Inside the barn, the air was thick with the smell of hay, soil, and animals. Goats rustled in their pens, pigs rooted noisily at their trough, and chickens scattered in a flurry of feathers as feed hit the ground.
A man stood in the middle of it all, tossing grain from a sack with practiced ease. His sleeves were rolled high, his boots caked in mud, yet there was something light in the way he moved, a rhythm to his steps that made the chore look almost like a dance.
When he spotted them, his face broke into a wide grin. "Well, look who finally remembered we exist. Been too long since you came here."
Mary wrinkled her nose, already smiling. "Because it's smelly, Jo. Always has been."
He let the sack fall to the ground with a soft thump and strode over, pulling Mary into a quick hug. "Still worth it, though. I missed your sharp mouth."
Mary chuckled and turned to Iyisha. "This is Jovanni. Head of the barns. He keeps this whole place fed. This beautiful girl is Iyisha."
