Fri Feb 22 2019

Bobbie was excited when they pulled up to Quinn and Ray’s hobby farm.

“Hi little cousin,” called Bobbie as Quinn came rushing out. She was the daughter of Bobbie’s Dad’s youngest brother, who was just a few years older than Bobbie. Quinn was younger than her sons.

Ray came out behind Quinn and introduced herself. “Welcome, I’m Ray, Quinn’s other half and am the chief shepherd and chicken feeder.” She was visibly pregnant.

Quinn chimed in. “And these days, I do all the heavy lifting around the farm and am looking for off farm work at the same time. We don’t quite earn enough to support the farm with our alpacas, sheep, chickens and garden. We do grow corn and hay to feed everyone but we want to do some work to the farmhouse before the babies come.”

“Babies!” said Bobbie questioningly assuming the couple had in vitro fertilization.

“Yes,” said Ray. “Ladies you won’t believe how this all happened. Come on in, we have comfy knitting chairs and tea and scones.”

The farmhouse was quite small but was a simple 2 story biscuit box style. Traditionally this type of house was white but the girls had painted it bright orange and yellow with deep pink trim and black shutters, railings and doors. It was great because Bobbie could see the deep reddish pink was used on one of the barns on the property. The other outbuildings were a weathered grey wood with the black trim and yellow doors. It was an amazing use of colour and Bobbie was interested in the interior.

The front room was cozy with 4 low upholstered chairs around a coffee table. There was a sofa along the back wall. It was quite separate from the kitchen. Moving into the kitchen Bobbie looked around and asked, “Where’s the sink?” The sink was in a porch as well as a small powder room that was a rough addition on the the back. “So the plumbing is an after thought,” said Bobbie.

“Yes, these old farms got running water years after they were built; it’s the same thing with electricity.”

“We started to upgrade the electricity and we’re saving some money to fix up the plumbing and modernize the kitchen.”

“Can we see upstairs?” These houses typically had 4 rooms upstairs, positioned around the central staircase. In this case, one bedroom had been turned into a bathroom. Not surprisingly it was a converted bedroom on the back of the house and had a big claw foot tub, a wobbly toilet and cheap sink. It was usable but Bobbie didn’t see a shower.

“We have to sit in the tub and wash off with a sprayer. We’re nervous about filling the tub, we’re afraid it will fall into the kitchen.”

After the tour they sat down with their knitting and Bobbie explained she was making a sweater with yarn from her husband’s sweaters. I unravelled two orange cashmere sweaters and I’m knitting with one strand of each. Even though they are different shades of orange I like the lightly marled effect of the result.

The ladies were impressed at how she was recycling the sweaters.

“I’m pretty sure my Grandmother unravelled my Grampie’s sweaters to make us mittens because she didn’t have extra money and saved where she could,” said Ray.

“How many generations of your family have lived here Ray?”

“Well the house is almost 200 years old and we moved here about 5 generations ago I’d say.”

“Amazing!”

After they got their tea, Quinn said, “Like I said Bobbie, you are not going to believe how Ray got pregnant.”

“Do tell,” urged Vanessa.

6 months earlier

Quinn’s twin Brother Will was visiting from Citadel city. He loved the farm and always teased the couple, saying he hadn’t pictured them as country girls. They moved from Citadel city about 2 years before when Quinn decided to study Graphic design at the local Crow City community college.

They had a great meal and lots of wine, Will brought a box and were playing a lop sided version of charades since the twins seemed to finish each other’s thoughts. Conversation rolled around to families and Will declared, “I like my bachelor life and I have no plans to start a family.”

“Will we’re only 26 but Ray wants to start a family before she turns 30, so we’re saving up to get her inseminated.”

“Are you using a sperm bank?” asked Will who had begun to feel the effects of the wine. “You could use my sperm and the babies would be almost like it was your sperm.”

“Very funny Will, but that’s a good way to keep it in the family,” said Quinn who was quite tipsy also by this time. If we used your sperm maybe we could inseminate ourselves right now.”

Ray looked like she was sleeping in her chair but piped up enthusiastically and with a bit of a slur said, “Will, I am not sleeping with you! Get the turkey baster, you will be the best Uncle/Dad ever!”

So they made their plan; they got Ray’s favourite tea cup and the turkey baster and helped each other upstairs.

Will took over and said, “You guys go in your room and Quinn, you get Ray warmed up and I will take my porn, I mean phone, into the bathroom along with this cup and when I’m done you take the turkey baster and then,” he said earnestly, “let nature takes course.”

“It’s all natural!” called out Ray from the bedroom. And six minutes later, Quinn was holding a cup containing her brother’s semen and trying to manage the turkey baster.

The next morning started a little awkwardly as the events of the night before came back to them, but after a while they had a good laugh over it all. Ray swearing that her ancestors were turning in their graves.

A month and a half later Quinn called her brother and said, “Will, you won’t believe this!”

Back to present

“And the rest is history, we almost croaked when we found out it was twins because even though we’re twins, Will’s not likely to father twins at all. Except it turns out Ray’s grandmother was a twin. And Ray never knew.”

“I looked in the family grave yard and there’s a small headstone with a lamb for a 3 month old Molly. She caught a fever but her twin, my grandmother lived. If we have a girl we might name her Molly” finished Quinn

“That’s so sad,” said Bobbie. “Babies back then often died very young. Naming her Molly reminds me of ‘A Star called Henry’, the book by Roddy Doyle. The character in the book was named after a baby brother who died and he was a little magical. I’m sure your babies will be fine, the farm is so wholesome and they’ll drink pasteurized milk. Unpasteurized milk killed a lot of babies!”

“Well that’s something to think about Bobbie, maybe if we have a boy he’ll have to be named Henry. It’s too bad that I have to work off farm to help support us,” sighed Quinn.

Ray said, “I’m a trained welder and I’ve been working with cast iron for shelves and things and trying silver for some finer Jewellery making. We’ve talked with your brother Jamie about selling some of my stuff in his shop but I’d have to sell a lot to support us.”

“We sell the alpaca and sheep fleece to a mill outside Citadel City and we do get some yarn back in exchange, along with being paid. I was thinking of dyeing it and trying to sell some. The grand plan is to have a shop where we sell yarn, not just ours, some jewellery and preserves and garden veg. But with the coming twins I really have to find work.”

Bobbie thought for a moment. “What if you came to work for the Waterwheel Motel, Quinn​?”

The girls looked at each other. “For real Bobbie?”

“Honestly, I’m not supposed to hire any new people until I’m making money but I need logos. I need signs to be designed and a website for the motel and potentially an art gallery and menus for the bar and restaurant to design and all kinds of stuff like that. I want someone young and artistic and I think you’d be perfect. I’m sure Trixie will make an exception for you.”

Quinn’s eyes were shining. She said, “Oh thank you! I was starting out at the Airport café next week and now I can follow my passions with you instead.”