Chapter 9

It is still dark out when Adam wakes up. Paula is asleep next to him. He lies there looking up at the ceiling dreading his meeting with her father. He knows what it is she wants him to talk about and the thought terrifies him. He thinks about the life he left and how this new one can come easily crashing down around him for one girl. He’s not a teenager any more, though being with Paula makes him feels like one. It certainly makes him perform like one too. He wants to keep his place at the farm and he doesn’t want to leave Paula. Picking up and moving to a whole new part of the country wouldn’t be too hard, but he loves her. To lose her would be more difficult than leaving his wife and family behind.

Adam decides to get up, go to the farm and work like he would as if this marvelous night didn’t happen. After all, the only thing Wyatt knows is that Adam saw Paula on the road and helped her get her car to the mechanic. He gets dressed and then sits on the bed next to the girl, looking down at her sleeping so contently. Gently, he touches her hair, imagining that long mane when she is transformed. He brushes her cheek, admiring her beauty and still how exotic she looks in that other form. He touches her shoulder to wake her and tell her his plan.

Paula looks up at him and then closes her eyes. “Why are you up?” she asks, keeping her eyes closed.

“I’m going back to the farm to begin my work like usual in the hopes that your father thinks I was there all night.”

“Alright,” she mumbles. “I’ll see you later then.” Paula opens her eyes and looks up at him. She lifts her head and then takes his hand. “Fight for me.”

It is still dark and Adam is certain that Wyatt would not see him driving the truck down to his cabin. He notices that the sun is just coming up over the tree. Today is technically a day off on the farm, but there are a few minor chores that still need to get done, like feeding the animals. It won’t take too long. He looks to see if there are any lights on in the house. Paula is getting picked up at the motel by her friend Debbie, so he assumes that she will come straight home. His only worry is that Wyatt might have gone into town and possibly have seen the work truck parked outside the motel. He doesn’t know what he’d say to the man if that is what happened. Then Adam just shakes his head. Why on earth would the man need to go into town so late?

While Adam walks up to the barn, he sees a light go on in the kitchen. He begins with the cows, pouring grain into the hoppers. Then it’s onto the barn cats, waiting and meowing by their bowls. They do a wonderful job at catching mice and rats. The whole time Adam has been working the farm, he has yet to see a single rodent, let alone find any evidence of any around.

When he gets to the kitchen, Cindy is sitting at the table with a cup of coffee. He notices right away that the woman has the flour and a big mixing bowl out. She must be getting ready to make bread.

“Did you have a nice night in town?” she asks.

“It was okay, nothing special,” Adam lies, wondering why she is asking. Any time he has gone into town, neither of them has ever inquired about it the next day.

“I heard you helped Paula when her car broke down,” the woman continues.

“Yeah, I just happened to be driving by when I saw her,” he acknowledges. “I was able to pull it into town.” He doesn’t like lying, especially to people that have taken him into their house and given him a job.

“It’s certainly a good thin Wyatt keep a chain in the truck,” she says. “Speaking of Wyatt, he’s pretty upset.”

“He shouldn’t be,” Adam says hastily. “I didn’t plan to be with Paula. I just saw her car broke down. I couldn’t just keep going and not stop to help.”

“Wyatt is suspicious about anyone that comes near her,” Cindy explains. Then she gets up and goes to the stove and pours herself another cup of coffee before looking at the man. “Adam, you’re one of the best workers we’ve had in years. I’d hate to lose you, but Wyatt is a man of his word and he can be pretty stubborn.”

“I don’t want to get fired,” Adam says, sounding just a little desperate. “I love working her and I’m learning so much. I need this if I am going to start my own farm.”

“That’s fine, but Wyatt is very protective of Paula,” the woman says calmly, and a bit motherly. “This farm is steeped in family history, and Wyatt doesn’t want all that to disappear. He has plans for the girl and he doesn’t want to see her taken away of ending up in a situation where she isn’t fully happy.”

“Paula is smart, but I don’t see what he thinks I’m going to do to her if we’re just friends,” Adam reasons. Then he thinks about how they have been fucking each other and he is certain that man won’t like that if he knew.

“Wyatt just worries about her,” Cindy says as she picks up the mixing bowl and moves it closer to the sink. “Well, I better get this bread started.”

“I like to bake,” Adam abruptly throws out. “In fact, I know how to make bagels.”

“You do?” the woman asks. “I’ve always wanted to learn how to make them. Wyatt loves bagels, but we hardly ever buy them because he insists on living as much off the land as possible.”

“I learned from my ... a boss I had when I worked at a bakery in college.” Despite the predicament he has found himself in, Adam feels so at home with Cindy. Having to lie to these people is not how he wants to have it, but being with their daughter has made it even more difficult. “If you want, I’ll show you how. We can make bagels and surprise Wyatt.”

