by Rose, Amelia
He shook his head at her and walked away, leaving the barn. Laney could swear she heard him laughing at her once he turned to head towards the main doors to the barn. She shook angrily and kicked the bucket that still sat on the ground beside her.
“Hey!” her brother yelled indignantly. The cold dirty contents of the bucket dripped from the ends of his floppy dark hair, dripped from the ends of his fingers where he held his arms out at sides, away from his soaked body. He looked around in shock as though he couldn’t process what had just happened to him. For her part, Laney was almost as surprised by her disbelief quickly turned to horror.
“Oren! What are you doing here?” she demanded, looking around for some kind of towel to dry him off with.
“Mom sent me to see what was taking so long,” he answered in a small voice, the hurt in his tone chipping away a little bit at Laney’s heart. “I thought you could use some help, so I was gonna offer to groom your horse so you could go get cleaned up for dinner.” He looked down at himself as he said that, aware that he was the one who now needed another shower.
Laney’s shoulders slumped. Everything about this trip had turned into a nightmare, and they hadn’t even officially left the ranch yet. The days of grueling riding across a stupid, boring stretch of land were still there to look forward to, and she’d already managed to upset and irritate everyone she came in contact with. She felt genuinely sorry for her brother, who stood before her with flecks of chewed up grass stuck to his glasses, a filthy mask that only accentuated the pained look in his eye.
“I’m done,” she said quietly. “Come on, we’ll go get you cleaned up.” She stopped just short of putting an arm around his shoulders, something she desperately wanted to do right at that moment, but they’d never had that kind of brother-sister bond before. She didn’t want him to think she was only being nice so he wouldn’t tell on her, but Laney knew her mother would take one look at him and know exactly who was to blame. She might not figure out the whole incident, but she would know it was Laney’s fault… again.
“Oren, sweetie! What in the world happened?” his mother exclaimed, jumping up from her Adirondack chair and running towards them. The other family watched in silence, obviously interrupted in mid-conversation. Laney’s dad tried his best not to smile, turning his head at the image of his son walking bow-legged to keep the ooze from sliding into his shoes.
Laney opened her mouth to admit her guilt, even though it had been an accident. It had been that guy Axel’s fault, if she really thought about it. She immediately felt guilty for thinking that, knowing it wasn’t his fault at all. She also knew this could be the last straw for her mother’s already stretched-thin patience. Before she could even try to explain, her brother spoke up first.
“I fell in the yucky horse water!” he answered, his words just barely squeaking out before Laney’s confession. “I was trying to sit on the edge of the water trough while slow-poke Laney here finished up, but I fell backwards and landed in it instead.”
The others groaned at the explanation, and the other mother squinted her eyes shut at the image of one of her children submerged in a nasty container of half-drunk water, water that horse lips had touched. The woman pressed her hand to her mouth as though she might throw up. Laney wanted to punch her. It was going to be a long vacation if that woman couldn’t hold her supper down at the thought of someone touching a few germs.
Wait a minute, she thought. That’s me! Oh gross, do I act like that lady?! No wonder everyone thinks I’m prissy!
“Well, let’s go get you in the shower. It’s a good thing this happened here and not out on the cattle drive. You know they ration the showers out there to save water, right? I don’t know if they make allowances for getting extra gross, so you’d better be a little more careful.” Mrs. McGrady called out the warning over her shoulder to the group of adults, mostly for the sick satisfaction of watching the other lady—Mrs. Hubbard—squirm.
Laney caught Oren’s eye as he turned to go in the house. She looked confused but appreciative as she held up her hands, secretly gesturing to him as though to ask why. He shrugged and gave her a little smile before heading inside to wash.
Chapter Seven
“You see?” Mason called out as he and his brother raced across the flat grassland, their horses’ manes flying out behind them and hitting them in the chest as they leaned close, holding on tightly as they raced. “This could be your life every day of the week!”
“Then who would stitch your head up when you fell off and busted it wide open?” Axel fired back with a laugh. They raced only a few minutes longer before letting the horses naturally slow themselves to a brisk trot and then a leisurely walk.
“Besides,” Axel continued after catching his breath, “it looks to me like you’ve got one of the cushier jobs around here. You just fill in here and there, from what I can tell, and when no one needs you to do something, you just go exercise the horses. I don’t think they pay all that many people to go ride a horse from here to there.”
“Well, no. But practically every job on this place involves riding a horse from here to there!”
The brothers laughed before turning their horses around and starting the trip back to the ranch. They were quieter on the ride back, letting their earlier adrenaline dissipate and settling into the comfortable silence they’d always known as kids. Their lives had taken very different turns, and no amount of cajoling from either of them had persuaded the other one to abandon his dreams, his choice of a life.
“I guess I can admit—after all these years—why you like living out here,” Ax began before quickly putting out a hand to stop his brother. “Oh no you don’t! I wasn’t opening the door for this conversation again! I was just pointing out how pretty it is, how nice this is. It doesn’t mean I’m gonna go pack up my stuff, come live in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, and kiss city life goodbye!”
“But you haven’t even tried it,” Mason corrected him. “If you’ll think back, I at least gave it a shot living in the city with you.”
