Donovan's Barn

Trenton and Rachel had moved away from Taftsville 15 years earlier. They had both attended Taftsville High School and after their senior year had moved to the city to attend college. They dated throughout their college years; on one warm spring night Trenton proposed and Rachel eagerly accepted. Though they had married young, they had made a good life for themselves and their two children, twin daughters who were now 12 years old.

Both their parents continued to live in Taftsville so there were frequent visits back and forth to the small town. On one trip Rachel noticed the “For Sale” sign at the approach to the Donovans. “Look,” she said to Trenton. “Donovan’s place is for sale.”

“Well so it is. I wonder what they are asking for it.” Trenton slowed down. “Write down the realtor’s number.”

“Why?” Rachel asked. “You want to buy it?”

Trenton laughed. “Well, maybe,” he answered with a little laugh.

Rachel looked at him a little surprised. “Are you serious? What about our jobs? What about the kids’ school?”

“Listen, it’s not going to hurt to ask the price.” Trenton looked at her. She noticed there was no grin, no twinkle in his eyes; he was serious. “As for our jobs, the city is only an hour away. Commuting is almost that long now from where we live, and we both know that there are perfectly adequate schools in Taftsville. Have you forgotten where we went to school?”

He was right. She had been a city girl once too and the move to Taftsville hadn’t totally disagreed with her. Besides, the girls were 4 years younger than she had been when she came here. It would surely be easier for them to fit in. They already had a number of “friends” that they had made from all the frequent visits they had made over the years. “I guess you’re right. Asking the price isn’t going to hurt.” She wrote down the number as Trenton pulled the car into the Donovan’s drive.

Mrs. Donovan came out to meet them with a warm hug. She showed them around the beautifully kept farmhouse and explained that since her husband had passed three years earlier it had become increasingly difficult for her to look after the place. Most of their land had already been sold to a local rancher and all she had left to sell was this home place which included the house and barn. ”Go on now. Run along and take a better look,” she said to them happily. “Your girls might like some strawberries from the patch over there," she pointed. It took the girls three minutes to find the strawberries and Trenton followed closely behind them, while Rachel headed toward the barn on her own.

She tiptoed in and stood inside the barn. Rachel was amazed that the old girl was still standing rigid and proud even after all her years serving the Donovans. Rachel smiled fondly when she looked upward toward the hayloft. That’s where her best memories were. Ascending the stairs at the far end of the barn, Rachel took herself to the top level. It was just as she remembered it, minus the stacks of yellow straw bales piled in the far corner and the bags of grain, long removed. The many horse saddles, bridles and bits hung on the wall where they always had and almost the entire expanse of floor was surrounded by the strong and functional benches built right into the frame. In the middle of the north wall stood a counter with some makeshift shelves behind it and opposite of where she stood was a raised platform, about eight inches higher than the floor and extending the entire width of the barn. Her memories made her smile.

A sweet gust of the country air drifted through the loft. It was tenderly mixed with the musty, old smell of the barn, the hay and grain dust and all the memories that flooded back to Rachel as she found a comfortable spot on the floor against the end wall. She sat down and looked around the loft remembering the “good old days.” She felt a contentment overtake her as she breathed in deeply and closed her eyes. There was a palpable silence around her, save for the sound of the soft whistle of air as it passed through the walls of the barn. It didn’t take long before Rachel was carried off to an earlier time; a time that was permanently etched in her mind.

“Hey! You going to the barn dance over at Donovan’s, week from Saturday?” Trenton’s eyes sparkled as he asked. He was sitting across from her in the lunch room of their high school.

Rachel tilted her head and gave a mischievous grin, “Haven’t decided yet. Why? Are you asking me?” she giggled in a rather flirty way.

Trenton blushed. “Well, I could,” he answered, his voice suddenly shy. He paused and Rachel watched him try to find the words to speak. “Would you go with me, Rachel?” His voice had become so quiet Rachel hardly heard it, but she knew how badly he wanted to take her. He was the cutest and the nicest boy at school but his shy nature kept him from having too many friends. And girlfriends? Well, most of the girls in school were too loud and outgoing to be interested in him. They wanted to go out with the quarterback of the football team, not the tenor in the school choir.

But Rachel did want to go out with him. Not only was she attracted to Trenton because he was so quiet and shy, he was also always so nice to her when they met anywhere, either at school or in town. When she moved to Taftsville two years earlier, Trenton was the first to make her feel welcome. Moving into a small town after living in the city was hard enough for a 16 year-old girl, but it was made even worse when you weren’t accepted and it seemed all the girls here were secure in their little cliques; there was no real room for an outsider. She had managed to make it to senior year and had really come to like it here. Even some of the other girls had come around.

