Christmas for Beginners - Carole Matthews Page 0,129
this will cheer you up.’ He hands over an envelope and looks at me as he says, ‘I thought we could all go.’
Lucas rips it open and looks at Matt, astonished. ‘You’re kidding me.’
‘Tickets for the Harry Baker tour in the spring.’ Matt looks pleased with his choice of present. ‘You said you wanted to go, so I got three of them.’
‘That’s fantastic.’ Lucas is obviously thrilled and I love how Matt has remembered their conversation about the poet and has done something so kind.
‘Cheers, Matt. That’ll be great.’ Lucas’s face is shining and it makes me think how easy it is to please him. It also makes me sad how little effort Shelby goes to when it comes to understanding his son.
‘How’s Fluffy doing?’
‘I don’t know,’ Lucas admits. ‘It’s all new to me.’ He wrinkles his nose. ‘There’s some kind of goo coming out of her bum. Is that right?’
I look over the gate and am quite worried by what I see.
Chapter Eighty-Five
Climbing into the pen, I examine Fluffy. Lucas’s ‘goo’ is, in fact, the amniotic sac. Looks like Fluffy’s ready to give birth to her first baby. However, she’s straining to deliver the lamb and I think she’s going to need some assistance. ‘It looks like the legs are tucked up and trapped under the lamb. They need to be facing the other way for a smooth delivery. She’ll never get this little one out by herself.’
I turn to look at Lucas, who has gone a pale shade of green. ‘Don’t look at me.’ He holds up a hand. ‘I draw the line at getting acquainted with a sheep’s noo-noo.’
I’ve done this before in the past, with supervision, and it’s a lot harder than it looks. However, it’s a long time since I’ve had any practice in sheep midwifery and I feel nervous as I don’t want to hurt Fluffy.
‘I can do it,’ Matt says.
Lucas and I both look at him with surprise. ‘You can?’
‘Sure. I’ve helped enough cows to calve in the past. It’s got to be easier with a sheep. I can scrub up, if you’ve got some disinfectant.’
He certainly sounds confident and I could definitely do with some help. ‘You’re sure?’
Yet Matt is already taking off his jacket.
‘There’s disinfectant in the shed. Lucas, can you run and get it?’
He shoots off without being asked twice.
Our mayor rolls up his sleeves before climbing into the pen alongside me.
‘You’re all right, girl,’ he coos to Fluffy. ‘The cavalry’s here.’ Expertly, Matt turns the sheep onto her side. ‘You have a little lie down while we sort you out.’
Lucas comes back with a bucket of water, soap, a clean towel and some disinfectant. Matt scrubs his hands and arms.
Then he tends to the sheep, taking a deep breath before he murmurs. ‘Nothing to it.’ He reaches into Fluffy as gently as he can and she bleats with the indignity of it all. ‘I just need to hook the legs forward. Keep still for a second, Mum. Ah, here’s one.’
Lucas and I are watching anxiously, hearts in our mouths.
‘Got the other one too,’ Matt says with a grunt. ‘Here we go.’ He pulls firmly and, next thing, a new lamb slithers into the world in the most ungainly way, landing in a mess of mucous in the straw. Matt clears its airways and rubs the body vigorously.
‘Oh, well done.’ Lucas and I look at each other, both relieved.
‘A perfect delivery,’ he says. ‘Even though I say it myself.’ Matt puts the lamb at Fluffy’s head and the sheep gently starts to lick its new baby. ‘We’ve got us a little girl. That’s a bonny lamb.’
‘She never would have popped it out by herself. You turned up in the nick of time.’ I’m sure I could have done it if, literally, push had come to shove, but how grateful I am for his calm and assured intervention.
‘Glad to be able to help.’ Matt scrubs his arms again and dries them on the towel.
‘What a delightful Christmas gift.’ I look at Fluffy nuzzling her newborn and feel full of pride for her. ‘This will be a nice surprise for Bev and Alan when they turn up to celebrate with us tomorrow.’
‘I can’t wait to show her to Penny, too,’ Lucas says excitedly. ‘What shall we call her?’
‘Joy?’ I suggest. ‘That’s suitably festive.’
‘Yeah,’ Lucas agrees. ‘Joy. It’s a good name.’
‘I think we can leave mum and baby to bond now while we have a celebratory cup of tea.’