Taming Honey

Chapter 2

The next morning Honey hummed along to the radio which she had found under all the things on the kitchen side. The kitchen and the living room were all clean and spotless and everything was put away to where it should be. Well, it Honeys head it had been put away where she thought it should've gone. It had taken close to four hours but the place looked better now.

Under all the muck and grime in the kitchen, underneath was a place of pure magnificence. Pale yellow cupboards with grey marble countertops and stainless steel appliances all littered the kitchen. The place would be a chefs dreams, it was a good job Honey loved to cook. She could just imagine spending most of her days cooped up in the kitchen blending ingredients and creating magnificent dishes. The dust and rust on the appliances showing their mistreatment. Honey organised everything that she could find from the tea towels to the food in the fridge. Which was surprisingly full. She realised that she wouldn't have to go shopping straight away.

Honey had woken up early in the morning and couldn't go back to sleep. She figured it was just nerves from not meeting any of her new bosses yet but living in their house. The guest room that she stayed in was beautiful. A double bed sat perfectly in the centre with pale green covers and deep brown wardrobes and draws. She cleaned and tidied the two main rooms of the house, kitchen and living room without making much noise as she didn't want to disturb her sleeping boss. Lillian said he got quite angry when he was woken up and Honey didn't want her boss mad at her on her first day. Honey had even cleaned the fireplace in the living room and collected fresh wood for later. Whilst collecting the wood she ran into some of the ranch hands, after introducing herself she invited them inside at 7 o'clock sharp for breakfast.

The ranch hands normally ate in the bunk house but Honey instructed them to be in the kitchen and sat down for breakfast or else they'd receive a verbal thrashing. The men all agreed and thanked Honey. Honey set the table with 14 plates, cups and glasses with a knife and fork. Milk, juice and coffee was already on the table ready to be poured and bowls of food were sat waiting in the middle. For her first day Honey made a fried breakfast with bacon, sausages, hash browns, beans, tomatoes and scrambled eggs with pancakes and blueberry muffins for energy. When the men came in they all removed their hats and thanked Honey again. She told them to dig in whilst she finished making the home made bread ready for lunch. Honey listened as the men spoke about their day and what needed doing. The younger men promised to marry her after tasting her breakfast but Honey just blushed and turned away.

She learnt a lot from the men about the McCauley brothers. They were all well known around this place. Honest and good working too. Most of the ranch hands had been working for the brothers for a long time and thought of them as family. Each of the brothers had helped around town in some way or another, and the people in town cared for them deeply. When it was time for the men to head out to work they all gave Honey a kiss on the cheek and promised to be on time for lunch. She cleaned the Potts and put them all away and wiped down the table. Honey put the bread in the oven and set the timer for 45 minutes for three loaves of white bread. She didn't have to wait around for it, after using the same recipe since she was allowed to use the oven by her self she knew the recipe and the cooking times off by heart.

Honey worked the rest of the morning on the rest of the downstairs, cleaning and dusting and putting things away. Honey walked past the downstairs guest room many times and each time didn't hear a peep from inside. When the clock dinged for half past eleven Honey left the bread sliced on the side whilst she went to check on Blaze. Honey knocked on the door cautiously, not wanting to get shouted at. When no reply came she opened the door but left it open behind her. Glancing at the bed she noted no body laying their and from the light under the bathroom door guessed he was in there. Honeys nose wrinkled when she smelt the foul odour of body smell. Looking around the room she saw clothes and empty bottles of alcohol strewn around. Leaving the bedroom door open she walked to the window and opened the curtains, the sunlight streamed in illuminating the messy room. Honey cranked open all the windows to let the stench out. It was overpowering. Next she collected all the dirty Potts and alcohol bottles and put them outside the door, then she gathered all the clothes from the floor and stripped the bed completely. She threw the washing in the hallway trying to be quick at cleaning the room but also quiet. Gathering fresh linen she went to work at making the double bed in fresh sheets and plumping the pillows. Then she sprayed air freshener all around the room. She jumped up and down like a crazy person trying to get everywhere. The soft scent of pine wood lingered delicately.