Chapter 11
Gene worked Kage all day and into the late hours each night for the next five days. Kage was suspicious the first night but was sure Gene had ulterior motives the second night when Gene sent him out after dinner to clean the cobwebs from the ceilings of two barns that were barely standing—waiting for the wind to blow them down.
“You missed that web and that one.” Gene pointed to spider webs that Kage thought had to be older than Gene and were out of the reach of his ladder.
Kage challenged, “Why does it much matter to the hogs if they got spider webs around them? They ain’t particular.”
Gene didn’t respond. He just pointed to several more spider webs and walked out.
Working with a fading lantern and numb fingers, Kage balanced on the top step of the 5-foot ladder and stretched, swatting the cobwebs with a broom. With only ill-fated spiders to keep him company, he reflected on the past few weeks, on meeting Gracie, and on what it felt like to hold her. “So, this is what good memories are like,” Kage thought.
* * *
“Good to see you.” Gracie greeted Kage as he stepped through the front door. He leaned toward her, hesitated and touched his nose to hers but pulled away when he caught a glimpse of Thomas in the kitchen. Thomas’ spoon clanked in the coffee cup like a timer clicking.
Earlier that day, when Gene stopped at Swirly’s, Kage asked Thomas if he could stop by to see Gracie. Thomas had reluctantly agreed.
“It’s okay,” she encouraged wanting Kage to feel comfortable in their home, despite her grandfather’s antics.
“I’m not sure it is. I think Gene’s working me overtime so I can’t see you,” he said, lowering his voice. “I had to convince him I had hours at the grocery tonight to get away,” Kage whispered.
“Really?” She heard the clanking fade into the distance, indicating her grandfather may have stepped into a back room of the house for a minute.
“Listen, I’ll have enough money by the end of the week to go to Louisville to see my sister.”
Gracie’s eyes sombered instantly. “Oh.”
“But you could come with me?”
“No,” she answered automatically. She hadn’t lived like he had, chasing after something. Instead, she lived to hold on to all she had.
“I thought you’d say that. I mean, I didn’t expect you to leave your grandfather.”
She took his hand and pulled him toward the couch to sit. “I don’t know you well enough to follow you around the world.”
“Around the world? It’s Louisville!” Kage exclaimed.
Gracie pulled back from him.
“Sorry,” he apologized, scooting closer to her.
Gracie took a deep breath. “Well, what I meant was,” she held her voice firm, “is that, I can’t just leave my grandfather who’s always been here for me. I can’t run off—” she glanced over her shoulder then lowered her voice, “with you. I haven’t lived a life like you, heading off whenever I get the urge and staying with strangers. I can’t do that.”
Kage pressed on, “Not even for a week?”
“No,” Gracie repeated, shocked that he thought such a request was of any possibility.
“I understand …”
“Will you come back?” Gracie asked, afraid to hear the answer.
“I might. I mean, look around. There ain’t much here for me. I don’t plan on living with Gene and Willy Carter forever.”
Gracie blinked several times. She nodded, “You’re right, I guess.”
* * *
Gracie made hot cider for Thomas each morning, tip-toed into his room and set it on his nightstand. Most mornings she’d returned to find it untouched, but this morning Gracie was relieved to hear her grandfather stirring around in his room.
The hardwood floor stung her bare feet as she groped for her slippers under the bed. Frigid morning air always made her feel lazy. Returning to the kitchen, she added an extra pinch of cinnamon to her hot cider. She considered not opening the shop again today. Word spread about Thomas’ illness since Swirly’s hadn’t kept regular hours.
“Want a fresh cup?” she asked her grandfather as he hobbled into the kitchen, the hairs on his head fuller of life than his dragging feet.
He nodded and reached out for the steaming mug she’d just made for herself. She poured herself another. As he sipped, he spilled the warm cider down his sleeve. His arm jerked to life, as he growled.
Gracie handed him a dishtowel and led him to the table.
“You remind me of Marilee,” he scoffed.
“Good,” Gracie teased, “then I’m doing something right.”
“I’m ready to go back to work.” Thomas took a second stab at sipping his cider.
“Let’s stay home. Another day’s rest would be good for you—and me.”
“Nah. Gotta get busy.”
“Nope. I’m staying right here with you.” Gracie pulled a chair up beside him at the kitchen table, and she laid her head on his shoulder.
Thomas kicked his feet under the table, his right house shoe shooting out to the center of the kitchen floor. “I’m going. I feel better today. In fact, I’m pretty sure I look good too,” Thomas said, raising his chin assertively.
Gracie chuckled at her grandfather, glad to see some spirit. He hurried to his room. She heard clothes hangers clanking in his closet.
“Almost ready,” Thomas finally called out. Gracie stood from the kitchen table, sliding her chair under and also straightening the other chairs around the table, just as her grandmother would’ve done.
Entering Thomas’ room, Gracie frowned. “Will you let me do that?” she insisted as he bent over to put on his work shoes.
He had managed to get on his clothes and socks, but all the blood had rushed to his head and several beads of sweat ran down his cheek.
“Let me do that.” She wrestled with him to hand over his shoe.
“I can put on my own shoe,” Thomas wheezed.
Slipping the shoe on his foot, Gracie pulled one string with her teeth and the other with her hand, tightening it on his foot. Thomas shook his foot, and Gracie’s head bounced with each tug. Through her clenched teeth, she mumbled, “Would you stop?”
Thomas jerked his foot away from Gracie, and she watched as his feeble hands took hold of the strings and, twice, he failed at securing the knot.
“Dag blasted!” Thomas sat staring at his shoe—defeated.
Gracie’s heart broke. Standing up, she put her arms around her grandfather.
“I’d rather not argue right now, if you don’t mind,” he glared at her resisting defeat.
She knew his stubborn side, but she was too much like her grandmother to let him win.
Thomas grabbed the shoe strings again. Gracie cautiously took his hand and squeezed it. She looped the string and made a bunny ear. He meekly smiled, nodding, and took the other string to loop it around. Together they tied his shoe.
Thomas kept his shoes on but stayed home after all.
“Okay, but promise me you’ll go in tomorrow.” Thomas insisted. And Gracie agreed.
* * *
Kage worked from daylight until dark for Gene until he didn’t remember what it felt like to eat a full meal anymore. He climbed the rickety ladder and swatted at another set of cobwebs with his broom as Gene opened the door and looked in to check on him.
“You got the trailer cleaned yet?” Gene cracked the barn door open, stepped in and turned a circle counting the remaining spider webs.
“Trailer? No!” Kage turned so quickly on the ladder that he almost lost his balance.
“Yeah, I told you to clean out the trailer. We’s loadin’ cattle for auction in the morning.”
“No, sir, you didn’t. Willy and Barney always do that. What do you have them doing?”
“I don’t care for your tone, boy. When I ask you to do somethin’, I expect it to be done.”
“Sir, you told me to do no such thing. I’ve been doing the work of three people the last week and a half, and I’m tired of it.” Kage stepped down from the ladder and threw the broom down. “I think that you ought to have Barney get up extra early in the morning and do it. He ain’t had to work nearly as hard since you’ve been working me to death.”
“Boy, you best pick up that broom and go back to workin’, or you ain’t going to have a job here no more.” Gene took several swift steps toward Kage.
“I don’t think I will,” Kage challenged, moving closer to Gene.
“You will if you want to work here any longer.” Gene’s jawbone tightened.
“That’s it. I’m done with this!” Kage stomped passed Gene and kicked the bottom edge of the door with a force that ripped it loose at the hinge.