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Chapter
201
"Yes... And he has stolen my, heart. My Daddy was very upset when he took me to Houston! This is my sister, Katie."
"Hi, Katie. Joe has mentioned you." Richard paused, then continued, "Amazing... You two look so much alike. It's hard to tell the difference."
Katie giggled, and remarked, "Yeah... We have fun with it, too."
After talking about the harvest, Steven excused them and Richard went back to work.
A few minutes later, Steven pulled into the gravel driveway of the Bonds family home. As he stepped from the car, Karen bolted from the house and threw herself into his arms for a hug.
"Steven! I've been waiting for you all day!" she barked.
"I'm glad to be back home, Karen," he said.
Joe was right behind Karen leaving the house. Katie saw him, leapt from the car, and met him. She grasped the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss. Joe embraced her and press his lips to hers.
Theresa got out of the car behind Katie and walked toward Steven and Karen. Karen threw Steven off and grasped Theresa in a sisterly hug.
"Theresa! I'm so glad you're here. We're going to have great fun!" she barked.
Theresa spoke up, "Karen. I'm happy to meet you. Steven has told me you two are very close."
Then, an older woman stepped from the house onto the front porch, smiling widely.
Steven took Theresa's hand and led her to the house. Karen, Katie, and Joe were close behind.
Stepping up the steps to the porch, Steven released Theresa and held his mother.
"Mom, I've missed you," he sighed.
"Steven, I missed you, too. I'm glad you've returned," she replied, wiping a tear from her cheek.
"Mom... This is Theresa. She is a very special woman to me."
"Come here, Sweetie and hug me," Mrs. Bonds said to Theresa, as she pulled her into a hug. She whispered, "Theresa... You are very special. I see in his face he loves you very much."
Theresa whispered in return, "I love him very much, too. May I spend some time with you this week to get to know him?"
Mrs. Bonds smiled and took her hand. "Yes."
Then, Joe introduced Katie to his mother and they hugged also. They exchanged whispers.
But, Mrs. Bonds returned to Theresa and led her inside her home.
Chapter
202
"Theresa... You're good in the kitchen. Your mother taught you well."
Theresa was helping Mrs. Bonds to make lunch for the men working in the cotton fields. Katie and Karen where helping with the boll buggy, retrieving cotton from the strippers and taking it to the module builders.
Theresa spent the morning frying pork chops, making mashed potatoes, baking biscuits. She and Mrs. Bonds talked and got to know one another while they worked in the kitchen.
"Thank you, Mrs. Bonds. I come from a large family like yours. My sisters and I all know how to cook well," Theresa replied.
Then, Mr. Bonds walked into the kitchen.
"Mark... This is Steven's girlfriend, Theresa. Theresa, Mark came home after you went to bed last night. He was working at the Wilson farm. Jack Wilson has leukemia and the neighbors are harvesting his cotton for him," she said.
Theresa noticed Mr. Bonds was built a lot like Steven. Dark and graying hair, dark eyes and his skin was weathered and tanned from a lifetime of working outdoors. Theresa set the skillet from the burner and greeted Mr. Bonds, "I'm thankful for meeting you Mr. Bonds. Steven speaks of you often."
"Theresa, I must say. Steven has good taste," Mr. Bonds began. "You're very beautiful. Steven has never brought a woman to our home to meet us. You must be very special."
"Thank you, Mr. Bonds. Steven is very special to me, too," she replied.
Mrs. Bonds and Theresa gathered the food together and placed it into ice chests to stay warm. They made iced tea in a 4-gallon drink dispenser, and gathered up the disposable dinnerware. Loading everything into a pickup truck, they drove to the fields.
When they got to the fields, everyone stopped work and gathered around the pickup truck, except Steven. He was driving a cotton stripper on the far end of the field and didn't know lunch was ready.
"Theresa, dear. Get the pickup over there and go get Steven. He is over there on the far side of the field. I'll call him on the radio and tell him you are on the way," Mrs. Bonds said.
Theresa drove the truck down the long dirt road and then turned right to go down another long dirt road. When she drew near the cotton stripper, she stopped on the road, got out and waved to Steven. Steven continued stripping cotton bolls from the mature plants until he was near the edge of the field close to Theresa.
Theresa had never seen Steven so dirty. He was covered in dust. He was smiling widely when he approached and tried to catch her to give her a hug.
"Don't you dare, Steven!" she yelped. "You're filthy!"
Steven chased her around the pickup truck a couple of times for the fun of it.
"Let's go eat, my Beautiful Distraction! I'm starving."
Chapter
203
"I get the shower first!"
Steven, Joe, Katie, and Karen just arrived at the Bonds home. It was late and dark. Karen called for the shower first. They brushed dust from their clothes on the back porch, and took off their boots and socks.
Steven chuckled at the facial expression on Katie. She was filthy. He walked to her and hugged her.
"Well? Still want to be with Joe? Look at him!" he barked.
They both laughed at Joe who was shaking dirt from his boots and socks.
"Katie... This is the farm life. When we're done, we'll sell the cotton so we can eat and make a crop for next year. It's dirty, hard work, but, very rewarding," Steven said.
Steven walked to the kitchen and grabbed beers for Joe and himself. Joe washed his hands and put together sandwiches and chips for a late night meal. While they were talking about their day, Theresa appeared in her pajamas.
As she sat next to Steven, she said, "Your mom and I are getting up at 4:00 am to start breakfast. I need to go to bed. I'm tired, but, I haven't seen you all day. Your mom sent me to the grocery store with a list and money. Your family eats a lot!"
Steven chuckled with his Beautiful Distraction. He was glad she waited up for him, to distract him. She was beautiful in her blue satin pajamas.
After they talked about their day, Theresa went to bed.
"I love you, Steven."
Chapter
204
"Good morning, my Beautiful Distraction."
Theresa entered the kitchen in her pajamas, still sleepy this Thanksgiving morning. Steven was helping his mom with breakfast and sipping coffee.
"Coffee. Need coffee," Theresa groaned.
Steven grinned and chuckled as he pushed a cup of coffee across the table to his girlfriend.
"Where do you get your energy, Steven? I feel like a flat tire and you are smiling and making breakfast for everyone. You were the last to go to bed last night," she groaned again.
"I'll get sleep when I get back to Houston. I don't spend much time with my family, so, I'll sleep later," he replied.
"How is the harvest going?" Theresa asked.
"It won't be finished when we leave, but, Dad and my brothers think they will finish it by Tuesday," he replied.
After Steven finished cooking the bacon, he sat next to Theresa and held her.
