Hanging On

Help Needed

sorry for any mistakes, i dont edit before i post...still, i hope you enjoy:)

Because the afternoon had heated up, I changed into shorts and a tank top before opening my door to go back down stairs, and, for the second time that day, walked right into Tucker. I stumbled backwards a little, and was about to apologize when I realized it wasn't my fault this time. I looked up at him.

"What?" I asked a little rudely. He looked down at me.

"I was told to come get you." He said, and with that, walked off down the hall. I rolled my eyes and followed him.

"So you were just going to wait outside my door?" I asked as we went down the stairs.

"I was about to knock." He responded over his shoulder.

We walked through the now empty kitchen and outside into the heat. It was the beginning of summer, and was just beginning to heat up. I walked across our large driveway, big enough to fit at least twelve tractor trail trucks across to the barn, where I pushed the heavy wooden door open. It squealed on the wheels it used to slide, but it still opened. It was, as usual, empty. All of the cows had been let out on the pasture, but now was the time for me to make sure they had water and get the stalls ready. I pointed to a door. "That's the grain room, where we keep all of the, well, grain." I explained.

Tucker nodded but mostly looked like he didn't care as I went through the barn, showing him everything and where it went. I grabbed an extra pitchfork off the wall and was about to hand it to him when my mother came in.

"How's it going in here?" she asked, taking her gloves off and wiping sweat from her brow. Tucker, as usual, remained silent.

"Good, we were just about to start on the stalls." I said, gesturing to the pitch fork. My mother shook her head.

"I was actually going to see if Tucker wanted to come with me and I would show him the rest." She said, looking at Tucker, who nodded.

"So...I have to do this by myself? Again?" I asked, a little irritated. I had been looking forward to the extra help. My mother smiled apologetically at me.

"I'm sure he'd be willing to help you tomorrow." She said, glancing at Tucker. I got the feeling that he would not be willing in any way, but didn't say it. I sighed as my mother lead him away. He looked over his shoulder at me one more time with his expressionless eyes before leaving.

*******************

I trudged into the house just as the sun was setting. I had been working all day with cleaning stalls, wrapping legs, cleaning wounds, and filling grain barrels. I looked over the wide field to the left of our house as I walked onto the porch. The grass waved gently in the breeze, and I knew that it would soon be time to hay, my least favorite thing in the world.

I found my mother in the house. I jumped up on the counter and sat there, watching as she prepared a chicken dish.

"Where's Tucker?" I asked, sniffing the garlic scented air.

My mother frowned a little but didn't look at me. "I believe he's in his room." She said, her eye brows pulling together as if she were thinking about something.

"How was he?" I asked tentatively. My mother sighed.

"Well, frankly, he doesn't seem to want to be here."

Despite my mother's worried expression, I couldn't help but snort. "Of course he doesn't want to be here." I said, then felt a little guilty.

"I'm sure he'll come around. Don't worry." I said, nudging her hip with my toe. She sighed again and ran a hand through her blonde hair.