“So then, the balloon popped, right in your hands! You poor thing…you screamed for a good ten minutes!” Darby’s eyes twinkled, as she finished telling me some story, from my childhood. I had come to find that Darby was a relative, to my father, by marriage. They had explained it all, but I just got confused…I was told I could just call her Aunt Darby…I’m not really sure if she’s actually an aunt, or a great aunt, or a fourth cousin twice removed.
“Oh but you were as cute as a button! You just clung to Nick’s leg, since your parents were in the house rounding up dinner. You two have always been so adorable together!” Mel was, evidently, another relative…again, I wasn’t sure exactly how we were related. Seriously…when they tried to explain it, it was like some sort of twisted history lesson or something…my dad was related to so and so, who married this person, and that person’s daughter was cousins to another person, who married somebody else…I mean really, did they expect me to know what they were talking about?
“HEY!” AJ, who was sitting across from Mel, pointed his fork, at her. “You should tell them the story about the time with the tire swing and the pigs…that’s a good one!”
“I remember that! It was right after that nasty storm.” Howie chuckled, obviously remembering the story that AJ had brought up. This was like some weird family reunion…the adults had not stopped talking, since the moment we all sat down, to eat.
“Oh…that is a good one!” Mel’s head bobbed, as she served herself some more potatoes. I had to admit, they were really nice. I wasn’t too sure if I liked the adults talking about all these stories, from when Mason and I were younger, but the air was light and it was a nice change. It was so much easier to breathe, in this atmosphere, as opposed to the one from earlier this evening.
“Mmm! The storm was horrible…I remember the winds were near record speeds, for that summer.” Kevin had been very involved, with the conversations. Everyone seemed so at ease...there had not been a single harsh word, and I could tell that it wasn’t just because the ladies were here. “The barn door was nearly ripped off.”
“Oh yes, and the pigs got out, somehow. I still don’t think Nick closed their pen’s gate all the way.” Darby picked up the story, throwing a smirk in Nick’s direction. Rolling his eyes, he let out a huff.
“I closed that gate…it was latched.” Nick’s head tilted when Darby and Mel giggled at him. “I’m serious!”
“No matter. The point is that the pigs got loose, in the middle of this bad storm. The thunder was so loud that you two boys would jump right out of your skin, every time it cracked…and the lightning, wow, it lit up the whole sky!” Darby was a lady who talked with her hands and it worried me a little, since I was sitting next to her and her hands kept coming awfully close to her glass. I could just see the grape juice spilling all over my clothes…and I was wearing my favorite shirt, which happened to be mainly white…and as we all know...grape juice doesn’t come out!
“Boy, the rain sure was coming down, too! After a while, the lightning and thunder dissipated, but the rain just would not let up!” Mel happily continued the story, as she used her fork to make a mountain, out of her corn and potatoes.
“Of course we had to round up the pigs.” Nick rolled his eyes, annoyed at the memory. Surely he was not too hip, on the idea of chasing pigs in the rain. You know…I wouldn’t have wanted to do it, either!
“All of us headed out to find the pigs, since they were scattered everywhere. You two boys were having the time, of your lives, out in those mud puddles…well, with that storm, they were more like mud lakes!” Kevin’s chuckle filled the air and a smile crossed his lips. He looked off, as if he were getting lost in the memory.
“So here you two little ones are…covered from head to toe, in mud! Brian and Nick are trying to get you to come along and help find the pigs. I’m not sure how they were able to get you to do it, but finally you followed, shouting ‘Here, piggy, piggy!’, at the top of your lungs.” Howie contributed, to the story, leaning back in his seat.
“So the five of us…you two, me, Bri and Howie…all head down toward the lake. Once we get there, we see the biggest pig…he was like hiding under the trees or whatever. Needless to say, when you guys saw the tire swing, the whining started. Neither, of you had been out there before, so it was all new, to you and you wanted to play on the tire swing.” Nick’s grin grew, with every word. Everyone was chuckling, as they all took turns telling us the story. All the plates were empty now, and everyone was just sitting, at the table, talking about what had happened. Luckily, for me, Darby’s glass was empty, now, too!
“You and Brian were chasing that huge pig in every direction.” Howie shook his head, looking beside him, at Nick. “Mud was flying everywhere and we were starting to look like the kids!”
“Yeah, yeah! Then…Baylee, you were trying to climb onto the tire, while Howie was helping Mason tie his shoe. When all of the sudden the pig came flying your way…”
“Oh right! The pig ran into you, knocking you off your feet…”
“…and you landed on its back!” Nick and Howie were taking turns, now, dramatically explaining what happened. They would look serious…then crack up…then their eyes would grow wide…and their hands whipped in every direction.
“Now this pig is running wild, with you clinging to its back!” Howie took over again and I was beginning to get an ache, in my neck, from looking back, and forth, between them.
“Your legs were flying everywhere, as you wrapped your little arms around its neck. Your dad was flipping out and started chasing after it.”
“Brian was screaming ‘Let go of my son, you wicked swine!’ and Nick here was just double over, cracking up!” They both started laughing again, along with all the other adults. Mason and I looked at each other, not sure what to think about the events we were being told about…neither of us remembered the incident, but it was rather humorous, to picture it happening.
“Needless to say, we’re shouting at you, to let go, but you were scared the pig was gonna trample you, if you did. So, you just hung onto that pig, like nobody’s business.”
“Finally, we joined Brian, in chasing the pig. It was running in circles, kicking up more and more mud. Your dad’s face was covered, Baylee, and he had this crazy look, on his face.”
