1.9 I bet it's tough to be a cowboy

The next morning arrived after what seemed to be an eternity. Anna had tossed and turned all night, not being able to close her eyes for longer than a few minutes. She couldn’t wait for Jo to finally move in, but at the same time she was scared of the changes that were going to happen. Some of them were already happening, too. They had bought new furniture, like a bigger bed for the two of them, also a new couch and some things for the kitchen. Since Chuck, Jo’s ex-roommate, had decided to stay in their old place alone, Jo couldn’t bring many things to his new life with Anna. Nevertheless, both of them were now feeling comfortable at this place. It belonged to both of them.

Anna spent her last morning – which was a morning off – in the garden, taking care of her plants. The salad had been growing like crazy, and it was already time to harvest it again. Looking at those big green leaves, Anna thought that it was time for something new to grow in her little, yet special, garden. She was tired of the salad, and she had harvested enough to go through a month eating absolutely nothing else. 

When she was finished bringing the fresh vegetables inside, she dug the salad plant out and threw it away. It had produced the same quality of salad over and over again, not baring any surprises. She would stop by the supermarket later, to buy a few new seeds she could plant. Or she could do it the next day, while her boyfriend was settling into their house. She really liked the way this sounded. A man in the house, who was willing to take care of her, and to support her whenever she needed it.

After she left the grocery store, she made a quick call to confirm the details for the move. Jo would bring most of his things with a truck he borrowed from Chuck, but the supplies for his horse would be delivered by a very small moving company in Appaloosa Plains, since those were too huge for the truck. Anna was really excited about this change, too. She had never had any kind of pets in her house, and now a horse was about to move in. Suddenly feeling panic rising inside her, she realized that she didn’t know a thing about raising horses. She didn’t know when to feed them, how to keep them clean, or how to train them. Luckily, Jo was so experienced in all these things. 

Back at home, she put on the new working clothes she had bought a few days ago, and looked at herself in the mirror. The red shirt was a little too big, but she just tied it up in the front. She especially liked her new jeans, which she could proudly call “boyfriend jeans”, since Jo had given them to her after he found out he gained a couple of pounds. They fitted her perfectly and made her look like a modern cowgirl. With the right hairstyle, she looked five years younger and like a girl who absolutely belonged in this little town. Just what she wanted.

Having waited for hours and hours without anyone arriving, Anna decided to check on Jo late in the evening. He was supposed to bring his stuff right after work, but when she rang the doorbell, he opened in his pajamas. She didn’t quite know what to say. Had he forgotten about the most important day of their shared life?