Tutus & Cowboy Boots (Part 2)

by Casey Peeler

  I nod to Mom, place my warm feet on the cool wooden floor, and try to find something old to wear. The only old things I own are dance clothes so that’s what I grab. I quickly text Barrick to get over here, toss my phone on my bed, and grab my paisley galoshes before I hurry toward the barn. Thankfully the weather turns warmer earlier in the South so it’s not as cold in the barn.

  Gran is sitting with Daisy and looks up when she hears us come in. “Girls, I need you to get things ready in the next stall. Put out some fresh straw and fresh water. Daisy and her calf will need to move in there once she delivers.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Mom says as she begins to walk this way. I stand in shock at the image in front of me. Daisy is standing there and there is discomfort laced in her moos. It’s not that I don’t know what to do because putting hay on the ground isn’t hard; it’s the fact that my mom has gone into straight country girl mode. “Cadence, bring the water hose in here please,” she says, snapping me out of my trance. I look for it and quickly jump into action. I grab the hose and then start breaking up the straw.

  As I go to turn the water off, I’m caught off guard when the barn door opens. “Oh shit! You scared me,” I say as Barrick walks in. “I guess I’m a little on edge.”

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Where’s Ms. Mae?” he says as he takes in the situation.

  I point to Daisy’s stall, and he makes his way over there. I turn the water off and help Mom finish getting the stall ready. I hear the loudest moo I’ve ever heard and Gran tells Barrick to get ready. I look at Mom and we both hurry to see what’s going on.

  When we look over the stall, I’m grossed out yet in awe of the sight before me. Gran is covered in some nasty film and Barrick has the calf in his arms. He takes a piece of straw and puts it up its nose, and before I know it the calf is breathing on its own. I take a step forward and just look as Daisy is led into the new stall and the calf is placed near her to nurse. That was the grossest, most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.

  I stand outside the stall as Daisy looks at me. “Good job, girl!” I say as Mom comes to stand beside me. Looking at her, I can’t hide my joy for both of them. “Mom, isn’t she the cutest thing ever?”

  “She’s adorable,” she says as she places her arm on my shoulder, pulling me in for a motherly hug. “You did good, too, lovey girl!”

  Barrick

  After placing the calf in the stall, I wash up at the sink. Cadence amazed me with the way she handled all the responsibilities given to her. She is really embracing the farm life and I hope I don’t lose her to Boston.

  “Barrick, I’m going to make a pot of coffee, if you’d like some,” Ms. Mae says, pulling me from my thoughts.

  “Sure. I’ll be right in.” I check on Daisy and tag the calf before going toward the house.

  I give a slight knock before entering and find all three women at the table with a warm cup of coffee in their hands. Ms. Mae stands to get my coffee, and I tell her to stay seated. I pour my coffee in the mug they left out for me, and take the only seat open beside Ms. Mae.

  “Ms. Mae, she’s been tagged,” I state as I take a seat.

  “Doesn’t that hurt?” Cadence questions.

  I look at her and try to relate it to something she’d get. “Did piercing your ears hurt?”

  “Uh, not really.”

  “Well, I’m not a cow, but I figure it’s about the same thing.”

  She takes another sip of coffee, and I look at Ms. Mae. “Ms. Mae, do you have any Hank?” I ask and Cadence gives me a look.

  “Honey, you know it!” she says as she walks to the living room and comes back with a record. “I remember when this came out! I saved up my money for a month to buy it! Come on in the living room. I’ll put it on,” she states and we take our coffee and follow her into the room. She takes the top off the record player and within seconds the opening notes to “Family Tradition” fills the living room. Ms. Mae turns and starts to move to the classic country song. Cadence looks as if she’s just heard a foreign language as Ms. Mae moves toward her. She takes Cadence by the hand and begins to two-step. I start to sing the extra words all the teenagers have added over the years.

