The Perfect Cast

by T. K. Chapin

  “Yeah,” Levi said. “Not a problem. I’ll just come over after I milk the cows at home after dinner.”

  “Great.”

  Levi jumped out of the stall and helped Jess over. As she came down onto the barn floor, she landed a few inches from Levi’s face. There was a moment she paused, ready to kiss him, but quickly turned to get away. She was going on a date in a little bit with Clint and she wasn’t the type of girl who played around.

  “Thanks for the help, Levi.” Jess walked out of the barn and headed back up to the farmhouse. Levi caught up to her and jumped in front of her while she was trying to walk up the sidewalk.

  “Hey Jess…” Levi said.

  Stopping, she looked him in the eyes. “Yes?”

  “I was wondering if you wanted to come along with me and my friends down to the Mud Hole…” Jess’s eyes widened. The Mud Hole? Levi began to laugh. “It’s not like what you think. It’s a place my buddies and I like to go fish. We are going tomorrow.”

  “Fishing?”

  “Yeah… Roy told me you were big into fishing.”

  “I don’t fish anymore.”

  “Why not?”

  Jess didn’t really want her grandpa to get the satisfaction of her fishing, but part of her really wanted to spend time with Levi, the part she had been continually trying to push away. Letting the moment get away from her, she gave in and agreed to go. “Fine, I’ll go.”

  “Really?” Levi looked enthused, causing Jess to smile. “Awesome, you’ll love it.”

  “I don’t have a pole here though…”

  “That’s okay. I have an extra you can use.”

  “Okay.” Jess smiled.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Levi said smiling. “We like to leave pretty early. Like eight?”

  “Just pick me up at the end of the driveway. I’ll be right out by the mailbox.”

  “Sounds great. My friends are a lot less obnoxious when they haven’t been drinking. They are a bunch of good ol’ boys.”

  “What happened to ‘I’m a city brat and we should keep our distance’?”

  Levi smiled. “I don’t know… maybe it was seeing you in those ridiculous boots.”

  Jess looked down at the pathetic pair of boots that had to be at least a couple decades old. Laughing, she looked up at Levi, “They were the best ones I could find!” Levi stood there and nodded while she smiled. “I need to go get ready for my date.”

  Levi seemed to suddenly lose his excitement and joy at Jess’s mention of a date. “Okay. I’ll be sure to feed the calf tonight… I’ll see you around, okay?”

  “Yeah, tomorrow… right?” she asked.

  “Yeah, yeah… see ya tomorrow.”

  “See ya,” Jess said. She kept looking back as she continued on the sidewalk up to the farmhouse. What’s his problem? Is he jealous of my date?

  Chapter 14 ~ Roy

  Turning into the driveway, Roy saw Levi walking across the bridge. Stopping on the bridge, Roy rolled down his window to greet him.

  “Hey Levi, did Betsy pop?”

  Levi seemed distracted with his thoughts as he nodded. “The baby and momma are doing good… but the calf is on the bottle.”

  “She wouldn’t feed from the momma… That’s what happened with Betsy’s last calf.”

  Levi didn’t say anything in response.

  “Something the matter?” Roy asked.

  “No sir,” Levi responded with a smile looking up at Roy. “I’m just tired from the day.” He changed his tone quickly. “Did you catch some?”

  “Sure did!” Henry said from the passenger’s seat. “We got three! And I caught two of them!” Henry started to get into the back seat and open the cooler that held the fish.

  “It’s okay, Henry. He doesn’t need to see them,” Roy said. “We have groceries in the back, so we better get up to the house.”

  “Have a good one. I’ll be back over to feed the calf in a bit.”

  “Sounds good, Thanks Levi.”

  Pulling up into the driveway the rest of the way, Roy parked the boat in front of the trees that lined the farmhouse’s front lawn. Then, he drove the suburban up next to the garage and pulled right up to the front of the farmhouse.

  “Woah Grandpa, why are you parking in the yard?” Henry asked.

  “It makes a shorter trip inside.”

  “Cool!” Henry replied. Jumping out of the suburban, Henry ran to the back and began to grab groceries to bring in.

