Best Friend's Ex Box Set

"Me? Milk the cow?" I said looking confused. "You're out of your mind!"

Danny laughed silently and then pushed me toward the pen. The pain in my chest sent a jolt down one side of my body and I backed up shaking my head. Danny's face formed a question, and I replied, "I can't sit down like that, it'll hurt too much."

He nodded and signed something that, combined with his sheepish look, I took as an apology.

"Hey, no problem, big guy!" I said patting his shoulder. "Maybe in a few days, when I feel a bit better, I'll have a go at it."

Danny nodded happily and then sat down, thrust the bucket under the cow's udders, and began quickly milking her. Watching him, I marveled at how easy he made it look and how at ease he seemed doing it. I felt bad that I couldn't speak sign language and carry on an actual conversation with him, but when I thought about the fact that I wasn't going to be here for much longer, I decided there wasn't much I could do about it aside from helping him in the barn as best I could. It wasn't easy and I knew I was going to pay for it later, but I helped Danny clean out the stalls and then carry the dirty hay out to the compost bin until Verity told us to come in and get cleaned up for supper.

Both Grace and Honor were missing, but when I asked Verity where they were, she shrugged and said, "Probably at the store. They'll be home later."

After dinner, I tried to help with the dishes, but Verity shooed me out on to the front porch, saying that I'd done more than enough for one day and that I should rest. She said she'd come check my head and chest after she finished in the kitchen. Out on the porch, I suddenly remembered the phone that had been charging all day, but decided that I'd wait to grab it before I went to bed. Somehow bringing technology out on the porch felt wrong.

"God, look at me," I muttered. "I'm going over to the dark side now."

I looked up as Danny tapped me on the shoulder and handed me the phone, excitedly signing something I understood as, "Hurry up and turn it on." I laughed as I hit the power switch and waited for the phone to power up. Danny watched the screen light up and then clapped when the phone glowed in my hand. I quickly tapped the screen and set it up with my old phone number, and after a few minutes, the small device was up and running. I saw that there were numerous messages from Bugsy, but when Danny looked at me, pointed to the phone and then pointed to himself. I shrugged and handed it over saying, "Have at it kid!"

For the next hour, while I sat quietly watching the sky shift from twilight to a shade of inky purple I'd never seen before, Danny played with the phone. It wasn't until Verity came out and told us it was getting late that he handed the phone over and went inside. She quickly checked my injuries and put some salve on the bruises before bidding me goodnight. I waited up as long as I could, but soon the work I'd done hit me and I headed in to bed.

I woke up late the next morning wanting to talk to Grace before she left for the store, but she'd been quick to grab her things and head out to the

barn. By the time I made it to the front porch, she and Titan were already half way down the road toward town.

"We're going to talk at some point, Grace Miller!" I shouted as I watched her crest the hill and disappear.

I quickly dialed Bugsy, but his phone went straight to voicemail, so I left a message telling him to call me back. I figured he was probably making connections with investors or something, and hoped he'd get back to me quickly. There were two messages in my voicemail from my mother telling me to call her immediately. I deleted them both and then put the messages out of my mind before heading back into the house.

#

It wasn't long after Grace had left for the store that a buggy pulled into the drive. Danny and Honor emerged from the barn where they had finished the milking and were starting on cleaning the stalls.

"Gabe!" Honor shouted as the young Amish man climbed down from the buggy and tethered his horse to the post in front of the barn.

"Hiya, Honor, Danny!" he smiled as he ruffled Danny's hair before removing his own hat and running a hand through his sandy brown hair. "Sure is hot out here this morning!"

I stood observing from the kitchen window for a few moments before turning to find Verity looking at me pointedly.

"What?" I said trying to maintain a neutral expression.

"Now don't go starting trouble, Mr. Wallace," she warned as she carefully hung the towel she'd been using over the edge of the sink.

"Who said anything about trouble?" I asked feigning an innocence I didn't actually feel. "I'm just going to go help Danny and Honor with the chores in the barn."

Verity simply shook her head and sighed. I walked to the back door, trying as best I could to hide my limp.

"Hello, English," Gabe said with a wary smile.

"Morning, Amish," I called as I limped into the barn and grabbed a pitchfork. Danny gave me a confused look as I walked to the stall he'd just cleaned, and then signed something I couldn't understand.

"He just finished cleaning that one, English," Gabe helpfully interpreted. The fact that he could understand Danny and I couldn't got under my skin.

"I was just checking to see which one was next," I said stepping out of the stall and moving to the next one. "This isn't my first time at the rodeo, you know."

"I see," Gabe said with an amused smile that annoyed me even more. "Well, you might want to check the stall at the far end. I don't think that one's been cleaned yet."

"Gabe..." Honor warned as she looked back and forth between us and then signed something to Danny before rolling her eyes and walking out of the barn. Eyes wide, Danny looked at both of us, nodded, and then followed Honor out of the barn.

"What's that about?" I asked.