WATER RIGHTS, CHAPTER 2, HANNAH AND LUKE

 

HANNAH AND LUKE

          Soon, the three of them settled into a routine. Luke and Hannah went out to the meadow morning and evening. Luke took care of the work required in the barn while Hannah returned to the house and cooked a hearty breakfast. Thomas was feeling a bit left out after a few days, so Hannah told him he could do the cleaning up after meals. “And don’t be telling me you don’t know how, because I still remember how you always helped granny. I’ve been spoiling the dickens out of you since you came home from the hospital.”

          Most days Luke went back out to the barn to take care of the tack and saddles and any other things that he thought could be improved. Clearly, there had been way too much for Thomas and Hannah to keep up. Things that weren’t absolutely necessary had gone without attention. He found he really enjoyed the work he was doing here and the people he was doing it with. He tried not to think about why he was doing it because it made him feel guilty.

          Over time Hannah’s reticence was replaced by a young woman who had a clever sense of humor, was friendly, relaxed and verbal around Luke and her grandfather. On the rides back and forth to the meadow, and sometimes in the afternoons, Luke could get Hannah to respond to his carefully worded questions, and slowly he learned how and why she’d ended up on the farm.

The drives into town were also opportunities for him to ingratiate himself and learn more about her. In town, she would get her grandfather’s prescriptions filled, visit the feed store and the grocery store to keep their larder stocked, but her never saw her actually interact with or act as though she was happy to see any of the town folk. Luke enjoyed having the young woman, who he’d learned was actually 19 years old, beside him in the tractor or truck or just at the kitchen table.

He learned Hannah’s mom had been an only child and hadn’t wanted the ranch life. She broke her parents’ hearts when she took off for New York City as soon as she was old enough. Hannah’s mom hadn’t become a star on Broadway as she’d been so sure she would, but she’d met Hannah’s dad when she got a bit part on a soap opera. According to the stories her mom had told her, it had been love at first sight. They were together from that first day and joyous when they’d found out her mom was pregnant with Hannah, so they got married.

Luke was astonished to find out her father was Stephen Townsend. He’d watched the soap on which her dad had a regular part with his mom growing up. Her dad’s salary was enough so Hannah’s mom didn’t have to go out and work. Hannah had so many memories from those first years. She and her mother explored New York when she was old enough while her dad worked. In the evenings, they had dinner together and often danced and sang and pretended to put on shows for each other. There was lots of hugs and kisses and togetherness. Hannah always felt so safe and so loved, even when the World Trade Center Towers were attacked and New York became a nightmare for a while. To Luke, it sounded perfect and he hoped as time went on, she’d share more stories about New York and what she’d done there.

When she was ready for school, her mom had enrolled her in a one that many actor’s children attended. Most of the other kids were like her and believed they’d grow up and become actors like their parents. The gleam from Broadway stretched far. By the time she was 10, Hannah had already been in a number of plays, a couple of commercials and her parents were convinced it was only a matter of time before the right role in a movie appeared.

Then, just after her 11^th birthday, her entire life was upended. Her parents were riding the subway together which was something they rarely did because they didn’t believe it was safe. A young man going through withdrawal, crazy with need for a fix and carrying a gun, shot them both and took her mom’s purse and her dad’s wallet. Just like that she was an orphan.

Her father didn’t have any close family, so Hannah’s only recourse was her mother’s parents and the farm. Granny came to New York as soon as she got word and helped Hannah with her grief, funeral arrangements and finally to go through all the stuff in the apartment. There wasn’t a lot she could take to Montana with her. There wasn’t money to box it up and store it. In fact, there was very little money because her parents had been so young and hadn’t even begun to think about the future which seemed so many years away.

Her granny was very sympathetic, holding Hannah while she cried, assuring her things would be okay eventually. So, what Hannah didn’t want or couldn’t take to Montana was sold and the remaining clothes, photos, and keepsakes were boxed up and sent to the farm. Her parents were cremated and packed up too, so they could be buried together on the ranch.

The ranch and her grandparents weren’t total strangers because her mother had brought Hannah back home once a year to visit. Then, Hannah had loved everything about the ranch, but she’d never ever thought she’d leave her beloved New York to make it her permanent home. The first year was exceptionally hard because there was so much she had to learn both at the farm and at school. She told Luke she was determined to be successful even if it meant having to act a part and she knew she was a good actor and could pull it off. She was right about part of it, the ranch work part.

Ranch work wasn’t terribly difficult once she began to develop some muscles and she did love the animals and taking care of them. Then they’d had chickens and ducks, and pigs as well as the horses and cattle. Some of Hannah’s favorite memories were of her and her granny riding out into the hills together and granny showing Hannah her very most favorite places. Even though granny had been gone a couple of years, Hannah told Luke she still rode out and visited those special spots because it made her feel close to her granny and her mom because granny said her mother had loved them too.

School was a totally different story. First, Hannah was dressed all wrong, like something out of a magazine. Then there was her hair. It had never been cut and hit below her butt. She almost always wore it in a braid. All the other kids wore jeans and flannel shirts and boots and sported the latest hairstyles. And, okay, granny had bought her jeans and shirts and boots when she first arrived, but Hannah thought those were work clothes. Her very first day she became the butt of many mean jokes. It didn’t help that she’d arrived after sixth grade had already begun for the year, but the cliques had been formed years before and any chance of her being initiated into one of them didn’t even come up because she dressed and looked funny.

