Farmed Out Read online

  “Oh right,” I said, finally cluing in. “The 4-H meeting!”

  Anna turned to my mom. “It’ll be very educational for her, Mrs. Turner. I’m so happy to have her help.”

  “You girls are leaving?” My mom looked disappointed. But she wanted me to learn all about tilling the earth and getting closer to the land, so she couldn’t really argue.

  “Here,” Anna said, turning on a dirt-splattered boom box. I hadn’t noticed it earlier. “You can listen to the radio.”

  Fuzzy country music came out of the speakers. My mom hated country music.

  “But, Maddie, you’ll come help me as soon as you’re back from the meeting, right?” my mom said. She fiddled with the radio dial.

  “It’s going to be a long meeting,”

  Anna said. “Lots on the agenda.”

  My mom slowly picked up a bulb.

  “How many of these do I need to do?”

  “My dad’s going to sell them at the farmer’s market this weekend,” Anna said. “So we need a lot of garlic sized.” She glanced at me. “A lot.”

  I liked Anna more and more all the time.

  “Okay, bye, Mom,” I said.

  “Bye, hon,” she said with a sigh. “Have fun.”

  As soon as we were out of earshot, Anna said, “That should keep her busy for a while.”

  I may have felt a little guilty for leaving my mom with the boring garlic job. But she was the one who wanted to come here in the first place.

  “So what are we doing?” I asked.

  “We’re going back to the barn,” Anna said, “so you can start working on your prize-winning portrait of Frida.”

  Chapter Nine

  “Can I see it?” Anna asked, poking her head around the barn door. I had been drawing for a couple of hours.

  “Not yet,” I replied. I don’t like people to see my drawings until they have some oomph to them.

  Anna nodded. She seemed to understand.

  “Wouldn’t it be amazing if you won the contest and we went to New York City together?” she said, keeping a respectful distance just inside the barn door.

  “That would be so fun,” I said, my mind swimming with ideas. “We could go to art galleries together and have lunch in delicatessens!”

  “And go shopping on Fifth Avenue!” Anna said, her eyes dreamy.

  “Yeah!” I said.

  We both let out a squeal of excitement.

  “Maybe we should go see how your mom is doing,” Anna said after a few more minutes.

  “At this point she’s probably gone bonkers and started naming every bulb of garlic,” I said.

  Anna laughed. “Was your mom always like that? Into tarot cards and crystals and everything?”

  “No,” I said. “She used to be normal when I was a little kid. She read her horoscope, but that’s about it. Now she’s into psychic awareness and self-help books.”

  “How come?”

  “I think it’s because of my dad. She found out that my dad was having an affair with someone at his work. My dad has a new wife now.”

  “Wow,” Anna said. “I can’t believe your mom told you all that.”

  “Yeah, my mom tells me everything.” And most of the time I wish she didn’t, I added in my head.

  “Do you miss your dad?” Anna said.

  “He has two kids and a whole other life. I don’t think about him much.” It felt weird and a little sad telling Anna the story. “After that my mom started getting weird and New Agey,” I said.

  “Wow,” Anna said again. “That explains a lot.”

  “I know.” I paused. “Right now she’s probably chatting away to Bob, Brenda and Biff, the Garlic Bulbs.”

  Anna hooted with laughter.

  I was really getting into the swing of things now.

  “She has a tarot-card-reading business,” I said. “She goes by the name Lady Venus. She charges lots of money to desperate women looking for love. No matter which cards she gets, she says the same thing.” I imitated my mom’s overly dramatic Lady Venus voice. “You will meet a handsome stranger soon. Love is coming to you. Just open your heart.”

  Anna’s jaw was hanging open. She was loving every bit of my act.

  “My mom also goes to women’s retreats where she and other old ladies worship the full moon and do yoga naked,” I said. Dramatically, I raised my arms over my head as I’d seen my mother do. As I was in Downward Dog pose, I looked between my legs, upside down.

  My mother was standing in the shadows, right outside the barn door.

  She’d heard everything.

  I stood up so fast that blue and pink stars flashed in front of my eyes. Anna just stood there, her hand over her mouth, looking horrified.

