Daddy Has A Shotgun, But You Have My Heart {Completed}

The Farm

                                             Chapter Eight

When Ethel and Zeus reached the end of the driveway, they were faced with a two story, white chipped, painted house. On the porch was a middle aged woman, in a wooden rocking chair and fanning herself as she rocked back and forth.

The woman stopped when she saw the two figures she had been looking for all morning. A smile spread on her face.

Ethel and Zeus walked onto the porch and sure enough when Ethel laid eyes on the woman, she saw the resemblance of her mother in the woman in front of her. They had the same green eyes, which were light as sun-kissed grass, and a heart shaped face. Only difference in their faces was the shape of their noses. While Ethel’s mom had a thin nose, her Aunt had a rather fat nose.

“Ethel, dear what on earth brings you here on this fine morning?” Ethel’s aunt innocently tried asking.

“I think you know.” Ethel replied to her aunt, who smiled widely.

“Would you two like to come in? Because, I think it’s time I made some eggs and ham, I’m starved after all.” With that the woman got up from her rocking chair, folded the paper fan, and set it on the white wicker porch table.

Ethel’s aunt walked to the screen door and opened it, before she got inside she turned to the two teens. “Well, are ya going to stay out here all day, or are you coming in?” She asked as she walked in without waiting on their reply.


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“So … Ummm, Ethel’s aunt, can you take us to a gas station?” Zeus asked as they sat down to eat breakfast.

“Honey, you can call me Bellva and as for taking you to a gas station, that shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Thank you ma’am.” Zeus said to Bellva.

“I told you to call me Bellva.”

“Well, thank you, Bellva.” Zeus corrected himself. In the corner of his eye he saw Ethel eating as fast as she could.

“Ethel, baby, slow down.” Bellva informed her niece.

“Sorry.” Ethel said once she swallowed all the food in her mouth with one oversize gulp. “I just really need to get to school. I have a report due today.” She lied to her aunt. With a loud chuckle Bellva stared at Ethel.

“I’m sorry dear, but I don’t think you’ll be turning that paper in today.” Bellva announced to her. Ethel furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

“And why not?” She asked.

“Because, my two sons-in-law, Peter and Luke, took the truck out today to go pick up some hay, from Mr. Green, in Rowover County. They will not be back till sundown and by sundown the gas station will be closed. You two are going to have to stay the night here I‘m afraid.” Bellva told them. Ethel lost all color in her face, whereas Zeus shrugged his shoulder, not minding a whole night and day with his beloved Ethel.

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Once they were finished with breakfast, Bellva asked – demanded that since Zeus and Ethel will be here all day that they have to come help her tend to the horses in the stables. With a loud and exasperated sigh, both Ethel and Zeus followed Bellva outside and into the backyard.

Once outside, Ethel’s grey eyes scanned the whole land that was behind her aunt’s house. She concluded that her aunt is still a farmer, with small patches of various crops scattered on her land. Ethel realized that because there were so many animals here, along with crops is the main reason why her mom and their family never really came and visited Bellva. Ethel knew her mom’s hated animals and how they seemed to leave a mess everywhere they went. Plus, plants never seemed to grow in the presence of her Mom. So to be on her aunt's property would more than likely stress her mom out to no end.

Zeus, on the other hand was admiring the land that was before him. All his life he had lived and grown up in a city with never enough room to have a house and several acres of land for animals and crops to flourish.  

The three of them made their way to a blue, discolored barn. Bellva unlocked the rusted lock with a key that was around her neck. She proceeded to open the wide door and let the smell of old wood, hay and horse manure fill their nostrils. Ethel wrinkled her nose at the smell, Zeus embraced it.

“I’m so glad that you two offered to help me with the horses. It’s not every day that my two sons-in-laws get up and help me. I think they purposely avoid lending a helping hand to their dear old mother-in-law. I noticed that they were more willing to go to Mr. Green’s today instead of helping me out in the stables.” Bellva informed them with a sweet smile.

Ethel glared at all the stalls as they walked to the far end of the barn. She hated the smell, the noises and the way the barn seemed to creek when the wind blew by.

“What exactly do we have to do?” Ethel asked Bellva, hoping she would answer with nothing. But instead Bellva walked to a door at the end of the barn and pulled out a purple container, two large metal scoops, with wooden handles and a black bag.

“You two are going to clean the stalls.” Bellva informed Ethel and Zeus.

“How do you clean their … stalls?” Ethel inquired.

“You will need to take the horse out of the stall and tie it to the metal pole next to its door. Once you do that you can enter the stall and scoop the hay, and poop on the floor with this.” Bellva held out the metal scoop.  “Then you can take the droppings and hay and place them in the black bags. If you could please put the black bag outside of the barn when done, I like to use the manure for the crops.” Bellva finished.

“Ummm, what do we do with the horses when we are done?” Ethel asked. Bellva smiled.

“You brush them and get the dirt out of their hooves. These are the apples that each horse gets after you have cleaned their stalls.” Bellva pointed to the purple container. Once you finish giving them an apple you can lead them to the pasture.” She said to the two young’uns with a toothy grin.

“But, I don’t know how to do that!” Ethel argued in anger. She had a feeling that her aunt was going to ditch them and leave Ethel and Zeus here alone not knowing how to do a single thing.

“Practice makes perfect!” With that Bellva walked out of the barn, leaving Zeus and Ethel alone.

“She is psycho.” Muttered Ethel. Zeus smiled at how angry Ethel seemed to be at the moment. It was so adorable when where nose flared and her eyes widen, hinting that she was not too pleased with their situation.

“Shall we get started?” Zeus suggested. Ethel hadn’t realized that he was still in the barn with her until he spoke. With a soft nod she walked over to the first stall that had a black name tag on it: Jungle. “That’s a cool name for a horse, Jungle. Don’t you agree?” Zeus asked Ethel, trying to make small talk. Ethel on the other hand just nodded her head and opened the wooden door. Inside the stall was a tan-colored horse that perked its head up from the bucket of water when it heard the door opened. In fear, Ethel stepped back.

She was terrified of the tall, muscular animal that was in front of her.

“Don’t like horses?” Zeus asked when he walked in and went straight over to the horse. He put his hand on the backside of the horse and started petting it. A grin landed on his face when the horse shook its head.

Zeus had never been this close to a horse before and he loved the way the animal looked and felt. In the corner of his eye he saw Ethel slowly slipping out of the stall.

“Hey, don’t leave me in here without any company.” Zeus called out to her before she was able to run out of the stall fully. Ethel stopped her tracks and sighed, knowing that she didn’t really want to leave Zeus’ side, because she was in a barn full of these large animals. What if one knocked down the doors and trampled her? The thought made her shiver and stay in the stall with the Zeus.

Both Ethel and Zeus knew it was going to be a long day.