Page 2 of Roped in Chaos
He is acting weird, and it makes me feel on-edge. We’ve always had a close relationship, so him acting like this isn’t something I’m used to. He didn’t even seem this upset when my egg-donor left us.
I head downstairs and pull out a chair. Our chef made my favorite, red pepper pasta. It is made with sun-dried red peppers and basil, and it’s just delicious. I serve myself some and then wait for Daddy to come sit down with me.
He sits down with a glass of whiskey and leans back in his chair. I have butterflies from the anticipation of not knowing what’s going on. He’s drinking whiskey with dinner and not wine, so something must be up.
I rock back and forth in my chair as my dad eyes me.
“Well, Esme I know you graduate from college in a couple of weeks.”
“Yes! Aren’t you proud?”
“Of course I’m proud. But what are your plans for after?”
“Well, I was just going to live here and hang out with Hannah. Maybe go back to school for my master’s at some point?”
“Okay, well I’m just going to go out and say it, I want you to go visit your grandparents this summer.”
“My-my grandparents?”
“Yes, the ones who live in Oklahoma.”
“What?! Oklahoma?! Wait, why? No. There’s no way. Please, Daddy, no. No, I’m not going.”
“Yes, you are. I’ll buy you some boots and jeans and T-shirts, and you will go out there and work on the ranch. You have been given everything you could ever wish for, I want you to go learn some new skills, maybe even a work ethic. I’ve failed you in that aspect. Plus, there’s some things I need to take care of while you’re away. It’s just better if you’re not here for that.”
“No!” I screech. I push back from the table and storm off. Pausing for just a moment on the stairs, I yell, “You can’t make me!”
“Esme, please. I don’t want you upset, but I need you to do this. I will cut you off if you don’t do this,” he calls after me with an exasperated sigh.
I storm up to my room and slam the door. How could he do this to me?
Chapter2
Hard to Love
Asher
It’s seven a.m., and I’m out at the barn tacking my horse, Dom. He’s a sorrel gelding with blue eyes and the best horse I could ask for. He was my first big purchase when I moved out here to start working on the Firman ranch. Other horses out here work just fine, but I wanted one of my own. I adopted Bruno shortly after. I went to the animal shelter one day and saw this sad dog sitting in the pen. He was just staring in the corner and looked like he had given up. I went in, and the volunteer explained that he had previously been locked up and had never experienced true human interaction. I sat down in his pen and waited for something, for what I wasn’t sure, but I waited. Eventually, the dog looked at me, walked over, and sat in my lap. He was mine at that exact moment, and he just so happens to be the best ranchy pitbull you ever saw. He’s my sidekick now, if I’m on the ranch, you can typically find him not too far away.
I was hired to work here because the elderly couple who own the land wanted someone to take care of the animals and basically run the place for them, and I was more than happy to take the job. They seem fairly well off, but they’re getting up there in age. I’ve always been good with my hands, and they needed someone to help them do the heavy lifting. I also like to create, using odd pieces from all over to get what I need and do the best with what I have. I prefer sweat and hard work over an office job, no matter the weather. Once I got to thirty, I gave up on the thought of having anyone permanent in my life. I searched for a job that would place me in the middle of nowhere, far enough that I couldn’t bring a lady back home and have it be convenient. This job provides housing, a place to keep my horse, allows my dog to be here, and for me to have plenty of alone time. I prefer to hang out in my trailer than talk to a bunch of random people. When I get desperate, I’ll head into town to hang out at the local bar. That’s enough social interaction for me to last another few months. I like to sit in the corner booth with my beer and people-watch. The shit people do when no one is looking is insane.
Once I get my horse tacked for the morning, I swing a leg over and head out to check cattle. I’ll be out here a good part of the morning. I check to make sure everyone is okay, that there’s plenty of water in the pond, and to ensure there are no holes in the fencing. This time of year is my favorite. The calves are getting bigger, and there’s not as much of a risk of losing one. In early May, the mornings are cool, and it’s not blistering come afternoon. Once June hits, it’s like the devil himself sticks his pitchfork into the ground. It becomes miserable to be outside, and I have to check everything at the ass-crack of dawn or take an ATV to do it.
I lean forward and pat Dom’s neck as we move forward, getting deeper onto the property. Once he’s warmed up a little, I push him into a trot and then into a lope. The wind whips through my hair, and I inhale deeply. Nothing can beat this day.
* * *
It’s about one when I make my way to the chicken coop. It’s falling apart, the paint is peeling, and it definitely needs to be reinforced. It just hasn’t been a top priority, another thing to fix on this old farm. I’m collecting the last of the eggs when Peter comes hobbling out onto his back porch. I put the eggs in my apron and make my way to the porch to put them up and meet him.
“How ya doin’, Peter?”
“Oh, I’m okay, just kickin’ another day. How are you?”
“I’m good. What’s goin’ on?”
“You remember me talking about my granddaughter, Esme, right?”
“Oh yeah, the one who lives in LA and loves to get manicures.”
