Page 13 of Rival
He snorts and chucks his boots toward the back door. “Nobody looks forward to a construction job. Knock that shit off.”
Pressing my lips together, I keep quiet, but just before he leaves, I realize I need him to know I’ll be gone all day. I’ve asked him if I could work before, expressed that I was eager to get a job and start contributing to the household.Oreven save up to find my own place.“There’s enough to be done ‘round this place. Don’t need ya runnin’ off to earn a shit wage when I give you plenty here.”
Even bringing it up a year later, I got the same line, only I had to duck when he tossed his bottle, accusing me of being ungrateful.
I know it’d be awful if I told him I was going to begin working over at the Cooper farm. Not only am Inotallowed to go there, but it’s a paying job. One he’s explicitly said no to on multiple occasions. Grinding my molars together, I decide to lie. Again.
“Uh, Father?” He doesn’t answer, but he waits to see what I want, swallowing a deep guzzle of the amber liquid he’s forever drinking. I clear my throat and smile tentatively. “I spoke with Mrs. Danielson earlier. It seems as if they could use my help in the morning, not just the afternoon. I know you were fine with me volunteering, so I, uhh… I told her it would be alright.”
Shrugging, he turns away and shoves the living room door open. “I don’t give a shit what ya do. Just get your chores done before you go and have dinner on that stove by the time I’m home.”
Blinking in surprise at the empty spot he was just standing in, I find myself utterly shocked. He didn’t complain or grumble. Not about a single thing. Turning back to the sink, I quickly wash up a few dishes and use the time to consider his out of character response. He’s never had a problem when I helped out with church stuff. Maybe if I ask the Danielsons, they might have an actual job there for me.
I sleep well that night, excited that I not only got away with my second lie, but for the next day’s worth of work ahead of me. By the time my alarm sounds, it’s five in the morning, and I have twenty minutes planned for myself to get ready for the day. Then another ten to prepare a breakfast for my father he’ll be able to heat in the microwave. An hour for chores, which brings me to this moment right now, staring at the wooded barrier between the properties.
I head to the Cooper farm thirty minutes early. The plan was to find the kitten and get him fed. Maybe even a quick washing before Mr. Cooper is ready for me to start.
I slip into the barn and quietly click my tongue, calling out for the kitten. With a grin, I drop to my knees when the little guy comes bounding over, much more vocal than I’ve ever heard him, which makes me giggle.
Unwrapping the bit of food I cut up and mashed with water, I set a bowl on the ground and feed him. He attacks the dish with fervor, his face getting absolutely smothered with bits of meat and breading. I wasn’t sure what to feed him, but when I’m out today, I’ll pick up some kitten food at the store and hide it under my bed.
“You’re early.”
I glance over my shoulder and grin up at my new boss. “I wanted to make sure I was. Wanted to get this guy settled and be ready for whatever you task me to do.”
My smile falls away when he rolls his eyes before draining off the last of his coffee in his mug and sets it on a ledge near the door. “Wonderful. You’re a fuckin’ mornin’ person.” Without waiting for me, he marches past us toward the back of the barn. I scramble to follow, leaving the kitten to continue his feast, and keep my lips pressed together to rein in my excitement over the prospect of working my first day at arealjob. “I really wasn’t plannin’ on hirin’ anyone new, so I don’t have time to teach you much today. Figured you could handle feedin’ the babies while I put the rest of the herd out to pasture and get them settled.”
“Babies?” I ask excitedly, then grow serious when he narrows his eyes at me. “I can do that. Just point me in their direction. Oh, and I’ll need to know where their food is.”
He tilts his head to indicate west of us. “Barn two’s over there. Everythin’s inside. I’m sure you’re smart enough to figure it out.”
I chew on my lip, hesitating, but I need to ask. “What, uhh… What should I do when I’m done if you’re not back by then?”
My excitement and ego take a hit when he actually starts laughing at me. “Ihighlydoubt you’ll be done by the time I’m back. But on the off chance you are, start muckin’ the shit out. Lay down some fresh bedding if you find bare spots. If it’s extra nasty, change all of it. Pretty sure you can handle that.”
Standing up straight, I nod once. “I’ll take care of it. Thank you again, Mr. Coop—”
“For fuck’s sake. Just call me Mason. The Mr. Cooper thing sounds weird. Just… go do as you’re told.” He waves me off, and I fight my desire to apologize for annoying him already. It’s not intentional. I’m just so happy and thankful he agreed to this.
“Right. Th-Thanks.” Spinning around, I hurry out and carefully step over mud puddles left behind from last night’s rain before finding the barn with the babies.
As soon as I’m inside, I freeze, shocked by how many there are. There must be over twenty of them! I didn’t realize Mr. Coo—Masonhad a large enough herd for all of these, but as I explore the space, I realize there’s another area toward the back with another fifteen or twenty.Geez! There are so many of them!
My eyes search all over until I find the area where there seems to be feed stored. Hurrying over, I find I’m correct, so I walk past each feeding station, dumping out the old food from yesterday into a large trash can, then fill each one carefully.
I grin as the calves fight for fresh food and start munching, all of them behaving similarly after each new area is visited and food replenished. That part only takes me about half an hour, so once they’re all settled, I glance around for a hose and find one with a steady drip at its connection to the faucet.
The wheel it’s coiled on screeches loudly as I tug it free, stretching out the length as far as I can, just able to reach the last water pail. I pour old water into a drain cut in the floorand fill their buckets with fresh water. I repeat my actions until everyone is watered.
I haven’t spent much time around cows. They sure are smelly things, but I love it. It’s a little steamy in here, most likely humidity left behind by the storm as well as the morning sun drying out the ground. Scrubbing the sweat from my forehead with my arm, I drain the hose after shutting off the water and it takes me a solid fifteen minutes to turn the crank enough to respool the hose.
Horse hooves pound somewhere outside, and I wait for Mason to come inside, but he doesn’t show. Shrugging, I look around for a rake to clean up the messes these babies have left overnight.
Doing this kind of work has never bothered me. My father has always had me clean up after Raleigh, and these little guys are so much smaller than he is. Carefully, I crawl over the railing and drop into the end stall, and for the first time, I let my fingers trail over the coat of one of the calves.
“Wow. You feel so much more coarse than I would have expected, little guy.” It’s ridiculous to talk to him, but no one is around. I’m pleased when he leans into my thigh, forcing a giggle to escape when I stumble. “And you’re even heavier than I thought you’d be!”
I stroke his head a few times, then run my palm down his back while my fingers scratch against his fur. Tapping his side, I try to get him to shift so I can clean up the few piles buried in the hay, and he gives me the space I need.
