The Milch Bride by J. R. Biery

Author:J. R. Biery [Biery, J. R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781497497429
Amazon: 1497497426
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 2014-04-08T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Jackson walked toward the house. “Hattie?”

She looked over her shoulder, rapidly buttoning her blouse. She felt guilty, dozing in the sun just like the contented baby.

As he walked onto the porch, he had to smile at the sleepy eyed couple. Hattie stretched and extended the baby to place in the cradle. Jackson noticed with satisfaction that the baby had out-grown it, his head nearly touching the top, his little feet near the bottom. The air was hot, the day becoming steamy. He felt sweaty and sticky from the work with the cattle. He noticed Hattie had left the boy naked, except for his diaper; a little circle of damp sweat lay underneath his chin. He knew Rubye would have scolded her, but the baby looked comfortable. Hattie spread out one of the thin diapers over the cradle to screen the sleeping baby

James stepped out onto the porch and handed both of them glasses of cool water. Jackson swallowed his in two gulps, Hattie sipped hers slowly. Jackson nodded toward the two young hands who had stayed behind to help Boyd build a chicken coup. They were taking turns dunking themselves with gourds of water from the well.

“All set?” Jackson set his empty glass on the rail.

“Yeah, everything cleared and put away. Reckon I got three or four hours before they need fed again.”

They walked out into the yard and watched the chickens scratching through the garden where Hattie had pulled the tired beans, gobbling any worms or insects that had been exposed.

“Where did you two have in mind?” Jackson asked.

Hattie raised her head, letting the hot summer breeze dry her throat. She wished it wasn’t deemed necessary to keep her whole body covered in this hot weather. She felt damp under the arms, under her heavy, full breasts, and in a line down her back. It would be so wonderful to be J.D., innocently open to the air.

James scratched his chin, rubbed a hand across his thinning hair. “Miss, where do you figure is best?”

Hattie sighed and looked around. The well, garden and clothesline took up a good part of the yard on this side of the house. Downhill, the path narrowed toward the privies. The barn and corrals were within a brisk walk from the house, but on this warm day, she was glad the familiar barn odors were blowing away from the house. A chicken coop would add to the odors.

She considered the options, and then pointed to the barn. “I think leaning against the back side of the barn. You can put up a double ledge for nesting boxes – keep them out of reach of possums and coyotes so they can sleep. Save on materials since you’ll just need posts and the chicken wire you already bought. Of course you’ll need some planks or tin for the roof.”

When she said tin, the men exchanged a glance.

“Would tin be too expensive?”

“No, we have a house worth,” Jackson answered. “Donna hated the sound of rain on the metal roof.

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