  “Get laid? Barrick Carpenter! Y’all kids sure know how to ruin a great song!” Ms. Mae hollers over the music but never misses a beat. Within a few moments, I watch as Ms. Mae swirls Cadence away from her and grabs Regina. I take Cadence’s hand and we all two-step around the room.

  “Told ya, I’d teach you about Hank. One down, two to go,” I whisper in her ear.

  “What was that? I thought Gran was going to have a cow,” she says and continues to giggle uncontrollably. We both start to laugh because Daisy just literally had a cow.

  “Just wait for a good party and you’ll understand,” I say as I continue to spin her around the room. “So do you like it?”

  “What? The music? Nuh, uh, but I do like dancing with you,” she admits. As the next song ends, I realize Ms. Mae and Regina are gone.

  “Cadence, remember I always want to make you happy and that you can talk to me about anything,” I say as I hold her in my arms.

  “I love you, Barrick. I really do,” she says and leans in for a kiss.

  “I love you too,” I say, hoping her love for dance won’t break us apart.

  Cadence

  When Barrick says I can talk to him about anything, my heart breaks a little. I haven’t told him about Boston and I need to before he finds out. It’s not right for me to make Jade keep my secret and I need to be honest with him.

  “Barrick—”

  “Cadence… I’m sorry. What were you going to say?”

  “No, you go first,” I say.

  “I was proud of you out there. Pitching in and helping out when we needed you. We might be making a country girl out of you yet.”

  “I didn’t do anything. I don’t think I could have done what you and Gran did. That was totally disgusting.”

  “Yeah, it kinda is. But bringing a new life into the world is pretty amazing. Speaking of new life, I better go check on Daisy and the calf. Wanna come?”

  “Of course.”

  “Oh, what were you going to say?”

  “Oh, nothing, we can talk about it later. Let’s go check on our girls,” I say, chickening out.

  I let Mom and Gran know we’re going to check on the cows before we go down to the barn. As soon as we walk in, Barrick pulls me into the storage closet and attacks my lips. I let out a soft moan. When he trails kisses down my neck, I pull back slightly. “Damn, Mr. Carpenter. What brought that on?”

  “You. Helping with Daisy. Dancing with me. Wearing that skimpy dance outfit. It’s taken everything in me not to kiss you in front of your mom and Ms. Mae.”

  “Well, you seem to have the same effect on me,” I say before I attack his lips and let my hands roam his body. When we both are out of breath and my hands have crossed lines they haven’t before, we slow things down.

  “Cadence you have no idea how sexy you are right now in that outfit and those galoshes with your hair a mess. It’s freakin’ hot.”

  I giggle and Barrick gives me a warning look. “I’m sorry. I just can’t help it. How can this be hot?” I ask as I cover my mouth to keep from laughing. He takes a step toward me, grabs my arms and tosses me over his shoulder.

  “Bare! Put me down!” I scream while playfully beating his back. He carries me over to the hay pile and tosses me into it. Then he lies next to me and kisses me like I’ve never been kissed before. This boy has stolen my heart and there is no way I can leave it here and go to Boston.

  As the barn door squeaks open, we jump from the hay and quickly pull ourselves together. When Gran lays eyes on us, it’s obvious she knows exactly what we were doing.

  “How’s Daisy and the calf doing? It’s funny that I don’t see any other cows in here ready to be milked,” she says with a look, and then we all bust out laughing and get to work.

  Chapter 22

  Cadencer />
  When we finish with our chores, I check on the calf. She’s absolutely adorable. I look at that awful tag in her ear and read the number, three thousand twenty-seven.

  “Barrick, we can’t let her be a freaking number!” I whine.

  “You’re right. What do you want to name her?” he asks.

  “I can choose?”

  “Of course. Daisy’s your girl so why not?” he says with a smile.

  I have no idea what to name a cow, but as I look around for a name, my eyes land on the paisley galoshes I’m wearing. That’s it.

  “Paisley,” I say as I look at her. “What do you think?”

  “I love it. Daisy and Paisley,” he says, walking up to her. “What do you think, little one? You like the name Paisley?” he asks the calf. I watch her nudge his hand. “I think she likes it,” he says.

