UNINTENTIONAL
Matthieu Morris Monférrer
The Start
A REQUEST FROM his caller caused the thirty-one year old, Matthieus Morris Monférrer to stop diluting the colostrum replacement that their thirty-eight heads of calves needed that contain high levels of antibodies to prevent them from diseases.
Herding cattle to and from rangelands, taking care of injured and sick calves and cattle, irrigating the hay meadows were his daily routine for more than a couple of years. Herding cows is a big part of Matthieu's life. The wide pastureland of Estancia de Monférrer, name of their dairy farm, was a perfect view for everyone who wants to have a dose of countryside feels. And a peaceful zone for his torn self.
Matthieus called Severino, one of the youngest ranch hands in their ranch to take over his work first. He went out of the barn to find a good signal. Perhaps he just misunderstood or misheard the request of his best friend and fratmate North Niccolo Nicklaus.
"Your what is coming? Fiancée? A fiancée, Dirk? When did you propose to who? Hugo's just about to get married and then now, you.” He intrigued his friend unruffledly. Hugo is also his friend whose marriage is just around the corner.
"Annie Aperin. And no, I didn't propose, she did! Maybe you remember Primus' bratty childhood friend during his twenty-first birthday. That is her. The one who proposed marriage to her, that's also her." His friend's voice was full of dilemma. Matthieus could only imagine the heavy frown on his friend's forehead right now while he's talking about that certain girl.
The news is not new to him either. He had always known how North's father manipulated his decisions in life. Arranging marriage is just a game for North’s father.
His thick eyebrows lowered into a quizzical frown. "Can't remember. And the thing here is why you decided to send her here? Alone? What will your fiancée do here, count the cows? Why not send her to Hydrus Haven or take her to the island, she's your fiancée anyway."
"That spoiled brat is out of control, Dirk. That unruly girl has this crazy personal obsession of messing around with anyone's life. And now she is messing with mine! Bro! Her own father fired her at their own company after slapping the face of the interviewing rape case suspect son of an Administrative Law Judge on public television and now she's pestering me with the idea of dragging me to the sacred altar. I feel like I can't do anything in life so I feel so pissed. As for my father, opportunistic and manipulative and he agreed immediately to the arranged marriage. Būllshit, isn't it?”
"Then make it clear to her for once and for all that you don't like her as your future wife. Take her down as easy as that.” He suggested calmly.
"Fûck! If only everything were that easy, but Aperins' firm reputation in the business world would help our firm to become more profitable once our businesses merged. Dad's just after that bullshit and nothing else!” His sympathy would go for his nerveless friend.
"So enlighten me about your sick plan." Just now Matthieus hunch is not good but he can't reject whatever North would ask.
In their brotherhood, each of them vowed to back each other up through tough times, helping any of them to overcome struggles. His friends do the same to help him get over the most difficult times of his life in his past.
"Annie's bugging me with this what she called an early moon trip. She only wants to de-stress herself or so whatever nonsense comes to her mind. I suggested to her your farm and she got ballistically interested, so I taught her how to get there. And I instructed her to come there first because I'm still taking care of a mess here in Cádiz—"
“Motherfûcker! You're in Spain? Damn it!” Matthieus was not aware of his senses now and he just didn't realize that he was cussing his friend intently.
"I am sure she's almost there in your province. Just take care of her, dirk. De-stress, that is what she wants. Just don't be too harsh on her, I'm begging you. I will be back as soon as possible. Take care of her please.”
And the idiot has disappeared from the line.
Matthieus had lost his mind about the conversation he had with North that morning because he had been too busy taking care of the young cows in the barn all day. It was eight o'clock at night but he was still there with Severino and Eusebio. There was this special calf that needed extra attention and care.
"Sebio." Matthieus turned to the entrance of the barn when the young and jolly granddaughter of their villa butler, Eloisa, entered.
"Oh, Loisa, you came to visit." Eusebio welcomed the lady.
