by Casey Peeler
Chapter 22
Cadence
I feel emotionally exhausted Monday morning when I wake up. Crying that many tears in one night can do that to a person. I absolutely hate my dad. I was beginning to move on from the fact that he hadn’t called to check on me and then he just swoops in and asks me to come for a visit. If he’s too busy to call me on a regular basis then he should stay busy and out of my life. Why can’t he just leave me alone?
I look like hell so I take extra time to apply my concealer. By the time I get downstairs I realize Gran isn’t in the house and Mom has already left. I pour a cup of coffee and roll my eyes as I walk toward Gran’s truck. Rolling your eyes really hurts when they are already puffy. Maybe I should stop doing that so much.
Jade is waiting for me in the parking lot when I get to school. As soon as I’m within speaking distance she’s nagging me about dance.
“So, Cadence you’re coming with me to the studio today, aren’t you?” she asks.
“Jade, I didn’t bring my clothes.”
“I’ve got plenty.”
“I’d rather have my own,” I banter back.
“Fine, then why don’t I pick you up and we ride together?” There is no way she’s letting me out of this.
“I’ll have to call Gran. She has me working every afternoon. She might not let me,” I say, knowing I’ll have to call during lunch.
The entire time I’m in class all I can think about is what it will be like to dance somewhere else. I wonder if Gran will let me go and if I do go, if I’ll make any new progress.
I call Gran from the bathroom at lunchtime since cellphones aren’t allowed in school. I’m surprised when a male voice answers the phone.
“Barrick?” I question.
“Speaking,” he says.
“Where the hell is Gran?” I ask because I’ve never known him to answer the phone.
“She’s in the powder room. We’re about to eat lunch,” he says.
“Oh. I need to talk to her,” I say as I hear her in the background.
“Cade, everything okay?” she questions, taking the phone.
“I’m fine, but I have a question. My friend Jade wants me to go to that rinky-dink studio and won’t take no for an answer. I told her I needed to check with you.” Deep down I’m praying she says I have to stay at the farm.
“Sure! Do you want me to have Barrick bring your clothes by the school?” she asks. Something about him holding my personal belongings makes me uneasy.
“I’ll come home after school. I think I’m going to ride with her as well,” I say.
“Okay. Just let me know when to expect you home tonight, and you are still responsible for helping out on the farm, too.”
“Okay. I’ll see you this afternoon,” I say as I hang up.
Walking into the cafeteria I look for Jade and take a seat beside her. She just stares at me.
“What?” I question.
“And?” she asks, wanting to know what Gran said.
“I can go. Just meet me at my Gran’s. She lives at—”
“I know where Ms. Mae lives. Everyone ‘round here does,” she says with a laugh.
Barrick
“Everything okay?” I ask Ms. Mae.
“Yeah, I think. Cadence finally decided to check out that studio down the road and asked if she could go. I hope they are ready for her,” she says with a laugh. “I told her you could bring her stuff, but she vetoed that.”
I take a bite of my sandwich. Cadence doesn’t want me near her stuff. That’s not a shocker.
“You know I think it will be good for her, Barrick. What do you think?” she asks me.
Why is she asking me this? “I don’t know, but at least she’s being more respectful these days.”
“Awe shit! You know she’s just pretending, don’t ya?” Ms. Mae says and I choke on my tea. That hadn’t really crossed my mind. “Bless it Barrick. She’s just doing what I ask because she wants me to loosen the reigns a little.”
I sit there quietly and take it all in. It’s all an act. I make a mental note to remember that when I see her working so hard with a smile on her face. And here I thought she was actually letting her guard down and embracing Delight.
Ms. Mae stops me before I head back out to the barn. “Barrick, I need to go to the bank. Would you mind taking me?”
“Of course not. I’ll take you as soon as I finish the afternoon milking.”
