Our Love's Horror

Close

"How was work today, darlin'?" Billy Ray asked, a smile on deformed lips. He loved the girl next to him, more than anything in the world. She gave him a reason to keep going and she kept a smile on his lips. She had breathed a whole new life into him.

"The new guy, the one who bought the house next door, he came in today." Nicole admitted, pulling long strands into a ponytail. A sigh escaped her full frame, her shoulders crumbling briefly.

Billy looked over at her before reaching out a scarred hand to place it on her leg. He gave her a reassuring squeeze. "Look, I know you've been scrimpin' and savin' for that house.-"

"It just ain't fair." Nicole sighed, long lashes hiding chocolate hues. She sunk deeper into the faded material of the loud vehicle, her body shaking softly with the truck.

"Now, Nicole," Billy Ray chided, hand moving to cup the back of her head, "it'll all be alright. Shoot, he might not even last long there. And you know I don't mind you stayin'."

His kind words made the young waitress look over, a gentle smile pulling on thick lips. "Thanks, Billy." She scooted over to curl against him. He was her solidarity and her guardian angel. He had been watching out for her ever since she first showed up at his doorstep. She let out a small yawn and fell deeper against him as his arm wrapped around her. "I'm lucky to have you." She whispered.

"No way. I'm the lucky one." Billy Ray argued with a shake of his head, buckwheat hair resting in his eyes. "D'you know what life was like before I met you?" Nicole, though she had heard this a hundred times before, sleepily shook her head 'no.' "I was so lonely. I did nothin' 'cept go to church, work on my crops, fix my car, and sleep. I didn't talk to no one. I didn't go no where. I didn't do nothin'." Billy ran his fingers through her dark hair. "I was so depressed. And then, like a gift from the Heavens, you show up one day lookin' for a mechanic. And I swear, it was rainin' all that week but when you showed up the sun never did shine brighter." Nicole couldn't help but laugh and peek an eye open. "I didn't normally do nothin' for no one, but the way you smiled it would of been a sin to turn you away. It still makes me mad that some of them stupid teen boys sent you up to my place knowing that I woulda turned you away, but the joke was on them, huh? I couldn't do much with that ol' car of yours but when you told me about yourself I knew you was a gift. An answer to my prayers. You needed a place to stay, and why, I had this whole big house to myself. It was meant to be." He let out a content sigh as he smiled to himself, fingers tangled in her hair. "You've been my sunshine ever since."

They rode in silence for a while, the wind and the rumbling of his car the only noise between them. They were content to be in one another's presence. It always astounded Nicole how Billy had been so lonely. Sure he had been in some kind of an accident that left him with deep wounds and scars, but he was the nicest person she had ever known. And for being twice her age, that was saying something.

"How could your wife ever leave you, Billy?" Nicole whispered with a shake of her head. "You're the sweetest guy I know."

"Well, dear, life works out the way you don't plan for it to. But I wouldn't have changed a thing. Then I might not have met you." He poked her cheek, making her smile.

XxXxX

Sunlight poured into the kitchen, heating the spacious wood as the young woman danced. Her black curls twirled and tumbled down her back, a song hanging from sweet lips as she cooked. The yellow paint on the walls clashed wildly with her blue dress, but the sharp colours caught who she was perfectly.

"Sunshine, what're you doin' up so early? It's Saturday." Billy Ray yawned, stretching as he walked into the kitchen. Saturday was their day for rest since every other day was spent working. A smile caught Billy Ray's deformed lips as he watched her too caught up in her task to notice him. Leaning against the dingy doorframe, the farmer crossed his arms and shook his head.

Turning around, Nicole nearly dropped the breakfast she had prepared. "Oh! Billy!" She exclaimed, eyes wide as embarrassment seeped into her cheeks. "I was just about to call you for breakfast." She admitted, setting down a plate of food in his spot.

"Well now, don't let me go stoppin' you from your dancin'." He chuckled, making her frown. "I'm only kiddin', sweetheart. It was cute... even if you're louder than a rooster." She shot him a glare, making him laugh louder. "So, why are you up?" He asked, raising an eyebrow as he took his seat. "Normally I have to knock on your door or else I won't see hide nor hair of you 'til well after noon." He lifted his coffee cup as she poured his coffee.

"We have to go be neighborly and I thought I'd bake him something sweet." Nicole beamed, nearly bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Please no."

"Billy."

"Nikki."

She placed a hand on her hip, her head tilting to the side as she frowned at him. Their stare down lasted all of a minute before Billy let out a sigh.

"Fine. But I won't enjoy it."

"You don't have to." Nicole chirped, turning away from him to check on the pie she had made. "It'll be nice having someone else around here." Her sentence made him stop, his hand tightening on his fork as his jaw clenched. "I mean it gets kind of lonely and boring."

"You don't know nothin' about him. And how does it get lonely? Am I not enough?" He narrowed his eyes, knuckles whitening.

"Not like that, Billy Ray." Nicole hummed, turning back to him to cup his scarred cheek. "I just meant it'll be nice havin' more than one friend around."

"I told you that I'd be fine with you gettin' a pet." Billy Ray huffed, refusing to look up at her.

"You most certainly did not." Nicole fired back, though the hints of a smile rested on her lips.

"An emu is not no pet." Billy grumbled, releasing his tight hold on the fork as he continued eating. "I don't want you gettin' too close with this feller until I know more about him."

Nicole dropped her hand and rolled her eyes.

"I'm serious." Billy stated.

"Billy."

"Nikki."

They stared at one another, neither one of them budging for a moment before Nicole cracked.

"Ugh, fine... Might as well call you Dad." She grumbled.