AllFreeNovel
Share Us
For a brief moment, I think of all the things I should be doing at home today and then cast those thoughts aside.
Iwantto be here.This is absolutely fascinating, and the air already vibrates with energy.
“I’ll stay,” I agree with a nod, and then smile back at Joy when she waves for me to come inside the tent.
“I’ll see you a little later.I’m in charge of vaccinations,” Millie says as she hurries over to the cows.
“Erin, welcome,” Joy says as she holds the screen aside for me.“If we didn’t have the screens, we’d be overrun with flies and bees.Now, you have a choice.You can help cook.”
I raise an eyebrow.“Or?”
“Or you can help cook.”
I laugh and follow Joy to the kitchen area.“As luck would have it, I’m pretty decent in the kitchen.I’m especially good with a knife.What can I do?”
Joy starts to give orders, and the day flies by.
There’s so much commotion with all the kids and people bustling about.They come into the tent to grab a snack and a drink, and then they’re off again to do whatever it is that they’re doing in that temporary pen.
The calves cry and make noise, and it makes me cringe, but Joy is awesome about patting my shoulder and telling me that everything is going as it should.
By the end of the day, we’re a sweaty, tired bunch of people, but I think I had one of the best days of my life.
Ilovethe sense of community out on the ranch.It kind of reminds me of my big, loud family back home in Seattle, and that makes me a tiny bit homesick.
Before I know it, everyone has finished with the calves, as they’re being led out of the pen and off to the pasture to be reunited with their mamas, and all the hard-working people make their way to the tent to load up on hearty chili and cornbread.
As tired as everyone obviously is, there’s so much laughter and camaraderie that it makes me smile.I even know some of the people here from the coffee shop, and that makes me feel like I’m part of something.
Like I belong to this community.And I have to blink to keep tears from sneaking into my eyes.
“Let me get this straight,” a man named Leonard says after sampling his chili.“You make a damn good coffeeandyou cook?Where have you been all my life?”
“She’s too young for you, Leonard,” Rem’s dad, John, says as he joins us and fills a bowl with chili as the other man laughs and walks away.“What did you think of all the commotion today, Erin?”
“I think that what you have out here is incredibly special, Mr.Wild.”
John’s face softens, and he nods.“I do, too.You’re welcome here anytime, whether you’re working or not.”
“Thank you.”
I don’t know why that makes me a little emotional.Maybe because John reminds me ofmydad a little.I mean, they look nothing alike, but they both have such an incredible work ethic, and they obviously love and protect their families.I can’t help but think of my father and the other men in my family.
“Let’s go sit by the bonfire,” Millie says as she joins us.She gives her dad a hug before leading me over to where the fire is already burning as the sun sets behind the mountains.There’s a big s’mores station set up with all the fixings and sticks to use to roast the marshmallows.
I see Holly struggling to get a marshmallow on her stick, so I step in to help her.
“Hey there, beautiful girl.I haven’t seen you hardly at all today.”
“I was working hard,” she informs me as she watches me wiggle the puffy marshmallow onto a stick for her.“I’m extra hungry.”
“I bet you are.Did you get some chili?”
“Yeah, but now I want this.”
“I get it, trust me.Come on, I’ll help you if you want.”
“Yeah!”Holly bounces on her toes.“Let’s do it!”
