Losing Charley

Chapter 14 Part 2

After an hour, I see a doe across the field. She's small, so I decide to let her walk. The sounds of nature consume me. I hear the wind blowing through the trees, birds chirping, and squirrels running from tree to tree. In fact, I've come to realize that while I'm in the stand I never hear a deer. I only see them. It's like they walk on air or something.

As I survey the field again, I notice movement on the far corner. It's another doe running. Something has definitely put her on the move. Low and behold I know exactly what. The one. My insides start to shake. He's too far right now, if only he'd move within my range. I hold my breath as I watch the beautiful creature. I try to count the points. From what I can see, I think it's a twelve pointer, but the spread is massive, at least eighteen inches.

I continue to try to calm my nerves. I decide to sing a song in my head, but I can't keep my eyes off the one. Then, I notice that he is moving closer. Yes! Yes! Yes! I take my rifle and get into position. When I am one hundred and fifty percent positive, I look through the scope and squeeze the trigger. All the air exits my lungs and I see him down on the ground about fifteen yards from where I shot him.

I lower my gun to the ground as my hands are shaking like a drug addict that needs a fix. I take my phone from my pocket and text Cash and Dad.

Me: Got 'em!

Cash: On the way!

Dad: That's my girl, see u at the barn

Cash speeds to the stand and helps me load him on the rack of my four-wheeler, but not before I take a few pictures in the field with him. Cash follows me on his four-wheeler, and Dad has the shop ready to clean him. I know we have to check him in to the Chevron Big Buck Contest first.

"Dad, you wanna go with me to check him in?"

"It would be an honor, sweet girl."

Cash, Dad, and I load him on the back of Dad's truck and make our way to the Chevron.

"Dang, Charley. I can't believe you finally got the one! We were starting to think he was just a legend on the farm," Gus, the owner, says. "Let's measure this bad boy."

I jump on the bed of the truck and move his head where Gus can get the best angle. "He measures nineteen and a fourth inches. So far Charley, you got the winner, but the season's not over yet. Now, hold them antlers proud for a photo." I do as Gus asks and then we head back to the house to clean him.

Dad has it ready, but leaves it to Cash and me. Cash and I spend the next thirty minutes taking care of the one. Once we finish, we clean up and hang out in the barn just for fun. I walk across the barn to the old stereo equipped with an eight-track player and turn the knob to our local country station. As I walk back across the barn to Cash sitting on a bale of hay messing on his phone and looking hot as hell. When I get to him, he looks up at me with hunger in his eyes. He puts his phone into his pocket and stands to meet me. He takes me by the hand and pulls me into his chest as he places my hair behind my ear. He then looks into my eyes and begins to pull me closer. I can feel the heat radiating between us as Cash's lips begin to touch mine. His lips are soft as velvet, and he continues to kiss me delicately and deeply at the same time. That's when I hear someone clearing their throat. Cutting my eyes to the right I notice my dad standing in the doorway. Oh shit!

"Hey, Dad. Is everything okay?" I ask as my face flushes bright red. Cash takes a step backwards and puts his hands into his pockets.

"Yes, Charley. Your mama is baking a cake and needs two eggs. Y'all got an early mornin'. You might wanna call it a night," he says, looking at Cash.

"Yes, sir. Charley, I'll see ya in the morning. I'm hunting on the north side. You going to the same spot?"

"Yeah."

Dad walks to get the eggs and nods as he leaves the barn. Cash and I let out a huge breath.

"Char, I'm so sorry about that. I thought your dad was gonna kill me!"

"Nah, he just wants to scare the shit outta ya. Remember, I'm his little girl, but he does love you, though," I say as I elbow him.

He grabs my arm and pulls me in for a strong and safe hug. He kisses me on my forehead, the tip of my nose, and finally lands on my lips.

"Guess I better go, I'm sure your dad's watching the clock."

"You know he's just giving you a hard time, but we do have an early morning. Night."

"Night."

We walk out to our four-wheelers, call it a night, and Cash goes home. I walk into the house, grab a drink from the refrigerator, tell Mama and Tess about the one, and then get ready for bed because I'm back up in the stand in the morning. I couldn't care less if I see anything because I know I've won the Big Buck Contest, but I just love the idea of being outside in nature. Plus, I'd much rather be out there than cooking in the kitchen for Thanksgiving dinner.

Around eleven, I decide that I have hidden out as long as possible before being put to work in the kitchen. My mama has made it known that there will be no hunting this afternoon because we will have our family Thanksgiving dinner at our house. Both sets of my grandparents, aunt, uncle, four cousins, along with Cash's entire family, come for supper. It's the only time we have a formal meal and bring out the good china. Cash's family has been coming to these meals since I can remember. When his grandparents were living, they came, too.

I pull myself from my thoughts, get down from the stand, and ride back to the house. I smell like deer pee and a shower is a must. Mama, Grandma, and Tessa are working hard in the kitchen. I tell them hey, and grab a bite of biscuit dough from the pan as my mama swats it away. "Get outta that!" I smile and make my way upstairs. I rummage through my closet to find something presentable to wear. After sliding hanger after hanger back and forth, I choose a teal green, boat neck, long-sleeved, lace embroidery dress. It fits perfectly on my body and two inches above my knee. I really want to wear my boots, but I know Mama will have a cow. I decide that maybe I can get away with a fancy pair of boots. I look and find a pair of brown suede ankle boots and know that they will look perfect. I put on my necklace from Cash, add earrings, a ring, and I'm downstairs in no time.

Everyone arrives at the house at two. Thanksgiving meal is served promptly at three o'clock. Due to the number of people for the meal, Tessa, Cash, Cash's sister Claire, my cousins, and myself have to sit at the kid table located in the kitchen. All the adults are at the formal dining room table and have no clue the conversations and schemes that we have created while they are ten feet away.

The meal is to die for, and everyone can't wait for my grandma's famous squash pie. Most people turn up their nose at it, but once they taste it, they can't believe how good it is. We finish eating and Tessa, Claire, and I help clean the kitchen until the women take over. We are then excused to have some fun.