Cowboy Take Me Away
After the bull riding incident during 8th grade year, the gang made it a point to travel back and visit Pappy Joe and Grammy Jean at least once a year. The laidback calmness of Texas always seemed to bring out the best sides of everyone in the group. With it being the 3rd year back since their first time in Texas, everyone was pretty comfortable and felt right at home at the Friar Ranch.
The group spent the day just hanging out together by the lake at the ranch. It was the sense of peace that being out in the country and the wide open space that had everyone feeling free and relaxed, able to enjoy being away from the loud rush of New York.
"Being here at the ranch has been really relaxing, but to be honest, it's getting kinda boring… any chance y'all wanna actually go out and do something tomorrow?" Lucas asked as he skipped a rock on the lake.
"Shopping! I vote shopping!" Riley shouted as she clapped her hands and smiled with glee.
"I concur, shopping sounds like the most efficient way to exterminate the boredom that has consumed us." Smackle rattled off as she pushed her glasses up her nose.
The group threw around more suggestions of where they'd like to visit and what they wanted to see in Texas while they packed up and slowly started walking back towards the house. `
Zay and his big mouth suggested that they attend the rodeo again, as it had been 3 years since the last time they attended it. "It'd be fun to head back and see if anyone has been crazy enough to tangle with Tombstone since you did it Lucas!" Zay quipped with a slap to Lucas' back.
"Hey, maybe I should see if I can top my record on old Tombstone!" Lucas jokingly said.
Maya's eyes went wide as she repeated the same words she'd spoken to Lucas 3 year ago.
"Lucas look at me. If you do this, I will never speak to you again."
Maya didn't even wait for a response as she sped up her walking and headed back to the Friar Ranch to go help Grammy Jean in the kitchen.
Maya reached the front porch of the Friar Ranch and could already smell the heavenly scent of homemade apple pie wafting through the screen door. She walked through the door, careful to not let it slam as to not startle Grammy Jean in the kitchen. The sight of Grammy Jean taking the pie out of the oven made Maya smile and think of her own grandmother back home in New York. Making her presence known, Maya walked into the kitchen.
"Hey Grammy Jean, what's cookin'?" Maya asked as she marched straight to the sink to wash her hands so she could help.
"Hey sweet girl, just finishing up this fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and green beans for supper. If you'd like, you can help me by mixing up the sweet tea or setting the table." Grammy Jean was never bossy, but when she asked if you wanted to do something, you did it.
"Sure thing Grams!" Maya smiled at her and grabbed the stack of plates and forks from the counter to set the table.
At that moment, everyone else came barreling in through the front door, making a loud ruckus.
"Now y'all kids get in there and wash y'all's hands! Lucas, Isaiah, Farkle, Riley and Isadora! Y'all hurry up and mind me! Maya's being such a sweetheart and y'all are just acting a fool!" Grammy Jean said sternly while popping Lucas on the hand with the back of her wooden spoon for trying to grab a piece of chicken before dinner.
Dinner was a strangely quiet affair, consisting of the tapping and clanging of the cutlery on the dishes and hardly any talking.
"Y'all do know that y'all can talk through the meal, darlins'? I said 'Amen' after I finished the blessing, so y'all can talk now and tell me 'bout the day y'all had!" Grammy Jean said with a laugh as she scooped more potatoes onto Maya's plate.
"Thank you for more potatoes, Grammy Jean." Maya quietly remarked as she kept her head down and avoided conversation with everyone.
Farkle, seeing that everyone was staring at their plates and trying not to talk to each other, decided he'd be the one to try and fill in the silence.
"Well ma'am, we went down to the lake where Lucas and Zay got into a rock skipping match, and then I came out of nowhere and won the competition because I was able to measure the trajectory of the rock by determining the perfect shaped rock, so long story short, Lucas and Zay now each owe me $20 bucks." Farkle ended his story with a smirk at his victory.
"So what do y'all kids plan on doing tomorrow? There's a few new stores that just opened in town if yer wanting to go an' check 'em out." Pappy Joe suggested, trying to keep the conversation going.
"I think that's exactly what we were thinking of doing, but we might check out the rodeo to see how old Tombstone is doing these days." Lucas stated before taking a giant swig of his sweet tea.
"Thank you for a lovely dinner, but may I be excused?" Maya asked, as she stood up and placed her plate near the sink and walked out of the room.
Everyone watched as Maya walked out the front door, not quite sure what to say, so they said nothing and finished eating their meal in awkward silence.
After dinner, Grammy Jean made Pappy Joe and the boys clean up the kitchen and wash the dishes so the girls could catch up and share the gossip from the day.
Walking out the front door, Grammy Jean joined Maya, Riley, and Smackle on the front porch. She sat down in the rocking chair facing the swing where the girls sat, ready to find out some answers about what was going on with everyone.
"So girls, how was your day? Anything interesting happen?" Grammy Jean asked while looking towards Maya to see how she'd react.
"Well, Maya came back to the ranch in a hurry because Lucas said he was thinking of entering the rodeo again to beat his record on Tombstone, and since Maya loves Lucas she didn't want him to get hurt, so she said that she'd never speak to him again if he did, and then she ran away before he could even say anything, but Lucas doesn't know that Maya loves him, since she hasn't told him after all this time, and then…"
"RILEY! THINGS ARE SECRETS FOR A REASON!" Maya harshly whispered towards Riley while looking over her shoulder to see if the guys were listening to their conversation.
