Chapter 8: The Truth
I woke up the next day, thanks to George to be there for me, I feel better. I looked around to look for George and there he is, sleeping. I cannot help but smile because I've never seen him sleep at all and this is the perfect time for me to look at what he looks like while he's sleeping. I walked to his bed and I looked around to find out that I'm the only one that is awake. I sit down on the bed gently as I can without waking him up.
George's tan face are so handsome against the sun, he looks so peaceful. I sure hope I didn't make him stay up too long because he's sitting with me on my bed and just listens to me while I'm talking and sobbing. Talking about Rocky. I don't know what time he went to bed but I know I went to bed around 2 am, so I can feel him still sitting on my bed. So he must be going to bed late.
I must have been dozing because I didn't feel George moving the bed. I looked down and saw George waking up. George's leg is half up while his other leg is straight. His arm touched the bed as his other on his stomach, looking at me intensely with his blue eyes. "Good morning!" I said as I smiled, hoping that he wouldn't catch me staring and that I blushed at the sight of him. No man had ever done this to me. Only George.
George smiled, "Good morning," he said as he rubbed his eyes and yawned a bit. "Why are you on my bed?" George asked after he put his hand down. "Can't I, I mean, you're there for me when I go to bed, and I want to be there for you when you wake up," I said sincerely. George smiled a bit before looking down to the bed then he looked back at me. "Well, thanks. I appreciate it," George said, I felt stupid for telling him that. I've only known him for a month and I told him the stupidest thing ever. "Really," George added as he nodded while taking my hand and squeezed it gently. I think he noticed that my frown faltered and he really was telling the truth. I smiled back as I squeezed my hand back. "What time is it?" George asked as he let my hand go and he sat up, swings his legs to the floor and looked at me. "It's 6 am, we're the only ones awake," I said, whispering to him so that we don't disturb the slumber of the hard working men.
"Well, thank you for waking me up," George said as he nods towards to me. I nod back. "Say, I heard you last night, did you have bad dreams or no?" George asked with the eyebrows furrowed together when he stands up to stretch his bones and make them stay awake for the work today. "Oh," I said as I looked down to my hands, George looked at me still.
"Yeah I have bad dreams but I don't want to tell it yet." I said as I looked up to George and he nodded, respecting my wishes. He walked outside to get breakfast and I followed, everyone else in the room is getting up to go eat breakfast. I walked to the table where Slim, George and Lennie sits. "Hello boys," I smiled at them, they said in unison, "Hello," then they went back to eating. I rolled my eyes, "Boys." I muttered as I went back to eating so that I can have energy to work today. I heard today will be hot, really hot and also today is the day I've started my…you know, woman day. And that is not good for me because I'm so sexually active on my period also getting so angry for no reason.
And I'm surrounded by men that don't know what a period is!
They'd be smart enough to stay away. Period and hot days don't mix very well. "You're quiet today, you okay?" Slim asked as he leaned his head towards me. "Oh, I'm fine…it just…I've started," I whispered to Slim. "Oh no…" Slim closed his eyes and put his hand on his head and shakes his head. Slim called my week, Hell Week. He's usually called the boys to stay away from me for the rest of the week so that they don't see my anger. No, I'm lying, the boys enjoy seeing my rage as they pick on me because of it.
"What is it?" George asked as he looked at Slim and me, wondering what I said to make Slim groan in annoyance. "Ah, George, it's nothing to worry about." Slim said, he put his hand down and smiled at George. Slim put his hat on his head and stands up, shouts, "COME ON! Let's get to work!" many men complied. Lennie stands up and it's only George and I that are sitting on the table.
I stand up a bit painfully because my legs hurt and my back hurts as hell. "You okay?" George asked as he walked to me and noticing that I'm not the usual he sees. "Yeah I'm fine," I said as I waved my hand dismissively to him to show that I'm okay that I don't need a man in my life to take care of me. Knowing him that he wouldn't want to further, George nodded and walked with us to the wagon while Slim is making the mules go so that they can get to work.
I get a feeling that today will be the worst day of my life.
"Ain't many guys travel around together," he mused. "I don't know why. Maybe ever'body in the whole damn world is scared of each other." I looked at Slim when he said that. I was working to put the fields in the machine. George chuckled as they walked to my direction. "Hey, Stacey. Wanna take a break?" Slim asked, I nodded eagerly. "Yes!" I said as I jumped down. George as usual put his hand on my waist to make sure I didn't fall. I really don't need that but it's so nice and thoughtful of George to be caring like that. George is sweaty and holds his gloves. I have to say that he looks so good with sweats. Yup, my mind is going crazy. "Why don't you two go have a drink, I'll be right there in a minute," Slim said. We nodded.
George and I walked to the wagon with the broken tire and I asked him, "How did you meet up with Lennie?" I'm curious how they met. "I knew his Aunt Clara, once she died, Lennie just comes with me along to work," I nodded. "He's a nice fella," I said, genuinely like Lennie. "Yeah but he always get in trouble and I always get him out, like the one in Weed up north," George said but stopped when I looked at him curious and cautious. He looked down and wondered if it's a big mistake to talk to me about it.
