Page 38 of Salty Pickle

“Caroline said you were about a month out. And a yoga teacher?”

“I have been. Looking forward to being able to do a forward fold without looking like a nutcracker.”

Tom laughs. “Now that’s a picture. Feel free to wander around.”

And I do, putting Matilda on a lead in case she gets startled. I don’t want her taking off in an unfamiliar place.

We have a pleasant walk through the front grounds. It’s filled with trees, and the barn is well kept. The lane down the middle keeps going into a more heavily forested area in the back, but we don’t walk far.

By the time I return, goat yoga is in full swing. I watch from outside the low white fence that marks the yoga yard. About ten women have spread out their mats, and six goats wander among them.

Cute. Caroline approaches from the main house, waving a small box. “I got a delivery for you while you were walking,” she calls.

The phone. Court was quick.

I take it from her. “Thank you. I’ll get you my number as soon as I figure out what it is.”

“New phone?”

“Yes.” I don’t explain further. I like it here, and I don’t want any strange feelings. “I’ll need to milk Matilda. Is there a place for that?”

“Yes, there’s a milking shed attached to the barn. Water. Buckets. Whatever you need.”

“Perfect.”

I leave Matilda in the barn to look over the phone. It’s been years since I had one of my own. It takes some effort to relearn the swipes and pinches to make it work. I find Court’s information and text him I have it.

Within a half hour, I’ve set up a new email account, searched the area for OB/GYNs, and made an appointment with a nurse practitioner since I could get in more quickly. I forward that to Court, who hasn’t responded to my first message, and head out to milk Matilda.

This is the life. I sit with Matilda for a while after we’ve filled three of the Dill with It bottles. Then I store the bottles in my fridge and take a nap.

Court doesn’t get back to me until evening, with two quick responses.

Glad the phone arrived.

Thank you for your appointment information.

I run my finger over the screen. No indication of whether or not he might come. Just acknowledgment.

Even with his salty self, I miss seeing him. It was a strange, intense day in his office.

And now, I just have to wait for the baby to be born.

I have enough food for the weekend, and Matilda and I spend the days easily. I turn her milk into goat cheese and soap with the supplies I packed, but they won’t last long.

Caroline sells her own products locally, and I don’t want to compete with that. I locate the spa owner’s card that Kaliyah gave me and email her to negotiate some sales.

Then I look up Stanley’s Emporium, not sure if Stanley really wanted my goat cheese after meeting me on the subway, or if he was being nice. A woman takes my name and number and says he’ll call me later.

I hesitate with the phone, considering whether I should contact April and Summer now that I can.

Maybe so.

I rummage through the bottom of my knapsack where I hide a few important things. My wallet with my driver’s license, which I’ve kept active even though I haven’t had a car in years. My meager cash. And a couple of sticky notes from the yoga studio with the phone numbers of important people.

This includes April, even though it’s the middle of the night in France.

And Summer, on the new phone her boyfriend gave her right before they left to elope in Vegas.

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