I’m angry with someone I love, and I want to clear the air, yet I don’t want to talk about it.” Josiah put his hand on Ray’s shoulder. “Trust me. If I had done as my nerves wanted, I wouldn’t have pushed through and talked to Ruth.” Josiah squeezed Ray’s shoulder. “And look how well that turned out.”
“Ya.” Ray laughed. “Until she figures out you’re a bozo.”
“Don’t go telling my wife my secrets.” Josiah brushed dust off his shirt. “And if I buried my anger rather than talked to the one I’m upset with, I’d begin to love others and life less.” Josiah smiled. “And, ya, I said some really stupid stuff to Ruth when I was nervous. She probably did too, but I was too nervous to notice. I don’t think humans have found a way to avoid talking nonsense when they’re anxious, but it’s worth it.”
Ray twisted the towel, considering his words.
Josiah tucked in his shirt a little better. Suspenders kept the pants up, but the waist was loose, and shirts regularly needed tucking again. “Are you going to keep torturing the towel, or are you going to talk to Teena?”
Ray wasn’t sure. The towel was a known object, and he could predict exactly what it would do in various situations. People not so much. He put the towel on its peg and left the bathroom.
“Hey, Ray.” Josiah fell into step with him. “If you’re worried she might bite, don’t be. I know right where to take you to get a shot for rabies.”
Ray focused on his brother’s joke, aiming to form a clear response. “It’s gut you know that. Because if she shows any signs of biting, I’ll sic her on you.”
Josiah roared with laughter. “Keep it up, and I’ll tell her that you intend to sic her on me, and I won’t mention my part of the conversation.” Josiah stepped in front of Ray and faced him, balled his fist, and punched at Ray’s stomach, stopping just short of hitting him. At the same time Josiah slapped his other hand against his chest, making a popping sound.
Ray doubled over as if he’d been punched. Teena walked in just in time to see Josiah “hit” Ray. She looked annoyed as she glanced from one brother to the other.
A sheepish look covered Josiah’s face. “We were just playing. I didn’t really hit him.”
Teena looked doubtful.
“Tell her, Ray.”
Ray gave a pained look while rubbing his belly. “I’ll be okay. I’m used to it.”
“Kumm.” Teena motioned toward the door. “We’ll eat at a table by ourselves.” She went outside.
Ray grinned. “I win.” And it just might be his best win ever.
Josiah laughed. “Ray, you have to tell her.”
“Ya think?”
It’d been a lot of years since Ray had felt this good, had been this clearheaded. Was it because Teena reached out for friendship? If so, then maybe he should go out with Alvin, Urie, and James this Friday. Maybe that’s what friends did—lift the heart and clear the mind.
He didn’t know, because his only friends were his siblings, and that was good, but after today he wasn’t sure it was enough.
Andy’s heart thudded as fear and anger pulsed through him. “Jolene.” He kept his tone soft while motioning for her to leave the pen.
Holding on to the gate, she barely glanced his way, pursed her lips, and stayed put.
Her behavior was so typical of a novice horseman, which was actually a contradiction of terms. She wasn’t a horseman, and beginners tended to be overconfident. At least she was showing some caution by wearing a helmet and staying near the gate.
Keeping his voice calm and his eye on the horse he shared a pen with, he eased toward the fence that separated his pen from hers. “With your attention on the horse, open the gate and get out of there. Now, please, before the filly gets over being leery of you and charges.”
Jolene looked his way, her eyes filled with emotion. He couldn’t be sure whether it was anger or resolve, but it was clear she wasn’t responding to his entreaties.
She released
“Ya.” Ray laughed. “Until she figures out you’re a bozo.”
“Don’t go telling my wife my secrets.” Josiah brushed dust off his shirt. “And if I buried my anger rather than talked to the one I’m upset with, I’d begin to love others and life less.” Josiah smiled. “And, ya, I said some really stupid stuff to Ruth when I was nervous. She probably did too, but I was too nervous to notice. I don’t think humans have found a way to avoid talking nonsense when they’re anxious, but it’s worth it.”
Ray twisted the towel, considering his words.
Josiah tucked in his shirt a little better. Suspenders kept the pants up, but the waist was loose, and shirts regularly needed tucking again. “Are you going to keep torturing the towel, or are you going to talk to Teena?”
Ray wasn’t sure. The towel was a known object, and he could predict exactly what it would do in various situations. People not so much. He put the towel on its peg and left the bathroom.
“Hey, Ray.” Josiah fell into step with him. “If you’re worried she might bite, don’t be. I know right where to take you to get a shot for rabies.”
Ray focused on his brother’s joke, aiming to form a clear response. “It’s gut you know that. Because if she shows any signs of biting, I’ll sic her on you.”
Josiah roared with laughter. “Keep it up, and I’ll tell her that you intend to sic her on me, and I won’t mention my part of the conversation.” Josiah stepped in front of Ray and faced him, balled his fist, and punched at Ray’s stomach, stopping just short of hitting him. At the same time Josiah slapped his other hand against his chest, making a popping sound.
Ray doubled over as if he’d been punched. Teena walked in just in time to see Josiah “hit” Ray. She looked annoyed as she glanced from one brother to the other.
A sheepish look covered Josiah’s face. “We were just playing. I didn’t really hit him.”
Teena looked doubtful.
“Tell her, Ray.”
Ray gave a pained look while rubbing his belly. “I’ll be okay. I’m used to it.”
“Kumm.” Teena motioned toward the door. “We’ll eat at a table by ourselves.” She went outside.
Ray grinned. “I win.” And it just might be his best win ever.
Josiah laughed. “Ray, you have to tell her.”
“Ya think?”
It’d been a lot of years since Ray had felt this good, had been this clearheaded. Was it because Teena reached out for friendship? If so, then maybe he should go out with Alvin, Urie, and James this Friday. Maybe that’s what friends did—lift the heart and clear the mind.
He didn’t know, because his only friends were his siblings, and that was good, but after today he wasn’t sure it was enough.
Andy’s heart thudded as fear and anger pulsed through him. “Jolene.” He kept his tone soft while motioning for her to leave the pen.
Holding on to the gate, she barely glanced his way, pursed her lips, and stayed put.
Her behavior was so typical of a novice horseman, which was actually a contradiction of terms. She wasn’t a horseman, and beginners tended to be overconfident. At least she was showing some caution by wearing a helmet and staying near the gate.
Keeping his voice calm and his eye on the horse he shared a pen with, he eased toward the fence that separated his pen from hers. “With your attention on the horse, open the gate and get out of there. Now, please, before the filly gets over being leery of you and charges.”
Jolene looked his way, her eyes filled with emotion. He couldn’t be sure whether it was anger or resolve, but it was clear she wasn’t responding to his entreaties.
She released
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