She looked at Trenton. She had hoped to tease him a little bit and make him wait for an answer, but instead she smiled broadly and agreed. “Of course, I will! I’d love to go with you, Trenton.” She hoped she didn’t sound too eager. Her cheeks felt a little bit warm when he smiled back at her and his eyes twinkled.

“Would it be too forward if I suggest we grab a bite to eat first?” Trenton asked. “I was thinking the Burger Hub, there at the edge of town. It’ll be kind of along the way to Donovan’s. I could pick you up at, let’s say, 7:00?”

“That would be great!” Just then the bell rang. “Oops! Gotta run. See ya!” Rachel waved as she ran off with a little bounce to her step. She was excited to be going with Trenton and couldn’t believe he’d finally asked her out.

The day finally arrived. She heard the doorbell ring and it didn’t surprise her that Trenton had arrived on time. She called down the stairs, “Dad, can you get that? It’s Trenton. I will be down in just a minute.” She wasn’t they type of girl to make a guy wait for her, especially if they had settled on a certain time. She had used every minute of the last week deciding what to wear and how to fix her hair. Looking at the reflection in the mirror, Rachel smiled approvingly. She was wearing a fun and frilly denim dress with a flared skirt, her auburn hair in a high, uplifted ponytail tied with a blue satin ribbon. She looked every bit the country girl she hadn’t been just two short years before; and she was definitely ready to go dancing with Trenton. One last pat of the tissue on her lips and she was out her bedroom door and down the stairs. “I’m ready to go,” she announced, as she pulled on her boots. She caught Trenton’s glance and admiring smile. In her mind the two of them made a dashing couple.

“You look amazing,” Trenton said as he took her hand and moved toward the door. He paused briefly, looked back and assured Rachel’s dad, “l’ll make sure she’s home at a reasonable time, Sir.”

The Burger Hub was packed with people when they arrived. It was a really popular place with the young people of the town, especially for date nights. With the dance happening over at Donovan’s that night, it was particularly busy. They found a place to sit and ordered a quick supper. As they ate their meal, Rachel and Trenton talked easily; school, home life, hopes, dreams, college plans. Nothing was off limits, including the occasional joke which made Rachel giggle.

Like many of the others at the Burger Hub they made the short trek to Donovan’s. The Donovans were a century family in Taftsville. Their big old barn was primarily used for their horses and a few milk cows for their own use. The hayloft held a supply of straw for the stalls and grain for the cows at milking time. It also held a selection of riding equipment that dotted the wall beams. During the spring and summer months the Donovans hosted a barn dance in the loft. Many a first date was had at a Donovan barn dance, to which many of the couples and families in Taftsville could attest.

The band had already started for the evening when Rachel and Trenton arrived, but the crowd was just starting to form. They made their way up the stairs. “There’s a spot over there,” Trenton pointed to a bench along the far wall. He took Rachel’s hand and started to lead her across the floor at the very moment that the band began the chords of a sweet country waltz. “May I?” Trenton asked as he started to embrace Rachel and spin her onto the dance floor. Rachel could only manage a shy smile and a nod as she followed him and settled into his arms. She got lost in the music as they swayed with the beat, closing her eyes and leaning gently on Trenton’s shoulder. She opened her eyes and looked up to see Trenton’s eyes gazing down at her and it made her melt. They stopped while the music continued. People danced around them. Again, he asked, “May I?’ as he met her pretty lips with his.

“Here you are,” Rachel heard Trenton’s voice and she opened her eyes to the reality of where she was. “The kids and I have been looking for you. I should have known I’d find you here.” He laughed that easy laugh of his and looked at her with that same gaze that she had seen so many times in the last 15 years since he had first kissed her, right here in this loft.

“There are just so many memories for me here,” she said. “Especially the ones from that first time I let you bring me here.” Her voice was soft and mellowed after her nap. She reached up and Trenton took her hand and helped her to her feet. He pulled her into him and held her tightly. “Want to make an offer and revive an old tradition?” his voice queried.

Rachel nodded in agreement “I think I do.” She spun herself out of Trenton’s arms. “It’ll take a little bit of work, but with a coat of paint, and a few brooms, this loft could be back to its old glory. Let’s call that realtor and make an offer that they can’t refuse.”

Thanks for reading. Your support is most appreciated.

Here is where you can find part two.