“No, I’m just tired and want to sleep, but I don’t want to be down here by myself,” Hannah hints.
“Um, I don’t know. Are you wanting to stay in
here
? I don’t think your grandparents would like that, Hannah,” Kelly says nervously. She can feel him physically withdrawing from her as she senses that he’s stepped back, putting even more space between them.
“I’m an adult, Kelly. And my grandparents trust you. If they didn’t, you wouldn’t still be here. Look, it’s fine. I’ll just go,” Hannah stammers out and stands. She feels like a total idiot. Great, more awkward.
“Wait, I don’t want you to be mad at me. Don’t go. I don’t want you to go back to your room and be spooked all night, ok?”
“So I can stay?” Hannah asks shyly, keeping her gaze angled toward the floor.
There is a smile touching his lips again as he says, “Yeah sure, you can stay in here if you want. I don’t care. If your grandpa says anything, I’ll take the heat, ok? I’ll just sleep in the other bed.”
“Are you sure?” Her voice sounds more hopeful than it should.
“Yeah, it’s cool. I could sleep in the bathroom,” he offers. This is the only room in the basement that has its own bathroom. The other rooms share the bathroom that attaches to the children’s room.
“What? No way. I’m not sleeping in here and making you sleep in the bathroom. That’s just plain rude,” Hannah exclaims. Besides, where would he sleep? In the tub? He probably wouldn’t even fit. The image of him trying to fit into the tub makes her smile.
“All right, I’m just going to go turn off the light,” he tells her as he crosses the room.
“How would I know?” Hannah pokes fun at herself and slides under the covers. He gives her one short laugh.
His mattress squeaks when he gets into his own bed. It would’ve surprised her more if it hadn’t.
“Crazy day, huh?” he whispers in the dark. Little do most people know, but this is where Hannah is most comfortable with people but where she rarely converses with them. It puts her more on equal ground with them.
“Yes, very crazy. Their baby is beautiful,” she says quietly.
“Yeah, oh wait. How do you...?”
“I just know. He’s perfect and beautiful,” Hannah whispers sleepily and sighs.
“He is. Hey, does Sue have baby stuff? You know, like a crib and... diapers or whatever babies need?” he asks. This is clearly not his area of expertise. Hannah snickers at him.
“Yes, she’s got everything she needs. Or at least I think she does. We already had a crib for when she came for visits when Justin and Arianna were babies. When she came to live here, though, she and Grams went into the city to get stuff. She brought quite a lot of things with her, but they got the rest before everything...”
“Smart. Your family sure does know how to be prepared for crap,” Kelly tells her.
“I don’t know if anyone can be prepared for any of this. I’m just glad Sue’s ok and the baby is healthy,” she whispers.
“Small miracles, Hannah. Guess those are all we can be thankful for anymore,” Kelly says with great introspection. When he whispers like this, his deep timbre diminishes.
“I think all babies are something to be thankful for.”
“Yeah, and I guess now to deliver a healthy baby is going to be more difficult. I can’t imagine what women are doing out there that don’t have two family members who are doctors,” Kelly adds. It’s not something Hannah had considered. Having Grandpa in her life had been something she’d just taken for granted. Thanks to Kelly, she’ll never do that again.
“That’s terrible, Kelly. I’m even more thankful for them now, I suppose. When your sister is a super brain and your grandfather is a brilliant doctor I guess you don’t realize you’re lucky. Most of the time growing up I just didn’t feel smart enough,” she admits and rolls onto her side facing him. His mattress squeaks, and when he speaks again Hannah can tell that he has done the same.
“You don’t seem to be lacking for smarts, Hannah. I mean you aren’t like me and John. The only thing we’ve ever been good at is blowing shit up... sorry, I mean crap,” he corrects.
“That could actually come in handier than being a Wall Street analyst or a brilliant lawyer right now, you know,” she jokes.
“I think you might be right there,” he agrees with a chuckle. “As a matter of fact, John and I are going to work on a supply list for when him and Reagan go to the city. We’ll get this place fortified like you can’t even imagine.”