“Gimme a break! You call that giving it a shot? You lasted a day and a half! You turned into a scared little chicken every time a car horn blew or a police siren went by!”
“And that’s how I knew I wasn’t meant for that kind of lifestyle,” he replied confidently, looking back at his brother smugly.
“It’s not a lifestyle, it’s just a decibel level. You didn’t even do half the stuff we planned to do, you just curled up in a ball on my futon and cried to go back to your precious cows,” Axel answered, only half-joking.
“Hey now! I did NOT cry! Any tears I may have shed were from the heartburn that stupid Thai food gave me. Seriously, how are you supposed to eat that stuff and still be able to walk upright the next day? Answer me that!”
“It’s called trying something new, Mason. If you can shoot an animal, gut it, cook it over a fire, then eat it, you’d think you could handle some rice noodles and curry.”
“No. Thank. You. I’ll take my chuck wagon grub every time.” Mason stopped his light-hearted tirade to point to an eagle flying low over the grass to their left. They watched in awe as the bird flew up, swooped in an arc, then dove for the ground, pulling up at the last minute and disappearing into the tall grass for a moment. It emerged seconds later with a small creature in its talons, flying off to enjoy its meal.
“Now that’s what I call ‘dinner’!” Mason said, teasing his older brother.
“Yeah, no thanks. I’m good with the Thai food. I’ll take a nice dish of spicy pork over freshly caught rodent any day.”
“When did you get so persnickety? Once upon a time, you’d have been out here with me, a loaded rifle by your hip to go white tail hunting. You’ve eaten more than a few dinners that were crawling in the grass earlier that morning, if I recall it right. In fact, my childhood memories are full of camping trips with Dad where we’d spend days at a time out in the woods, catching our dinner in the creek. Breakfast, too, for that matter. I
sure don’t remember ordering a whole lot of takeout.”
“And there’s nothing wrong with those days. I’m still that guy, I promise. I’ve just got different things to do with my life now, that’s all. I never said there was anything wrong with living out here, I just said it’s not for me. Not anymore, anyway.”
“Well, that’s a shame. Because this kind of living has always been good to you. I’m sorry there’s no movie stars walking the streets or taxi cabs swerving around all over the place. But admit it, you miss this sometimes. Days like today when no one else on the planet knows exactly where you are, days when you could go lie down in the grass until nightfall and then see every star the sky holds. You miss it, don’t you?”
“Sure I do. I miss hanging out with you and Dad on the weekends, and I really miss Mom’s cooking—even if it’s not Thai food—but that doesn’t mean I have to run home and ignore the rest of the world. I’m here now, aren’t I? That’s the great thing about the world, little brother, it’s so darn big but it’s also really small at the same time. I’m a quick plane ride from you guys any time I need to get home. In fact, given how isolated you are out here on this ranch, I bet I could get to their house faster than you. I just have to get to the airport and hop on a plane. You have to wait for a tractor to take you to a bus station! And that’s after you finish birthing a calf, or something like that.”
Mason shoved Axel’s shoulder, but he knew his brother was right. The ranch wasn’t any closer to his parents’ home than the big city back east, at least not in terms of getting up to see them whenever he could. He made the effort, but it was just that… effort.
“Hey, you’re here now, and that’s all that matters. You’re gonna love the drive. It’s like all the best parts of those camping trips, except with a real job to get done at the same time.”
“Yeah, about that…” Axel cringed and looked uncertain.
“Don’t tell me you’re the one who’s chickening out now!” his brother called, giving him a hard time for picking on Mason earlier.
“Oh no, at least not in the way you think,” Ax assured him. “I’m just not feeling too sure about some of these other guys who signed up for this little adventure. Have you gotten a good look at the Germ Family Robinson and the Ice Princess?”
“Huh. Funny, I don’t remember seeing those names on the registration forms,” Mason said sarcastically. “But don’t worry, it’s always the same. People get out here and they’re every bit as aggravating as the people I purposely moved here to avoid. Then somewhere during the ride, something magic happens to ‘em. They start to… I don’t know, they start to get it, I guess. At first they come out here and they look at us like we’re animals in a zoo. They just don’t understand why anyone would want to live like it’s the olden days.
“But somewhere along the way, usually after they’ve gotten over not getting to order off a menu or have someone wait on them hand and foot, that’s when they start to realize, ‘Hey, I have to go back home soon. I have to go back to my job and my mortgage payment and my crazy neighbors and my daughter’s weirdo boyfriend. I have to give all this up and go back to my normal life.’ Trust me, it changes them. They’re rough around the edges as we load up the horses and head out, but they get over it quick. Some of them almost turn into real cowboys!”
“That I’ll believe when I see it. In the meantime, we’re gonna miss our own dinner if we don’t hurry back. Race ‘ya!”
Chapter Eight
The preparations for the bonfire were underway by the time Laney came back outside. She attempted to find her brother without anyone noticing that she was looking for him, certain that they’d probably think she was up to no good. At that moment, she couldn’t have argued with them for thinking that.
“Hey, hey you,” a low voice called out as she walked by. “Come here.”
