The Drapevine: Chapter 38

Help me...

I hear her voice as I drift back into the dream that I am accustomed to every so often.

please, she begs me. Please help me.

"YA WAKE UP!" - my sisters voice interjects and the dream floats back under the cloudy surface of my groggy mind.

"Noo" I moan into my pillow, too tired to moved. "Tell Nan that I'll be down in a second?" I ask as I roll over back into a comfortable position.

"No, get up now."

I know she won't leave my door way until I'm out of bed. She is like Nan's little assistant, and like Nan, won't take no for an answer.

I get out of bed now and stretch, a yawn escaping me as I do so.
"Europa," I say between my yawns, "What time is it?"

"Seven in the morning!" She replies happily and joins me near my bed. "I already watered your garden!" She says excitedly, feeling accomplished.

"How nice of you." I smile. Yes, she's a pain in the morning but she's also quite helpful.

"And Nan made some apple waffles. The apples are from your garden, too. They're delicious!"

My brows furrowed, "How did you pick the apples?" I asked. She was too short to reach the apples even at their lowest points.

"I shook the trees!" she half shouted in a proud demeanor.

I laughed which became a yawn as I rubbed my eyes. "That's clever, Europa. But those trees aren't almond trees, and they're not meant to be shaken. Next time I'll help you get them, okay?"

She thought for a moment but me helping her was not on her mind. "You don't wake up early enough," she said simply. "So I'll just keep shaking the trees."

I smiled, shaking my head. I gave in "fine."

"Enough talking let's go!" She shouted at me, grabbing my hand and leading me down the stairs.

"It's about time!" said Nan, making coffee for herself. "Callisto, I thought you must've died up there. Only took ya about twenty minutes to get down here ! Waffles nearly too cold !"

"Your midget didn't do a very good job of getting me out of bed," I said as I grabbed some pancakes and put them on my plate. I sat down across from my sister who had joined me at the table.

"I AM NOT A MIDGET " She wailed, shooting my a dirty look. "And you're obviously out of bed now so shut it."

I grinned, taking my first stab at my pile of pancakes.

"You better eat those pancakes fast, boy!" Nan said, placing her empty coffee mug on the counter as she made another batch.

"How much coffee did you make this morning already?" I asked nodding my head at her and her favorite coffee maker. She was addicted to the stuff but didn't want to admit it. She blamed her need for coffee on her old age.

"Doesn't matter" she mumbled as she pressed the buttons.

"That's her third" Europa piped.

"Don't go judging an old lady until you've reached my age and need the energy! Now finish dem pancakes and head out to feed those horses!"

I ate what was left on my plate and headed out to the barn.

~~~~

Sonny was already trotting toward me when I entered the pen.

"Hey there" I said to him softly. I rubbed his neck and he lazily closed his eyes.

"There you are , horse whisper!" I looked across the field to my best friend who happened to work on the ranch. He desperately needed a job and Nan, being the nurturing foster mom she is, took him in just as she did for me and my sister.

" 'Morning" I replied with a wave as he made his way over.

He wiped the sweat away from his brow as he approached. "Man oh man do I hate being up this early on a saturday!"

"I couldn't agree more" I said while tying Sonny to the fence post.

"Especially how we're going to be out so late, it sucks to run on no sleep."

I cut him off there. "Look, I know you want me to go with you to that party, but I can't, Okay? I don't get Sundays off like you do and I'm not working hung-over."

He scratched his head and I could tell he was working on some master plan to get me to go.

"Shelly's going to be there."

"Really, Dan? That makes me not want to go even more." I started to clean Sonny's hooves and I felt Dan getting impatient.

"Just go with me tonight, please?" He asked his voice in all desperation. He was like my sister with persistance.

"Fine," I said. "As long as you stop bothering me about it. And don't tell Shelly that I'm going because she'll be there. I don't want her thinking that I want to get back together now that she's finally off my mind."