Tumbleweed Page 2

  “Don't get him started or you'll never get out of here.” Ethan's windy explanation was cut short by a fatherly man who had ambled down from what looked to be the main house. My keen sense of deductive reasoning told me this was the owner of the property. He wasn't quite the trendy jet-setter I had pictured when Ethan had first explained that the owner of the property split his time between Missouri and California. Instead, he looked a lot more like the affable owner of the general store on the town square or something. “Jim Stevenson. Pleased to meet you.”

  “Hailey Brandt. Pleased as well.” I shook his hand and smiled what I hoped was a charming smile. I really wanted this job. We made small talk for a while, and I had to admit that my assumptions about him had been wrong. He seemed like a good guy who lived a simple enough life. Not that it was any of my business anyway. I have this tendency to sit in judgment of people whom I am in reality jealous of. Horrible failing, I know, but we all have them.

  “When will you be moving down?” Jim asked me with a look of interest. “Ethan here seems to think the sooner we get you settled in the better.”

  “Thank you…. Well, I'm in my last week of notice at my current job. And I've got to find a place to live,” I knew I sounded flighty even as I said it. My oldest sister, Rebecca, had been quick to point out that a sane person would have secured housing by now. She had a point, but that didn't make the input chafe any less.

  “You could always stay here,” Ethan rushed in and then paused. “I mean, we have a cabin on the place that's not being used, and I don't think Jim here would mind since we're not offering much pay.”

  “Not at all.” Jim smiled broadly. “It'd be good to see the old house get some use. But I warn you it's pretty rough and it ain't big.”

  “Does it have a roof?” I was only half-joking.

  “Oh yeah, it has a roof,” Ethan chuckled.

  “Then it sounds like heaven to me. I can start Saturday.”

  “How about you move in Saturday, and start on Monday?” Ethan countered.

  “Sold,” I beamed. I was really going to live here. Aaron would absolutely die when he found out.

  Chapter Two

  My dad offered to help us move. Part of me wanted to say “no thanks” – seeing as I was an independent woman setting out on a grand adventure and all. To do it alone added to the sense of separation and purpose.

  My brothers definitely did not offer to help me move. Maybe it was their way of protesting; maybe they were just busy. Either way it ticked me off. As tempting as it was to sell all of my furniture just to make things easier, the mother in me remembered that Aaron needed a bed if nothing else. And a couch would be nice.

  The tiny cottage we were moving into wouldn't have room for much more than that. Okay, there was another reason to tell my dad I didn't need help. Did I really want him to see where I would be living?

  Sure, Aaron and I were in love with the place, but we were choosing a way of life Daddy had walked away from years before. My family already thought I was a little loony. This probably wouldn't help that image much.

  On the other hand, my couch was heavy and Daddy had always helped me move before. Who would fix the leaky sink and make sure the door locks worked if I went down alone? Don't get me wrong, I can do those things, there's just a certain comfort in not having to.

  Maybe it's a dad thing. I can throw towels down around the leak in the toilet line for months. My dad can't even get through dinner at my house without running to the hardware store to get the stuff to fix it. Come to think of it, maybe that's why Mama and Daddy don't really come to dinner anymore.

  At any rate, the weight of the couch won. In the blink of an eye moving day came, and I was helping Daddy tie the last strap around my worldly possessions. Aaron loaded Blue into my car and we bid our little house in the city a fond farewell. It held some good memories, so I left quickly before I could get emotional.

  My dad drove the truck and I followed in my car. It was a painfully long drive with Aaron and me watching intently to be sure our things wouldn't fly off the back of the truck and hit the highway. I'm always amazed by how much my dad can cram into a pick-up. It's a gift.

  “Here we are,” I announced a little nervously as we stretched our legs at the end of the journey. “Home sweet home.”

  Daddy just cracked a smile and shook his head.

  “It is a little cozy,” I shrugged sheepishly. “But it's just until we get a feel for the area.”

  “Grandpa, you have got to see the horses.” Aaron grabbed Daddy's arm and tugged him along. “The stuff on the truck can wait.”

