Hanging Stars On Big Willow Creek: A Novel

by Sarah Hill

  “We will be sending you home with a portable pump. You’ll need it for a couple weeks, but I’m watching your incision. It has nothing to do with the pump. I want to see more healing going on before I send you home.”

  “Fine,” she growled, as she stared out the window.

  “I’ll check in on you tomorrow morning. Get some rest,” the doctor said, patting her arm before he walked out.

  Del turned to Norm and said, “I want to go home.”

  “I know, honey. I do too, but we need to do what the doctor says or you’ll be back in here before you know it.”

  “He’s right, Del. Just a little bit longer.”

  “Rylie, why don’t you go home,” Del said, sitting back and taking a deep breath.

  “What?” Rylie asked, her heart hitting the ground.

  Del looked over at her and said, “I mean to our home. I’m not trying to send you back to New York yet. I’m tired. I know you mean well, but I just don’t want any visitors right now.”

  Rylie looked at Norm, who was pretending to watch the television on the wall. “Norm?”

  He shifted his eyes in her direction, but stayed silent. Apparently, he didn’t want to poke the bear.

  “You heard me. Go on home. There is nothing for you to do for me here. I’m just gonna get crabbier and I don’t want to hurt your feelings.”

  Rylie stood and grabbed her things, frowning at Del. “I guess I’m going then,” she said, leaning down to kiss her cheek.

  “Good,” Del said, rolling to her good side and pulling the covers up over her head.

  Rylie shook her head and went to give Norm a hug. “I switched out your clothes. Everything in your suitcase is clean. I’ll wash the dirty ones,” she said, holding up a bag.

  “Thank you, sweet girl. I appreciate everything you’re sacrificing to be here with us,” he said, his voice growing louder with each word he uttered.

  Del ripped the covers off her head. Looking at Norm she said, “I appreciate her too!” Turning to Rylie she said, “I do, dammit!”

  “I know. I love you and I’ll stop by tomorrow.” Rylie waved and left the room.

  Heading home, she called Spencer to update him on Del’s growing attitude. She figured he’d get kick out of it. “Well, this is a surprise,” Spencer answered.

  “I just got kicked out of the hospital.”

  “What? Again?” His voice sounded strained. “What did you do?”

  “I spoke,” she said, with a laugh. “Boy, Spence, she is in a mood today. They are keeping her for a few more days and she’s taking it out on everyone. Poor Norm is stuck there.”

  “Wait, Del kicked you out?”

  “Yeah. Crazy, huh?”

  “What did you say?”

  “I don’t know. She was already upset that she had to stay. I agreed with Norm and the doctor about her staying in the hospital a couple more days. Nothing bad but she told me to go home!”

  “Ah, I see. She probably thought you were being insensitive. I wouldn’t take it to heart.”

  “I know. That’s why she kicked me out. She said she was grumpy and didn’t want to hurt my feelings.”

  Spencer chuckled.

  “Hey. Are we okay?” she asked, still feeling uneasy over their earlier conversation.

  “Of course, we are. I’m missing you and it made me feel bitter that someone else got to spend time with you.”

  “You trust me?”

  “Absolutely. There’s nobody else in the world I trust more, sweetheart,” he said. “I’m sorry if I made you feel differently.”

  “I’m sorry if I made you feel like you weren’t the most important piece of my heart,” she whispered.

  “You didn’t. Hey, I’m meeting some clients in a few minutes, so I’m going to have to let you go. I love you, Rye.”

  “I love you too.”

  As Rylie neared the road to the house, she saw a tractor coming in the opposite direction and slowed to see if it was Maysen. It stopped and the door opened. Maysen popped his head out and waved her over. After parking the car far enough off the road so as to not block anyone else, she jogged across to the field where he waited.

  “Hey, you’re back early!” he yelled over the noise of the tractor.

  “Del kicked me out!”

  His brow furrowed and he reached back and turned the tractor off. “Sorry, I thought you said, Del kicked you out.”

  “I did.”

  “What did you do?” he asked, smirking.

