Chapter 5 The Woods

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For the start of a short holiday at High Meadows, I was having a good time. We'd already made three days there and honestly, at my age, I was quite happy and looking up to seeing Heather every morning made it better.

So far aunt Christina hadn't scolded me yet. I avoided that. Sawyer on the other hand was still as cold and rude with me. I avoided her and decided to ignore her throughout my stay in the ranch.

~~

On Tuesday morning of the first week, after breakfast my dad and uncle ken decided to have a ride in the nearby woods on horseback.

"Hey son, wanna come too?" Uncle ken asked.

"Sure!" I replied excitedly.

"You should know that we'd be returning late."

"Why?" I asked.

"We wanna have a hunt actually. We wanna eat good meat that isn't cow meat or pork."

"Oh, okay! I'm still coming," I said excitedly.

"Okay, son. Go get the food basket from my wife. That's what we'd be eating once we'll take a break in those woods."

"Okay!"

I ran into the house and straight into the kitchen.

"Aunt Christina?"

She turned to me with a frown.

"What did I say about running in the house?" she asked angrily. I gulped.

"Um, I'm– I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

"Pff! I hope so. Don't bring your bad manners along whenever you come to this ranch."

What?

I stared at her, intimidated and lost.

"Well, don't just stand there staring, you idiot! What did you come for?" she asked strictly.

"Uh, um, the food basket."

"Was it hard to say?" she sighed. "Get it on the table."

I turned around to get the basket. That was when I noticed Sawyer leaning against the door post. She'd heard her mother scold me. She had a satisfied little smirk on and then to my surprise, she stuck her tongue out at me. I shook my head, took the basket and left the kitchen.

I was angry within. I was embarrassed and felt humiliated. Why had aunt Christina insulted me that way? My eyes watered and I tried not to cry.

As I walked down the little corridor, I met with Heather. I winked away my tears.

"Sheridan? Your eyes are red. Were you crying?" she asked in her low soft voice.

"No, Heather," I forced a smile. She smiled back.

"Okay," she noticed the basket. "What's that for?" she asked.

"I'm going hunting with uncle ken and my dad."

Her smile faded.

"Oh. That means we won't play?"

"I guess."

"Plus, it means I will see you tomorrow only."

"Tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Dad always comes back from hunting at about nine in the evening. Nine is our bed time."

"Oh um, don't worry. We'll play tomorrow," I reassured her. She smiled.

"Okay," she replied shyly before walking past me. I turned and looked at her go. As if knowing I was watching her, she turned and gave me another shy smile before disappearing down the hall way.

I went to meet my dad and uncle ken.