Chapter Five
Natalie shifted on the sofa and brought the soft fleece throw to her chest to snuggle up in. The night was warm, but the apartment was chilled since Gayle kept the AC set to “morgue.” Natalie had opened the front door a little to even out the temperature since Gayle wasn’t home. Boomer, Gayle’s fat cat, was home however, and he jumped down from the back of the couch to stand at the screen door. He meowed as if he wanted to go out.
“No, Boomer, you can’t go.” He was forever asking to go outside, but she and Gayle were concerned about the nearby coyotes, so they were diligent about keeping him safe indoors.
He meowed again, longer and louder, angling his furry orange head back at her.
“You can’t go. So, give it a rest, okay?” At this rate, she’d have to shut the door. She didn’t want to listen to him crying all night.
She snuggled deeper into the sofa with the throw and thumbed up the volume on an episode of Alone on Netflix. She wasn’t quite sure why, but watching individuals battle the elements of nature while completely alone resonated with her. She could do without the hunting scenes, but she rather enjoyed the show and enjoyed seeing how the contestants overcame various obstacles. She’d had to overcome quite a few herself in life, and she was having to do so again, so she enjoyed watching people battle the odds.
Boomer cried again and she smacked her forehead in frustration. “Boomer. For the love of God.” But the light to the front porch clicked on, surprising her. It was motion-sensor, but she didn’t see anyone nearby.
“Probably just a bird,” she said as she returned her attention to the program. The porch light, which she could see out of the corner of her eye, switched off and she relaxed. Boomer began pawing at the screen door, rattling it and scaring her to death.
“Boom!” she shouted, as she tore off the throw and marched to the door. The porch light remained off, but she heard a scattering noise, like dry leaves scraping across concrete. “There’s nothing out there,” she said, although she wasn’t so sure. “And you can’t go out.”
He cried again and she shooed him away from the door. He returned at once, pawing again at the metal screen. She knelt and scooped him up. She carried him to the couch and set him down. But Boomer darted for the door again and the light once again clicked on.
“Alright,” she said. “I’ve had enough.” She turned off the porch light and went to lock the screen door, intent on shutting the main door as well, but to her shock, the screen door was yanked open, and she was shoved quickly back inside, tripping over her feet. The fall to the floor was forceful and painful and she scrambled for bearing. But before she could even sit up, her ex-husband, Allen, was on top of her, pinning her to the ground.
She tried to call for help, but he stifled her mouth with a leather-clad hand.
“Shut up,” he seethed. “Shut the fuck up. You scream, I’ll kill you. Understand?”
She blinked at him, fighting for breath. He released her and stood, tugging her up alongside him, spinning her so she was against the wall, held in place with his hand to her throat.
She stared into his eyes. They looked wide and demented, the pupils fully dilated. Spittle dotted the corner of his tight mouth.
“You think you can get away from me? Do you? Well, you’re wrong. You can’t ever escape me, Nat, you hear me?” He smiled wickedly and she was certain he was going to kill her. The shiny blade he brandished next to her face all but convinced her. And when he caressed her cheek with the back of the blade, her heart nearly tripped over itself.
“Please,” she managed, his grip growing tighter. She could hardly swallow, and black spots were now dancing in her vision. “Don’t hurt me.”
“Don’t hurt me,” he mimicked her. “God, you’re pathetic. Always playing the victim. Poor little Natalie. Boo-hoo. My daddy died when I was little. I had to go into foster care and live with strangers and they were so mean to me. Boo-hoo-hoo.” He brought her forward and thrust her back again. She hit her head against the wall. She clawed at his hand, desperate for release, desperate for a full breath of air. But he didn’t let up.
“You’re mine, got it? You’ll always be mine. You’ll never get away. Ever. And if you try, I’ll kill you, and I’ll make it painful.” Once again, he brandished the knife, tracing it down her cheek, cutting her ever so slightly so that warm blood trickled down from a stinging wound.
He released her and backed away. He pointed at her with the knife. “Don’t you forget it.”
Allen walked out, letting the screen slam shut behind him. Knowing her life depended on it, she ran to the door and bolted it shut.
She turned and slid down to the floor and cried. Boomer peeked out from the bedroom where he’d run to hide. He meowed at her, but it sounded faint, and different. Not at all like a cat.
He did it again, and again.
She couldn’t place it but….
The noise grew louder, and Natalie turned over in bed, confused. She opened her eyes and tried to focus. Again, the noise. This time she recognized it. It was a rooster. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, searching her surroundings. Her heart rate slowed as she remembered where she was.
“I’m at the ranch,” she breathed, palm to forehead. She hugged herself as she made her way to the bathroom, the AC now a little too cold for her. She’d run it all night, desperate for the house to cool and now it seemed it was. Too much so.
After she relieved herself and brushed her teeth, she walked to the thermostat and thumbed it up a bit. She slid into her jean shorts and an old worn tee. Next, she stepped into her sneakers and headed for the door. The light of dawn greeted her with rays of golden sunshine as she stepped outside. The rooster crowed again and she smiled, never having heard one so close before. She breathed in the warm morning air as she walked farther out, following an overgrown stone footpath. She caught sight of the rooster along the fence to what she assumed was the chicken coop. He called out again.
“Morning,” a voice said from the other direction.
