Gone Country

Chapter 8 (Keep On Truckin')

"What are you thinking about, Char?" he asked.

I blinked a couple of times, coming out of the longest memory I have had of Motown. His eyes showed interest towards the fact that I had zoned out. "It was nothing," I replied. "I'm tired, don't make fun of me because I zoned out. You're the one who wouldn't let me drink my coffee."

He pretended to be sympathetic by poking out his lip and mumbling, "You poor baby," as he pinched my cheeks. I smacked his hands away and sat up on the couch. Since everything in the house was pretty much here, I was guessing my bed was still made in my old  room. "I'm going to bed."

I stood and stretched my tired body, looking down to him when his hand grasped onto mine. "Can I sleep next to you?" He bashfully smiled, a little bit of pink coloring filling his cheeks. "Your parents' bed isn't here anymore and your bed is the only one left. This couch is extremely uncomfortable and I'm tired too you know."

With an eye roll, I told him it was fine. I fell asleep next to him on the dock at the lake, I don't see how this is any different. "I'll just lock the door and be there in a minute." I nodded and strolled away.

Past the kitchen and dining room was a familiar hall that I walked down. Pictures use to hang on either side of the wall, now they're bare. Past the first white door and on to the next, I found that my door still had my name painted on it along with a million butterflies I remember my mother used stencils to create. I stared at it in wonder.

Many things have happened in this house, I only remembered a few. It wasn't until now did I realize that most of my life my mother cleaned this house, chased me around it when I refused to wear clothes as a toddler, and I was actually conceived somewhere in here. Rumor has it that it was on the hall wall on my way to my parents' room. That's what Jives said that my father told him. Apparently, my father was an eager man when it came to my mother.

I grasped onto the brass handle on my door, twisting it in order to make my way inside. Once I pushed the door open, I was stunned to see that everything was different. A larger bed had replace my twin sized one, and it was no longer dressed in my old ragged princess pink comforter. A beautiful ice pink satin bedspread was perfectly tucked in and untouched, the grey baseboard and frame bringing out the innocent pink color. The walls were the same delicate pink they have always been, but looked amazing with the grey. I flipped the light on to get a better look, and was amazed by the matching pink and grey curtains, lamp, and even rug. This room looked amazing.

"I was excited about you coming here, Charlotte. I went a little overboard, but only a little."

I turned to Brant who had his back against the hall wall behind me, his eyes flickering over the room. "You did this?" I asked. 

He shrugged, acting as if it was nothing. "I had extra money from selling some of my own personal crops and cattle, I'm single now and had no clue as to what to spend it on. My parents told me you were coming and I did this in case you get tired of hearing my sister's snoring. It's no big deal."

This was all wrong, there was no way he was excited to see me when his parents told him I was coming. I specifically remember on the first day overhearing him tell his father that I was going to be nothing but trouble. "But you said... I heard you tell Jack..." I stuttered.

"I was nervous about seeing you, Char," he sighed. "I didn't know what to expect after all these years. Then I saw you and how hurt you seemed by my words. I knew you were still Charlotte, that you hadn't changed a bit, except maybe in the weight area."

I feigned a glare at him. He smirked, reaching over and running his hands down my sides. "You have no clue how weird it is to me to see you this thin." Now he was just being a jerk by reminding me of my chubbier years.

"Keep it up and you'll be eating through a straw," I warned. He just threw his head back and let out a deep laugh. So maybe he could hurt me easier, but he would definitely feel bad afterwards, that's for sure.

"Are you going inside or not, New York? I'd really like to get some sleep before the sun starts rising in the sky and we have to go to work." 

I stepped into the room and out of his way. I wasn't nearly done taking in the room yet. He had went through the trouble to decorate it himself, and I wanted to look. Suavely, with a hint of sleepiness, he strutted past me, pulling his shirt off in the process. 

"W-What are you doing?!?" I hissed at him. He dropped his pants, looking over his shoulder at me with a raised brow. 

As if it was no big deal, he kicked his pants to the side next to his shirt, turning to me when he started to peel off his socks. "What?" he asked in a innocent tone. "You don't expect me to sleep in those jeans and shirt, do you?"

I wrapped my arms around my body, looking indecisively between him and the bed. Didn't he understand how vulnerable him being half naked made me feel? Even with my hello kitty pajamas on I felt just as half dressed as him. "You know, it's a little drafty" he suddenly mentioned. He grabbed his shirt, pulling it over his head and flashing me a comforting smile when he was some what covered. I let out a breath of pure relief. 

I pretended it hadn't phased me, even if it had. He crawled into bed, letting out a content groan once he settled into the mattress. For some reason knowing that he was comfortable made me comfortable as well. While he rested for a while, I walked around the room, looking at the pictures hanging on the wall and other knick-knacks on shelves. A lot of pictures of Brant and I were hung around the room. Someone else would've seen this as a strange find, but I couldn't help but smile at the memories. 

I halted when I came across a picture of Brant and I, only my mother was in it with us. She was helping us both onto a horse, her smile being the biggest one I have ever seen on her lips. After we moved, she never smiled that wide again, not even while she pursued fashion.

"You look a lot like your mother, Charlotte, you're kind like her as well," Brant said from the bed. It was probably the best compliment I could've ever gotten from anyone. Before I started crying, I walked over to the room light and flicked it off. 

To lift my spirits, I took off running and hurled myself onto the bed, landing on both the mattress and on Brant. "Charlotte!" he hissed. "Your thigh just freaking hit me in the crotch!" 

I crawled over to the free side of the bed, laughing my head off as he groaned in pain. Of course I was sorry that it had happened, it was just too funny to show any sympathy. He growled in response and decided to roll up in all the covering to punish me for being so cruel.  I laid on the mattress, calming my laughter as he turned so his back was toward me. Now who was the jerk? I was!!