What Knot

9

  When we go downstairs for breakfast, it just feels tense.

  Martin, Reba, and Anthony are already in the kitchen. Not a word is being said. Anthony takes a sip from his cup and Martin refills it.

  "Morning mom and dad." Jordan says.

  "Morning everyone."

  "Good morning loves. Is it time to cook breakfast already?"

  "We're a little early, Reba." I tell her.

  We had stayed in bed for almost an hour before deciding to get up.

  "We couldn't sleep. Her bandage had to be changed. It had bled through this morning." He replied as he looked at Anthony.

  I put a hand on Jordan's arm to try and calm him down.

  "We are struggling to give you a real vacation..... apparently. I apologize for that Sierra." Martin said. "Just plain embarrassing, if you ask me!"

   "If it helps you, I'm enjoying most of it." I sat down beside Reba. They both looked at me as if I had lost my mind. "Seriously!" They still don't believe me. "Ok look! Before I came here, I worked twelve to sixteen hours a day, six or seven days a week. I had lost touch with my best friend in the world. We went from talking for hours every day, to not talking for five days, and I never realized it. Until he invaded my office and threatened to kidnap me. I had forgotten what a family is. What love is. To me, love meant getting my self esteem stomped into the ground because I didn't have the right food for his breakfast. The right oranges to squeeze for his juice. Here I have found love, family, friends, laughter. For the first time in over two years, I'm not thinking of work every hour of the day. I'm having fun. Just a few hiccups."

  "I apologize for my actions. This morning and the last time, too. It won't happen again."

  "You will have to prove what you say. I can't accept another empty apology from you. The last one you gave was as empty a black hole."

  He nodded his head, but still hasn't looked at me. I start cooking breakfast and Reba joins me. Over a tense breakfast, ranch duties are discussed.

   "Sierra, what are you going to do?" Geoff asked. He looked unsure what he wanted to do. Like he was torn between being with me and being with Drake.

  "I will be with Jordan, checking the fence. No need to worry about me."

   "Ok good! I will be with Drake and the guys unloading the hay."

  With breakfast over and the table cleared. Reba starts doing the dishes. Jordan is gathering some snacks for us when someone knocks on the back door and Drake answered it.

  Cassidy walks in behind Drake. "She said that she has something important to tell Anthony."

  Cassidy looks very nervous. She looks at me. "First I want to apologize to you, Sierra, for the way that I treated you. The things that I said were way out of line. I can only say that I was jealous of you and hurt by the way that Anthony has been treating me."

  "I accept your apology. Just so you know, I'm not interested in Anthony. There is nothing there."

  She nodded her head. Then she looked at Anthony.

  "Are you ready sweetheart? We need to get going or we will be home late." Jordan said as he came to me.

  "I'm ready, honey. We will see everyone later." I said as I hobble out of the door. I feel eyes on me but don't care. I'm right where I want to be.