Luke wondered then if that was why Hannah wore such ill-fitting clothing. The shirts and pants were always way too big and he thought perhaps there was at least another layer, maybe two beneath what he could see. He wondered just how much damage had been done by her school mates. Kids could be so cruel. He also wondered if that’s why Hannah tended to avoid anyone in town that looked as though they could be close to her age. She was always polite and respectful to her elders, but he’d actually seen her turn and walk the other way at times when younger folk were headed her way. He got his answer on what must have been their fourth excursion into town.

Hannah had walked around the corner toward the grocery store. Luke was going to the feed store. He’d only taken a couple of steps when his ears caught her name.

“Well, if it isn’t that Hannie Girlie.” A male voice said nastily. “Haven’t seen you since school ended. And, I can see you still have that stupid braid. Wish I had me some scissors and I’d cut it off right at the top.” This was followed by laughter, both male and female. “And just look at the way she dresses. Is she actually a girl? Doesn’t look like she even has any tits.”

Another female voice took over. “Well, I can testify to her having tits because I saw her in gym class. And she’s got the biggest bush of hair on her pube. You could probably braid that too.” More nasty laughter.

Luke straightened himself all the way up and stepped back around the corner, “Are these assholes bothering you Ms. Townsend? If they are, I surely know just how to make them go away. But, instead of making a scene like they’re trying to do, let’s just get our business done and go home.” He took Hannah’s hand and placed it on his arm. “Now, if you rude and nasty little rats could step aside, we’ll be on our way.” He towered over the people who had been tormenting Hannah. He stepped forward and they stepped back. Within a couple of steps, he and Hannah were walking away from the offensive little group. Once they were around the corner, Luke asked, “Does that happen often?”

“Well, it’s happened ever since I came to live here. It’s not their fucking business how my parents died. It’s not their fucking business why I had to come live with Granny and Gramps. It’s not their fucking business if I promised my mother I wouldn’t cut my hair. They’ve always needed someone to pick on and since the day I arrived in my New Yawk clothes, they’ve picked on me. I use my acting skills to make them think whatever they fucking say doesn’t matter. Still, it fucking hurts, hurts a lot so I just try to make myself as inconspicuous as possible and escape as soon as I can.”

“School must have been hell.” Luke could hear the tears and rage in her voice.

“You have no idea and my grandparents had no idea either because I did act. I did pretend that everything was just fine. And I always had some excuse for why I didn’t bring any friends home to the ranch or attend any parties. I couldn’t share the nasty stuff with them. They were so good to me. If I couldn’t have my own parents, they were the next best.” Hannah stopped and took a deep breath. “Anyway, I’m okay now. Let me do the grocery shopping and meet you back at the truck.”

When she came pushing the cart toward the truck, she didn’t see Luke. Then, she saw him with horrible Clyde Jamison. Jamison seemed to be telling Luke something, gesturing with his hands and arms. Luke was listening attentively. She stood and watched, wondering what Jamison could possibly have to say to Luke. Probably trying to find out how gramps is doing. I’ll have to warn him that Jamison is a snake and not to be trusted she thought.

Suddenly, they both looked her way. Something flickered in Luke’s eyes, but was gone so quickly she wasn’t sure if she saw what looked like guilt or not. Jamison doffed his hat and gave her a big toothy smile. She looked away.

When Luke reached her and began to help stow the groceries, she asked, “What did Jamison want?”

“Is that his name?” Luke responded. “He was asking me about your grandfather’s health and asked me to take his best wishes to Thomas. He seemed to genuinely care about how Thomas is doing. Are they good friends?”

Hannah slammed the truck door and turned to face Luke, “Hell no, they have never been and will never be friends. Jamison is a real, a real, a real, well asshole, make that a fucking asshole. When gramps had his heart attack last year, Jamison was at the door trying to buy the ranch before I even knew if he was going to live or die. He almost caused Gramps to have a second one which would have killed him. I hate Jamison and wouldn’t sell him a cup of water if he were on fucking fire.”

“Wow, there must be some red hair in that braid of yours. I think you could become a real spitfire if someone made you angry.” Luke laughed and patted her back. “Relax, he’s gone. Your Gramps is fine, it’s all fine. Now, let’s head back to the ranch.”

Millie leaned back against the seat and stared out the window as Luke drove. She could still feel Luke’s hand on her back, could still feel the strength of his arm under her fingers. Him standing up for her made her feel good. He seems to care for me she thought. The experience and Luke’s touch made her feel sort of unsettled, like she had an itch in the middle of her back she couldn’t reach. She also felt something at the base of her tummy. She thought she knew what it was. She’d read a lot of books. Based on what she’d read, Hannah figured what she was feeling down there was desire.

She knew what an orgasm was and not just from reading a book. Hannah had already found she could make herself feel good before she came to the ranch. What she didn’t know was how it would feel to have a horse between her thighs. The first time she’d been on horseback alone, she’d let herself go and was thankful she hadn’t fallen off when she experienced the best come ever. She’d just never felt anything like what she was feeling there now.

She wished she had a best friend she could call and talk to about her feelings. She’d never had a boyfriend, or even a close girlfriend because she’d come so late to the ranch and the town. She wished she had her mother or even granny to advise her about the thoughts and feelings she seemed to be developing for Luke. But she didn’t have anyone, so she’d have to trust herself and maybe trust Luke as well.

She felt like she wanted to hold and kiss him. She’d taken to staring at his mouth when he wasn’t paying attention. She really wanted to kiss those lips, to do whatever came after. She wanted to wrap herself around Luke and keep him at the ranch forever. She didn’t know what the days to come held in store, but she was absolutely, positively sure she was beginning to love having Luke in her life.