Okay. Andee slid off her chair and carried her plate to the counter. She went back and collected Cubby Bear, then waited for her mom by the kitchen door.
Jenna took off her earrings, tied back her hair, got out one of three pairs of work gloves shed bought and led the way to the pens.
I saw Mr. Winkleman set down this plastic bag when he came out of the shed. Shall we see whats in it?
Andee trudged not so enthusiastically after her mom. She held her bear tight to her chest.
Oh, Jenna exclaimed, the bag is filled with ostrich feathers.
Peering into the bag, Andee asked, Do the feathers fall off?
Some do. Mr. Martin used to only take the feathers during molting seasonwhen they fall offso we dont have to hurt the birds to get them. The sale of feathers is one thing that makes raising ostriches profitable. That means, what pays us money, she added because she saw Andee open her mouth.
Instead the girl asked, Who wants feathers? What good are they? She picked one out of the bag and studied it. Its big.
Ostrich feathers are the only feathers that naturally absorb dust instead of pushing it away. Hmm, I wonder if my feather duster is ostrich... I remember an article I read said some car manufactures like ostrich feathers for the final dusting before they paint a car.
Stay with the bag for a minute, Andee. Ill go inside and get his notes.
Will you come right back?
Yes, silly. And Ill leave the door open so you can see me.
Andee nodded.
Because Andee acted so uneasy, Jenna whipped into the kitchen and grabbed up the folder of notes. She was out of breath after running back. Okay, so that didnt take long, did it? But, sweetheart, I cant have you worrying any time Im out of sight. You used to go out to play catch or to ride Brittanys bike.
At our old house there wasnt so much nothing, Andee said, sweeping her arm in an arc that encompassed the desert land beyond the ranch.
Thats the difference between city living and country living. Jenna knelt and opened the folder of notes.
What does it say about the feathers, Mommy?
It says the ostrich feathers are soft because the birds dont fly. They use their feathers to warm them on cold nights and to shade the chicks well return to the pens.
So, taking the feathers really doesnt hurt them?
No. Its like cutting our fingernails and toenails. The loose feathers can safely be plucked. Jenna gazed through the fence at the tall, gangly birds. Well have to blindfold them, though, to help keep them calm.
My teacher used one at Tessas birthday party when we pinned the tail on the donkey.
The very same... Maybe I was too hasty in firing Mr. Winkleman, Jenna muttered. I suspect theres an art to plucking feathers.
Is that the blindfold? Andee asked, pointing to what looked like a black silk scarf draped over the doorknob of the small shed.
Sharp eyes. I didnt notice it hanging there. Rising, Jenna walked over and picked the item up. I bet youre right, Andee. This is soft. Its folded and sewn so it can be tied.
Im not big enough to help.
No, youre not. Hauling in a deep breath, Jenna slowly let it out. I sank all of our money into this operation. I need to buck up and do this.
Just as she made the proclamation, the same airplane shed seen and complained about to Flynn Sutton appeared over the row of hills and climbed slowly and noisily as it passed over the ostrich pens like a giant predator. As before, the birds ran in circles when the plane momentarily blocked the sun.
Squinting, Andee tipped her head back. Is that Mr. Flynn? Do you think Beezer is with him?
Jenna, whod held her breath as shed watched her flock scatter in disarray, didnt answer until Andee pressed her again. I dont think its his plane, sweetheart. And Flynn is his first name. Anyway, I doubt his dog flies with him.
Why not?
I dont know. That was me guessing. On the other hand, dogs love to ride in cars... I just wish the pilot would stop flying right over our pens. Listen, Im going to attempt to gather feathers. If you come stand by this fence, you can see into the small pen. Ill shoo three or four birds in and see if I can blindfold them one at a time. But dont you laugh if I mess up, Jenna ordered, grinning at her daughter.
Andee didnt laugh; she grew solemn. What if they bite you, Mommy?
Then Ill turn them loose and definitely hire someone tomorrow to take Mr. Winklemans place.
Nervous, Jenna took the blindfold and marched into the big pen. Opening the gate to the smaller one, she waved the blindfold and cornered four ostriches. As if they knew the drill, the birds high-stepped into the small enclosure. Feeling a tad smug, Jenna smiled to herselfuntil she saw it was a bin of cracked corn clipped to a rail of the fence that had enticed the ostriches.
After three tries, she managed to tie the silk scarf around one birds eyes. It stood still enough for her to move to its back. She gingerly tested a few of the longer feathers. One slipped right out. Afraid of hurting the bird, she worked slowly across the tail until the ostrich grew antsy and began digging its claws into the sandy soil. She only had a dozen or so feathers in her bag. All the same, she untied the blindfold and caught the next bird.
Are you getting lots of feathers? Andee called.
Not so many, Jenna said. If Mommy doesnt get better at this, we wont be supporting ourselves on feathers.
The second ostrich was larger and she was more successful. Developing a rhythm, Jenna moved to bird number three. Shed barely tied the blindfold when her cell phone rang to the tune of Bolero shed programmed into it. The penned ostriches hissed and bolted at the raucous noise.
Clamping her teeth together, Jenna yanked off one glove and fumbled the phone out of her pocket. Hello? she said loudly, fully prepared to tell her sister shed have to call her back, because who else would phone her?
Before the caller responded, Andee let out a shrill scream, ending in a wail.
Mommeee! Momm...eee! That bad bird took Cubby Bear.
Jenna could see Andee shake the fence as she climbed up the rails and extended her arms toward a strutting ostrich that indeed had the stuffed bear by an ear. The bird vigorously shook the toy from side to side.
She hurriedly stripped the blindfold off bird three and hollered, Stop! Drop that this instant. Oh, for Petes sake.
Scrambling out of the pen, she waved the phone she forgot she had in her hand. Keeping her quarry in sight, she plowed a path through a flock of birds that had begun to chatter.
Is everything all right? Jenna heard a disembodied masculine voice waft from her phone.
Who is this? she demanded, bringing the phone to her ear, chasing the ostrich that still had a grip on Cubby.
The childs wailing had risen to a sirens pitch.
Its Flynn. I repeat, is everything all right?
No, its not, Jenna said. An ostrich has Cubby, and Andee is throwing a fit. Whatever you need, youll have to call me later.
Uh, sure. Can I help?
Jenna stuck the phone back into her pocket without answering. She waved her arms at the offending bird.