Chapter 11 – You Shouldn’t Have Come Back
Hadley – 22 years old
E xhaustion takes over as I finish in the barn. Today has been no different from any other day on the farm, but my overthinking and anxiety have gotten the best of me. Draining me from the inside out.
An unusual gut feeling pulled at me and has lasted all afternoon. I’ve always trusted my gut when it tells me something is off or something’s coming. However, I’ve always had a rough guess on what it’s about. This time I have no clue, and it’s unsettling.
It’s late, and I haven’t even text my family to let them know I’ll be late getting home. It took a lot longer to complete all my jobs than it normally does. Rolling my eyes, I wonder why. Tired and hungry, I text Margo.
9.30pm –
Hey, just finishing up on the farm.
I’ll be home in half hour.
What’s for dinner?
Xxx
Her text bounces back immediately.
- 9.30 pm
Yeah okay, I’ll tell mum and dad.
Lasagna and G-bread.
Take your time, see you soon!
XX
I stare at my phone before shrugging at the weird response. Normally, she’d respond with something sarcastic or derogatory. For once, she’s replied like a normal person. Strange.
Waving the text off to me just being hypersensitive and maybe a little paranoid. My stomach grumbles, then I smile and whisper, “Thank the lord.” Mum’s done my favourite meal. Not to be bias, but Mother’s lasagna and garlic bread should be an award-winning dish at a fancy restaurant.
Gravel crunches under tyres as a vehicle pulls up outside; who’s here ? Stepping out of the barn, it’s dark, so I move closer to inspect, but the idiot turns their full beams on, and I can’t see shit.
Pulling my arm up, I shield my eyes, then Trevor says, “It’s fine, Hadley, finish up and head home.” His voice takes a gruff tone. With my brows furrowed, he steps towards the driver’s side of the vehicle. Not like Trevor to have any visitors at this time of night; why is he irate?
“You sure?” I ask, and Trevor stops his hushed tones to the driver as the truck is turned off.
“Yeah, you go and finish up, then get out of here for the night. I will see you tomorrow.”
Something’s not right. I step back into the barn but stand near the barn doors out of sight, hoping I can eavesdrop.
For five minutes, I stand in the lit-up barn in silence and hear nothing. If I was braver, I’d look to see if they were still there. I didn’t hear a car door shut, and although the headlights are now off, I’m guessing they are still there.
The barn is split up into four stalls, each with a horse on one side and an array of tools and hay on the other side. Moving towards the tool side of the barn, I pick the brooms up off the floor, then hang them onto the hooks on the barn walls.
I’m procrastinating getting out of here and heading home. What if Trevor is in trouble? Should I call the police or my dad? Trevor’s an old man without any family or many friends. If anyone comes to see him, it’s during the day, not at night.
I’ll stay a little longer to be sure he’s safe.
Halfway through picking up a hay bale and putting it stacking it in the corner, a stranger asks, “You want a hand?”
When I glance up at the soothing deep voice, my mind takes a second to register who is standing in the barn. I freeze, my eyes go wide, and my heart rate picks up as I take him in. He’s taller and has broader shoulders, vivid green eyes, and a more grown-up face. Gone are his boyish looks—he’s all man. I move to step away from him but stumble back, only stopping when my arse hits one of the stall doors.
With my body shaking and my thoughts flying around in my head at a rapid rate, hurt, betrayal, loss, and love threaten to overwhelm me .
He’s here, he’s actually here.
For six long years, I struggled to move on. Tears prick my eyes as I stare at the man in front of me.
He left me alone and empty. My heart didn’t just break that day, it shattered into hundreds of pieces.
And over the last six years, I’ve had to pick up every piece and put me back together again. Just as my life was on track, he shows up.
I was enamoured and in love with every part of him, and here he stands, arm’s length away, and my heart, well … that’s just burst out of its cage with open arms for him.
His last words have haunted me day and night. “I prayed we could be more too.” Unable to control the inner turmoil I’m in, I let out a scream. How dare he come back now, how fucking dare he? Anger courses through my veins, and I dart out of the barn.
His feet pound against the ground as he chases after me and calls, “Tigger!”
I stop at his pet name and whirl around to face him. “Don’t you fucking dare call me that!” I yell, marching towards him, jabbing my finger in his chest. “You’re a fucking monster, no, you’re worse than a monster, you’re the fucking devil.” I pause, grinding my teeth as I try and compose myself. I slam my finger back into his hard chest. “Why are you here?” I spit, venom dripping from my every word.
When he doesn’t answer, I push. “You turn up right now? You’ve been gone for six fucking years, Luke.” Breathing heavily, I catch Trevor watching on from the barn door with worry on his face.
Taking one deep breath and swallowing the lump in my throat, I quietly tell him as a sob breaks free, “You know what, I don’t care why you’re back, you shouldn’t have come back, but whatever, you’re here now, so do me a favour and stay the fuck out of my way.”
Turning towards my car, I run and jump in, fire her up, then speed down the dirt road towards my home, not even sparing Trevor a goodbye or Luke a glance.