We walk for a handful of minutes in silence, and I contemplate this new Duke. Is he really trying to be my friend, or is there an underlying reason and motive? He did lose a couple of friends, one right after the other, to his old attitude, so maybe he really is trying to set himself straight. He slows to walk in step with me and I can see him watching me out of the corner of his eye as I start to speak. "I do have something you can do for me at the house."
"What's that?” He smiles, stopping to bring the .22 up to his shoulder and I see that he's sighting in a squirrel not too far away on a branch, but he scurries away too fast and Duke lowers the barrel.
"If it's not too much trouble," I start, trying not to sound desperate for help, "I could use some help sorting through some boxes in the basement. There's a lot of stuff down there, and I want to clean out, make room for the new, ya know?” I smile, clasping my hands together in front of my slight pot belly. It still isn’t noticeable unless I wear tight fitting clothing, but I can feel it and Kendall tells me she can see it. Not to mention she has her hand on my stomach constantly, trying to see if she can feel anything, even though I keep telling her I haven't felt anything yet. It kind of disappoints me; I was hoping to at least feel a flutter by now.
"Alrighty," Duke replies, bringing me from my musing and I see that his eyes have fallen to my hands. I giggle a little and rush through some weeds, creating a breeze on my face, cooling it off a bit. "Should you be running like that?” I hear him yell after me, but I just wave my hand over my head, not bothering to look behind me, but I can hear him approaching.
I stop just a few hundred yards from where I had started, putting my back up against an old oak tree, panting. I feel great, though, not having that weight of exhaustion on me that had slowed me down throughout my first trimester. Doctor Young said that I should start to have more energy, and today, I am loving it. It is nice outside and I have nothing important to do, so why not enjoy nature.
"Like I said, girl," Duke's deep voice comes from the other side of my tree and I face him with a smile, "I don't need to be carryin' no pregnant lady through the woods."
"Oh lay off, old man, and lead the way." I point to the path in front of us, and Duke flips me the bird with a smile, trudging ahead.
I can hear the running water from the small feeder stream further up and even smell the wet earth as we round a large patch of raspberry bushes that have yet to blossom. "Ahh, there it is!” I point past Duke's arm to a small clearing where I can see the sun reflecting off the water, and he nods his head, leading the way with the .22 over his shoulder.
Chad had been right; the pond is just a little thing with a small feeder stream running back toward the house, the sound of it being quiet and soothing as I walk around the opposite edge from Duke. The water is clear and cool as I step my left foot in tentatively, getting a pointed look from Duke over his sunglasses.
"Careful you don't fall," he says, but I just wave him off, pulling my foot back to the tall grass. The sun peeks through the trees and bounces off the water, making it hard not to be happy in this moment.
"Do you think it's deep?" I ask Duke as he rounds the back side, coming my way. The pond is only about two hundred feet wide, but you never know how deep until you explore it yourself.
"Could be kind of deep, but I doubt it." He rakes his hand through his hair and replaces his cap, and I can see that he's sweating. A bull frog croaks from the far side and it catches both of our gazes. "I could bring my daddy's tractor out here and mow it so you don't have ta’ walk through all the weeds, if ya'd like?" His blue eyes peer at me from a side long glance, and I nod, looking down to my flip flops with a smile.
"That would be nice," I elbow him in the side playfully and turn to head back, "but no hurry. I don't want you to drop any plans just to do things for me." His boots squish in the soggy earth on the edge of the pond and I hop over a pile of rocks near the trail.
"Oh, it's no prob, Ray." He bumps into me, nudging me with his arm, "I said I'm trying to be a good friend an' anythin' ya need I'll do." I give him a 'uh-huh' mumble of an answer and we walk the rest of the way in comfortable silence. Well, except for when he shoots at a squirrel but misses; I make fun of him until we get to his truck. Pausing by the passenger door, I can hear him toss the .22 into the cab, his door slamming shut.
"Well, come on, girl," he calls out before the engine roars to life. I bite my lower lip, but then tell myself, "He's trying to be my friend, give him the benefit of the doubt," and climb up into the dusty passenger seat. Duke hands me the white container with pie in it to hold on my lap.
