Wrapped around your finger - Post Malone

6

She parks the truck outside the barn and takes out one container and the flask with the tea then jumps out of the truck. Evelyn's horse is still tied up to the barn door and the barn light is on. It's very quiet but to be honest Hazel has never stepped foot in a barn so she has no idea what she is meant to be hearing. The barn is full of hay with the odd chicken or goat sleeping on a bale. She walks around the barn slowly and eventually comes to an enclosure that has Evelyn and the calf. The calf is clean, with not a drop of mud on it and it looks happy and dry. Evelyn on the other hand is still caked in mud and trying to stop herself from falling asleep while sitting next to the sleeping calf. "Hey," Hazel says softly. Evelyn looks up at her and blinks away the sleep in her eyes. "Hey," she says then looks past Hazel. "My dad not with you?" she asks as she stands and dusts the hay off her. "No. Linda said he is out repairing a broken fence," Hazel answers her. Evelyn groans into her hands. "They still out there? He will need my help," she says looking back at the calf with a guilty look. Hazel can see she is torn - should she stay with the calf or go to her father?

"I got you food and tea from Linda. How about you leave the calf to sleep and I drive you to your father then you eat on the way?" Hazel suggests. Evelyn mulls Hazel's words over for a bit then nods. "Ok. Thank you," Evelyn says. She checks on the calf who is still sleeping soundly then brings her horse in, takes off its saddle, and leads it into the stall next to the calf. "I will be back for you both soon, ok," she says and then follows Hazel to the truck. She jumps into the passenger seat and happily takes the container and flask from Hazel. Pulling off the container lid she sniffs the stew. "Thank you Linda!" she says and wiggles happily in her seat as she starts eating. "This warms my soul! Hey, what's your name? I am Evelyn - named after my grandmother. I never met her but my father says she was a good woman with a kind heart," Evelyn says between bites. That's why Austin had been so defensive over the name - it had been his mother's name. "Evelyn is a lovely name. My name is Hazel," Hazel says. "Like the nut?" Evelyn asks. Hazel can see her and Austin are very different but also cut from the same cloth. "No," Hazel answers quickly. Evelyn looks at her with an arched eyebrow as she sips her tea. "You sure about that?" she asks as she puts her tea down. Hazel is not sure what her name actually means. She needs to change the subject.

"So your father was pretty proud of the way you handled that calf tonight," she says. She never got any recognition from her father, if Evelyn is in the same boat it would be nice to hear how proud her father is. Evelyn giggles into her hands. "I know," she says. "That man never stops telling me how proud he is. Every day he says it," Evelyn says. Hazel smiles. "Is he a good father?" she asks, already knowing the answer. "The best! He is my favorite person. It's my birthday next week - will you be around, Hazel?" Evelyn asks. Hazel is caught off guard a little at her forwardness but she is only ten. "Maybe, how old are you turning?" Hazel asks. "It's my tenth birthday," Evelyn answers proudly. "You are only nine! Fuck me!" she groans. Fucking Cathy - she didn't even know her own kid's age. "You can not swear around me, I am only a kid," Evelyn says to her with a frown. "Sorry, I should not have said that," Hazel answers.

They reach the enclosure that holds all the cattle and both girls jump out. Evelyn takes the flasks and Hazel takes the food. Evelyn helps her into the enclosure and shoo's the cows always as they walk through. Eventually, they get to the other side and walk up behind Austin as he is talking to the other cowboys. "I know you are all tired and I thank you for your help but going back to get your dinner will only make this night longer than it needs to be. We count then we go back," he says. All the cowboys groan in annoyance. "Hi. We brought food," Evelyn announces. Austin turns to face them as the rest of the cowboys descend on Evelyn and Hazel. Eventually, Hazel is only left with her and Austin's food. She looks around for him and sees he has walked off and is inspecting papers on a clipboard. None of the other cowboys take any notice of him.

"I brought you dinner, " Hazel says walking up to him. He does not look up from his clipboard. "I will eat after," he mumbles. "I did not come out here, freezing my butt off for you to rudely turn down my offer," Hazel says shoving the food container in his face. He lifts his head and gives her a pointed look. Then he takes the container and puts the clipboard under his arm. He stalks back to the group of cowboys, Hazel follows then quietly sits next to him as they eat and listen to the cowboys and Evelyn recant the events of the day. Evelyn gets praise from everyone including her father. It's plain to see she is held in high regard by everyone here. "You done?" Austin asks suddenly. Hazel looks up at him and gives him a small nod. He takes her now empty container and places it into the bag along with his then passes it on to the next cowboy. Austin watches her for a beat then takes off his jacket and hands it to her. "It's cold, you will catch your death. Get back into my truck," he says.

"But-"

"Now, Hazel. We won't be long."

He did not shout but his voice was stern and now all the other cowboys are looking at her with weird faces. He has embarrassed her and so she takes the bags and goes back to the truck without a word. Austin is an asshole. She climbs into the passenger seat and starts watching as the cowboys, Austin and Evelyn start walking through the cattle. She has no idea what they are doing but it feels like a long time. She must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knows she wakes up to the driver's door of the truck being opened. "What the fuck?" she hears Austin ask himself quietly then she hears the seat being adjusted and the bag of seeds being thrown onto the back seat. Then Austin climbs in and takes the keys from the console. He starts the truck and then backs up and heads for home. Hazel sits up as he drives and half expects him to start giving her a lecture about everything that happened today. Instead, she is met with silence as he acts like she is not even in the truck with him at all.