Andy went inside
when he got home and quickly changed into work clothes. He had chores to do,
livestock to check and feed. Then it would be time to jog across the farm to
help his mom shut down the produce stand. They did more business this time of
year than most people would have believed. The greenhouse was full of starter
plants, but they also had fresh stuff for sell when nobody else did too. It was
another half mile or so to the stand which was just off the main road that
divided their farm. He enjoyed jogging across the farm. He tried to take a
slightly different route each day. He would just leap over the cross fences as
he ran. As he trotted up he saw his mom had already closed up. She was talking
to his youngest sister. She was still in the local college, but she normally
didn't get home this early. He wondered what was up with her being here. It
wasn't long before he found out when he stopped beside the car.
She was looking
right at him and she never gave him a chance to say anything. "So did you
go talk to Pastor David today?" Andy's mouth fell open and she just
started to laugh at him. His mom was grinning as she shook her head and scolded
her daughter. "Sandy, you are just awful. Your brother doesn't need you
adding to his worries. I don't remember him being this mean to you when you
were trying to decide what to do with your life, shame on you!" His sister
managed to stop laughing long enough to reply. "Then you don't have a very
good memory. He was awful! He kept pushing me to go away... far, far away, were
the exact words he used, I think." Now Andy began to turn red. He had
teased her pretty hard, but it had been in fun... just like what she was doing
to him now.
He quickly walked
around the car and climbed in beside Sandy before she knew what was going on.
Then grinning at his mom he spoke. "I think I want to ride home with sis
today. I haven't had time to ask her anything at all about Paul...or Larry
either." That spun his sister around to face him with her best, 'don't
mess with me buster,' glare on her face. His mom just tossed up her hands and
headed for the truck. She wanted no part of this spat. Andy gave his sister his
best 'I dare you' look until she turned away and started the car. She pulled
out in front of her mom so she wouldn't get caught in the dust when they turned
down the driveway at home. Once she was safely on the road she shot him another
hard look and then started to laugh again. Andy frowned and looked at her which
only made her laugh more. Finally, he spoke if for no reason except to stop the
laughter.
"Just what is
so funny now?" She shook her head and shrugged, but she did stop laughing.
As they turned down the driveway she slowed her car and spoke again.
"Nothing really, I guess. I am going to miss you, at least a little. And
just so you know, I haven't see either Larry or Paul in a couple of weeks now,
not that it is any of your business." That made Andy smile. He already
knew that. The only real question in his mind was if and when she would give in
and call Steve. Sandy was in love with him and she knew it, even if she would
never admit it. Everybody knew it, except for maybe Steve. He had been
miserable when she decided to stay and go to school near home. Steve was attending
the college he had expected her to choose. It was too far for him to come home
often, so they hadn't seen much of each other since his sister had graduated
from high school. Steve was a good guy and would make Sandy a fine husband. He
just wasn't very exciting. Steve worked hard at anything he did, but he was
always focused on doing his best, not on having fun. Andy grinned as he thought
about working with Steve. Steve loved to work on a farm as much as Andy did. He
spent more time out on his grandfather's place than he did at his parent's home
in town. He was a farmer at heart. Sandy loved him for all of the things he
was, but she wanted to have some excitement in her life too. That was something
Steve just didn't seem to understand.
Sandy broke his
train of thought with her next comment. "So... you haven't decided yet? I
can tell you haven't yet, everyone can tell that you are really struggling with
this decision." She glanced over at him and smiled a genuine smile.
"If I could help I would, but I know this has to be your decision. Still,
if you just need to scream at someone... I am used to you doing that, so have
at it." That made them both laugh. He was closer to Sandy than any of his
other sisters. Maybe it was partly because they were so close to the same age.
She was only a little more than two years older than him. Andy didn't think
that was all of it though. They had a connection that he had never had with the
other girls. The truth was she had always been his best friend too. They could
and often did talk about stuff that they would never tell anybody else. When
the laughter stopped he smiled a genuine smile back at her. "I know that
sis and thanks." The remainder of the short drive was silent. Both of them
were lost in their own thoughts.
Once home, they both headed in different
directions. Sandy headed inside to help his mom fix supper. Andy headed out to
see if he could help his dad with anything. It took Andy a while to find his
dad. His truck was parked by the shop, but he wasn't in the shop like he
normally would have been when not out on the farm. Andy soon found him out back
of one of the other sheds. He was hunting for some steel he had tossed in the
scrap pile. He had a use for one of those odd pieces he had thrown out. They
talked about how it never failed that if you threw something away you would
need it in no time. They finally found the piece and dropped it off at the
shop. By then it was almost time for supper, so they headed to the house. Andy
was glad that his dad hadn't asked about things. Andy knew he had to tell them
about his decision, he just didn't know how he was going to do it yet.
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