29 "Wishing well"

"Jesus" Jamie grunted as he tossed bales of hay across the bed of a large tractor into a pile against the barn. "I don't remember them needing so much damn hay" Jamie wiped the sweat off his brow as he panted in the hot sun. He wore a beaten flannel that he probably hasn't worn since he was 17 "they've taken on a lot more cattle than they did when you were a kid. That's for sure" I said to Jamie with a soft smile as I led Tates horse to the pasture beside the barn. "Hey. When I was a kid you weren't even around. So don't give me that shit. You've hardly worked a day in your life" he grunted some more. "It's was Just common sense" I shrugged as he was a bit annoyed I was even speaking to him. "And I have worked. The most I was allowed" I unleashed the horse allowing him to graze "You don't have much of a work ethic nor common sense. Don't you have something better to do than to watch me? Or are you here to drool over jimmy?" He wiped his arm back over his wet forehead to catch the drops from his skin. He seemed so mad I was even in his view. I looked down at the dirt as he attempted to embarrass me. "Drool? Over me?" Jimmy smiled with a warm dimples. I couldn't help but grin and get giddy over his sweetneed. "I think so" after shutting the gate behind the gentle horse I stepped back over to jimmy who was also tossing hay like bean bags. Jimmy observed me like a hungry dog. I leaned my back against a simple tree beside the barn as they restocked. I watched him with young love in my heart. "Whatcha doing later?" He questioned as he worked. I shrugged "I'm. Gonna do whatever you're gonna ask me to do" my cheeks were getting hot and Rosie. I dug my steel toe into the ground. Jimmy tipped his hat off to toss onto my head as he took a break from swinging bales. His smile was never ending as he approached me. Jimmy Gently took his hand along my waist to pull me in a bit. My hands grazed against his tender arms like my hands were designed to be there "Don't let dad see you like that. He'll beat you senseless. He'll send your ass away" Jamie took a long sip from his Large water bottle. "You think he pays attention to a thing I do?" I asked with a sense of irritation for him. "He will just to ruin your day" Jamie lifted his shoulders "who knows" I glanced at jimmy with an eye roll. Gently he pulled me away from Jamies sights "what's with all this anger at you? What did you do to everyone?" Jimmy guided me to the pasture to watch Tates horse graze with style. "...it's a long story" I sighed as I screwed the lid off his water to take a long wet swig. "You must've done somthing horrible" jimmy played with a knife from his pocket that was used to slice the rope off the bales. He examined it while scratching the blade gently across his skin. "...i had something to do with their mamas death.. that's all" I looked down at the dirt as i was reliving my life all over again. "Isn't their mom your mom?" He asked. I nodded "I'm not allowed to say so..." I spoke very soft as I looked around for extra precaution. Jimmy scowled his face. "You can't talk about your mom?" He was more confused than I was as a child. I needed to change the subject quick. I ran my hands along his arms again. His newly strong arms. Lord.. I never thought I'd think of a man like this again. Ever. "I liked watching you work" I smiled. Jimmy tucked my hair behind my ear. "Oh yeah?" He chuckled. "Why's that?" I shrugged my shoulders "I guess I'm.. not sure" I giggled as I was a bit uncomfortable. "I'm not real sure how to flirt.. jimmy.. I'm sorry" I looked back down at his boots with embarrassment. "You're perfect.. you know that?" He spoke very gently almost in a way not to spook me off like a deer in the woods. Jimmy cupped my cheeks with his thumbs pushing my dyed brown strains of hair away from my temples. "I love them baby blues" he spoke, calm and collected. My cheeks were on fire again as my teeny hands gripped around his wrists as he admired my being. "Although.. I do miss that blonde.. but in all honesty I like you a lot.. just the way you are" his posture was so soft along with his cheeks being so Rosie like a cherry hard candy. I've never met a man so gentle. "You. You.. you liked my blonde hair?" I played with a stran of my hair between my boney fingers. "I did. It was you. The real you. But you are the real you. So as long as I have any of you at all.., I don't care what you look like" I knew instantly I was going to get my hair fixed for this man. I desided so fast I would kill for this man. I would die for this man. I was already so in love.... I may just be so desperate for love and passion,... for any human contact at all. If the devil himself came to me and told me he loved me I'd believe him. "...you must really like me...huh Jim?" softly I stroked his shoulder as his thumb grazed my cheeks some more. "A lot.." he leaned in softly to kiss me in such a beautiful way that My fingers run down his torso. the tips of my toes clenched in my shoes. I felt like a school girl as I guided my hand around his waist line just enjoying the feeling another body against mine made me warm. I was madly in love with him. My hands grazed something sharp and cold on his waist. I looked down at a gold and sparkly belt buckle. The only way to get one of those is to win it at a rodeo. "Who did you steal that from?" I teased with my fingers tugging at the back of his buckle. He smiled wide as if he was waiting for me to say something about it. "I won't it. At the rodeo last week" his happy hands squeezed at my hips as my body eased against him. "The rodeo? The hell do you know about a rodeo!" I laughed loudly at him. He watched me with desire as I laughed "well.. it turned out I needed more money for them boys I once knew... Lloyd showed me the easiest way to make cash. I think I found a new hobby"

