Tutu's & Cowboy Boots (Part 1)

by Casey Peeler

  Chapter 12

  Barrick

  I’ve been watching Cadence dance every afternoon this week. I’m amazed at her grace, anger, poise, and attitude. It doesn’t matter the song, she changes with the beat of the music. I’m surprised I haven’t gotten caught yet but I enjoy watching the real Cadence. I’ve seen plenty of dancers but none that can show their true feelings with their movements like she can. Her determination and drive amaze me as she practices outside in the heat of the day. Today is Thursday and Cadence and I have to work the farmers’ market again. As I load my truck with milk, eggs, and produce, I realize I’m disappointed that this will be the last one we work together with school starting next week.

  The market is busy and we work in silence side by side. We quickly sell out and are relieved we get to leave before it gets too hot. I try to talk Cadence into stopping for lunch but she refuses. I don’t know what her deal is. One minute she’s hot and the next she’s cold as ice. I swear, girls! They make no sense at all especially ones that are from above the Mason-Dixon line.

  Arriving back at the farm, she excuses herself and I begin to place the buckets from the market back in the storage room when I notice that there is a hissing sound coming from the other side of the barn. As I go to check it out, it doesn’t take long to realize that the Gator tire has sprung a leak. Great! Ms. Mae uses this all the time. Why couldn’t this have happened before we drove to town? Luckily for me, there’s a John Deere store in Lawndale. Yes, I know it sounds insane. We don’t have a McDonald’s but we have a John Deere. I quickly crank up my truck and head to the store for a new tire.

  When I arrive back at the farm, I notice that Ms. Mae is sitting on the front porch, but Cadence isn’t anywhere to be seen, which is odd. She is usually dancing out in the sun right about now. I kill the engine and open my door. That’s when I hear music coming from the barn. Grabbing the tire, I walk toward the barn and the music grows louder the closer I get. When I open the door, the music attacks me. Cadence is at the opposite end of the barn that faces the pasture. The tire makes a loud thud as I drop it on the ground beside the Gator, but the noise doesn’t faze her. I prop myself up against a beam and watch; I feel like I’m intruding on something extremely personal. As the song ends and there is a lapse between the next one, I feel that I have to let her know that I’m here. “You think you can teach me a few of those moves?” I ask with a smile that quickly fades when she jumps out of her skin.

  “How long have you been standing there?” she questions as she grabs her music and hits pause.

  “Long enough,” I say as I push off the beam and close the distance between us.

  As I’m within an arm’s reach of her, she can’t seem to get her thoughts together, which is weird since she’s usually quick-witted. “You know that’s rude. Watching someone without them knowing. What are you, a stalker?” she asks in a harsh tone with her arms crossed, which tells me not to come a step closer.

  “No Cadence, I’m not a stalker, believe me. What are you doing out here anyways? Don’t you normally tutu around in the yard?” I say as I point toward the house.

  She gasps. “So you have been watching me. I can’t believe you! I just want to have some time to myself, and I don’t need someone watching me.”

  “Well, for what it’s worth, you’re incredible,” I say and mean every word. I’ve never seen anything like that in my life, and I know more about dance than any country boy should ever know.

  “What? What do you know about dance? I was half a second behind the beat and my toes weren’t pointed enough,” she says as she moves her hands to her hips.

  “Oh, I know more than you think I do. You’re amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. You really should find somewhere to do that, ya know, in the air conditioning.” I smirk.

  “Gran says there’s some studio down the road. There is no way it can compare to my studio in New York. I’m sure that I can dance circles around those country bumpkins,” she mouths off.

  I shake my head as she grabs her music and storms past me. There’s no need to try and argue with her or even try to make a point. I’ve learned watching my parents. The woman is always right… no matter if they are dead wrong.

  Cadence

  I don’t know who the hell he thinks he is standing in there watching me like that. Who does that? Not to mention trying to tell me I should go to a studio. What does he know about dance? I bet he has white boy moves where he barely sways to the music. I laugh at my mental picture of Barrick attempting to dance.

  As I enter the house, I don’t see anyone. I talk to myself as I stomp toward my room. Pacing the floor back and forth, I begin to talk out loud and answer myself when there is a knock at my door.

