Chapter 14

Lauralee

Waking early was routine on the farm, even if you didn’t have to go to work. There were plenty of chores waiting to be tackled. Since my father had hired so much help, my days of cow milking and pig slopping had long been over, at least in his opinion. But I decided to help Granny with breakfast despite her protests.

Most would want help cooking any meal, but Granny saw breakfast as her sacred morning ritual and usually got you run out of the house. But I had a way to her heart and past her temper that most didn’t.

Coffee with a kick was what she called it, but we all knew that kick came from a bottle. And I had found her secret hiding place long ago. I passed her a cup as she entered the kitchen. Her expression was suspicious like I’d expected. “You’re up awful early, or have you even been to bed yet?” She noticed the steaming cup I’d prepared when I heard her footsteps from down the hall and took the cup into her gnarled, arthritic hands and brought it to her nose.

“I’ve been home. I didn’t sleep well though.” I opened the fridge and took out the bowl of fresh yard eggs and placed them on the counter.

“What do you think you’re doing?” She frowned at the bowl.

“You should taste that coffee. It’s your favorite.” I smiled sweetly as she put the cup to her nose and smelled it. “I made it special for you.”

The smile spread wide across her face, and she pulled a long draw of coffee and swished it in her mouth. “Ah, that’s why you’re my favorite.” She winked and took her place on a stool by the window and the first morning light kissed her face. “You know you’re the only one I’ve ever let help me cook breakfast.”

“Yes, but you never have told me why. You don’t mind me setting the table or cleaning up, but what is it about the cooking?” I glanced over to see her smiling as she gazed out the window. I had no doubt she heard me but wasn’t sure if she was paying me any attention or being aloof. “Well?”

She straightened her back and took another drink from the cup, closing her eyes as she swallowed. “I used to cook breakfast with my mother. It’s one of the only times I get to myself, and I like the quiet of it now. I like to pretend that she’s still with me now and then, and that’s easier to do when I’m alone.”

“Sorry, I guess I ruined your routine.”

“No, it’s fine. My mother was a strict lady. She’d roll over in her grave if she knew I sipped whiskey before the sun had a proper rise. It’s best we don’t pretend too hard she’s here to see this.” She turned her cup up and with one long gulp, sucked down the spiked coffee like a shot. “That one was a bit weak.” She let the cup hang off her finger as she rested her hands in her lap and then she turned to peer out the window.

“I’ll kick it up a bit next time.”

“I’ll hold you to it.” She hiccupped a laugh. “You losing sleep over Teddy Dawson?”

I cracked my next egg a little too hard and cursed as it collapsed in my fingers, spilling its goo all over the counter. “I don’t want to think about him. I wanted to come down and cook to get him off my mind.”

“Noted. But I’ll take that as a yes.” Once the sun had risen enough to properly light the kitchen, she got up to place the cup in the sink and sliced her fresh baked bread for toast. We enjoyed a few more minutes of peace before my father and Bailey bellied up to the breakfast table.

Halfway through our meal, he and Bailey got on the subject of work, and I tuned them out trying to think of something I could do. I noticed Granny had her canning supplies out from the night before. “Are you going to make any jelly today?”

“I’ve got one batch left of the blueberry, and then I’m canning soup starters. Don’t tell me you want to hang out with me all day.” Her eyes widened.

My dad scraped his fork across his plate. “Don’t you have to work over at the Dawson’s?”

I hadn’t told him that I’d been fired. Mostly because I didn’t want to have to hear his “I told you so.” Daddy and Mr. Dawson had been friends their whole lives until that damned tower got in the way.

I missed the days of us kids camping, fishing, and having Sunday suppers together. We’d host one week and them the next, and we even had holidays together. Football season was always the best, and we’d get together after dinner to watch the games. There was even talks to merge the farms, but that’s when Empire Communications got in the way.

Us kids had remained friends, and so had Mrs. Dawson and Granny, but Daddy and Mr. Dawson hadn’t even spoken since, nor did they have a nice word to say about each other.

“I’m not working there anymore.” I shrugged and stuffed my mouth full of egg to keep from having to elaborate.

“Well, that’s the best news I’ve heard all week. You should concentrate on stuff around here. Maybe make some new curtains or something. Your mama used to like to sew. She’d make new curtains every spring and fall.”

Granny moaned a sound of disapproval. “That’s why we have a linen closet full of ugly, outdated drapes.”

“Then make something else,” he griped as he pushed his plate aside and stood from the table and slapped my brother’s shoulder with his hat before putting it on his head. He always kept it hanging on the back of his chair so the thing was there waiting for him. “Come on, boy. Let’s get this day going.”

My brother looked up from his plate which was still full of eggs and toast. “I’ll be out as soon as I’m done.” He was mindful to watch his tone, but the frustration in his voice was apparent. Daddy had a way of rushing everyone along on his schedule.

Daddy let out an audible sigh and left us to finish breakfast without his presence. Bailey looked up as if checking to make sure he was out of earshot. “So, why aren’t you still working next door? Did you and Ted get in a fight?”

“Ted and I stay in a fight, it seems. What difference does it make?”

“You want me to have a talk with him? I will if you want. He might kick my ass, but I’ll get a good bruise on him.” Bailey winked and faked a slow punch in my direction.

“He’ll probably kiss your ass, truth be known. He wanted to hire you anyway.” I guess it didn’t matter if I let that out now. It wasn’t like Bailey would go work for him anyway.

“Since when?”

“Since always.” I leaned back in my chair and ran my hand through my hair. “He wanted to hire you all along. I didn’t think you’d be interested, and I wanted the money, so I told him to hire me.”

