The Farmhand and April Pt. 06

A couple days had passed and April found herself laying on the porch swing lazily looking up at the clouds. The sounds of distant bleets from the sheep of the field filling the air. The sound of approaching footsteps gets her attention and she looks up seeing Brad smile.

"Rise and shine sleeping beauty, got shit to do."

April rolls her eyes, "What are you talking about, I finished my work for today."

"Yeah well your dad needs me to go into town and grab a few more bags of feed."

"And this concerns me... how?" she asks rolling onto her side.

Brad kicks at her playfully, "C'mon, it's a two person job. The bags are heavy! Besides... maybe I wanted to take you out on a date." April looks up at him and sees him doing his best puppydog look causing her to smile.

"Alright fine, but you better take me somewhere nice for this date."

Brad smiles as he takes her hand leading her to a beat up old truck, "Well this is my car, ain't much but it gets the job done." April playfully bumps him, "Well I'm a Chevy gal myself, but I guess it'll do." The two climb in and make their way to the nearby town. The musky smell of the air conditioner filled the cab as it began working full blast to cool the roasting interior of the truck, the quiet sounds of the turned down radio blasting 98.3 NASH FM playing in the background. April slumped down admiring the fields of literally nothing but cattle and corn as Brad playfully ruffled her hair.

"C'mon, don't look so mopey. You upset I woke you up from your nap?"

"I wasn't napping," April said defensively, "I just don't know what to expect. This being my first date and what-not."

Brad shook his head, "Don't take this the wrong way, but I have a pretty hard time believing you haven't been on a date before. Girl as pretty as you musta had half the boys in your school after you."

"I really didn't." April said as she looked out the window. Memories of high school beginning to surface. To tell the truth high school wasn't terrible for her as one might expect of a trans girl in the middle of a conservative state. She wasn't bullied very hard, but she also didn't make a lot of friends from it. It was like nobody knew what to make of her when the time came.

There was one boy she had a crush on, a young blonde haired boy named Ty. Though he was cute and surprisingly liked her back she quickly came to the realization that he wanted to keep the relationship under wraps. It fell apart pretty quick shortly after she realized and the two went their separate ways. That was the last boy she tried anything with until Brad.

"Yoohoo, earth to April?" Brad said getting her out of her lackadaisical stare.

"Ugh, you sound just like my dad" April said rolling her eyes causing Bras to laugh.

"Yeah guess I'm turning into my old man a bit."

"Are you still close with him?"

Brad runs his hands through his hair, "About as well as any son is with his dad I suppose. I mean we see each other during the holidays and whatnot, but we don't really talk much. And when we do he always makes it political."

"Oh he's that kind of relative?" April asks thinking about her uncle who constantly brings up politics at the dinner table.

"Yeah he's pretty bad about it. He complains about everything. Immigrants, muslims, trannies..." April flinched involuntarily at the word but luckily Brad was keeping his eyes on the road and didn't notice. "I tell him he's gotta stop watching fox, but he won't listen. It's sad 'cause he always used to be so upbeat, always smilin' and motivatin' me to do better. Now? Not so much."

April thought back to her own father, realizing the two would get along like a house on fire, "Do you agree with him on that stuff?" April asks nervously, hoping her tone sounds casual enough.

"I mean some of it, you know me I love my guns, I am a redneck after all." Brad says flashing a grin.

"What about trans people?" April asks, hoping to glean more from him about his opinion.

Brad simply shrugs his shoulders "I dunno, I mean I don't get why a dude would want to cut his own junk off, but I guess if it makes them happy." April sat there stunned, but tries to breathe "Could have been worse" she thinks to herself, but Brad continues.

"Still though, if I saw one in the bathroom with you I'd probably kick his ass. Don't want my girl feeling uncomfortable." April's stomach drops and her blood runs cold. Right then Brad pulls up to the feed store and gets out, "Alright I'll go talk to the guy inside, I'll be right back." He says shutting the door with a thud.

But April hardly even registers what's going on as she begins to hyperventilate. Why do people still think like that? How did she not pick up on what he was like before this? Is it even safe to be around him anymore? All these questions swam through her head as her anxiety took over, pushing her on the verge of tears. One thing was for certain, she could not let him find out.

The sound of approaching footsteps on gravel snap her out of her state as she quickly tries to wipe away her tears and make herself look presentable. Brad peaks his head in through the driver's side window, "Hey he's bringing them out and... are you okay?"

"I'm fine, really." April says trying to hide her face from him. Brad opens the door and gets in the seat, "C'mon, can't fool me that easily. Was it something I said?"

April nods and Brad sighs, "Look, I get it. I shouldn't have said what I said before. I didn't mean to imply you can't defend yourself and need me to do it for you. I'm sure if a pervert was in the bathroom with you you cou..."

"No!" April says before loudly trying to calm herself down. She takes a moment before continuing, "No it's just, it's what you said about trans people."

Brad opens his mouth to speak but April holds up her hand, taking a moment before going on, "When I was in high school there was this boy, he was my best friend. But I remember he was so sad for so long, every day he would come to school so depressed. It got worse every day. Well, long story short he realized he was a girl trapped in a boy's body. After she transitioned she become much more happy, so energetic and just in love with life." April looked Brad in the eyes, she wanted so badly to say "And that young boy was me" but she knew she couldn't, not just yet, so she sighed and continued.

