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Rex Draco Farm

Chapter 2. Surprises of Spring.

By Chris JamesPublished 3 years ago 9 min read
4
Rex Draco Farm
Photo by Henry Be on Unsplash

Rex Draco Farm

Chapter 2. Surprises of Spring.

Several weeks had passed since Mia moved on the farm, and we started dating. We were busy getting the old barn cleaned up and painted as we had plans to acquire a cow and a few chickens to help with our grocery bills. Just like everything else on the farm, no one had set foot in the barn since my grandparents had passed. When I arrived, Mia suggested that we store my few belongings inside for safekeeping, but now that we have cleaned the house enough to unpack, we thought it was time to find an animal or two.

I was fighting my way through a tangle of cobwebs and dust choking on a giant plume of dust that rose when I swept my broom across an overhead beam. “Coughing” “Mia, I think I will take that dust mask now.” Stumbling out of the cloud, I created, waving my hand in front of my face to clear the dust away.

Sticking her head down from the upper level begins to laugh at the sight she sees below. “here you go, silly, maybe you will listen when I tell suggest you take one.”

Waving a blue and green bandana in her out a stretched hand from the floor above, I jumped up and seized the item she offered me. “Thank you, Mia. You are a life savior.” Tying the cloth mask to cover my mouth and nose, we return to our tasks. Brushing away a rather stubborn set of cobwebs knocking a decade of dirt and dust from the ceiling, I turn my broom towards the floor and push the growing pile of dirt and dust to the center of the barn floor to join the rest of the trash that we had cleared that morning.

Wiping her forward with the back of her hand Mia climbs down the ladder. “Hey Arthur, I am getting a little thirsty. Do you want me to grab you a glass of water from the house?” Walking out of the barn without waiting for a response Mia follows the smooth gravel path leading up to the freshly painted house and into the kitchen. Pouring two glasses of water, she checks on a slow cooker that Arthur had set aside that morning the evening’s meal. A slow-cooked stew bubbled happily inside.

Walking back outside, Mia finds Arthur setting up a pair of folding chairs next to a makeshift wooden table. Setting a glass of water down on the table and sitting in one of the chairs, Mia takes a slow drink from her glass. “Arthur, we have been working on cleaning up the farm for what feels like a month or two now, and we only reached the barnyard yesterday. Do you think we will finish?” Turing her chair to face Arthur, Mia stares at him, resting her chin in her palm as she leans against the table.

Crashing into the other chair, Arthur reaches forward, takes the glass offered to him, and takes a large gulp of refreshingly cold water. “Thank you for the water. I am not sure when we will finish getting the farm up and running. I do know, however, that I am grateful you are here with me to take on this massive project.”

Reaching out across the table, Mia brushes the back of Arthurs’s hand with the tips of her fingers. A smile lights up her face. “You always say that, Arthur. I do not know, but I am glad you’re here with me.” Picking up both glasses, Mia stands up and walks back towards the house, calling over her shoulder. “Arthur, I am going to get cleaned up for the day you get dinner ready.”

Back into the barn, quick as a flash of lightning, Arthur takes the chairs and table back inside the barn and sets up for dinner. A stack of plates, silverware, and cups he had hidden under and tarp in the back corner he had cleared the day before. Pulling out more chairs and setting up another makeshift table, Arthur prepares for a few guests. Rushing up to the house, he grabs a pair of potholders and, lifting the slow cooker, takes it outside as a pair of headlights seen at the end of the drive entering the gate. Arthur waves the new arrival around the back of the barn. Setting the cooker down, Arthur sets the table for two.

Back in the house, Mia is rather livid. “Of all days to be scatterbrained, he chooses my birthday to forget. No card or flowers, He did not even say tell me Happy Birthday when I joined him for breakfast.” Mia hears the door open and close as she steps into a warm shower, the dirt of the day washing away and down the drain. Turning off the water and getting out of the bathtub, she wraps a towel around her torso, her long black hair and her slight tan shown brightly after washing. Looking at her reflection, she gently whispers to herself. “Happy Birthday Mia” Looking up as the sound of the door opening and closing again confuses her. “I thought Arthur was already in the house?”

Rushing around the barn to meet the guests, Arthur opens the car door. “I am so glad you could make it, and thanks for helping me keep this a surprise.”

Offering his hand out to help Mia’s mother out of the car as her father steps out and, with a deep rolling voice, says, “my boy, we would not miss our little girl’s birthday for anything.”

