Wink must have fallen asleep at some point, because the next thing he knew he heard a lowing right next to his ear.
Ole Beth needs to be milked again...I think I have time for that, he mused, already forcing his groggy brain through its daily paces as he rolled out of his bed into the ice-cold room. I mean, I have to fix the roof today and turn the soil, but milking the old girl won’t harm nothin’.
He stretched and looked out the window, his eyes drawn to the road. The question stung his brain, but he refused to let it in.
Too busy. He had to milk Ole Beth.
As he did every day, he blew on his fingers, then the bones of the previous fire. He checked the pheasant traps in the field out back as he brought the water in the cauldron to a boil, then brought whatever he found in (this time it was a groundhog and a rabbit) so he could skin it within finger-thawing distance of the fire.
But for some reason, he rushed through things a bit, nicking his finger with the knife.
Damn it, he chastised himself, what’s gotten into me today? Milking Ole Beth can wait till I get some grub going- no need to hurry!
But hurry he did, and soon he was rushing out the door, yanking on his handwraps as he half-walked half-sprinted to the shed to grab the bucket and milking stool.
“Come on, old girl,” he coaxed. He hated the slight trembling in his voice. “Let’s get this going, eh? Wouldn’t want to keep her- um- you- waiting, now.” The old cow’s brown eyes looked up at him through half-lids as if she were rolling them in consternation, and she ambled forwards at her usual deliberate pace.
Shit, where is she? Keeping a body waiting like that...
He wanted to slap himself as he looked around, trying to spot where she so obviously was hiding. Was she coming up the road? No? Where-
“You looking for someone?” A bright voice chirped behind him. He nearly jumped out of his trousers at the sudden sound, whipping around to face her. Almost immediately, he adopted the grumpiest, sternest look he could muster. She laughed.
“If I were anyone else, you’d scare me off with that face.” She jabbed playfully at his chest, and waited for him to soften his facial expression. When he didn’t, she shrugged and plopped the basket she was carrying behind her back onto the ground. “Well, I brought you some stuff anyway. Figured we could fix up that feeding device you have! I also-” A mournful lowing interrupted their conversation, and they both turned to the cow, Wink’s hand mid-milk. He looked back at Poppy, trying his damndest not to let his face turn beet red.
“So, um,” she began, gesturing to his hand, still under the cow’s belly, “What are you doing to that cow?” Wink coughed and quickly withdrew his hand, wiping it on his shirt like he’d been caught picking his nose.
“I, well, um...I’m milkin’ her,” he replied, his voice the slightest of mumbles, “It’s well, it’s where milk comes from. The teats.” He waved a hand in Ole Beth’s general direction without looking at her.
“Teats?” She seemed genuinely interested, and leaned in closer. “What are those?”
Shit, don’t make me say it! He’d never had to explain what nipples were before since his nearest neighbors were at least a mile away and were also farmers, but to explain it to a girl...how embarrassing.
“Well, um,” he started, wondering how he should explain it, “you see...” He looked around, trying to find something, anything to show what he meant without being improper. Himself? No. Poppy? He thought about this one for a second, then mentally slapped himself. NO.
Then he turned to Ole Beth, his usual support in times like these, and snapped his fingers. Of course! An obvious out. He gestured for her to follow him, and let a small smirk rise to his face.
“Right here,” he said, and guided her hand down to Ole Beth’s teats, “we call ‘em udders.” He gently closed her fingers around one and had her gently pull. “And we milk ‘em by squeezing, real gentle-like, but still strong, and pulling just a tad downward, then letting it go. Like a baby sucking its thumb.” He let her try, keeping close watch on her to make sure she didn’t hurt the cow as she tentatively followed his instructions. She let out a cry of surprise as warm milk streamed into the bucket, and Wink smiled with relief.
She’s a natural, he thought, watching her continue to milk Ole Beth, an awestruck expression on her face, but it’s strange she doesn’t know where her milk comes from...must be a city-girl. Wink tried to cut in and finish the job, thinking she’d get tired of it eventually, but she waved him off, a thoughtful expression on her face as she finished the chore herself.
“So, erm, whaddya think?” he finally asked, not entirely certain what to make of her expression.
“Weird,” she said, voice trailing off. Then she perked up almost immediately and added, “but not a bad weird...I’ve just never gotten this close to a...cow? Before, let alone milked one. She is a cow, right?” She tilted her head inquisitively, and Wink nodded his head once.
She really is an odd one...doesn’t even know what a cow is? Hmmm.
But Wink didn’t have time to ponder any of this, as she quickly plopped the milk bucket to the side, wiped her hands on her still-stained white dress, and skipped over to the basket she’d brought.
“I brought a few tools and some basic materials you can use,” she said as she tried to properly open the lid. Her arms shook as she did so, as if they couldn’t withstand the weight or- or as if it was moving. Wink stared at it as she wrestled for a good grip, then recoiled as something slapped at the lid from inside.
What in tarnation-
“Whoops!” cried Poppy, as she twisted just a bit too severely and fell backwards. The basket fell on its side, and before he could stop it from spilling its contents, a streak of silver lightning flashed from behind the lid and darted over to the milk bucket.
