Page 18 of Till The Cows Come Home
“I’d like to make it crystal clear that those two things have zero correlation, but we’re choosing to be cordial. I decided to allow myself a sliver of companionship while you abandon me with your newfound responsibility,” I said, gesturing to Asher who was still attempting to push himself to his hands and knees.
“I think that’s a good idea. Unfortunately for you,thisisn't going to be any less responsibility for about eighteen more years.”
“I love you guys, though.”
“And we love you, but you cannot spend the brief remainder of your twenties watching my child drool. Fifty percent of it, max, the other half you need to get a life.”
“Eighty-twenty,” I countered.
“Sixty-forty, and if you try to haggle anymore you’re gonna have to go cold turkey.”
“Fine.” I sighed.
“So what does cordial mean, anyway?”
“Just not ignoring each other. I update him on Blossom, he updates me on the farm. Nothing exciting.”
“Nothing exciting…yet.” Ruby winked.
She turned from me to face Asher, disabling my ability to protest as she cheered him on, and so I conceded in order tojoin in. Before it was time for them to go he hadalmostmade it onto all fours.
“Promise you’ll send me a video when he gets it?” I asked, handing Ruby the last of Asher’s toys as she packed their bag to leave.
“I’ll promise if you promise to take a couple bricks off of the wall you’ve built. Three years of guarding was long enough, let a little light in.”
“You’d really withhold a milestone from me if I refused?”
“Try me.”
“I promise,” I grumbled.
“Auntie Sage is such a good girl, isn’t she,” Ruby cooed, waving Asher’s little hand goodbye as they left.
Waking up knowing that I was going to face Miles turned my stomach. The sensation was butterflies adjacent, erring on the side of indigestion rather than excitement, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake it. It wasn’t that I was nervous to see him, I saw him everyday, but I was nervous that the closer we became, the more he would see me. Presenting myself a certain way was easy when it was all exterior, especially when cool and collective was my mantra. But internally I told a different story, one that I attempted to keep on the shelf, and constant small talk threatened that security.
Part of me thought maybe he wouldn’t be there. His chair would be gone and I’d take a seat alone with Blossom, sipping my coffee like I had since she’d been born, and that small part of me thought maybe it would be for the best. But as I pulled in the driveway something like hope flickered in my chest when I saw the barn lights illuminating the structure. Usually the barn was asleep when I arrived, just the parlor light lit, but when I walked through the barn doors today it was alive,Miles’ husky voice reverberating through the wooden beams as he chatted with who I could only assume was Blossom.
My suspicions were confirmed and my doubt cast away as I rounded the corner. His chair was still there, and he was in it chatting away with Blossom.
“Morning.” I waved, and his attention diverted from the calf to me.
“Morning, Sage Baker. Blossom and I were just talking about you.”
“All good things I hope?”
He chuckled, handing me my coffee like he had the day before, and I took it, taking a sip before setting it on the table.
“Of course. She was going on and on about how she is absolutely starving.”
“Sounds like her.” I laughed, mixing up her bottle.
“So what updates do you have for me?”
“Not much, to be honest. She’s the same as yesterday. You?”
“I don’t have much either. The market went well, sold about three quarters of the stock.”
“Not bad,” I answered over my shoulder as I rinsed out the bottle that Blossom practically inhaled.
