Life on the Farm

Chapter 4

After dinner, I walk upstairs to my room. It's the boy's night to wash the dishes. I settle in on my loveseat with a book and my phone. I set the book down and check my phone for calls and texts.
Hm.
Four calls. All from Marci.
Seventeen texts. All from Marci.
I smile and roll my eyes and call her back. She answers after one ring.
"Hey Aubreeeyyyyyyyyy," she answers, as always, stretching out the 'ey.'
"Hey Marci. What's up? I see I got some calls from you."
"Yep! This morning I was wondering if you were gonna be at school but then you weren't so I was calling to see if you had plans on Saturday."
"Umm...I dunno, Marc. I have to take the produce to the market."
"I can come with you!"
"I don't know if that's the best idea. My parents love you, but you know how they are about me not having any distractions when I'm working."
"Yeah yeah."
"Oh! Wait. After the market I only have to work with some of the horses. Then I'm free. And Sunday is my day off. Maybe you can join us for dinner and spend the night Saturday?"
"Sure!"
"Great. Let me check with my parents first though."
"Ok. Call me back."
"Ok. Bye." I hang up and race down the stairs. "Mom!"
She turns around. "Yes Aubrey?"
"Can Marci come over for dinner Saturday and spend the night? Please?"
Dalton walks over. "Who's Marci?"
I turn to him. "Marci is my best friend."
"Ok."
I turn back to mom. "Pretty please? I haven't seen her in like two weeks. And she's my best friend!"
My mom thinks it over. "Ok, why not. But on one condition. After you work with Little Bit and Tootsie, you can scrub the floors in here,-" she gestures around her to the mixed kitchen-dining room-living room-"and help Dalton carry all the apples and plums back from the orchards when he's done picking."
"Sure! Whatever! Yay!" And I run back upstairs, dive onto the couch, and dial Marci's number. I don't even let her say hello when she picks up.
"Marci! Mom said yes! She just gave me an extra chore, but you can come over Saturday!"
"Yay!"
"Omigosh! I totally forgot to tell you. My parents hired a new farmhand and his son."
"What are their names?"
"The dad, Hank. And the son, Dalton."
"How old is Dalton?"
"Um, I don't really know but he looks about your age."
"Is he cute?"
"Marci!"
"Oh, I get it. You've claimed him. I won't step on your territory."
I can tell she's smirking on the other end. "No, Marci. That's not it."
"Mkay...well I gotta go. See you Saturday!"
"Bye!"
I hang up my phone and set it down, then curl up on the couch with "The Diviners." Someone knocks on my door.
"Come in," I call.
Dalton peeks his head in.
"Hey." He says.
"Hi..." I say, raising my eyebrows. "Can I help you?"
"Just came to say hi."
"Well hi."
"Hi."
"Anything else?"
Dalton crosses the room and takes a seat on the chair at my desk. "So. Your friend is coming over?"
"Saturday night."
"Ooh, she's spending the night?" Dalton wriggles his eyebrows.
"Yes. Crash the party and I will kick your ass."
"Feisty. What's your friend like?"
"Girlier than me. But nice. We have different personalities."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. Now. Why'd you really come here?"
"I told you I wanted to say hi."
"You're not a very good actor."
"Ok."
"What do you want?"
"To say hi..."
"You know what, I have to go do something." I set down my book and brush past Dalton, and down the stairs. When I get into the living room, I pick up my violin from it's spot behind the couch. Then I march back up to my room. Dalton's still there.
"Do you mind?"
"What?"
"Can I have some room? Like, alone. In my room. Which you are currently in?"
"Oh. Sorry." Dalton leaves, and I set up my stand with my music. I pull out Patchabel's Theme From Canon in D and begin to play.
My bow flies over the strings, and I tap my foot to the beat. My fingers nimbly move up and down the keyboard, and I feel like I'm in another world. I just get to measure 29 when my mom knocks on my door and walks in. I stop and face her.
"Yes?"
"You sound great sweetie. You should come downstairs and play for us!"
I sigh and drag my things downstairs. Oliver whoops when he sees me. I roll my eyes.
"This is Patchabel's Theme From Canon in D," I announce, then start to play. Everybody quiets down, then they fade into the distance. I forget they're there, and take a deep breath. I feel myself transporting as I move on to the most complex part of the piece, a part that I've mastered. I've already mastered this piece-been playing it for two years. But it's one of my favorite songs, so I keep playing it.
When I finish reality comes rushing back, and I'm surrounded my thunderous applause and cheering. I smile and bow before heading back upstairs and tucking in for the night.
***
I wake up exactly at five the next morning, and run down the stairs and out the door. I milk Suzy and take the milk back to the house, then head out to the north garden and turn on the sprinkler. I run through the barn and give every horse some food and a carrot before heading back into the house for breakfast. Then I reconsider and run back outside, this time headed for the chicken coop. I pick up a basket and take the eggs from behind, then head over to the east garden and pick some spinach. Then I head back to the kitchen. I rinse the spinach and slice it up, then take seven fresh eggs and crack them in a bowl. I mix them with some milk from Suzy this morning, and pour some of the egg-milk mix into a pan on the stove. I take some cheese out of the fridge and grate it while the eggs start to cook. I sprinkle a small portion of the cheese and the spinach onto the eggs, and flip one side onto the other.
When my parents walk down the stairs, I'm sliding an omelet on each of their plates, and pouring them each a cup of coffee.
"This looks lovely," my mom comments. "Thank you Aubrey."
"Sleep in?" I joke. Just as I'm sitting down next to them, the phone rings. My mom stands up and answers it.
"Mhm. Yes. Oh, that's terrible! What are you going to do? With the five kids and all and..." My mom trails off. "Oh don't even worry about it. Why don't you come stay with us? We certainly have the room. Ok. Sounds great. Well I'll see you then. Have a safe trip. Bye." My mom turns around and faces us, her face solemn.
"Bad news. Miranda's house got taken by the bank. I told her she could stay with us, because they have very limited money." I'm in shock. Miranda's my aunt, and she has five kids. Her husband divorced her right after little Cloe was born. Well. Looks like I'll be rooming with four younger cousins. All boys. Except for Cloe. She's barely one, the only girl in the family besides her mom. Great.
"Matty, Luke, Sammy, and Toby will be sharing the loft. Miranda will be staying in the guest bedroom. Cloe will either stay with her or with you, Aubrey," my mom says.
"Of course. I love Cloe." I respond.
"The boys can help out around the farm, to give them something to do," my dad suggests.
"I can take them on trail rides in the free time," I suggest.
"Good idea," my mom says. "But we have work to do. Aubrey, call the farmhands in for breakfast. Hank, Mark, Thomas, and your father will take over the work to be done today. The rest of us will be preparing for my sister, who's going to be here around dinner time."
"Ok," I say, then slip out the door. I run across the field to the farmhand houses and knock on every door. They all open. "Everyone come down for breakfast," I announce. "We have big news."
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
A/N:
Hello everyone<3
How are you enjoying this book? Things are about to get rowdy. Four boys! Ah! But don't worry, it's gonna be fun.
<3