Bailey’s eyes widened.

I snorted. “What? It ain’t like you wanted the job. Turns out he hoped you’d help with their new computer system. It’s the same program as ours, and he thought you might be able to train them on it.”

Granny and Bailey both exchanged a glance, and then Bailey leaned in closer as if trying to size up my sanity. “Did you fail to tell him that you’re the one who trained me?”

“I didn’t realize until it was too late that’s what he wanted you for. I thought he needed a hand so I’ve been doing ranch duties.” I rolled my eyes as my brother gave me a look like I was out of my mind and maybe Ted was too. “I’m a lot stronger than you or Daddy give me credit for, and I’m perfectly capable of doing a little heavy lifting here and there.”

“I’d advise you not to tell him that. He wouldn’t like it.” Bailey finished his last bite of food and then stood.

“I don’t understand you men.” I watched my brother go, certain that he’d mumbled something in response on his way out.

“Your Daddy’s afraid.” Granny stood and stacked Daddy and Bailey’s plates atop hers. “Ever since your mama lost that last baby. He blames himself for having her out working, and when she got sick, he got even worse. He didn’t mind when you was a kid, letting you help out here and there, but he isn’t going to let you do anything that might jeopardize your future as a mother.”

“That’s ridiculous. Women do that kind of work all the time. Mama didn’t lose the baby because of work. She was sick, but they didn’t realize it until it was too late.” My mama’s cancer had gone undetected until she miscarried. She was four months but didn’t realize how far along she was until it was too late. The doctors said the cancer had spread and had likely been there for years.

“Well, there’s no talking sense to my son. He’s as stubborn as I am.”

He was stubborn for sure. I’d kept my dream to myself for years because I didn’t think he would like the idea of that either. Granny had been the only one that never had an opinion on the subject, so I decided to test the waters with her. “He’s going to hate it when I buy my own farm.” I joined her at the sink and rinsed as she washed.

“You still hanging onto that dream?” She dipped her hands into the sudsy water.

“Yes, and I still want the same house. The Stutt place should be going up for sale someday unless his family gets a notion to finally do something with it. I’m hoping I can get enough money to buy it.”

“I think he left it to his niece and if so, she’s not the farming type. I bet she’d sell it for the right price.” She tossed a plate into the basin in front of me.

“You think?” I started thinking about my money and how much I’d saved. I might have enough for the down payment and closing costs, considering they’d want a reasonable amount for it. “I wonder how much that place is worth?”

“I’ll nose around and see what I can find out if you want. It could already be sold or in the process for all we know. Your Daddy gave up years ago on obtaining it. He didn’t think that man would ever die. He was ninety-eight and worked his land until he turned ninety. Mean old fart, that one.”

“I’ve always loved that windmill.”

“So buy the windmill.” She handed me another sudsy plate and laughed. “It would be so much less work.”

“I want to work. I like it. And I know exactly what I want to do with the place.” I ran the plate under the stream of the faucet and placed it in the drying rack. “I’ve been dreaming of it for years.”

“A girl your age should be thinking about marriage, not buying houses. What if you get married? Ted probably wouldn’t leave his family’s farm.”

“Who says I’m going to marry him? Besides, if I can’t even work for him for more than a week, I’m not too sure how a marriage would work out. Could you imagine? I’d be divorced in a week.”

“Nonsense. That boy might be a stubborn ass, but he loves you.” She wiped her hands on her apron and turned to face me. “Love isn’t always perfect, and Lord knows most men aren’t.”

“I’m not worrying about a man. If it happens, it happens. Meanwhile, I’ll be securing my future on my own land, with my own animals, and my own life. I can’t sit around waiting on some man to come and sweep me off my feet and carry me away to his place. And you’re right, Ted probably won’t ever leave his home. Especially now that Mr. Dawson put him in charge.”

“Well, that’s probably the smartest move he’s made in years. That one will do right by his legacy.” Granny looked at me like he was the one I shouldn’t let get away.

“I’m sure whoever he marries will be very happy, most of the time.” I hated the thought of anyone else with my Ted, but at least the thought of him being impossible toward someone else was comical. Let them put up with his shit, and they’d be begging me to take him off their hands.

Granny went to the cabinet and pulled out her old canning jars and lids. “You can help me with this jelly, and I’ll let you take him a jar.”

“No thanks, I’m never going over there again. I will help you though. I need to brush up on my jelly making, and I know you will want help peeling all the veggies for the soup starter. Besides, he can get his own damned jelly.” I stood at the counter and watched as Granny finished gathering her supplies without saying another word.

I couldn’t help being excited that the farm of my dreams might actually be on the market soon, and I’d have to figure out exactly how much I had in my savings. Maybe I’d call around town and see if anyone needed help. Maybe the little bakery could use a hand, and I’d proven to myself that I was an expert at washing dishes.

I’d find something for sure. I’d let Granny do some digging in the gossip circles and then maybe go down to the Chamber of Commerce in Perryville to see who I could contact about it if she couldn’t get the information for me. In the meantime, I’d keep a close eye on the place and see about cashing in the bonds that my grandfather had left me. With any luck, things would go my way.

I couldn’t help being bitter about Ted firing me. Things would be a lot better with a job and some income. I still got an allowance from my work on the family farm, but Daddy liked to have his say over it. I didn’t know why the men I loved most always had to hold me back. Well, Ted Dawson wouldn’t ever again if I could help it. I’d get my own place no matter what, be it the Stutt place or somewhere else.