“Yeah yeah…” Nick was getting a little too into this, as he leaned forward. Everyone was in a fit of giggles, chuckles, or full out laughter. The story wasn’t done yet, though. “So we get this thing cornered, right? Well, finally you fall off it, because it stopped moving. Then it charges at your dad! So he’s running around, being chased by this pig, and his arms are waving in the air like he had just seen a zombie!”
“He came running all the way back, to the house. We had already gotten the other pigs rounded up, when we see him come running out of the woods, screaming like a little school girl! His arms are waving, he’s zig zagging back and forth, he’s covered in mud, and running at full speed. Nick and Howie are right behind him, each carrying one of you, on their hip. It was the funniest thing I had seen in a long damn time!” AJ shook his head, laughing and obviously remembering the events, very clearly.
“AJ and I grabbed the pig, as Brian ran past, and got it back into the pen, with all the others. It took several minutes before he caught his breath, and mumbled something about being happy we caught the wicked pig.” There was an obvious change in Kevin…his attitude…his smile…his tone of voice…it was obvious that the talking had done him some good. I was relieved that things might really get back to normal, this time.
“Once he finally caught his breath, he casually walked up to Kevin…” Darby’s grin told me what had happened next. It wasn’t even that hard to figure out, so I just finished her sentence for her.
“Let me guess…dad hugged him.”
“EXACTLY!” The whole table, of adults chimed together, before bursting into loud fits of laughter.
“I can imagine the look on your face, dad.” This was the first time Mason had spoken, since everyone sat down. He had been so quiet; barely laughing at the various stories we were told. I was wondering if something was wrong, but when he looked at me, I realized he was probably just thinking things over.
“Well, we best be on our way.” Everyone stood, as Mel smiled and set her napkin down.
“Oh my! I hadn’t realized it had gotten so late! Please forgive us for not staying to help with the dishes.” Darby frowned, looking at the guys. I knew it was pretty standard, especially in our family, that when you were a guest for a meal…you always helped to clean up. Most of the time the host would tell you it wasn’t necessary, but you still offered, at least twice, to help.
“Um…don’t worry about it, Mason and I can clean up.” Yes, I offered to do the cleaning…I know, shocker, right? But, the ladies were nice…and the talk had finally happened…I just figured it would be good to suck it up and take the duties.
“We will?” Mason lifted a brow, turning to me. I gave him an elbow, in the ribs, and that look that Nick always gives me…you know…the one that says ‘Don’t argue with me, because you’re gonna do it, and you’re gonna like it.’.
“Of course we will, Mason! We have a lot to be thankful for, and it’s the least we can do.” I turned my gaze to the ladies, who were heading toward the front door. A few moments of good-bye’s and they were on their way. After waving them off, I pulled Mason back into the dining room. He gave me a look, of hesitation, but I smothered it with another ‘Don’t you dare argue.’ look. When we carried the second load, of dishes, into the kitchen, we found Nick standing at the sink.
“Hey boys…just set those right there, on the counter.” His arms were up to the elbow, in soap suds, as he washed the silverware. He gave me a grin, and nodded to the counter, where he wanted the dirty dishes to go. I set the plates down and reached over, to slip the forks into the sink.
“Oops! I’m sorry, Nick!” I apologized as soon as I saw the suds spring up and hit him in the nose. Really, I didn’t mean to drop the forks, like that…but they were a little greasy and they slipped. Nick turned his head, glaring at me, with the little bubbles still on his nose. “I didn’t mean to.”
“Oh that’s it young man!” His face looked mad, but I knew it was an act when he sent suds flying through the air. They hit me square, in the face. Nick leaned onto the sink, laughing.
“Eew! My mouth was open!” Scrunching my nose, I quickly came back up to him and tried to reach around him. He moved his body, to keep me away from the suds, but I slipped an arm under his and tried flinging more bubbles, at him.
“Um…I think I’ll just…” Mason started backing out of the room, when Nick and I looked at each other, with wicked grins. All at once, Mason had four handfuls of soap suds flying at him. Before I knew it, there was an all out war, in the kitchen. We were chasing each other around, throwing bubbles, and tackling each other.
“What the fuck is…” When AJ walked in, to find out what the commotion was al about, he didn’t even get to ask the whole question, before he was attacked. Mason hoped onto his back, while Nick rubbed bubbles in his hair. Howie was next, to be pulled into the brawl…followed lastly, by Kevin. The whole house was in an uproar! Laughter filled the house, and everyone participated in the game. It was stress relief, at its best!
Once the brawl settled down, an hour later, I begged Nick to take me to town. I wanted, so badly, to talk to Morgan and fill her in, on everything…I just didn’t have cell signal on the farm, and there was no land line, since no one lives there on a permanent basis. Luckily, Nick agreed…and even had a grin, on his face, when he did.
“You’ll get signal, as soon as we get around these curves, and over that hill there.” Nick chuckled, seeing me stare at my cell, waiting for signal to appear. I saw him shake his head. “When will you realize Bay? When will you realize?”
“Realize what?” Briefly looking up, from my phone, I turned my attention to him. He was just about to respond when my phone beeped, telling me I finally had signal! My fingers quickly hit the speed dial number, for Morgan, and then the phone was to my ear.
“BAYLEE!!!!!!” Morgan’s voice nearly pierced my eardrum, but I’ve never been so happy, to hear her squeal. A smile instantly crossed my face, as she began to talk a mile, a minute. Have I ever mentioned that I love my best friend?
Author's Chapter Notes:
Close your jaws, your eyes aren't decieving you...I really did update again! LOL. This is what I like to call a 'stress relief' chapter...I hope you guys like it!
Chapter End Notes:
Thanks, to all of you who have stayed loyal readers! I also appreciate all the feedback...I have officially caught up and respoded to them all! ;-)
