Forming Anastasia

Yes

   The hot sun shines bright on my bare shoulders as I shovel hay. The roofless shed hadn't been taken care of in years. Johnston and I had planned on using it for the new horses.
   "Found a job yet?" I ask out of air. I stand with all of my weight shifting to my left leg. I lean on the shovel and look at Johnston. He stands up and wipes sweat off his back. He looks up at me as I wipe sweat off my head with my arm. Both covered in dirt, sweat, and hay we look at one another exasperated.
    "Yeah, there's a ranch down the road that does trails, and boards horses. They needed an extra hand." He says sitting on a bail of hay. He inches back until the sun isn't hitting his face. He pulls on the holes that had been warn into his jeans.
    "That's great, how much do they pay?" I ask beginning to shovel again.
"$8.30 an hour. Extra the harder you work. They could use somebody else if you're willing."
   I look up at the hot sky and look back down.
"Absolutely" I reply. Johnston nods and stands up.
   "Annie, is there any way you could get your little boyfriend up here? There's no way we can finish this in time just the two of us." He says shoveling decaying grass, dirt, and hay. As much as I didn't want to ask Pratt, I knew Johnston was right. I pull my phone out and call Pratt. After about five minutes I put my phone back into my pocket.
    "Can he come?" Johnston asks exhaustingly.
"Yeah, he'll be here in ten."
"Then I'm takin ten to cool down."
"Good  idea" I reply. We both drop the shovels and walk to the covered bench next to the house. I walk inside, grab two jars, and a pitcher of water. I sit them on the wooden table top and sit across from Johnston. I pull on my green tank top to get some air. Johnston wipes his bare chest with his white shirt and swigs  a glass of water.
    "So what's going on with Lenny? I haven't seen much of her lately." I say wiping the sweat off my glass.
"I don't know, girls are confusing" he says looking past me into the field.
"I agree with you." I say with a laugh. He lifts his cap and smiles.
"So what's up with this Pratt  guy? How's he treating you?"
I smile and look down.
"Well enough." I say. Johnston wipes his tan arms with his shirt once more. His brown hair sweaty from underneath his camo hat. His rugged jeans and boots covered in dirt and hay. He wipes off the loose pieces and leaves the rest.
"I've got a bit of an awkward question" he says.
"Mhm?"
"I can't believe I'm about to ask you this..." he trails off. He messes with his hat again then looks at me.
"Have you had sex yet?" He asks.
I laugh for a minute and Johnston looks confused. Never did I ever think I would be having this conversation with my shy brother of 15 years.
"Johnston, have you?" I say still trying to control my laughter.
"No, but Lenny and I have thought about it."
"Well, yes, to answer your question. And for the second, be careful if you do. I'm not gonna give you the lecture, but you know the precautions you and Lenny need to take." I say looking at Johnston with a straight face.
He looks down in embarrassment.
"You think mama would be ashamed of me if I did. You know how strict she was about sex before marriage."
I look heart felt at him. I knew how much he still hurt.
"Johnston, mama is forever gonna love you. Whether you have sex now, or when you're forty."
"I don't think I could wait till forty." He says smiling. I laugh and stand up.
"Weirdo" I say with a smile. He stands up and follows me to the road where Pratt is now driving. Once stopped he hops out and runs over to us. He hugs me and looks at Johnston. Johnston looks sternly at him.
"Hey man, you're Johnston right? I'm Pratt. Nice to meet you." He reaches his hand out.
Johnston stands with his arms crossed and shoulders tensed.
I elbow him. "Play nice" I say.
Johnston smiles and laughs.
"I'm kiddin' nice to meet you Pratt." He shakes his hand.
"Alright boys we've got a lot to get done in little time." I say walking to the shed. Johnston grabs the shovel and begins pushing hay out of the shed.
I turn to Pratt. "If you can help Pratt with the building part, I can do the rest." I say
"Sounds good" he says looking at the shed. We had a long day ahead of us.

