The Stable Boy

by Stalter, Harmony

  “I really do need to go,” he said, grabbing his shirt from the counter. He put back on. Turning away, he headed for the door. Looking back at me, he shyly smiled. “I’ll be on the tractor if you need me.”

  “Okay,” I said, still standing there. I watched him through the window. He was running toward the tractor. The baby calf was following him as fast as its little legs could carry it. I laughed. It seemed taken with him. ‘You’re not the only one, little one,’ I thought. I went back upstairs to finish my work for the day. Looking out the office window, I could see Josh on the tractor. Watching him made me think of John. He loved being out on the tractor. I smiled at the happy memory instead of tears forming. That was the first time remembering John did not make me sad. I sat back in my chair, relaxing a little. ‘Having Josh around may be a good thing after all,’ I thought.

  I went back to typing. I knew this work needed to be done by Wednesday, but I had barely put a dent in it. I was able to get four of the ten files completed before it was time to make dinner. Going down stairs, I saw Josh getting things from the refrigerator. He was pulling out what I was planning on making.

  “Hey,” I said.

  “Hey,” he said. “I’ll make dinner tonight. I know that you are behind on your work and that is my fault for distracting you. So, why don’t you go up stairs and get as much as you can done before dinner is done. I will call you when it is ready.”

  “Okay,” I said. “Are you sure about this?”

  “Yes,” he said. “Now, go before I don’t let you walk away.”

  “Okay,” I said, heading toward the stairs. As I started up the stairs. I looked at him. He was already busy. As I made it to the office door, I heard the radio turn on. I smiled, wondering if he was dancing around the kitchen. I left the office door open so I could hear the music as I worked. It made the work go faster as I finished three files within an hour. I was going to need to play music as I worked for now on. I snuck down the stairs to fourth step. I sat down and watched him cook. He was not dancing, but he did sing. He was singing along with Darius Rucker’s “Southern State of Mind.” I had to keep from singing it myself as I watch him.

  “Hey,” he said, turning around. “I thought you were going to work?”

  “I did,” I said. “I only have three files to do tomorrow, and then I am done for the week.”

  “Good,” he said. “At least, you don’t have too much to do tomorrow. Dinner is ready.”

  “Great,” I said. “I am starving.”

  “Me too,” he said. “I am never as hungry as I am tonight.”

  “Well, we did not exactly eat lunch.”

  “No, we didn’t, did we?” he said with a laugh.

  “No, we were a little busy.”

  “Yes, we were. The calf has been following me around all day.”

  “Have you decided on a name?”

  “Not yet,” he said. “It is a girl, though.”

  “Well that will make it a bit easier.”

  “Yeah, I am thinking of two different names. I am just not sure which one I prefer yet.”

  “Which names,” I said, taking a fork full of macaroni and cheese.

  “Cassie or Delilah,” he said.

  “Hmm,” I said. “I am not sure what would better suit her.”

  “Me either,” he said. “I’ll wait until tomorrow, maybe her actions will let me decide on the best name for her.”

  “Maybe, it is too early to tell what name will fit her best. Within the next day or two she will be more rambunctious.”

  “Yeah, I always like when they are just beginning to get the lay of the land. They are so curious about everything.”

  “Yes, they are.”

  “I don’t think they are much different than human babies in that aspect.”

  “No, I don’t think they are. I remember being there when my sister gave birth to my nephew. He was so curious about everything. Always looking around and trying to touch things.”

  “Have you called your sister or brother, yet?”

  “Not yet,” I said. “I will. I promise. I will do it before the end of the week.”

  “Okay,” he said, clearing his plate from the table. “I’m going to take a shower. Do you want to watch a movie later?”

  “Sure, you find something to watch and I will make the popcorn.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” he said, leaning down to kiss me before he went down the hallway. I cleared dishes from the table, rinsing them off and placing them in the dishwasher. I went to reach for the phone and realized that the receiver was still in my office. I ran up the stairs to retrieve it. Picking it up, I dialed my sister’s number.

  “Hello?” said the young voice on the other end.

  “Hey there, my little green eyed wonder,” I said smiling.

  “Auntie Claire?” said Nathan.

  “Yes, honey, it is me.”

  “I miss you, Auntie Claire. When are you going to come to see me?”

  “I will come and visit soon,” I said.

  “Promise?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I said.

  “What about Christmas? Will you come then?”

  “We will see. Is your mom home?”

  “Yes,” he said. “Hang on; I will take the phone to her.”

  “Okay,” I said.

  “Mom, it is for you,” he said.

  “Who is it?” I heard Jane ask.

  “Aunt Claire,” he said.

  “Hello?” Jane said into the receiver.

  “Hi, Janie,” I said. “How are you?”

  “I am fine,” she said, a little hesitant. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes, I am great. I am sorry for never returning your phone calls after John passed away. I just did not know what to say to anyone or how to go on living my life.”

  “I would have helped you through that you know. It is what big sisters are for.”

  “I know, but you had your own life to live. I could not take you away from it.”