"Seat belt, momma." He winks at me and I immediately know what that means. Duke plans on ripping some donuts in the field. Snapping the buckle in place, I hold on tight to the Styrofoam, bracing my feet on the floor as he whips the Ram to the left. The back end skids and spins around, kicking up a huge cloud of dust and I can’t help but laugh, Duke gunning it and spinning it around in the other direction.
I lose count at eight times around when we finally steer the truck back toward my house, the both of us laughing the entire way back. I laugh so much so that when Duke finally puts it in park in the driveway I have to jump out and sprint for the garage or I am going to pee my pants. Running through the mud room, I toss the pie on the island counter and slam the door to the small bathroom shut, hearing Duke laugh as he enters the house.
"Don't laugh at me, Duke Orr," I scold him through the shut door, "or next time I'll pee in your truck."
"Wouldn't be the first time, girly," he rips back and I hit myself mentally because I had walked right into that one. I had peed my pants a little one night when Duke was driving me and Kendall back to my house after a party. In my defense, I had begged him for at least three miles to pull over so that I could pee in the bushes, but he had refused, so, it served him right.
Leaving the bathroom, I lead Duke down into the basement and show him that I have the boxes already labeled. Telling him that the "OLD" boxes go on the left wall and that the "NEW" boxes go on the smaller wall to the front. I leave him to start the moving and dig into folding the laundry that has piled up. I turn up the radio and am amused when he starts to sing along with Jason Aldean. I shake my head as I take a basket full of towels up the stairs.
Duke is down there, singing along, when I check my cell on the kitchen table, seeing that Kendall has called me ten times, Harlan has called me ten times, and Dana had text me, saying that Kendall called her wondering where I was. Kendall's ring-back tone is Reba McEntire's "Fancy" and it plays for only a second before she picks up.
"Where have you been? Are you alright?" The concern in her voice makes me smile.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. Stop being all crazy protective. There was no need to call me ten times from both yours and Harlan's phones." She starts to huff and I stop her before she can get going. "Anyway, are you guys coming over later?"
She scoffs. "Yes," she seems to grind out. "Garth and Brad are going to come, too, if that's okay?"
"Of course it is; just tell them if they want beer to bring….”
"Hey Ray, where you want the ones marked 'WINTER'?" Duke's voice carries up the stairs like a scream through a megaphone, and I cringe because I know Kendall won't be able to keep her mouth shut. I mentally brace myself for the barrage.
"Who the hell was that?" she almost hisses, and I hold my cell away from my ear. "Was that Duke? Why the fuck is he in your house? I'm coming over… no you know what, I'm sending Harlan." I can hear her yell for him, and I freak out. I'm definitely not in the mood for the O.K. Corral reenactment at my house.
"Kendall stop," I almost yell at her, "he came by to help me move some boxes so drop it. He's trying to be a friend and who am I to be mean to him?" She goes quiet and I know she's boiling on the inside. I'll have to hear about it later. "Kendall, I know you're just concerned, but I am a big girl and I can handle myself."
"I know, Ray; I just worry."
"Don't Ken," I say, "I'll see you later,
okay?" Sunday nights are turning into our movie nights while Saturday's are dinner. I'll make popcorn and she'll bring a movie of some sort that Harlan, Brad, and Garth will grumble over for twenty minutes until they have two or three beers in them, I just know it.
"Yeah, and don't think we aren't going to have a lengthy talk about this," she issues and I hit my palm to my forehead, the smack echoing through the kitchen. Saying goodbye and setting my phone back on the table, I head back in the basement and help Duke with the last handful of boxes.
Heading out the front door I thank him for the pie and for the free manual labor, again, accepting a kiss on the cheek before he bounds around the bed of his truck with a wink. I don't see what everyone is freaking out about. Duke is helping me and trying to mend our friendship, why is that so bad?
I think everyone just needs to take a chill pill and keep their noses out of my business.
CHAPTER SIX:
May 25, 2012
"Kendall!!!!!" I scream out of frustration as I lay back on my bed with my legs dangling off the edge; the jeans I am trying to wiggle into are down at my ankles. The bar is closed tonight due to a leak in the roof, so Kendall, Harlan, Brad, Garth, and I are throwing a little party in my backyard; inviting pretty much everyone in town to come and sit by a bonfire, have burgers, and drink beer.
