Dancing in the Oaks

Deserve It

I woke up laying down with piles of blankets on me. I was on the guest house's couch. My head hurt so bad, but I began to slowly regain consciousness. The front door opened and a figure appeared. "Hey sweet Norah. Howdy, what's up?" The southern accent said.

"Oh Nick what happened?" I cried.

He brought in some food to restock my fridge. Occasionally he will add some food to the guest house supply. "Well Berry came over last night. She hit your face pretty hard and knocked ya out. I took her out in return. Best thing ever: I got it all on camera. I carried you in here so you could recover."

"What?!" I was shocked.

He walked over to me and inspected my face. "Yes. That's what happened. Are you alright?"

"Just sore. What did you do to Berry?"

"Called the cops. They took her and I gave them evidence. We ain't gotta worry anymore!"

"Nick, that's great!" Finally we have some sort of reassurance.

"Yeah."

"She's been spying, how the heck?" It just did not make sense. I couldn't connect the dots together.

"Hmm go figure. It's all on camera. Sorry I said I would protect you, but I had to let something happen to get on camera before I intervened." Nick began to walk away.

I laughed. "Well, I'm glad ya did." I started singing. "Another summer's day has come and gone away. In Paris and Rome and I wanna go home... baby surrounded by a million people I still feel all alone... I wanna go home..." I laughed. "Another airplane... another sunny place. I'm lucky I know." I tried to sing well, but I just couldn't.

Nick immediately turned around. "Norah! I have heard you sing more than you probably know of. You sound so good. You're so great!" He said.

"Oh sure. Thanks. Like when I was singing in the barn the day after the rodeo."

"Yup that's right."

After Nick left I just stared at the ceiling. I eventually got the strength to get up and change my clothes despite the fact that I fell asleep in my plaid shirt and black pants. This time I put on my green jacket and a pair of blue pants. I combed my hair and put in coconut oil. When I opened the door so I could walk outside I got a nice smell of bacon and toast. When I walked out I saw Nick cooking. "What are you doing?" I shouted as I ran closer to the western side of Nick's patio.

"Hey Norah! Good morning- day after Christmas- how are you?"

"I'm alright. You know, you already asked me that this mornin'." I couldn't help but begin to die a little inside because of how hungry I was.

"Yup I just wanted to ask again because I care." He winked and smiled.

"Aww thanks Nick. You're so cute."

He rolled his eyes every time I'd call him cute. "Thanks Norah."

"Whatcha cook in'?"

"Bacon and toast. I know you don't like eggs so I switched it up just for ya." He grabbed my hand and spun me around on the concrete floor before giving me a hug.

I couldn't hold in my laugh any longer. "You know I have to thank you once again for saving my life. She probably would have killed me."

"Yeah she would have." He flipped the bacon over.

He still held me in a tight hug. "Doesn't surprise me."

"Right."

"She has problems." I smiled.

"Yeah. Are you alright?"

"Uhm. Yeah." I looked away from him and down at the floor. I felt my eyes tear up. "You know what Nick! I hate this! I hate everything. I'm so done with it all. This is stupid. I'm stupid. Why do you even stay around to deal with me? I'm so sick of this and myself. Nick, I love you so much, but I feel that I'm nothing but a burden. I can't get the mental pictures out of my head. I'm in constant pain. I can't walk the same as before. I cannot breathe or... I ain't the same. I'm overly sensitive." I was literally screaming. "I'm done! I've surrendered! I can't take it any more! I want outta this hole! It seems too impossible. I'm being crushed. Please... just... leave me alone. I can't do anything anymore." It was at that moment that I just lost it. I ran to the back to the guest house, shut the door, and cried. Nick just let me be alone for a moment before I heard a knock on the door, then I ran over and clicked open.

"Breakfast is done." He walked over to me. I curled up into a ball even tighter on the couch. "Norah, it's okay."

"No one knows if this'll be okay. I can't deal with it anymore." I mumbled.

He tried to get me to look at him. "What's the point?" He asked.

I still didn't look at him. "Point of what?" I was intrigued with what he was trying to say. I just uncurled and laid down across the edge of the couch.

"Life... what's the point if you ain't gonna try? What's the point in giving up if you've made it this far? You're the cowgirl of your own life: don't hand the boots and the hat to someone else."

I scoffed "Continue..."

"Maybe you're forgetting... the good. Aren't we supposed to be saving this town? Aren't we supposed to be a team? Nobody is gonna listen to ya if you ain't confident. Life isn't about waitin' for the storm to pass, but it's 'bout learnin' to dance in the rain. Norah... What do you say? Do you wanna eat breakfast or what?"

I immediately smiled at him, who was looking down at me. "Who knew a nice cowboy has such wise advice? I'm so sorry for that whole thing."

"Norah you ain't stupid. You're the smartest girl I know."

I stood up and left the guest house. We went back to the kitchen. "I'm so sorry. I literally killed you with words. I'm just as bad as Berry."

"No you're not."

"You forgive so easily." I ate some bacon. It tasted so good.

"No I don't. I just know what is important. You're important. Letting it out, your feelings, is the first step to healing. You've done a great job at that."

"Thanks."