Tender Mercies (Men of Lancaster Counter Book 2) by Easton Eli

Author:Easton, Eli [Easton, Eli]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2020-08-10T16:00:00+00:00

V. And the Swine Shall Lead Them

Love is such a primal force in our being that it cannot long be smothered, hidden, denied, betrayed, or ignored. To attempt such is like attempting to paint the noon sky black .

Chapter 12

July

On a rainy morning in early July, Samuel fed Fred and Ginger. Instead of leaving them to their grain and sweeping up the aisle as he usually did, he took a moment to go into the stall and stroke their fur as they ate.

He had decided to be a better person. He wanted to be someone Eddie would admire. He didn’t want to be like his father—cold and stern, unseeing or uncaring about what others felt, using animals as a commodity, or even hitting or kicking them when he got frustrated. His sense of shame still fired up whenever he thought of Eddie witnessing him kick Benny. He didn’t want to be that man. He wanted to be kind the way Eddie was kind.

Ginger looked over her shoulder at him with a bovine what’s gotten into you today? look. But she didn’t object to his pets, just went back to her grain.

Benny got jealous and lightly head-butted Samuel’s leg, begging for attention.

Eddie had spent hours taming the pig, getting him to take food from his hand. Now Benny was a little too tame, as far as Samuel was concerned. But Eddie loved Benny. When he spent time at the barn, it was usually with Benedict, sitting on the concrete pad rubbing Benny’s belly as he lay on his side in the sun. Eddie’s face would soften and his normal worry melt away until he was nearly glowing, lit up from within like a lantern.

But Eddie didn’t spend that much time at the barn because he worked so much. So lately Benny had become enamored with Samuel. He followed Samuel around like he was tethered to Samuel’s shoe. A dozen times a day, Samuel would look down and see Benny staring up at him with a look of pure trust and wonder. The pig was totally besotted.

Now he demanded attention as Samuel stroked the cows. So Samuel went over to Benny’s straw nest in the corner and sat down next to it. He let Benny happily sniff his jacket and hands as he pet the pig. Benny’s little rat tail quivered, and he grunted in melodic pleasure. Samuel could swear he wore a beatific piggy smile.

“Yeah, I know. I’m not ignoring you for once. Aren’t you lucky?”

Samuel most definitely did not return Benedict’s devotion. He was just a pig, after all. And not even a real pig that had a purpose. A potbelly pig was a ridiculous creature, not fit for food or milk or wool, nor as convenient pet-wise as a dog or a cat. But that was just Samuel’s opinion, and no one was asking. Least of all Benny, who seemed perfectly happy to be himself and determined to have Samuel’s affection whether he wanted to offer it or not.

“You’re not so bad, I guess.

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