The more I worked at the ranch, the more exhausted I became, from the kitchen to ignoring the workers who cat called me. I did not need to socialize with them or anyone else. I noticed Wendy always smiled when Scott passed by the kitchen window looking determined to work. I thought it was sad, not that it was any of my business. My lunchbreak came after I had to clean up the hall. I ate a burger sandwich while strolling by the tools shed, then I heard sounds of kissing and a girl giggling.
"I had no idea, you were this good!" She whispered.
"Yeah, wanna go upstairs?" A boy asked.
The girl was more than sixteen, I could tell because I had seen eighteen year olds in prison. She gasped when she saw me. The boy turned to look at me, his eyes bulged and I took a bite out of my sandwich. "Oh, don't mind me, I'm just walking by." I say.
"Who the hell are you?" The boy asked. His hands still clamped to the girl's behind.
"Nobody I guess oh and girl, you know this guy is barely sixteen right?" I pointed my sandwich at him.
She gasped in surprise and pushed him away. "Omg, you said you had a Dracula condition!"
I almost choked on my burger.
He blinked. "Look, she's lying, I'm eighteen you gotta—"
"Eww, stay away from me you idiot, nobody from school better hear about this! " She stomped off with her pin straight blond hair swinging behind her.
"Sarah, honey!" He called after her.
"Ah, to be young and stupid again." I teased. He glared at me.
"Who the hell do you think you are? You ruined my mojo." He snapped. "You know I could have you fired."
I scanned his features, yep he was definitely Scott's boy. "Okay, let's go over to your father's office and you can tell him how you, a complete idiotic minor wanted to lure an older girl into your room."
He licked his lips. "Nobody's going to believe that."
"Try me." I ate the last of my sandwich.
He walked off without looking at me. I smiled in victory.
* * *
Wendy folded her arms impatiently as I strolled out of the canteen. She rolled her eyes as I stared at her when I came outside.
"Try to work faster, I have mass to attend in ten minutes." She closed the doors and jammed the keys in the lock and turned quickly.
"Aah, I remember the last time I attended mass, it was right before my friend Mira was put in the electric chair. Sad way to go out." I say absentmindedly. Wendy looked at me quickly.
"He who kills with the sword dies with the sword. You know that right? Chloe Harper." Wendy says.
I stare at her making sure there's no reaction on my face. I was good at that.
"Surprised? I read about what you did from an old article and you know Joan's brother-in-law works on the ranch. I think he dies everytime he sees the woman who killed his brother's wife. Ten years is hardly enough justice for Joan." Wendy glares at me. I look down.
"Who is he?" I asked.
" 'who is he?' " Wendy mocked. "The Foreman Easton Dirk. If I were you I'd have the decency of quitting before it gets ugly. Scott's too generous to the bad guys, they end up hurting his business. Do me a favor and return these." She pushed the keys into my hand. "You can do that without hurting anyone right?"
Without another word, Wendy leaves me. Put yourself together Carter, be strong. I repeated that mantra everyday in prison. Well, no wonder Humphrey had that look whenever he saw me in the canteen. I strolled towards the records office where keys were kept. Unfortunately I ran into Scott flipping through a yellow folder. He saw me walk in.
"Good evening Chloe." He says. I hang the keys on a rack, labelled CT, short for canteen. Obviously this ranch was safe from prowlers.
"Yeah?" I croaked.
"Everything okay?" He asked, searching my face.
"Well, this place smells like chicken feed other than that." I gave him two thumbs up.
He shook his head in disbelief. "You have a nice night."
I turned to leave, then I saw Easton behind me. He took a quick glance at me then at Scott.
"Rounded up the horses into their stables—" Easton told Scott as I left the room. My cellphone rang, it was Helena. I pushed the answer button.
"Hi, how was work?" Helena's voice blared.
"Dreadful as always." I answered.
"Do you need a ride? I just finished the laundry and cleaning Leo's room." Helena asked.
"No, it's fine. I can walk today."
"You're serious? It's like two miles from home." Helena began to rant. I hung up and stuffed the phone in my pocket. I can walk, it makes the pain go away.
A car drives past me and stops. Easton looks out. "Need a ride?"
"No, it's fine." I say.
The backlight is so blinding, I have flashes of the first few years in prison. I take a deep breath.
"You sure?" He asked.
I nodded. He goes back in his car and drives away.
I look behind me, Scott is just coming out of his office and locking up, I keep walking anyway.
Helena drives up to meet me anyway and I have no choice but to get in.
"Are you nuts? You can't walk two miles." Helena queried.
"Stop being a baby." I say. "It's a small town."
"So?" Helena scoffs.
"You know who I met today?" I ask.
"Oh, don't tell me it was the twins? That's great, although I don't think Scott's son knows them." Helena chattered.
"No, Joan's brother." I say while looking out the window.
Helena goes silent. "Crap, I had no idea he worked there, well no wonder Scott was hesitant. How did he react?"
"Just went about his day, like nothing."
"Chloe, you have to quit, if he hasn't approached you about it, it's not healthy." Helena's voice shook. "You did time, left your kids, your family."
"Who don't want me, I don't need them. I can handle myself Lena, it's only a few months." I say with a smile.
She gives me a quick look, the focuses on the road. "Just be extra careful and keep a pepper spray with you at all times, I think I have one or two back home."
While Helena yapped on about safety, I keep remembering Easton's eyes the first time in the canteen, innocent, but still, she had be extra careful and what's the best way to get backup in an unsafe working environment?