  “Nothing! She’s bent out of shape because the doctor sentenced her to another few days.”

  “Oh. Poor Del. I bet she’s ready to get out of there.”

  “I have no doubt. Hey, since when do tractors have tinted windows on the doors?” she asked, pointing at the glass in the door frame.

  “Since the tractor companies realized it gets hot on a farm. Come on up,” he said, reaching down to help her up.

  “I don’t know,” she said, looking back at the car.

  “It’ll be fine. Rush hour is over.”

  She looked up at his smirking face and shook her head at him. “I see you’re still a smart ass.”

  “That’ll never change. Give me your hand,” he repeated, reaching down once more.

  Rylie grabbed his hand and pushed off the ground, jumping easily onto the bottom step. “I’ve still got it,” she said, smiling at him.

  “It’s like two feet off the ground, Rylie.”

  “Still,” she said, with a shrug. “So, where are you headed?”

  “I’m going to go hookup to the feed dispenser and feed the cows. Want to ride along?”

  “Yeah,” she said, excitement taking over.

  “There’s not a lot of room in here,” Maysen said, with a grimace.

  “Yeah, I remember. I can stand,” she said, grabbing onto the handle above the door.

  “I’d offer my lap, but…,”

  “I’m good. Come on, let’s go! These cows are hungry!” she exclaimed, with a laugh.

  Maysen’s smile lit up his entire face, as he shifted into gear and said, “Hold on, here we go.”

  Rylie spent an unplanned afternoon with Maysen on the ranch. Though it’d been years, it felt natural next to him. It was as if she’d never left and she automatically remembered what to do.

  They finished feeding the livestock and headed back to the tractor barn. As they past by the silage pits, Rylie felt excited butterflies in her stomach. “Maysen! Stop!”

  “What’s wrong?” he asked. He stopped the tractor so abruptly, it jerked and caused Rylie to fall into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her to keep her from falling onto the floor. “Whoa there, girl.”

  Rylie laughed and looked over her shoulder at him. “Sorry! I saw the silage pits,” she said, grabbing the steering wheel and pulling herself off his lap.

  “Are you serious? The silage pits?” Maysen said, wrinkling his nose and frowning.

  “Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve sunk my feet into some good old stinky silage?” she asked, opening the door and climbing down.

  “It hasn’t been long enough in my opinion.”

  “Come on!! Come sink your feet into it with me!” she shouted, as she jogged towards the pits.

  “Not going to happen,” Maysen muttered to himself, as he climbed out of the tractor and followed her.

  Rylie kicked her shoes off at the base of the pit. She stepped into the silage and breathed in the fermenting, sour smell that rose with the steam breaking free at her feet. “Oh, how I missed this,” she sighed, exhaling and stress she didn’t realize she had rolled off her shoulders.

  “Why?”

  Rylie turned to look at Maysen and smiled. He was standing with his hands on his hips and a scowl on his face. “I don’t know. As crazy as it sounds, these pits always brought me comfort.” She turned back around and said, “Looks like it still has the same effect on me.”

  “I never understood the enticement you felt standing in this stench,�
�� Maysen said, still scowling.

  “Have you ever tried it?” she asked.

  “No, there’s never been any desire for me.”

  “Well, get in here and try it then!”

  Maysen shook his head, “There is no way I’m climbing into that shit.”

  “Come on, Mayse,” she replied, hands on her hips.

  “Have you had enough yet? I want to get this tractor back to the barn so I can get cleaned up.”

  “You’re going to take a shower?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

  “I’ve been known to do that sometimes,” Maysen said, nodding. He turned back towards the tractor and added, “If you want a ride back, you better get out of…,” Something wet hit him in the back of the head and fell down the back of his shirt. The smell hit him hard and he started gagging as he spun around to face her. “What the hell, Rylie?”

  Rylie fell back onto the silage and roared with laughter. “Serves you right! You need to loosen up a bit, pretty boy.”

  “Pretty boy? Because I don’t like this stench?” he asked, the muscles in his jaw flexing as he stomped towards her with fire in his eyes.

