Page 9 of Your Love (Merrimack Mavericks Hockey #3)

Chapter 9

“Dreams”

Kerri - Age 18, 1988

E ver since I spent that day with Landry, thoughts of him have consumed me. His thoughtful gestures and kind words linger in my mind. When he opened up about his sister’s tragic accident, everything clicked into place. I could see the pain and guilt in his eyes, knowing that he blames himself for not being able to prevent it.

It’s clear to me that Landry’s withdrawn behavior is his way of punishing himself for something entirely out of his control. Just like Paisley, he carries wounds that may never fully heal, and like her, his reluctance to talk more means something.

I’m hoping we can talk more about it today when he and Paisley come over. I made some sweet tea and sandwiches and had a little talk with some of the more ornery animals. I warned them sternly that they need to be nice to Paisley. I think everyone got the hint. Even Cocky is in a good mood today.

By the time they arrive at noon, the tour is all set. We can ride around in Papa’s beat-up old golf cart and visit everyone.

Landry gets out of the truck and then goes over to Paisley’s side to help her out. She’s wearing the most adorable pair of overalls and a handkerchief holding her hair back. She went all out to look the part for today.

I bound down the wooden porch steps, my excitement palpable as I approach them. “Paisley!” I exclaim, beaming at her. “I’m so happy you could make it to meet all of our animals.”

She responds with a timid smile and shifts her gaze downward at her sneakered feet.

“We’ve been waiting for this day, haven’t we?” Landry says, playfully nudging her shoulder.

She looks at her big brother and smiles—a true, warm smile full of adoration and affection. I know that smile. Landry makes me smile like that, too.

“So, I took the liberty of preparing a small picnic for us. Would you like to enjoy it first, or shall we explore the animals?”

Paisley’s gaze shifts between us before she walks over to the golf cart, effortlessly jumping into the backseat. I suppose that settles it, then.

“Let’s begin with the majestic creatures that roam these grounds,” I say with a grand gesture, my voice filled with enthusiasm. I turn to Paisley, her eyes widening as she nods.

“We have a collection of magnificent horses here, each one with its own unique personality. Some are older, while others are still young and full of energy. But there’s one in particular that stands out—our mini horse. He may not be like the others, but he’s the sweetest and gentlest little thing.”

A mild breeze carries the scent of hay and animal musk towards us as we make our way towards the stables. The sound of hooves clicking against the ground echoes through the air, accompanied by distant whinnies and neighs. My smile widens as I watch Paisley’s eyes light up at the sights and sounds.

We stop at the stables, and I jump out of the golf cart to unlock the gate. Landry and Paisley follow suit as we stop by to say hello to Bo and Hope. Nana’s a big “Days of Our Lives” fan.

Landry strides up to the horses, their sleek coats glistening in the sunlight. He reaches out his hand and pets them, seemingly confident, which doesn’t surprise me.

Paisley lingers behind him, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and awe. Landry said she’s never been this close to such large animals before. We respect her hesitation and simply continue our way toward where Hansel is patiently waiting for us. His ears perk up as we approach, his gaze fixed on us expectantly. As I reach into my bag, he knows what’s coming—carrots.

He nudges my hand, his warm breath tickling my skin as he awaits his favorite treat. We take a further step toward Hansel, who stands only a few feet off the ground. He’s tan and white, with a beautiful mane of white hair. He’s a bit on the chubby side, and he has a rather severe underbite, but those things aren’t his fault. He can’t move around very well, which is why when we approach him, he snorts and takes a step backward. Landry and Paisley stop in their tracks, unsure of what’s happening.

I kneel and look into Paisley’s inquisitive eyes. “Don’t worry,” I reassure her. “He may seem a little clumsy, but he’s very friendly.” I gesture to his legs. “You see, he has a condition called locked stifle. It causes his knees to get stuck, so he sometimes has to take a step back in order to reset them.” As if on cue, Hansel takes a few awkward steps before stepping forward again.

