Golden Eyes

Chapter 1: Welcome Home

             Watching the wheat grass bend in the wind is the most peaceful thing to me, especially because I thought I might never see it again. Driving through the small town I grew up in always makes me smile. Pulling up to the local bar to surprise my brother, my family doesn't know I'm on leave. I get out of my beat up old truck and walking up to the weathered wood stairs to the screen door of smithy's bar. The smell of cigars and beer still strong in the air. Sitting at the bar was Taylor with his cowboy hat tilled up and a big grin on his face as he flirts with Smithy's daughter Becca. Ryan smiles at her brother's antics and lets out a bark of laughter. With surprise, Taylor spun around so fast his hat almost flew off.

 "Taylor, if you spin around any faster I think your head will fly off." Ryan chuckled, Taylor ran up and gave his twin a big ole hug, and Ryan laughed giving him just as big of a squeeze him. 

"Ryan! I thought you weren't due back till Christmas?" Finally, he released me from the bear hug.

 "Well, I got my leave early. How is the family doing?" Ryan and Taylor started for the door. "Mom and Dad are doing just fine the girls are going to college and the boys are at the top of their senior classes." They walked over to Ryan's truck and she leaned against her door. 

"That's good to hear, I bet I'll surprise them being home early. It's good to be home for our birthday, I missed you, Taylor." I pulled Taylor into another hug. 

"How did you get out here Taylor? I don't see your truck." Taylor winked and pointed to the gray and orange KTM dual sports bike. 

"Nice Taylor I'll switch rides with you" I teased and sat on his motorcycle. 

"Ha-ha you think you're funny!" laughed Taylor with their twin grin as their parents called it. 

"Come on one ride?" I asked with hopeful eyes and the look on his face told me he wanted to cave and let me ride. 

"Okay, just please don't hurt yourself!" he begged and gave up with a shake of his head.

 "I'll be fine Taylor.", I smiled at him and ran back to my truck where I kept my motorcycle helmet, I knew we had bikes on the farm so I brought mine from the base.

 "Look I'll even wear a helmet!" I yelled as I ran back and jumped on the bike. 

"The keys are in my truck for you." I smiled at him and stated up his bike. The powerful engine came to life and brought back memories of our father taking us out on his old Indian.

 "I'll see you at home Taylor!" I backed out of the parking lot and took off towards the farm.

                    The ride home was as beautiful as it always was the golden wheat bellowing in the wind with a backdrop of snowcapped mountains. I love it out here I hope when I'm done with the service that I can move back out here and have my own farm. Sometimes when it was hard to be gone I'd think about what animal's I'd have on my farm and what crops I'd like to have, It brought me comfort knowing I'll be home again one day. As I was drawing closer to the farm I started to see our house in the distance with its white paneling and yellow shutters. I pulled into the farm's long driveway to the front of the house. When I reached the front of the house I heard my mother call for Taylor.

 "Wrong twin Mom!" I yelled from outside still sitting on the bike. When I looked behind me I saw my younger brothers peek their heads out from the barn and my mother walked out onto the porch. I the surprise was quickly gone and replaced with joy as my brothers and mother ran over and gave me a hug after I got off the bike.

 "What are you doing here?!" my mother gasped and squeezed in another bear hug. 

"I got leave to come back till after new year," I told her as we stepped away from each other. "enough about me, what are you guys up to?" I asked as we all walked back to the house. As we were walking up the steps I saw my beat up truck crawling up the driveway.