Tacoma Falls: Home and Heart

Regrets

Mary

Regrets can tear you up something fierce. They can cripple you with the what-ifs and make you question everything. But what if those regrets lead you to your current path? Would it still be a regret?

I pondered what Pa and Ma said when I returned home yesterday evening. I let my temper override my reasoning and cause more problems than needed. I needed to figure out my shit before things went from bad to worse.

Before heading to the Shaw Ranch, I drove to the college campus and met with my advisor. After speaking to her, I dropped my classes and took an incomplete. It was better than failing my classes. Plus, I didn't have a chance to run into Roy and his new tramp of the week.

After getting things situated at the college, I drove to the Shaw Ranch and discovered Patsy was already there. I exited the car and strode toward the barn. A shovel flew at me as I hopped out of the way.

"Patsy! What the hell are you doing? I'm not Waylon!" I shouted.

"You deserve it for leaving me here with Satan yesterday so you could get stupid drunk!" Patsy spat with her hands on her waist.

"I'm sorry! I was having a bad day!"

"Screw your bad days! You're lucky I don't shoot out your tires on your car!"

Oh, Lord. Here we go. Aunt Cass and Uncle Wyatt need to confiscate Patsy's rifle before she pisses off Pa.

I trudged to the barn, grabbed a pair of work gloves, and tugged them on. "I see you didn't work out your differences with Waylon."

Patsy grabbed a pitchfork and tossed hay into the feeders for the cattle. "Why would I give Satan a chance? Fool me once—shame on me. Fool me twice, ah hell, there is no second time. I'm no damn fool."

I grabbed a pitchfork and tossed hay beside Patsy. "Well, we know the Shaw boys are stupid fools. They've proven it countless times with their life decisions."

"Waylon takes the cake. The stupid cow couldn't define our relationship. No, the idiot avoids it after he gets what he wants. I should have chained my legs together."

I snickered because Patsy would have done it, too.

"I don't get it, Mary. I know I'm not tall and pretty with big boobs. But I didn't think I was that bad."

I set my pitchfork down and held the handle. "I will stop you right there. You're not ugly. If Waylon can't see what he's missing, that's on him. Don't let any man make you less than what you are. Men can be stupid. Have you not learned anything from the Shaw boys?"

"Waylon smirked at me when he kissed that girl. It's like I was a stupid game to him. He wanted to send a message to me. Message received."

I pursed my lips, grabbed my pitchfork, and stormed out of the barn. I spotted the Shaw boys standing with their backs turned. Perfect. I snuck up on Waylon and shoved the pitchfork into his ass.

"What the fuck?" Waylon barked while grabbing his ass. He whirled on me and glared at me while Shep and Beau covered their mouths to stop from laughing.

"I should have hit you in the dick. What's the hell wrong with you, Waylon? You bed my cousin, then play games with her? Are you some kind of stupid?" I asked.

"I already apologized to Patsy."

"An apology won't cut it, you stupid cow! Get your shit together before I feed it to you!" I turned on my heels and hiked back to the barn.

Shep and Beau roared with laughter as my lips curled upward.

******
Beau

I was laughing so hard when Mary poked Waylon with that pitchfork. Better him than me.