Kendall's pounding feet rush into the bedroom. "Wha-what's wrong?" Her face is covered with concern as I peer at her from my position on the bed. I smile at her curled blonde hair, her heavy eye makeup, and her long pink and green sundress. She releases a sigh and puts her hands on her hips. "You had me scared for a second there, why don't you have any pants on?"
"I can't get them to button without hurting," I pout, sitting up as she comes to stand at my side. My 'gut' had gotten a little bigger just in the last week, making me feel self-conscious with just about everything I put on.
Yesterday, I visited Doctor Young because I had some pains in my abdomen, but she had just diagnosed me with gas and had told me to lay off the snack food, and to try and take antacids, which I hate. I had asked her about the growth of my abdomen and she performed an ultrasound, checking to make sure everything is fine. It is, and a bonus was that I got to hear the heartbeat. It is amazing, and at about sixteen weeks, I'm really starting to get excited.
"Well, just wear somethin' else." Kendall turns to my closet and starts pushing hangers aside. Spinning around with a long, gauze type, yellow and black sundress, she extends it to me. "Here, this is cute and I haven't seen you wear it."
Taking it from her, I start to strip the shirt and tank I have already put on as I see her go through my shoes at the floor of the closet. She hands me a pair of flip flops with a slight wedge, and I give her a confused look. They are going to kill my feet. "Oh come on, it's your yard, you can just kick them off if you need to."
Considering that it is about 77 degrees outside with the sun just starting to go down, I snatch the shoes from her with a grin. Pulling the clingy material over my head, I smooth the straps at my shoulders and the length over my hips as it flows down to my feet, a frown creasing my lips as I look down.
"It shows a little," Kendall says and I see her come up behind me before feeling her arms wrap around my waist. Her smile lifts my mood and I lean back into my best friend. "I wish Chad was here to see how good you look right now," she says as she kisses my temple.
"Yeah, me too," I say, turning to hug her tight before releasing her to a kiss on the cheek.
I miss him more every day, and every night I clutch his pillow tight, inhaling the faint scent that is still lingering on its fabric. I have pictures of us up all around the house so I can catch a glimpse of him at every turn. I'll admit to myself, and no one else, that I'm guilty of even dumping some of his Old Spice aftershave into the washing machine with my night gowns and PJs to make them smell like him. What can I say? I sleep better when it's there.
Following Kendall down into the kitchen, I notice that Brad and Garth have started a bonfire out in the pit that Duke had put together for me yesterday. Yeah, that had been another twenty minute lecture from Kendall, but I'm not going to dwell on it. He is being friendly without any 'funny business', as I put it, and he is being a big help; doing things when Harlan and the others are busy. I had told him about the fire we are having tonight, but who knows if he'll show up. A high note is that Brad and Garth have finally come out, and, so far, people around town are accepting them, at least in public. No one shies away or whispers loudly. I think, deep down, some of them knew it already.
The sky is ten different shades of orange as I carry out three cases of soda through the back patio door. Garth sees me, and jogs over, taking two from me.
"You shouldn't be carrying so many," he chides, opening the boxes and dumping the cans into the ice filled metal tub. I just roll my eyes, ripping the cardboard box open with too much force and practically throwing the cans into the tub.
"I'm fine," I grind out, enraged that everyone is treating me like a child. "It's not like I'm disabled or something." Taking the empty box from the astonished Garth, I stomp my way back into the house, slamming the door shut behind me. Kendall isn’t anywhere in sight and I let out a ragged sigh as I lean my back against the island, blankly staring at the pictures on the fridge.
"You okay, Ray?” The deep voice makes me spin around with my hands on the countertop to see Duke standing in the archway to the living room, his blonde hair kept back in a tiny ponytail.
He has on a short sleeved, pearl snap plaid shirt, left unbuttoned until the fourth snap, showing off a black 'wife-beater' tank underneath. His jeans are worn, fitting him like a glove in all the right places with slight rips at the knees and that oh-so-familiar chew can ring in the front right pocket.
