Cowgirl Up ✔️

Chapter Thirty Four

Grandpa told me I could have the Monday off.
So when I slowly drifted awake, stretching my arm's out above my head, I was pleasantly content to see my alarm clock read 7:29AM.
I stifled a yawn, then sat up, tossing my cover's aside.
There's no rest for the wicked.
I've already had a 'sleep in' by means of the farm.
Crossing to my drawer's, I found myself fresh underwear, jeans and t-shirt to wear.
When I crossed back to my bed, I shot my broken phone a sidelong glance.
Because that conversation is gonna go down well with Blayze...
Quite frankly, I'm not even sure I can face him.
Who the heck know's what he got up to last night?
Mentally I slammed that door.
I'd had a hard enough time finding sleep with those idiot thought's coursing through my mind.
I stripped my pyjamas and got dressed to face the day.
Pity there's not an outfit for a backbone.
That's what I need at the moment, a strong backbone.

"Morning honey."
Grandma shot me a smile, her hand's covered in long rubber gloves while she washed the breakfast dishes.
"Morning."
I crossed to the kettle.
"How'd you sleep?"
Grandma asked.
"Okay."
Lies!
I'd slept like shit!
But my poor Grandmother didn't need to know that.
"Got much planned for your day off?"
Grandma queried.
I felt a sigh deflate my chest.
"I have no idea."
I confessed.
Hayley and Noah would be heading to school, so it put out hanging out with my friend's on my 'day off'.
Grandma shot me a small smile.
"I guess Hayley and Noah will be off to school."
"Yeah."
I lifted the just boiled kettle and poured the water into the mug I'd already placed a teaspoon of coffee, two teaspoon's of sugar and some milk into.
Grabbing my spoon, I started to stir the mixture as I placed the kettle back onto the base.
"The challenge of being out of school when your mate's still attend."
Grandma mused.
"Your Mum found that too."
"I'll deal. I'm sure I'll find something I can do."
I lifted my coffee to take a sip.
"I'm sure you will."
"Has everyone headed out for the day?"
I questioned.
What I really meant was 'am I going to run into Blayze when I go offside'?
"I think so."
Grandma nodded.
"Jake and Heath were off to ride boundaries, Troy and Alex were scheduled to meet Blayze in the Northern Paddock's."
Idiotically and rather traitorously, my heart skipped a beat at hearing Blayze's name.
"Blayze came back?"
Grandma pulled the plug from the sink.
"He got in last night."
"Oh."
Grandma turned my way.
"Why would you think he wouldn't come back?"
"I just saw him tagged in some picture's on Facebook, at the pub."
I pushed off from the bench I was leaning back against.
"Ah."
Grandma nodded.
"Well nah, he got in at something like eleven. He dropped in here, but I was the only one up."
So he didn't bring anybody back with him then, if he came in here before going to the cottage.
"I think he was coming to find out about you not answering his message, but I told him your phone was flat."
Grandma explained.
Pitty it's worse than flat...
"I'd better go get some washing on. There's a few load's to get done today."
Grandma wiped her hands off on a tea towel then walked out of the kitchen, in the direction of the laundry.
I crossed to the toaster and slipped a couple of slice's of bread in there to cook.
I was going to have to eat something seeing as I'd missed the farm breakfast.

Outside, the day was a crisp, clear blue with barely a cloud to be seen for miles.
The chicken's hopped around the yard, pecking at weed's, bug's and worm's who chanced an untimely rise from the underground.
I closed my eyes and tilted my head back to feel the warm ray's of the sun on my cheek's.
The farmyard seemed blissfully unoccupied, everyone apparently out on job's.
Straightening my posture again, I headed for the tack shed to fetch Phoenix's halter.
He could do with a decent bath after the sweat and grime along with the dust he'd endured on the three day muster.

Once I'd given Phoenix his bath and taken him to the round yard to have a roll, I returned him to the large paddock to veg out with the other horse's who weren't at work.
Everyone who'd been on the Muster was in the paddock either a) Peacefully grazing, b) Lazily tending to itchy spot's on their pal's or c) Snoozing either standing under the tree's or laying down with the watchful eye's of their paddock mate's above them.
Setting my saddle onto the rack I'd dragged outside, I watched Phoenix make his way back to the herd after taking a drink from the trough.
Only once Phoenix was standing next to him did Western get down to the ground, letting out a contented groan at his muscles taking a break.
Still groaning away in pleasure, he stretched out on his side, his year younger brother's watchful eye over him.
I couldn't help but smile.
They're a funny pair.