  I turned and ran after my mom, who was walking quickly across the yard.

  “Mom!” I shouted after her. She didn’t turn around.

  I went back into the barn. Anna was still standing where I had left her.

  “Are you in trouble?” Anna’s eyes were huge. “I think she heard everything you said.”

  “Sort of,” I said. I made light of it, but I felt terrible for making fun of my mom like that. “She’ll give me the silent treatment for a while.”

  At dinner, my mom chatted loudly with Ruth and Klaus, and ignored Anna and me completely. I decided to ignore her too. It served her right.

  I had bigger things to worry about. I had to finish my portrait of Frida Cowlo for the art contest.

  After dinner, Anna and I hung out in her room. My mom was in the kitchen helping Ruth clean up. She was telling Ruth about the healing properties of crystals.

  “Hey, so you’ve been borrowing my clothes all week,” Anna said. “Can I try on some of yours?”

  “Okay!” I said. I ran into the guest room and grabbed my duffel bag. We started going through all the clothes I’d brought.

  “Cool!” Anna said, taking out my blue and white polyester dress with the big buttons.

  “That’s an airline stewardess uniform from the 1960s,” I said. “I got it at a thrift store.”

  Anna pulled out a bunch of skirts and shirts to try on. She would go behind her closet door, change and strut out, model-on-the-catwalk style. I narrated the whole show.

  “And here is Anna in a vintage pink poodle skirt with a bright red crinoline, plus a white Marc Jacobs shirt with a sweetheart neckline. Work it, baby!”

  We were both giggling the whole time.

  “It’s fun with you here,” Anna said, posing in a plaid short skirt, fishnets and black zippered tank top. “I don’t want you to leave.”

  “Me neither,” I said. I never thought I’d say that, but the country was way better than I expected. Especially with Anna around.

  That night, after everyone was asleep, I crept out of the house with a flashlight in one hand and my drawing stuff in the other. I was itching to get back to my portrait of Frida. I had to make it the best drawing ever.

  As soon as I got out to the porch, a shudder went through me. It sure got dark in the country. I shone the flash-light on the barn. It was about fifty feet away.

  I took a deep breath and ran. The darkness pressed on my back in a terrifying way, like when someone chases you up the stairs. I slid the door open and leaped into the barn, sliding it closed behind me.

  Frida was lying on her side in her stall, awake and breathing heavily. Her big belly must have been a lot of work to haul around. It seemed to stick out even more than it had earlier that day. She glanced up at me.

  I tugged the cord to turn on the dangling light bulb beside the Frida Kahlo self-portrait on the wall. Then I pulled up a stool and got to work on my drawing. My hand started to move and sketch without me even having to think about it.

  After a while I set my sketchbook down and looked at what I’d done so far. I let out a little squeal of joy. I couldn’t believe how well it was turning out.

  I yawned. My eyes were starting to go blurry. I could work more on the portrait the next day.

&
nbsp; “Goodnight, Frida,” I said and snapped off the light.

  Chapter Ten

  I had only been asleep a few minutes when a familiar voice called, “Maddie! Maddie!”

  My mother was shaking my shoulder to wake me up.

  “What’s going on?” I said, my voice louder than I expected.

  “Shhh!” My mom looked around, nervous. “We’re leaving. Here’s something for you to wear.” She pressed a bundle of clothes into my arms.

  I was way too sleepy for all this. “What are you talking about?”

  As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I saw that our bags were packed, next to the door.

  “We’re leaving. Now. Before those farmers wake up. This experience is not at all what I expected. I’m sick of dealing with that stupid garlic, and you’re always off with Anna. Saying inappropriate things about me.” Her voice was hoarse, the way it got when she was angry.

  “I tried to tell you I was sorry!”

  “This discussion is closed. I consulted the tarot, and I got the Queen of Wands. We’re doing the right thing by leaving.”

  This couldn’t really be happening. “Mom, we can’t leave! I’m drawing Anna’s cow for the art contest. I have to stay to finish it.”