"I ain't one to put people down but.. you can kill yourself doing that.. you can break your spine" the thought of my family beating me down for my interests tore me to pieces thinking about ever degrading his hobbies. I couldn't do that to someone. No matter how much I disagreed with it. "It was freeing. It truly felt like I was good at something for once. Like I can finally have people care about me and what I do. It felt so amazing. And I was actually fucking good at it!" His cheerful stare made my heart melt. My cheeks hurt from smiling at his joy as he told me how he truly felt. "Then I believe in you Jim. Keep going. I'll be at ever event. No matter what. I think you will be the best of the best" I swiftly warmed his upper warms with excitement. "You should've told me you were riding a bronc! I would've came to see you!" Jimmy quickly smooched my mouth again as he realized how loved he actually was. "Honestly.. I didn't want you to find out your loan wasn't enough..." jimmy looked down at his boots with slight shame shaking from his throat. I frowned slightly then tilted his chin up. "First off. There ain't no loan. I just wanted to help you. It's not my business what you have going on in your life. All I want to do is help any way I can. You understand?" Jimmy nodded. "I understand.. so you're not mad?" His fingers once again tucked my hair behind my ear. I smiled to reassure him. "I don't get mad jimmy. I get sad. And I sure as hell ain't sad" jimmy pulled me into him with his arms wrapped around me in a tight squeeze. I laughed softly as he spoke "you're a good girl wishing will" jimmy snickered to himself. "Wishing will?" I giggled. "Wish for short" he nodded. I shook my head "I don't know how I feel about that name. I guess it's better than william. Maybe I-"

"Jimmy?! Are you jimmy?" I deep voice spoke behind us. We both looked around with concern. The voice was harsh and worried some. It was a police officer. He looked mean and demanding. "Yes?" Jimmy gently moved away from me to confront the cop. The cop pulled him far away from me to speak. I could tell it wasn't good. After a few words jimmys face turned pale... almost yelllow.. almost like he could vomit. The officer left the driveway leaving jimmy speechless. I watched as jimmy yelled loudly. Angrily. There weren't any words just frustrated actions. Jimmy began punching at the barn walls, screaming cursed as he did so. He beat that wall until the wood began to chip upon it. He roared his tears as his fists flew. I could see the blood being left behind on the white wood. He fell to his knees then shifted into hitting the grass below his legs. I quickly ran over. He was hysterical. I didn't know why. But I had an idea. "Jimmy" I spoke very gently as he clawed his Fingers into the fresh dirt, clenching fists full of grass. He looked up at me with his sad bloodshot eyes. He needed someone. Jimmy roped his arms around my legs as he laid his sobbing face into my torso. I watched with empathy as my hands stroked his now hatless head. "They fucking kill him" he screeched into my body. I laid my hand on his cheek as I listened to him. "They did it anyways! Thousands of dollars and waisted time later! And they still fucking killed him!!" He sobbed hysterically into my waist like a child missing their mother. Or in this case.. his grandfather. I allowed him to break down in my arms. I didn't try to calm him either. I felt his pain and knew what he needed. My thumbs soothingly rubbed his skull as I looked up from his welting grip to see rip watching from afar. I could see him stepping closer. "Here.. get up honey.." I held his hands as he stood up. He bowed his head with sorrow but still a bit embarrassed. I held my hands along his cheeks to wipe his tears. "What's this about?" Rip asked in a serious tone. "I'm sorry sir.. I just-"

"You don't apologize" I was quick to correct. Rip glanced at me as if he was annoyed I interrupted. "Explain" rip said. "You don't have to explain yourself... go to the bunkhouse.. rest up for the night" I spoke gently as I ran my thumb across the top of his hand. He nodded his head. Before rip could reply jimmy was already gone. "You don't teach my men to disrespect me" rip said. "He doesn't need to explain himself to you" I nipped. Rips brows were furrowed. "Stay out of my way Willie. I've told you this before" "He doesn't need your god damn bickering right now" I rose my voice. "I need to know what that was about!" Here rose his too. "Some punker killed his grandfather after they threatened to do so if they didn't receive a payment. After they got the payment they did it anyways. He doesn't need your bullcrap rip" Rip sighed a long exaggerated sigh. "I'll take care of this" he said as he stepped past me. Rip stopped to turn to look at me before he went to banter jimmy. "What have I said about these ranch hands will? I see you getting a little too close to jimmy" rip seemed bothered. But not nearly as bothered as he was about walker. I don't even look in walker's direction anymore. "What have I told you about being in my business?" Rip sighed once more "when you get hurt I don't want to see a single Tear coming in my direction" I was a bit taken aback that rip would say that. He would never say such a thing to me. He would always tell me he'd always be there for me no matter what, he'd always be waiting for me till the very end. What changed? I guess I'm asking for it. I told him to stay out of my business... this is my fault. "No problem" I said very hesitantly. I had a feeling this was going to hurt me. I just knew it would.