Hay Season

Chapter 10

Rylan

Hell was getting hotter! ~ Susan Sanford ~

The last thing I want to do is scare her. Sometimes, she reminds me of the scared animals she's always saving. That caged feeling that shines in their eyes when they've been dealt a bad blow is the same feeling I see reflected at me more times than I want to admit. She's so scared of reaching out for her dreams that I often feel frustrated. She's stronger and better than that, but her heart won't let her leave her momma behind. Dewbridge is my home, but I want to leave long enough to make a name for myself and a better future for the girl I've fallen in love with and me. I want her more than I've ever wanted anything. I may be young and have the whole world before me, but I do not doubt she's the one.

~Our Hometown of Dewbridge/Journal Entry by Rylan Tucker

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I'm scared to move too quickly in case I spook her, and she already looks spooked enough. I'm unsure what made her ask or where her thoughts are going, but I'm not stupid enough to speak. I don't trust my mouth right now. Taking her hand, I let her lead me up the crumbling stone steps to the door. When she swings it open to let us in, I catch it and help close it slowly. I don't think anything could raise her father from the dead at this moment, but I'm not taking the chance. With my hands in my pockets, I wait for her to kick off her flip-flops and settle on the mattress. It's a full size, thankfully. My feet will still hang off the end, but I know there's no way I could have fit on a twin. I feel like I'm fifteen again when Ladonna let me put my hands under her shirt for the first time. I'd felt high off the fact that she'd let me see her tits even though, back then, there wasn't much to them. Mattie sits on the edge of the mattress, swinging her feet over the edge. Something on the ground has interested her.

"Would you ... hold me?" she whispers to the ground.

Grabbing the hem of my shirt, I lift the material over my head and throw it on a chair nearby. I'll keep my jeans on in respect for her, but the heat makes it impossible to keep both on without sweating. I can feel her eyes on me when I sit on the other side of the mattress. Grabbing my phone, I text my mom quickly, letting her know I'm staying with Devin before laying it under the pillow. She won't question it. She never does. Lying on my side, I touch her arm to let her know it's okay. Watching her turn those blue eyes toward mine cause my body to react, and I pray my jeans hide it from her. Her face is flushed, and I'm happy to know I'm not the only one affected. Pulling gently, she allows me to tug her against me. I know the material won't hide what she feels, but her innocence will keep her from saying anything. We don't need the comforter. Mississippi heat prevents it, but I'm happy the screen surrounding us will prevent the mosquitoes from getting in. The noise inside catches our attention, and we listen to Mattie's dad stumbling around. A curse flies, and then a softer female voice coaxes him back to bed. One of my hands rests below her chin, and I feel a drop of wetness as it runs down my knuckle. Hugging her tighter, I kiss the top of her head. There are no words to make her feel better. No words to take away the worry and stress I know she's experiencing. Instead, we stay the way we are until there's silence inside. She doesn't turn around, and I don't move. She needs this moment. Sometimes, the best course of action is to say nothing or do nothing. She needs me to hold her, and that's a victory I'm not taking lightly. Due to her height, her back fits perfectly against my chest in a way that makes it feel like our hearts are touching.

I wait until her breathing starts to even out, and she's slipping into a restless sleep before I kiss the top of her head one final time and whisper, "I love you, Mack."