OO-RAH!

Chapter 8 *MATURE CONTENT AHEAD*

I was just finishing putting mew shoes an all the horses when Mrs. Taylor came stomping into the stables. He face looked like someone had something to offend her, and her reddish brown hair looked like copper in the late afternoon sun. "Afternoon, Mrs. Taylor. Can I hep you with something?" I ask. Mrs. Taylor responds by placing her hands on her hips and leaned to one side, a stern look on her face. I felt like a child who's mother just caught them drawing on the walls. 

"You certainly can. You can help me figure out why in hell my grandson is acting like he was just told he's got three days to live. He was just fine when he left the house earlier this morning, and when he came back he was all mopey. I finally put two and two together and figured it had something to do with the two of you." she explains. She walks over to where I'm picking up all the tools I used to replace the horses' shoes. "Wanna explain to me what happened?" she asked. It was more of a demand than a question, really. 

"It wasn't anything worth makin' such a big deal over. All I did was turn him down on a date." I say, hanging up the tools on a nearby rack. "He came over this morning, asked me out on a date, and I told him no." Mrs. Taylor's face relaxed a bit, starting to understand the innocence of the situation. 

Okay, I see now. But here's where I'm still confused: now, I am completely aware that my grandson is fairly handsome, he's in great shape, he's got a solid career, he's a gentleman, he's a nature and animal lover, and he's a great person to talk to. What reason in the world do you have to say no to my grandson?" She asks, hands flying in the air as she talked. I tried my hardest to avoid her stare. I had been thinking about the moment between Chase and I this morning ever since he left. I couldn't help but feel terrible about it, I hated seeing people I cared about hurt, especially if I'm the one that hurt them. But I knew it was the best choice for the both of us. I was saving us both from a broken heart, and a broken soul. 

"Mrs. Taylor, I just lost my parents. My only sister is hundreds of miles away at college in New York, and I was left to run this entire farm on my own. Sure, I hired Billie-Mae to help out but only for the legal stuff that I don't know anything about. All of this responsibility was just dropped on me out of no where, with very little help. I don't have time to run this farm and have a relationship at the same time." I try to explain. I grab the large broom from against the wall and start shoving dirt and mud out of the stables. I heard Mrs. Taylor exhale, and when I looked back she looked disappointed. 

"Hayden, you and I know very well that isn't the real reason you said no." She says. She reaches over and snatches the broom from my hands so that she had my attention. "I know you just lost your parents, but you're forgetting who babysat you and Daisy since you were in diapers. I know you, you don't hold on to things very long. It's just not in your nature. Even when Daisy broke your favorite toy, you were over it on an hour. I know very well you ain't mourning your parents anymore." she says. I sigh and turn around. I sit on the bales of hay in the closest stall, holding my head in my hands. Mrs. Taylor came over and sat down next to me, spreading one of her aging hands on my legs comfortingly. "Spill, little missy." she demands. 

I sit there for a moment, trying to keep the tears back before they had a chance to escape. I hated crying. Especially in front of people that know how strong I am. "First, I lost my parents. I lost them to a stupid drunk teenager, and I didn't even get to say good-bye. I'm never going to see them again. Then, I lose Daisy. She wants nothing to do with this place, with me, anymore. She won't even answer my phone calls anymore. The only thing I have left of any of them is this god damned farm and a million pictures that don't look the same anymore." I say. I wasn't able to hold back the waver in my voice, and soon even that was too much. The tears come streaming out, one by one. I dropped my head in my hands and let them fall onto the dirt covered cement floor, splattering. Mrs. Taylor rubbed my back comfortingly, staying silent to let me have my moment. "You don't think I wanted to say yes? I've never met anyone like Chase, he's so great to me and to Billie-Mae. He's like a living escape, someone that can just take me anywhere and make me forget about every stupid thing that's happened to me these past few months. I care so much for him, and he's only been here a couple weeks. You just don't come across those kind of people everyday." I say, flailing my arms like I gesturing to Chase himself.