Love Finds You

Love Finds You - Part 5

Chapter 5

Zack walked around the front of the truck. "You gonna stay here?" he asked as he put a black cowboy hat on his head.

Jen surveyed her surroundings; besides the cows, the next thing she noticed was the mud. It was everywhere and it was deep! Dark brown, watery sludge lined the fence that held the cows in and they themselves were sinking and swaying in the thickness as they moved along. She wasn't staying here, no way! She turned to get back into the truck when she heard her name. She turned to see Annie waving as she walked toward her. Jen waved and thought about meeting her halfway but again noticing the dirt and mud surrounding her, thought it best to stay where she was.

"Hey!" Annie said cheerfully when she got close enough. "I never imagined I'd see you here!" Her southern accent seemed stronger today.

"I was tricked into coming," Jen said loud enough for Zack to hear who was now in the bed of the truck pulling things out.

"Oh." Annie glanced at her brother; he stopped for a moment and looked at them but didn't comment.

"Well," Annie said, returning to her cheerful disposition, "I'm glad you're here. Have you ever done branding before?"

Jen knew that Annie knew the answer to that question, but decided to oblige her. "Actually, I've never even touched a cow and I honestly have no idea what branding is."

Annie's face clearly displayed surprise. "You've never touched a cow?" she asked, not believing.

"Not once."

"Well, I'm happy that I get to be the person to introduce you!" she giggled. "This is gonna be so much fun!"

Jen nodded but didn't feel her enthusiasm.

Annie's laugh died as she looked over Jen's outfit. "I don't think you should've worn those shoes," she said, shaking her head.

Jen noticed Annie was wearing jeans and a blue plaid shirt. Her short brown hair was pulled into two pigtails and she wore a brown cowboy hat speckled with a few jewels around the rim. She couldn't have looked more country if she tried. Ironically, even though Jen herself would never dress that way, she thought Annie looked quite cute, if you overlooked the spots of mud on her knees.

Zack walked by just then. "I told her those shoes weren't a good choice." She just glared back at him.

Annie didn't seem to notice. "That's alright, I can't imagine you'll be doing any branding today seeing as it's your first time. I'll send some clothes over before next Saturday for you to use. You're a little thinner than I am but I think I have some things that'll do," she said smiling.

"What's next Saturday?" Jen asked

"Oh, we're gonna keep branding and tagging the cattle. There are so many it usually takes us a few Saturdays to do it all."

"Who owns all these cows?" Jen asked. There had to be at least a thousand of them.

"Mr. Hansen does," Annie said, pointing to a man sitting on a horse several yards away. He was rugged looking, seemed to be in his mid-fifties, and sported blue jeans, a plaid shirt, boots and a hat. Surprise, surprise, Jen thought.

"Well, come on with me." Annie motioned and started toward the fence. "It's time you touched a cow!"

Jen swallowed hard. She looked at her shoes, then at the mud, and then back at her shoes. She wasn't from a small town, but she did know that expensive yellow shoes and mud do not mix. Annie plopped on through the wetness like she was walking down the sidewalk. It didn't even faze her. She turned back to look at Jen. "Ya comin'? It's not too bad if ya stay on the dryer spots."