Eternal Changes (Mikah) (8 page)

Chapter 8

The last few days had been absolute chaos for Lucy. How did her life got so messed up within only a year’s time? She’d somehow managed to avoid Ashton and Michael during the last day of the school week. She really didn’t want to face either one of them after what happened during the track tryouts.

Lucy sat down by the bay window in her bedroom and took in the view outside. The trees seemed to dance as they swayed back and forth in the wind. The sun dazzled as its rays were soaked up by the various plants and flowers that were painted on the ground below.

Lucy thought about Michael and Ashton, and attempted to unravel her feelings about them. Michael made her feel so alive. He was always laughing or smiling. And then there was Ashton. He was always quiet and calm, but he made Lucy’s heart skip when he was anywhere near her. When he held her, she felt at peace. She felt like she belonged. For the first time in her life, Lucy felt like she was understood without having to utter a single word.

The knock on Lucy’s bedroom door disrupted her thoughts. “You can come in,” she said as she grabbed the book she had intended to start reading before she’d gone scattered brain.

“Didn’t you hear me calling you from downstairs?” her mom asked as she opened the door. “There’s a young man here to see you.”

“Can you stall him for me for a few minutes?” Lucy asked as she gave her mom puppy dog eyes. She knew her mom couldn’t resist them.

“No problem-o. Just remember, you need to mow the lawn before you go anywhere. I think you’ll love the riding lawn mower I invested in since we now have this ridiculously huge yard. I’ll go pick his brain while you get dressed,” Jean informed her as she left her room.

Lucy ran over to her closest and swung the door open. The only thing that looked back at her was a closet full of empty hangers. She glanced over at all of the unpacked boxes that contained most of her clothes.

Lucy dove into the pile of dirty clothes sitting in the middle of her floor. By some miracle, she managed to find a pair of shorts that smelled somewhat clean. If nothing else, they
looked
clean. She kept digging and eventually found a grey tank top with pink stripes. Lucy took a whiff and almost shouted with joy. It didn’t have an odor to it. Victory was sweet.

Lucy changed her clothes and glanced at herself in the oak dresser mirror. Her hair was
atrocious
. Some of it was sticking straight up and some of it was matted to her head. She grabbed a brush and went to work.

Lucy blew out a puff of air in frustration as she gave up a losing battle and pulled her hair back into a ponytail.

She paused at the top of the stairs before walking down. Slow and easy. Lucy did a cursory glance at her outfit and then headed down the stairs. She started to take a step when her feet somehow got tangled up with each other. Lucy arms flailed to the side as she tried to grab the railing, but it was too late. She hit her butt on the stairs and went bouncing down like a runaway train. Lucy landed at the bottom of the stairs with a loud smack.

Jean and Michael came running around the corner to see what the commotion was all about.

Lucy looked up, as red as a beet. “Hey, Michael,” she murmured as she blew a piece of hair out of her face. The tumble had freed almost all of her hair from her ponytail.

Michael smiled as he looked down at her. “Let me help you up. I didn’t realize I was going to come over here and have you fall for me,” he stated as he started chuckling.

Lucy tried to give him a stern frown, but his laughter was contagious. She felt her traitorous mouth slowly tug into a smile. “I really haven’t always been this clumsy. I feel like I keep telling everyone that and then I do something even clumsier the next time around,” she told Michael as she let him help her to her feet.

“I kinda like it when you’re clumsy. It keeps me on my toes and they say that laughter’s good for the soul,” Michael said.

Lucy glanced over at her mom, who was leaning against the wall and eyeing Michael with a silly grin on her face. She knew her mom was happy with her supposed matchmaking skills.

“I wanted to stop by to see if you’d be interested in seeing my family’s farm. I think you’ll love it,” Michael said.

“I’d like that, but I need to mow the lawn before I go anywhere. It shouldn’t take too long since my mom bought a new riding lawn mower,” Lucy said as she looked over at her mom. “Do you mind?”

Jean moved away from the wall. “I don’t mind one bit. It’s Saturday and you don’t have school tomorrow. Just make sure you are home by eleven tonight. Deal?”

“Deal,” Lucy agreed. “Now, where’s the lawn mower at?”

“It’s in the shed to the right of the house. You can’t miss it. It’s the only thing besides the weed eater that’s in there. The key’s already in the ignition,” Jean said as she walked Michael and Lucy to the front door. “You’ll have
tons
of fun.”

“Mmmm hmmm, riiiight. Really not my idea of a good time,” Lucy retorted as she walked outside. The sun tickled her skin as it shone down on her. She headed for the small rundown shed with Michael right beside her as she put her hair up in a ponytail.

“Have you ever used a riding lawnmower before?” Michael asked as he struggled to open the dull metal door. His muscles bulged as the flimsy metal finally scraped across the ground.

Lucy grimaced as she looked inside the shed. Spider webs shimmered as the sunlight grazed across them. They were the size of doilies and plastered in every corner.  “No, but how hard can it be?” she asked as she trudged forward. The lawn mower couldn’t be missed. Its cherry red coat shone even in the shadows. “Turn the ignition, hit the gas, and go. Not too complicated.”

