Page 41 of Outside Looking In

“I am here on a mission. I am here to find out about my mum and who she was and to get to know my new family, even if they don’t know we’re family. I am not here to have sex with anyone. Especially Liam. Even if I want to.” Nathan squatted beside her. “This conversation is confidential, correct? I understand there’s a conflict of interest since you depend on Liam for food, water, and shelter.”

Nathan got up. He had to pace. He hadn’t felt this way in a long time, not since his last boyfriend Eamonn. And that relationship imploded thanks to Nathan.

“Am I crazy for liking him? If he found out the truth about me and what I’m doing here, none of them would ever talk to me again. I have to resist until I figure out how to best tell them.” He kicked pieces of hay aside. “He’s probably not interested in me. I’m a liar and a bad influence.”

Tilly emitted a loud bleat.

“Thanks, Tilly. I’m glad you like me.”

She emitted another louder, and longer, bleat that echoed in the barn. Nathan wanted to cover his ears. Tilly wiggled in the hay and kept making noises.

“Till?”

She wouldn’t stop. Nathan got on his knees and looked into her crotched area. He hadn’t observed many vaginas up close, but he knew right away what he was looking at.

“Fuck.”

Liam

It was time. He blinked awake as soon as he heard Tilly’s familiar bleats of labor. There was no turning back. Lambing season had arrived. He put on his clothes and raced to the barn with a bucket of water.

Nathan had beat him to it. He knelt beside Tilly and cleared away the area beside her for delivery.

“Liam!” He stood up, all business. “She’s past the first phase of labor. She discharged the amniotic fluid a few minutes ago.”

“How do you know about that?” He pulled a box of plastic gloves from his bag.

“I read about it online.” Nathan held up his phone. “I think she’s about ready to blow. You know what I mean.”

The guy had done better than Liam expected. He knelt beside Tilly and checked out how dilated she was. Nathan was right. She was ready to deliver. Liam prepped the area, while Tilly wailed away.

“Do they make epidurals for sheep?” Nathan asked. He had rolled up his sleeves and put on a pair of gloves.

“No.”

“So what do we do?”

“We supervise,” Liam said.

“So we’re just going to watch HOLY BLOODY FUCK!” Nathan stumbled back. Tilly’s first lamb breached the surface still encased in the amniotic sac. “I feel like Sigourney Weaver inAlien!”

“Okay Tilly. I need one more good push from you,” Liam told her. He liked to think she sort of understand that and appreciated the encouragement. It wasn’t as if any of the rams who impregnated these ewes were helping. They hung out in a separate shed.

The lamb broke free of its amniotic confines, causing Nathan to jolt back again. It amazed Liam how in an hour or two, the lamb would be walking around, while it took humans years.

“It’s beautiful,” Liam said.

“It’s a bit graphic.”

“If you’re going to vomit, please do it outside.”

Nathan held his hand over his mouth. “I think I’m going to be all right.”

“Great. Because we got one more coming.”

“Twins?”

“Her breed can birth up to three lambs per litter.”