Texas Tea - Post Malone

Stetson

"Austin and I have an announcement so will you all please line up and listen carefully," she says to her three animals. "Austin, please mute the game for a few minutes," she asks. "What are we doing?" Austin asks, muting the game as she lines the animals up in front of the TV. Indy sits next to him on the couch and laces their fingers together. "Announcing our pregnancy. We have to tell them. This affects them as much as it does us," she whispers in his ear. He looks at her like she is crazy but nods. She stays quiet and then bumps Austin with her shoulder.

"Oh? Me? Ok...um...miss Daisy, Lucky, Peppermint...we are having a baby," he says then stares at them while they stare back. "Darlin', I am gonna be honest with you. I think they are only stayin' put because they think they are gettin' a treat."

"Nonsense. They are in shock. Now, we don't want any of you to worry. A baby in the house will be life-changing for all of us. But, we promise you will still get the same amount of love and attention as you do now," she says. They continue to stare at her. "Maybe...they are just waiting for a treat," she says. They all get a little excited at the word treat. Austin stands and walks into the kitchen. "Where are you going?" she asks. "What is in these prenatal vitamins?" he mumbles picking up the bottle and inspecting the label.

It's not all agony to be fair.

Having a secret that belongs to just her and Austin is fun. They share secret knowing looks that others think are just them being in love, which is true, but it's so much more now. She notices Austin's hand often wonders to her still flat belly no matter where they are or what they are doing. She also notices Austin grows increasingly restless. Refusing to go into the city center and always finding a reason to run away with her into the mountain. She suspects that the mountain near his ranch calls louder every day. Luke is as absent from her life as her parents and sister. They feel like a distant bad memory. But, she has her moments where she feels a little bad for cutting her family off. They are only moments and she gets over them quickly when she remembers the way they treated her. Their treatment seems so foreign compared to how she is treated now - with so much love and care. She is thankful that they were so detached from her life that they never bothered to know what school she taught at or what her address was. Changing her number was simple and it was all that was needed to cut them out of her life. It's sad, really. She does hope they are happy. She does not want anything bad to happen to them so while she is sure they are saying horrible things about her - she hopes they find some kind of happiness in life. Lara has a different viewpoint. She hopes they all die painful deaths. She and Indy have become very close, and Indy has felt confident in sharing her past with her. Lara keeps her stories safe with no judgments - although she does find herself often having to stop Lara and Austin from plotting revenge on her parents and Bella.

"You are good with animals, right?"

"Aye, I am, Lara."

"You scared of tigers, cowboy?"

"I am weary of them. Why?"

"Well, LA has a lovely zoo, but I heard the tiger's fencing is rather weak. A tiger got out just last week."

"Is that so?"

"Yup...would be a shame if it found its way to Longbeach."

"Aye, a dam shame."

"Wanna go to the zoo? We could nip into Longbeach for lunch after with our new pet."

"Stop that. You are both better people than that," Indy shoots down their plotting.

"No we are not," Lara says.

"Agreed," Austin says.

The Friday they plan to leave for Cottonwood, Austin has the final football game of the season. He has reached out and there will be scouts from colleges all over the country attending. The entire school is on a high and the electricity their excitement brings is contagious. Indy does not see a hope in hell of getting the football boys to concentrate on their school work so she joins classes with Lara who has taken over Luke's class. They entertain the kids by taking them swimming and then to the school kitchen where they help the kitchen staff make the school lunch. After lunch, the football boys are excused to go to practice while Lara and Indy set up movies in the drama hall. Indy gets a huge bunch of pink roses that the students all giggle and whistle about then demand she read the card.