  My dad shot me a beleaguered look and followed Aaron. I chuckled and strolled along after them both. Aaron was my ambassador, always paving the way for peace talks with my family. It was hard for them to stay angry with me in light of his enthusiasm. If I was totally honest, I'd admit I probably counted on that a little too often. We came to the fence and were instantly greeted by the ladies.

  “These are good-looking horses,” Daddy noticed immediately. “Wonder what kind of stallion they have.”

  “Cremello,” I answered quickly. “I haven't seen him yet, though.”

  “I'd like to see him,” Daddy mused. “You know, I never did like riding Missouri Fox Trotters. I just can't get used to the gait.”

  “You better not say that too loud round these parts, Daddy; they'll reinstate hangings on the town square.”

  “You sure this is what you want, baby girl?” His eyes grew serious as he offered the slightest hint of his opinion for the first time since the move came up.

  “Yep, I'm sure.” I met his gaze.

  “It's a lot of work, living on a farm. And you can't just run to the store if you need something; you've got to plan your trips. And the cute shoes won't get much use.”

  “Then I'll get a pair of really cute boots.” I gave him what I hoped was a winning smile.

  “Hailey!” Ethan appeared from the barn, grinning from ear to ear. I half expected to see a halo streaming light over his head as a chorus sang “hallelujah” I was so relieved to see him.

  “Ethan. It's great to see you.” I took his outstretched hand. Surely his exuberance wouldn't be lost on Daddy. “This is my father, Gene Brandt.”

  “Good to meet you.” He shook Daddy's hand firmly as he turned to wink at Aaron.

  I could tell the gesture wasn't lost on Daddy. The handshake and the kindness to his grandson were enough to solidify the good impression.

  “This is a fine place you have here.”

  “Thank you, sir. Care to see the rest? Then we'll unload that truck and see if we can get Sue to feed us some dinner.”

  “Sounds like a fine plan to me. You know, I sure would like to see that stallion of yours while I'm here, too.”

  “I just want to take a look around the house.” I could have saved my breath. They were off in their own world. Daddy slid so easily back into this life it made me wonder if perhaps he missed it just a little. I watched him and Ethan deep in conversation with Aaron tagging along behind, soaking up every syllable, for a second more before turning to go check out my new home.

  It seemed so tiny, smaller than I remembered, but that didn't really matter right now. I tested the door; it opened easily enough, and I slowly poked my head inside.

  “Oh, hello.” I have to admit I was a little disappointed to see Sue standing in my living room. Actually I guess it was my living room, kitchen, and dining room she was standing in to be specific. That thought made me giggle a little, which earned me a sour look. No use trying to explain my amusement, so I plunged ahead. “I wasn't expecting anyone to be here.”

  “Hobbes, the neighbor down the way, was just getting a few of his things. He lived in the place a while back, before Ethan came on,” Sue explained. Something in her voice left me a little unnerved. There was more to this situation than I was let in on. Her words weren't sinister and her tone was polite, but my stomach did a flip-flop nonetheless. I'd learned the hard wa
y long ago to trust that stomach flip-flop and made a mental note to talk to Ethan about it later.

  “Oh, okay. I can go catch the guys then,” I offered feebly. I wanted to move in. I had been told I could move in; it made me uncomfortable that his stuff was still here.

  “Don't you worry about it; Hobbes'll be leaving soon enough,” Sue assured me and then raised her voice. “Aren't you done in there yet?”

  “Sis, I'll be done when I'm done – stop tryin'; to hurry me.”

  “You've had five years, Hobbes. This ain't hurryin'!”

  “I really can wait outside.”

  “She said I'll be done in a bit, sis, hold yer horses.” He appeared to be barking at me. I raised my eyebrows in disbelief and looked at Sue.

  She shrugged and shook her head as a burly, hard-looking man emerged from the only bedroom. He had a square, solid look to him with a thin, hard mouth and slightly squinting eyes. Wrinkles around his lips and eyes spoke of days spent in the sun. But it was the look in his eyes that unnerved me the most.