I nod at him, and he grins. "Having a hard night?" His well-toned arms cross over his chest and his blue-green eyes roam over my body, making a blush fill my skin. "You look good."
"Well, thank you," I say, moving toward the glass doors, "and no, my night is not as fun as I'd hoped, so far. Everyone is treating me like I'm disabled, that I can't do anything." I let my arms fall to my sides in frustration and I stand there, watching the people who have started to fill my yard laugh and mingle; the fire burning a bright orange.
"You should listen to them." Duke is at my right arm now, his aftershave lingering in the slight rush of air that his movement has made, flowing around my face. He looks down at me, and I see a genuine concern cross his brow. "At the same time, you shouldn't let being pregnant hold you back. Just take it easy, not too much lifting, bending, so on and so forth." I give him a quizzical look and giggle at his shrug in answer. "I've been reading up on the subject."
"Oh," is all I can say, softly pushing the door aside, joining the party with Duke on my heels. I try to let the idea of why he's reading about pregnancy roll around in my head, but I let it fall, not letting it bother me. Kendall's "Rhea Radar" seems to go off and she pops up right in front of me with a can of Sprite in her hand, her eyes shooting over my shoulder and immediately growing cold.
"Who invited you?” she practically hisses out, and I slap her arm. She can be a real bitch sometimes. Duke just smiles and walks away, joining Jesse and Jarrod over by a group of other guys.
"I invited him; he did build the pit after all." I grab her arm, spinning her around and deflecting her gaze from burning a hole in the back of Duke's head, and steer her over toward Harlan and the others. Brad is manning the grill, which is filled with cooking hamburgers and hot dogs, making my mouth water as I get closer.
I can see him smile from the corner of my eye as I look over the sizzling meats. "Don't you dare make fun of me, Bradley Muncy," I say, pointing my finger at him as he starts to chuckle. He throws his arm around my shoulder and pulls me into his side as I wrap my arm around his waist.
"Is Rosa comin'?” he asks as he flips a couple of the burgers, pressing them down into the grates, making the fire lick up as it's fueled by the grease. I just shake my
head no, because she is with her mother and grandmother, celebrating her grandmother's eightieth birthday. "Ah well that's alright, momma," he hugs me tighter to his side, and I get a big whiff of his Stetson cologne, "there's plenty of other people to occupy ya."
As I look around my yard, I see how it has started to fill up. Pretty much everyone I went to high school with is either sitting or standing around the fire, talking and mingling. There are people who went to school with my brother and Chad, and even those younger than us, including Harlan's younger brother, Johnny, and his girlfriend, Tracie Kindle. They are too cute, holding hands and laughing with Harlan and Garth as they no-doubt make fun of Kendall, since I see her pout and look my way. I leave Brad with a light squeeze, telling him he's doing a fine job and head over to Kendall, saying my hellos as I pass by.
"Now y'all aren't makin' fun of my bestie, are ya?" I ask with a smile as I elbow sixteen year-old Johnny Dow in the side, getting him to jump and Tracie to laugh.
"Nah, I'd never make fun of my girl," Harlan says as he pulls Kendall close, kissing her lightly on the lips as she playfully tries to push him away. His worn out Realtree cap is pushed up slightly, revealing his somewhat receding hairline, his short black hair coming back in a wicked widow's peak. Their affection makes me happy and sad at the same time, pulling at this piece of me that wants Chad here.
I sigh quietly to myself as they both smile at one another, Kendall wrapping her arms around Harlan's neck, and then I turn to Tracie. "Wanna come and help me grab some things from the kitchen?" I ask, needing a distraction before I start to cry, being overwhelmed by these damn hormones.
"Oh course, Rhea," she smiles, handing Johnny her can of Coke as she follows at my right elbow. "I can see you’re showin' a lil," she says with lightness in her voice as I reach for the handle of the sliding door. Smiling, I just nod at her, running my hand absentmindedly over the tiny little bump in my sundress. It is amazing how my life has changed in the last couple of months, but I am looking forward to the next couple of months so much more.
Coming Home: Book 2 The Wakefield Romance Series Page 6