We take a step forward, and Hansel takes a step back and then one forward. We take another one, and he gets stuck and has to step back again before going forward. If you were to watch us from the outside, it would look like we are salsa dancing with a mini horse.

Finally, we get close enough to meet in the middle. Hansel is more Paisley’s size and comfort level. I reach out and pet his side, and her hand follows behind my own. She has the most genuine smile on her face, and I can’t help but watch Landry as he looks at her with pride.

“He loves carrots,” I tell her. I grab one from my bag. “Do you want to feed him?”

Paisley nods and watches as I feed him a carrot. She follows, doing the same thing I did, and releases a tiny giggle when he takes the carrot and then rewards her with an enthusiastic neigh. Landry’s eyes widen as he hears the little sounds. We stay with Hansel for a few more minutes before walking to the next fenced area where the goats are.

We have four healthy goats who provide milk, which we also turn into goat cheese. And we have Vincent Van Goat. He’s an adorable mess. He’s missing an ear and often falls over when he gets too excited.

“We need to be quiet as we approach Vincent,” I tell them. “No loud noises or anything that will startle him.”

“Why?” Landry asks, concern etched on his face. “Will he get hurt?”

“No, he won’t, but we don’t want to scare him or make him nervous. If he gets startled, he will stiffen up and topple over. He’ll be stuck on the ground for a few minutes. Some people call them ‘fainting goats,’ although he doesn’t exactly faint.”

“That’s crazy,” Landry says with a chuckle. “I wish I could do that to Taz—make a loud noise and watch him faint. That would be awesome.”

“That would be fun,” I agree. We feed the goats some pellets, and Paisley does a great job holding her hand completely flat so that they can eat it straight from her palm.

She looks at me and traces the outline of her ear. I’m beginning to understand her way of communicating. “His ear is fine, sweetie,” I tell her. “He was only born with one ear, but he can hear fine from the other one. And when he falls over, he bounces right back up without a scratch.”

After visiting the goats, we head over to the pig pen, where they’re lounging in the mud. Landry observes how content they look as they bask in the warm sun, occasionally grunting lazily at each other. “You know,” he says thoughtfully, “they do look happy here.”

“They are,” I reply before turning to Paisley, my eyes scanning her face for any sign of understanding. She meets my gaze with a sad expression. “Did you know pigs are really smart?” I say, hoping to lighten the mood. But her sadness only seems to deepen. I glance over at Landry, and he gives me a knowing look. He knows what she’s thinking.

“Don’t worry, Pais,” Landry says. “These pigs aren’t being killed for food. They live here on the farm like pets.”

“Exactly,” I chime in. “This isn’t a meat farm like some others. These animals live out their lives happily. No need to be sad.”

After spending some time with the pigs, we hop into the golf cart and head to the other side of the farm, closer to the barn. We pass a few milk cows, who are aptly named Janet, Chrissy, and Jack, after the trio of characters from the television show “Three’s Company.”

As we observe the cows munching on their feed, I take the opportunity to explain the milking process to Paisley and a curious Landry. They both lean forward, eyes wide with curiosity, as Landry fires off insightful questions.

We continue our ride along the bumpy dirt road toward the chicken coop and Landry gazes out at the vast expanse of land. “This place is huge,” he comments, turning to me with wide eyes. “How did Earl manage it all by himself for so long?”

I shrug. “He’s had some help here and there, and now that I’m around, I pitch in as much as I can.”

He nods. “What about when you head off to college?”

I sigh, looking out at the fields and pastures. “He’s going to need some help. I won’t be able to do anything from six hours away.” I stop for a moment to let the thought sink in before shaking my head and chasing it away. I stop the golf cart in front of the coup. “We’re here!”

“Is this where he lives?”

“Stop being so dramatic, Landry. It’s not like he has a grudge against you. It’s Taz that he’s made his mortal enemy.”