"What happened?" I asked as I turned the cup filled with water to give it to George. George looked at me then he went ahead to explain what happened. "Lennie, he likes to touch everything that is nice and soft, once he saw the girl with the red dress, Lennie went to touch it. He likes it but the girl doesn't and she's trying to get away from him but Lennie just held it tight that he wouldn't let go, and it ripped the girl's dress," George explained. "Dogs coming in and people are looking for me and Lennie. We had to hide in the ditch until it was safe to get away,"
I was shocked. How can a gentle guy like Lennie get into so much trouble for just touching? I thought. "He was too dumb to even understand what's going on around him," George said as if he's reading my mind. "Did he hurt the girl?" I asked George with my eyes squint from the sun. "No, just scared the girl." George said as he shakes his head.
"He's a nice fella," I said. "Guy don't need no sense to be a nice fella. Seems to me sometimes it jus' works the other way around. Take a real smart guy and he ain't hardly ever a nice fella." I smiled at George as we drink the water together. George smiled. "Thank you for letting me tell you," George added, I shakes my head, "Ah, no need to worry about it George. I'm not going to tell anyone about your troubles." I said to make sure that George knows that I'm not going to the police for what Lennie didn't mean to do.
"A guy needs somebody―to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain't got nobody. Don't make no difference who the guy is, long's he's with you. I tell ya, I tell ya a guy gets too lonely an' he gets sick." I said. George took a sip of his water and looked at me with confusion. I think it's time for me to tell George what really happened in my past, since he confided in me about Lennie and that shows he really trusts me.
"I got something to tell you, George," I said as I finished my drink. George nodded, waiting patiently for me to tell him. I opened my mouth, "Milton!" Uncle shouted and we turned to look at Uncle. "I ain't paid you to stand around, get to work!" Uncle demanded. "He's just here for a break, Uncle." I said, defending George. "Get to work!" he ignored my words as George began to walk away and he turned to look at me in the eyes, I looked at him with a smile. George returned his smile back, this time a real smile.
I sighed tiredly as I sit on the bench of the wagon, long day for me and I'm ready to pass out. "You okay?" George asked as I groaned in pain when I felt cramps coming in with my legs and back hurting. I shake my head as I put my head on his shoulder and just close my eyes for a bit. I just needed to be comfortable. "She's having a hard day," Slim said, he knows what I'm having right now and he didn't want to scare the guys away. "Is there something I can do?" George asked as he looked at me with concerned look on his face. I opened my eyes and looked at him. "No, it's nature, there's nothing you can do about it," I said with a soft smile on my face. George's eyes widen as he realized what I said and what I meant. "Oh, I understand what you mean now," he said. I smiled, "Good thing you're smart, George." I said.
The wagon is driven on by mules and I cannot wait to go back to the bunkhouse and sleep.
Arrived to the Ranch, we all jump out to the bunkhouse, some went to take a shower, and some went to the bunkhouse to rest. "Hey Candy," I acknowledge Candy. Candy smiled and he said, "Hello, Stacey," he's sitting on the bed and looking at the floor. I sit down on my bed and let out a sigh because I've been working all day and it's really hot, so I'm not in the mood to do anything fun tonight. "Are you sure you're okay?" George asked as he walked in and looked at me with the concern on his face. He walked to his bed that is beside me.
"George, I'm okay." I said while I took his hand and patted it then I went to lie down on my bed to get some sleep. "There's something you were going to tell me before your uncle cut you off. Is there something you were going to say?" George asked as he cocked his head to the side. I looked at him and I looked around me, I thought some are in the bunkhouse but I guess not. It's just me, George and Candy who's now sleeping. "Might as well," I sighed as I sit up and looked at George, he leaned in with his elbows touching his knees and clasped his hands together. His eyes never wavered.
"It was when I was 16 year old when I met Ray, he's 18 years old and we're in love with each other or so I thought. We met at the local bar where I worked as a waitress and he's a customer of mine, we're chatting—easy to get along. We're known each other for about two months until he kissed me, that was when I fell in love with him for about one month then after he kissed me, he confessed his love for me," I explained with the smile on my face then I looked down to the floor, my smile faltered.
"About 6 months of us dating, he became abusive; hitting every excuse he have so that he can hit me and beat me up…he raped me, George. He's too controlling, powerful and strong for me to handle. I've thought this is love, George but it's not. This is abuse. I don't know why I dated him, I was so stupid, you know? But that's what happened. And I finally left about two months after that, I couldn't stand it anymore. Even worse, my family didn't help me. Not even Curley and Uncle. The rest is history after I got here," I finished explaining as tears starts to fall.
George caught my tears as I looked up to him, "If I ever find him here, I'll fucking kill him." George growled as his eyes shows fire in it. George is on my bed and just held me as I cried. "It's not your fault, Stacey. But you're alive that's all that matters," George soothed me. I pulled away from the hug and looked at him.
Yes, it's all that matters. He's all that matters to me. And I never realized something…I had fallen in love with George Milton and that is crazy for me. But a good crazy.
Maybe there's a chance for me after all.
Hello everyone! I'll update each chapter as soon as I can, not as fast but soon…hope you enjoy this! Review, Message and rate!