Texas Tea - Post Malone

More Than All The Stars

Indy stares at the cherry blossom. The trunk looks rough but the flowers are pretty and soft looking. She feels strangely at ease as the sweet cherry blossom scent swirls around her like a hug in the soft breeze. "When...when I was seven I missed my birthday because I had to spend it in the hospital while the doctors pushed thick needles into my bones to harvest bone marrow for my sister's treatment. It was painful. I was all alone and I didn't even get a gift. I don't know why I remember being so sad on that birthday. I had never been allowed to celebrate my birthday and I never got a birthday gift as a child. My first birthday gift was when I was 16. I got a big slab of chocolate from my teacher. She was nice...I think that's when I decided I wanted to be a teacher. I ate that whole chocolate as I walked home. I got a tummy ache but it was the best birthday I ever had," she whispers to the cherry blossom, wiping her eyes. She does feel a little lighter.

She feels Austin's hands on her as he pulls her into his arms and tightly to his chest. She hears him sniff softly above her head. "Those things are gone now, Indy...my grandmother has them," he whispers, his voice croaking in pain. "I can feel it," she sniffles into his chest. "You want ice cream?" he asks. "Yeah," she says with a little watery laugh. "Come on then," he says taking her hand and pulling her to his truck.

They head down the ranch road, past the barn, and then onto the main road. The town looks a little bigger in the daylight and there are lots of people and cars around now. Austin stops near a large store and then turns his truck around backing it up to the shop door. He grins at her. "More family, baby," he says and then hops out. How big is Austin's family?  She climbs out when he opens her door and walks inside with him. It's like a big warehouse full of sacks of feed and other ranch stuff Indy has no idea about. "Well, look who the mountain called home!" a woman shouts down from on top of a huge pile of sacks of feed. Indy looks up and sees the woman has messy dreadlocks, a bright yellow romper, and a smile as bright as the sun. "Ain't you too old to be climbing sacks of corn, Aunt Dixie?" Austin calls out to her. She laughs and then jumps onto a rope hanging on the side of the feed and swings down. Landing on her feet with a thud in front of Austin.

"My heart will always be young!" she says with another laugh as Austin grabs her for a hug. "Aunt Dixie, this is Indy," he says turning her to face Indy. She is a lot to take in. "Oh! Look at you. Texas! You got yourself a sweet little love," Dixie says grabbing her and hugging her tight. Her hugs are not as gentle as Evelyn's but it brings just as much warmth. "Tell me, Indy, what do you think of animal rights?" Dixie asks her with squinted eyes. It looks like she is testing her. "Umm...I think...I think...animals should have more rights than people and should be loved," she says. "You are perfect!" Dixie says throwing her hands in the air. "And now...this is important...what do you think about turkeys?" she asks. Indy remembers what Linda had said this morning. "They make the best pets. They are considered family," she says. "Welcome to the family!" Dixie shouts happily then takes the list from Austin's hand and walks off as she inspects it.

Austin looks curiously at Indy. "Linda," Indy whispers. "Clever girl," Austin mouths and takes her hand. "Let me show you something," he says and walks with her through Dixie's store and out to the back. Indy's mouth drops open when she sees a huge open field that is covered in turkeys and tiny cute cows. There must be at least five hundred of them. "Dixie lives on her husband's ranch with their son and two daughters. She raises mini cows and turkeys that she sells as pets, she makes people sign contracts to say they won't eat them. Her husband is the local vet - they are as wild as each other."

"What about the other sisters?"

"My youngest Aunt, Birdy, is a city girl. She lives in New York with her husband and daughter. She wears high-heeled boots and long red nails. The second youngest, Ayla, is a philanthropist. She is a wise woman. She has a weird way of speaking but people are drawn to her. She travels the world with her husband and son but always wears a Stetson. Aunt Harper rides the ranch she bought with her husband. She has seven sons and three daughters."