Dixie Takes a Walk. Launa Wakes(Again)...Collaboration #5 w/ Barb Carlson

This is part five of a Tuesday WE collaborative effort of myself and Barb Carlson. In the previous installments, Dixie arrived at her Uncle's farm house, just in time to see a bear trying to climb in the backseat of Tia's car, where an injured Launa lay. If you missed part one or two of this tale, please go back and start  HERE. Barb and I both  I have index' to our tales of Launa and Dixie, so if you have missed the back story of either, please go check them out.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Do you think it was fate that brought us all together here, or merely coincidence?" Dixie mused.

The statement wasn't really a question, as it seemed to her that it most certainly had to be fate. There were just too many coincidences to call it otherwise. Not really expecting a response, she asked, "Tia, I think I could use some airing out. Want to take a walk?" Dixie asked, placing her hand on the back door.

"Um ... I'd feel better staying here with Launa. I don't want her to wake up and no one be here," Tia said. "It's pretty out there, though. Maybe tomorrow."

Heading out the back of the house, Dixie could smell the high grass and wildflowers that had grown up behind the house. While someone obviously was mowing the lawn on a regular basis, the land which had once held corn, beans, tomatoes and a plethora of other vegetables had grown over.  She was pleased to see the path leading to the old chicken coops and bee hives was still passable. Slowly meandering along the path, picking wildflowers,  Dixie had time to think about fate, and the events that led her here. She was amazed to find she felt content for the first time in years. Truly at ease. It was then that she decided that she was going to try to buy Uncle David's farm.

Wandering aimlessly down the path, Dixie was enchanted by the beauty of the simple farm land. There were empty boxes that had once contained honey bees,  chicken coops which stood askew, wind- and weather-beaten into uselessness. To Dixie, they were beautiful.  She had no idea how long she had walked, but it rejuventated her.

Walking back with her armload of daisies, forget-me-nots and other posies, she felt almost euphoric, and hoped that Launa would wake soon. She was tired of feeling as if her world was crumbling apart, and she knew in her soul that Launa could help.

Entering the house through the back door, Dixie laid the flowers on the counter just in time to hear the screen door slam with an astonishing noise. She couln't help but laugh out loud at the sight of Tia jumping up from her chair, as if something had bitten her.

"Oh, honey, I'm so very sorry. I guess that old screen door might need tightening up a bit."

Tia laughed, "I guess I'm just a little jumpy after the last few days."

"See what I found? " Dixie said, while putting her bouquet in a mason jar and setting them on the kitchen table.  "Geez, is it two o'clock already? I must have walked longer than I thought. It's really pretty out there. You should have a look sometime, and no, the bear was nowhere to be seen."

Nodding her head toward the bedroom, Dixie asked "She sure sleeps a lot, doesn't she?"

Tia said, "Well, she told me that when she's injured, she goes into a deep sleep and it's nearly impossible to wake her up. But when she does that, she heals fast." Tia grinned, thinking about past conversations with Launa. "And the rest of the time, she doesn't sleep much at all!"

"She is something else, isn't she?" Dixie smiled. "I for one, am glad I ran into you two. To be honest, I was kind of creeped out about coming here alone. My Uncle David passed away a few years ago, and Aunt Deb, a couple years before that. I was half afraid that the place would have fallen to ruin, but apparently, someone's been keeping an eye on things. I know there are issues with the legal ownership of the property, but I have no idea what they are. My brother is the one who keeps up on family stuff, not me.

Tia nodded as Dixie talked. "Like I said before, I'm really glad we met you here. I don't know what would have happened." The corners of her mouth turned down, thinking about Launa's condition. Then she brightened, and said, "Launa definitely is something special, and I don't even know her all that well, but there's just something ... I don't know ... different about her."

Dixie paced about the room, picking up knick-knacks and examining them. She laughed, "That's an understatement if I ever heard one. She has gifts, ya know?  Major gifts." She put down the rooster she'd been holding. "I remember my Mom taking me to a run-down shack out in the boonies to see a hoodoo woman when I was about eight. I had a wart on my forehead. The old lady said some type of incantation while rubbing oil on it. The next morning, the wart was gone. That one afternoon was my only experience with real magic in my life. For all I know, she rubbed my forehead with 'Wart-B-Gone," but it seemed like magic to me. What our friend in there has, is not just special, but extraordinary."

Launa shuffled into the room. "It's getting rather deep in here, isn't it?" she said with a grin. "Do we have any more fruit? Suddenly I'm hungry and thirsty."

"Well, lookie who decided to get up and about. Welcome back to the land of the living, Launa."

Launa followed Dixie into the kitchen. "It would be much better for me if you wouldn't talk about my ... differences ... to other people." She looked out the window and said softly, "I've had some bad experiences in the past." She sighed.

"You don't need to worry about me talking about you, hon. I have enough skeletons in my own closet to worry about talking about anyone else" Dixie said with a sly smile. "Lets see what we can scrounge up to eat."

