I woke up the next morning at six-thirty. The sun was starting to peek out from the horizon, making the sky turn a bright orange. I went downstairs to start making my breakfast. I grabbed bacon--the bacon that didn't get burned at least-- and sausage from the fridge along with two eggs. I fried up the eggs in one skillet and the sausage and bacon in the other. I opened the kitchen window to let the early morning summer breeze come in the house. My kitchen was suddenly filled with the sounds of the horses "talking" and the birds chirping in the trees. The rumbling of tractors sounded off in the distance as I finished up my breakfast.
I went back upstairs to throw on a pair of jeans and a forest green t-shirt that said "Raleigh Barrel Racing Tournament Championship" on the front in fading white print. Pulled my hair up in a ponytail and put my old North Carolina Tar Heels baseball hat on my head before brushing my teeth and slipping on my boots. As I walked downstairs, I grabbed my to-do list for the farm today and went outside. Even though it was the middle of June with about three more months before harvest season, the corn still needed to be checked for any kind of infestations and I needed to check if the field was up to date on the pest repellent. I had to feed, wash, brush, and shoe the horses, feed and milk three of the four cows, feed the chickens and check for eggs, and feed the pigs while I clean out their pens.
My family's farm consisted of four horses, three cows, twenty chickens, and five pigs. The cattle were used for milk, the chicken we used for eggs and sometimes poultry--depending on if we had a successful breeding year and needed to get rid of a few, typically the older hens--and we rented our hogs out to truffle hunters when the season comes around. They pay us for however many hogs they want to use, then take them out to the woods and hunt for truffles and all sorts of mushrooms all day. As for the horses, they were for personal use. Sometimes we'd bring them to the town fair and let kids ride them for a dollar, but after a while the horses starting getting irritated with the bratty kids that always pulled their manes and kicked their sides to make them go faster, so we agreed that we wouldn't be offering rides anymore.
After inspecting the first two rows of corn, i moved on to feeding the animals. One I sprinkled the pasture for the cows so they'd start eating the healthier grass, I moved on to feeding the pigs. I dumped buckets full of uneaten vegetables and left overs that weren't meat or fruit, and quickly shoveled out their pen while they ate. It sounds like a lot of work, but really you're just shoveling shit into a buck and putting in the fertilizer pile for next year's crops. When I was done with the pigs, I moved on to the chickens. Only a few of them were out of the hen house, so I had to knock on the walls a few times to get them to come squawking out like the crazy birds they were. I sprinkled corn kernels and feed all over the ground and made some small mounds. While they were distracted, I made my way into the hen house, ducking low so I didn't hit my head on the ceiling. I grabbed about ten eggs from nests and placed them in a basket that I set on the front porch.
Just then, I hear a loud and playful neigh coming from the horses' pasture. I smiled and jogged my over to the side of the fence, only to be greeted by my painted mare, Lady. Lady was mostly white with dark and light brown patches all over her body. Her mane was dark brown while her tail was a lighter brown. She was sweet and gentle, and very playful. I was given Lady as a Christmas present from Daddy, so I could start barrel racing. She was the best present I ever got from anyone.
"Hey, pretty Lady." I cooed to her as I rubbed her long snout with one hand and held her head with the other. "Kisses?" I asked. I puckered my lips in front of her and she gently wiggled her big lips on mine. I smiled for her gesture. "That's a good girl." I praise her. She jerks her head away from my hands and starts galloping around the pasture. I shake me head laughing at her playfulness and make my way around to the horse barn to feed them. Once I was in there, I noticed I needed to replace the bale of hay that they had finished. I peeked out into the pasture through the door that the horses used to come in and out and noticed that one outside was getting low too. I made my way back out of the barn and went to the side closest to the Taylor's property to get the two hay bales. I put on my gloves and started hoisting bales of itchy hale into the barn. Once I had a good sized stack, and the feeders were stuffed full of the loose hay, I went back outside to start rolling one of the round hay bales away from the barn. The round bales were a lot heavier that the squares, and bigger too. I couldn't carry these bales, so I pulled it down so it was laying on the ground, and started rolling it towards the fence where I would roll it in and place it in the field.