                                       ****
  "That shed looks great y'all." My dad says standing outside. Pratt, Johnston, and I all lounged out on the lawn from exhaustion.
    "Looks like it wiped y'all out" Amberly says with a giggle. I sit up and see the smirk on her face.
"Oh but I'm never too tired to tickle one of my favorite little sisters." I say weakly standing up. I tackle her to the ground and wiggle my fingers around her ribs. Her brown hair fluttered all around her and her laugh uncontrollably overpowering everyone else's words. I sit up and lay back down.
    The sun finally setting and sending a few cool breezes.
   "When is the new horses coming?" Dad asks still looking at the shed.
    Johnston sits up and swigs another glass of water.
"Tomorrow" he replies out of breath from all of the water he just drank. I follow in with another glass and so does Pratt. We all stand up sweaty and tired and head to the bench.
   "How about I grill out tonight. I think Annie is to tired to cook." He says with a small laugh.
    "Annie agrees" I say.
"Johnston, if you'll start the grill I'll take care of the rest. Pratt, you're welcome to stay. Least I could do after the miracle y'all have worked up on this shed of ours." He says with his arms aside of him.
   "I'd love to sir" he says with a smile. He slides his shirt back on and sits next to me. He wraps his arm around me. I nestle next to him amd smile as I look at the shed. The now roofed, painted, and practically rebuilt shed looked amazing. The stalls are in place along with all of the equipment needed for the new horses. I was proud of what we'd accomplished.
    I look at Pratt. He was talking  with Amberly and Kate about a doll they'd brought to him. He was amazing with them, dad seemed to like him, he got along with Johnston which was super hard to do, and most of all he loved me and he treated me well.
    I feel the regret sinking in of how I hadn't returned the "I love you" the night before. Once again my pain took over a new found chance to love and to be loved. His brown hair,curly from the heat, and his black and camouflage baseball cap sitting on his head. His jeans now torn and boots dirty. He was perfect. In every way. He catches me looking at him and leans in and kisses me.
     As the night goes on, Pratt mends in with my family. Seems like nothing but in reality that was everything. My family is all I have.
I couldn't help but thinking 'mom would be proud'. As the night comes to an end Pratt stands up and shakes dad's hand along with Johnston's. He hugs Amberly and Kate and says a witty joke to make them giggle.
     " thank you, Pratt, for helpin' these two with the shed." Dad says.
"Yeah really, thanks dude." Johnston says in relief.
"Glad I could help" he says. They all walk into the house carrying BBQ covered plates and empty glasses. I walk to Pratt's truck and look up at him. He kisses me on my forehead and smiles.
"So, can I come back?" He says smiling.
I run a hand through the bottom of the curly brown pieces of hair.
"Any time you wanna come back." I say smiling.
"Thanks a lot for the help." I say.
"Least I could do for your dad and brother"
"Why do you say that?"
"You're dad got you here and you brother approved of me and he's a tough guy to break." He says laughing. I smile.
"They're tough, but they love me."
"So do I." He says kissing me. I take in a deep breath. He opens the truck door and gets in. He pulls his arm through the open truck window.
   "I'll see you soon." He says with a grin. He cranks his truck up and begins to back up. A million things rush through my mind. But the main thought was 'mom would love him, and mom would want me to love again. So would Rosetta. I've gotta do this'.
    "Pratt wait!" I yell as his wheels start to turn. He stops the truck and stops.
"What's wrong, baby?" He wraps his arms around my waist.
"I..."
" yeah?"
"I love you too." I say looking up at him. He gives me a huge smile and lifts me up and spins me around.
   I laugh. "So what does this mean?" I ask.
"I guess this means I ask you to be my steady girlfriend." He says smiling.
    "I'm waiting." I say laughing. He laughs and looks at me.
"Anastasia Annie Welch, would you be my official girlfriend?"
I kiss him hard. I give him a tight squeeze.
"I'm going to take that as a yes" he says getting back into his truck.
  "Meet me tomorrow at the mountain overlook." I say.
"Yes ma'am" he says tilting his hat.

He drives off. Once he reaches the end of the dirt road to the stop sign he reaches his arm out of the window.
    "Wooohooo! She said yes!" He yells. I laugh and watch  as he drives away.
   I look up to the sky.
"Mama, wherever you are, I know you're proud."