  “I was worried about you, Claire.”

  “I know you were. I am doing well, now, though. I just recently started to feel like myself.”

  “That is great to hear. We all miss you.”

  “I miss you guys, too. Nathan asked me when I was coming to visit him.”

  “Well, when are you?”

  “Not you, too,” I said with a laugh.

  “Yes, me too,” she said. “We would all like to see you.”

  “Nathan asked about Christmas. I told him I would have to see about that.”

  “What is there to see? You are family and you should be with us for Christmas.”

  “Like I told him, I will have to see.”

  “Alright, alright, I will stop pressuring you about it. How are things on the farm?”

  “Good, Beatrice, one of my cows, had her calf this morning. It was breached. Josh had to turn it.”

  “Josh? Who is Josh? I thought your farmhand’s name was David?”

  “Oh, well it was, but he fell madly in love and left a few months ago. I have been trying to run the farm on my own, but it was not working out that well. I have an unruly colt who likes to break my fences and take off. Josh was working for Bob and Alison. He brought the colt back to me and seeing the state of the farm offered his services to me.”

  “I know you were struggling with money or at least trying to conserve as much as possible without John there. Are you making enough to pay him?”

  “I pay him with food. He only asked for a hot meal and a place to sleep.”

  “I don’t like the sounds of that, Claire.”

  “It’s okay. He is a very nice person. Remember those pickles you had when you came for a visit while you were pregnant with Nathan. The ones after you went home, you craved so bad that I had to send you some?”

  “Oh my yes, I still think about them,” she said with a laugh.

  “That was Josh’s grandfather. Both his grandparents passed away and the bank took the house for taxes, which
Josh did not know a thing about. He was working for the Everett’s and they swear by him. He has already planted the winter crop, fixed the fences, tamed my unruly colt, and helped Beatrice out. He has only been here for a little over a week.”

  “It sounds like he is a lot like John.”

  “He is. There are certain things he does that remind me of John.”

  “Really, that has to be hard?”

  “It was, but it is getting easier. I found myself thinking of John today and smiling instead of crying. I still miss him, terribly, but it is getting easier to smile at his memories.”

  “You sound like you are doing better, Claire. That makes me happy. I am sure that Michael will be happy to hear from you, too. You should call him.”

  “I plan on it. I love you, Janie. I promise to call you at least once a week from now on.”

  “Okay, that is a great idea.”

  “How are the kids and Brian doing?”

  “Everyone here is doing fantastic. Brian just got promoted, the kids just started back to school and I am pregnant again.”

  “Seriously?” I asked.

  “Yes, I am due in February.”

  “Now, I will be there for Christmas. Do you know what you are having?”

  “No, we are going to let it be a surprise.”

  “I am so happy for you.”

  “Thank you,” Jane said. “You have to come for Christmas to at least rub the belly like you did for the other two.”

  “I will be there,” I said with a laugh. “You go rest and give my love to everyone. I will talk to you soon.”

  “I will. I love you, Claire,” she said.

  “I love you, too,” I said as I hung up the phone. I dialed my brother’s number.

  “Hello?” said a woman’s voice.

  “Hi,” I said. “May I please speak with Michael?”

  “Sure,” said the voice. “Who may I tell him is calling?”

  “His sister,” I said.

  “Okay, hang on,” she said. I could hear her heels click on the floors as she walked toward him. “Hey, babe, there is someone on the phone for you.”

  “Who is it?” I heard Michael ask.

  “She says she is your sister, but it doesn’t sound like Jane.”

  “Really?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she said.

  “Give me the phone,” he said. “Claire?”

  “Hi, Mikey,” I said.

  “Claire, what happened? I gave up trying to call you.”

  “I know you did. That was my fault. I could not speak to anyone after John’s accident. I pushed everyone away. I am sorry for that.”

  “It’s okay. I can understand that you were hurting, but Janie and I would have been there for you no matter what. We will still be there for you.”

  “I know you would have. How have you been? Who is the girl?”

  “Just like a big sister should always ask,” he said, laughing. “I am fine and the girl is my fiancé. Her name is Michelle.”

  “Fiancé? I never thought my playboy of a brother could be tamed.”

  “She did it,” he said. “We plan on getting married sometime in December. Janie is having a fit, because she said she will be as big as a house by then. Wait, do you even know that she is pregnant with her third?”

  “Yes, I just got off the phone with her.”

  “Oh, sure, just call her first.”

  “You, hush. We both know how she is. If I didn’t call big sister first, she would have had both of our heads.”

  “Yeah, she would have,” he said. “You sound happy, Claire.”

  “I am heading in that direction. Today was the first day I thought of John and didn’t cry.”

  “Good, maybe your wounds are beginning to mend.”

  “It feels like they are.”

  “How are things on the farm?”

  “Good, the winter crop is planted and the animals all seem happy. We will see how what the spring brings.”

  “We?” he said. “Oh, wait; you still have a farmhand, right?”

  “Not the same one. He left a couple of months ago. I have a new one as of about a week ago. His name is Josh.”