Pulling jars of fruit and canned vegetables off the shelves in the pantry, Dixie swept her hand across the selections in a grand gesture, "Your feast awaits, my dear. Name your pleasure and its yours, a long as you don't want a big ole steak. I'm afraid canned goods are all we have. I could make some more biscuits if you like, too."

"I don't want to be a bother," Launa said. "You've already cooked today. I just couldn't eat much then." Launa looked over the selection. She pointed out a jar of peaches and a pint of peas. "We're going to need a few more provisions soon. At least some beans, for protein." She said down at the table. "Do you know anyplace close where we could get a few things without attracting attention?"

Dixie laughed, pulling a ten pound bag of dried beans from the side board. Rolling her eyes at Launa, she laughed, "Honey, you want beans, you got beans, but a little chunk of ham in them sure would be good. There used to be a little market about five miles on up the road. Anyone up for a road trip?"

"Oh!" Launa said with a smile. "You do have beans. Great!" Then she plucked at the faded robe she was wearing and said, "I doubt I could go without attracting a lot of attention. The pants Tia got me are okay, but I'm afraid the shirt is terminally bloodstained." She nodded towards Tia in the other room. "Maybe Tia will be up for a road trip. I should sleep again after eating, anyway."

"Alrighty then, Tia, do you think your car has five miles worth of gas?" Dixie asked.

"Yes, I think so, but not much more than that, why?" Tia said.

"I'm afraid mine won't hold too many groceries, unless you want to carry them back on your lap," Dixie said laughing. "Just let me put these beans on to soak, and we can go. Any special requests, Launa?"

Launa swallowed the peach she'd been eating. "Well, milk, eggs, and fresh vegetables would be nice. We could make a nice omelet with that. Maybe some cheese?" she said. "Oh," she added, "and maybe a shirt for me so I can go out in public again?" She leaned over to see Tia in the next room. "Sorry about bleeding all over the last one," Launa said, smiling.

Tia dismissed Launa's apology with a wave of her hand. "Not like you wanted to." Then she walked into the kitchen with her purse. "I don't have any money, Dixie. I hate to mooch like this."

Launa said, "I have money waiting back at Crazy Mocha, but I can't get to it right now." She looked at Dixie, "Can I pay you back later?"

"Hon, if you can help me with these nightmares, I'll consider it repayment enough, and besides, I have to eat too," Dixie said lightheartedly. "I don't know why, but I feel exhilarated for some reason. Maybe it was my walk to the back 40, but I feel like something amazing is waiting right around the corner, and I can't freakin' wait to get there. Lets head out, Tia."

* * *

Dixie and Tia's trip to the store went by uneventfully, which left Dixie feeling a bit disappointed. They returned with a full tank of gas, and several bags of groceries. She found Launa sitting on the front porch. Holding up the tee shirt, Dixie smiled at Launa.  "Can you believe this thing? Sorry, but it was all they had. You're welcome to rummage through the closets if you like, for something better," she said, tossing the "Friends of the NRA" tee shirt to Launa.

Launa caught the t-shirt and looked at it dubiously. She burst out laughing as she read the back. It said, "Fight crime ... Shoot back." She laughed until her face turned red. Finally she gasped out, "Tia, did you read this?" Launa wiped the tears of laughter from her face.

Tia looked puzzled. "No, what does it say?" She, too, burst out laughing when she saw what it said. "Hey, maybe they have a point. Put a few holes in them for a change."

"Thanks, Dixie. I think I'll wear it inside out. Wasn't that the fashion a few years ago?"

Dixie laughed until she had tears coming from her eyes. "Yeah, I'd say inside out is the way to go with it, but you can definitely tell the ilk of the countryside with that thing. Good Lord,  I'll bet every farmer for miles is armed to the teeth. Which may or may not be a bad thing, considering..." Dixie trailed off, turning serious.

Launa's smile faded and she sighed. "You have a point." She looked at Tia, who was looking alarmed and said, "No one could possibly know we're here. And we have Grumble out there protecting us, anyway."

"Grumble? His name is Grumble? Oh, thats rich. Did you name him, or did he tell you?"

Launa smiled. "Well, that's the closest approximation I could come up with. I can't pronounce what he actually said was his name." She shrugged and said, "I was having a little conversation with him. He ran off into the woods when the car pulled into the driveway." Launa chuckled at the looks from Dixie and Tia.

Dixie begins singing in a hilarious baritone falsetto,

"If I could talk to the animals, just imagine it,
Chattin' with a chimp in chimpanzee,
Imagine talking to a tiger, chatting with a cheetah,
What a neat achievement it would be..."

"Shall I go on?" She laughed. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself."

Launa stuck out her tongue at Dixie. "He told me he hasn't seen any other humans around here." Launa smiled. "He also told me he's been staying hidden when you two are around so he doesn't frighten you. Bears can be sweet," she said affectionately.

Dixie laughed. "Well, its good to know he's out there, watching our backs. I'm going to go get those beans on, so we can eat by 8 or so, then maybe talk about my dreams? If you can't wait till then, we picked up some cheese and crackers, as well as some strawberries and apples," Dixie said, as she turned and went into the house.