Nathan got out of the cab and looked at the address in his phone and then the address on the mailbox in front of him, he sighed and turned to the cabdriver, paying him and then strapping his backpack on his shoulder before turning back to the house in front of him. He heaved a deep sigh and sent a silent prayer to heaven that Tracy would be in there, he would not like to alert the old woman for nothing only to get her worried. Sucking in a deep breath, he let it out and then walked past the mailbox and farther till he got to the wooden barricade that served as a gate and also as a fence to the farm with growing crops inside the compound.
Looking around, he saw an old woman in denim jeans, black boots, brown top and a cowboy hat. She was busy harvesting the fresh tomatoes and had not noticed him yet. He looked behind her at the bungalow that was just a few feet from her and searched with his eyes to know if he could find Tracy or even just her silhouette inside but he found nothing. He licked his lips and ran his fingers through his hair before he opened the wooden door and entered the farm. He threaded softly to the old woman while in his heart praying she doesn’t chase him away or at most, tell him that she had not seen Tracy in a long while. He doesn’t know between the two which would be a bigger bad news to him.
“Good evening ma’am,” he greeted when he was just a few pace from the woman.
“Finally,” she said, “I was beginning to think you don’t speak,” she then turned to him and he had to stop himself from gasping. If he had not stood by Naomi’s grave, he would think it was the woman standing in front of him but only with extra winkles and sharper hazel eyes. The woman’s eyes were filled with intelligence and experience and Nathan knew immediately she was the woman he should not mess with.
He gulped and immediately said, “I am sorry ma’am, I just wanted to get close to you to prevent us from shouting.”
“You are wrong there boy, if I have sensed an atom of hostility in you, you wouldn’t have gotten close to me. So what can I do for you?” she put the last tomatoes in her basket or what Nathan believe to be the last one she would pluck as she started cleaning her fingers with her napkin.
“Um…my name is Nathaniel Wood, I um…I’m Lucy Wood’s son, she is your late daughter’s best friend. They both live in Midville, a small town in Los Angeles.”
The woman sighed, “I know who Lucy Wood is and I know who you are boy. I recognized you the moment I saw you get out of that cab in front of my house. I didn’t ask for your biography, I asked what I can do for you.”
“Oh,” Nathan scratched his head awkwardly, “I’m sorry, I just um…I thought I should start with an introduction.” He gulped, he doesn’t know why but he was so scared of the woman and it made him at lost for words. “Um…I um…I wanted to know…if…if Tracy is here.” He gulped again, wanting to cower away at the woman’s gaze but refused to be a just a mere boy that would be so scared. He stood his ground and held her gaze, even though he was afraid to the extent he almost peed in his pants.
The woman felt impressed seeing the young boy hold her gaze despite being so scared but she would give him an A for even trying. Deep in heart, she already accepted him in the aspect of knowing what he wants and going for it, rather than cower away like some men way older than him would have done. “So, you came after her, I’m impressed.”
Hearing her words, Nathan didn’t know when he sighed in relief and ran his fingers through his platinum blonde hair, “that means she is here?” he asked happily.
The old woman stared at him in his obviously happy state and something about the way he behaved brought a smile to her face, “it seems you have been searching for her.”
“Yes,” he answered in a breath and then calmed down and repeated, “yes,” softly this time. “Since yesterday, her number has not been connecting either.”
“She hasn’t turned on her phone since she arrived. Anyways, let’s go inside, help me with this basket will you,” she turned and started walking out of the farm to the pathway that leads to the house.
“Of course,” Nathan replied and immediately walked up to the basket and picked it up before following her.
“So how did you know she would be here?”
“It was just a tryout,” he sighed, “I have no idea where else she could be so all my hope was here.”
“I see,” she nodded. When she climbed up the porch, she took of her cowboy hat and opened the door; she walked in and held the door for him to enter before closing it gently after him. “There, keep it in the kitchen,” she pointed at an open door and Nathan walked straight there.
“Granny, who are you talking to?” Tracy asked, coming out of a room just as Nathan was walking back to the living room. Having heard her voice, he had immediately dropped the basket and rushed out. Their eyes met and they both paused, while Tracy was shocked to see him, Nathan was glad she was okay and that he was able to find her.
“How did you get here?” She asked immediately, glancing from him to her grandma and then at him again.
“Oh please don’t trouble the young man, he traveled all the way from LA to come find you and instead of you to offer him a seat and a cold drink, you are more worried about how he found you. Ah,” her grandma shook her head, “children of these days, tch,” she sighed and walked to a couch and sat down, placing her hat beside her. “Come sit down boy, I will show you basic etiquette, she seems to be lacking it,” she patted the space close to her.