  “We’ll find some other farm with cows for you to draw.” She pulled on my arm to get me out of bed.

  I pushed her away. “Mom, you were the one who wanted to come here. I’m not leaving.” I crossed my arms and stayed in bed.

  My mom grabbed the bags and opened the door. I could see my sketchbook and pencils sticking out of my duffel bag.

  “I’m going to the car,” she said.

  I jumped up and followed her. I had to get my drawing stuff back. In the hallway we ran smack into Klaus.

  My mom and I gasped.

  “Were you woken by the hubbub?” Klaus said, grinning. “If you want to see a calf being born, now is the time. Anna and Ruth are out in the barn with the veterinarian.”

  I couldn’t believe it. I had just been out in the barn with Frida, and now she was giving birth.

  Klaus turned to go back outside, cup of coffee in hand.

  My mom whispered to me, “Now’s our chance, while they’re distracted. Let’s go.”

  “If you think I’m leaving now, you’re crazy,” I hissed. I ran to catch up with Klaus. My mom called after me, but I didn’t turn around.

  As I approached the barn, I slowed down a little. Did I really want to see a calf being born?

  “You coming?” Klaus asked, stepping inside.

  I took a deep breath and nodded. Klaus and I tiptoed into the dimly lit barn. Anna and Ruth were standing outside Frida’s stall, leaning over the wall. Anna was cooing at Frida saying, “Good girl, Frida! You can do it!”

  Frida, meanwhile, was lying on her side with her legs straight out in front of her. Her sides were heaving up and down. All the while, she let out loud moos and groans. With each moo, she lifted her tail.

  A man in a denim shirt and jeans was kneeling beside her, wearing a band around his head with a light attached. I guessed he was the veterinarian. His light shone right under Frida’s uplifted tail.

  I crept up beside Anna. Without saying a word, she put her arm around my shoulder and squeezed.

  “Here it comes,” the vet said.

  I saw two pointy white things sticking out from under Frida’s tail. I was too stunned to ask what they were.

  “Those are hooves,” said Ruth. It was like she read my mind.

  My mom had followed me, but she stayed back. “And there’s the nose!” cried Anna.

  With another loud moo from Frida, a sopping wet baby cow head and two long legs emerged.

  After another couple of minutes, the entire calf slid out and plopped onto the hay-covered floor. The calf was blue and covered in a white film. Frida started licking her baby with her long pink tongue.

  I felt a mixture of joy and wonder. I had just seen a brand-new animal be born. This wasn’t a video on YouTube. This was the real thing.

  “Oh, Frida!” Anna exclaimed, running into the stall. She patted Frida’s side. “I’m so proud of you.”

  The little brown calf strained its neck and stood up. I couldn’t believe that it could stand just after being born. Anna and I hugged. Klaus smiled. Ruth snapped a few photos.

  Just then, Frida let out a horrible bellow. Then another. If a cow could scream, that’s what it would sound like.

  The doctor frowned. He took out his stethoscope and held it under Frida’s front leg. He started feeling her sides. Frida let out another scream, even louder this time.

  “Frida?” Anna gasped.

  The vet said something to Klaus in a low voice. He pulled out the biggest needle I’d ever seen.

  “But the birth went so smoothly!” Klaus said to the vet.

  What was happening? On the floor of the stall, I saw a huge pool of dark red blood.

  Anna wrapped her arms around Frida’s neck and started wailing. “No! Frida!”

  “We must go now, Maddie.” Ruth put her arm around my waist and pulled me to the door. I turned around to see Klaus holding Anna back as the vet worked on Frida.

  Ruth took my mom and me outside and closed the barn door.

  “Oh dear,” she kept saying. “Oh dear, oh dear. Anna loves that cow so much.”

  “What’s happening?” my mom said.

  Hot tears spilled onto my cheeks. It didn’t know what was going on, but it didn’t look good.

  “Let’s go inside,” Ruth said. “Not much we can do.”

  Ruth was too distracted to see our packed bags sitting by the door. She put the kettle on the stove for tea.

  I grabbed our bags and shoved them back into our room. Then I went into the kitchen and stood at the counter with Ruth, in silence.

