Chapter 7

2784 Words
Dawn POV I look at myself in the mirror in awe. I can’t remember the last time my hair was the natural light blonde, I look younger, not that I need to, I’m only 27 but still. I never realized how hard the black hair made me look, feisty and fierce, but this is awesome. I look more feminine, and it makes my green eyes seem brighter than normal. She applied treatment making my hair feel like silk “Oh Lillian” I say running my finger through my hair, it goes down stopping just above my shoulder blades “You look unrecognizable Dawn” Millie says touching my hair lightly “I do, I really do” I say and Lillian bows dramatically “I am good aren’t I?” she says smirking and we laugh “That you are. Thank you so much” I say giving her a hug “My pleasure, no really who can say that they did a famous actress’s hair around here?” she says and I laugh again “You can, once this mess with Leroy is sorted out” I say and she nods happily. I unlock my phone and hold it up “Come on girls, smile” I say and they flank me as we smile taking a few selfies. I send it to both of them “Now, when the time is right you can put this up. People won’t believe you, so here you have proof” I say and she nods happily “Oh hell yeah! My mom is going to freak out! She loves your movies” she says and I giggle “Awesome! Now I need to get back, Pops is alone and we need to get some snow cleared before it gets too high” I say and pay, much more than I should’ve, but she’s just that good. Her talents are wasted here “When I get back to my world, I might just hire you as my personal stylist Lillian” I say but she shakes her head “I would love to, but you’ll have to come here. This is my home” “You’ll see the world” I say leaning on the counter “Well okay maybe just one movie then” she winks “Thank you again, I look amazing” I say and she nods “My pleasure, now shoo I have the next customer in ten minutes” she says, basically shoving us out the door laughing. I drop Millie off and head home. I can’t stop looking at myself in the rear view mirror, I should’ve done this ages ago. But Leroy insisted I keep my hair long and black, he liked it like that. Well Leroy, suck it. I park the truck and get out just as Pops walks out the barn and his whole face lights up when he sees me “Pickle! You look amazing!” he says and I flick my hair striking a pose “Thank you sir” I say and he chuckles “There you are, I missed you” he says touching my hair and I nod “Change is as good as a holiday, or so they say” I say wiggling my eyebrows “Well I like it” he says patting my shoulder. I spin around when I hear a squeal “Oh my, just look at you! She’s back ladies and gentlemen!” Lou says clasping her hands to her chest walking up “Hey Lou” she touches my curls and sigh “Lillian is the best isn’t she?” I chuckle “Oh yeah, I almost didn’t recognize myself” I say and she nods, still playing with my hair “I love it! About time you got back to your roots” she says winking and I giggle at her double meaning “I did, so we shoveling snow or what?” I ask but Pops shakes his head “Lou brought some help, we’re done so you can ride out and fetch the cattle” he says and I skip away happily. I feel so liberated, so free. This is amazing! That night after my shower I look at myself in the mirror, my bruises are gone, my hair looks amazing and for the first time in a very long time I feel happy and satisfied. Before we know it it’s almost Christmas, I feel a little sad because I won’t be spending it with my family. I miss them so much it hurts. They love my hair, mom went on for almost fifteen minutes about how much she loves it, dad just smiled brightly. They told me that the counter suit has been filed and now we have to wait for the courts. On the one hand I’m glad, I really don’t want to face Leroy, like ever, but on the other hand I want to go back and get on with my life. I’m sitting at the dining room table, going through the financial statements for the ranch. We’re not in debt, in fact it’s the total opposite. The ranch is doing very well, so well in fact that if we go into Spring, we could double the herd, I think. I run the numbers again but get a different amount “Oh come on” I groan punching the button on the calculator “Don’t break it because you don’t know what you’re doing” his voice makes me jump and my head whips to the side and I jump to my feet charging into his arms “JAKEY!” I squeal jumping into his arms and he wraps me up in a warm hug. I bury my face in his neck, inhaling deeply. God I missed him so much “Hey goof” “Hey ranch hand” he jokes and I laugh pulling back “I missed you” I say and he nods smiling like a goofball. His hair is shorter, combed back making him seem more dominant than he already is “Hey, where’s mine?” mom says and I scramble to her wrapping my arms around her squeezing as tightly as I can “Oh!” she exclaims hugging me back “Wow, you became stronger” she jokes as I let her go “Daddy!” I exclaim wrapping my arms around his torso “Hey Starlight” he whispers into my hair and I sigh “You look amazing honey” he says and I smile stepping back “You’re here” “Surprise! Merry Christmas!” Jake exclaims, pulling us into a group hug. I’m wedged between them but I don’t mind. I missed them so much, and they can finally hug me without hurting me “It is! Oh wow I can’t believe this! Best present ever” I say as we step back “Thought you’d like it” Pops says, holding Lou tightly to his side “Oh Pops” I say hugging them both “You’re the best family ever!” I say smiling so widely I think my face is going to crack. We spend the rest of the day chatting, sharing stories and making a huge dinner. Sitting around the table as we chat I look at my family and can’t help but feel warm inside. This is so amazing, I can’t believe they did this. By the next afternoon Jake and I are pouring over the financials and he confirms that we are doing great and I feel proud “Fourth quarter is great. You really made a difference Ror” he says proudly and I must say I feel very proud “I try, now can we take on a farm hand?” I ask and he scans the pages again “Well, I would say you could take on two maybe three actually. If you are going to expand like you want in Spring then you’d be fine” he says and I sit back sipping my coffee “See, I got this” I say smirking and he sits back looking me over “You really do Ror” “Thanks for the help Jakey, but I want to know something else” “Okay?” “How much will it cost if I am to, oh I don’t know, get a firm to handle the financials?” I ask and his smile widens “Well, let’s see. It would be…” he punches the calculator “Minus the…” tapping furiously “And then of course we have the family discount” he says and I smile “So?” “Nothing” he says and my eyes go wide “No, it can’t be” “I’ll do it for you for free. I offered it to Pops a few years back but he said it was fine. I would do it on one condition” he says and my throat tightens “Okay, let’s hear it” I say and he takes my hand in his, locking eyes with me. Ah the business man is back “You will never let another man like Leroy come near you again” he says and I nod, averting my gaze “Don’t have to tell me that” I say, but my voice is soft “Good, it’s settled. I’ll sort it out when we get back. I have a few investment options if you are interested. It’ll help in the off season, to make sure you have a constant cash flow” he says and I nod again, still not looking at him “Thanks Jake, if you’ll excuse me I need to fetch the cattle” I say standing “Rory?” his voice laced with concern “See you in a bit” I say grabbing my jacket and closing the door behind me as I walk out into the cold afternoon air. The sun is shining, but the wind is cutting through me, I don’t care. I just can’t have the Leroy conversation with him now. Not today, I have been feeling great for the past three months, confident and more like my old self, I will not let him ruin it now. I mount the horse and make my way to the fields. My head running through all the memories of my time with Leroy, by the time I get back I am fighting the tears so hard my throat is burning and my head is pounding. Dammit Jake! I take off my jacket and hang it up “Oh you’re back, dinner will be ready in twenty minutes” my mom says happily, I squeeze my eyes shut and take a few deep breaths before plastering a fake smile on my face and turning around to face her “Thanks mom, but I’m heading to bed early tonight” I say and she steps closer “Are you okay?” she asks placing her hand on my cheek “Fine, just tired and I have a headache. All the excitement and late night last night you know?” I say nonchalantly and she nods “Okay, call me if you need anything” she says and I kiss her cheek turning to the stairs “Night mama” “Night my love” she says and I walk upstairs. I take a quick shower, warming my chilled bones before I crawl under the covers. f**k Jake, why can’t you just leave well enough alone? I scowl switching off the light and almost instantly I fall asleep, plagued by nightmares. I wake up sitting upright in my bed covered in sweat and jump when my door flies open revealing a scared looking Jake “Ror… you okay?” he asks quietly stepping inside and sitting on the bed next to me “Yeah, just a nightmare” I say wiping the sweat off my brow “Does it happen a lot?” he asks brushing the hair off my face “No” “Liar” “Okay, fine sometimes” “Shouldn’t you go see someone about this?” he asks and I sigh falling back onto the pillows “Jake please” I plead “No Rory, this is serious. I know this, it won’t stop by itself” he says and I groan “Shoo pain in the butt” I groan and he chuckles “Listen, I know you’re scared, but if you want to talk, just know I’m here okay?” he says and I nod “I know, thanks goof” I kid and he chuckles again “Okay, good night” he says kissing my head before heading out the door “s**t, if he just kept his damn mouth shut” I grunt turning on my side, I struggle for a bit but fall asleep, luckily this time it’s dreamless. Christmas morning isn’t any different from any other morning, at 4am I’m up, trudging snow as I make my way to the barn at the back housing the cattle “Morning!” I say happily checking the feed and water before moving to the horses “Hey girl, sleep well?” I ask the chestnut horse. I take off my gloves and stroke her soft hair making her neigh in delight. I grab the brush and run it along her body, she shakes her head and stomps her hoof in approval when I reach her belly “Oh you like that do you?” I smile still brushing her “You know, when I was little I used to love it when my mom brushed my hair. She’d let me sit on the floor, between her legs and we’d talk while she brushed my hair. It relaxed me, made me feel loved and special, it was just us, our time” I tell her and her big brown eye locks on me “It was way before the world got complicated and bad. When life was simple” I step in front of her, her gaze steady on mine “You have it easy you know? You have all you ever wanted and you have Pops to boot. And me I guess, don’t know for how long though” she lets out a breath of hot air shaking her head “I want to stay, I really do but I also know I can’t keep hiding here forever. I have to face the world at some point. The world out there, beyond this ranch is cruel Nellie, it’s a cruel and very lonely world. People aren’t all bad but most of them only like you for what you can give them. I mean look at my so-called friends, not one of them even sent me one text, or gave me a call to find out where I am and if I’m okay. Hell I even saw one of them hugging Leroy at a Christmas party on the news a few days ago. Leroy, now there’s a story that needs a not so subtle funeral” I chuckle sadly at my own joke “But you know about loneliness don’t you girl?” I frame her long face with my hand stroking it gently “All alone here in this massive barn. Well until I have to go, you’ll have me okay?” I say and she nudges me with her velvet nose making me giggle “Good girl” I whisper but jump when one of the pigs squeal making me laugh “Oh they’re just jealous, but I need to feed them too. See ya later Nellie” I say patting her head and moving on to my other tasks.
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