Stealing A Farmer's Heart

Stealing A Farmer's Heart Part 2

As soon as Farmer saw the woman walking alongside the road, her quick thinking kicked in and she let off the gas keeping the wheel straight. She managed to swerve around the woman coming to a slow crawl before stopping. She then sat there staring in the rear-view mirror, watching the dirty, barefoot woman, walking with her head down. An image from a scene in the remake of 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' where they found a lost girl wandering down the road before pulling a gun out and shooting herself, entered her mind. She shook that thought away and climbed out of the truck. When she made it to the rear, the woman was still walking with her head down, muttering something under her breath. Farmer cleared her throat in hopes to pull the woman's attention, but she just kept on, walking right past. Farmer was leery but her conscience told her not to abandon this lost woman. She jogged after her and caught up. "Miss, are you okay?" The woman kept going. Farmer reached out and touched her shoulder, regretting it immediately. The woman wheeled on Farmer and she caught a small fist right to the jaw and her head snapped back. "Fuck!" She grabbed her face and waited for the stars to leave her vision.

She moved her jaw around, rubbing the tender spot that was now throbbing. Her attention was brought back to the woman who was now chanting an apology with tears streaming down her face. Farmer put her hands out to the woman but made no move to get any closer. "Hey, hey, ssshhh, it's okay, I'm okay." The woman stopped her chanting, but the tears were still trailing down her dirty face. Farmer lowered her hands. "It's my fault, really. I shouldn't have touched you, and for that, I'm sorry."

The woman licked her very dry lips then hiccupped through her tears. "I was... I was so..." She gestured vaguely around her head with a hand. "The touch and the punch must have zapped me out of my head."

Farmer's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Zapped you?" She chuckled. When the woman wasn't understanding her humor, she abruptly stopped laughing. She took a small step closer with her hand held out. "I'm Farmer and I live just up the road." She gestured with her head in the direction of where her house was located.

The woman stared at Farmer's hand longer than normal before she slowly extended her own hand and slipped into the rough one presented to her. "Hello, I'm Brynn. Farmer?" She squinted.

Farmer smiled. "My actual name is Noelle Farmer, but Noelle is a tad too girly for my tastes." She shrugged.

Brynn's face remained impassive and she quickly removed her hand from Farmer's, taking a step back. Wrapping her arms around her middle, she lowered her head, allowing her long hair to curtain around her face.

Farmer sensed her unease and discomfort, and she stepped back. "Um, can I give you a lift somewhere, or help you in any way?"

Brynn shook her head keeping her eyes downcast.

Farmer didn't want to frighten her off by being too forward, but she couldn't let Brynn stay out here in the middle of nowhere, alone. "I really don't mind." She trailed her eyes from Brynn's bare feet, up her blonde, hairy legs past her dirty dress and finally settling on a pair of terrified yet beautiful blue eyes that were staring up at her. She swallowed and took a chance by stepping closer, relieved when Brynn didn't move away or flinch. "Please."

Brynn shrugged a shoulder and nearly folded in on herself. "I don't have anywhere to go," she whispered.

Farmer realized she may have just stepped in more than she was bargaining for. Even still, leaving this frail, broken, and dirty woman alone was an unfathomable thought to Farmer. She took a breath and smiled, softening her face. "That's okay, I can take you to my place."

Brynn looked over at the idling truck then back at Farmer. "Are you sure?"

"Please, I want to help." She held out her hand, offering it to Brynn. As soon as Brynn placed her hand in hers, Farmer grasped it firmly and walked with her to the passenger door of the truck. She opened it and helped the small woman climb up and inside. She waited for Brynn to buckle up before closing the door. Farmer walked to her side, climbed in, buckled up, then slowly drove home. Farmer had several questions whirling around inside her head, but knew to keep them to herself. Brynn appeared skittish and Farmer sensed something awful happened to her for her to be wandering alone on back country roads, dirty and upset. Questions, or more like interrogations, would most likely send Brynn running off in the opposite direction. Food, shower, and sleep are what Farmer guessed the young woman needed more than anything. And she was going to do her best to take care of Brynn.