“That’s really great, Kelly. We’re so appreciative of you guys being here. I know everyone thinks I’m young and unworldly, but I have senses that are better than just a set of eyes. I can hear, and I can tell things from just the tone of people’s voices. I heard a lot of the radio broadcasts in Grandpa’s study when he and Grams weren’t home and still cleaning out his practice. He tries to shelter me from bad stuff, but I’m not a China doll. I can take a lot more than people give me credit for. And the things I heard were horrific,” Hannah says. Her family’s protective behavior is not something she’s ever discussed with anyone. Kelly doesn’t answer but is quiet. For a moment she thinks perhaps he’s fallen asleep. But finally, he answers.
“I think that you just might be the most perceptive person I know,” he whispers with admiration tingeing his voice.
“It wasn’t just the horrible things the reporters were saying, but there was such... hopelessness in their voices. When it started in China and then in Europe and Korea there was still... I don’t know. It felt like maybe we’d be ok here. But then when the first tsunami hit the East Coast, I just knew. And when the small bits of news still got through, I could just tell from the tone how it had all changed, how our country would follow suit with the rest of the world.”
“Just don’t think about it, Hannah. You shouldn’t have to worry about this crap. I’m just thankful that your family welcomed me and the kids into your home. And I promise you that I’m gonna do anything I have to do to protect you and your family,” Kelly promises.
“And I’m thankful for you. I mean for you being here. And John, too,” she stammers. Kelly doesn’t reply this time. He’s quiet for another long period, and she’s grateful for the darkness of the room because he can’t possibly see the pink stain on her cheeks.
“Good night, Hannah,” he finally whispers. “Don’t worry anymore. I’m looking out for you. Just go to sleep.”
“Good night, Kelly,” Hannah whispers back and falls into a deep, restful sleep because she believes him.
John
No wonder she likes to come out here and ride every morning after chore duty, John thinks. It’s so peaceful and quiet. Just the huff, huff of the horse’s breath as it picks its way along the trails and up hills is calming. The birds chirp high in their tree homes while taking care of their families. The weather is good, warm, and the light rain that came yesterday has softened the trail dirt under their horses’ hooves.
Reagan rides ahead of him, of course, even though he knows the trails now as well as her. She always has to be first, even if it’s just first to the dinner table at night. As long as she beats him, it seems to be all that matters to her. Even if she pushes herself to the brink of almost passing out finishing her evening duties in the horse barn, and racing to the house; as long as she’s there before John she’s happy, or her version of righteous happiness. Little does she know, he doesn’t mind the view always coming in second.
And he doesn’t mind the view today, either. She’s wearing cut off jean shorts, which she has apparently cut herself because the hem is crooked, threads hang down. Her black bra straps show on her shoulders and through her white tank top. Either she’s oblivious to this fact or doesn’t care. She has the tiniest waist he’s ever seen on a woman. Tanned, muscular legs clench her horse’s sides and flex in response to its movements. He guesses that Reagan has about a ten percent body fat or there about. Whereas he has gained at least ten pounds of weight back since coming to the farm, she doesn’t seem to ever gain weight. Of course, she’s like a hummingbird, always flitting here to there in constant motion as if calories are her mortal enemy. Her long curls have become streaked by the sun and sway and bob like they’re filled with helium. His blonde hair has lightened up considerably, too. She commands her horse like she does the rest of the world, with resolve and bossy determination. It probably has to do with her petite stature or something. Maybe she’d been teased for it in school, though it is highly doubtful that Reagan McClane would ever allow a bully to mess with her.
And, of course, she wears the dusty Converse. He’s not one to judge, though, as he is wearing his brother’s clothes. The three men have also been borrowing clothing from Herb and some items that Grams had found in storage tubs that had belonged to the girls’ father. It feels wrong to use his clothes as he wasn’t there to give his opinion on the matter even if Grams had said they were old and not being used by anyone. John had told Kelly that he’d try to find them some stuff in the city when he and Reagan go there. Finding himself clothing might not be too hard, but Kelly is another story.
