Here's the next chapter of Runaway.
Thanks for all reviews, alerts, etc.
I own Marianne & Jack in this chapter.
Sorry if it's slow to get started. More stuff happening as it goes along.
Marianne awoke early to the sound of birdsong outside her window. She got out of bed and walked over to the window, gazing out at the rows and rows of fields full of crops. The morning sun was already rising, giving everything a golden glow. Turning back to the bed, she reached over and tidied the sheets, finally fluffing the pillow before she went over to the dresser and tried to decide what to wear.
Pulling out an old white shirt and some blue pants, Marianne stood in front of the mirror and dressed quickly, adding a pair of flat shoes and rolling up the pants. She finished by tying her dark hair back with a red ribbon. Hearing the faint sound of voices downstairs, the New York native left her room and headed down the flight of stairs that led to Jack and Heath's bedrooms. Continuing down the next flight of stairs, Marianne found herself in the hallway between the kitchen and living area.
"Good morning Marianne." Jack greeted her and motioned to the seat across from him at the small kitchen table.
"Good morning Jack, Heath." She replied, seeing the redhead sitting at the opposite end of the table.
"Yeah." He replied, not bothering to raise his head from whatever he was pushing around his plate.
"Here, eat up." Jack told the New York native, placing a plate of breakfast in front of her.
"Thank you." Marianne replied, nodding as she eyed the plate of toast and eggs.
"Now, you'll be helping Mickie with the horses this afternoon. Until then, you can sweep the barn with Heath." Jack told her.
Heath raised his head to look at Jack disapprovingly. Jack ignored him, so Marianne nodded her head in reply.
"I'm gonna make a start." Heath sighed as he got up and walked out of the kitchen.
"Is Heath your son?" Marianne asked Jack quietly.
"No. He's worked here for five years, but he moved in three years ago." Jack replied.
"So, how do you know Mickie?" Marianne asked.
"I've known Mickie James since she was a baby. Her parents were real nice people." Jack nodded and sighed.
"Were nice people?" the New York native frowned.
"They were killed in a fire about ten years ago." Jack explained.
"Oh, that's terrible." She replied.
"It was tragic." Jack nodded.
"Have I done something to offend Heath?" Marianne asked as the sound of the wheelbarrow came through the window.
"Heath Miller is one heck of a good worker, but he's not had it easy. So just try to live with him for now. He don't mean anything personal." He replied.
"I can cope with that." Marianne replied.
After breakfast, the New York native walked outside and made her way over to the barn. She paused at the open doors and watched as Heath filled a wheelbarrow with hay, before picking it up and going to push it out into the yard, followed by Rex the dog. The redhead paused and stared at Marianne for a moment, locking his brown eyes with her green ones, before pointing to another wheelbarrow and shovel. "Shovel the hay into the wheelbarrow and bring it out into the yard." He told her.
Nodding to show she understood, Marianne walked over and picked up the shovel, getting the first lot of hay and emptying it into the wheelbarrow, which was beginning to get rusty. When she had filled it, she put down the shovel and took the handles of the wheelbarrow, lifting it and pushing it out into the yard. It was a gloriously sunny day and Marianne could almost feel the sun-warmed ground burning a hole in her shoes. Doing as she had been told, the New York native emptied the wheelbarrow into another container, before wheeling it back into the barn to repeat the process.
"Do you like living here?" she asked Heath.
"I suppose." He shrugged as he filled another wheelbarrow.
"I wasn't trying to pry." Marianne assured him.
"Good." The redhead said as he headed back out into the yard.
Thankfully for Marianne, the morning went by quickly. At noon Jack called she and Heath in for lunch, which was a freshly made sandwich. Mickie's truck pulled into the yard just as they were finishing their lunch. A few minutes later the brunette popped her head around the kitchen door and gave an infectious grin. Jack made her sit down and have some tea, so that Heath and Marianne could digest their food properly.
"You been looking after her?" Mickie asked both men.
"Of course." Jack replied, while Heath barely nodded.
"Excuse me." The redhead said as he left the room.
"Don't worry your pretty little head." Jack told Marianne, whose eyes had widened in confusion.
"Barbara was in the bar last night." Mickie whispered to Jack.
"With Paul?" Jack asked her. The brunette nodded.
"Let's get going." Mickie smiled, before Marianne could ask who Barbara and Paul were.
Once in Mickie's truck, the two women drove down a tree-lined lane that led to a thick metal gate. Exiting the truck, Mickie fiddled with the lock on the gate, before pushing it open wide and walking into the field. It was a large field with long grass and some trees lining the opposite side from the gate. Marianne walked into the field and helped Mickie to close the gate. On the far side, three horses were grazing, with another two beneath the trees and the other two walking along the centre of the field. Four of the horses were brown and white in colour, while two were a rich brown and one was jet black.
"They're beautiful." Marianne sighed.
"They are. I've loved horses since I was a little girl." Mickie smiled, but in a way that was different from her usual cheery one.
"Do they have names?" asked the New York native.
"Richmond, Prince, Adonis, Misty, Wesley, Rose and Sienna." Mickie replied, pointing out each horse.
"Those are nice names. My daughter, if I had one, was going to be called Rose." Marianne sighed as her thoughts drifted to Phillip.
"Jack told me why you came here." Mickie said as she placed a hand on the New York native's shoulder.
"It was going to be so perfect. Get married to a wonderful man, have children…" Marianne felt tears begin to sting her eyes.
"Hey, don't cry." The usually chirpy brunette frowned.
"I'm sorry. You've had bigger problems I suppose, with your parents…" she replied.
"Did Jack tell you?" Mickie asked, her brown eyes softening.
"I'm so sorry." Marianne nodded.
"Don't be. I've accepted that some things are meant to be and other things are not." Mickie replied.
"I'd like to believe that." The New York native rolled her eyes.
"You're not the only person I've tried to convince." The brunette sighed.
"Who else?" Marianne asked her.
"Heath for one." Mickie replied.
"Heath? He just seems to hate me." Marianne shrugged.
"He doesn't hate you. He's just been through some stuff." Mickie replied.
"Jack said that too." The New York native frowned slightly.
"Heath will tell you when he's good and ready." Mickie assured the curious young woman.
What do you think?
Who are Barbara & Paul? Do they have something to do with Heath's mood?
Please Review!