Wrapped around your finger - Post Malone

4

They come to a stop at the top of a hill. Down below is what Hazel suspects is the dried-up river bed. With all the rain it looks like one long gorge of thick heavy mud. It takes her a while to find Evelyn and when she does her mouth drops open. Evelyn is caked in mud from head to toe and she is busy trying to pull a calf out of the mud. The calf is in deep and the harder she pulls the deeper the calf seems to get. "Come on, girl," the cowboy mumbles to himself. Why is he just sitting here? Should he not be helping her? "Help her," Hazel finds herself pleading with him when he makes no indication of moving. "She is a smart girl," the cowboy says. Almost as if Evelyn heard her father she lets go of the calf and falls back into the mud. Hazel watches as Evelyn looks at the calf then at the tree near the riverbed edge and then at her horse. "That's it, Evelyn," the cowboy mumbles. "What? What's it? What's she doing?" Hazel asks, a little confused and a little worried. "Just watch," the cowboy says sternly.

Hazel watches as Evelyn stands and rushes to her horse. She rummages in her saddle bag and then pulls out a long rope. She ties one end of the rope to her horse then throws the other over a thick branch and pulls hard on it to test that it is strong enough. Once she is sure she jumps back into the mud and makes her way out to the calf. She secures the rope around it then hugs it and makes her way back to her horse. Hazel watches her say something to her horse then slowly lead the horse forward, carefully pulling the calf out of the mud. Hazel feels like her heart is going to burst with pride. Evelyn is only ten and she thought to do that? Most ten-year-olds she knows are getting their parents to still tie their shoes. She looks up at the cowboy and has to take a moment to not melt at his smile - the man is prouder than proud, it's clear to see in his face as he watches Evelyn pull the calf all the way out of the mud. Then he clicks his tongue and his horse takes off down the hill toward Evelyn. Once he gets to her he dismounts the horse before it comes to a complete stop. "Fuck, fuck, what are you doing you psycho?" Hazel says freaking out but calming when the horse comes to a stop on its own. The cowboy had paid her no attention anyway and was already in the riverbed holding onto the calf and swinging it onto the grass.

"Undo the rope and-" the cowboy says but Evelyn cuts her off. "I know what I am doing, dad," she says. The cowboy smirks at her and stands back from the calf. "Have at it then," he says with his hands on his hips and his one leg hitched on a dead tree stump. Evelyn undoes the rope and then uses it to tie the calf's front legs together and then its back legs. "It's cold and wet, Evelyn take that woman home," he says pointing at Hazel, "I will take the calf to the barn and warm it," he finishes. "No. The calves are my responsibility, dad. I ain't quitting now," Evelyn says then looks at Hazel with a raised brow and a smirk, "besides, it looks like you have your hands full with her," she says. Hazel is offended. The cowboy rolls his eyes and lifts the calf up, putting it on Evelyn's horse. Evelyn hops on her horse and then gallops off. "Thanks, old man and you didn't need to come searching for me. I can look after myself," she shouts over her shoulder just before she disappears behind a hill.

"So she gets her attitude from you then..."

"Good. There is nothing wrong with my attitude, " the cowboy says swinging himself back onto the horse. "Well, I just hope she has some of her mother in her," Hazel says, hugging Cathy to her chest. The cowboy snorts and clicks his tongue to move his horse forward. "I can assure you if she had any of her mother in her she would have abandoned that calf - leaving it for dead," he says. Hazel's eyes widen at his words, the man is bitter, and rightfully so. Cathy left him in the middle of the night with a newborn baby at eighteen and a ranch to run. Anyone would be bitter. This has to be Austin Post. "So cowboy... what's your name?" she asks. "Austin," he answers. She knew it! She knew he was Austin Post! She had been right this whole time. This is Austin - the cowboy. She turns her head to face him, she is going to tell him why she is here and let him know she has Cathy with her right here in this coffee tin but his face stops her, and her smile drops. He looks angry, a thunderous storm in his eye. Hazel chooses to keep her 'trap shut' like he had asked her to do. Something tells her that the subject of Cathy is not going to sit well with Austin and if Evelyn is a carbon copy of her father, which she is, Hazel does not think the subject of her mother sits well with her either.

She needs to approach this carefully. She had been thinking so much about righting Cathy's wrongs that she did not stop to think about how Austin and Evelyn would feel about it. She wants the chance to get to know Evelyn and even Austin before she drops this bomb on them. She clutches Cathy closer to her and sinks back a little into Austin's warm body. It's stopped raining but she is wet to the bone. He does not seem to mind because he does not push her away nor does he speed his horse up. She is not sure if it's Austin himself or just the long-ass day she had had but Austin seems to bring a sense of comfort. They ride quietly back past her car, past the field now holding all Austin's cattle. Eventually, they reach a road with a sign arching over it - Cottonwood Ranch - it reads. Austin turns the horse up the road and she can see lights in the distance, it must be his house. The road is long and they pass many empty fields and then eventually pass the barn, Hazel can see Evelyn's horse tied up outside and a light coming from inside the barn. Austin steers his horse to the house.

once outside the house he jumps off and helps Hazel down. He points to the front door and walks up the stairs, Hazel follows quietly behind him. He takes her inside and the smell of a wood fire hits her nose and warmth makes her cheeks and fingertips tingle. Austin toes off his shoes and takes off his hat, hanging it on a hook by the door. "Shoes off," he mumbles and then walks. Hazel toes off her wet trainers as quickly as she can and then has to run to keep up with Austin. He leads her through a kitchen, dining room, and lounge then up a flight of stairs. He stops and looks at her up and down, playing with his bottom lip then turns and starts walking down a long passage. He opens the last door but stops her from following him into the room. "Stay," he says. Hazel waits outside for about five minutes. When Austin appears again he is holding a shirt, pants, and socks. He hands her the clothes and closes the door behind him. He points to the door. "My room, do not go in," he says the walks a few paces down, and points to another door. "Evelyn's room, do not go in," then he points to another door, "office, do not go in," he says then walks a few paces down and opens a door, and stands aside for Hazel. "Spare room, you will sleep here," he points to a door opposite the hall, "that's the bathroom. Towels are in the closet, clean up after yourself. Dinner will be ready in an hour and you will help with the evening cattle check after dinner - we all earn our keep around here," he says then turns and stomps downstairs.

"What the fuck have you got me involved in here, Cathy?" she whispers to the coffee tin as she goes into the bathroom for a hot shower.