  Rylie swallowed her laughter and rolled over to get on her feet. “Maysen, I was just playing!” she screamed, as his arms wrapped around her waist and he tossed her. She closed her eyes as she flew screaming through the air and landed on her back. Opening her eyes, she saw him climbing up the silage towards her. Rolling over again she tried to scramble higher up the pile, but his hand caught her ankle. “Maysen!” she screamed. Grabbing a fistful of silage, she turned and tossed it in his face. He spit and sputtered, freeing her ankle, but before she could get back up, he pounced on top of her. They rolled down the pit screaming and laughing.

  “You’re such a jerk,” she said, laughing as she wiped off pieces of silage stuck to her face.

  “Me? You started it. What’s that make you? You know I hate this stuff,” Maysen said, jumping to his feet and reaching down to help her up.

  Grabbing his hand, she said, “You’re taking a shower anyway. Stop being such a girl!”

  Maysen’s eyelids lowered and he puckered his lips. “A girl, am I?” He let go of her hand and she fell back into the pit.

  “You ass!” she yelled, at his retreating back.

  Maysen kept walking, raising his shoulders in a shrug. “Hey, I have to go get pretty. I don’t have time for this.”

  Rylie groaned as she stood up and ran after him. “Mayse, I’m sorry! Are you mad?” she asked, as she rounded the tractor.

  Maysen was holding the door open with a smirk on his face. “Come on, I’ll drop you at the house. You’re going to need a shower before you get back into that rental car.”

  Rolling her eyes, she allowed him to help her into the tractor. “Why are you always telling me I need a shower?”

  “I only speak the truth,” he said, climbing into the seat and starting the tractor back up. “Hold on.”

  Rylie grabbed onto the grab bar and steadied herself as the tractor started down the road.

  “Will we see you tonight?” Maysen asked, his gaze on the road.

  “I don’t know, maybe,” Rylie said, her forehead wrinkling as she looked out the door.

  “Maddie wants to see you, Rylie. I know it’ll be awkward at first, but it can’t be worse than our meeting at the hospital. She deserves an explanation too, don’t you think?”

  A short laugh escaped her lips and she smiled at him. “I know. I just wish we could skip the uncomfortable part. I don’t want an audience when I apologize for being the worst friend alive.”

  “So dramatic,” he said, shaking his head. He came to stop in front of the Green’s driveway and turned the tractor off before opening the door. “We’re adults now, Rylie. There won’t be any Rebecca’s there to sneer and laugh at you.”

  “I know. We’ll see, okay?” she replied, as she climbed down the steps. She turned and looked up at him.

  Maysen smiled and winked before he shut the door and started the tractor. Waving, he drove off towards the barn.

  October 13, 2010 – Evening

  Rylie showered and then decided to take a nap. Working the feedlot had worn her out and the call of her soft bed was too loud to ignore. It was four-thirty when she woke up and decided to look through the cupboards for something to eat. Unable to find anything that didn’t require dirtying a pile of dishes, she decided to see if Norm still had his stockpile. She got on her hands and knees and looked in the bottom cupboard behind the pots and pans. Sure enough, there was the little plastic bin. He kept things like Ramen, chili and instant potatoes secretly stored away. She pulled out the bin and dug through it, finding a package of pork Ramen, her favorite.

  She placed a saucepan with water on the stove to boil and chopped up some Chinese pork, green onion, garlic and mushrooms she found in the fridge. Once the noodles were done, she added her chopped ingredients, a splash of soy sauce, vinegar and salt and pepper. She poured a glass of milk and she sat at the table to enjoy her creation. It tasted wonderful, just like what she made in college.

  When she was done eating and cleaning up the dishes, she decided to look through the movie case in the living room. She was in the mood for a love story and hoped they had something she might enjoy.

  It didn’t take long to find one of her favorites, Gone With the Wind, which she watched with Norm too many times to count. She would be forever grateful for their shared taste in movies. Norm was one of her favorite movie buddies because he never talked, he just watched. Sliding the disc into the DVR, she pushed play and went to pour a glass of tea.

