Chapter 37

It’s been a week since I talked to my mom that first time and somehow I was now on a plane headed for Georgia. I can’t say that I wanted to go but I suppose I was persuaded enough. Did I also mention I have this extreme fear of flying? Yeah I don’t even know how I got on that plane the first time around. Hell, I don’t even know how I got on this plane.

“Elena, I love you but I really need the circulation back in my hand.” Yeah that was probably how I wasn’t having a complete mental breakdown.

Needless to say, after a ton of phone calls and completely pissing off her manager, Jess was accompanying me to Georgia for the next however long we decided to stay. I was beyond relieved that she got the time off and her being here was literally the only reason I was on this plane.

“Sorry.” I loosened my grip considerably and proceeded to rub her hand in an attempt to get the blood flowing again. “I don’t see how you can do this all the time. This is fucking terrifying.”

“Don’t be such a baby,” she laughed. “Why don’t you try to sleep?”

“Hell no. There is no way I’m going to sleep while we’re thirty thousand fucking feet in the air.” She was out of her mind if she thought I’d calm down enough to sleep. “We’re hurtling across the ocean in a giant tin can how is that perfectly safe?” Dramatic, I know.

“I knew we should have had you sedated,” she sighed. It was said in a joking manner but I’m sure she was somewhat serious.

“You’re hilarious,” I said, rolling my eyes. She just squeezed my hand slightly before adjusting herself so that she was leaning against me, her head tucked between my shoulder and my neck.

“While you continue being dramatic I’m going to try to sleep.”

“Fine but I’m playing with your iPad,” I said as I took it out of her bag. I felt her smile against my neck but she didn’t say anything else. How I was going to content myself with playing Candy Crush for eight hours I have no idea. I was determined to try though.

We were about an hour from landing when I looked over at Jess for what was probably the millionth time. She was sleeping peacefully against me, her chest rising and falling dramatically. Her light snores and occasional mumbles were the only sounds that ever came from her. She looked so peaceful and I actually couldn’t believe she’d slept through almost the entire flight. That was ridiculous. Definitely time to wake her up.

“Jess…. Jess wake up,” I nudged her slightly.

“Hmm,” she mumbled but never opened her eyes. All right then.

“I have to confess something,” I whispered. “There’s someone else. I’ve been secretly married this entire time and that’s why I have to go home. I even have three children and a dog. Also, I’m cheating on you.”

I paused for a moment but there was still no reaction.

“Also I broke your iPad and I’m really sorry.”

“You what?” she croaked, sitting up quickly. Wow okay.

“Nothing but I suppose we now see where your priorities lie,” I joked. She took her iPad from me and pouted slightly.

“I like my iPad though.”

“Jessica!” It’s like she was actually trying to be mean to me today and she was so far succeeding.

“Elena!” she said mockingly before she pecked me on the lips. “How much longer do we have anyway?”

“Like an hour. Is it too late to turn around and go back?” I pouted.

“Absolutely not,” she said, giving me an unimpressed look. “I want to see where you grew up anyways, babe. This will be a nice trip, trust me.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Eventually the plane did land, rather than fall out of the sky like I was imagining. I just have to say, as soon as we stepped out of that plane my first thought was that it was fucking hot. There’s obviously a good reason as to why I freeze so easily but I didn’t think it was possible for me to forget how hot Georgia is.

The entire process of collecting our luggage and getting out of the airport was actually horrible and I was so happy when Jess and I were finally able to make our way out to the parking lot.

“Honestly, Jess I can’t see how you do this shit all the time,” I remarked as I looked around for our ride.

“You get used to it. Who’s picking us up anyway? Your parents?”

“I don’t think so. Mom said something about sending someone over here but I don’t know,” I shrugged.

As we continued searching the parking lot I suddenly heard someone yelling my name. I searched for the source of the voice until my gaze fell on a guy wearing a black cowboy hat jogging toward us. I knew who it was immediately and let me tell you, I was fucking ecstatic.

“Caleb?!” I yelled in disbelief. He reached us and pulled me into one of his hugs. You know the kind that are so tight you have no doubt your lungs will cave in.

“Hey, girl. Didn’t think I’d see you for a while,” he smiled before looking behind me at Jess. “And who’s your gorgeous friend here?” he said flirtatiously, putting on his best southern drawl.

“Don’t,” I warned, smacking him in the arm. Hard. “This is Jessica. She’s my girlfriend,” I stressed as I put my arm around her waist. Caleb was always such a flirt but you couldn’t help but love him honestly. All the girls back home would call him Cowboy and he always liked to think he was quite the ladies’ man.

