by Casey Peeler
Chapter 21
Cadence
Sunday afternoon Gran sends me to do the milking. She says that I can handle one session by myself, and if so, she might ease up on me. I’m taking that for what it’s worth and working my ass off today no matter how much I hate it.
As I usher in the last set of cows, I’m surprised to see Barrick walking into the barn. Seriously, he needs to learn what a weekend off means. I can promise you that if Gran told me to take time off, I wouldn’t come back until the last minute.
“Well, well. Now isn’t this a sight,” he says with a smirk and I ignore him. “So that’s how it’s gonna be?” he questions and I continue to ignore him. “I go away for a day and you turn into the golden child?”
“No. Gran said if I did this myself she’d lighten my load,” I say smartly.
“I see. You’re a what’s-in-it-for-me kinda girl,” he says and I don’t answer.
As I finish, I stand and take them back out to the pasture. When I return, Barrick has begun to clean up the equipment.
“You don’t have to do that. If Gran sees you then her deal is off. I can’t afford to let that happen,” I say as I start to clean up and Barrick reluctantly stops.
“So how was the dance?” he questions as my phone begins to ring. Who in the world could that be? Taking it from my pocket, I’m shocked when I see Dad on the screen.
“Shit!” I say. “I’ll be right back.” I answer the call and walk out of the barn. “Hey Dad.”
“Hey Cadence. How are you?” Oh, you finally decided to call.
“I’m fine. What do you want?”
“I wanted to see how you were. I’m sorry I haven’t called. I’ve just been busy.”
“Oh I bet. Busy with what’s-her-face.”
“Cadence, do you have to be like this?” he says, aggravated.
“Be like what? Dad, I’ve been gone for like two months and you haven’t called me once. I’m smart enough to know that she’s left you or you feel bad about something.”
He gets quiet for a moment. “Cadence, your mom sent me your picture from homecoming and I wanted to know how it went. I’d also like you to come for a visit. What do you think?”
“It went fine. Sure, I’ll come but is she going to be there when I come?” I ask.
“Cadence, you’re going to have to accept that Mindy is going to be around for a long time,” he says.
“If you say so. Look, I’ve got to go. Call me when know you the details,” I say as I disconnect and scream in frustration.
Barrick
I hear Cadence holler like she is being torn into a million pieces and drop what I am doing and run outside.
“Cadence, are you okay?”
She looks at me and hurt flashes in her eyes as anger begins to replace it. “I’m fine.”
“Um, I’m no genius and I don’t claim to understand girls at all but that sound was not fine.”
“Of course, a guy would try and fix the problem. Funny thing is men can’t fix this problem. They are the problem.”
I have no idea what she means by that. I mean I haven’t been nice to her, but I didn’t make her yell like that. “Look, I’m not sure what’s going on. I heard you from inside the barn and I thought something had happened to you. Obviously, I was wrong. Sorry for attempting to be a good guy,” I say as I turn to leave.
Cadence doesn’t return to the barn and when I finish cleaning, I see that she’s on the front porch with her mother. I can only assume that she knows what’s going on, and I hope and pray that she knows how to help her.
