Healing Over Time

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Twenty-seven weeks since Lee's death.

Alex pushed the cart down the aisle. When she had agreed to come with Ryan, Colby, and Jimmy on a supply run in town, she didn't realize that would turn into a morning-long affair. But here she was, pulling five cartons of milk into her cart.

"See, I would have just gotten one," Jimmy stood beside her.

"Why one?" Alex asked.

"Because I just need one," Jimmy shrugged.

"But, Jimmy," Alex shut the freezer door. "There's like... twelve hands on the ranch. Don't you think they'd want milk too?"

"That's why you're with us," Ryan walked up, placing five loaves of bread in the cart.

"Yes, because my nursing degree is really being put to good use right now," Alex smirked.

"You never know," Colby walked up with cans of vegetables. "Might have a spill on aisle nine."

"What else is needed?" Alex asked.

"Think that was it," Ryan looked at the list. "That and two new tanks."

"Those we get at checkout," Alex nodded, pushing the cart forward.

The men followed her into the checkout line. As Alex glanced around, she saw most of the people in the store eyeing them. Ryan must have noticed Alex because he nudged her shoulder to move forward.

"What's wrong?" Ryan asked her.

"They're staring," Alex looked over her shoulder at him.

"They always stare," Ryan shrugged as the others emptied the items onto the conveyor belt.

"Why?" Alex asked.

"The brand," Ryan said.

Alex looked forward and pushed the cart to the end of the line.

**

"Tell me again how you got twenty-two splinters in your back?" Alex asked Colby around si or so that evening.

"I don't want to talk about it," Colby sighed.

Alex pulled the last splinter from his shoulder.

"There," She said. "I think that's it."

"You all better baby?" Teeter walked into the stall. "Momma's sorry for riding too hard."

Alex's eyes widened as Colby stood up, buttoning up his shirt. He looked at Alex with an apologetic smile.

"I don't wanna know," Alex held up her hands.

"What?" Teeter asked. "You ain't riding your mad like that?"

"Riding my..." Alex shook her head. "Teeter, he had twenty-two splinters in his back. That's not pleasurable!"

"Ain't it though, baby?" Teeter blew a kiss to Colby.

"No, it's not," Colby sighed and walked out of the stall.

Teeter followed but stopped and looked back at Alex.

"Keeps 'em coming back though, don't it?" She winked at Alex before walking off.

Alex shook her head as she cleaned up her supplies and put everything away for the day. She heard heavy footsteps and glanced behind her to see Kayce leaning over the stall door.

"Hey," Alex shut one of the bins and walked over to him, grabbing her jacket. "How was your day?"

"Fine," Kayce tilted his head and kissed Alex. "Better now."