“When you put it that way, it sounds pretty good,” he chuckles.

I turn to Paisley. “So, this is the chicken coop. Most of the chickens are easygoing. None of them are broody right now. You’ll get to meet Buzzy, Betty Davis Thighs, Eunice, Bertha, Beatrice, Ethel, Winifred, and a few new chicks. I’ve named one of them ‘Lou’. We also have a rooster. He’s a bit strange. His name is Colonel Cocky.”

Paisley screws her face up and tightens her lips, trying not to laugh.

“He’s a bit temperamental,” I say.

“The word you’re looking for is ‘evil.’” Landry corrects me.

“Stop,” I say as I push him, but he doesn’t move. It’s like pushing against a brick wall.

Paisley tiptoes beside me, her small hand gripping mine. Her other hand reaches out to gently stroke Bertha’s feathers. She then moves on to Beatrice. The two animals are at ease with her. She has a lovely, soft touch with the animals.

Then Cocky makes his grand entrance. He struts haughtily out from his spot on the side of the barn in all of his balding glory. Knowing he can be territorial, I approach him first, but he saunters past me with disinterest.

My eyebrows knit together as I observe him walking towards Paisley. Landry stands protectively nearby, his eyes never leaving the situation. Paisley kneels down, and the creature my friends refer to as the “The Devil Dinosaur” confidently struts over to her. Landry and I exchange a knowing glance as we witness their unexpected bond unfold before our eyes.

Cocky lounges at her feet, his calm demeanor radiating relaxation. Without hesitation, she reaches out and runs her hand over his back, and he responds by closing his eyes in contentment.

“Animals have a way of picking up on good energy,” I remark, watching the two interact. “I think he recognizes her kind nature.”

As Landry begins to speak, a sudden sound interrupts us. Amidst the sounds of clucking chickens, a high-pitched giggle escapes from Paisley’s lips. The Colonel is snuggled against her hand and appears to be dozing off. But as Paisley continues to laugh, it becomes clear that it is not a simple chuckle. It is a full-body laughter that starts at her toes and rises until she can no longer contain it.

Landry sprints over and drops to his knees in front of his sister. He pulls her into a tight hug, and I can see her small body shake with laughter against his chest. “Paisley, that laugh is music to my ears,” he says with a grin. She looks up at him with sparkling eyes, beaming with joy.

I watch them through teary eyes, so honored to be able to witness this moment.

Cocky dashes away, happy to be the hero for the day, as Landry and Paisley hug. After a moment, Paisley wriggles out of his hold and runs off to play with the fluffy yellow chicks. Meanwhile, Landry turns towards me with a smile on his face and takes a few quick strides to close the gap between us.

Suddenly, I’m lifted up into the air and spun around in a circle before being placed back onto the ground. I let out a delighted squeal as Landry grins down at me, enjoying my reaction.

“Kerri, did you hear that?” Landry asks excitedly.

“I did!”

“She laughed,” he says in amazement. “She actually laughed.”

“That was more than a laugh,” I reply, jumping up and down in excitement. “She bellowed.”

His mouth hangs open in disbelief as he looks at me. “After all this time,” he stammers. “We finally have a sign that she’s going to speak.” He hugs me tightly, the excitement radiating through his body. His hand brushes against my cheek as he tucks the stray hair behind my ear. His touch sent shivers down my spine.

“You did this,” he whispers.

My mouth goes bone dry. I’m about to argue when he drops his head and places a soft kiss on my lips. It’s only for a fraction of a second, and I know it’s born from his current state of excitement, but I feel that small kiss everywhere—more than any other physical interaction I’ve ever had.

My throat tightens as I struggle to hold back tears. I clear my throat and take a deep breath. Landry notices and removes his hand from my cheek.

“I really mean it, Kerri,” he says. “I’m so grateful for our friendship.” My heart swells with the same sentiment.

“Me, too,” I say with a genuine smile. I hope neither of us does something stupid that can ruin it.