“Okay, let’s do it then,” Cindy says cheerily. “I really want to learn.”

Form the way the woman responds it is noticeable just how much she and Paula are alike.

“We have to boil water in that big pot,” he instructs. “Making bagel is pretty easy, but they get boiled in sugar water before they get baked.”

They get starts. Cindy is a good baker, which is to be expected when the majority of the food they eat comes from the land and has to be homemade. Adam shows her how to roll and shape the bagels. Then they put them in the boiling water until the bagels are doubled in size. Within minutes the goods are in the oven and the kitchen is filled with the wonderful smell of baking bread.

“There’s nothing like the smell of fresh bread backing,” Adam remarks, taking a big whiff of the air.

“Wyatt is going to be impressed when he sees these bagels,” Cindy says proudly.

They are just taking out the bagels from the oven when Wyatt comes down the stairs and into the kitchen. Adam is spilling out the bagels from the baking sheets and into a large bowl.

“Bagels,” Wyatt rumbles. “They look great.”

“Adam just taught me how to make them,” Cindy says. “Don’t they smell wonderful?”

“So, you’re a baker,” Wyatt says, lowering his nose to the bowl or bagels. Then he stands up and looks at the man. “We need to talk. I know you were with my daughter last night.”

“You’re right,” Adam announces, not missing a beat, though he is disappointed that the bagels didn’t steer him away from the subject. “I was heading into town and saw her car broke down. So I helped her.

“And that is not all you did,” Wyatt accuses.

“What do you mean?”

“I drove into town after I talked to Paula and saw the work truck,” Wyatt reveals.

“You did?” Adam says, almost feeling like the wind has been knocked from him. “Where did you see it?” He is certain the old man is going to say the motel, so he readies himself for the next blow. So he decides to be preemptive, “Paula and I had dinner after we dropped off the car. She wanted to treat me to dinner for helping her.”

“And then what?” Wyatt questions.

“Nothing, that’s all,” Adam lies, gesturing with his hands. “Her friend, Debbie, came and got her.”

“I don’t believe you, Adam,” the man disagrees.

“You don’t?” He didn’t mean for it to sound like a question, but that is how it comes out.

“I know something is going on with you two and I don’t like it.”

Cindy is listening, trying to stay out of it. She slices a bagel and spreads butter on it. Then after taking a bite, she says, “Wow, this is really good.” She hands her husband the other half and says, “You’ve got to taste this.”

Wyatt stops talking long enough to take a bite and chew. Meanwhile, Adam takes the moment to think about the way he has stood up to the man. Granted Wyatt is only a little older than him, but there is just something about the man that commands respect. Yet at this stage, Adam is not too worried about respect. He has nothing to lose except for Paula.

“I have to say something to you Wyatt, so please hear me out.” Adam clears his throat. “I know you don’t want me hanging around Paula, and I’m not sure what the problem is, but I don’t want to leave the farm. I love working her for you and learning everything I can.” Wyatt looks at him surprised. “I don’t think that it is right that you put me in one basket with all the other hands you’ve had. I’m not some young punk looking to fuck and run. I want to have my own spread one day. You would be making a mistake if you fired me.”

“Really,” Wyatt says, holding the bagel away from his mouth as he listens.

“Yes, really,” Adam repeats. “I’m serious as shit about farming and I’m a damn hard worker. So what is it that you’re so worried about?” What is it you think I’m going to do to Paula? Why do you want me to stay away from her?”

Cindy looks at Adam with her mouth dropped open. Wyatt looks stunned by the series of questions. And Adam cannot believe the words pouring from his mouth. Wyatt just looks at the man before glancing at the bagel inches from his mouth. While waiting for him to respond, Adam hears a loud engine outside. He turns to see who it is, and sees a motorcycle pulling up to the house with Paula sitting on the back, behind a girl. Paula gets off the back and then the two girls hug.

“Hey, Debbie,” Cindy goes out on the porch and waves. “Come on in and get a fresh bagel that we just made.”

“I only have a minute, Mrs. Hudson,” the girl says coming up to the house with Paula.

Wyatt still hasn’t said a word. Adam turns to him and says, “Sorry if I sound disrespectful, but I think that you are being unreasonable. I don’t want to give up this opportunity to learn from you just because you’re worried about me and Paula.”

Paula and Debbie come into the kitchen. Paula can tell right away that her father is upset with Adam. She quickly looks at the man. Their eyes meet and then dart away. Debbie is a little taller than Paula. She has short blondish hair, contrasting her friend completely. The girls go over to the bowl of bagels.