"You're tired, Sebio and Eloisa sensed that that's why she came around here for you" Severino teasingly whispered to his co-worker and giggled goofily.
Matthieus threw a sharp glance at the boys and made the worker look away all too quickly.
"Good evening to you, señorito." The girl greeted him politely.
Matthieus stood up and took off his farming gloves one by one and put them in the back pocket of his faded wrangler jeans. "You should go back to the house, Eloisa. Nanny Greta shouldn't allow you to go out at this time."
Their butler Nanny Greta and Eloisa live in their villa. That is inside the Hacienda estate. Eloisa's mother is a cook in the villa and they are the only people in her Mommy's house, Donya Coloma Monférrer.
He has been isolated from their villa for two years. He has a small wooden cabin on the almost outskirts of the rancho, away from the rangeland and barns. Away from people.
"Oh. I'm sorry, señorito. I was just going to invite Sebio on Sunday to take a walk in the grotto near the waterfall. Sebio, Ikay has a new camera, he said we will use it for sightseeing." The girl looked excited.
"With Ikay? Me too, Loisa.” Severino immediately offered himself to join their plan on Sunday although Eloisa only invited Sebio.
“Camera? Maybe that's a paper camera again, Loisa. I doubt that you are talking about the real thing." Sebio said, almost mocking the young lady.
"No no! It's really a camera. Ikay said it is called a DSLR. It could take awesome and clearer shots. Like Severino, you're actually looking like a donkey but with that camera you'll be as handsome as Brad Pitt. So you should come with us, Sebio."
“Look how this lady embarrassed me!" Severino just scratched his neck.
"So, I'll see you, Sebio. On Sunday, don't forget. Señorito, I'm going home. Good night again."
A few minutes after the girl left, Matthieus sent Severino and Eusebio home. Because Sebio's father who is the Cowherd at the ranch has arrived.
"Enrico, you should focus on the Piedmontese. Because it shows a sign of poor health, it needs more attention."
"Yes, señorito. I know Samara will be happy if her pet, Olympia's daughter grows up healthy. Don't worry, I'll take extra care of those, Señorito." Enrico was happy to be near the calf they were talking about.
He gave no reaction to what the cowherd said and quickly left the barn. He mounted onto his Marwari horse and rode the dark road to his cabin.
His anger almost busted up when he found a Ferrari Enzo that got a customized paint of hot pink rampaged the most precious spot of the place. The fucking car ruined the large bush of sensation lilac in that garden. Samara's garden! The beautiful garden of his ex-wife just got wrecked.
"Holy fuck!" Matthieus' eyes seemed to squint in anger at whoever plowed that garden.
He furiously jumped off his horse. Soon enough before he could even tie his horse, a woman's voice rang out from somewhere.
"Verguenza, stop. Vergue, I said stop please. Are you deaf? I'm sweating already. I'm getting so exhausted! Ugh. Mommy is going to make you spank if you don't stop. Vergue, baby...”
A jersey wooly rabbit ran at his horse's feet, causing his horse to become very aggressive and the leash came loose from his hand. He growled like a mad lion when his horse ran ballistically in no particular direction.
The faint light from the lamp post revealed a panting girl with a striking smooth, porcelain-like complexion, delicate face's angles, collagen-inflated lips that somewhat look bow-shaped, her messy caramel and auburn hair was braided into a classic French style. But the real eye-catcher here is this eccentric camel jumper dress. A freaking jumper dress without anything inside but a contour brassiere.
He muttered a cuss! Where did this fucking little archdevil vixen come from? He knew of only one way from the road outside the ranch to get to that side. And he was sure that that road was barricaded and he strictly forbade anyone to pass through that part.
"Oh no! Bad, little Vergue! You scared the ugly horse of the old Mister Farmer, look. Oh my God! I'm sorry, Mister old Farmer for my baby's poor behavior—”
"Oh, go to hell!" The woman's jaw dropped when Matthieus yelled at her mercilessly.