  “You like this Josh, don’t you?”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “I heard the smile in your voice when you said his name.”

  “It is not like that, Mikey.”

  “You do know that you are a terrible liar, even over the phone, right?”

  “You and Alison this week,” I said laughing.

  “Oh, how is my future ex wife?”

  “Is that what you call your fiancé?”

  “No, just Alison,” he said, laughing.

  “You always did have a slight crush on her.”

  “I still do. Now, if she would just divorce Bob I could come down there and sweep her off her feet.”

  “Good Lord, I hope your fiancé is not sitting right there.”

  “No, she is in the kitchen making dinner,” he said, smiling.

  “You are still as crazy as ever.”

  “You know it,” he said. “She is calling me. I guess it is time to go and eat. I miss you, Claire.”

  “I miss you, too, baby brother. I promise to call you once a week. Okay?”

  “Definitely, I love you big sister. Talk to you real soon, okay?”

  “I love you, too.”

  “Give Alison a big sloppy kiss from me,” he said with a laugh.

  “I will tell her you said hello,” I said laughing. “I will talk to you later.”

  I went down stairs with the phone in my hand, shaking my head.

  “I see that smile,” I heard Josh say.

  “Yeah, I just spoke with my sister and then my brother. They are both doing great. Jane is pregnant with her third baby, due in February and Michael is engaged. He wants to get married in December and our sister is having a fit, because she will be seven months by then.”

  “That is great news,” Josh said.

  “Yes, it is. Thank you for suggesting that I call them.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “They want me to go up for Christmas. If you are up to it, I would like for you to come along.”

  “Did you tell them about us?”

  “Not yet, but Michael pretty much guessed it anyway.”

  “I would love to meet your family.”

  “Great,” I said. “I am sure they would love to meet you, too. So, what are we watching?”

  “There is a horror flick coming on. It is one of the newer ones that was in the theaters recently.”

  “Awesome, I will get the popcorn,” I said. I went into the kitchen and popped a bag of popcorn. Pouring it into the bowl, I went and cuddled up on the couch with Josh. The movie began. Right away we both jumped. This was going to be a good one. We watched the movie. There were a few parts that we both jumped and I even buried my head in his shoulder at one point. He laughed and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. I loved my fair share of horror films, but this one scared me. “That was one of the scariest movies I have seen out of the new generation of horror. Most are kind of okay.”

  “I know,” Josh said. “That was definitely better than most of them.”

  “Yes, it was.”

  “I can’t believe that you like horror movies. I thought for sure you would not like it.”

  “Oh no, it was a favorite of John and I’s. We used to go to the drive in to see them during the spring to fall months. During the winter, we always went to the movie house. I was watching them by myself, but being in this big old house by yourself after watching them alone can really freak you out.”

  Laughing, he said, “I am sure there are some noises in and out doors that would creep you out after watching one alone.”

  “Don’t laugh,” I said, laughing. “It gets quite scary here alone. No one around, no one to go check for the weird noises, you have to hope it is your imagination until the wind blows hard enough to swing your screen door back and forth
with a slam. It makes you lose some sleep.”

  “I can see you now all huddled up in your bed upstairs, covers over your head, the dresser up against the door,” he said, laughing so hard tears were rolling down his face.

  “It’s not funny, seriously,” I said, holding my side as I laughed. “You wait until you are here alone on Saturday and tell me it is not creepy the next morning.”

  “Okay,” he said, wiping his face. “We will have to see. I bet I make it better than you do.”

  “I’ll take that bet,” I said with a smile.

  “What do I win, if I get through the night after watching a horror movie not being scared?”

  “I will allow you to tell whoever you want about us. And if I win, you have to cook dinner for a month.”

  “Including your family?”

  “Yes.”

  “Deal,” he said, putting out his hand. I shook it. He pulled me in toward him. I landed on top of him. He planted his lips on mine. Pulling away, he said, “sealed with a kiss.”

  I had a feeling I was going to lose this bet. I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Are you sure you want to take this bet?”

  “Why do you ask? Are you afraid I might win?”

  “No, I am afraid I might win. I don’t think you can handle cooking dinner for a month.”

  “You like to think that. I have quite a few recipes up in this head.”

  “Really, well I can’t wait to taste them all.”

  “You really think that you are going to win this thing, don’t you?”

  “I don’t think, I know,” I said with a smirk.

  “Okay, well we will have to see about that.”

  “Yes, we will,” I said before I kissed him. He shifted under me until I was lying down the length of him. He wrapped his arms around me. His tongue played its familiar tune with mine. The screen door slammed. I felt him jump. I pulled away, laughing. Sitting up, I said, “I told you. This house can be eerie.”

  “I just was not expecting it. Why does it do that?”

  “I don’t know. It just always has. The first few nights we lived here, I don’t think John slept much. He used to get up every time the wind blew to see who was at the door.”

  “That is just ridiculous. I will see what I can do to fix it.”

  “John tried everything. The only way to get it to not do it is to latch it, but then if someone is out, they can’t get in.”