Texas Tea - Post Malone

Ace

As soon as they turn onto the ranch road Indy's breath hitches. The ranch is beautiful in the daylight. The long ranch road stretches out in front of her, a large barn on the left and the ranch house on top of the little hill with an enormous mountain in the backdrop. There are also millions of cows in the fields on either side of the ranch road now and Indy can see lots of Stetsons floating between them. It's a big set up but she bets Evelyn makes sure everything runs smoothly. Austin pulls his truck off to the side of the road when they get to a herd of cattle that all look extra fat. "The pregnant heifers," he says pointing at them. "Matty will be breaking a sweat until every one of them births safely," he says climbing out, Indy follows him. "Matty is in charge of their births? But he is so young," she says. "They start them young out here. My mama and her sisters were strapped to my grandfather's chest as newborns as I and my brothers were to my mother's chest...as my children will be one day," he says, adding the last part quietly. That confuses Indy. Austin is a football coach, he does not even live here anymore. But, if she is being truly honest, he has always stood out in the city - but right here, right now, something has started swirling around him and it makes him look like he is Cottenwood itself. So weird.

Austin hops over the fence and then turns to help Indy but she shakes her head. The pregnant cows are cute but they are huge and there are a lot of them - she will keep her distance for now. He chuckles and then turns, walking off to his mother who is busy fussing over a cow. She turns to look at him when he gets closer with a soft smile on her lips. Austin starts talking to her then pulls the note out from his pocket and hands it to her. Her hand covers her mouth as she reads it, her eyes dart to Indy and then back to Austin as he talks.

"In the city, are all the girls as pretty as you?" Matty asks suddenly popping up in front of her. Indy giggles and nods her head. "Yes. But, sometimes their hearts are not," she says. "I need a girl with both," Matty says.

"There are no pretty girls out here?"

"Oh, all the girls are pretty out here. Lindy-Lou especially. But, even though I carry my Daddy's name, my grandfather's blood runs through my veins and so does his curse. Besides, I am going to be a country singing star so I will be livin' in the city."

"You don't want to stay here?"

"No. I grew up Cottenwood, but I ain't Cottenwood."

"Oh....who is Cottenwood?"

"There is one in every generation. My great-grandmother, my grandfather, my mother, and Texas," he says with a shrug as if it's common knowledge. Indy looks at Austin who is talking with his mother. He looks a little stressed but Evelyn is just smiling softly at him. She remembers what Dixie said - the ranch seems to make a lot of the decisions around here. But, what does that mean? "Who makes that decision?" Indy asks looking back at Matty. "The ranch," he says with a shrug as if it's, once again, common knowledge. It seems to be. If Austin had meant to be here, why did he leave? Why does he have a life void of Cottonwood? Indy doesn't feel like she would ever want to leave if given a choice. "You wanna see something cool?" Matty asks. "Oh...yes please," she says. "Well you are gonna have to jump the fence or use that gate," he says grinning at her and pointing to the gate next to her that she had not seen. She looks at the cows and then back at Matty, shaking her head. "Miss, my heifers are real ladylike. They won't hurt you and I promise to look after you," Matty says taking his Stetson off and holding it to his chest.

"I will be here too."

Indy turns and sees Jimmy behind her. He has a trustful way about him. She does not think her father has ever looked at her as kindly as Jimmy is. "O-ok," she whispers. "Pretty hat, miss. A real country-like," Matty says with a grin as he opens the gate. "Thank you," she says touching her hat as she walks through the gate with a skittish step. Jimmy is a quiet man but he keeps close to her side and Matty leads them into the herd but keeps close to her too. She can feel they are trying to make her feel safe. When Indy is surrounded by cows and feels a tad bit claustrophobic, Matty stops walking. He bends down and then turns around to face Indy with a teeny tiny newborn calf in his hands. "She is my first one of the year. She was early so she is a bit on the small side. But, she is healthy. You can name her," he says with a bright smile.