  Well, that, and the ancient looking shotgun tucked into the crook of his arm, barrel-up. I wondered if life had made this man hard or if there was such a thing as simply mean-spirited. Either way, I didn't like him. And this wasn't my judgmental streak kicking in; this was self-preservation speaking.

  “Can I help you carry anything?” I asked in my sweetest voice, hoping my disdain wasn't noticeable.

  “Nah, I got it all.” He actually winked at me as he headed for the door. “Me and the old girl'll just move on down the road.”

  With that, he slung a sack over his shoulder and affectionately patted the shotgun, which I assumed to be the “old girl.”

  “You've got the safety on that thing, right?” Sue eyed him suspiciously.

  “Nope. I keep her locked and loaded or what's the point of having her? If someone steps in my place, they'll be a wishing they hadn't.”

  I didn't have time to ponder what he'd been doing for protection these past five years with “old girl” here and him somewhere else, because as he proudly waved the gun in the air – proclaiming it locked and loaded – it went off and shot a hole clean through my roof.

  I stood there for a moment blinking and wondering if I had maybe wet my pants just a little. I'd never heard a gun fire before. Not once. Not in real life anyway. And certainly not at this close of range. My ears were ringing slightly, and I was only just deciding that I had not, in fact, peed my pants when my dad and Ethan came bursting through the door.

  “Is everyone okay?” Ethan looked from me to Sue to Hobbes.

  “I think so,” I shook my head a little to clear the fog from my brain and looked around the room. The only casualty to the demonstration of Hobbes' manhood seemed to be the ceiling. “Where's Aaron?”

  “Up at the main house,” Daddy motioned.

  “I better get on down the road then.” Hobbes let himself out without so much as an apology.

  “Yeah, ‘sorry about the hole in your roof’,” I muttered to the closed door, shoving my hands in my pockets so no one would see them trembling.

  “I see you met our neighbor.” Ethan rubbed the back of his neck and eyeballed the new hole.

  “Do you think it went all the way through?” Daddy did his own inspection.

  “I'll climb up later and take a look,” Ethan shrugged.

  “Do I want to know the story behind Hobbes?” I asked warily.

  “Probably not,” Ethan admitted. “He worked for Jim a while back.”

  “If you could call that work,” Sue huffed.

  “Well, I wasn't here to say either way. I just know Jim had some trouble getting Hobbes off the place.” Ethan effectively closed the subject.

  “Well, now that the excitement is over, Ethan do you mind helping us pull some of the stuff off the truck?” I marched outside and began unfastening the ties around the furniture. I was still shaking just a bit, and I didn't want Ethan or Daddy to notice.

  At this point, I wasn't sure if the trembling was due to adrenaline, anger, fear, or a mixture of all three. I was thrilled Aaron hadn't been in the room. Of course, he probably would have been thrilled with the whole thing.

  “Mom! Mom!” Aaron came running down the hill as if on cue. “Did some guy really shoot a hole in our roof? Cheyenne told me the neighbor shot a hole in the roof!”

  “Yes, some guy really shot a hole in our roof,” I sighed and pulled a chair off the truck. “And who is Cheyenne?”

  “Sue's daughter,” he told me matter-of-factly. “She can ride anything. She has a mustang that she taught to leg-rein. When she got it, you couldn't even get near him without him trying to bite or kick you. Now she can ride him without a saddle or bridle or anything. She and her husband have a cattle farm down the road, but they both train horses. She said she'd teach me to ride if it was okay with you. Is it okay with you Mom? Wow, someone really shot a hole in our roof. Cool.”

  “All that in one breath.” I smiled to myself and handed him a box to carry. “We'll talk about the horseback riding later, but that should be just fine. For now, let's get this truck unloaded.”

  “Your mom is a regular task-master, isn't she kiddo?” Ethan joined us in hauling our worldly belongings into the cabin. Daddy was right behind him, and in no time at all, we had everything but the washer and dryer inside. I was just about to declare the move a success when I came to the realization that there was no laundry room and the best we could do was to rig the washer on the back porch. That wouldn't have been so bad, but when we went to hook up the dryer we blew a fuse and fried its cord.

