That girl really is her world.
It’s true what they say, when parents becomeGrandparents, you no longer come in the running.
“Thanks, Mama. I got a lot of papers to go through today. Need to speak to Mrs Hamilton about the town fair also,” I say, stealing another piece of bacon.
“Anything I can do to help?” Mama asks.
“No all good, just confirming the time and where the ponies will be,” I reply, flicking my eyes to her direction.
The town fair’s held every year on the weekend after the Fourth of July.
Don’t be fooled, we celebrate on that day sure, but this is like the town’s community celebration.
The Fourth is for family around Springfield.
If it falls on a weekend, the fair will be on the day after or the weekend after if it’s a Sunday. Can’t get out of going to church ‘round here for nothing. Even the Fourth.
Unless it’s to do with horses or the livestock, then it’s free reign as this is God’s country.
Our ranch is always nominated to host every year. Our closest friends and neighbours invade the property. I say invade; it’s always a welcome gift. One we deeply look forward to every year. We have the best time.
Daddy and the boys grill, Mama and her friend’s gossip. My girls, Iris and Hope, and me drink plenty of wine and whiskey. Jake alwaysbrings his guitar and almost always forces me to sing with him. Luke, Hope’s husband and my lifelong friend, always tapping along to something as we don’t have a drum set at the ranch. Ellie’s always flittering in-between; being the apple of everyone’s eye. She doesn’t realise sometimes how lucky she is being the only child in the group.
Spoilt, that’s certainly true.
“Thanks for breakfast Mama, I’m going to head into the office early,” I say, taking hold of my mug to take back home.
“Send Ellie-Belly over to me if she awakes before you leave,” she replies, taking off her apron.
“Mama, that girl ain’t moving for shit.” I laugh.
“Language!” She grins.
“Sorry.” I shrug with a smile, turning on my heels.
Honestly woman, I’m thirty-one.
“This is why we have a curse jar!” she shouts back to me as I leave through the front door.
Heading out the front door and turning right, I take a quick look out to the horizon. The glow of orange shows me that the sun’s rising and it’s gonna beanother beautiful day here in Tennessee.
There’s nothing better than here. Well, there isn’t in my eyes as I inhale the fresh countryside air. This should sort me out no problem.
Walking back through my front doors, I listen out for Ellie.
Silence.
She’s still sound asleep, obviously not bothered by the blaring sun for what is now just after seven-thirty in the morning.
Leaving my mug in the sink, opting to deal with it later, I bound yet again for my room. Opening the curtains to expose the sunlight fully, I turn around and begin making my bed. Noticing the date on my alarm clock, June thirtieth, four days to go until our favourite holiday of the year and just a little over a week until the fair.
I wonder what he’ll be doing for it...
No Mabel, stick that thought far away.
I shake my head. I’ve not thought abouthimfor a couple days. This is why it’s best to keep busy because otherwise my mind flickers back to a place it doesn’t belong to anymore.
Finding my outfit of the day, a loose white top with denim shorts and my trusted Ariat’s in case I need to leave the office, I quickly get dressed and pull my hair up into a loose bun, before adding some mascara.
