got some disinfectant.’
He certainly sounds confident and I could definitely do with some help. ‘You’re sure?’
Yet Matt is already taking off his jacket.
‘There’s disinfectant in the shed. Lucas, can you run and get it?’
He shoots off without being asked twice.
Our mayor rolls up his sleeves before climbing into the pen alongside me.
‘You’re all right, girl,’ he coos to Fluffy. ‘The cavalry’s here.’ Expertly, Matt turns the sheep onto her side. ‘You have a little lie down while we sort you out.’
Lucas comes back with a bucket of water, soap, a clean towel and some disinfectant. Matt scrubs his hands and arms.
Then he tends to the sheep, taking a deep breath before he murmurs. ‘Nothing to it.’ He reaches into Fluffy as gently as he can and she bleats with the indignity of it all. ‘I just need to hook the legs forward. Keep still for a second, Mum. Ah, here’s one.’
Lucas and I are watching anxiously, hearts in our mouths.
‘Got the other one too,’ Matt says with a grunt. ‘Here we go.’ He pulls firmly and, next thing, a new lamb slithers into the world in the most ungainly way, landing in a mess of mucous in the straw. Matt clears its airways and rubs the body vigorously.
‘Oh, well done.’ Lucas and I look at each other, both relieved.
‘A perfect delivery,’ he says. ‘Even though I say it myself.’ Matt puts the lamb at Fluffy’s head and the sheep gently starts to lick its new baby. ‘We’ve got us a little girl. That’s a bonny lamb.’
‘She never would have popped it out by herself. You turned up in the nick of time.’ I’m sure I could have done it if, literally, push had come to shove, but how grateful I am for his calm and assured intervention.
‘Glad to be able to help.’ Matt scrubs his arms again and dries them on the towel.
‘What a delightful Christmas gift.’ I look at Fluffy nuzzling her newborn and feel full of pride for her. ‘This will be a nice surprise for Bev and Alan when they turn up to celebrate with us tomorrow.’
‘I can’t wait to show her to Penny, too,’ Lucas says excitedly. ‘What shall we call her?’
‘Joy?’ I suggest. ‘That’s suitably festive.’
‘Yeah,’ Lucas agrees. ‘Joy. It’s a good name.’
‘I think we can leave mum and baby to bond now while we have a celebratory cup of tea.’
‘Tea?’ Lucas says. ‘I’m all for cracking open that bottle of rum that Bev bought for you.’
I laugh. ‘That sounds like a much better idea. Will you join us?’ I say to Matt. ‘If you’ve nothing to rush away for, you can stay over if you’d like. I’m happy to make up a bed on the sofa for you so that you don’t have to drive home.’
I feel shy making the offer, but the roads must be hazardous by now and, after what’s he’s done, I’d really like him to stay around.
‘I might take you up on that. A tot or three of rum sounds like a very good plan.’
‘I’ll take the sofa,’ Lucas offers. ‘Matt can have my bedroom.’
I’m not sure that he’ll want to sleep in a teenage-created bio-hazard, but we can sort that out in good time.
Then I look round. ‘Where’s Anthony?’
Chapter Eighty-Six
In all the drama, it seems our dear anti-social sheep has taken advantage of our distraction and has slipped through the gate to make a break for it.
‘Buggeration,’ I huff. ‘He’s heading across the field at full tilt. How did he even squeeze through the hedge?’
Anthony is a fair old size and the gap in the hedge is quite small. So I thought.
‘Don’t worry,’ Matt says. ‘I’ll get him.’ He grabs his jacket before chasing off after our badly behaved sheep.
Lucas and I head to the stile where we perch and stare at the pair of them, Anthony gambolling in the snow and Matt in hot pursuit.
We both giggle.
‘He has no idea what Anthony’s like, does he?’ Lucas says.
‘I’m afraid not.’
We laugh again.
Lucas gives me a sideways glance. ‘You should definitely get with Matt,’ he says. ‘He’s cool.’
‘You’re giving me dating advice?’
‘Well, it’s clear that you need help with your choice in men,’ he replies.
‘Oh, Lucas.’
‘Trust me. I know these things. He’s a good bloke.’