Natalie turned and saw Vaughn approaching in a rugged-looking four-wheeler with two bench seats. It said Gator along the side. She was pulling bales of hay by way of a small trailer. “Wanna ride?”
“You bet.” Natalie climbed on board thinking that this was better than a ride on the Quadrunner Vaughn had used last night, and they zoomed around the chicken coop to the main corral. Two men were there filling the troughs with fresh water. When Vaughn pulled inside, the men slid on gloves and began snatching small amounts of hay and placing them in large tubs that hung along the metal bars of the pen.
“This here’s Benny, and that’s Greer,” Vaughn said, introducing the men. “Fellas, this is Natalie. She’s going to be staying with us for a while.”
The guys nodded, tipping their cowboy hats at her. One offered his hand but Natalie chose to wave instead. She was wary of men now, even ones that had done nothing to her. She had Allen to thank for that. She briefly closed her eyes as she recalled her dream and the way he’d choked her and threatened her with the knife. She’d left the knife out of her explanation to Vaughn and Gram, too ashamed to mention it. She knew it was awful, that he’d gone way too far. But she still hadn’t wanted to see their reactions in hearing about it. Mainly because there was a part of her that still somehow felt responsible for his behavior. Like maybe she’d brought it on herself. That’s what Allen had always told her anyway and she realized now that she’d started to wonder if it was true.
“We’re getting ready to turn the horses out,” Vaughn said, giving her a glance. “You okay?”
“Hm? Yeah, fine.”
“You sure?
Natalie met her gaze and forced herself back to the present. “I’m good. What do you mean by turn the horses out?”
“Let them outside.”
“Oh.”
Vaughn stared at her for a moment longer, as if to confirm she was really okay, and then climbed out of the Gator to unhook the trailer, leaving it with Benny and Greer. She crawled back in the four-wheeler and drove them to the entrance of the stables and got out. Natalie hurried to follow her inside. Vaughn moved quickly and Natalie knew she’d have to be more mindful of that. Vaughn had things to do, important things, and it seemed she didn’t want to dillydally around. Natalie had just caught up with her when they came to a stall with a woman inside with a tawny-colored horse.
“Morning,” Vaughn said to the woman.
“Morning.”
“Suzanne, this is Natalie. Natalie, Suzanne.”
“Hello,” Natalie said, feeling comfortable enough to extend her hand. Suzanne took it and shook heartily.
“Hi.”
“Natalie is going to be staying in the guesthouse for a while,” Vaughn said.
“Great.” She smiled and continued petting the horse. “Welcome.”
“Thanks.” Natalie reached up and stroked the beautiful horse. “Who’s this?”
“This is Oliver,” Suzanne said. “He’s our resident heartbreaker.”
“Oh?” Natalie said. “I can believe it. He’s magnificent.”
Vaughn leaned on the stall and crossed her arms over her chest. “How is he this morning?” She looked to Natalie to explain. “He’s had some colic here recently.”
“Oh, no.”
“Oh, it’s okay,” Suzanne said. “The vet said it’s just gas. He seems better this morning. He took a little hay and we’ll try again in a couple of hours.”
Vaughn gave Oliver a pat and walked away. Natalie quickly said good-bye to Suzanne and followed Vaughn who, thankfully, stopped to open the next stall. She entered and slid a halter on another beautiful amber horse. “This is O’Malley,” she said, stroking him. “He’s our old man.”
“Aw,” Natalie said, stroking his graying muzzle. “He’s sweet.”
“He’s actually quite grumpy.”
“No, I’m sure he’s just misunderstood.”
“Ha. He’ll like you.”
Vaughn gently led O’Malley out of the stall, and they walked him to the corral where Benny, the leaner fellow, came and took his lead. Natalie stood with Vaughn for a moment and watched. The rising sun glinted off O’Malley’s tawny hide, making it look like warm, rich honey.
“These horses,” Natalie said. “They’re so majestic.” She knew she sounded wistful, almost silly, but she couldn’t help it. She was truly moved by these creatures.
She felt Vaughn’s eyes on her. “You really like them?”
Natalie nodded. “I do.”
“You’re going to fit in just fine around here.” She placed a soft hand on her shoulder, causing Natalie to angle her head. “Come on, you can help lead the rest of the horses out.”
Natalie, Vaughn, and Greer headed back inside the stable and brought out horse after horse, with Vaughn showing Natalie how to ease on the harnesses and slowly lead them out into the corral. Natalie smiled as she walked, feeling proud and honored to be leading each horse. She felt dignified and purposeful and her smile, she felt, couldn’t be any more genuine.
“Come on,” she cooed, directing the last horse out. She ticked at him, as she’d heard Vaughn do and the horse, whose name was Beauregard, followed her slowly. He, too, was up in years and slow moving. But his eyes were deep and rich, and she could tell he was taking her in and trusting her. They reached the corral and she gave him a few soft strokes on his velvety muzzle. “The pleasure was all mine,” she whispered to him. He bobbed his head. She laughed. “I’ll come back for you later, okay?” She left him and joined Vaughn at the gate.
“And the rest of the horses?” Natalie asked, motioning back toward the stables.
“We feed them inside and then they go out a little later, when the others are out to pasture. They just need a little extra one on one attention.”
Vaughn started heading for the house.
“What now?” Natalie asked, catching up to her.
“Now we eat,” she said. “Breakfast time.”