Little Queen

7

By the time Ranger and I had made it to the kitchen Gunner had managed to make the place look like a pancake bomb went off. He was covered in flour and eggs, there was batter all over the counters and even some of the cabinets, but right in the middle of the mess was a plate stacked with pretty pancakes and fresh fruit.

Ranger and I teased Gunner every chance we got while sitting at the island but I truly appreciated the effort he put in.

I giggle, thinking about his reaction this morning when ranger had just stared at the food and said, "What no bacon?"

"And what are you giggling at missy?" Gunner says turning away from his onesided bickering with Ranger.

I smile harder trying to focus on the soil I was digging through, "Just thinking about Ranger."

"Ohhhhh," Gunner exaggerates before dropping into a mock whisper, "were you thinking about how weird it is that he has an outie belly button? Cause that thing freaks me out. It really just doesn't belong on such a big person."

I burst out in laughter, leaning into the mud. "He has a what?!"

Gunner shrugs going back to planting his own flowers, "You know, where his belly button pokes out instead of going in. Though I guess it's useful so that lint doesn't get stuck in there 'cause that's really gross. Ranger do you still have to clean your belly button or does it-"

"OKAY, why don't you stop talking about my belly button and focus on getting these plants in the ground so we can go clean up," Ranger says interupting his partner.

I glance down at my denim dress, Ranger was right, I was a mess. There was dirt caked all over my arms and legs and grass stains on the bottom part of my dress. I didn't even bother to check my feet. I had taken my shoes off the second we stepped foot in my gardens so I knew they would be black. There were even some small fertilizer beads stuck in my hair, and that was only what I could see.

I huff packing the last of the dirt in, "Well I'm done, how about you Gunner you almost there?"

I look over and find him intently watching a caterpillar crawl across his shovel.

I stare for a second more, "that would be a no," I mutter to myself. I nudge the big oaf out of the way and crawl over to finish up the last few plants. I cut off the bottom parts of the roots and loosen them up before sliding each plant into its new home and tucking them in with some nice rich soil.

As hard as Gunner had tried getting Ranger to join us in planting, he insisted that if Gunner was going to be playing around he at the very least should be standing guard. So for the entire time, we were our here Ranger stood in his pose, with his hands crossed in front of him and his gaze scanning the area, despite us being surrounded by a brick wall.

I give a small groan as I stand, my legs sore from being bent for so many hours but the outcome was worth it. There was nearly no space left in the gardens anymore but some animals had killed a patch of plants giving me and Gunner the chance to put new ones in.

"C'mon Gunner let's go clean up," I say stretching my hand out.

Gunner's dirt-covered hand grips mine and I drop all of my weight back trying to pull him up. He laughs loudly at my effort then pops up on his own spinning me around and resting his arm across my shoulders. My shoulder falls comfortably into his side but before I even take a step Gunner has shoved me behind him and both he and Ranger have their guns aimed at the door.

I grip the back of his shirt tightly with no clue as to why they were worried.

"Gun-"

Ranger whips his head towards me with a finger to his lips, telling me to stop talking. Gunner slowly walks me to the wall at our left without making a sound. Ranger approaches the door staying out of sight.