“No! Don’t drink that- it’ll rust your- ughh,” Poppy sighed in exasperation as she trotted over to grab whatever-it-was, move it away from the milk bucket, and nudge it over towards him.
“Meow,” the thing said. Its voice was tinny, but surprisingly realistic- it even let out a purr as it sidled over to him, rubbing its small metal body against his leg. He reached out and stroked its back, and it arched into his hand, pushing smooth, rippling metal into his palm.
“Well I’ll be,” he said, his voice as dumbfounded as him, “that’s a mighty realistic automaton you have here...you build this yourself?” He grunted as it jumped into his lap and rubbed its head against his chest, metal skin rippling smoothly like sinews over bone. Poppy giggled and shook her head.
“No, I may be good with machines, but I’m not that good. That’s the work of my father, Dr. Algernon. He’s a well-known inventor and biologist, known throughout the land for his famous publications!” Her smile widened as she said this, clearly proud of her father’s accomplishments.
“That so?” Wink stroked the cat’s warm metal head and it leaned into it, purring rattling through its inner mechanisms as it kneaded his leg in satisfaction. “What’s he working on now?”
At this, Poppy’s smile vanished, and she looked away, suddenly very quiet.
“I’m not allowed in his laboratory without his permission. He’s working on something very important right now. He says it’s to benefit my future.” Wink couldn’t help but notice how emotionless she seemed saying this, a stark contrast to her usual chipper self. Almost mechanical, or automatic.
“Well, might just have to have a word with him, then- prolly has his own spot in the Inventor’s Fair and everything. Maybe he’ll put in a good word for me.”
“Maybe.”
The awkward pallor of silence fell between them again, marred only by the cat’s quiet purring.
Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long, as Poppy cleared her throat and brought that smile to her face again, albeit smaller and more meek.
“Well, you already found one present- a cat to help you with your mouse problems. Let me fetch the other one.” She got up, grabbed the basket, and walked back over, gently shaking it so the parts could settle before taking each item out.
“Father may forbid me from entering the laboratory without permission or supervision, but he never said anything about access to the machine shop or storage room, now did he?” Her smile grew a bit larger as she began to bring out each part individually.
“First, we have a roll of wire- something the mice and rats may have a bit harder time chewing up.” She set it to the side and brought out the next item. “And here, we have some old steel pulleys my father used for one of his experiments, I forget which...oh, and then here’s a mini-crowbar! I couldn’t fit the metal strut I wanted to bring in this basket, but figured you could use any old piece of wood lying around from your broken fence in the meantime.”
The entire time, Wink tried to keep his jaw from dropping. She had access to all these amazing materials, and even had some to spare? And, not to mention, that incredibly life-like automaton- yes, Wink decided, she was certainly resourceful.
And kind of pretty.
“...help you fix it?”
“W-what? Sorry, I sorta spaced out there. Come again?”
“I said, you mind if I help you fix it?” She looked at him with pleading eyes.
“Yeah, sure, I guess,” he replied, once again forcing himself to sound gruff. He tried not to think about how lovely the shade of emerald her eyes were, and turned his thoughts to Ole Beth. “Should prolly get on that quick-like- cows shouldn’t be eatin’ their feed off the ground only inches from their dung.” Poppy laughed at his use of the word dung and began to chatter, ideas and ways to properly use the materials she brought flowing freely from her lips as she skipped over to the broken mess, bent down and began taking measurements.
Wink followed, and handed her the tools she called out as he watched her work in fascination. Her precise measurements and careful use of physics in her tinkering (no doubt learned from her father, the scientist) established in him a grudging respect. Likewise, their conversation grew more and more warm and relaxed, as each of them shared in their favorite hobby- that of fiddling with all things mechanical until it worked the way they wanted it to.
But eventually, the device was finished, and with it, the reason Poppy had stuck around. As she screwed in the final bolt and carefully tapped the last part in place, she wiped her forehead and met Wink’s eyes, both of them feeling disappointed that their time together had ended so soon.
“So...I guess I’ll be leaving now, since the device is done,” she said quietly. She paused a brief moment, as if waiting for Wink to disagree, and he opened his mouth, then closed it again.
Would it really be fair to keep her here, doing my family’s chores? She has a father to go back to, and a future in inventing. She’s much smarter with it than me, too.
“Well, I-I guess I’ll see you around,” she finally said. Her eyes flicked down to the basket, now empty, which she quickly picked up before turning back towards the road and beginning to walk towards it.
Wink cleared his throat.
“You know, if you want,” She turned around, half of her mouth turned upwards as she tried to suppress a grin. Wink sighed in exasperation, wanting to kick himself. Why did this have to be so awkward?
“If you want, you could come help me with some other things on the farm. You’re pretty capable, for a girl, at least.”
“For a girl?” Her smile grew to a smirk.
Wink shook his head and sighed even harder.
“Look, it’s really hard work, but if you wanna, you can come by tomorrow and help me repair the fence. It’s nothing fancy, but-”
“I’ll be there!” She called over her shoulder. She had already taken off down the road.
“It’s a date!”