Sage: Take the Risk (F&L Story #3)

Sage: Parts 25 & 26

Part Twenty-five

Friday, August 21, 2010.

“So, how's life with the dumbass?”

Sage smiled at Aunt Sally as they walked through her pumpkin field, measuring the growth of the developing gourds. “Never dull, that's for sure.”

“You two still fighting?”

Sage bit her lip. “No, I think we're done with that.”

“You think you're done? Honey, either you're still fighting, or you're not. It's that simple.”

“Nothing's ever simple with Carey,” she sighed and bent down to tighten her boot laces.

“Hell, Carey's the simplest man I know. He ain't the least bit complicated. He says what he means, and he's as simple-minded as a four-year-old child.”

“More like a horny fourteen-year-old,” Sage muttered to the dirt.

“What's that?”

“Nothing,” she said loudly. “I'm just glad to get out of the city for the day.”

Aunt Sally snorted. “Oh, yeah. Nothing like the smell of chicken shit in the morning to clear your mind.”

Sage grinned and fell in step with the plain-spoken woman. “Exactly.”

They walked for a little while in silence. Sage took in the bright sunshine, thankful she remembered her sunscreen because her skin fried like a piece of bacon, and listened the sounds of the nearby river. The air smelled cleaner out here, even if it was tainted with odors of the nearby chicken coops. Aunt Sally described the farming process of her pumpkins, pointing out the ugly, distorted ones that she said sell for a high price because people like the abnormalities of nature. Sage was amazed at how something so disfigured could appeal to people. But that was life, she guessed. Someone's always looking for something different.

They headed back to the farmhouse when Aunt Sally said, “So, when are you going to tell my nephew that you're really in love with him?”

Sage stumbled on a rock. Was she that transparent? She hid her unease by saying, “When you learn to mind your own business.”

“Oh, well. Then that ain't ever gonna happen, is it?” She smiled at Sage. “Don't worry, hon, it's not that obvious. I only see it because I ain't lookin' at what's supposed to be there.”

“Good,” Sage said, raising her chin in defiance. “Because Carey is --”

“Is a dumbass for not seeing what's right in front of him,” she finished for her. “So, I guess that's an accurate description of him, after all, seeing as how he can't get his head out of his butt long enough to realize how you feel about him.”

“I don't want him to know,” Sage said, hoping Aunt Sally understood to keep this quiet.

“Oh, hon, I ain't gonna tell him. You just have to understand that he ain't gonna figure it out on his own, though. You ain't taking none of his crap, are you?”

Sage laughed. “Why does everyone keep saying that to me? I don't take his crap, I swear.”

“Good. It's just that all his life, he's been the baby. Baby Carey, or rather Baby Huey, considering what a bumbling idiot my nephew is. He's got feelings for you, too, darlin'. I just ain't sure what those are yet.”

“That makes two of us. He point-blank told me that he only tolerated me under his roof because he wants to screw me.”

Aunt Sally drew up to a vicious halt. “He said that to you?”