Joey bounded into the kitchen, almost colliding with Anna.
“Whoa there, stallion,” she said, bracing her hands on his chest for support. “What’s this? You mean, I don’t have to drag your behind out of bed this lovely morning?”
Joey laughed jovially. This was the 4th day of their week-long experiment, and so far, there had been no major casualties. Because they were on Anna’s turf, and because the work still needed to get done, Joey was forced out of bed at the crack of dawn. Anna had gotten creative with ways to wake him up, ranging from dripping olive juice into his mouth, to getting Chris to whisper suggestive things into his ear in his high falsetto. Today, he wasn’t going to give her the chance, although they both knew it was all in fun. They had really been getting along, more so than even Joey expected. They took their mealtimes together to talk about themselves, and throughout the day they tried to just be themselves. Joey’s stomach growled. “What’s for breakfast, Belle?”
“Scrambled egg and cheese all right with you?” she asked, holding the contents over her head from her position at the counter.
“My favorite, you remembered,” he smiled. “You want me to fry up the bacon and sausage?”
“Go for it.” Anna handed him the skillet, and then put on the coffee. This had become her favorite ritual during the week. She and Joey fixed breakfast and then took their food to the barn to talk, while the rest ate at the kitchen table. Sure enough, the smells of the morning roused the other six. Emmi was the last to emerge, thankful for this week of sleeping in that she had gained. Once the food had been served, the cooks picked up their plates, and headed out the door.
"So, where did we leave off yesterday?" Joey said, sitting down on a stool, balancing his plate carefully in his lap.
"Hmm..." Anna sat gingerly on the floor, leaning into the wall. "I think I was just starting to tell you how Emmi and I came to live here."
"Right. You guys really seem to love it here." Joey commented, swallowing a bite of egg.
"We really do." Anna stared away for a moment, a dreamy smile on her face. All week Anna had been telling her life story, as requested by Joey, bit by bit every morning. After she finished he was going to tell his. "Well, shortly after Emmi finished high school, our Nana passed away. We were both very close to her, so it was hard to deal with. It was very unexpected and sudden. Emmi and I spent almost every summer here with her growing up. She left us the farm in her will. Emmi and I agreered there was no way we could sell it off, so we moved here. Emmi does her college courses by correspondence during the year, and I pretty much run this place. I keep the books, place orders for supplies, make sure we have enough workers, and they all get paid. It's hard, it's stressful, but I wouldn't imagine it any other way." Anna finished, pushing her eggs around on her plate with her fork. She couldn't look at Joey, for some reason.
In four days Joey had learned almost everything about Anna's past. He knew how she was used by several guys while growing up. She just couldn't trust guys anymore. Starting with her father, and moving to various boyfriends, Anna had been seeking acceptance, but never found it. She was used and mistreated, and was very hard because of it. Her story of trials and triumph really did help him to understand her.
Joey slipped off his stool, and sat next to Anna on the floor. Carefully and slowly, he slipped his arm around Anna's shoulders. She stiffened at his first touch, but relaxed, and even leaned her head onto his shoulder.
"Joey, where are you taking me?" Anna asked, trying in vain to look through her blindfold.
"I told you many, many times, it's a surprise woman. It's been a week, this is my last day to show you just how darn cool I am, so I'm going to take advantage of it." Joey said, gripping her shoulders lightly to lead her down the path.
"Just don't let me fall, okay?" Anna pleaded. "If you fall, I'll be there to catch you." Joey said softly, his mouth right next to Anna's ear. Goosebumps ran up and down her spine as she listened to the woods on the warm, late summer day.
"How much longer?" Anna asked after a brief silence.
"We're here." Joey untied the blindfold and let it drop to the ground. Anna looked around, wide-eyed.
"How did you know?" She asked, walking towards the small country church. The small steeple peirced the sky and there were wildflowers growing beautifully around the abandoned building.
"Emmi and I had a long talk a few nights ago. I wanted to take you somewhere special that meant something to you. That we could make mean something to us. She said this is where your parents got married."
Anna nodded, the tears started to well up in her eyes. "They closed it down because no one came all the way out here to go to services anymore. But I always loved this place. I always felt that I was closer to God here, and after my parents died, it seemed like my only to them. I wanted to get married here when I was a little girl." She sat on the front steps, looking at Joey. He slowly moved to sit next to her.
"I was wrong about you. I'm so sorry I didn't give you a chance earlier. I wish I had, because now I feel like I missed out on knowing you. You're leaving in three days." Anna looked at her hands, which twisted a blade of long grass into knots.
"I don't have to. I want to stay with you, Belle. I love you." Joey tilted her head with two fingers, forcing her to look him in the eyes.
"Joey---I can't. You can't. We can't. I just don't feel ready for you, for any of this. I want to, but it---I'm sorry." Anna buried her head into her arms, unable to look at Joey.
Joey slid over a couple inches, shock on his face. He had given her every reason to trust him, to like him, maybe to love him. He'd moved to fast, blown it all.
"Anna, I'm sorry. I--I'm moving too fast. I'm sorry."
Anna was silent, except for the occasional sniffles. "It's not you, Joey. I could fall in love with you, I know it. You are everything I want. But I can't. Not now, at least."
"Maybe, later? When you are ready?" Joey smiled slightly.
"Maybe. Look, it's getting sort of cold. Maybe we should go back?" Anna stood up.
"Not yet. Let's just watch the sunset." Joey offered his hand. She took it, letting his large hand engulf hers, as they sat on the church steps, and watched the sunset.