  “Cade, everything okay?” Gran asks.

  “No! That boy out there was watching me dance,” I say pointing toward the barn. Gran begins to laugh and that makes me madder. “It’s not funny,” I say as tears form in my eyes from my anger.

  She tries to stop laughing but takes a second. “I believe you’re talking about Barrick. You’ve met him before, worked with him, and I believe even pranked him. You’ve seen him every day since you arrived. I don’t know why you are so mad.”

  “Gran, he was all propped up in the barn staring at me. He didn’t even bother to get my attention. Who does that?”

  “Maybe he liked what he saw,” she says as she lifts her eyebrows several times.

  “Ugh! Gran! You really think I want a guy in my life right now? I’ve got more things to worry about.”

  “Lawd child. I didn’t mean it like that, but he is pretty to look at if I say so myself. I meant you’ve been here almost two weeks and haven’t met anyone your age.”

  “Well, whose fault is that?” I seethe at her.

  “Missy, don’t start that with me. You’re the one that was disrespectful and needed to learn a thing or two. I thought we were making progress, but maybe I was wrong.”

  I pause and look at her. “What do you mean?”

  “I meant that I called the studio to find out about classes, but I can easily hold out on that information if needed. You are to respect everyone ‘round here whether you like them or not. Do you understand?” she asks with her arms crossed.

  “That’s out. I don’t need a friend and surely not a guy.”

  She pauses as concern flashes across her face, and I know what is coming next. “Tell me what this is really about.”

  “Nothing Gran. It’s fine. I’ll be just fine.” Fine. Isn’t that the word we all use to try and sugarcoat life? My life is fine. It was fine when my dad left and it’s fine now that I’m stuck on this farm. Just fine.

  “Well, we all know what fine means so if you aren’t going to talk to me, I suggest you either do as I say and be nice or I’ll find you something to do inside to pass the time. School starts in four days, and you’ve still got a lot to learn before then.”

  “What do I need to do inside?” I ask because I do not want to see Barrick.

  “For starters, go down to the basement and grab two boxes of canning jars. We’ve got tomatoes to can and salsa to make.”

  I walk past her, down the hall, and toward the basement. I’ve never been down here before. Turning on the light attached to a pull string, I see wall space lined with canned goods. Who eats all of this? I glance at them and then walk to the end of the steps. Looking around, I have no idea where they might be so I glance in several boxes until I find them.

  “Cadence, did you find them?” Gran yells down the steps.

  “Yeah. I’m coming,” I say as I take one box and then return for the other. Gran and I spend the remainder of the day washing the jars and cooking the tomatoes to make spaghetti sauce and dicing them for salsa. By the time Mom gets home from work, I’m sick and tired of looking at them and smelling like them, but we aren’t finished.

  After the last batch is complete,
Gran pulls together a dinner using the fresh salsa. It’s beyond amazing.

  “Gran, this is great! It’s way better than Mi Pueblo.”

  “Of course it is, and the longer it sits, the hotter it gets,” she says as she does a cha-cha move. I shake my head.

  After dinner, I look at the kitchen and it’s a disaster. Without being told, I begin to clean up. Gran thanks me and tells me that if I’m not going to help Barrick then I will be helping her in the house canning the next two days. Tomorrow’s agenda is corn. Just lovely.

  Barrick

  After the long day I had, I’m exhausted when I get home. My parents are home and Mom has supper ready, but my sister isn’t home yet. I swear that girl will come running in here at the last second. We eat supper together every night and she knows she’ll be in trouble if she’s late. Checking my watch, I know that I have a little bit of time before she gets home so I decide to go ahead and shower.

  After supper, Dad calls me into the living room to discuss classes. He’s taken it upon himself to register me at the local community college. I’m not thrilled, but I know in the long run it will be worth it. My dad is a good ‘ole country boy. He’s gone each morning before we are awake to make sure he’s home by supper unless there’s something catastrophic. We’ve got a small farm, a few animals and garden. It’s enough for us to use but not make a profit like Ms. Mae. I know that I want to work on a farm, have my own to be exact, and I want to make a profit. I guess a few business classes won’t hurt.