Laney turned and was repulsed to find Jimmy striding in her direction. She turned to keep walking but heard his footsteps running behind her, closing the distance between them. He fell into step beside her as she continued at her fast pace.
“You’re the only cool one in this whole messed up place. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out with me. You know, we could ditch these redneck weirdoes and find somewhere to be alone.” Laney turned to look at his face, trying to decide if he was serious. Sadly, he was.
“Are you kidding me? Why in the world would I want to be alone with you?” she demanded, feeling something close to nausea in the pit of her stomach. Given Jimmy’s attempt at making an alluring face, she couldn’t completely blame the slop they’d had for dinner.
“Don’t take it personally, babe, I’m just as pissed about being here as you are. My stupid parents think it’ll bring us closer as a family.” He wound his fingers together as a visual aid. “The last thing I want is to be closer to those dufuses. You, on the other hand, I could really stand to be closer to, know what I mean?” He actually had the nerve to wink at her.
“You… are… disgusting. And you’re way too young for me. Go back to your video games and leave me alone.” She turned to go, ignoring the ugly cuss word Jimmy called her under his breath. She would have to take some serious stock of her life if that was the kind of guy who thought he had a chance with her.
Laney did her best to brush off the creepy interaction with a high school boy and slunk up beside her brother and hissed, “Psst. Hey you.”
Oren looked up from the stick he was trying to whittle and waited for her to continue. Laney leaned closer, pressing her side against his as she passed him a piece of contraband. “I brought you something. But keep it on the down low.”
“What is it?” he asked, clearly looking at the candy bar in his hand but confused by why she would give it to him.
“It’s a candy bar, goofus, you’ve seen them before.” She stopped, her automatic response of biting words and insults making her angry with herself. She softened her tone and looked her little brother in the eye. “You saved my tail before dinner. You didn’t have to do that, but you did. I want you to know that I didn’t splash you with that crappy water on purpose, but also that it was really decent of you to stick up for me, especially since I’m pretty sure I don’t deserve it. So you’re getting a piece of my secret stash of junk food. Like I said, though, we keep this between us or everybody will want one.”
He smiled up at his sister as their conspiratorial actions sunk in. He stuffed the candy bar down in his pocket before Laney reminded him it was chocolate and that it would melt. She pointed him to the porch swing of their cabin, promising to cover for him if anyone suspected anything. He took off with his gift clutched to his chest, looking more suspicious than ever even as he tried to play it cool.
She smiled. He wasn’t a bad little brother at all, and she hated that it took something like him covering her butt to make her realize it. She started to feel bad for all the ways she’d pointed out how annoying he was over the years. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of her mom’s worried look, questioning Laney’s motives. Laney just smiled and shook her head. She had some proving to do before anyone would think she could do something nice for the little twerp without having a selfish motive, and in this case, it was a purely selfish motive, even if it was a gesture of thanks.
+++
Mason and Rose pulled up their blanket to the far edge of the bonfire’s light, close enough to enjoy the slight reprieve the smoke offered from the mosquitos but not close enough that its heat would make the hot night any hotter. Together they settled on the ground and Rose pulled out their picnic dessert, a few pieces of chocolate leftover from her last run into town. He contributed a jacket he’d grabbed before leaving his bunk, opening it out then rolling its edge tightly to make a cushion for their heads.
All around the fire—a pre-cattle drive tradition—people sorted themselves into small groups and clusters to talk about the trip. They asked questions of the cowboys and the veterans, and they were reassured about what they would face along the
way. Some of the older ranch hands swapped stories about funny things they’d seen or hilarious misadventures from previous newcomers. It was partly for the entertainment of the group, but also served to remind the vacationers that the drive was a serious affair that could have serious consequences if someone didn’t pay attention.
“So, are you excited for your first cattle drive, Miss Blalock?” Mason asked, folding his hands behind his head and looking up at the stars that began to peek out now that the sun had fallen below the horizon.
“Oh, of course. I absolutely cannot wait to see how you respond to seeing me without makeup, my hair fixed, and a daily shower!” She rolled her eyes, knowing that’s not what he wanted to hear right then.
“You’re beautiful no matter how you dress… or how you smell,” he added, waiting for the irritated smirk that he knew was coming, and laughing when she did.
“Me? Have you forgotten about that time that I couldn’t tell which one of you smelled worse, you or your horse? I followed the horse into the barn thinking I was following you to the ranch house. That poor horse was so confused when I walked into her stall after her!”
“Well, we’re all gonna start to smell like our horses before this cattle drive is over. And between you and me, a few of these riders are already starting to look like ‘em!”
They talked and laughed some more, watching the sky blacken overhead and then seeing it light up where the high flames licked the dark. Soon the groups scattered around the open grassy area were quiet, letting the magic of the night sky awe them as they watched for shooting stars. Too soon, Rose was fighting sleep, her head nestled against Mason’s shoulder, comforted in the safety of his arms. She’d never known peace like she’d found at Carson Hill, and a lot of it had to do with finding Mason at the same time.
“You sure got quiet over there,” Mason whispered against the top of her head, the scent of her shampoo rushing over him. He breathed in again, relishing the closeness of her.