  Daddy immediately went into handyman mode. “I'll run to the store and see if I can get a cord.”

  “It's almost dinnertime. I'll run a clothesline for now and get the cord later,” I half-pleaded. I did not want to deal with this tonight.

  “I don't know,” he hesitated, tempted by the prospect of being finished for the day.

  “Scout's honor,” I solemnly promised. We both knew I was never a scout and the next time Daddy came to visit, I would still be hanging clothes on the same line. Daddy must've been exhausted though because he conceded.

  “Dinner will be ready soon.” Ethan checked his watch. “Cheyenne and David are staying; they wanted a chance to get to know you. I hope that's okay.”

  “I hope you told them I'm not that exciting.”

  “Are you kidding? You're an accident waiting to happen. I think they're kinda hoping you'll cause some major calamity.”

  “Great, thanks. You know that hurt me real deep, Ethan. Real deep.” I made a face at him. “Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to freshen up before dinner.”

  “We're supposed be at the main house in thirty minutes,” he called to my retreating back before accepting the cold beer Daddy was offering him. The two men lounged on the couch, obviously not feeling compelled to clean up before the meal.

  “Dibs on the bathroom.” Aaron dashed past me and closed the door before I could respond.

  It didn't really matter. I was content to wallow in my indignation while I waited. I was not an accident waiting to happen. Well, maybe a little, but to be so blunt about it was just harsh.

  “Mom, the toilet won't flush,” Aaron called.

  “Are you decent? I'll come take a look at it.” I tapped on the door. That's just what I needed.

  “Come on in,” he opened the door for me. I lifted the lid to manually pull the chain and was rewarded by a fountain that shot me in the face and drenched my shirt. At least the toilet flushed. But it left me with a dilemma. If I walked out like this now, it would be fairly humiliating and would pretty much prove Ethan's point. If I sent Aaron out to go to dinner and hid in here, they would eventually start to wonder. That might be a bit embarrassing too, come to think of it, which left me with little choice.

  “Not one word,” I growled through gritted teeth, marching straight to my small pile of boxes to find a new shirt. “And don't bother getting up. I'll fix it later.”

&
nbsp; “You might want to let me look at this one, honey,” Daddy tried valiantly not to grin. I sighed. This story would definitely get back to St. Louis.

  “It's customary to undress before showering.” Ethan didn't bother with valiance.

  “Shut up.” I scowled at him. Aaron doubled over with laughter. I knew I'd eventually look back on this and laugh, but now was not that moment. I ignored the hecklers and found a clean shirt. This would be a day for the record books. I sincerely hoped dinner was uneventful. I wasn't sure how much more I had in me.

  “Toilet's fixed!” Ethan called from the other room.

  “Great!” I called back and then muttered to myself. “Maybe you can walk on water for a parlor trick later.”

  “I'm still perfecting my technique on that one. Maybe next week.”

  I could hear the smile in his voice. I'd have to remember that paper-thin walls were an attribute of my new home. Splendid.

  “I look forward to it,” I smiled sweetly at him when I opened the door. “I'm ready if you guys are.”

  “Awesome. I'm starved,” Aaron declared and led the way to dinner.

  Gladly, the meal was fun. A glass of wine took the edge off my day, while the company had me genuinely smiling in no time. Cheyenne and David were a sweet young couple with a humbling knowledge when it came to horses and running cattle. They didn't seem to share Sue's reservations about me, and Jim wanted to get my input on each topic.

  Back home, I usually sat in the shadows of my much-accomplished siblings. It wasn't really their fault they were larger than life. It was a good thing that they knew what they wanted and went out and got it. It wasn't their fault I was still tumbling through my existence.

  But that was there, and I was here, where people talked horses and cattle at the table and nobody groaned when I brought up the latest agricultural reports. I wasn't met with polite but vacant stares when I brought up a training technique I'd recently heard about. Instead, a lively debate ensued. My father jumped in enthusiastically, and I was a little surprised to realize I agreed with him. I don't know why, but it struck me as funny that even though we'd never talked about this kind of stuff before, we thought the same way.