Their trip to the city has been postponed by another week because of things happening at the farm like the tractor needing work, rain delaying jobs that needed done and the birth of Isaac almost four weeks ago. But he and Reagan are scheduled to go in three days. Doc wants the trip made before the harvest comes because he needs a tractor part that can’t be prefabbed at the farm, and a special tool for the repair. It must be the only tool he doesn’t own because John had never seen such an extensive workshop before he viewed the doc’s for the first time. Kelly and Derek’s jaws had hit the ground, as well. They’d all gotten used to working with what they had to make quick repairs in the military to their vehicles, and at best they were half-baked patch jobs. Doc’s shop is a mechanic’s dream. Derek and even Cory seem to really like working with Herb on all of the equipment, too. But John is more suited to patrols, defense strategy and anywhere that he can put his military background to use. He’d still be enlisted if it hadn’t gone to crap like this. A military career was all he’d ever wanted to do. Kelly, on the other hand, had talked many times about getting out, starting a family, living in the burbs. John sometimes felt guilty because he often thought his friend only stayed in for him. And now look at Kelly, a dang cow farmer! Then again, Kelly doesn’t seem to mind it too much. In fact, he seems quite at home slinging cow dung.
“Hey, G.I. Joe, see that ridge up there?” the boss calls back to him.
John trots his mare up beside Reagan. “Yep, see it, boss.” She frowns at him; it’s beautiful whether she wants it be or not. He purposely pushes his mare closer, making Reagan’s leg brush against his.
“If you continue on and climb it- it’s steeper than it looks- you’ll come to a crest and you can see the valley below. Our neighbors to the south live over there. They’re pretty nice people, the Reynolds. Dairy farmers, had a lot of kids. They’re adults now, but two of his boys stayed on to farm with the dad,” she explains.
“Were any of them ever your boyfriend?” John asks provokingly. Their legs rub again when her gelding gets too close to his mare. Why is he torturing himself like this?
“Ugh, no, stupid!” A typical answer from her.
“Well, then who was? One of these country boys around here? Or was it some college geek?” he prods. The sunlight coming through the trees kisses her hair, turning it to gold spun sugar like he’d seen once at a bake shop in Paris while on leave. The gold sugar had been on top of a chocolate cake for silly, worthless decoration. Her hair is as messy as that spun sugar chaos had been, too.
“What do you care anyway?” she asks angrily.
“Just want to know who my competition is, shorty,” he answers with a stupid grin. Reagan looks up at him and then back down quickly. But not before he sees that her cheeks have colored.
“There’s no competition because I’m not interested in you or anyone else,” she informs him haughtily.
“Batting for the other side?” He knows this is going to piss her off, and he knows that she’s not a lesbian. John has seen her overly long looks at him when he’s been outside without his shirt on, though she usually scowls quickly and turns away or flips him the bird which she’d even done once.
“No! I’m not batting for the other side. Why is it that just because you tell a guy you aren’t interested in him he calls you a lesbian?”
“Easy now. I know you aren’t a lesbo, boss,” John tries to diffuse her anger. “I’m just trying to figure out what kind of guy you like. What was your last boyfriend like?”
His question earns him silence. Reagan kicks Harry into a trot as they enter into an open pasture. She keeps him to the bordering tree line, though. John, not one to be put off, kicks his mare into a trot and catches up with her easily. When she doesn’t slow down, John urges his mare into a lope and runs right in front of Harry who gets miffed. But it effectively cuts her off as Harry comes to a stop, snorting and stomping. John slowly walks Lady in a tight circle around Reagan and her horse. She’s not getting away that easy. His riding skills are good enough now that she can’t.
“You didn’t answer my question,” he notes and readjusts his baseball cap on his head. The front of his white tee is getting damp with perspiration. Their midmorning patrols don’t usually end until after noon, and the sun is a scorcher today when they aren’t in the cover of the woods.
“I don’t owe you an answer, now move!” she hisses at him.
Why is she so reluctant to talk to him about this?
“I’ll tell ya’ what, boss. You tell me about your last boyfriend, and I’ll tell you about my last girlfriend,” he offers. He’s just trying to get to know her better.
“Girlfriend? Isn’t that Kelly’s job? I guess I just assumed
you
were gay,” she chides snottily and stares directly at him. Well, glares is more like it. But at least she doesn’t try to gallop off when they resume their ride.
“Now, Reagan, I think we both know you know that one isn’t true,” he hints provocatively. He allows his eyes to trail over her face and rest on her full mouth which is open in surprise. It’s the first time he’s noticed that her top lip is fuller than the bottom. Interesting. “So?”