As I was rolling, I didn't pay attention to the ground and it's uneven level. Suddenly, the hay bale was stick at the bottom of a small mound, but yet a mound big enough that I was unable to move the bale up. I tried pushing it back to it's up right position to flip it the other way and continue rolling it, but it was no luck. It was easier to pull it down than it was to push it back up. I thought about hooking it to a rope and try pulling it, but I didn't want the plastic straps to snap and cause an even bigger problem. I heard another neigh from behind me and turned around to see Tucker, my Daddy's horses, swinging his head up and down, making noises at me.
"I know, I know, you're hungry." I tell him as I approach him. I grabbed on to his bridle and pulled his head down so that way he was facing me. I stroked all around his head to calm him, when he suddenly started grunting. "What's going on with you, Tuck?" I ask. Just then, the sound of someone clearing their throat came from behind me. I turn around to see Chase standing there in a pair of worn out blue jeans, a plain black t-shirt with old leather boots and a Carolina Panthers hat on. It was a different look compared to his Marine camies, but it was definitely not a bad look at all.
"Good afternoon, Hayden." He says. I look at him, wondering why he was over here.
"Same to you, Chase." I respond. Tucker rested his big head on my left shoulder, telling me he wanted more attention. I start scratching him with left hand, but not taking my eyes off of Chase. "What can I do for you?" I ask him.
"Actually, I was just wondering what you were up to? I saw out from the window in the house and it looked like you were having some trouble." he informs me. Great. So he saw my failed attempt to get the bale in the pasture. "I was gonna ask you if you needed some help." he finishes. Tucker starts nudging his head against mine, so I pat his snout and he leaves me alone, returning to the pasture.
I shoved my hands in my back pockets, looking at the ground. I couldn't help but think about my random outburst to him about his father, and started to feel a little embarrassed about it. I was surprised he was even still talking to me. I wanted to tell him I was fine, but I really did need to get that bale in the pasture. "Well, uh, I'm not really one to ask or accept a strangers help with farm work. But, uh, I really do need to get this bale in the horse pasture, and it stuck on this mound. I can't push it up by myself or push it back up to flip it, so, uh, yeah. I guess I could use some help." I said awkwardly. He smiles and walks towards the bale. Before I even got behind the bale, Chase starts trying to move it by himself. However, his luck was just as bad as mine. I chuckled and shook my head as watched his heroic attempt to move the hay off the mound.
"Damn, this hale bale is heavy." I says as he take a deep breath. He starts itching at his palms and I quickly grab another set of gloves from the barn.
"Hey, Marine." I say. He looks back at me as I toss him the pair of thick, mud stained gloves. "Put these on if you don't want to get hay rash or cuts." I tell him. Chase slips on the gloves and moves to the side to make room for me. "Alright, on the count of three, we're going try and push this thing over the mound, and we'll figure it out from there, alright?" Chase nods in response and we get into position with ours arms extended to the bale and one leg behind the other. "One. . .two. . .three!" I count.
We both push the hale bale with all our strength and the bale starts to rise over the mound. Once I was sure we were over the mound, I stepped back from the bale.
"You know, I didn't think hale bales got that heavy. That was like P.T. for the Marines." I gave him a weird look.
"What are you talking about? That hale bale ain't that heavy." I say. "It's only about. . .one hundred forty, maybe one hundred fifty pounds," I tried to guess the weight of one bale. "And I pushed it all the way over here from that barn over there by myself." Chase pauses for a moment, takes a step back and looks over towards the barn that was about fifteen yards away, then back at me and the hay bale.
"There's no way you moved it that far by yourself." he states. I crossed my arms over my chest and gave him a inquisitive look.
"Oh really? And why do you say that, huh?" I challenge him. I stood there, waiting for proof. At one point, you could tell he faced the fact that I did, and just kept looking back and forth with his mouth open like he was about to say something.
"How?" he asks.
"Pardon?" I answer.
"How were you able to move that heavy ass hale bale all the way over here, by yourself?" he asks once more. I smirk at him and uncross my arms.
