Train Me Daddy

He winks, “Apart from roast chicken, I can’t do much else. I’m kind of hopeless.”

I know that it’s not only my cooking he misses, our occasional game of chess and our discussions about Agatha Christie too. Once in a while we sit in the library and pick a book. Then we discuss the parts that we loved the most and the other parts we hated.

“Okay, it’s nearly time for lunch. Let me check on Autumn and then I’ll whip you both up something. Okay?”

Neil nods and then I kiss Isaac on the cheek, “Take your time. I’ll catch up with Granddad.”

I can feel their eyes on me as I walk away. Isaac adjusts his pants and I’m sure that it’s this dress. I

’ll definitely wear it again, because I know that he likes it so much.

I smell the horses and hay as I run across the grass. I suddenly feel like a cowgirl again as I enter the barn. The adventure in Houston seem like a fairy tale that happens only once in a person’s live. But I know that not true because I brought back my Prince Charming.

Chapter 11

Isaac

Damn! Olivia sure knows how to cook. Last night she came into the kitchen and whipped us up a spaghetti carbonara in no time. She really does love Italian food, she wasn’t kidding about that and I decided while we were eating and she was telling Neil about our adventures in the city that I must take her there. She’s never even been on a plane, which I find a little crazy, but she’s never had the money to just travel.

I haven’t had biscuits as good as hers since grandmother’s, I admit to myself as I watch Olivia take a platter full of biscuits out of the oven and place them on the table just as granddad walks in to join us.

“Morning,” he says cheerfully, for someone’s that dying he looks good. Even better than I do. But then again it’s been nearly a week since I’ve had anything to drink. The first few days were hard, but now I haven’t even thought about it. I managed to go to restaurants order wine for Olivia and just have a little, and the second time none at all.

“Feeling okay today, Neil,” Olivia asks. I can see she immediately regrets the question since it probably isn’t something you asked a person with a terminal illness.

“Right as rain,” he says and winks.

“You look a little pale, Neil. Have you been taking all your meds?” Olivia asks as she sets plates of scrambled eggs, bacon and toast on the table.

“Yes, I’m fine thanks, Olivia.” He turns to glance at me as I reach for the eggs. “We need to move some cattle to the back pasture. Can you help old Dan herd drive them down the Old Fork road?”

“Sure, I haven don’t that cattle for a long spell, but I’ll give it a try. Of course I’ll have to check with Mrs. Roberts and see if there are any emergencies brewing at the office first,” Olivia says as she sits down to eat.

“Can, I help?” I ask, because if she goes out all day as much as I love granddad I’ll rather spend my time with her. Seeing as we’re getting to know each other and I want to tell her about Dede. I just want to get it all of my chest. The truth, for once in my life. Whenever we’re alone, I just want to take her. At least out there while we’re working we can talk when we have a break and then she’ll know the demons that really turned me to drink. The real reason that I lost my way.

Olivia’s lost in her thoughts, “Autumn’s a good cutting horse and maybe if she’s out there working again then she won’t feel so down.”

“Sure of course,” Neil says beaming his ear to ear smile. “If that’s alright for Isaac to go with you too?”

I smile as there’s no one I would go driving cattle with than Olivia, the beautiful red head that doesn’t have a mean bone in her body.

“Think you’re up to it, Cowgirl?” I tease her.

Olivia raises her eyebrows. “When’s the last time you were in the saddle all day, Isaac?”

“Point taken. My butt has been glued to the office chair for a while and when I tried riding last week after an hour, I was getting tired.”

Granddad says, “Well there’s only one way to find out!”

“Granddad you’re right. Saddle me up and I’ll be there all day with you.”

She winks, “You’ve got a deal!”

***

After breakfast as we walk to the barn to saddle the horses, I can’t help but say, “I wish we were sleeping in the same bed. I don’t like you being in the guest cottage.”

“Sex friend.”