Chapter 2 #2
I don't argue. I'm past that. My head is all over the place.
The girls watch me as I walk away, likely wanting to shower me with questions and support, but I'm not up for it yet.
I need to clear my head and decide what to do, or at least the first half, before talking more about it.
Nash brings me Digger right on time, as promised, and I hop on him.
It takes five more minutes before I feel like I can walk into a room without screaming.
The air is crisp and cool as the sun goes down, and the brush snaps happily underfoot, as I trot through the woods.
I decide I want to venture out further, so I take Digger outside the wooded area and start off at a gallop.
It feels so liberating, as my ankles slap against his sides, clinging to his body with my thighs.
It's sort of magical how riding can make you forget all your problems.
His hooves pat on the earth as we gallop through all of Billy's land, until we get towards one of the parcels that's bordered by a low fence, and I see it.
Rather, I see her. I see a young girl laying in the pasture.
There are trees overhead and I can see from a distance that she's got a fancy camera in her hand.
"Hey!" I shout. "This is private property! "
Nothing.
"Hey! I said this is private property! You're trespassing!"
She doesn't move, except for small finger gestures as she adjusts her camera. After pulling back on the reins, slowing Digger down, I call out to her once again. "Ma'am! You're trespassing!"
Still nothing. It's like she's deaf. Or maybe she's an illusion.
Or maybe she's just ignoring me and she's about to open up a can of whoop ass on me, like what I picture Shelly doing if someone were to sneak up on her like that.
My boots hit the grass underfoot and I walk to her.
The woman is blonde. Her hair is long and is pooled all around her face and head as she lays in the soft grass.
She's photographing on her back, and it looks like a telephoto shot from the vantage point of the grass to the tips of the trees.
"Ma'am?" I call out softly, intrigued by what she's doing.
The camera has a small screen on the side of the lens, and I can see the shot that she's taking.
There is a soft tote bag next to her bearing some photography studio’s name.
But a long tripod hanging halfway out of it is blocking the first name of said business from my view.
“Ma’am?” I try once more, before going any closer.
She still doesn’t acknowledge me. But I’ve forgotten all that, because I’m watching her pan in and out of the shot, adding effects, making the shot look like something out of a horror movie.
Then she changes the effect and it looks like the most beautiful goddamn picture I’ve ever seen.
Her finger movements are so fast yet fluid.
It’s like she’s been doing what she’s doing all her life.
I’m lost watching her. She transforms the photograph from just a couple of trees to something unimaginable.
Now I’m no expert. I mean, my phone is filled with pictures of horses and nuts and bolts and pieces of the resort house.
Stuff like that. But this, this is something else.
She turns over onto her stomach and glances at me.
Her eyes widen and she lets out what I’m guessing is a scream.
I’ve startled the pants off her. Never in my life have I seen a woman scurry off so fast. I’m lost for words.
But then I find a few as I chase after her.
“Ma’am! I didn’t mean to scare you! It’s just that this is Billy’s ranch!
You’re not supposed to be here!” I run after her as fast as my legs will carry me, but she’s faster.
Like she ran in competitions or something.
I’m winded and considering going back for Digger, when she runs into the brush and I lose her.
I’m so out of shape it’s frightening. My chest heaves as I stop to catch my breath.
The woman’s footsteps are so soft I can barely hear them.
But even if I knew where she was headed, I’m too winded to follow her any further.
Once I reach Digger, I climb on him and retrace the path where she went.
It’s too dark by the time I even start getting anywhere, so I give up, and find myself laying right back in the spot where she was laying.
It’s perfect. It’s like she made that spot what it is. Perfect view in between the trees. The twilight peeks in through the clouds in such a way that makes it look like the lord himself is looking down on me. I figure she must have scouted this spot out. You wouldn’t think to look at it that way.
And I seem to have found myself another place to go to clear my thoughts.
I know this, because I’m not laying here thinking about what happened tonight.
In fact, I find myself looking up the various photography Studios, here in town, and even out of town, trying to figure out where this girl perhaps works.
The search is to no avail, of course, so I figure that she’s probably from out of town, especially if she didn’t realize that she was on private property.
Any local would know that this is Billy‘s land. Unless you’ve had his permission, you’re not supposed to be here.
Funny thing is, the girl's face seems to be glued inside my head. The long, sheer, blonde hair, the big blue eyes that stared back at me so frightened, and her long, nimble fingers. Milky, white skin, full pink lips, long, dark eyelashes, there is no two ways about it, that woman was like an angel. I’ve never seen anyone more beautiful before.
The more I think about it, the more I wonder if maybe she did know that she was trespassing.
I can’t figure out why else she would run.
Not unless she worried that I would hurt her.
But who could hurt such a gorgeous creature.
And such a talented one. As the mystery woman remains inside my memory, I rise, and I take Digger back to the stable.
Billy comes out of the house, and rests his index fingers in his belt, loops, in a stance that I always take as contemplative.
“Do you mind if I borrow your truck?" I ask him.
“Not at all." He tosses me the keys from his pocket. He doesn’t ask what I need it for or where I’m going. There is a mutual trust between us. He also doesn’t press me further on the issues from earlier. I forgotten how respectful the man can be.
Hands on the steering wheel, I begin a trek through our small town, looking for what, I don’t know, but it soothes me.
The carpets roll up in this town by six o’clock in the evening, except for on the waterfront.
There’s an ice cream truck parked close to the marina.
The truck gets parked and I find myself walking over to order an ice cream, even though I’m still full from dinner.
Most of the boats are moored for the night.
A handful of sailors are sitting on the pier, or sitting right on their boats.
I’m halfway through my ice cream cone when I swear I can hear somebody calling my name.
Straining my ears, I see Buddy Wilson calling me.
And that’s when I realize the real reason why my conscience brought me here.
“Levi Paxton." Buddy calls. “I don’t believe I’ve seen you here since you were just a boy and your dad used to bring you here with your brother."
“That sounds about right." I stick out my hand to shake his. “You still got your old boat here?"
“No, I bought myself a new one a couple of years ago. Sort of an early retirement present to myself."
“The store is closed down? I hadn’t heard."
He waves. “It’s not closed. I’m running an antique shop next to it, but I’ve got a new girl running the studio for me. My eyes aren’t what they used to be."
“Who is running the studio for you? I haven’t heard about anybody knew coming around."
“That’s because you’ve been holed up at Billy's ranch. Sorry to hear about your dad, by the way."
It’s my turn to wave. “Don’t mention it. It was a long time coming."
“All the same. It can’t be easy on you or your brother.
But your dad, he never took up what he loved, like I did.
That’s what you’ve got to do in life, Levi.
The old saying, you know, find something that you love to do and you’ll never work a day in your life, it’s true.
And anything that you do outside of that stands to make you miserable.
Then you find yourself drinking away your sorrows. It’s as simple as that."
“There’s more to it than that, I’m afraid."
“I know it. You should come around tomorrow and go for a sail with me. I don’t get company very often. It sure would be nice to catch up with you, Levi. Word is that your brother is getting married?"
Talk about news travelling fast. “That’s right. No dates been set or anything, mind, but she’s got a ring on her finger."
“She a nice girl?"
“She doesn’t put up with Nash‘s shit, I can tell you that." I say with a good natured chuckle.
“That's sometimes all a man needs, son. You come on by the marina here tomorrow and go for a ride with me, or come see the antique shop. Find yourself a nice wedding gift for your brother."
“I’ll do that.”
As I shake old Buddy's hand goodbye, I realize that I still have to go back to Billy‘s ranch and face the music.