Clara leaned against the stacked hay, her chest rising and falling with the exertion of the morning's work. "I’ve got it under control, Silas. Just a few more to go."
"Thought you might need a hand with the last of the winter stores," he said, his voice low against the steady rain. busty in barn
They worked in a shared, comfortable silence for a while—the only sounds were the rustle of hay and the occasional low whinny from the stalls below. As they moved the final bale into place, Clara tripped slightly over a loose floorboard. Silas was there in an instant, his hand steadying her arm. Clara leaned against the stacked hay, her chest
Clara stood by the open loft door, watching the grey clouds roll over the ridge. She wiped a smudge of dust from her cheek, her breath hitching slightly as she hauled another heavy bale of hay toward the edge. The physical labor of the farm was grueling, but there was a quiet dignity in it that she’d grown to love. They worked in a shared, comfortable silence for