  The opening credits were just ending as she settled on the couch. She pulled one of the blankets Del kept slung on the back of the sofa over her lap and got comfortable. Rylie loved the opening scene as Scarlett flounced around in that gorgeous white dress and red belt. It was beautiful and she wished, as she had many times before, that she had grown up in a time when women wore those dresses. Maddie always thought she was insane when she made remarks like that, but Rylie couldn’t help romanticizing.

  As the Tarleton twins did their best to secure dances with Scarlett at the upcoming barbeque at Twelve Oaks, Rylie thought about Maddie. If their roles had been reversed and Maddie left without a goodbye and never contacted her, she didn’t think she’d want to see her. Yet, Maysen said Maddie was excited to see her. How could that be possible? Maddie was never so forgiving in school. If you made her angry, she held a grudge. Rylie didn’t think Maysen was tmaking it up, but then again, she didn’t know Maysen anymore.

  Scarlett was crying at her wedding to Charles Hamilton, when a knock echoed through the kitchen. Rylie looked out the window. It was getting dark. Sighing, she paused the movie and went to the door. She knew by the dark shadow against the doors window curtain that it was Maysen. Wanting to pretend she didn’t hear the knock, but knowing he could probably see her shadow too, she opened the door.

  “Hey Maysen.” She leaned her head against the door and raised her eyebrows.

  “Hey. I thought I’d check and see if you wanted to join us at the fire pit.” He stood there with his hands in his pockets and a hesitant smile on his face.

  “I would, but I’m in the middle of a movie and I’m enjoying it.”

  “What movie?”

  “Gone With the Wind.”

  “You’ve seen that a hundred times. Can’t you hit pause?” he asked.

  “I’m not exactly presentable at the moment,” she said, running a hand through her air-dried hair and shrugging.

  “You’ve never needed to worry about your appearance, Rylie. You look beautiful,” he said, looking at her unapologetically.

  Embarrassment getting the better of her, she looked down and said, “I don’t know, Maysen. I was enjoying the thought of relaxing tonight.”

  “There’s nothing more relaxing than sitting around a fire with friends. Have you forgotten the magic of a fire?” he asked, lightly nudging her arm with a closed hand. “Come on,
just for a bit. If you aren’t enjoying yourself, you can always come back to your movie and I won’t say a word.”

  Heaving a sigh, she nodded. “Okay. You win. How many people do you have down there?” she asked, grabbing a jacket from the coat rack by the door.

  “Kevin and Maddie are the only ones who made it so far,” he said, holding the screen door open for her. “I’m hoping it stays that way so you’re more comfortable.”

  Rylie fell into step beside him and said, “I can’t say that I disagree with you.”

  “It’ll be fine, you’ll see,” he said, with a short laugh.

  “Hmmm,” she said, forcing out the only sound she could muster as they went through the gate where she first met Del.

  They walked through the pasture towards the fire pit. Rylie saw a flickering light in the distance and thought back to that awful night when she saw the flames on their treehouse. Then she remembered a piece she always wanted to ask him about. “What was the surprise Maysen?”

  Maysen looked over at her and frowned. “What surprise?”

  “The one you said you had for me that night,” she said, keeping her eyes on the dancing flames in the gaps of the trees.

  He looked down at his feet and stuffed his hands back in his pockets. “Another time, Rylie. Let catching up with some old friends be enough tonight,” he said, in a low voice.

  Pressing her lips together, she exhaled through her nose and nodded. “Okay.”

  As they neared the fire, she heard light laughter echoing through the air, making her stomach feel nauseous. She stopped walking and stared at the two figures sitting in the distance. Kevin’s arms were wrapped around Maddie as she laid back against him laughing. They hadn’t changed much. Kevin was still the wide shouldered jock she remembered from high school and Maddie had the same pixie-like stature. How she managed after three kids, Rylie didn’t know, but she looked good.

  “You okay?” Maysen’s low voice sounded gravelly, causing the hair on her arms to stand.

  She allowed a small smile to adorn her face as she nodded. “Just a little nervous, I guess.”