Thunder

4

 I stopped eating and just looked at her dumbfounded. “We have a guest house that is never used. Don’t worry about rent or paying us back, save up your money. You can pay us by helping around the ranch. Feeding the livestock, cleaning the horse stalls, running to town when we need something. We’ll get you a job, and after you’ve saved up if you still want to move on, I won’t fight with you.  But I would say this is a pretty damn good offer and you would be stupid to pass it up.” She told me matter-of-factly. Who does this for someone they just met? She doesn’t know me. She doesn’t know who’s after me or the things I’ve done. “Why? Why are you doing all of this for me?” tears started to blur my vision again. Her kindness enveloping me giving me relief and terrifying me at the same time. “Because deary, I was a runaway too.” She frowned at me and it finally hit me. This sweet lady had a past she ran away from too. All these emotions flowed through my body and everything I had bottled up burst from the bottle and I let the tears flow freely. She came and wrapped her arms around me and held me without a word while I cried. Suddenly I was exhausted even though I had just woken up. I pulled myself together, wiped my eyes and asked if she minded if I went and took a nap and thought it over. She gave me a sad smile but nodded and let me go. As soon as I hit the pillow, I was out like a light.

               I woke up a little while later and walked into the main house. “I really appreciate everything you’re doing for me. And I will be out of your hair as soon as possible.” I told Lucille as I rounded the kitchen and saw her making sandwiches. She gave me a bright smile. “Good! Now your bike is outside in the garage. Go grab your things and feel free to do what you want with the guest house. It’s yours for as long as you would like it. No rush for you to be gone. You’re welcomed here for as long as you would like.” She said and passed me a tuna salad sandwich. My bike? “How did it get here?” I asked her as I took a bite of my sandwich. “My grandson brought it in his trailer. He was coming over anyway.” She told me as she grabbed a plate and started walking away. I finished my sandwich and went out to gather my vacuum sealed bags from the saddle bags. I brought everything back to my room and started putting my clothes up in the closet. Not like I had a whole lot, but more than it had looked like. I decided a nice hot shower would do me good. I looked at myself in the mirror, slowly taking off my scarf and clothes. The bruises still a gross purple and red color. Some green and yellow. All equally sickening. I ran my hand through my hair. I missed my long hair. I definitely needed to find a hair dresser after the bruises went away. Needless to say, cutting your hair with a knife leaves it as a hack job. I got in the shower and let it beat down on my body, loosening the muscles. I don’t know how long I stood there but I started pruning. I quickly washed my hair and body. Guess that’s one good thing about short hair; doesn’t take as much shampoo and conditioner and is faster to wash. I wrapped a towel around my body and walked into the room. ‘Clink clink clink’ I looked around in a panic. There was a giant squatted down by the glass door. I let out a scream and he whipped around to look at me shocked. I ripped the lamp out of the wall and went to hit him with it. “What the hell?” he yelled as he held up his hands in surrender. I didn’t stop as I lifted the lamp and brought it down to hit him. He grabbed it just before I hit him with it. I dropped my grip on the lamp and started hitting him. “Stop! Stop! HOLY s**t WOULD YOU KNOCK IT OFF?! I’M JUST TRYING TO FIX THE DAMN DOOR.” He yelled, finally standing up and looking down at me. My eyes widened and I started to shake as I backed away from him. “Who are you?! Did he send you?!” I kept backing away until I hit the wall and slid down it with my knees to me chest. He looked at me extremely confused. “What? Who? My Grandma sent me to fix the door handle now that someone is in here. I knocked and no one responded so I thought you had stepped out. I’m sorry for scaring you.” His face had softened as he spoke to me. His grandma? Lucille? I guess this is the grandson that brought my motorcycle here. I finally took a good look at him. His dark brown hair reached his shoulders, his beard was dark and full, and his eyes were the same beautiful green as Lucille’s. His tall and lean frame was incased in a flannel shirt and jeans with boots. He looked like a gah damn sexy lumberjack. “It’s okay.” I realized I was still in just a towel and ran back into the bathroom. I went and put on jeans and a maroon t-shirt with my black scarf. As I walked back out, he was on the outside of the door. I slowly walked up to him, stopping about a foot away. He looked up at me with a sad smile. “I apologize for attacking you with the lamp. However, if you heard the shower running, you probably should have left.” I rolled my eyes. He looked at me sheepishly. “Honestly, once I started and had realized that it was the shower running, I thought I would be done before you got out.” He ran his huge hand through his hair. “Could you also… you know… not tell Lucille.” I looked down at my feet, not being able to look him in the eyes after what I know he saw. No one was supposed to see those. “Tell her what? That I’m an i***t? I wont say anything if you don’t.” he gave me a reassuring smile. I let out a sigh of relief. He stood up and held out his hand to me. “Let me try this again. Hi, I’m Klaus (cl-ow-s).” He smiled at me. “Riley.” I shook his hand. “Well, I’m going to go find Lucille. Thank you for bringing my motorcycle, and thank you again for the other thing.” I gave him a smile and headed out the door.