A Modern Cowboy's Dream

Evening Walk

Doug gets out of his chair and walks outside by him self. Sasha sighs but doesn't get up off the couch "Lord keep that man from over doing it." Doug walks to where his barn once stood and walks across the foundation looking for anything missed. A glimmer of something shining catches his eye and he walks over kneeling down and brushing off the hay. He finds the picture of him and Sasha that he kept on the work bench taken on their 10th wedding anniversary with all three kids around them as they sit holding each other's hand on the park bench in Ogelethorpe square in Savannah. Doug smiles seeing the frame and glass is miraculously unbroken. Sasha says "hey." Doug jumps and she giggles "I still got it." Doug says "you're lucky I was distracted." Doug shows her the picture and she says "aw look how little they were!" She takes it and looks over the photo. Doug says "taken on our 10th anniversary." Sasha sighs "dosen't seem like it was that long ago." Doug says "no it doesn't." She looks up at him "before I know it I'll be a Babushka." Doug says "and I'll be a mean old man." Sasha smirks "like you're not already." Doug smiles "Papa and Babushka." Sasha half smiles "well, let's not rush that I'm not ready to be an old woman." Doug says "I know darling." She takes his hand "care to go for a walk?" Doug says "sure why not." They start walking slowly down the driveway but naturally Doug picks up his pace without knowing it. Sasha says "Dougie slow down, we're not in a race." Doug says "sorry." Sasha says "it's alright." Doug looks in his cotton field seeing every plant is blown over or uprooted the ground like muck. Doug sighs "God I hate that." Sasha says "I know it breaks my heart too." Doug sighs "what do I do now? I'll get the tractor stuck out there. No telling when it'll dry out." Sasha says "don't worry about it now Doug there's not much to accomplish right now. We'll get back to normal slowly but surely. The main thing is we're all okay." Doug says "yeah." They stroll along and Sasha spies where the barbed wire fencing went. "There's our fence." Doug looks and sees the mangled mess in front of the pine forest. Doug says "What a mess." Sasha sighs and as they continue down the dirt driveway they both watch a convoy of olive drab color semi trucks hauling equipment and supplies along the two lane highway that skirts past the farm. They also watch a convoy of airboats pulled by various pickup trucks headed for Savannah the leading truck flying the Florida State Flag and American Flag out of the back. Doug smiles "there's the good ole boys." Sasha half smiles "yes and I snagged one of them for my self." Doug grins "I'm just a simple southern man darling." Sasha says "that's why I love you." They get to the edge and stand there watching convoy after convoy of regular American citizens from everywhere bringing in supplies, pulling boats to search and rescue and church busses from all over as well. Doug and Sasha wave to them all as they pass by many honking their horns. A few stop to ask if they need anything to which Doug says they're taken care of but they're certainly appreciated. After awhile Doug and Sasha turn around and start walking back towards the farm. Sasha says "it's beautiful to see everyone pull together during a time like this." Doug says "the worst times can bring out the best or worst in people." She says "very true." Doug swings his and her arm back and forth as they walk along. Doug hears the rumbling of a diesel truck and they both look behind them seeing a Ford dually owned by Grover Richardson one of the Ranchers nearby. He and his wife Donna pull up rolling down the window. "Well Doug how'd y'all do?" Doug says "we lost our barn, a lot of crops, and a lot of fence line. My daughter's horse was killed too. The houses only have minor damage, but we're blessed nonetheless." Grover nods "I hear that, we lost a few cows and some minor damage to all our structures. Well we just wanted to stop by real quick and check on y'all I'm headed down to check on my mother. Let us know if you need any help." Doug says "alright, good seeing you." Grover says "same here." They shake hands and Donna says to Sasha "You're as beautiful as ever! The storm didn't take that from you." Sasha grins "thank you, you look lovely your self!" Donna asks "see y'all in Church this Sunday?" Sasha says "yes we will be there." Donna says "alright y'all take care." They wave goodbye and back out of the driveway. Sasha says "and yes you are coming with us you don't have any excuses now." Doug just smirks "as you wish my love." Sasha says "why are you laughing? I know that smirk!" Doug says "because the woman dragging me to Church now is the same woman who took my Virginity before I even proposed many moons ago." Sasha can't help her smile but says "well we all have a past, and you didn't say no so you're just as guilty." Doug says "oh I know. How could I resist such exotic beauty?" Sasha says "pffft! I'm not exotic." Doug says "to me you were and still are today. Name another Cowboy married to a Russian Goddess." Sasha half smiles "alright fine." Doug says "look at that blushing face." Sasha says "hush you!" Doug pinches her cheek "you're just so cute." She growls at him and he says "alright easy!" She smiles again and he shakes his head. "Crazy woman." Sasha says "crazy man!" Doug says "you're right I'm crazy for you hot Mama." She smiles "oh stop it. I'm not entertaining you tonight you're still recovering." Doug says "always worth a shot." He grabs a hand full of her rear and she bumps into his side. Sasha says "if you're wanting to get touchy feely with me I will take a foot rub. You know you're the best at it." Doug says "trade you for a back rub." Sasha says "deal." When they get closer to the house Doug stops spotting Katya and Michael making out on the front porch swing. He raises his eyebrows and Sasha says "let them have their moment Doug we had plenty of ours." Doug says "come with me." She says "huh?" He leads her into the corn stalks and hides in there watching. Doug says "I can always count on our niece to mess them up." As predicted Caroline peeks around the corner of the house wearing a gas mask. She pulls out a remote pushing the button causing a stink bomb full of rotten eggs to blow up splattering Michael and Katya. Katya screams and Michael unleashes a fury of cussing immediately calling out his sister. Ana peeks outside and immediately goes back inside unable to stand the smell. Caroline casually walks past them and inside. They both just stare at her in a state of disbelief. Michael gets up "come here!" Caroline bolts through the house and out the back sprinting away from her brother. She kindly flips him off as she escapes. Katya immediately heads inside to get a shower. Sasha shakes her head "kids." Doug chuckles "She's worse than Alex I hate to see what she'll do as she ages." They watch her run the fence line of the pasture being pursued still by her brother who is gaining ground. She grabs a dried cow patty and throws it in her brothers face. She then suddenly stops and puts her foot out tripping Michael as he rushes by. She laughs evilly and runs off again. Michael sits up and sighs, he looks at his sister running away and says "Just wait Caroline, I'll get you soon." Doug and Sasha exit the corn field and go back into their house through the back. They walk in on Little Doug and Willie wrestling and Sasha yells at them to stop chasing them up stairs with a fly swatter. They both try to get in the bathroom but it's locked with Katya still showering. Sasha catches them and drags them to their room. Doug comes up stairs and sees Caroline picking the bathroom lock still wearing her gas mask. Doug shakes his head as Caroline busts in on Katya. She yells "CHEEKI BREEKI KATYUSHA!" Katya yells "oh my God get out get out!" Caroline laughs away as she rushes out followed by a balled up towel thrown at her. She sees her Uncle Doug and gasps. Doug says "where did you learn that phrase?" Caroline says "I play a classic game called S.T.A.L.K.E.R." Doug smirks "of course you do." She pulls off her gas mask and Doug says "you look like your Mama but you have your Daddy's personality somehow." Caroline shrugs "I'm just a mess." Doug says "really what gives you that idea?" Sasha comes out and kisses Caroline's cheek as she walks by. Caroline smiles then turns around and walks off barging into the twins room. "Hello my minions!" Doug says "I'm going downstairs." Sasha says "me too, I'd like to cash in our little deal." Doug half smiles "as you wish."