Things at the Bowman family farm bustled with a fair amount of activity as the summer months began to warm up. The activity came with two sets of events that were building. One was that Calvin's second birthday was coming up, and while the young Brown Swiss Cattle Animalian wasn't fully old enough to understand birthdays completely, yet, he was growing more attentive to it. He also noted something that his parents, Ulysses and Blueberry Bowman discussed was also big.
"I... really can't describe how I feel with all this," Ulysses commented, "I mean... a part of me now feels that I'm too young now to be a grandfather... but on the other hand... I... I can't help being feel happy for Nate. And I really do want to be there for him. Face to face advice and words of encouragement."
"Well... both you and I got younger when I was uplifted and you agreed to be converted," Blueberry commented, "so we ARE younger and thus feel younger. But because in becoming Animalians we regressed into Nate's age group... early to mid-twenties in "Human" years, it's not like we can really expect Nate to wait until Calvin grows up to start a family of his own."
Ulysses nodded and turned one ear to listen to the clicking of Calvin's hooves as he toddled into the Bowman family kitchen. He turned and smiled to his youngest son and then glanced to Blueberry before speaking.
"I know... and that's where the part of me that wants to be there to congratulate Nate is coming from," Ulysses commented.
"The bigger thing would be more to both be there for Nate and Shuixing and to give her sisters the appropriate help they'll need as Nate and Shuixing start their family," Blueberry commented, "from what we've been told, Shuixing and her sisters never really got any experience with motherhood and family, thanks to that cult that they were rescued from. A child will bring wonderful changes, and different responsibilities, and we can give some basic tips and the encouragement that everything will be worth it... even with the changes that come with it."
"Change Shucks?" Calvin asked as he toddled up to Blueberry's knee.
"Not changing Shuixing, Cal," Ulysses smiled to him as he watched Blueberry lift him up, "helping her sisters be ready for when Shuixing gives birth to your niece or nephew."
"Nice nephew?" Calvin asked.
"Oh, I'm sure the calf will be nice, and you'll need to nice to," Blueberry answered and nuzzled her muzzle to Calvin's, "so you can be a good uncle."
"Calvin," Calvin stated clearly, knowing his name, though not fully knowing the relationship between himself and Nate and Shuixing's child.
But the fact that Shuixing was expecting, and approaching her due date was something that Ulysses and Blueberry were most attentive to and what they were looking to be there for. They were able to talk with them via Skype and Zoom, though, given the time zone differences, it often took some planning, but it worked well and let both Ulysses and Blueberry watch with pride as from month to month, Shuixing's womb swelled forward to accommodate her own growing calf. It brought some questions from Calvin, and while it wasn't likely that he wouldn't remember much of the conversation, it gave Blueberry some pride to see that her son seemed to like Shuixing as well. It also provided some hope that Calvin wouldn't get jealous when Shuixing's calf got a lot of attention, though, jealousy might not be too much of a problem as Calvin often had to share attention with his cousin, Myron, Meryl and Olly's son.
Almost as if on cue the back door opened, and Meryl and Olly came in with the mail and with Myron toddling along behind them. The two Mule Animalians gave Blueberry a small smile and passed things over to Ulysses as they came in.
"We've got everything set up, brother," Meryl said to Ulysses, "Olly and I can watch the house, Strawberry and the others will periodically look after the cattle while you're out."
"All that would be left is making sure there will be some footage for us to see," Olly commented.
Ulysses knew that Meryl and Olly wanted to be there too, as they were family, and around the Bowman home, it made for a rather mixed herd of Animalians, Brown Swiss Cattle Animalians that had been uplifted with Blueberry and two Mule Animalians. And while there were some differences, and Meryl's stubborn streak was pretty much still there, it still covered a fairly tight family and which saw Nate and Shuixing as members of that family, even if they were living on Heiya Island. But Meryl had her shop to run and Myron to look after, which took up a lot of time, and as the worst effects of Covid died down, a lot of her business picked up and she really couldn't afford the trip to Heiya Island at the present time, and Shuixing's pregnancy and nearing due date would mean that Nate and Shuixing couldn't fly to Wisconsin.
"I'm not filming my daughter in law give birth," Ulysses said firmly.
"Oh, I don't need to see that," Meryl shook her head, "besides... unless Shuixing gets a lot of pain killers, it'd then make for some fairly pained footage. Just something that would show Shuixing hugging the newborn and Nate hugging her. They can also say "welcome to the family" and then waive to the camera."
"When you bring the footage back," Olly added, "we'll then film a reply, and we can all email it back to them." He paused to look over to Blueberry, "maybe even include those that were uplifted with you. Don't they all like Shuixing?"
"They do... mostly because of her role in our uplifting..." Blueberry said slowly and then looked over to Ulysses and bouncing Calvin in her arms, "and because she is so close to Nate... for while I've always loved you, Ulysses... the others... they've felt similarly. And that's been enough for them to see you and Nate as at least good friends, if not family."
"It almost makes me wish that Animalia came out when Nate was still young," Ulysses gave a low smile, "you've been wonderful... and the others have been kind and industrious... and... it's all felt like family to me as well. But we're all family now, and that's what matters. So, we can do that."
"That'll be good," Olly commented, "right?"
"Yes, it is good," Meryl agreed, "you three packed?"
"Yes, we're all packed," Blueberry said while bouncing Calvin again, who was waiving down to Myron, and who waived back, "we've just been waiting for you..."
"And Nate and Shuixing know you're coming?" Olly asked.
Ulysses nodded, "I sent an email to Nate to let him know. It's also included letting him know that we'd stay in a hotel and would only come to visit after everyone is settled in and the hour would be appropriate. We wouldn't want to land at like ten or eleven PM to one or three AM and then suddenly wake them up. So, things should be fine... and we can be there."
"Though, we'll need to go forward pretty soon, if we're to fly out," Blueberry spoke, "if we're to fly out."
"Thankfully Animalia Air hasn't had the issues that some of the others have... or at least not to the same degree," Ulysses agreed.
"Then we'll let you go," Meryl nodded, "say hi to Nate and Shuixing for us... and of course congratulate them on their new family when the calf is born."
"We will," Blueberry smiled and bounced Calvin, "are you ready to go? Get to see Nate and Shuixing?"
"Nate and Shucks!" Calvin declared.
With that the three of them headed out, leaving Meryl and Olly to look over the house. Collecting their bags and plane ticket that were in the enclosed internal porch on the back door and heading out to the truck that was waiting for them. Their bags and things were placed in the bed space at the back of the truck, and while Ulysses made sure the snaps were down to hold the cover over the bed, Blueberry made sure that Calvin was safely buckled in his booster seat in the back seat. When Ulysses got in to drive, Blueberry was buckled in and had one arm placed over the back of the front seat to where Calvin could play with it. Ulysses smiled, buckled, and then began to back out as the family prepared to head out, and hoping that they would arrive in time to be there for the expected growth in the Bowman family.