Grammy Jean just laughed and waved Maya off. "If you think for one second that my grandson isn't madly in love with you, then sweet girl, you are utterly mistaken. That boy has been in love with you since he called me and told me about this girl that he met on the subway who dated and dumped him in 10 seconds. That boy is completely smitten with you."
Maya looked up and Grammy Jean and as if a light went off in her head, she knew that she needed to talk to Lucas and figure out this mess. "Uh, Grammy Jean, as much as I love sitting around and hearing all your stories, I think I need to take a walk and think about some stuff."
Grammy Jean smiled and grabbed Maya's hand, "You take all the time you need sweet girl, but just know, you deserve to be loved, you are worthy of love, and love really does look good on you."
Maya hugged Grammy Jean and walked down the front steps. The summer sun was just beginning to set, and the lightning bugs coming out lighting up like stars to guide her path.
"Grammy Jean, we've finished the dishes and cleaning up the kitchen, can we have some of this pie now?" Lucas asked as he stepped out onto the porch. "Wait a minute, where's Maya?" Lucas lost all interest in dessert as he wondered where his Shortstack went.
"Lucas, honey, she said she was gonna take a walk and get some air. You know how the clear Texas night sky helps relieve any thoughts or worries?" Grammy Jean smiled softly at Lucas and hoped he'd take the hint to go out and talk to her.
"Now who's ready for some homemade Friar family secret recipe apple pie?" Grammy cheerfully asked as she stood up from her chair and head inside towards the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Maya's mind was wondering as she walked down the driveway of the ranch for a few minutes before her legs seemed to carry her to the field of wildflowers that Grammy Jean showed her a few days earlier.
After about 20 minutes, Lucas let his imagination get the best of him and he set off to find Maya. He checked the stables, the hayloft in the barn, even down by the lake where they'd spent the whole day, but still couldn't find her.
Just when he was going to head back into the house and alert the rest of the gang that Maya was missing, he heard it.
Her voice.
She was singing. Like a siren call, he was entranced by her voice and drifted off towards her. "….on a pillow of bluebonnets and a blanket made of stars, oh it sounds good to me… cowboy take me away…"
He stood there and listened, her sweet voice making his heart melt. "I want to be the only one for miles and miles…"
When he finally made his way over to her, she looked so peaceful. Laying on the bluebonnets that Grammy Jean made Pappy Joe leave alone so they could grow wild.
He was certain that Grammy Jean wanted them left alone for this reason right here, for the love of his life.
Laying on top of the bluebonnets with her hair splayed out like a golden halo around her face, eyes closed and singing with the most beautiful voice he'd heard in a long time. "….Closer to Heaven above and closer to you…"
When the song was over, Lucas slowly walked over to her and sat down, not wanting to scare her or disturb the peace around her. Softly, almost a whisper, he said her name. "Maya."
"Hey Huckleberry." A small smile crossed Maya's face.
"I'm glad you're talking to me again." Lucas said, not really sure of what to say now in the conversation.
"Yeah well, I guess that was a bit harsh of me to say I'd never speak to you again, I mean really? Who would make fun of you and call you Huckleberry, Ranger Rick, and Cowboy?" Maya said with a smirk and air of playfulness about her.
"Cowboy? Should I take you away? Or should we just stay here and lay on the bluebonnets and look at the stars?" Lucas laid down beside her and tried not grin too much of a goofy smile as he spoke.
Maya's face dropped the smirk and turned serious. "Heard that, did you?"
"Yeah, I did, and I think that you have one of the most beautiful voices I've heard in a long time." Lucas looked directly at Maya, trying to catch her eye, to let her know how honest and genuine he was being.
Maya looked up from the flowers on the ground to see Lucas staring right at her, his throat bobbing as he gulped, knowing that he said something that could change things between him. She wondered if Riley had told him that Maya liked him. Even if Riley had told him, Maya was a big girl and could handle her own business and make her own decisions.
"Hey Huckleberry?" Maya quietly mumbled.
"Yeah, Shortstack?" Lucas whispered back.
"Where would you take me if you were gonna take me away?" Maya rolled over on her side to face Lucas.
Lucas, who had his hands behind his head laying on the ground turned his face to look at Maya. "Well I would say I'd take you to this spot here in Texas, but since you're already here… wherever you wanted me to take you, I would."
Maya listened to Lucas speak, and began to chew on her lip. It was now or never, should she tell Lucas that she liked him, or let her feelings stay hidden for however long she could keep them buried? Maya looked at Lucas' eyes and could see that he was looking right at her, and knew then and there what she should do. "What about on a date? Would you take me on a date?"
Lucas reached down and grabbed Maya's tiny hand in his own. "Maya Penelope Shortstack Hart, I would love to take you out on a date. That's all I've ever wanted to do since we dated for 10 seconds on the subway."
Maya smiled at Lucas, "Grammy Jean told me about that, how you called her and told her that you'd met the most amazing girl and lost her all in 10 seconds. You're such a sappy dork."
Lucas smiled back at Maya, "yeah, well this time when I talk to her, it'll be in person, and I've got the most amazing girl who's all mine and I don't intend to lose her ever again, so if that makes me a sappy dork, then I'm a sappy dork."
Maya just laughed and put her head on Lucas' shoulder, content to just lay in the field of bluebonnets and look at the stars together. When Lucas leaned over and kissed Maya's forehead, she knew there was no place she'd rather be.