  My mom sighed and sat at the kitchen table. After a long time and many cups of tea, we all went to bed. I couldn’t sleep at all.

  Chapter Eleven

  I couldn’t believe it. Frida Cowlo was dead.

  Klaus told us at breakfast in the morning. It was something to do with a torn uterus. Ruth was in the barn, trying to comfort Anna. None of us had slept much. My eyes were blurry, and my hair was sticking out all over the place. I didn’t care.

  “The calf is fine,” Klaus said gruffly. “But Anna is inconsolable. She stayed in the barn all night.”

  I set down my fork. I didn’t feel like eating. Poor Frida. And poor, poor Anna.

  I had a split-second thought about the contest. The deadline was in three days. Frida was supposed to be my prize-winning contest entry.

  I’m a horrible, awful person, I thought.

  I got up from the table. “I’m going to see Anna.”

  “Just a second, Maddie.” My mom followed me out to the porch.

  “No,” I said to my mom. “You’re not going to make us leave!”

  “Maybe it’s a good idea,” she said. “They don’t need us here now.”

  I turned and ran toward the barn. The door was closed. I knocked on it lightly.

  Ruth opened the door. “Oh, come in, Maddie.”

  Anna was in Frida’s stall. Frida was covered in a big blue blanket. One of her ears stuck out from the edge of the blanket. Anna was stroking it gently.

  The little brown calf was in a stall on the other side of the barn. It was drinking milk from a huge bottle, mounted on the wall.

  I didn’t know what to do. I’d never had to deal with anything like this before.

  “I’ll miss her velvety ears so much,” Anna said, still stroking. Then she covered her face with her hands and cried.

  “Oh, Frida,” she wailed. “My poor girl. She was so brave.”

  I knelt beside Anna. She didn’t look up. I put my hand on her shoulder. Anna cried and cried.

  Finally Ruth came over and sat next to her daughter. Anna threw her arms around Ruth’s neck and kept on crying, all over Ruth’s shirt.

  I tiptoed out of the barn.

  It was a wh
ole different world outside. A breeze fluttered the leaves on the apple trees. Klaus was riding his tractor through one of the fields. Farm life went on as usual.

  I hadn’t been able to comfort Anna at all. I didn’t know how to make her feel better.

  Maybe my mom and I should leave, after all.

  I wandered around looking for my mom. As I passed the small broken-down building beside the garlic shed, I heard some banging. I saw my mom’s blond ponytail through the dirty, cracked windowpane.

  “Uh, Mom?” I said, sticking my head into the crooked little doorway.

  “Oh, hi, Maddie,” my mom said. Her hands were full of green plastic plant pots.

  “Were you still thinking about leaving?”

  My mom shook her head. “Oh, no. I’ve got an important job to do now, you see.”

  I glanced around the dusty little shack. “An important job?”

  My mom nodded. “I’m going to feng shui this junk shed to bring the Friesens better luck.”

  My mom had taken a one-day course in feng shui last fall. Ever since then, she’d been feng shui-ing everything, from our bathroom to the produce section at the grocer down the street.

  “I told Klaus I could bring a better flow of chi to the shed. He thought it was a great idea.”

  Unbelievable. My mom had convinced an old farmer of the merits of an ancient Chinese interior design system. He was probably just happy to get her out of his way for a while.

  My mom got back to work shuffling old pots around.

  Now I really didn’t know what to do with myself. I slumped into the house and went to our bedroom. I hucked myself onto the bed and lay there for a while, feeling sorry for myself.

  I wanted to win that art contest so badly. It was the chance of a lifetime. But I couldn’t enter the portrait now. It wouldn’t be right. And it was too late to start something new.

  I rolled over and pulled my sketchbook out of my bag. I turned to the portrait of Frida Cowlo.

  I felt like crumpling it up in a ball or scribbling all over it with a black crayon.

  But I didn’t do any of those things.

  Instead I smoothed the edges of the page, and stared at it. I had captured Frida Cowlo’s long ears, her feathery eyelashes and moist nose perfectly. I was more than halfway there.