Potholes

Chapter 2

Half a mile down, 1 full mile to go. Mid-day brought with it it's usual intense, dry heat. Sweat swam down L.A.'s face and back, leaving fine trails of salt as it dried up. The smaller woman on his back did nothing to absorb any of the excess sweat. She only brought more sweat. More sweat and more questions.

"So, is all of this land yours?" Tulip asked, looking at the open plains around them. 

"Not all of it. From the fence all the way to the small mountains back there is mine." L.A. pointed to the end of the fence down the road to the mountains in the backdrop of his home.

"Do you manage it on your own?"

"Yeah. I don't like people very much and it's cheaper if I'm the only one working."

"Seems like a lot of work for one person. And, a bit lonely."

L.A. shrugged, looking up the road in front of them. "I'm used to it."

"You don't live out here with anybody? Girlfriend? Wife? Husband? A pet?"

"I have a bunch of cattle on my ranch, 2 horses, and 2 cats that live in the house with me. I'm not seeing anyone currently. My last girlfriend broke up with me awhile ago, and I've been chilling ever since."

"Two cats, horses, and cows. Makes for an interesting Friday night." She snickered.

"You have a lot to say for someone who's on my back." L.A. turned his head to look at her from his periphery.

"Have to kill the time somehow. Why don't you ask me something? I've been asking all these questions."

"Unlike you, I have a clear understanding of 'personal business'."

"Well, excuse the hell out of me. I figured if I'm going to be carried on a strange man's back, then I should probably know him a little bit. Just to make this whole ordeal less awkward." He could hear the attitude in Tulip's voice clearly. He sighed, adjusting her legs on his waist, and continued walking.

"Fine, I'm sorry. Um... you said were new here. What brought you down here?"

"Apology accepted," He could, now, hear a smile in her voice, "I just graduated from physical therapy school and was offered a job down here, so I took it."

"Where are you from?" 

"Connecticut."

"Pretty far from home, huh?"

"It was time for me to get out on my own and explore life on my own."

"That's understandable."

L.A. recognized the irony in a new physical therapist spraining her ankle while running and unable to walk, but chose not to point it out. In the short time they had been talking, he learned she had a sharp tongue and she was quick to use it when the wrong word was said to her. He assumed she was holding back, since they didn't know each other and he was helping her out, and was unwilling to find out the full extent of her attitude.

The rest of the mile-walk was filled with random questions about New Mexico, good places to eat, rain, and bouts of silence as Tulip took in the landscape surrounding them. Finally, they were at L.A.'s house. L.A. took them through the backdoor, which he leaves unlocked as he works through the day, and let Tulip down in the kitchen onto a kitchen chair. He searched around the kitchen for the keys to his truck, not able to find them in their usual place. He looked over the counters and the kitchen table twice, lifting up bills and newspapers, still unable to locate them.

"Give me a minute, let me check my room." Tulip nodded and L.A. bounded up the stairs to his bedroom. Upon entering his room, he saw a black and white heap of fur laying in the center of his bed. The heap lifted his head at the sound of L.A. entering the room, slowing blinking at him and twitching it's ears.

"Ace, where's your brother?" L.A. asked the feline lounging on his bed. Ace yawned in response, stretching his limbs across the navy blue comforter. Ace continued to watch his owner as he searched around the room for his keys, obviously perturbed at the fact that his 4th nap of the day was rudely interrupted. L.A. looked over his dresser and let out a sigh of relief when his keys hit his hand. He swooped them into his palm and made his way back downstairs. He walked over to Tulip, seeing a black furry body curled up in her arms like a baby, purring, as she scratched its belly.

"I see you've met Spade." He smirked, watching as she enjoyed giving the cat in her arms her undivided attention.

"He's so gorgeous. Where's your other cat?"

"Ace is taking a nap in my room. You ready to go?"

"Yeah." She picked up the black cat and set him on the floor, Spade letting out an displeased chirp at having to be put down. She stood up, attempting to put weight on her injured ankle, only to crumble down as she did during the first attempts. Rather than wasting the time to get her on his back and adjust her, he bent down and scooped her into his arms, his truck keys dangling from his index finger. Tulip let out a shriek of surprise, wrapping her arms around his neck as an extra safety precaution. They exited back out the backdoor, and L.A. walked to the carport behind his house that housed his black truck. He unlocked the door, walked over and opened the passenger side door, and placed Tulip onto the seat. As she fastened her seat belt, he walked over to the driver's side and jumped in. He stuck the key in the ignition, feeling the car rumble to life. After 10 seconds, they were driving down the dirt road leaving out of the ranch and onto the actual paved road. L.A. asked Tulip for directions to her car and she guided him. After a quick 7 minute drive, they pulled up next to a silver sedan in a dirt parking lot with other cars parked nearby.

"Thank you so much, L.A. I'm sorry for the weird couple of hours." Tulip smiled, shyly.

"It's no problem. Are you able to get into your car okay?"

"Yeah, I should be good. Is there anywhere way I can repay you?"

"No, no. Like I said, it's no problem. Just get home safe and get your ankle looked at."

"You sure? I have about 20 d-" She looked up at him, giving him an unsure look.

"Get home safe and get your ankle looked at. That's how you can repay me." He gave her small smile, keeping one hand on the steering wheel.

"Thank you, again." She pulled her car keys out of the zipped pocket on the back of her running shorts and opened the passenger door. L.A. watched Tulip as she managed to get into her car. Once she got her car started, she smiled and waved at him, letting him know she was good. He sent a nod back and backed out of his spot, driving back to his ranch.