“Yes, but only if I can touch the wax when it’s melting down the side,” I said. “There’s something about it that makes me want to touch it.”
Once the ceiling light was out, Lorenzo sat across from me, his eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at me. “Ok, but only the stuff near the base. If you get burned, you can’t be mad. But I will kiss any little boo boos you makes on those precious hands of yours.”
“Thank you, Daddy.”
“Let me give them one for good luck first.” He reached out and took both my hands, kissing each of my fingertips. “Ok, now let’s eat before it all gets cold. I want you to finish everything on the plate, or no dessert.”
Now, I was being spoiled, and that wasn’t anything I’d manifested as a little, but I liked the way it felt.
26. LORENZO
On the morning of Thanksgiving, I got a phone call from my mom, it was quick, lasted less than a minute. She’d called to wish me ahappy Thanksgiving, and with my father in the background yellingditto. It was standard for them, I never expected even a call, or a second though from them, but to know they still had my number and reached out made me realize I was thankful for that. But today, most importantly, I was thankful for this family that had welcomed me in, obviously, they’d done so for a job, but when Jace announced our relationship to them, they embraced me as a member of their family.
Thanksgiving morning was full of festivity, all the family were working and helping with the animals, or sitting by and gesturing at things that needed to be done. It was the first time I’d seen Max away from his phone and actually smiling as he chased chickens around.
“He’s only like this around the holidays,” Jace said as we were the ones busy picking the eggs from the coop. “I think it’s more to do with no school, and maybe some good advertising.”
“Yeah,” I said, a big smile on my face nobody could wipe away. “And it’s nice to see someone else milking the goats.”
In the corner of the barn, Olivia and Martha were both in competition with each other about who could get the most milk, while Diane was approaching from the house carrying a large tray of cups. Steam swirling up around them into the cold air.
“Oh, what’s that?” Tom asked, pulling himself away from the small bench against the side of the barn.
“Hot chocolates,” Diane announced. “Marshmallows are in this cup.” She gestured with a nod. “I’m so excited I get to be here with you all. That’s what I’m thankful.”
“And we’re all thankful you’re here as well,” my mom said, turning to Olivia. “Let’s put a pause on this, maybe the heat from the cups will make my hands all nice and warm for the goats.”
“They should all be very hot,” Diane added as we placed our baskets down. “And there is sugar in the pot too, I didn’t know how sweet you all wanted it.”
Max ran up, out of breath from chasing the chickens. “I want a lot of sugar,” he said. “One is for me right?”
I did a quick count. There were eight of them. That was one extra, unless there was someone else joining that I hadn’t been told about—nor would I, I was still a guest in their actual home.
“Oh, well, there is an additional one, I miscounted,” she said, having done the math herself. “I was just gathering mugs and eight was a nice, even number.” She forced Tom aside to place the tray on the bench.
As we all took a very early morning break, Jace decided to tap a spoon against the side of his mug and stand in front of everyone. I didn’t know what he was about to do, or say, and I wasn’t sure if I needed to be scared.
“Go on then,” his mom said.
“I just wanted to take this moment to say how grateful, and thankful I am for everyone being around today,” he said. “I also want to say that I will not be reciprocating it by coming to the factory. I’m sorry, Diane, I don’t want to deal with the smell. But I am making a dessert for Thanksgiving dinner, so there’s a bonus.”
Diane chuckled. “Don’t worry about that, I’m happy to be around helping, and nobody has to come to the factory, even the kids when they come on those school trips hate it. I think it’s an acquired smell.”
Jace’s nose wrinkled as he winced, and I didn’t blame him, the milk and cheese production factory was not easy on the nose at all, but it was nice on the mouth.
His mom led the applause. “And we’re thankful for you, putting in all the hard work, and you too, Lolo, we’re not forgetting you.”
“I’m also thankful for you, Lolo,” Olivia said, raising her cup of hot cocoa. “In fact, I wasn’t going to share this until later, but we’ve had interest from an investor to help us set up the riding school and build out what we’ve already got going on.”
Tom applauded. “They’re going to be inspecting the grounds after the new year, so there’s no rush, but things seem pretty positive.”
It was good news for me and for the horses. And of course, the relationship blooming with Jace. That’s the best news of all. It was going to be a little bit of a change because most of the work I did wasn’t teaching people to ride horses, it was more about training horses, and wrangling cattle. I hadn’t even been able to show off any of my lassoing skills while I’d been here, and that was a crying shame.
“And I take it that means Lorenzo is still in with a job once the contract is done, and we’re still staying in the guesthouse,ourhouse now,” Jace said.
“We’ll have to speak about that,” Tom said, nodding at me.
I wondered if they were going to try and get me to go without a paycheck because I was with Jace, and they saw me as part of the family. I was definitely an expense I knew they’d be hoping to cut, but as long as I got a place to stay, food in my belly, and to work with horses, I didn’t have room to complain. “Of course.”
