Under the Open Sky

Chapter Seven

Amanda, her mind not really on the pastor’s sermon, sat between her father and brother in their usual pew the following Sunday. Instead she found herself day dreaming about the coming school year. Her father and brother would have time apart to sort things out and she would finally outgrow the awkwardness that had plagued her from the onset of puberty and maybe finally have a boyfriend. One her age since Cade was clearly off limits; too bad about that. It was probably just as well, guys like Cade broke hearts; she didn’t need a lot experience with men to figure that out.

Maybe Chris Atkins would finally notice her; and maybe pigs would fly. Amanda almost snorted at the thought before she remembered where she was. Beside her, her father shot her a look of warning, almost as though he had been reading her thoughts. Feeling slightly guilty for letting her thoughts wander, Amanda shifted in her seat. A moment later, however, she found herself contemplating the shopping trip her father had planned for after church. He would drop Amanda and her Aunt Naomi at the mall in the neighboring town of Haddon while he went to a large chain farm supply store. It was a trip Amanda usually dreaded; this year she was looking forward to it. She had been browsing through a few magazines and emboldened by her brief tutoring from Angela, was ready to wade boldly into the world of teenage fashion…maybe. Angela had made it all look so easy; Amanda wasn’t sure she would be certain of what went well together and what didn’t. Amanda startled when her father and brother stood on either side of her and realized she had completely missed the entire sermon. Hoping her father had not noted her distraction, she quickly stood.

“You going to eat with us?” Sterling asked of his son.

“No, I’m headed on home,” Trent turned without offering further comment and moved toward the back of the church. Amanda frowned after him, though she had to admit to feeling a measure of relief that her father and brother wouldn’t have an opportunity to argue over lunch.

“Let’s go,” Sterling, his voice tight ordered.

Amanda followed her father and aunt through the church and to the truck. It was several minutes and many miles later before her father spoke.

“Figured we’d eat somewhere different since Trent didn’t want to come,” Sterling explained his passing straight through town.

“That would be nice,” Naomi agreed and offered Sterling a smile that seemed filled with understanding.

“Maybe we should let Mandy choose if she can keep her mind in the present,” Sterling suggested.

Knowing that it was her father’s way of reprimanding her for distraction during service, Amanda squirmed.

“We haven’t been to Holston’s Beef House in a while,” Amanda offered.

“We haven’t have we?” her father offered her a smile.

Amanda returned his smile and leaned back in her seat. Maybe things were going to be okay after all.

Amanda sat on her bed painting her toenails with her new nail polish and admired the way her toe nails seemed to shine. She had completely shocked her aunt when she had embraced shopping, even asking to visit the cosmetic counter and salon. Her father had blinked in surprise when she had exited the mall with her hair clipped to her shoulder blades and her make-up done by a sales clerk who had helped her select the products she needed. He didn’t even seem too upset that she had gone about forty dollars over budget.

“You look nice,” he had stated before he opened the door for her and her aunt to climb into the truck. Amanda had grinned, kissed his cheek, and thanked him.

After letting her toe nails dry, Amanda stepped into a pair of flip flops and meandered her way outside and toward the barn where she had last seen her brother. She had seen little of him since the previous Sunday and apparently he was making himself scarce today as well.

“Hey, Benjamin, Greg; Jason,” Amanda nodded at the trio where they were working with a horse in the corral. The three men waved and returned her greeting as she entered the barn.

“Hey, Cade, have you seen Trent?” Amanda queried of him where he was cleaning out one of the horse stalls.

“Not in about an hour. You cut your hair,” he had stopped and planted his gloved hands on top of his shovel handle.

“What do you think?” she grinned. She didn’t bother to tell him it had been this way all week.

“Looks nice, Manny.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m glad you came out here. I wanted to talk to you.”

“Okay,” Amanda watched him quizzically as he set aside his shovel, removed his gloves, and moved her way.

“I’m worried about Trent; he nearly snapped my head off when I asked him to go to town with me. He needs to get out of here for a while.”

“What can I do about it?” Amanda frowned at him.

“He’d do just about anything for you, Manny. Tell him you want to go to town with him one last time before he leaves. Anything to get him out.”

Amanda considered Cade for a moment. She could see the worry etched into his furrowed brows and features. He was right. Her brother kept himself shut off to himself when he wasn’t working or fighting with their father.

“Okay. Do you know where he was going?”

“I think he was going to check on the well in the west pasture,” Cade offered.

Amanda nodded.

“Want me to saddle Dandelion for you?”

“Sure, if you wouldn’t mind. I’ll have to change shoes,” Amanda glanced down at her flip flops.

“Nail polish; I’m impressed,” Cade teased.

“Aunt Naomi almost had a heart attack,” Amanda confided before turning to leave. She wasted no time in trading her flip flops for her boots and making her way back to the barn.

“Thanks, Cade,” she took Dandelion’s reigns and swung into the saddle with the ease of experience. Moments later she nudged Dandelion to a canter and matched her rhythm to the horse’s. Her brother was in the west field, his horse hobbled nearby, but his attention didn’t appear to be on the well. He looked to be doing nothing more than staring into space.

“Hey, Trent,” Amanda called as she brought her mount near.

“Hey, pest,” Trent offered what was supposed to pass for a smile. “What are you doing out here?”

“Looking for you.”

“How’d you find me?” Trent was looking up at her now.

Amanda dropped to the ground beside him before answering.

“Cade said he thought you were out here.”

“Oh,” her brother was staring over the land again. “Did you want something?”

“Yes, I want to get out tonight, one last time before you leave and I have to start back to school,” she watched him for a moment. “Please?”

“I don’t know, Mandy. I’m not the best company right now.”

Amanda sighed and plucked a flowered weed from the ground. “Okay, I guess I’ll see if Cade can give me a ride into town; I’m sure I can find a ride home,” she kept her expression carefully neutral. She was waiting for her brother’s response; she wasn’t disappointed.

“The hell you will,” he turned to glare at her. “Not only do you have no business taking off out of here with Cade, but you are not about to run around town without a pre-appointed ride home with a trusted friend.”

“I can if Daddy says I can,” she countered.

“You think he’s going to let his only daughter run around with just anybody in town?”

“Sure, I’m smart enough to call him if I can’t find a safe ride home.”

“Number one, he wouldn’t let you leave here alone with Cade, two, he will immediately ask who’s bringing you home and where you’re going to be.”

“I guess I’ll go find out,” Amanda said as she stood and brushed off the seat of her shorts. She wasted no time in mounting and setting a good clip for home.

Cade met her at the barn doors and held Dandelion still while she swung down.

“What did he say?”

“He said no, but he’ll be along in a minute hot under the collar and ready to go,” Amanda predicted confidently.

“What did you do, Manny?” Cade was surveying her, a grin already pulling at the corners of his mouth.

“I told him I was going to get you to give me a ride into town and that I was certain I could find a ride home,” Amanda shared as she started loosening the straps on Dandelion’s saddle.

“That should do it,” Cade nodded and stepped in to grab the saddle before she could.

“That’s what I’m counting on,” Amanda grinned up at him. “Here he comes. If he asks, you’ve agreed to give me a ride. Thanks, Cade,” Amanda rose onto her toes and kissed his cheek before turning to leave.

“You know how to push his buttons don’t you?” Cade called after her.

“Be ready at six,” Amanda threw over her shoulder with a grin. “Hi, Steve,” she nodded to a hand who was entering the barn before she sprinted toward the house.