  As Roy stepped into his farmhouse, the cool air that was circulating from all the box fans inside was refreshing. The soft hum of the box fans and the darkness in the house were all but bothersome. It meant it was summer. For as long as Roy could remember, they had kept box fans everywhere, and would open up the entire house during the cool summer nights to bring in all the cold air. While the nights and early mornings were a bit on the chilly side, it was worth it to have the coolness in the middle of the day.

  Setting the grocery bags down on the kitchen table, Roy took a load off by taking a seat. Watching as Henry climbed into the back of the suburban, he thought about his daughter Tiffany. If she only would take her family more seriously and stop trying to make more money, she’d be able to appreciate her life and her children before they were all grown up.

  Jess walked into the kitchen and looked stunning. She was dolled up from head to toe, and reminded Roy of his daughter Tiffany.

  “You look pretty,” Roy said looking at her as she dug through the bags of groceries.

  “Thanks,” she replied. She pulled out a package of cookies from a grocery bag. “Really? Chocolate chip cookies, Grandpa?”

  “Yep. Henry wanted them.”

  “So? That kind of food is unhealthy. Mom doesn’t let us eat garbage like that.” Jess tossed them back into the bag.

  “She lets you have soda.”

  “Yeah, but… that’s different,” she replied.

  “It’s not really different but sweets are okay in moderation. It’s over- indulgence that you have to watch out for.”

  “Well you aren’t our mom or dad.”

  “Jess…”

  “Our parents don’t let us just eat whatever we want.”

  “Jess.”

  “My parents say that poor eating leads to poor habits-”

  “Stop it Jess!” Roy stood up. “I’m your parent for the summer, and I say the cookies are okay!”

  “Jeez. What’s your problem? Is it past your nap time?”

  “You do understand you’re using my truck? That’s a privilege, not a right.”

  “I don’t care about your piece of crap truck, Grandpa.”

  “Fine. You just lost it.”

  “What?”

  “You heard me. You are banned from using it. Give me the key.”

  “Whatever.” Jess came over to the table and retrieved the screw driver from her purse. Slamming it onto the table, she looked at him and shook her head. “Everyone hates you in Chattaroy. Just so you know… And I’m even embarrassed to be known as your granddaughter.”

  Turning, she walked furiously out of the kitchen, pushing Henry out of her way as she walked out.

  “Leave him alone! You’re mad at me, not him!” Roy snapped at her. Henry’s bag with the cans of chicken noodle broke open and spilled out onto the kitchen floor. Roy came over and helped Henry pick the cans up.

  “I’m sorry about her…” Henry said setting some cans up on the counter.

  “Don’t worry about it. She’s just a teenager.” Roy set the final cans with the rest on the counter and hoisted himself up. “Let’s go gut the fish. The cooler is still in the ride, right?”

  “Eww! And yes, they are still in there. I’ll stay here… I don’t want to gut anything.”

  “Okay.” Going back out to the suburban, Roy drove it through the yard, circling around the back side of the garage, past the chicken coop, parking it in front of the garage.

  After gutting the fish and putting them on ice, Roy decided to ta
ke a walk. Going down the driveway, he veered off the path before the bridge and went into the root cellar. It was a comfortable location to get away from the summer’s heat, while still being outside. The smell of the moist earth filled his nostrils as he took a deep breath in. Peering around in the darkness, he could faintly see his wife’s pottery lined along the shelves of the root cellar. At the end of a cement bench, there was a pile of broken bikes.

  Sitting down, he wiped his brow with his handkerchief and bowed his head. Going to the Lord in prayer in the root cellar was a long time tradition for Roy. He found something peaceful about the place. It was somewhere nobody really ever went but he, and it was quiet. It was the perfect place to be still and know God.

  Praying over the day, and thanking God for his life, Roy went on and on about how much joy the kids coming had brought him and how thankful he was for their visit. He was usually about ninety-five percent thankful in his prayers. He wasn’t one to beg and ask God for things, but he did ask on occasion. Asking for God’s hand in Jess’s life, Roy prayed she’d find her way through life and ultimately to God’s loving embrace. He prayed over Henry’s life and his struggles with his absent father. Then, Roy prayed for Brandon.