"Well, if you couldn't tell, I live on a farm." I start to explain as I make my way over to the fence and open up a gate door slight, so that we could get the hay in but keep the horses from escaping. "I've been doing this kind of stuff since I was four years old. I learned to ride a horse when I three. I knew how to drive a tractor by the time I was ten, and drive a car when I was eleven. I've broke and trained horses since I was six, and I knew the plant cycle before I started kindergarten. I have been raised around hardworking men and women, who taught me the value and meaning of hard work, and that I have to work for what I wanted in life, and that there aren't any short cuts. I worked on this farm ever day of my life since I could form a full sentence, and it was my Daddy that taught me the easy way wasn't always the smartest way." I explain. As I made my way back over to Chase, he was leaning on the hay bales with his hands in his front pockets. The sleeves of his t-shirt were fitted to his biceps and chest, and his jeans flattered his lower half rather nicely. I stopped my observation before I got caught, and noticed he was looking at me with a pitiful look on his face.
"After you left, I asked my grandparents if I did something that would cause you to leave so suddenly. Gram explained to me what happened. I'm sorry about your parents, and for your loss." he apologizes. "If I would've known about the accident, I wouldn't have said all that stuff about my father. I realize now that, even though mine is a poor excuse for a parent, he's still my father. And you were only trying to get me to realize that, since you lost yours so recently." I straightens back up and just looks down at the ground. We stayed silent for moment. I didn't really expect an apology. I wasn't really looking for one.
"Thank you." I finally say. "It was a couple months ago, and I moved on. I got more important things in life to deal with now." I tell him. He takes a step towards me with his arms crossed. My heart starts to beat a little faster and pulls as stalk of hay from hair. I got his gaze and we just stood there, looking at each other before the moment was interrupted by a neigh of protest from one of the horses. I look back and laugh. "We better get this bale in there before the jump the fence.
Chase and I worked our into the pasture with the hay bale, rolling it carefully to the middle where the smaller bale was sitting. When we were finished, all four horses came galloping to the hay and started chewing away. I lifted my hat off my forehead to wipe the sweat away from the back of my gloved hand. I checked the time on my phone and decided now would be a good time for lunch. I looked up at the cloudless sky as the June heat beat down on us.
"So, are you hungry?" I ask Chase.
"A little. But really you don't have to make anything for me." he starts to say.
"No, really, I insist. You helped me with that bales, and I kind of owe you an apology myself for the way I talked to you yesterday. It's the least I can do." I continue to offer. Chase looked back at his grandparents' property and then back at me.
"Honestly, lunch sounds great. And while I'm being honest, I'm not sure many more rounds of cards I can play with Pops or how many more photo albums I can look through with Gram before I going insane out of boredom. I let out a quick laugh while I motion for him to follow me back to the house.
"Oh my God. . .these are the best burgers I've ever tasted in my life." Chase says, his mouth full of cheeseburger. I smile and chuckle as I start drying the dishes I had used to cook with.
"Thank you. It's my Daddy's recipe. He was one hell of cook." I say. I hung the dish rag back up and opened the fridge to grab a pitcher of sweet tea and fill two glasses with the sweet liquid and some ice. Chase nods in thanks and takes a sip.
"So, I remember you saying something about a sister? I haven't seen her." Chase says as he takes another bite of his burger. My smile fades as I take a bite of my burger, thinking about last night when I told her to leave.
"That's because she ain't here anymore. She left late last night." I inform him. I wipe my mouth with my napkin and take a sip of my sweet tea.
"Why's that?" Chase questions as he sips from his tea as well. I leaned back in my chair, my hand still around my glass of sweet tea.
"She goes to college up in New York. Ever since she's been there, whenever she comes home she acts like a spoiled little kid and like she was raised in the city her whole life. All of a sudden, the smell on the farm bothers her, there's too much mud everywhere, there's nothing to do in town. I came home last night to her arguing with her pansy of boyfriend on the phone. She ignored me whenever I tried to ask her something, and I even told her to watch the food on the stove while I was over at your grandparents' house, and when I came home the kitchen was almost on fire. I told her that for a big sister, she was really immature. I told her is she wasn't going to start taking things more seriously then she could leave. So she did." I explain. I lean forward and take another bite of my burger. Chase had already finished his and was looking at me with shock in his intense blue eyes.
"I take you two ain't that close, huh?" he asks.
"Not anymore. We used to be best friends, and tell each other everything. After she moved to New York, that all changed." I finish. "But it's not my problem. She's an adult, she can decide how to run her life, and Ill decide how to run mine." I grab both of our dishes and take them to the sink to wash them. I hear Chase get up and walk over to me, and he leans against the counter beside me while I wash the dishes.