"She would never hurt a woman, she isn't even attracted to women. She isn't a pervert, she is a woman just like me." April's eyes fill with tears but she remains defiant. Brad looks at her for a moment and slowly lowers his gaze.

"You're right April. I don't even know these people. I shouldn't have said anything." He scratches the back of his head awkwardly, "I probably seem like a pretty big asshole right now don't I?"

April tilts her head unsmiling, "I've seen worse."

Brad chuckles despite himself, "Still, ain't no excuse. Guess I got a lot to work on huh?"

April holds his hand, "'Least you acknowledge it." The two share a soft smile, "I'll really try, and I'm sorry for what I said, really. Your friend sounds wonderful, maybe someday I can meet hi-her." Brad says quickly correcting himself.

April smiles, "Maybe some day."

At that moment a pallet jack appears from around the building and drops off a pallet full of feed bags, "Ah, this is our stuff. Nah don't get out April I got this."

"I thought you said it was a two person job?"

"Nah I just said that to get you to come with." April playfully swats at him causing as the two laugh, "You bastard."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The back of the truck sinks slightly under the weight of the bags as the two pull out onto the main road, "Well I'm starved, where you wanna go?"

"Well there's really only one place to go around here." April says gesturing toward the 50s style diner that sat dead center of the town. Brad pulls in, "Diner it is, sorry it ain't fancy."

April giggles, "Eh I was only joking, I don't like fancy places. Besides, I think they'd have a dress code and work jeans wouldn't be on that list."

Brad smiles pulling April into a kiss, "Woman after my own heart, now let's get some food into you."

As the two enter a few of the patrons turn to look at them, the familiar faces giving a curt nod in their direction. As they sit down Brad admires the decor, "Ah, they don't make them like they used to."

"Well about time a youngster appreciates the 50s style." A smiling waitress chimes in as she comes over, "You're new around here aintcha?"

He nods smiling, "Yep, just came in not long ago for work. I'm Brad."

"Rhonda" she replies, "I take it you're workin' up at April's folks' farm."

"Yes ma'am"

"Oh and polite manners too! April's lucky to have you around all day." Rhonda says causing April to blush deeply. "Anyway, I've yapped on long enough. What can I get you two?"

The two place their orders and she scuttles off toward the kitchen. "She seems nice" Brad says.

"Oh she's very nice. About every day after school I'd come here for a bit to hang out with her. We'd talk about our issues and share gossip. It was a pretty nice time."

"Seems like you're friends with just about everyone in this town." Brad says.

"Well not everyone," April says eyeing a couple in a booth who gave her parents pamphlets on conversion therapy, "But most of these people here are great."

The two continue chatting for a while about the town around them. Sure it was nice to suck his dick, but she really loved the calm romantic moments with him. Where they can just act like a normal couple.

As they were eating April heard a squeal and she looked up to see a well dressed woman approaching her, "April hun! You didn't tell me you'd be in town!"

"Yeesh Jenny I'm just here for work, I didn't have time to hang out."

"Yes, I can tell you're very busy." She says looking at her plate of food.

"Well we were just taking a little break." April quips defensively.

"Mhmm, and speaking of "we" you gonna introduce me to this handsome young man sitting across as you."

Brad's cheeks turn a little red, "I'm Brad, just moved here to work with April's folk."

"Oooh, well now that's exciting. April, I'm gonna go use the bathroom, let's go."

April quickly gets up following her, leaving a stunned Brad behind. She follows Jenny in as the door shuts behind them. "So hold long have you two been dating?"

"I never said we were dating!" April says leaning against the wall.

"Oh please, it's obvious with the way you look at him." Jenny gets out her mascara and begins to reapply it, "And with the way he was looking at you. Oh my God..." she stops and looks at April, "Does he know?!"

It didn't take a genius to know what she meant, "No! I've been meaning to."

Jenny gives her a concerned look and goes back to reapplying her mascara, "Better do it soon, longer you wait the worse it's gonna be."

"Yeah thanks for that." April says dejectedly. Jenny puts away her makeup and hugs April, "You're a strong girl. And besides it's like 2021. People are way more accepting than they used to be."

"Yeah I guess." she begins to twirl her hair, "Guess I just don't even know how I'd say it."

"Something like, "hey baby, my 1911 ain't the only thing I'm packin' in these jeans""

The two immediately burst out giggling, "Yeah I'm sure that'll work out great for me."

Jenny gives April one last hug, "You'll figure something out, you're a smart girl. And seriously, give me updates. You've been quiet on your snap for too long." With that the two walk out and April returns to her seat.

"I never understood why girls go to the bathroom together." Brad says taking a sip of his drink.

"Oh we perform eldritch rituals in there to keep the balance of the world in tact. We need to do it as a group in order for it to work." April says stealing a fry from Brad's plate.

He rolls his eyes and bats away April's hand, "Y'all are strange sometimes. I don't think I'll ever get it."

She smiles thinking to herself, "I didn't think I would get it either."