Sweet Whiskey Nights

Man At The Fence

Charlotte

I wake up to find my bonnet half off my head and mostly in my face. I must’ve tossed and turned more than I realized last night. I hope my hair isn’t too messed up. I don’t know if I trust any of the people in this town to fix my hair. As I start to wipe the sleep from my eyes and stretch I smell bacon cooking which means for this household, I overslept. I looked over at the twin bed on the other side of the room and see Sam’s bed empty and made. Uuugghhh I truly did oversleep.

I must look like a zombie as I walk into the kitchen with the way these two stare at me. “What? I can’t look that bad? I am Charlotte Thompson and Charlotte Thompson is always on point.” My mother, who is fully dressed, minus the bonnet still on her head, rolls her eyes at me. I look over at Sam who is also fully dressed with a beat face of makeup, sipping on orange juice. “You call that on point? Girl, your bonnet is trying to run from that lie. Food’s bout done and after you eat you need to hurry up and get dressed and ready cuz I need you to gather some eggs before we head into town. Ms. Terri does my hair for free if I trade her some fresh eggs. And the goats need to be let out their pen so they can mow my grass.” Sam lights up at that, “Can I help you! I’ve never messed with goats or chickens before!” My mama laughed at her choice in shoes for that and told her she could borrow some of her boots. Breakfast was finally done and delicious as always. I definitely can tell Sam is going to leave here with an extra five pounds the way my mama cooks.

I get bathed and dressed before deciding on putting my old boots on or not. I grab them with anxiety creeping into my veins.

Outside is beautiful this morning. The dew is on everything making the world sparkle in the morning light. Sam is following along looking happier than I’ve ever seen her. I show her how to gather the eggs and how to avoid the chickens and chicken poop, as well as I let her feed the tiny terrors. Next up is the goats. My mama hasn’t had any other animal other than the chickens since my daddy died. I’m not sure why she got them other than to keep the grass low. Their pen is also further away near the fence line of the neighbor’s house. I wonder if the goats are theirs and they just let mama use them. As we approach the pen I see a man in it refilling their water trough and stop dead in my tracks with Sam running right into me. “Excuse me, who the heck are you and why are you on my mama’s property? I’ll scream and call the police on your ass! You better not be stealing them goats!” As he turns around I recognize him immediately as the man David was talking to. “Oh hell nah! Get the hell off my property! I don’t know you but I know the company you keep! Get! Go on now! Shoo!” He puts his hands up in surrender while a smile creeps onto his face. This jerk really has the audacity to chuckle at me?!

“Hold up now ma’am, I’m just doing my morning chores. This just part of my routine. No need to yell and scare the goats now.” He’s mocking me. This i***t has the nerve to mock ME. He takes his hat off and extends his hand as if I am actually going to touch him. Ha! I give him my most bombastic side eye and sneer at him. He looks over at Sam and she grabs his hand to shake. Yeah he’s definitely going to charm her but not me! “Well I’m getting back to my chores. I’ll let the goats out for Mrs. DeeDee.” And with that I turn around and huff back to the house to have a word with my mama.

“You do realize he’s cool with David right? I saw them talking when we pulled into town. I don’t want him on this property. If he’s around, that snake won’t be too far behind him. Mama are you listening to me?” She glares at me as she tells me to get in the truck. “I think he was very nice and handsome Charlie. You should’ve at least shook his hand, I mean you are the big bad Charlie from the City. You are Mr. Stark’s prized employee. You close all the deals and no man is a challenge for you. How bad could he be against you?” Sam can always hype me up and get me back in the game. “You’re right. I am Charlie. I do close all the deals. I kick ass in every boardroom I walk into. No man stands a chance against me. I set them up to knock ‘em down.” I hear mama laughing at me and I huff in frustration. We’re pulling into town and all my confidence I just mustered up is dripping out of me.

So far so good. No one has really looked in my direction. Hopefully after all these years everyone has forgotten about the small town scandal that I was the star of. Unintentionally of course but that doesn’t matter when the star quarterback was also involved. I hauled ass to a college out of state and headed straight to the big city with lots of people and sky scrapers and freed myself of small town nosiness. Everyone knows everyone’s business in a small town but the city has too many people to keep track of. Which is exactly what I like. Everything was going good until I saw the man from the fence with David, yet again. “See mama! I told you!!”

I ducked into a small store to not be seen by David even though I’m sure the other man saw me. He was looking over in my direction but then I realize he’s looking at Mama. Unlike Sam, she didn’t run into the store with me. She’s actually waving to him! How could she! She starts walking over to them and hugs him. The betrayal. But then she redeems herself by wagging her finger at David and I can tell she’s giving him a good old fashioned tongue lashing. Especially because his cheeks are now turning red in embarrassment. She’s not letting him get a word in and I know he’s feeling the sting of her words. Nothing is worse than a Southern woman giving you the business. She probably told him to go to hell in a way that he’s trying to think what he should pack. The nameless man’s face is like stone. His eyebrows are pinched down and it looks like he’s seeing a different side of David. Good, maybe he didn’t know who he was friends with but Mama made sure to let it be known. He’s shaking his head at David now and puts his hand on my mama’s shoulder as he looks in my direction. I wonder if he can see me through the window. Mama hugs him once again as she turns to leave.

Just as mama reached the sidewalk in front of the store I hear, “What are you ladies spying on?” I jump at least three feet in the air. And I pray whoever is behind me doesn’t recognize me.