Tutu's & Cowboy Boots (Part 1)

by Casey Peeler

  Chapter 29

  Cadence

  Thanksgiving morning I roll out of bed and get ready to go to the barn, but today I’m not wearing Gran’s boots. I have my own pair that fit.

  “Look at those snazzy shoes!” Gran says.

  “Yeah, Barrick got them for me. It was either these or chevron. Thank goodness they aren’t chevron,” I laugh as I grab a cup of yogurt before going to help at the barn.

  I see Barrick’s truck and smile as I walk out to the barn. As I slide open the door, I’m shocked to see that Jade is with him too.

  “What are you doing here?” I question.

  “Aw, ya know, nothing to do on this Thanksgiving Day.” I can see right through her. “Okay, maybe because I haven’t seen ya, I thought I’d come help too,” she says. “And, maybe get more information out of you than I got from Barrick last night about the non-date. I can’t believe you didn’t call me when you got home.”

  I realize I called Lauren first and she didn’t even care. I should have called Jade. At least I know I can count on her. I notice how comfortable she is around everything in here. It’s like this is normal.

  “So I take it you’ve done this before?” I ask.

  “Yeah, but y’all got fancy equipment. We only have a few cows to milk at home so we have to use our hands.” I crinkle my nose as she talks about it. “You should try it one time.”

  “You’re kidding, right?” I ask, as she shakes her head no.

  “Come on. I’ll show you,” she says and for some reason I follow. Maybe because I know she’s not going to prank me like Barrick.

  Jade takes a seat on a stool and wraps her hands around those udders like it’s a natural thing. I’m starting to squirm just thinking about it. She starts to move her hands a certain way and then bam, milk appears. She gives me a quick lesson and then says it’s my turn. It takes me a few minutes and I ask if I can wear gloves. They both laugh at me and tell me no. Taking a deep breath, I go for it, and I’ve got nothing.

  “You want some help?” Barrick asks.

  “Nope,” I say as he shakes his head and walks away. Jade walks over to me and bends down to help me. I’m freaking milking a cow. How crazy is that?

  “Hey, you know what?” Jade whispers.

  “What, and why are we whispering?” I question.

  “I’ve got an idea,” she says and then quickly tells me in my ear. I’m so game.

  “Hey Barrick! She’s given in. Can you come help her?” Jade yells.

  “Yeah, hold on,” he says and we try to refrain from laughing.

  Jade takes a step back and Barrick squats down beside me giving me instructions. I play stupid, and when he leans in to help me, I squirt milk right in his face. It startles him and we begin to laugh.

  Wiping it away, he looks at both of us. “Cadence, we had a truce,” he says and I smile.

  “It was your sister’s idea. Not mine,” I say to him.

  “That so?” he says, looking at Jade.

  “Yup,” she says with a huge grin as he turns to walk away, telling her to sleep with one eye open tonight.

  “Cadence, that was hilarious! So whatcha think?” she asks pointing to the cow.

  “It was weird, but not many people I know can say they’ve done it,” I reply.

  “True. Come on, let’s hook them up so we can get ready for some food.”

  We finish up this morning and Jade tells me they are going to their memaw’s for Thanksgiving. Barrick tells me he’ll be back for his duties this afternoon. I tell him Mom, Gran, and I can handle it. Let’s face it; he does more than his share, and today is a day of giving. They leave and I walk to the house only to be scared to death by Gran.

  “So you told him to take the afternoon off?” Gran inquires without a smile.

  “Yeah. Was that not okay?” I question.

  “That’s my job, but I’ll let it slide because I was going to tell him that anyways,” she says with a smile. “So tell me, what made you make that decision?”

  I ponder on it for a moment. “I guess because Jade was talking about going to their memaw’s. I just felt bad for him to have to come back over here and be away from his family.”

  “And that, Cade, is the perfect answer,” she says as she tosses her arm around my shoulder. “You want to help me get ready for our Thanksgiving feast?”

  “Why not?” I say.

  “You might want to shower first,” Gran says, wrinkling her nose.

  After my shower, I find Mom and Gran in the kitchen in aprons and working hard. I can’t comprehend why the three of us need all of this food. I think about asking, but then Gran starts giving orders and I follow.

  As I’m finishing the pecan pie, my cellphone begins to ring. I quickly wipe my hands and see that it’s Dad.

  “Hello?” I answer as I walk out to the back porch.

  “Hey, Cade. I wanted to call and wish you Happy Thanksgiving.”

  “Thanks, Dad. What are you doing today?” I ask knowing that’s a loaded question.

  “Mindy and I are going to her parents.”

  “Oh.” It’s the only word I can manage because now I know why he didn’t want me to come. He had other plans that don’t include his old family.

  “How are you?” he asks.

  “I’m hanging in there. Life here isn’t so bad,” I tell him as I try to refrain from showing my true emotions.

  “See, I told you it would all work out. Well, I’ve got to go, but keep your eyes on the mail. I’ve sent you something,” he says. I want to be excited because Dad used to give me great gifts, but knowing he’d rather be with her family and not me makes me sad. Hanging up, I walk back inside to see that Mom and Gran are staring at me.

  “What?” I say as I walk back to my pie and pick it up to place it in the oven. They look at each other and shrug their shoulders. I do my best to shake off the sadness, but it’s no use and everything seems to go to hell the rest of the afternoon. I burned my pie, got cranberry salad on my white shirt, and when we went to work at the barn that afternoon not only did I step in shit, a cow splattered shit all over me while I was removing the cups. Happy Thanksgiving to me.

  Barrick

  My family and I make the short trip to my memaw’s. When we arrive, Jade and I help our parents carry in food and then go out back where all of our cousins are setting up for the annual flag football game.

  We start the game and have an awesome afternoon. At halftime, Memaw yells for us to come and eat. It happens every year like clockwork. After stuffing ourselves silly, we take a break and watch football on TV. My mind wanders to Ms. Mae and Cadence and I hope they are enjoying their day. When Jade leaves her phone unattended, I swipe it and get Cadence’s number.

  “What are you doing with my phone?” Jade asks.

  “Being nosey like any good brother would be,” I say.

  “Right!” she says as if she can read my mind. “All you had to do was ask.”

  “Ask what?” my cousin questions.

  “Oh, he’s got the hots for my friend Cadence. Not to mention he works for her grandma,” Jade says, completely sure of herself, and the entire room starts to laugh.

  “I don’t know how you put up with her,” my younger cousin Jude says.

  “It’s rough. I’ll tell y’all that,” I say and look at Jade like I’m going to kill her. Now the question is do I call or not. Maybe I’ll just hold on to it for future reference.

  After we let our food settle, we finish our game outside and as the afternoon sky begins to fade, we say our goodbyes and go home.