  I pray Lord that you come into Brandon’s life and shake him. He knows who You are, and please bring him back to the faith. You know I don’t care much for him, but I know how important a father is to children. If it’s in your will, please let it be done. Amen.

  Chapter 15 ~ Jess

  Lying in the daybed upstairs in her room, Jess’s tank top began to seep with sweat. The fan pointed at her didn’t help enough to keep her from the sweltering heat. “I hate this!” she shouted flipping through songs on her phone. “I just want to be back home!”

  A knock came at her door.

  “Go away!” She shouted.

  The door handle turned and the door opened. “Hey…” Henry said softly.

  “What do you want?”

  “Why are you mad at me? I didn’t do anything, Jess. You knocked me over…”

  “Fine, I’m sorry.” Jess sat up and pulled out her ear buds. “What’s up?”

  “You should be nicer to Grandpa.”

  “I’m so over you trying to be Dad. You’re not Dad, so stop it.”

  “I’m not trying to be Dad. I’m trying to make everybody’s life a little better around here. Why are you so mad with Grandpa?”

  Looking at the doorway over Henry’s shoulder, Jess scowled. “You wouldn’t understand; you’re just a kid.”

  “I’m ten years old Jess, I understand a lot more than you think I do.” Henry sat on the bed and looked her in the eyes. “He’s trying the best he can to help us out. He even bought you tofu burgers…”

  “He did?” Jess asked. She was pleasantly surprised. “I didn’t know that…”

  “Yeah. He’s our Grandpa. Not this big evil mean guy you keep trying to paint him out to be.”

  “You don’t know what you are talking about. He’s a jerk. He didn’t like Dad.”

  “Maybe not, but Dad isn’t here. Grandpa is.”

  Jess was getting annoyed with Henry. “Get out of my room.” Standing up from her bed, she held open the door, pointing him to leave. “Go.”

  Henry shook his head. “Fine Jess, but think about it. And give him a chance.” Henry walked out and Jess slammed the door behind him.

  Henry didn’t know what he was talking about. Grandpa wasn’t a kind man, he was a guy who would pay people nothing for their work and was known as a cheap. She was lucky Levi even gave her the time of day, let alone befriended her.

  Henry did, however, have a good point about making everyone’s life more tolerable; without a vehicle, Jess’s existence was pretty unbearable in the non-air conditioned upstairs. I guess it can’t hurt to apologize and get the truck back.

  Coming downstairs, she came into the kitchen and found her brother at the table playing on his tablet.

  “Where’s Grandpa?”

  Henry shrugged, keeping his eyes glued to his tablet.

  Jess headed outside and peered across the front yard. Glancing through the trees, she couldn’t see him in the driveway or near the barn. Where is he? She wondered.

  Walking down the hillside that led down to the creek, she followed the path towards the bridge. Noticing the root cellar door was opened; she walked up to it and pushed the door open.

  “Grandpa…?” She asked. The room was damp, dark and dreary as she tried to see into it. Opening the door more, she saw Roy sitting on a cement bench.

  “Hi Jess,” he said, rising to his feet. Roy grabbed the root cellar’s door and Jess tried to look past him into the root cellar more.

  “What’s in there?”

  “Just some random stuff from years ago, nothing to worry about.”

  “Were you crying?” Jess asked seeing his eyes were glazed. Roy quickly wiped his eyes.

  “I was.”

  “Why?” Jess didn’t know why he was crying, but it touched her deeply. She had never seen a tear from him, not even after the passing of his late wife Lucille. There was something so moving to Jess to see the softer side of him.

  “I cry sometimes… I won’t lie about it,” Roy replied. “I miss Lucille, and I worry about my kids.”

  “Did you come down here to cry?”

  “No. I came here to pray.” Roy walked past her and began trekking back up the path towards the house.

  “What do you pray about?” She asked curiously, catching up to his side.

