Only Up From Here

After a few minutes of awkward silence between Brock and I, I went to get John. On the way back I was not sure what to say to him. I would look at his gray hair and those sad eyes and just freeze.

“So, this Brock character . . .” He looked at his boots as we walked and wouldn’t look me in the eye.

“What about him?” I only wanted to supply what was needed.

“Well, tell me about him, considering you left him in the house I am assuming he’s a decent guy.”

“Yeah, I have only know him since yesterday. He took me to the hospital, so if everything is gone when we get to the house you can’t blame me.”

He gave a soft chuckle, “Potential friend that will be around a lot?”

“I really don’t know John. He is here and I am not sure what that means in anyway shape or form. He is here now, he is being nice, and for all I care he could be gone tomorrow. I don’t really want that to happen because I really do like to have someone around.”

“Alright then.” And that was it, there was no more discussion of what Brock was to me or where we were going. That’s what I loved about John the most.

Lunch was filled with mild conversation of Brock’s life. John told him he could come around and help out with the ranch chores if he wanted to make a little extra money. In my mind I was screaming no but neither of them seemed to notice my reaction.

“You know I wouldn’t mind coming around a little and helping out.” As he spoke he stared at me almost as if I made the slightest movement it would change his mind.

“Great we will be busy with funeral and wake plans the next few days so I could use a little help. Kali Jo here does a good job but I don’t think the two of us could handle it on our own with the coming events.” He smiled at me and I only nodded.

“Alright well I will be around tomorrow. What time would you like me here?”

“How does four a.m. sound?” I looked at John with large eyes.

“I can do that.” I looked at Brock wondering how he was going to manage that.

“Alright then, why don’t you two set the dishes in the sink while I make some calls and then Kali you can show him around the place.”

I stood not having said anything in a while, “Sure John.” He stood and walked out of the room. I turned to look at Brock, “I know he said to set them in the sink but I am going to wash them up quick if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind as long as you let me help you out a little.”

I looked at him, “Fine you can dry.” I handed him a towel.

Brock only smiled at me as he grabbed a towel from my hands. “So, what do I need to know about life here on the ranch?”

“Before I start that I want to know how the hell you are going to drive from your place to mine everyday and be here by four.”

I heard a little chuckle but I didn’t look up, “I will wake up at two leave by two thirty drive an hour and half and be here a little before four.” I handed him a few dishes.

“And then you are going to be awake enough to work a ten hour day? What about school?”

“I am going to have to be.” I handed him the last plate and emptied the sink. I quickly ran hot water and filled the lasagna pan so it could soak. Then I turned and leaned against the counter looking at him.

“You didn’t have to agree to this. You could have said no. Also, you didn't answer my question, what are you going to do about school?”

“I know that to.” He set the plate on the counter with the rest and looked down at me.

“So why did you decide to take the job?” I decided to come back to the school question because he was continuously ignoring it. I also had a feeling I knew but I wasn’t going to say a word until he told me straight out.

“I took it so I can make some extra money because to be honest with the way Kelly spends money I could use it. I also thought, you know, maybe you would like to see a friendly face around every now and then.”

“What are you going to do about school?” We were still looking at each other my arms crossed in front of me my stubbornness showing, I was NOT going to give up on this question.

“I guess I will drive back to school when I have class and drive back here for work.”

“That is not logical at all. The extra money you would be making would go to gas and that is it. You wouldn’t be able to do anything else.”

“Maybe I don’t care. Maybe I don’t want to do anything else.” He took a step closer to me, standing right in front of me I could see the muscles in his arms straining as he crossed his own arms.

"That is ridiculous. No one would want to make extra money to spend it on gas. And NO ONE wants to drive over three hours actually six hours in your case everyday.”

He took another step closer to me putting his arms on either side of me lowering his face right in front of my own, “Maybe I do.”

I took a deep breath and stared into those blue eyes waiting for him to backup, when he didn’t I cleared my throat, “Fine lets go outside and I will show you around. This conversation is not over, I will be talking to John to see if we can work something out that is a little more convenient for you and Kelly.”

His eyebrows rose as I said her name but he stepped back and didn’t question it. We walked around the grounds the only conversation was my explaining where things were and what all the other buildings were. The grounds took over an hour to walk with the conversation and explanations we added another half hour to it. As we walked closer to the house again I decided to ask a question, “Do you want to meet the horses or do you just want to do it tomorrow?”

“I wouldn’t mind meeting them if you don’t mind introducing us.” I smiled, I was hoping he would say that, showed that he really wanted to work with them.

We walked over to the stables and I opened the doors, “We have over thirty horses here on the ranch so you will not meet all of them today but I will show you or introduce you to the main ones.”

“Alright that sounds like a fair plan.”

“Well this is Carmen, my horse, you won’t need to work with her much as I do that when I get home from class. This is Starlight, she is my moms or was my moms horse so you will need to work with her everyday. She is a little testy and it is only going to get worse with mom being gone.” I moved on not wanting to talk about it, “This is Chocolate Rain my dad’s horse again he is going to need a lot of extra work.”

“Alright well I can work with this.” He smiled as he reached out and touched Rain’s dark brown face.

I walked a few stalls down giving off the names that were written on the stalls, “This is Sandy, she is one of the oldest horses we have, she takes a lot of medication which is something John handles. If you need to do anything with her besides let her into the ring to exercise John will let you know. Next to her we have Angel Eyes, Angel for short, she is a sweetheart and she was my brothers horse before he passed away last year.”

“Alright I think I am going to have my work cut out for me but I will be able to handle it.” Again he smiled at me and pet each one of the horses spending a little one on one time with each and every one of them. He didn't say anything about me mentioning a brother who had died, for that I was grateful. I would tell him when I was good and ready.