  “I love it,” Gran says from behind us. We look from Gran to Daisy and I think she likes it too. We spend a little more time with them before going on with the rest of the day.

  ***

  I know this is the week I told myself I was going to make a decision about going to Boston but all I’ve done besides school is spend time with Barrick, take care of Paisley, and dance. Barrick and I have been using our alone time in the barn to attack each other’s lips. It has almost become a distraction at dance when I drift off thinking of his lips on mine, but Jade quickly pulls me back into focus on our routine.

  “Girl, you got it bad. But you better not hurt my brother. What are you going to do about Boston? Are you going to go? Have you told him yet?” Jade bombards me with questions as we walk out of the studio on Thursday.

  “No, I haven’t told him. I didn’t want to until I made up my mind. I almost told him after Paisley was born but I chickened out. I know it’s not right to ask you to keep a secret for me.”

  “Cade, I told you I would but he needs to know. I know my dad’s been riding him about college as well and I know he doesn’t want to leave you.”

  “He doesn’t?”

  “Cadence, he loves you and I’ve never seen him like this before. He’s always a gentleman with girls but he’s different with you. I know you don’t know yet but don’t lead him on.”

  “Jade, I promise as soon as I decide I’ll talk to him,” I assure her.

  “Okay, well don’t wait too long. Oh, hey, can I ride with you tomorrow? My parents have some big shindig to go to after the competition Saturday night.”

  “Sure, no problem. I’m so glad all our routines are on Saturday this weekend.”

  “Me too. Maybe we’ll be able to have some fun afterward,” Jade says with a wiggle of her hips. I laugh and hope this weekend is as magical as last.

  Barrick

  Jade and Cadence went to the dance competition today and I miss my helper. It might have to do with the way she kisses. I know they won’t be home late but now it’s five and they still aren’t here. I’m done for the day so I decide to go home and get cleaned up in case Cadence wants to go out tonight.

  “Where y’all goin’?” I ask when I walk in the house and see Mom and Dad all dressed up.

  “We have the function at Two Mountains Farm.”

  “Oh. What time do you think the girls will be back?” I question.

  “I’d think in the next hour. Remember, no girls in this house without a parent,” Mom states.

  “Mom, I’m an adult.”

  “As long as you’re under my roof, the answer is no,” she says with her arms crossed.

  “Yes, ma’am,” I say, knowing not to push it.

  After Mom and Dad leave, I check on things in our barn before I shower and put on clean clothes. I’m sprawled out on the couch when I hear the side door open and close. I jump up to see if Cadence came in with Jade.

  “Cadence didn’t come in with you?” I question.

  “No, she said she wanted to take a shower and that you should text her about doing something later. I won’t tell Mom and Dad if she comes over,” she says with a wink before vanishing to the bathroom. After she’s showered Jade returns to the living room, flops down on the couch, and steals the remote.

  “Hey, I had that first.” She sticks out her tongue and changes the channel.

  “Real mature, Jade,” I say as I steal it back and put the channel back on the rodeo. When Jade begins to pout, I throw her the remote and she grins from ear to ear.

  “You know you love Pretty Little Liars,” she laughs.

  “Oh yeah because the girls are hot.” She rolls her eyes.

  “You’re such a dude. There are more important things than good looks. Take Cadence for example. She’s beautiful, but you hated her to start. What if you had given Maddie the same chance? I mean she’s got good in their somewhere, doesn’t she?” I stare at Jade.

  “Jade, where do you get this stuff? I mean, damn. Maddie has always been a bitch. It runs in their family. Have you met her older sister? Misty is a queen bee on steroids. I felt sorry for every girl and guy that crossed her path in high school, including myself.”

  She starts to laugh. “I guess you’re right, but I always believe that there is good in everyone. It’s a matter of whether they choose to embrace it.”

  “When did you get so smart?” I ask, pulling her into my shoulder.