Michael smiled. “Mmmm hmmm.” He grabbed the weed eater that was leaning against the wall. “I’ll let you master the mower and I’ll weed eat. Then I can be in your momma’s good graces.”

“I think you’re already in my mom’s good graces, but knock yourself out,” Lucy said as she looked at the lawnmower sitting in front of her. Her mom was nice enough to set the manual on the black seat. Lucy picked up the manual and tossed it onto the floor. She shook her head as she climbed onto the mower. Who needs instructions?

Lucy glanced down at the various gadgets staring up at her. The silver lever, next to the black steering wheel, had an outline of a small rabbit as well as an outline of a small turtle.  Simple enough. She glanced over at the key in the ignition and took a deep breath. Here we go…

The engine whined as it turned over. “Come on,” Lucy moaned. A loud roaring sound filled the air as the engine came to life. “Yes!” Lucy exclaimed as she pushed the black gas pedal in gently. The mower jerked forward before a loud clanking sound pierced the ear and then utter silence. Lucy stared down at the contraption in complete disbelief. She turned the key, trying to get it to start again, but the same thing happened. What the heck? She tried four more times without any success.

Lucy glared down at the manual sitting on the dirt floor as she climbed off the mower. “Stupid man made contraption,” she muttered as she grudgingly flipped through the pages.

Lucy followed the directions and moved the lever to the top to where it said choke. She started the engine and then moved the lever to the position next to the image of the rabbit. The engine purred as she started it. Lucy held her breath as the lawn mower lurched forward. A satisfied smile lit up her face as the mower continued to glide forward.

She stopped once she was out of the shed to let the mower blade down. The earsplitting roar floated through the air as Lucy let her foot off the brake and let the mower do its job. She scanned the area. The weeds that had been creeping up the front of her house were now lying on the ground like small fallen trees. She glided forward on the mower and headed towards the backyard.

Lucy jerked as something lightly smacked against her cheek before falling to her leg. She looked down as something pricked against her skin. A grasshopper rubbed its scrawny green legs together as it stared up at her with beady black eyes. “Ewww!” Lucy screamed as she swatted the nasty creature off her leg. She barely knocked it off before another bug flew up at her. She swatted her hands back and forth in an attempt to fight them off. Several swats later, Lucy sighed and admitted defeat. She shook her head in disgust. It was futile to avoid being hit by the nasty little creatures.

Lucy glanced over her shoulder. Michael was leaning up against the house as he laughed at her. She stuck out her tongue and kept mowing.

A sigh escaped her lips as she looked around the yard. The grass seemed to dance as a light breeze flowed through it. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the warmth of the sun as it kissed her skin. Her eyes flew open as the mower jerked to a stop. What in the world? Lucy glanced down. The mower was stuck in a muddy patch of grass. “That’s odd,” she murmured to herself. She pressed down lightly on the gas pedal. The wheels spun and the mower didn’t budge. “Come on,” Lucy murmured as she pressed the gas pedal down to the floor.

A small gasp left Lucy’s mouth as mud flew up and splattered across her. She took her foot off the gas and stopped the engine as she tried to wipe the mud from her face with her forearm.

Laughter rung through the air. Lucy looked over at Michael. He was holding the weed eater as he laughed hysterically. His whole body quaked as he fell to his knees on the grass. The weed eater dropped beside him. Lucy was about to give him a good lecture when she noticed a horrendous smell.

Where in the world was it coming from? She stared down at the mud splattered on her arms. She lifted an arm to her nose and took a small whiff. Revulsion flooded through her as she shook her head in denial. This can’t be happening.

Lucy jumped off the lawnmower and cringed as her foot sunk down into the wet, gooey pile. She shuddered as she looked down. She stepped forward and a loud sucking noise filled the air as the mud claimed her shoe.

“You’ve gotta be
kidding
me,” Lucy muttered as she looked at the pink Nike emblem barely peeking out of the mud. She closed her eyes as she bent down, grabbed onto the shoe, and pulled it out.

Lucy hobbled towards the front of the house. She glared over at Michael as she passed by him. He was still on the ground, laughing.

“MOTHER!” Lucy screamed as she opened the screen door.

Jean came running from the back of the house. “What are you yelling about, Lucy?”

“There’s a mud puddle in the backyard!” Lucy told her as she extended her arms to show her the proof.

Jean busted out laughing. “Oh, how I wish I had a video camera,” she whispered, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Luce, there’s a septic tank in the backyard that had some issues,” she giggled.  “I totally forgot. I knew I needed to get it fixed, but I didn’t realize there was a pile of human waste just sitting back there. I swear, I didn’t,” Jean said as she tried to stop laughing.

Lucy felt her mouth drop. “Human waste? As in feces?”

Jean nodded as she laughed. She held her sides as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Horror flooded through Lucy as she gave her mom a withering stare. “This isn’t funny.”

“Why wouldn’t it be funny?” Michael asked as he came up behind Jean.

Lucy glared at him. “I’m covered up in CRAP, Michael, not MUD, but someone’s C-R-A-P!”

“You’re covered in…” Michael said right before he fell over laughing again. Lucy’s mom joined in, laughing even harder.