Nathan smiled and went and sat down beside the woman.
“Granny, is not that I am lacking it, I am just surprised to see him,” Tracy defended.
“This is the father of your child, you should start showing him some respect, it is not easy to father a child.”
Nathan snickered and covered his mouth immediately while staring down at his boots.
Tracy glared at him and then turned to her grandma, “granny, don’t pick sides,” she warned.
Ruth smiled and patted Nathan on the shoulder, “he is a strong boy. I like him already. If your stupid father was half the man he is, things would have turned out differently for your mom or if her stupid father was half the man he is, things would have turned out differently for me. But if I’m being honest, I like my life now, I am happy. But no matter how happy you can be on your own, nothing adds up to the joy of seeing your child grow up with both parents. Now, go get him a cold drink, he needs it.”
Tracy sighed and glanced from her to Nathan who was trying his best to be invisible, a soft smile played on her lips and she left to get the drink. A part of her was happy that her grandma was not coming between them or disappointed in her, she just wishes Lucy would be the same.
“So Nathan, I am Ruth by the way, you can call me that or you can call me granny, whichever you want,” she said, calling his attention.
Nathan cleared his throat and turned to her, “I will prefer granny if you don’t mind.”
Ruth shrugged, “whatever,” she reached back and removed her hair band, freeing her white missed with chestnut brown hair that she had in an all back bun. “So, are you done with high school?”
Nathan shook his head, “I will be done in two months.”
Ruth nodded, “does your mother know you are here?”
Nathan bit his lip and shook his head, “she wasn’t around when I was preparing to leave,” he defended.
“No, no, no, no, no,” Tracy said walking out of the kitchen with a glass of chilled lemonade, she placed it on the side stool and turned to Nathan, “I won’t have Lucy hate me more than she already does. That was why I didn’t tell you when I was leaving because I knew you would do this. What do you want Lucy to think of me now?”
“Calm down Tracy, we will figure something out. There is no better why than this, the Lucy I know would not have let him leave had he told her,” Ruth said.
“Then he shouldn’t have come,” Tracy said.
Ruth looked at her and sighed, not knowing what to say.
“I didn’t want to leave you alone. Trace, I put you in this mess, I should be beside you twenty four seven. I would never forgive myself if I let you go through this alone. Mom will just have to understand someday,” Nathan said, standing up and walking to her.
“Listen to the boy,” Ruth said, “the deed has already been done, Lucy will just have to come in terms with it. Because what else would she expect to happen? As long as you give birth to that child, your fate is linked with his ‘cause the child will grow up knowing him as his father, no power on earth can change that. The only way out of this mess or whatever you choose to call it is to have an abortion.”
“No!” Nathan shouted immediately and then turned to Tracy, “you don’t have to do that, we will just give mom some time, she will understand someday. We can do this Trace, together, I believe we can. You just have to stop pushing me away; you just have to let me stay beside you, please.”
“Damn, did you pick a rare gem when choosing your own man,” Ruth said, standing up, “if only your mother and I were as clear sighted as you are,” she shook her head. “So what if he is fucking ten years younger than me,” she rolled her eyes and started walking towards the kitchen, “well you two can keep up the lover’s quarrel, I will make dinner.”
Tracy stared at her leaving back unbelievably, wondering how she was able to be so calm about everything.
Nathan was staring at the woman as well, he too was thinking about how calm she was about everything and it just made him love the woman already. He turned to Tracy and touched her cheek with his thumb. “Please, everything is already out in the open, there is nothing to be afraid of anymore, we have already seen what everybody would do. Please,” he traced her lips with his thumb and then placed his forehead on hers. “Let me give you strength to go through this Trace, please. Now I am not going to take no for an answer and nothing you say is going to make me leave here without you. Even if Granny tells me to leave her house, I will hover around till she feels sad for me and brings me back in. You are mine Tracy Foster, and it’s high time you start getting that into your thick skull.”
“Wow,” Ruth said from the kitchen door, making the couple turn to her, “if you say no, I am going to take your place.”
Tracy chuckled and wrapped her arms on Nathan’s waist while he hugged her tightly to himself, chuckling at what Ruth said.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hi guys, guess which book is going to be launched soon?

This BOOK!!!

Yes, An Impossible Attraction is going to be released in paperback very soon. I'm so happy 😊 😃