The Bridesmaid

worked at the weekend. I looked and noticed that the hens were still in their coop; normally Josephine was up at the crack of dawn and would let them out before walking Pippy and Purdy. I could hear the hens scratching and making a bit of a hullabaloo, so I walked over to the coop and pulled the latch up. There were thirteen hens altogether and one cockerel, all different colours and sizes. They were all perched along the pole in the top section of the coop where they slept. I hadn’t known anything about hens before, but now I was learning so much, most importantly, how intelligent they were. And it was true what Josephine had said; I had made quite a connection with the one black hen. I had secretly named her Ivy.

I put my hand out and Ivy instantly jumped on it. I pulled her towards my chest and smoothed her sleek shiny feathers down. She settled into the crook of my arm as I watched all the other hens take off from the perch and land rather ungraciously around my feet. I knew I could give them a little morning treat before they went off scavenging for insects and clover.

‘Come on then, Ivy, shall we go and get you and your girls some mealworms, hey? That will be nice, won’t it?’ I walked up the steps, pushed open the boot-room door on my right and saw the tub of mealworms on the floor in the corner. I picked it up and trundled back into the porch, yanking the door shut with my foot.

I walked back down the steps with Ivy under one arm and the mealworms in my other hand. I popped Ivy down on the floor and opened the tub. Immediately, all the hens came scurrying over. I scooped out some mealworms and tossed them on the ground, then I picked some out and held my hand out to feed Ivy. She pecked at the grubs and I enjoyed the sensation of her hard little beak on the softness of my palm.

‘There we go. That’s a tasty morning treat, isn’t it, Ivy?’

‘Who’s Ivy?’ came a male voice behind me. I looked up the steps and saw the boy from last night that I knew had to be Chuck standing in the back doorway. His strawberry blonde hair was damp from a shower and he was wearing a crisp white T-shirt, blue shorts and blue boat shoes with no socks.

I looked away and back towards Ivy again. ‘She’s this black hen.’ I felt a surge of heat rise up my neck at the impromptu meeting with Caitlin’s friend that I’d heard so much about.

I heard Chuck walk down the steps and then he was at my side.

‘And did you name her?’

I could feel the words I wanted to say getting all jumbled in my mouth, so I just mumbled, ‘Yes.’

‘Cool,’ came Chuck’s response. I was surprised to see he was already crouching down next to me. ‘Can I feed her?’ he asked.

I turned my head towards him. I could smell Timotei shampoo, which was what I used on my hair, and somehow, this small insignificant similarity cemented some kind of connection between us. I had built up an idea of Caitlin’s family and friends in my head, and it had been so far removed from my own way of life, but now that had been punctured slightly as I considered Chuck showering with the same brand of shampoo as me. Then I felt my face flush red as I realised that I had just thought about Chuck naked. Suddenly my thoughts felt so loud I was sure he could hear them.

I blew out a breath. My legs were aching from where I was crouching, but I was too nervous to fall to my knees or sit down, so I bore the pain. Chuck looked at me curiously.

‘Are you okay? You look a bit flushed.’

‘I’m just hot,’ I snapped back.

Chuck didn’t seem to hear or care about the tone in my voice. ‘Can I have some of those brown things then.’

‘They’re mealworms,’ I said, moving the tub towards him.

‘Meal-worms?’ he said, as if was trying out the words for the first time.

‘Yes. The hens love them, they’re full of protein.’

‘Right, okay, let’s give it a go then.’ He shoved his hand in the tub. ‘Eww, they’re all crunchy and cold.’

I found myself laughing, and my body relaxed. I let my legs fall to a side seated position.

‘Do you think she’ll let me feed her, your Ivy?’ Chuck said, and I felt a swell of happiness as he referred to her as mine. I knew Caitlin didn’t really care for the hens and so why couldn’t I claim this one feathered creature as my own? No one would have to know.

‘I’m sure she would, she’s very friendly. More so than the others.’

Chuck pulled out a handful of the mealworms and held his hand flat. Ivy trotted over and began pecking, and Chuck let out a small giggle.

‘Golly, what a most peculiar sensation,’ he said, letting out the most wholesome laugh I had heard since I had arrived here. And it was so infectious that I too started laughing. Because I had thought the same thoughts when I had fed the hens for the first time.

‘What on earth is so funny?’

I swung round at the sound of Caitlin’s voice. Chuck barely flinched.

‘Hi,’ I said, smiling up at her. She was wearing a white tennis skirt, T-shirt and headband. My eyes hurt a little to look at her in the bright light.

‘Caity, these hens are lovely. Why didn’t you tell me about the delightful little creatures?’ Chuck asked.

‘Because they’re boring.’ Caitlin crossed her arms tightly across her chest, her tennis racket stuck out at an awkward angle.

‘Not at all, I think I’ve found my new favourite pastime.’ Chuck stroked one of the hens.

‘Oh, do come on, Chuck – we’ll be late for tennis.’ Caitlin mooched over to the other side