  “I think it runs in the family,” she says with a smile. “Speaking of smart, what did you tell Dad about college?”

  “That I didn’t know what I wanted to do now that Cadence is in my life.”

  “Oh, wow, so it is as serious as I thought. Bare, just because I gave Cade a chance and found out that she’s actually not a bitch, be careful you don’t get hurt.”

  “Do you know about Boston?” I ask.

  “You know about Boston?”

  “Yeah, Dad told me last week. Told me not to let my feelings for Cadence influence my decision about school. Jade, I don’t know if I can do that. I love her and I’ve never felt this way before. I just don’t understand why she hasn’t told me about it yet and it kinda hurts that she doesn’t trust me. If she loves me as much as I love her, she should be able to tell me what is going on in her life.”

  “Bare, she asked me not to say anything to you because she wanted to wait and tell you when she decided what she was going to do. I know she loves you and it’s killing her to make a decision. She has to decide whether she wants to follow her lifelong dream or… you. Personally I’d pick the dream,” she says with a straight face. I smack her with a pillow and she starts laughing.

  “Seriously though Bare, you both just need to talk to each other.”

  “I know,” I admit and then look at the TV. “So, who’s ‘A’ anyways?”

  “I’ll never tell!” She winks and I laugh.

  “You and those dang books. You already know the answer. Why do you need to watch the show?”

  “Why do you have to watch those Dukes of Hazzard reruns?” Good point.

  I leave it alone and sit with her for a few minutes. As I sit and think about what she said, I realize I have an amazing sister. She is one of a kind, and I love her dearly. I know I need to follow her advice and talk to Cadence.

  I text Cadence and ask if she wants to come over. She quickly texts back with a yes and before I know it, there’s a slight knock on the door. When I open the door, Cadence is standing there dressed like she’s ready to take on the town.

  “Hey, beautiful,” I say as I kiss her lips and pull her into me.

  “Hey, now, you two be good,” Jade hollers from the couch. Cadence starts to giggle and the moment is ruined.

  “Wanna get outta here?” I ask her.

  “You know it,” she says with a quick kiss before telling Jade bye.

  I hear Jade call out, “Good girls are home by midnight.”

  Cadence looks at me. “What if I’m not a good girl?”

  “You better stop before you get us in trouble,” I say as we walk out the door and I help her into the truck before driving to our spot.

  Our spot lo
oks a little different than it did before without the lights. But we snuggle up on my tailgate and we take in the sound of the crickets and the cool spring breeze.

  I take her hand in mine and kiss it gently. “Cadence, I didn’t think y’all were ever going to get home today.”

  She turns to look at me. “I felt the same way. Once we were done with our routines, I couldn’t wait to get out of there. I didn’t even care what awards we got.” I pull her even closer. “What’s that noise?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “That creaking sound.”

  “Oh, you mean the crickets. They’re one of my favorite things about places like this. No cars. No lights. No loud noises. Just the sounds of nature. It makes me feel closer to God. Just wait until it gets closer to summer; the lightenin’ bugs are amazing.” She crinkles her nose. “Don’t worry, you’ll love them, I promise,” I assure her.

  “How did I not know life like this existed? I mean I used to visit Gran but I just never really appreciated it. I just counted down the minutes until I could get back to the city,” she says and I say a silent prayer that she’ll want to stay close to Delight.

  “Sometimes light can be blinding. When I used to feel like life was getting in the way, I would just go out to the middle of nowhere and listen. It’s amazing how clear things can be when there aren’t any distractions.”

  She bites the side of her lip and I know she’s thinking about something. “Can we just sit and listen. I think I have a few things I need to figure out.”

  “Sure,” I say because as much as I want to help her make her decision, I know she needs to just listen for God to give her the answer. I hold her tight until she falls asleep on my shoulder.

  I give one last look up into the night sky and decide that this is what I want for my life. I want a strong woman by my side. A woman who is willing to work hard and who will be there for me as I will be there for her. As a star shoots across the sky, I know God sent me just the right woman and everything will work out.