"You know, I've never met a woman like you before." Chase tells me. "You just have this, sense of independence that not many woman have anymore. You carry yourself higher, and you seem like the kind of girl that doesn't crap from anyone." I smirk at his observations.
"Well, I am the farmer's daughter. I was just born that way I guess." I chuckle. I grab the dish towel and dry my hands off. I look up and catch Chase staring at me with small smile on his face. His blue eyes became more intense, and softer at the same time. Part of me wanted to look away or do something so it would feel so awkward, but at the same time I didn't want my gaze to leave his.
Chase reaches his arm put and tucks a strand of hair that came loose from my ponytail and tucked it behind me ear. His fingers gently grazed the skin on my face for a brief moment, sending chills throughout my body. He slowly comes closer to me, closing the space between us. He smelled like clean cotton and evergreen trees. I felt his hand rest on the back of my neck, but he didn't push me closer. He just let it sit there. "Hayden Alistair, you are something special." He says quietly. I stayed still where I was as he closed more and more space between our faces. Our noses were touching, and I could feel his hot breath on my lips. I closed my eyes, waiting. Then suddenly, the door bell rang.
Chase froze where he was at, not moving an inch. We both opened our eyes, and he pressed his forehead to mine. "You might wanna answer that." he suggests. I bite my bottom lip as I feel the redness appearing on my ears. I never blushed at the face, only my ears. I exhale deeply through my nose before I slipped away from Chase and went to answer the door. As soon as I opened the door, a wave of realization went through my body.
"Hey, cuz." said my cousin with a huge smile on her face. I complete forgotten that my cousin Billie-Mae was moving in today. I tried to mask my forgetfulness with a smile as best as I could and said hello back to her. I pulled her in for a hug and closed the door behind her so she could set her bags down. "Sorry I'm so early. I just didn't have much to do today and I was so anxious about today that I just couldn't wait any longer!" Billie-Mae explains, setting her bags down next to her. She looks up at me than pauses, staring at me. "Hayden, your ears are all red. Why--" Billie-Mae was cut off by a pair of footsteps approaching us. We both turned to face Chase, who was standing with his hands in his back pockets, an awkward smile on his face.
"I think I should get going. Gram is probably crying about how I'm not spending enough time with her or something." Chase announces. I look back and forth between him and Billie-Mae, whose jaw is dropped like she was about to chime in but didn't know what to say.
"Oh, alright. I'll walk you out. Billie-Mae, you can go ahead and help yourself to some burgers in the kitchen. I'll be right back to help you with your bags." I instruct her.
"Oh, okay." she says like she was in a trance. She slowly made her way past Chase. Chase moved just enough for her to walk by, as she eyes him up and down. When she was behind him, she continued to observe him and looked me, mouthing "OH MY GOD!" with a pleased look on her face, and then she decided to give me a thumbs up and a wink. I bit my lip to keep myself from smiling at my cousin's reaction to Chase. I opened the door for Chase and motioned for him to go first.
I walked him down the porch and all the way over to the path that led to his grandparents' house. My stomach tightened with a mixture of embarrassment and disappointment. Chase, on the other hand, didn't seem too phased about it.
"Thank you for helping me with the hay bale today. I appreciate it." I try to say as if nothing had almost happened in my kitchen five minutes ago.
"Thank you for lunch." he said with a chuckle. He step out from next to me so we were face to face. "And really," he grabbed my hand and lifted it my his lips. "The pleasure is all mine." he planted a soft kiss on the back of my hand, leaving a chill from where his lips touched my skin to spread all throughout my body. "I'll see you tomorrow?" he asks. I let out a chuckle as he walked backwards towards the Taylor's house.
I wanted to see him again. He was nice to be around, and I felt like I could to about anything with him. He clearly had some intentions back in the kitchen, so I did what Mama always said to do: I gave him a answer to make him chase me.
"Have a good night, Chase Taylor." I answer him. I turned around and start making my way back to the front porch. When I reach my front door, I stop and quickly glance over to see him still walking backwards, watching me. I laugh to myself and shake my head as I open the door, and walk in to meet my cousin already standing there.