  “I pray for a lot of things. It’s my quiet place.” Roy didn’t mention her tantrum and showed no signs of holding it against her. She wasn’t sure how to feel about it since her mother and father wouldn’t let her ever live down anything she did in the moment. She appreciated the kindness he showed right then, and it warmed the ice that was in her heart towards him.

  “About the truck… I kinda have this thing with a guy…” She said.

  Roy stopped and turned to her. “You can’t talk to me the way you did earlier. I know you might be upset about your dad right now, and you deserve to be, but I’m the adult here and the parental role.”

  “Okay…” she said softly as a tear seeped from one of her eyes.

  “Don’t be sad about it. Just respect it… You can have the truck back if you can just show me a little courtesy, Jess.”

  “Okay,” Jess replied. She realized her grandpa wasn’t wrong; he was just doing what he thought was best.

  Roy hugged her and she could feel his love. “So, who’s the lucky guy? Levi and you hit it off?” he asked.

  “Levi? No…” Jess wiped the tear from her cheek. “I’m going to meet up with Clint. He’s a guy I met the other day. About Levi though… Could I go fishing in the morning with him?”

  “You’ll miss church, but I don’t see any problem with it. I don’t want to see that become a habit though.”

  “It won’t be, I promise,” Jess replied smiling. He was placing trust in her that she’d do the right thing and not make a habit out of missing church. It made her happy to be trusted as she often struggled with her parents not placing trust in her.

  “You said your date was with Clint… is that Clint Foster?”

  “Uhh… I don’t know.” Jess laughed. “I didn’t really ask for his last name.”

  Roy nodded. “I guess that makes sense. Where are you guys going?”

  “The Wagon Wheel.”

  “You like Salmon like your mother?”

  “No I don’t.” Jess turned and continued walking with Roy up to the house. “I don’t eat meat.”

  “I thought fish was okay for some reason…”

  “It’s not. I never liked it though. I’m more like my Dad. I liked steak and potatoes when I did eat meat.” She recalled the last time she and her dad went out for dinner; she had an eight ounce prime rib and a baked potato. It was the night just before he left forever and about two weeks before Jess became a vegetarian. He was treating her out for her eight
eenth birthday, and it was just the two of them at dinner since her mom had already left him a week earlier. He had always tried to make Jess feel special ever since she was a little girl. She often was referred to as Daddy’s little princess. Thinking back on that night, she remembered how he made the waitress take her prime rib back when it was overcooked, when she had ordered medium-rare. He had always been keeping an eye out for her. It was just the type of guy her dad was, and now she started seeing that same thing in her grandpa.

  “When do you need to get heading there?” Roy asked.

  Jess looked at her phone and saw she had about ten minutes before she needed to be there. “I have to go now!” She said, hurrying inside to the farmhouse to grab the screwdriver. Rushing back outside, she stopped and kissed her grandpa’s cheek before running out to the truck.

  “Thanks!” she hollered back at him. Glancing down at the handle, she grabbed it and yanked up and out. It opened with ease. “Yes!”

  Chapter 16 ~ Levi

  Walking alongside Elk Chattaroy Road, Levi kicked the rocks as he kept his hands shoved in his pockets. Unable to keep his mind off Jess, he kept thinking about that man she was with on a date. He wondered who it was and what they were doing.

  Looking up from the sound of an approaching vehicle, he saw it was Jess. She whooshed by without even noticing him. Turning, he looked back to see if she slowed down at all. She didn’t. I don’t think a farmer boy like me could ever land a gal like that, Levi thought to himself as he turned back around.

  Coming up on Roy’s driveway, Levi smiled. He took pride in working on the farm. He hadn’t made a whole lot from working for Roy, but he was glad for the opportunity to work with one of the legends around Chattaroy. He loved working with his hands, and he loved earning money towards his dream of making it big in Nashville. He had bought a guitar and taken lessons a few years back, even landed a few gigs in the area. Nobody could deny his ability to sing, but smoke-filled bars and churches with less than a thousand people weren’t the places that were going to help him make it big. He figured if he could make it a year or so in Nashville on savings he built up from working for Roy, that’d give him the time he needed to get a record deal.