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“We’ll just see about that, won’t we?”

Brody nodded absently

About five o’clock, the sky began to darken and thunder rolled across the horizon Brody parked the tractor and ran out to the flatbed Lou had parked in the pasture He carried three huge tarps with ropes attached in his hands He saw Darrel throw the last of the hay onto the bed Wes was nowhere to be found

Brody screaot this!” Lightning struck two hundred yards from them and almost immediately the thunder burst Darrel took off across the pasture as Brody clian to cover the hay with the tarps It would keep the hay dry long enough to get the flatbed to the barn Loufor him to throw one side over to her

“Get back in the truck” he shouted

“Just give me one side and some rope, Brody!” she shouted back

Realizing that arguing was futile, he tossed her one side of the tarp She pulled it tight and attached the ropes to the trailer, hoping to keep the wind fro rope down the length of the blue plastic until the whole trailer was covered Just as she was about to cli to untie a knot in the rope on his side of the trailer This one knot prevented the tarp fro the entire rear section of hay Lou climbed over the trailer to his side She took the rope from his frantic hands, put it in her teeth, and pulled the knot loose “How did you do that?” he bellowed

She yelled back with a grin, “You try having a daughter who can’t untie shoes!”

Brody covered the re hay and tied the rope to hold the tarp in place Just as he finished, the bottom dropped out of the sky

Rain came down in a torrential downfall They were immediately drenched and couldn’t see two feet in front of the burst over their heads and thunder clapped in appreciation Brody jumped off the trailer and reached up for Lou She dropped into his outstretched hands and he caught her by the waist He swung her down and she hit the ground with a jolt They ran for the passenger side of the truck cab and Lou slid in

Brody followed right behind her and slammed the door He took a deep breath

Lou started the truck

“What are you doing?” Brody asked

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“What’s it look like?” Lou replied “Those tarps are not going to keep it dry once the wind shifts We need to get it to the hay barn or we’re going to lose it There’s plenty of room in the south barn”