Showing them the way around the edge of the barn, slowly making sure Mia had not come out from her shower, Arthur sets the guests in a somewhat hidden spot for the surprise. Walking back up to the house, he enters through the door and goes into the kitchen, filling a jug of water and adding some ice. He leaves the kitchen and puts a note on the countertop as he leaves.

After getting dressed in a pair of shorts, and a T-shirt, Mia walks down to the kitchen, determined to give Arthur a piece of her mind. Not finding Arthur in the dining room, she checks the kitchen and finds the note on the countertop. “The night is rather lovely and not too chilly come out to the barn and join me for dinner.” Mia Scowls at the note as she tosses it back on the countertop. “of course he wants to eat out in the barn.” Rolling her eyes, she puts on socks and shoes and marches down to the barn. When she arrives, she finds the door pulled to and pulls it open a flash of light and a yell of “SURPRISE” fills the cool evening air.

Mia walks into the barn, jaw wide open as Arthur walks up to her arms open wide.

“Surprise, Mia, Happy Birthday.” Bending over, Arthur gives her a slightly scratchy kiss on the cheek.

Mia, with tears in her eyes, walks up and hits his chest with her fists. “Arthur, why did you let me go all day without any word of greeting? I thought such horrible things about you.” Turning to face her parents with fewer tears. “And I can only assume you two were in on this plan?”

Stepping beside and placing a hand on her shoulder, “Mia, You worked so hard ever since I arrived and even more so now that you live here as well. Tonight is your night to relax and enjoy the party.” Arthur leads her to a seat and pushes her to the table. Arthur set two more places at the table as her parents come from the sideline to join the party.

Her parents walk up and grab chairs and sit at the joined tables. “Mia, your mother and I are so proud of what you and Arthur have accomplished here. We did not tell you we were coming or send any greeting because we wanted to see what you had done without you stressing out or getting any pissed at Arthur.”

A bouquet in hand, when Arthur returns to the table presenting them, he leans forward and whispers, “Happy Birthday, Mia. I hope you forgive me for the surprise.” A big smile on his face as he stands next to Mia as her parents break into a song.

Tugging gently on Arthurs sleeve, Mia beckons Him closer, and just as he comes closer and her parents reach the height of the song, Mia springs up from her chair and kisses Arthur. “Of course, I forgive you, but next time skip the surprise and wish me a Happy Birthday.”

With all set down for a nice meal that had been cooking all day, Mia’s mother brings up a box and says, “What Birthday would be complete without a nice slice of chocolate cake?”

Everyone eating their fill and helping to carry items back to the house, Mia retires to her room for the night, leaving Arthur and her parents with a word of thanks.

As Arthur is out on the porch with her father, they both look out over the fields. “Sir, I want to thank you for helping me make this day happen.”

Slapping Arthur on the back, “Boy, you might want to consider picking something other than Sir to call me from now on. How about dad or pops?”

A deep, hearty laugh was escaping from his mouth as he pulled me back over the railing. “Sure pops whatever you say. So I guess that means you have plans for the future of Mia and me?”

The laugh stops, and her father turns and looks Arthur in the eyes. “Son, I agreed to my little girl moving out here with you for one reason and one reason only.” Poking Arthur in the chest, he growls, “Do not let me down.”

Shaken, Arthur Straitens up and replies, “You will not have to worry, pops. I will stay true to Mia.”

He patted Arthur on the back again, sending him over the railing and into the flower bed. “Whoops, sorry about that; Arthur seems I sent you flying again. Seeing as you are down there, meet me at the car. I have one more gift this time for the farm but make sure not to open it until Mia is awake in the morning.”

Arthur follows her father scrambling out of the flower beds, and he gives Arthur a box wrapped in plain brown paper. “Thank you, Sir, for the gifts you have given Mia and me. We will not forget everything you have done.”

Waving farewell from the porch as the car pulls away from the house and gathers speed down the road. Looking down at the package wrapped in paper, Arthur smiles and walks back into the house, closing the door and securing the lock. Takes the package to his room and turns in for the night. “I will make sure to give the gift to Mia in the morning.” Turning off the bedside lamp his head hits his pillow and he is fast asleep.

Short Story
4

About the Creator

Chris James

A simple writer for fun. If I think a topic is interesting enough my mind races to fill in a story around it. Any genre is fair game. However I do enjoy writing horror and science fiction and fantasy.

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