We walk to Helga’s with Mani tied to me in the cloth she gave me. Anders leads the mother goat along the path with Mani’s special cup in his hand.
“Are you sure, Anders?” I ask him. “We can stay home. Helga has Astrid to help.”
He shakes his head. “Many women have died bringing children into the world in my village. I want you to learn how to help them.”
“You want me to be your Helga?”
He stops walking, looking down at me in horror. “Don’t say it like that. I just want you to be able to help the women in my village. I do NOT want you to be Helga.”
I laugh at that, and we continue on.
“I will stay outside with Mani,” he tells me confidently. “I will get you only if she gets hungry.”
“That’s fine,” I tell him, but I’m worried. “Why won’t you feed her? I see you watching, I