“Oh,” he straightened up slightly. “Pleasure to meet you ma’am,” he said as he removed his hat out of courtesy. Typical.

After the introductions Caleb put all of our bags in the back of his truck while Jess and I climbed into the front seat. I sat in the middle obviously while I let Jess have the window seat. My hand found hers and I laced our fingers together. She flashed me a smile and kissed me on the cheek but before I could complain about not getting a real kiss I was interrupted by Caleb.

“Well, look at you two lovebirds,” he said as he climbed in beside me. He smirked which annoyed the hell out of me.

“Just drive,” I complained. “You’re not going to leave me alone are you?”

“Why would I do that? You up and disappeared for eight months, I should get to tease you as much as I want. We were all worried about you, you know?” he said seriously, as he began driving away from the airport.

“I’d believe you were worried about me. Mom and dad, not so much,” I scoffed.

Caleb only shrugged at my remark which was surprising considering he, of all people, knew the most of what I was put through. My parents hired Caleb when I was thirteen. He was sixteen at the time and ever since then he’d always been like an older brother to me. We fought constantly but in the end he was always super protective over me.

“So what about you,” I said after a few moments of awkward silence. “Have you charmed any of the ladies into settling down with you?”

“Nah,” he said nonchalantly. “Not hardly any time for that anymore as much as I would love to. You’d be surprised how much things have changed around there.”

“What do you mean? Changed how?” He shook his head pitifully and sighed before answering me.

“Things were crazy after the accident. I can’t even say I remember all of it because it seems like such a blur now. But your mom went nuts. She fired all the staff apart from me. She got rid of a lot of the horses. The majority of them actually. Hasn’t been the same since,” he frowned.

I sat back and stared out the window is shock. I never expected anything like that to ever happen. My parents have run that farm since before I was born. I felt Jess’s worried gaze on me and I glanced at her, giving her a half smile to let her know I was fine. She didn’t look convinced obviously.

“How many are left now?” I asked hesitantly. I dreaded the answer in all honesty.

“Hmm,” he pondered for a moment as he counted in his head. “I’d say about five of the eventers, three of the western horses, the two drafts, and then my two.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?! There are twelve horses on that farm? Caleb, there’s never been less than sixty-five since I’ve been born! How the hell are they still running?” I was fucking livid. Sure, I left but I cared about that place. Those barns were my livelihood. I felt like a piece of me was just sold off at auction with not a care of what happened to it.

“Elena…” Jess said my name softly in an attempt to calm me down. I felt her fingers rub circles in the back of my hand and I took several deep breaths as I tried to take in this news.

“We’re doing fine, Elena. Don’t worry,” Caleb reassured me. “The lessons are still going on and I think your mom mentioned something about opening the farm for public boarding soon.”

I shook my head in disbelief. Never in a million years did I think my parents would actually go for boarding as a business. What the hell happened since I left?

“So, Jessica,” Caleb piped up. Oh god. “How did you meet our amazing Elena and how did she manage to win the heart of such a lovely girl such as yourself?”

“Caleb, I think you should mind your own business,” I interrupted.

“I believe I was talking to Jessica,” he smirked causing Jess to laugh. I shot her a look in an attempt to tell her not to encourage him but she ignored me.

“Actually Elena saved me from being attacked by a man just near the place she was working at,” Jess said proudly.

“Oh hell yeah, sis!” he exclaimed. “Did you punch him in the throat or what?”

“What-no I—I don’t remember,” I said exasperatedly. He was such a typical guy I swear to god. Fighting that guy was literally one thing I remember the least from that night.

“Elena was always a little fighter let me tell you,” he said to Jess. “I remember this one time I had to actually pull her off of a girl who’d been picking on Grace and…” He cut himself off there and glanced at me apologetically.

“No it’s okay,” I said quietly. “You can talk about her. I’m fine.” I leaned into Jess’s side and rested my head on her shoulder while she and Caleb continued to talk. I wasn’t really in the mood for talking anymore and I knew the drive would at least be another hour. I closed my eyes, determined to get a bit of sleep before I had to face everything at home. Jess let go of my hand and snaked her arm around my waist while I got comfortable.

I had no idea how the next few days were going to go but I was already dreading everything else.

A/N  Idk I started typing and just rolled with it. I'm seeing the suggestions and some of them are good so keep them coming if you like. I don't usually respond to them just so I don't give anything away should I decide to use them but I appreciate all the comments and messsages.

I'm also still upset about my #jatie.