I rode the bicycle back to our farm. I'd thanked Chris plenty but I still felt indepted. I'd made a mental note to help him out on his farm for a few days once I'd gotten Joline.
I cycled fast. I knew I wouldn't leave today, I'd leave tomorrow first thing in the morning after breakfast. I'd probably get there at night if everything went well. Should take me about 12 to 14 hours to cycle all the way back. I could stay the night with her and then we could leave together again in the morning. I'd be gone two days, that wouldn't hurt the farm too much either.
I apporached my new home. I couldn't help but smile. In just two and a half days this place would be paradise; farming, nature, horse-back-riding, learning to hunt, friends and Joline Joline Joline.
I left the bike on the porch; who was going to steal it? I entered the house with a spring in my step; my life was finally going uphill again. I didn't even think about the fact that maybe Joline wasn't there anymore or that she could have died or that she might not want to come. I was blinded with joy.
"How's Chris." Martin asked me. He was still recovering. But in a week or so he'd be able to do easy work again. I knew he was looking forward to being useful, he hated sitting still and rereading old newspapers that my uncle had always stored by the fireplace. ¨He'd always said: if it's a good article I read it, if it isn't it's still going to light a fire. That's recycling for you.
"Chris is good. He lent me a bicycle."
"Why a bicycle?" Martin asked. But he was still scanning the paper for interesting headlines.
"I'm going back to NYC."
"Uh-huh - huh?" He realized what I'd said and dropped the paper. "Why are you going back to New York City?"
"I left someone behind, I regret it, I want to ask them to come to the farm." I said. I wanted to sit down badly but I didn't really want to talk to Martin for the next three hours. He was bored; he'd try to get me to stay there for ages.
"Oh okay. Have you talked to the others?"
"No. But I will tonight. Imma go and help with the animals. They're still shell-shocked, especially Crystal. She's even harder to keep under control than she used to be." I sighed. "Have fun reading." He flipped me the bird and I just laughed. Martin was a good guy.
The stables were empty. Abby must have taken the horses out to graze on the pasture. I was right; they were there. Abby was talking to Ryan. They stood there just watching the horses. I didn't mean to sneak up on them but when I shouted howdy they both jumped. I laughed and shook hands with Ryan. "Sorry to scare you folks." I said, but I wasn't. I was still mad about them fucking in my car. Don't hold grudges I just like to play games.
Abby told me that Crystal had almost killed Ryan this morning when he'd tried to get her out of the stable and onto the fields. Abby had been able to calm her down and lead her outside. "I don't blame Crystal, she's been through a lot." I mused. "I think it'll take a while until she feels better, she'll probably be jumpy the rest of her life."
"Yeah."
"But it's good that they're on the pasture. I'm going to see what Fred and Albert are doing, see you guys at dinner! And don't forget to get the horses in my four o'clock. We need them in the stables before sundown."
I crossed the farm to where Albert and Fred would most probably be; tending the apple trees. I was right. "Hey boys." I said. They greeted me. I let them tell me what needed to be done and gave them a hand. We worked well.
I waited for dinner to be over and Martin to serve apple pie to tell them of my plans. The reactions were mixed. "I'm going to NYC tomorrow by bike." I said. Abby looked at me in surpirse, Fred almost exploded in anger and the other's just seemed a bit startled. Martin smiled and nodded. "There's someone there I want to get. Could be usefull on the farm."
"You're leaving us." Fred said slowly. I nodded. "You're leaving us even though you know those lion-like creatures could come and attack us again?"
"I'll only be gone for two days. It takes a day to get there and another to get back. With complications it could take three days. That's almost nothing."
"Yeah, but you're one of the strongest men we have on the farm. Martin's injured."
"You guys were doing alright without me Fred. I don't wanna hear about it, I'm leaving in the morning." I snapped back. Abby looked a bit nervous; both of us had started to raise our voices. For Fred it was more than just me leaving; I was leaving and I was taking his security away with me. He'd get no guns from Chris even if he needed them.
"You're jepordizing this whole places safety just because you want to recruit more people? We don't need more help, we need people to defend the-."
"Another persone means another person to help defend the farm too, we'll have another set of hands for farming and she-."
"She? She!" Fred exploded in anger. Dropping his fork and standing up. "You're bringing a woman? This is about a woman? You're putting our lives on the life for a fucking-."
"Shut up Fred." I said, equally angry.
"Oh this just keeps getting better with you, doesnt it? You leave only to come back and pretend to own the place, then you fuck me over with Chris and then you leave to get laid?"
"You fucking bastard!" I said and slammed my fists on the table. I stood up to look him right in the eye and raised my finger threatingly, sticking it right in front of his face. "I don't fucking own the place, even though I'm the person who has the right too. And you were ripping Chris off, you couldn't even tell the others about it. You KNEW it was wrong."
"At least I'm trying to defend us and don't leave us hanging every two weeks!"
"I don't fucking do that!"
"SIT DOWN BOTH OF YOU." Abby shouted. Fred and I looked at her in suprise. We'd forgotten that the others were present; they'd been so quite. "Sit down and talk this over like normal people." Neither of us wanted to sit first. Abby tugged at my sleave. I sat down but gave Fred the evil eye. He sat down too, but after I had. He'd got the satisfaction of sitting down last. Stupid motherfucker.
"You can go tomorrow, nobodys forced to stay on the farm. But please make the trip quick, Mack. And you Fred, you're going to tell us what Mack's talking about with Chris." She looked at both of us sternly.
"I'm going to bed. I have to get up early." I said and stood up. "Tell them about how badly you fucked up, Fred." I said, almost spitting. I knew he was glaring at me but I didn't care. I could hear Abby start to question him as I left but I didn't care. Let them talk.