The Firefighter Daddy (18 page)

“Move!” she hollered as she ran about waving her hands in an attempt to herd them in the right direction. “
Nay! Nay!
This way!”

“Shoo! Shoo!” a deep voice exclaimed, startling her.

Martha spun and saw Elijah Lapp, her friend Annie's brother-in-law, as he joined in the chase for her livestock. She gasped as something soft brushed past her—one of the escaped lambs.

Flashing her a grin, Eli raced after the animal. She started to follow but slowed when she spotted his vehicle parked in the dirt drive close to the farmhouse. Recognizing Annie seated in the market wagon with her young son, Martha waved at her before she renewed her efforts to capture and pen up her animals.

It felt like a comedy of errors to Martha as she and Eli ran about the yard in hot pursuit of four pesky farm critters. Eli reached to snatch the smaller lamb and nearly fell when it eluded his grasp. He righted himself as the lamb headed in her direction, and Martha extended her arms to capture it. She slipped to her knees but managed to get a firm grip on the sheep.

“Got him!” she cried. Triumphant, she grinned at Eli, who gave her a nod of approval before he went after the second lamb.

Where could she put it until the fence was repaired? Martha gave it some thought.
In the barn.
She fought to pick up the struggling animal as she stood, then stumbled into the building and locked it inside a stall before she left to rejoin Eli. Outside Eli had control of the cow and was urging her toward the barn.

“In the stable next to the sheep!” she instructed, and he immediately obeyed.

While Eli was inside the barn, Martha went after her wily goat. The beast bleated loudly as if daring Martha to capture her. Martha sprang forward just as the goat rammed into her. Taken by surprise, Martha wobbled and then fell face forward. She got a mouthful of grass and dirt as the animal took off behind her.

Martha rolled onto her side and lay a moment with her eyes closed. She counted to ten silently, unhappy to be bested by a stubborn she-goat. She thought she heard Annie cry out something, but she couldn't be sure.

Sensing someone above her, she looked up and saw Eli gazing down at her with concern. “Are you all right?” he said huskily. He crouched down to examine her more closely, and she felt the sharp impact of his bright azure eyes.

“
Ja
, I'm unhurt.” She gave him a crooked smile. The only thing that ailed her was embarrassment.

Looking relieved, Eli rose and extended his hand toward her. Martha stared at it a moment, debating whether or not to accept his help. She lifted her gaze and noted his tousled hair along with the dirt streaks and grass clippings on his handsome face and on his clothing. Two animals were in their pens, but there were still two critters running loose. The young man's appearance and her own state of disarray with messy hair and grass-stained frock suddenly struck her as hilarious. She began to laugh. Her laughter started as a wide smile, then became a chuckle before it blossomed into a full-out belly-clutching roar.

She could sense that Eli was startled as he stared at her in silence with his hand still extended. Then his features crinkled with amusement, and his blue eyes began to twinkle. His chuckle turned into a laugh as if he, like her, had realized suddenly the hilarity in their situation—two grown adults bested by livestock.

Her laughter felt wonderful; it had been a while since she'd felt this good. Martha reached for his hand, and Eli pulled her to her feet. Her loud outburst eased to a soft giggle. Then the thought came to her that this wasn't proper behavior for a widow, and she quickly pulled herself together.

“What do
ya
think?” she asked him. “Can we get the last of them?”

“Ja.”
He grinned. “Can't let a couple of critters get the better of us.”

Martha couldn't contain her chuckle. “I think they already have.”

“Not for long!” he exclaimed as he spun and gave chase to the goat that dared to come too close. “Bet I can grab him first!”

“Not if I get to her before you do!” she cried, taking off after him. The goat continued to elude them. This was the most fun that Martha had enjoyed in years, and she wasn't going to feel guilty about it. She forgot about her sorrow and felt alive again, almost as if God was reminding her that she had her life to live.

Copyright © 2016 by Rebecca Kertz

ISBN-13: 9781488007156

The Firefighter Daddy

Copyright © 2016 by Margaret Daley

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